Marriage of Zachary Koch and Rachel Taylor
March 21, 2026
To you, Zach and Rachel, family and friends gathered here for this happy occasion, grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Weddings don’t usually take place during Lent. This is a more restrained and reflective time of the church year, a time of penitence when the Alleluias are put away, when we focus on the battle against sin and Satan, when we meditate on the cross of our Lord Jesus. But then again, the theme of Lent does serve to emphasize a uniquely Christian perspective on marriage. And so today we will let that guide our meditation as the two of you enter this holy estate.
Marriage is a cross. By saying that, I’m not, of course, demeaning marriage in any way—quite the contrary. This is God’s good gift, given by Him from the very beginning of creation for the blessing of humanity. This is for your mutual companionship and intimacy, a fellowship that God gives and creates only for husbands and wives. This is also for the expansion of His creative love, as He is at work through you to bring new life into this world according to His will. So this is not merely a human arrangement or a legal contract—just a piece of paper as some like to say. This is an act of God Himself working through earthly authorities to make you one flesh. Marriage is a wonderful, divine good.
But in this fallen world, that good is inseparably connected with the cross. This is true of every God-given vocation, whether it’s in the home, the church, the workplace, the state—every divine calling includes the call to lay down your life for another, to sacrifice yourself in some way for their good. That’s what love is, something that’s not self-seeking, but self-giving.
And so it is in marriage. A cross is being placed on you today that you are to bear for the sake of one another. Zach, you are called to love Rachel and lay down your life for her, even when she’s not being particularly lovable. Rachel, you are called to respect Zach and submit to him, even when he’s not being particularly respectable. This is the cross both of you are being given today.
And as Christians, we recognize this to be good. For we know that with Jesus, the cross brings great blessing. It means the death of sin for us; and it means new and real life for us. The crosses that we bear for one another flow out from the cross that Jesus bore for us. We heard it in the Epistle, “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendor, . . . that she might be holy and without blemish.” The sacrificial love of Jesus is what makes the Church lovely; it saves us and enriches us and gives us joy.
In marriage you are given to share in that reality of Jesus’ sacrificial love. That’s how Paul in Ephesians could give this detailed counsel for how husbands should act and how wives should act, and then say, “But what I’m really talking about here is Christ and the Church.” Marriage was created to be an earthly picture of the eternal reality of Jesus. “We are members of His body, bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh.” Jesus is the new Adam and the Church is the new Eve.
“A man shall leave His father and mother and be joined to His wife.” And so Jesus, the Son of God, left His Father in heaven to be joined to His elect Lady, His Church. In order to save us who had fallen under the curse of sin and eternal death, Christ joined Himself to our flesh and blood and became man. Jesus even had to leave His mother Mary behind for a time on the cross. Just as the first Adam brought death into the world through sin, Jesus brought life into the world by being put into the deep sleep of death for us, taking away our sin and conquering the grave on Easter morning. Eve was created from Adam’s side; the Church is created from Christ’s pierced side. The water and the blood flow forth from there—the living water of Baptism which makes us members of His body, the blood of Christ poured out in the Communion chalice, by which we are cleansed of all sin. Through these Sacraments, the Church is Jesus’ radiant bride, dressed in the beautiful white garment of His righteousness.
Zach and Rachel, that eternal reality is what God has given your marriage to be a reflection of and an image of. So in practical terms, as the husband, Zach, that means that you are to be the burden bearer, not the fault finder. For you are in the role of Christ, and He counted all of our sin as His own, as if it were all His fault. He carried our anxiety and stress in order to bring us comfort and relief. It is especially for you, then, not to dwell on blame but to do what is necessary to restore and redeem the situation with strength and love and wisdom. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Our God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
And Rachel, as the wife, it is for you to be a gracious receiver. Seek your happiness in marriage in the unique ways that he shows love to you. Just as it is Christ’s joy to give us joy, so also what makes most husbands happy is when they can make their wives happy and draw their bride freely and willingly to themselves. So be open to him with a gentle and respectful spirit. Avoid putting up barriers if his attempts at showing love aren’t exactly what you wanted them to be. Learn to dwell on his strengths, not his flaws. Give your husband the joy of freely receiving and responding to his self-giving–just as it is the church’s happiness to receive the undeserved love and giving of Christ and to respond with love and trust in Him.
Two more things before we get to what everyone here is waiting for. God is making you one flesh today. That one flesh reality of marriage is manifested in the procreation of children who are quite literally one flesh of their father and mother. Children are the public testimony of that one flesh union that God has created. Though our culture tends to downplay it, being fruitful and multiplying is integral to what marriage is all about as God instituted it. There’s no such thing as a Christian marriage that is willfully childless—on purpose, not because of health issues or age. This is also one of the several reasons why marriage can only be male and female, as God said. He is seeking to continue His work of creation through your marriage, so that your children may be brought up as you were, in the fear and instruction of the Lord, that they may be baptized and believe in Christ and receive the gifts of His salvation.
And the last point I want to make is this: You two really don’t know what you’re getting yourselves into today (it’s true). But that’s OK; because no one does. No one knows what the future holds, right?—what unexpected things are going to happen—just as we don’t know how we ourselves or our spouse are going to change over time. But marital love says, “I’m going to stick with you and stand by you even in the face of the unknowns. I’m going to risk it for you. That’s my vow to you today.”
So in a moment, I will be asking both of you some questions. And contrary to what people often expect, the answer you are given to speak is not “I do” but “I will.” You are not simply speaking about your intentions at the moment but your lifelong commitment.
That “I will” language calls to mind our Lord’s own words when He says in Scripture, “I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.” Or again, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” In this husbandly way God speaks to the Church. Only Christ’s loving commitment is for sure and unchanging, the same yesterday, today, and forever. It is based on His sure vows of faithfulness to you that you are given to commit yourselves to each other in His name.
We’ve come a long way, Rachel, from the days of the neonatal intensive care unit where you and your sister were baptized, from the days of Sunday School Christmas programs and Confirmation class. Seems like yesterday to this old pastor. But the God who has been with you every step of the way, who brought you and Zach together, will surely continue to guide you both by His Word and Spirit.
So, as you have received God’s love and grace in Christ Jesus, love one another and extend grace that covers over the other’s imperfections. As Christ has forgiven you freely without your earning it, forgive each other freely without making the other earn it. Zach, you die for her. Rachel, you live for him.
May God richly bless your marriage in Jesus’ name. Amen.