Congratulations to the Royal newly-weds

29 April 2011

The Scottish Christian Party welcomes and congratulates the world’s newest and most highly-publicised newly-weds.

Prince William and Kate Middleton were married in Westminster Abbey a few minutes ago, vowing before God and the world that they have an undying love for each other which will last as long as they live.

Love is the glue which holds human beings together, and it has many forms and expressions.  The bright sunny weather of the past few days put a smile of sunshine happiness on the events of 29th April 2011.

The event illustrates the beauty of selecting love – the bridegroom selecting his beloved from among multitudes of others – and it illustrates the wonder and exalting privilege which comes from Royal favour.

The newly-weds begin their married life on the Isle of Anglesey – an island off an island, off a massive Continent – altering in an instant its tangential position, moving suddenly towards the centre of the world’s attention.  It shows how royalty can put the smallest of places on the map, changing the world’s perception of it.  Thus Holy Scripture reminds us of the divine and royal favour towards those who have the Gospel of divine grace: “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let each one of the multitude of islands be glad at this” Psalm 97:1.  This includes the British Isles and the Isle of Anglesey.  God pays attention to individuals, and the royal favour to Catherine Elizabeth Middleton gives a small insight into the blessedness of divine favour.

Kate walked into Westminster Abbey as a commoner and leaves as a future Queen.  This is what the Lord Jesus Christ does to every one of His people – not to one individual only, but He offers this privilege to “whosoever will” have it.  The last chapter of the Bible signs off with the ringing peal of welcome: “The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And whosoever wills, let him take the water of life freely” Revelation 22:17.

As King of kings, the Lord Jesus is not only King of all the potentates of the Earth, but He exalts every one of His people as kings – “He has made us kings unto God and his Father” Revelation 1:6 and 5:10.  Every one is given a right royal welcome.

A trio of astronauts sent a heavenly message from the International Space Station to the happy couple, and the Lord Jesus still sends a heavenly message from the Holy Trinity in Heaven – “peace on earth and goodwill towards men”.

The world’s biggest Street Party passed off without the policing problems of much smaller events.  The psychology of the situation is obvious, and just as school teachers tell us for our exams, it is worth pointing out the obvious.  The community spirit and the collective goodwill manifested itself in the creation of new friendships with complete strangers.  “You meet such marvellous people; you get a sense of the occasion; and you remember it all your life” said one person.  One meets strangers from unheard of places.  Thus the Lord Jesus gathers together people from all walks of life and every nationality into the common brotherhood of the Christian family.  They remember weekly His triumph over sin and death, and regularly in the Lord’s Supper they fulfil His dying command: “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

It is reckoned that one third of the world’s population – about two billion – watched the occasion.  It is not simply celebrity and sentimentality which created this.  Rather it is the story – Prince Charming finds his gorgeous bride and elevates her from obscurity to being the centre of the world’s attention.  This is a parable of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Another focus of the world’s attention was the bride’s dress.  While on-lookers admire the dress, the bride’s attention is elsewhere.  This point is illustrated in the poem based on the warm Gospel writings of the renowned Samuel Rutherford about the marriage of the Church to her Bridegroom the Lord Jesus:

The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory
But on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth
But on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel’s land.

Our Prince Charming was dressed as a Colonel of the Irish Guards, befitting the pageantry of the occasion, reminding us of the splendour of Christ’s return as King of kings and Lord of lords for His Royal marriage to His bride, the Church.

Another highly prized event is “the Royal Kiss” awaited at 1:25 p.m. on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.  A kiss is a manifestation of one’s love, and the more public it is, the more public is the display of one’s love.  The recipient experiences the tangible application of her lover’s love.  The Bible’s greatest love-song explains the significance of such loving experience: “The Song of songs, which is Solomon’s. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine” (Song of Solomon 1:1-2).  The taste of applied and experienced love is better than wine, a divine remedy for love-sick human beings – much better than the inebriation of Britain’s alcoholics.

This Royal love story illustrates the right, royal love of Jesus Christ.  Thus the Scottish Christian Party “proclaims Christ’s Lordship” – the greatest Lover in Earth and Heaven.

To recognise the importance of such occasions, the Queen often confers a new title.  Prince William has been granted three new titles: the Duke of Cambridge, the Earl of Strathearn and the Baron of Carrickfergus.  Kate will be known as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.

The Scottish Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship” prays the Lord’s rich blessing upon the newly-wed couple – Prince William and Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine.