The Holy Matrimony of Mason Daughters & Ashley Ledbetter –
September 28, 2024Psalm 127; Genesis 2:7, 18-24; Ephesians 5:1-2, 22-33St. Matthew 19:4-6
In the Name of the Father, and of the +
Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Lord, Jesus Christ, performed His
first miracle at a wedding in Cana, when He turned six large pots of water into
wine. In so doing, He marked this institution as especially pleasing to God and
dear to His heart.[1]
Holy Matrimony is pleasing to God because it is man fulfilling to his utmost,
his role in creation. God did not declare creation to be very good until He had
created woman out of man and joined the two in Holy Matrimony.[2]
The institution of marriage in the Garden of Eden is the final act of creation
and it is the location of God’s first words of blessing to man, “Be fruitful
and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of
the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves
on the earth.”[3]
As the crown of creation, man and woman
are to live as husband and wife primarily for two purposes. First, to fulfill
this blessing and command of God, “Be fruitful and multiply.” God gave the
entire world to Adam and Eve that they would multiply and subdue it, that is
take care of all creation. The household is the foundation of society and the
source of children. ‘Children are an heritage from the Lord,’ the psalmist
says.[4] Man does
not create children. No effort of man creates life. The creation of new life is
within the power of God alone and he has ordained that new life would spring
forth from the union of man and wife.
When the two come together, they
produce one new flesh. This is the unique blessing of marriage. Through man and
wife, children are created; and through children, fathers and mothers are
created. Therefore, the Christian marriage must be open to children. No effort
of man may be made to stop the will of God in creating children. Such actions
would be sinful, contrary to the Word and will of God.
According to creation, the second
purpose of marriage is companionship. God declared that it was not good for man
to be alone and that he required a helpmeet, a companion, someone who would be
comparable to him. A parade of all the animals in the world could not fulfill
this need for companionship. It required woman. It required that God make woman
out of man’s side. In a sense, man is truly missing a part of himself until he
is joined in holy matrimony to woman.
This purpose of marriage, this companionship, is a lifelong commitment to one another. Mason and Ashely will today vow before God, all of you, and each other, that they will take one another to have and hold for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and health, to love and cherish till death parts them. Man is not free to cut the bonds of marriage. These two will be joined in one flesh. A new creation will be made this day that did not exist before. To separate this union is an act of violence.
It is also central to understand that
man did not remain in bliss. Eve gave into the temptations of Satan, ate of the
forbidden fruit, gave it to Adam, and he also ate. This sin, this breaking of
God’s law, plunged all of creation into sin, corruption, and decay. It
introduced death into the world. It also robbed Adam and Eve, and by
consequence all men and women, of the original righteousness in which God
created them. Now, every thought, word, and deed of man is corrupted by sin,
including the institution of Holy Matrimony.
In the fallen state of the world, Holy
Matrimony takes on a new purpose. It is for the avoidance of sin. Man is no
longer perfectly in control of his faculties, meaning that selfishness, pride,
anger, and especially lust now lurk within man’s soul. The estate of Marriage
continues to be given to man as the God given outlet for lust and as a special protection
against other sins. It is more difficult to be selfish when you have a wife,
and doubly so should your marriage be blessed with children…or at least it
ought to be. In Holy Marriage, being joined in one flesh means that you now
live life for another. You have another person, or eventually persons,
for whom to live and care.
However, Satan is crafty. He is
cunning. He sees Holy Marriage and hates it. He hates any gift God gives to man
and will always seek to corrupt it. For this reason, it will be necessary for
you two to always be on guard. Mason, she is your most treasured possession.
She is to be your wife, a gift greater than anything else creation has to offer
you. You are to ensure she has a home, food, and a joyful life. Recognize her
as the precious gift of God that she is. Recognize that focusing on your own
wants and needs will always open the door to the temptation to resentment,
frustration, and anger. Recognize also that the world will present temptations
to neglect her or worse, to find fulfillment anywhere but in the precious
treasure of the helpmeet given to you by God Almighty.
