How To Write A Wedding Sermon: Over the years I have officiated at many weddings and I have written many wedding sermons from several different perspectives.
The wedding sermon is an opportunity to share the biblical concept of marriage so that the audience can grasp the importance of marriage and it is also an opportunity to encourage the newly-weds in their journey together as a married couple so that they can build a life-long relationship.
How To Write A Wedding Sermon?
I usually share a Christian view of marriage at all the weddings I have officiated even if the bride and groom are not Christians.
I generally put together a sermon that takes about fifteen minutes or so to share. I find it more pleasing for the guests and bridal party if I share a short message rather than a long message.
In the wedding sermon below, I take the opportunity to share the biblical concept of marriage and I take the opportunity to encourage the newly-weds. I use this two-part approach for all weddings.
The first part of the wedding sermon has three points and the second part of the wedding sermon has six points. The structure of the wedding sermon has a natural flow to it and it is quite easy to share at a wedding ceremony.
Example of a Wedding Sermon
Have you ever wondered why we gather together to have a wedding ceremony?
Have you ever wondered why the bride and groom exchange wedding vows?
Have you ever wondered why the bride and groom take time away for their honeymoon?
The reason we have a wedding ceremony, wedding vows and a honeymoon is because they are part of God’s plan for marriage. From God’s perspective, marriage has three parts. Of course, these are found in Genesis 2:24.
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined [or cleave] to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
The first part of marriage is a public act – what we call the ceremony.
The ceremony is the place where bride and groom acknowledge that they are leaving one’s family with a view to establishing a new family and a new home.
The reason we have a ceremony is because it fulfils the public act. After the ceremony and celebrations, James and Joanne will be establishing a new family and a new home together. And this family and new home is where James and Joanne Smith will live life together.
The second part of marriage is a permanent bond – what we call the wedding vows.
The wedding vows affirm the permanent bond, which God calls the cleaving process. The cleaving process suggests the idea of being bound inseparably together by a love commitment to a life-long relationship.
The reason we have the wedding vows is to establish the permanent bond before God as James and Joanne exchange vows with each other. In other words, James and Joanne will promise before God and you that they will live together for life and of course that begins today.
The third part of marriage is a physical embrace – referring to the honeymoon.
A physical embrace involves physical intimacy. This is why the bride and groom take time away on a honeymoon to consummate their marriage.
Therefore, from God’s perspective, marriage involves three parts – a public act, a permanent bond and a physical embrace.
And that’s why we have marriage ceremonies, marriage vows and the newly wedded couples have a honeymoon.
I think all of us here today would agree that marriage is never easy.
Usually when it comes to the public act and the physical embrace, we tend to get that right.
However, when it comes to the permanent bond, we often struggle.
Why? Why do we struggle with the permanent bond? Let me suggest two reasons.
First, it’s not easy to build a life-long relationship. It definitely takes time and effort.
Second, relationships always have their difficult moments and how we handle those difficult moments usually determine the permanent bond.
In light of this, I want to share six words of encouragement with James and Joanne this afternoon that will inspire them in their permanent bond, in their quest to build a life-long relationship.
1. The first word is COMMITMENT
I am told from time to time that marriage is a 50/50 deal. I usually say to people if that is how you think about your marriage, then your marriage has only a 50% change of surviving.
A successful marriage involves a total commitment – a 100% commitment. James will need to give himself totally to Joanne and Joanne will need to give herself totally to James if they are to build a life-long relationship together.
Total commitment allows the marriage to overcome the difficult moments in life and there will be difficult moments.
2. The second word is COMMUNICATION
I always encourage newly-weds to nurture an atmosphere where they can talk to each other in an open and honest way. It is so important for you both James and Joanne to talk openly and honestly about your feelings and thoughts.
But let me also say that communication is not always about talking. Listening is a very important part of communication too.
3. The third word is COMPASSION
I associate compassion with forgiveness. I believe a compassionate person is a forgiving person. Don’t be so cold not to forgive. We all make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes.
Someone said this about forgiveness, “When you stop bringing up their mistakes, you have forgiven them.”
I have spoken to couples who have been married for many years and have come to point where they literally loath each other. I often say to them, “What is the issue?” You know, they start bringing up hurts from the past. These hurts have never been dwelt with. Why? Well, they have not learned to be compassionate and forgiving.
Remember don’t be so cold not to forgive!
4. The fourth word is COMPANIONSHIP
A life-long marriage or a successful marriage is a marriage where husband and wife become best friends.
You’ve heard it said before: “my wife is my best friend or my husband is my best friend.”
5. The fifth word is CLOSENESS
When I talk about closeness, I am talking about romance.
Yes, your wife is your best friend but closeness is more than friendship! It also involves romance. Romance is something you both will need to work on as your marriage grows and matures. Life-long relationships usually enjoy friendship and romance.
6. The sixth word is CHRIST-CENTREDNESS
I leave the Christ-Centeredness to last because I consider it the most importance of all for a life-long relationship. Dr James Dobson said, “When a husband and wife are deeply committed to Jesus Christ, they enjoy enormous advantages over a family with no spiritual dimension.”
An abandoned wife said this, “My husband recently left me after fifteen years of marriage. We had a great physical, emotional, and intellectual relationship. But something was missing … we had no spiritual bond between us.”
It is only through a spiritual connection with Jesus Christ that we can experience genuine love and intimacy.
The old saying of two’s company, three’s a crowd doesn’t count in a Christian home. A Christian home involves a husband, a wife and Jesus Christ.
Therefore, I want to encourage both James and Joanne to consider the importance of a Christ-centred home.
What does a Christ-centred home look like? Let me sum it up in three brief statements:
- It is a place where Jesus is welcomed
- It is a place where Bible reading and prayer are nurtured
- It is a place where the Lord’s Day is honoured
Let me conclude by saying this to you James and Joanne: a Christ-centred home provides a shield against all the vices that can destroy a marriage relationship.
Concluding Comments
This is how to write a wedding sermon. Hope this helps!
This wedding sermon was compiled and written by Rev. D. Blackburn BA GDM