The formal wedding ceremony is one we are all familiar with. But this morning we’ll look at a very different ‘wedding’ found within the pages of God’s word. Consider this thought; would you marry someone you’ve never met? It’s one thing to have an arranged marriage, but what if the first look you have at your wife is her coming to you behind a veil? (Maybe this is where we get the idea of the wedding veil.)

In Genesis 24, following the death of his wife Sarah, Abraham gives directions to his ‘oldest’ servant to go back to his homeland (Ur of the Chaldeans) and look for a wife for his son, Issac. The instructions are clear and God’s providential work is amazing to read. But the faith of these men is something to consider. To make a long story short; a girl is found, Rebecca, and she goes along with a stranger, Abraham’s servant, to meet a stranger, Issac, whom she will marry on sight, no pun intended. Reading the whole account in Genesis 24:1-67 gives new meaning to…’marrying a stranger.’

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, February 16, 2014

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“All Things Praise Thee” – 43

“All things praise Thee, Lord most high, heaven and earth and sea and sky…All things praise Thee night to night…and day by day…All things praise Thee, heaven’s high shrine (seraph & archangels)…”  This song identifies those who praise God from within His creation. Each verse, therefore, concludes with the saints singing, “…All things praise Thee – Lord, my we!”

“O Worship the King” – 144

As a continuation of this medley we go from singing, “…This their (heaven’s high shrine’s) highest bliss (greatest joy is) to be, ever praising – Lord may we!” to “O worship the King…”! Humbling yourself to worship God allows you to see how ‘feeble’ you (we) really are. We are children of dust, but we know Who we trust!

“When My Love to Christ Grows Weak” – 350

All five verses of this song build in progression as we remember the Lord’s Supper. 1) When I start to lose my love for Christ, I need to look no further than His last few hours in the Garden of Gethsemane. 2) Then, in thought, I walk through that garden, to see Him weeping and praying alone. 3) This scene helps me stop and think about those times when my love for my fellowman is weak (which is more often than I’d like to admit). How can I love my brother better? Looking to the cross on Golgotha (Calvary) I find strength for my faith. 4) Reflectively, in this fourth verse, I stand at the cross and see “…His agony…His anguish…His faith.” 5) And finally we turn from death, to life with a new lesson learned. We are stronger after we suffer, and there is a power sacrifice.  Thanks be to God for His self-sacrifice!  May we learn from Him.

“Behold a Stranger” – 919

An invitation song we may recognize, but this morning we’ll sing it after the Lord’s Supper.  Our reason is found in the second verse.  But notice how verse one builds upon verse two; “Behold a Stranger at the door! He gently knocks, has knocked before, has waited long, is waiting still; you treat no other friend so ill (unkindly). But will He prove a Friend indeed? He will! The very Friend you need! The Man of Nazareth, it is He, with garments dyed (stained) at Calvary.”

“In His Presence” – 99

A beautiful contemporary song that is simple in word as well as musical structure. “In His presence there is comfort, in His presence there is peace. When we seek the Father’s heart we find such blessed assurance…”

“O Thou Fount of Every Blessing” – 226

Perhaps one of my favorite hymns (we’re singing to Him) as we consider the Old English wording. Notice especially verse two; “Here I raise my Ebenezer…” my stone of help, my reminder because, ‘thus far the Lord has helped me.’  Or as the KJV reads, ‘Hither by Thy help I’ve come.’ A clear reference from I Samuel 7:12. Yet verse three also is one to note; “O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee…” Translated, “Every day I’m in debt to God for the grace He has given me. Lord, let Your goodness chain my wandering heart to You.”  But here’s why, “(I am) Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. (I am) Prone to leave the God I love.” We have wandering hearts and wandering eyes. Would that God chain us up with His goodness.

“There’s a Stranger at the Door” – 908

With our lesson being about ‘marrying a stranger’, I thought we’d sing again about the Stranger at the door.  But this time we will be offering an invitation to those who might ‘let the Savior in.’ Again, a reference from the scriptures as we read the words of Christ in Revelation 3:19, 20; ‘Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.’ Will you, have you, let Him into your heart? 

Wait for a few seconds before this song begins…

“Faithful Love” – no book

Marriage is all about love. As Christ loves His bride, so we ought to love our spouse. The scripture states plainly, Issac loved Rebecca (Genesis 24:67). He married a stranger, but he loved and cherished her. Our Savior is faithful and His love is unequaled. In faithful love He came to earth to show the Father’s love to us. And in so doing, thanks be to God, the groom and the bride will never be strangers.