"When Christ Attends a Wedding"
Oct. 26, 2019
On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with His disciples.
— John 2:2 (ESV)
When Christ attends a wedding, He becomes the centerpiece of a new home. That is the distinguishing quality of a Christian home: Christ at the center, and the home's members reflecting His self-sacrificing love.
In Ephesians 2:5, Paul writes that husbands should love their wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. Christ loved humanity so much that He gave His life for the sins of the world. Ideally, the members of the Christian household love one another, seek each other's welfare, and willingly sacrifice personal interests for the good of the family. Members of a Christian family are bound to each other with a special love—a higher and more noble kind of love—namely, the love that springs from their faith and hope in the Savior. This is a long-term love between a husband and wife and, by extension, members of the household. Some of the moonlight and roses may go out of it, but its bonds can become stronger than steel.
When Christ attends a wedding, the man and woman will strive to understand each other; they will resist condemning the other when there is conflict, too. Christian mates should seek to know how Christ dealt with human beings and their weaknesses. He never condoned sin, but He was sympathetic and understanding in His dealings with sinners. We too, sinners, as we are, should want to deal tenderly with our spouses.
When Christ attends a wedding, the man and woman who have become husband and wife will be determined to be true and loyal to each other, in every respect. They have become a closed corporation, so to speak, not only their bodies, but also their possessions, their plans, their aspirations, their confidences, and their secrets are theirs alone. A husband's responsibility to his wife and a wife's responsibility to her husband are greater than the responsibility to their parents or to any other person. Scripture says in Genesis 2:24: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
There is no shortage of challenges facing married couples today. The pressures, stresses, temptations, and entertainments of this world abound on all sides. As individuals, most of us feel at least somewhat inadequate in handling these variables. You may not have much effect in the world, but you do have an influence in your marriage relationship and in the home of which you are a part.
As you love the Savior, and through Him the members of your family, seek to remember how it is when Christ attends a wedding. He is not only to be a permanent and prominent Guest in your home; He should be its most visible centerpiece, enriching your marriage and empowering your relationship with others.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let our marriages burn bright for You. Let our love for our spouses draw strength and inspiration from Jesus' love for us. In His Name we pray. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- When you were younger, was being married something that appealed to you? Why or why not?
- Turning water into wine was the first of Jesus' signs—and because of this (at least in part) "His disciples believed in Him." Would seeing this empower your faith in Jesus? Would it freak you out?
- If you're married or in a long-term relationship, how do you keep yourself true and dedicated to your spouse or significant other?
From "When Christ Attends a Wedding," a sermon excerpt from Rev. Dr. Armin Oldsen, former Speaker of The Lutheran Hour. Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
When you were younger, was being married something that appealed to you? Why or why not?
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