Good news of great joy.
MAY 25, 2007 (FRIDAY) – The wedding of Jennifer and Stephen will take place in League City tonight, and I will be the minister. Jenny has been a University of Houston student and Stephen has been at the University of Texas. Last Friday he was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. After a brief Caribbean cruise, they will move to San Diego, California, where he has been assigned to serve on a cruiser.
You know, I miss Wanda most at occasions like this one. How she would have enjoyed the weddings of her grand daughters. Jennifer’s maternal grandmother, Alta Albers of Rockport, misses her husband, Butch, also. He would have had a good time at this wedding.
Jesus referred to weddings as illustrations of the joy that comes by knowing and serving God. Back then, weddings went on for days, and the newly married couple were given a lot of time after the wedding to be alone with each other and get ready to settle down. Jesus went to weddings and actually performed his first public miracle at a wedding.
Jesus wants us to think of weddings when we think of Him. He wants us to be happy in our faith. Remember the chorus about joy we learned as children? “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay!” Remember the announcement of Jesus’ birth by the angels? “I bring you good news of great joy!”
But was not Jesus “a man of sorrows?” Yes, but please read Hebrews 12:2 which praises Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” For the joy! Praise the Lord. “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” He’s the bridegroom. His church is the bride. Come to the wedding! Come to Jesus!