Ashley, he is your most precious
possession. He is worthy of your time, attention, and submission. He is your
head and provider. You are to trust him, provide him a home full of peace and
rest. Look to him to provide for your needs. Recognize him as the precious gift
of God that he is. Close your eyes to the attentions of other men and remember
that he is always worth more time and attention than anything else in the
world. You are a precious vessel that has been given to him to cherish. Support
him, care for him, trust him, and show him honor by receiving all the good
gifts he has to give to you.
To this point, I’ve really only
described the purposes and blessings of marriage according to creation. These
are incredibly important, especially in our day and age when the world wants to
deny creation. From our constant engagement in digital media – streaming
services, the internet, social media, etc. – to the denial of creation as
fundamental to reality. Our world wants to define creation according to our
desires and feelings rather than being that which God has ordered and continues
to govern.
But there is a fourth, and perhaps the
greatest, purpose of marriage. The union of man and wife in Holy Matrimony is
the image of Christ’s relationship to the church. Holy Marriage is dear to the
heart of God because it is the image of God’s own sacrifice and love for the
church. Adam and Eve plunged the world into sin when they submitted to
temptation in the garden. And just as all mankind fell in one man’s fall, so
too is all mankind redeemed in the Blood of Jesus.
In prophecy, in parable, and in doctrine,
our Lord loves to compare His love for the church to weddings. The Son of God
took on human flesh that He would die for us. His death is the ultimate
fulfilling of the call for husbands to love their wives even that a man would
die for her. Jesus Christ joined Himself to His bride in our flesh when He was
born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He then died the death that man had earned for
himself because of His great love for us.
In the same way, we are called to
submit to Christ as our head. He is the God of all creation. Christ is King.
And we, while still mired in the filth of our sins, have been called by Him to
be washed in His blood, made clean and spotless, washed of water by the Word of
God, that we might be presented to Him glorious, holy, and without blemish.
We gather today to witness the joining
of Mason and Ashley in Holy Matrimony, but we are called to see this union as
the earthly image of Christ being joined to His holy Bride, the Church. We are
here to worship the Triune God who has cleansed of our sins.
It is for this reason, that Mason and
Ashley, you are called to keep your marriage holy and undefiled. On your own,
you can’t do this. I promise you, you will sin against one another, against
yourselves, and against others. Satan is cunning and he will lead you astray. Remember
that you have been washed in the waters of Holy Baptism. Remember that you have
been saved by the Blood of the Lamb. Continue to be steadfast in your faith.
Mason, it is your job as the head of
the household to bring your wife to church. It is your responsibility to
continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge of God and His Word. Christ willingly
endured mocking, torture, and crucifixion because he loves his bride. You are
called to do the same. Swallow your pride and love your wife. Be bold in
providing for her and protecting her from the dangers of the world. Ensure she
remains steadfast in the Word of God and that she raises your children in the
faith.
Ashley, it is your job to support Mason
in his faith and to encourage him. It is also your responsibility to come to
church and encourage Mason to do the same. Remember that he is your beloved.
The church lovingly submits to Christ her head but is unafraid to cry out in
lament. We look to Christ for every good thing. Even when it seems he is not
listening, we trust that he is caring for us, giving us what we need. When Mason
needs correction, do it lovingly and in private, that his reputation would not
be harmed before others. Should God bless you with children, raise them in the
faith. Ensure Mason is teaching them the catechism and reading to them from the
bible.
Read the bible together, every day.
Pray together, every day. The most powerful words either of you can speak are
“I forgive you. I love you.” Do not forget to say them! And, Lord willing many
years from now, you two will join with the heavenly choirs of angels and all
the host of heaven in the Marriage Feast of the Lamb; when all who trust in
Christ will join together in the worship of our Lord forever. Love one another
as Christ has loved the Church. Hold fast to one another. May the peace of God,
which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds.
In + Jesus’
name. Amen.
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