The young couple has asked me to help them to meditate upon Matthew 7:24-27:
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
One of the things often forgotten is that public ministers or pastors did not preside at Christian weddings for several hundreds of years. Marriage for long centuries was understood to be a contract between families. Often couples were not even acquainted with one another. That depended, of course, on the economic level of the families and where they lived. In any event the concept of marriage as one of the so-called seven sacraments did not arise until later in the history of the church. The Council of Trent in the sixteenth century counter-reformation declared that for Roman Catholics a marriage is a sacrament to be administered by the church through the witness and blessing of an ordained priest. The same Council insisted that the couple must exchange rings, a custom that earlier was optional.
As a Christian pastor committed to the Lutheran confessions, I cannot accept marriage as a sacrament offering special grace to enable the couple to live the Christian life together. We Lutherans reserve the use of the word 'sacrament' to the Lord's Supper and Holy Baptism (and sometimes also penance). That is a topic for much longer discussion at another time.
Instead, I turn to the Word of the Lord Jesus that Shawn and Marian have asked be read and considered at the time of their wedding. Through his Word our Lord promises to strengthen them with His Spirit. His Word is the rock foundation upon which they must build their new house--their common life and the life of their family. As they build upon that Word they will find all they need to face the storms that inevitably will come crashing in upon them like the hurricanes that sweep off the Gulf of Mexico.
I am very happy that Shawn and Marian have chosen to build their household, their family upon that foundation. In Psalm 103 King David reminds us that our days are like grass. The dry wind comes along to blow over it and it is gone and forgotten. However, the love of our Lord Jesus is eternal and ever lasting with those who hold him in reverent faith and honor. He has made a covenant with us upon the cross, a covenant in which he pronounces forgiveness and mercy. In Christ we are now seen by the heavenly Father as righteous and without sin. We are his sons and daughters.
Shawn and Marian believe that. They share the same faith as do I and the rest of the family. So, as David says, "The Lord's love is with those who fear him and his righteousness with their children's children" (v. 17). So they need nothing more. They have the love and blessing of Jesus. They are not only part of our family, they are part of the great and eternal family of God. He will guide, protect and defend them until we all dwell together in the Father's house in the new creation.
Should I be happy about that? Should we have a family celebration this weekend? As we used to say up in Minnesota where I grew up, "Yah sure, ya betcha!" Yes, ya betcha again and again a thousand times over. And we will. I might even post a photo or two the next time I post. Keep looking.
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So what do you think? I would love to see a few words from you.