1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,720 God would he fill me and use me or to feed the people of God with mana from on high? 2 00:00:08,940 --> 00:00:10,940 Christ is the true bread 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,080 Or let us see him 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:18,280 Father would you help us to understand your intention behind the sacred word this morning? 5 00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:22,720 Father where there needs to be conviction or do we know that your spirit will do that? 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,280 Where there needs to be correction may your spirit do that 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,800 And where there's needed comfort may your spirit do that 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:32,280 Lord we need you this morning 9 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:37,280 Help us father to grow in our most holy faith. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen 10 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:44,280 About a hundred years ago theologian Andrew Murray some of you probably have some of his books 11 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,280 He wrote the following words 12 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:52,280 He said one of the words of scripture which is almost going out of fashion is the word covenant 13 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:58,280 There was a time when it was the keynote of the theology in the Christian life of strong and holy men 14 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:04,280 It made mighty men to whom God and his promise and power were wonderfully real 15 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:12,280 It will be found still to bring strength and purpose to those who will take the trouble to bring all their life under control 16 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:20,280 Of the inspiring assurance that they are living in covenant with a God who has sworn faithfully to fulfill in them every promise 17 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,280 He has given 18 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,280 When we talk about a covenant we need to understand what is a covenant biblically speaking 19 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:36,280 It is a solemn and binding relationship between two or more parties and it's meant to last a lifetime 20 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:46,280 We find many covenants in the scriptures we can go back we see the Abrahamic covenant the Noahic covenant the Davidic covenant 21 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:55,280 We see in the New Testament the new covenant but we also find in the pages of holy scripture that marriage is a covenant 22 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:01,280 It is a covenant between a husband a wife and the eternal living God 23 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:07,280 Now today the idea of marriage has actually changed at least in the western world particularly in our country 24 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:14,280 We no longer where I say society no longer looks at marriage as a covenant but rather as a social contract 25 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:22,280 They believe since it's a contract it can be broken by either party when they breach the terms of the contract 26 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:29,280 In other words here's what most people think we'll stay married as long as it's working for both of us 27 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:36,280 But if not if either one of us violate the terms we set up well we can end it and they do 28 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,280 And then they go into another marriage with the same mindset 29 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:44,280 But that is not at all the way scriptures view Christian marriage 30 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:51,280 Marriage according to scripture is a holy solemn covenant 31 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:57,280 It is a binding promise between a couple and God 32 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:04,280 In the Old Testament when you find two people entering into covenant with one another oftentimes you had a goat or a lamb that would be slain 33 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:11,280 And what they would do they would cut that animal in half and they would lay half the carcass here and half the carcass on the other side 34 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:19,280 So with the two halves of the animal lying there the people who formed the covenant they would walk through the slain animals 35 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:30,280 And here's what they would say may God do so to me cut me in half kill me if I break this covenant with you or with God 36 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:38,280 It's very serious there's a pictorial representation of what a covenant is meant to do last until death parts us 37 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:43,280 Now obviously today we're not cutting animals in half and we're not walking between parts 38 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:54,280 But the Christian couple they stand before a gathered group of witnesses and they make solemn vows to keep until death parts them 39 00:03:54,280 --> 00:04:00,280 Traditional vows vows that I normally would say if I'm officiating a ceremony you would say something you would say more than this 40 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:11,280 But you'd say something akin to this to have and to hold from this day forward better for better for worse for richer for poor 41 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:23,280 In sickness and in health to love and to cherish until death do us part this is my solemn pledge before God 42 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:28,280 Upon taking those vows and then later consummating the covenant and sexual union 43 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:38,280 God then says a true binding covenant has been formed before him and it's not to be broken except by death 44 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:49,280 God does not allow us the freedom to break the covenant simply because we become disappointed or disillusioned where our suffering seems more than we can bear in marriage 45 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:59,280 God does not allow us the freedom regardless of