Before we go up to the altar, I would like to share one verse from the Bible - a truth about love that I hope you will keep in mind. The verse is 1 John 4:10 - where the Apostle John writes, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.”

I once heard about an elderly couple that had gotten very forgetful about things. So, they had started writing things down - as a way to remember. It was kind of neat actually - after many years of marriage - they had found a new way to help each other. Writing things down - prompting each other with notes.

One night - very late - they were watching Letterman - and the husband got really hungry for a midnight snack. He told his wife, “I really could go for and ice cream sundae with whip cream, hot fudge, and a cherry.” His wife said she would get for it for him and started for the kitchen.

“Don’t you think you ought to write it down?” asked the husband.

“No,” she said, “I’ll remember.” So off she went into the kitchen.

After a while the husband heard pots and pans rattling and banging - and after a real long time - finally his wife came back carrying a plate with two eggs over easy - hashbrowns - and a slice of fruit.

The husband took one look and said, “You see, I told you you should have written it down - you forgot the toast.”

There comes a point when we realize that we’ve married an imperfect person - like us. This is what the Apostle John is writing about - God’s love of imperfect people - like us.

And the truth that we need to remember is this: God’s love of imperfect people is the example of how we should love each other.

The Apostle John is very specific in the way he describes us. He says that we did not love God - But God chose to love us and to give His Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven.

The Bible describes God as the definition of love - He is love. And God is the source of love - the creator and originator of love. Which is good. But, that all sounds really philosophical - something nice and pretty to say at weddings.

The value of God’s love is that He demonstrates to us how to love by loving us - imperfect people - sinners - people having no desire to love God or to live in obedience to Him. And yet, God loves us - each one of us here today. And He loved us so much that He gave His only Son. Imagine such a love - to give our only child for people that didn’t love us - to be born in manger - live in this world - die on a cross - and be resurrected - so that His blood would take the place of our blood - and the death sentence - the penalty for our sins could be paid.

That love is sacrificial love - love which is totally contrary to the kind of love we see in the world around us.

Toyota - years ago - had a slogan that I remember very well. Because it puts the world’s understanding of love into one sentence. “I love what you do for me.” Love me - meet my needs - and I will love you.

But God loves us - even if we do not love Him - even when there is absolutely nothing we can do or say or accomplish that is worthy of His love. And this is God’s example of love to us. Learn to love imperfect people when there is no expectation of a response or worthiness for your love. God has really blessed you both. But there will be times when that “blessing” will be hard to see.

Let me encourage you to first do everything you can to personally know the God who loves you so much that He gave His only Son to die for you. And secondly - to place Him first in your marriage. Learn to live by the example of His love - and follow His example in everything you do and especially in how you love each other.