I went to a wedding and a revival broke out.  This past weekend I officiated a wedding for a couple from West End Presbyterian where I have pastored these last several years.  The wedding occurred at a beautiful resort in South Carolina – it was a slice of paradise.  The wedding ceremony was held at a gazebo just yards from the ocean with Palm trees swaying, and cradled in a perfect blue sky and cool breeze.  It was a breathtaking chapel made by our Creator.

What made this wedding unusual was that many of the guests do not normally go to church.  In a place we could label “heaven on earth,” I was able to share to all in attendance how a wedding is the perfect picture for how Jesus relates to us – His church.  The bible begins with a wedding in Genesis 2; in John 2, Jesus inaugurates His ministry at the wedding in Cana; and in Revelation at the end of history, Jesus is portrayed as a groom returning for His bride.  It was the first time many people realized that Jesus not only loves weddings, but loves them like a groom loves his bride – passionately, intentionally and sacrificially.

Throughout the evening, people were talking about spiritual things and were renewing their wedding vows.  In fact, the bartender asked the bride to pray for him, and that same bartender couldn’t stop quoting scripture to me. The groom called me the next day from his honeymoon to tell me that he was overwhelmed with all the people telling him they wanted to know more about Jesus and they wanted to come to church because of the gospel message.  It was revival because people were not talking about how handsome the couple was (and they were), or how beautiful the setting (and it was), but rather they were talking about the message of Jesus!  The groom was amazed, he’s been praying for these people to show an interest in spiritual things and now they are awakening to the things of Christ!  Revival! 

We may not think of a wedding as a place for a revival but, in reality, a wedding may be the perfect place.  Jesus is our groom, He is glorious and splendid; and most importantly, He loves us more than any groom will ever love a beautiful bride.  There is nothing that He won’t do to reveal His love to us – as evidenced by His work upon Calvary.  He knows all our sins and ugliness, yet loves us despite it.  This is grace, and it is grace that we all desperately need.  Will you respond to His grace as these wedding guests?  They were renewed and excited to know that Jesus is waiting for them at the altar, wanting to embrace them. 

Come, we have a wedding to attend!