Renewal Of Vows

This is a very special and fun day as we celebrate marriage.  We’re concluding our 8 week message series called “Home Improvement” and we’re going to have a renewal of wedding vows service.  All those who are going to have their vows renewed today are sitting up in the front two rows.  There are a total of fourteen couples participating today.

I want to thank the rest of you for coming to encourage each of these people.  So, please set back and enjoy this just like a wedding.

Here on stage with me is John and Ann Jones.  On July 3rd they’re going to celebrate forty-nine years together as husband and wife.

If you are here for the first time and you’d like to participate and renew your vows with your husband or wife you can join us right where you are.

If you’d also like to receive a marriage renewal certificate please fill out your connection card and make sure you write down both of your names and write the word “renew” on top of the card.

So, let’s get started with prayer.

There are a few things I’d like to say to John and Ann and all the other couples participating today.

First, God is pleased with you.  You made a vow to one another and you made a vow to God and you’ve kept that vow.  It wasn’t always easy, was it?  But you’ve kept that vow and God is smiling today.

Second, I want you to know how proud I am of all of you.  As your pastor this is one of the greatest joys of my life to be able to lead you in a recommitment of your marriage vows.  I consider it an honor and a privilege for Debra and I to be able to stand here and do this today.  It’s a great thrill for us.

Third, I also want to say how grateful our church is for all of you.  You are models of commitment in a world that knows very little about commitment.  So I want to congratulate you.

Genesis 1:26-27, 31 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness...“   27 So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.  31 God looked at everything he had made, and it was very good. (NCV)

I think God is looking down on us and what we’re doing today and saying, “This is very good!”