the disappointment the disillusionment or the suffering that you think is more than you can bear 46 00:05:00,280 --> 00:05:04,280 Remember the vows you took before him for better or for worse 47 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:08,280 Those vows are meant to be lived out 48 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:16,280 So it's a solemn oath before God you're going to honor each other you're going to esteem each other you're going to care for each other until death takes one of you 49 00:05:17,280 --> 00:05:24,280 Now for the past several weeks or past several months we've been going through Matthew but for the past several weeks we've been going through the Sermon on the Mount 50 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:31,280 In the sermon the Lord Jesus is giving principles that govern or regulate life in the kingdom of God 51 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:37,280 In this sermon our Lord is showing how kingdom citizens how born again people ought to conduct themselves 52 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:41,280 And today we're going to see how they ought to conduct themselves in marriage 53 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:45,280 I'm talking to the people who are citizens in the kingdom of God 54 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:51,280 Now this is not a set of rules to be legalistically applied if you're doing that you're going to miss the point 55 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:56,280 Yes there are rules but it's not just about a strict interpretation although we want to get there 56 00:05:56,280 --> 00:06:02,280 Our Lord uses very very strong language throughout the sermon and today's no exception you can read it yourself 57 00:06:03,280 --> 00:06:07,280 And we're going to see him protect and defend both the sanctity and blessing of marriage 58 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:14,280 So right now we can see today in our culture and I always speak of the western world 59 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:19,280 There is no doubt a concentrated attack on the family 60 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:26,280 In particular on marriage in our own country marriage has come under tremendous attack and tremendous suffering 61 00:06:27,280 --> 00:06:34,280 We've suffered a lot of losses there's rampant divorce rampant divorce tremendous sexual promiscuity 62 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:43,280 Cohabitation before marriage has become the norm and then of course our government says that homosexual unions now marriages are legitimate 63 00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:48,280 And all those go against God's design for the home and the family 64 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:52,280 What was once considered normative and traditional in the western world no longer is 65 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:59,280 What I'm spousing today would be very much out of sync with our culture I would be the one not normative today 66 00:07:00,280 --> 00:07:06,280 Several years ago the Barna poll they did a poll and they did different Christian denominations with the highest divorce rates 67 00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:12,280 And the group with the highest divorce rates are actually Baptist 68 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:19,280 Only surpassed by those who say they are non-denominational which are just Baptist without a name is what they are 69 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:28,280 So marriage it's instituted by God it's created by God therefore he determines what is and what is not acceptable 70 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,280 He alone has the sovereign right to do that he created it he regulates it 71 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:39,280 Now what was the original intention that God had when he created man and woman in marriage 72 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:49,280 One man one woman in a sexual union that would be pure before marriage faithful after marriage and it would last until death parted one of them 73 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:55,280 That's it now I want to give some preliminary thoughts as we start to exegete the text 74 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:02,280 First of all God instituted marriage secondly God hates divorce he did then he does now 75 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:08,280 Thirdly divorce is never commanded yet it is sometimes allowed 76 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:14,280 Fourthly it is never a good option and yet is sometimes the only one 77 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:21,280 Now even during the time that our Lord was on the earth marriage was a hot button issue it has always been a hot button issue 78 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:26,280 She had the rabbis they were divided on what were acceptable grounds for divorce or not 79 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:32,280 Now you have to keep in mind at that time there was a very low view of women 80 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:35,280 Now that low view of women did not come from the scriptures 81 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:40,280 Instead at that time they perceived women as lower on the human level than a man 82 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:48,280 They considered her an object they did not look at her as a person and at that time she held no legal rights 83 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:54,280 The husband held all the power and thus he could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted with her 84 00:08:55,280 --> 00:09:01,280 Now by the time we come to the New Testament divorce had already become easy and common 85 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:07,280 By the way only men could initiate a divorce women were forbidden from doing so 86 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:12,280 A man could initiate anytime he wanted and a woman never had the right to do so at all 87 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:18,280 William Barclay in his commentary he says the woman in the eyes of the law was a thing 88 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,280 She was at the absolute disposal of her father or husband 89 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,280 She had virtually no legal rights at all 90 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:33,280 To all intents and purposes a woman could not divorce her husband for any reason and a man could divorce his wife for any cause at all 91 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:39,280 Now you have to keep in mind Judaism had been influenced by two prominent rabbis 92 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:44,280 Two prominent Pharisees Rabbi Chalel and Rabbi Shemai 93 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:49,280 Now both of those there's a lot of writings and you can go back extra biblical sources they wrote a lot 94 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,280 But both of these men held opposing views 95 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:59,280 They were both very influential they started rabbinical schools that were very influential 96 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:04,280 The interesting thing is they were friends but they were at odds with each other 97 00:10:04,280 --> 00:10:08,280 Rabbi Chalel his views represented the liberal faction 98 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:14,280 Rabbi Shemai his views represented a more conservative faction 99 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:21,280 So the Talmud when we go back it records hundreds upon hundreds of disagreements between these two rabbinical schools 100 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,280 Especially concerning marriage and divorce 101 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,280 So do you know when the Pharisees they want to trip Jesus up 102 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:34,280 They go to him and they pose a question about marriage to see which side is he going to agree with 103 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,280 Is it going to be on Rabbi Chalel or Rabbi Shemai 104 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:42,280 Well Chalel allowed for divorce for almost any reason whatsoever any situation 105 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:47,280 Listen a man could divorce his wife for such trivial things as burning his meal 106 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:51,280 He could divorce her if he did not any longer find her attractive 107 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:57,280 If she would embarrass him in public or he deemed her to be too quarrelsome 108 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,280 He could just divorce her 109 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:08,280 Now what was even worse was at the time the line of reasoning had been upheld and promoted by leading religious officials 110 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:11,280 Remember that Rabbi Chalel was a Pharisee 111 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:17,280 He had influence. Now do you know the Pharisees they were the gatekeepers of purity 112 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:22,280 They believed and prided themselves on how well they kept the law of Moses 113 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,280 They did not see themselves as idolaters 114 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:29,280 They did not see themselves as any murderers which we looked at a few weeks ago 115 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,280 They certainly did not see themselves as adulterers 116 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:39,280 And here comes the Lord Jesus an obscure itinerant preacher out of Nazareth 117 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,280 And he's going to show these religious bigwigs if you will 118 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,280 That yes indeed you are guilty of adultery 119 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:50,280 How? Through divorcing your wives and remarrying 120 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,280 He last week talked about the lust remember the lust that was already in the heart 121 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,280 If you look at a woman with lust in your heart you've already committed adultery in your heart 122 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,280 He's exposing their hypocrisy 123 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:08,280 John MacArthur said that Jesus indicts the Pharisees for adultery because they were committing it by putting away their wives 124 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:12,280 The ease of divorce made it possible to avoid open adultery 125 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,280 Only little paperwork was required to legalize their lust 126 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:23,280 Jesus said that every time a man without a proper cause turned his wife loose to remarry he forced her into adultery 127 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,280 Which by the way made him guilty also 128 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:34,280 By divorcing his wife on grounds other than adultery a husband makes his innocent former wife commit adultery if she remarries 129 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,280 And it was assumed that she would 130 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,280 Now how in the world did they get to this place? 131 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:42,280 They had the law 132 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:47,280 Well you know the Pharisees they loved the law so they looked to the law of Moses to support their view 133 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:54,280 They went back to Deuteronomy chapter 24 as a legal justification for their actions 134 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,280 Well what did Deuteronomy 24 say? Let's read it 135 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:07,280 When a man takes his wife and marries her and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some uncleanness remember that word in her 136 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:12,280 And he writes her certificate of divorce he puts it in her hand and he sends her out of his house 137 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:17,280 When she is departed from his house and goes and becomes another man's wife 138 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:26,280 If the latter that is the first husband or if the second husband detests her and he writes her certificate of divorce and he puts it in her hand and sends her out of the house 139 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,280 Or if the second husband the latter husband dies who took her as his wife 140 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:37,280 Then the former husband that's the first one who divorced her must not take her back to be his wife after she has been defiled 141 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:44,280 For that is an abomination before the Lord and you should not bring sin on the land which the Lord your God has given you as an inheritance 142 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:52,280 So here's a picture you have a guy he gets upset with his wife he divorces her he gives her a bill of divorcement she leaves she goes out of the house she marries a second man 143 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:57,280 He either dies or he divorces her the first husband if he says man I made a huge mistake he doesn't get her back 144 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,280 It's an impossibility 145 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:07,280 Now the debate among the rabbis was what constituted uncleanness as the grounds for divorce because look at the verse 1 146 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:19,280 Now some rabbis understood this uncleanness they said it included every type of improper shameful or indecent behavior unbecoming a woman even up to embarrassing him 147 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:28,280 Okay so they were using this word uncleanness to refer to any cause of dislike any cause that seemed good to him 148 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:36,280 Hey she burnt my toast she's out and you think I'm serious you think I'm joking that was literally one of the grounds that was written in the halal view 149 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:46,280 Now we do know that uncleanness has to mean something and I'm going to be honest today we don't know exactly what it means but we do know what it does not mean 150 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:54,280 It does not mean adultery it can't mean why because the law had already prescribed if adultery took place what should happen to both the man and the woman 151 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:56,280 You get stoned to death right? 152 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:03,280 Lloyd Jones says that well Martin Lloyd Jones in his commentary the word adultery is not mentioned in the matter of divorce for good reason 153 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,280 Under the law of Moses the punishment for adultery was death so there's no need to mention it 154 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:13,280 So the whole object of the mosaic legislation in this matter was to control divorce 155 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:17,280 In those days remember men had a very low poor view of women 156 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:23,280 They had come to believe that they had a right to divorce their wives for almost any and every kind of frivolous and unworthy reason 157 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:33,280 The mosaic legislation that is the law therefore it was introduced to regularize and control a situation that was way out of hand and become chaotic 158 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:42,280 And it was grossly unfair to the women and which in addition led to untold and endless suffering on the part of both the women and the children 159 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,280 Men were the only ones who were benefiting from this 160 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:56,280 So before the time of Moses before regulation came all the husband had to do was simply verbally say I want a divorce and they were divorced 161 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:58,280 That was it 162 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:06,280 It just didn't matter but what would happen to that woman then she could not ever say that regardless of how tough her situation was 163 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:09,280 Now keep in mind she couldn't work 164 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,280 Marriage was the only way that she could survive economically 165 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:20,280 If she did not have a certificate of divorce or a way of showing she was divorced and her husband put her out verbally 166 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,280 No other man is going to marry her because he thinks she's still married 167 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:30,280 So what's going to happen she is going to be forced to a life of begging she and her children 168 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:33,280 There's no place for her to earn a living on her own 169 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,280 So do you see how grossly unfair this situation is 170 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,280 You see how un-toward it is toward women 171 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:51,280 God cared about that so the law of Moses was given now listen carefully as a concession not a command as a way to protect women and children 172 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,280 Deuteronomy 24 accomplished two things 173 00:16:54,280 --> 00:17:02,280 One it protected women and that the husband had to give her a written bill of divorce which then gave her a right to remarry she could prove it 174 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:10,280 Secondly it made the man slow down and think before he divorced her because once he divorced her and she became someone else's wife 175 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,280 If he said oh man I made a mistake I'd like to have her back 176 00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:17,280 It can't happen it was an impossibility 177 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,280 It didn't matter even if that second husband had died it did not matter 178 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,280 So we see it made him slow down so this was trying to protect women and children here 179 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:30,280 Now let me say very clearly Moses never sanctioned divorce 180 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,280 He only regulated how it was to be done 181 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:40,280 Life long faithfulness to your spouse is and was always the goal 182 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:49,280 But under the law Moses said if you did write up a bill of divorce two witnesses had to be present and they had to sign it 183 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:59,280 And later on those two witnesses could be called on to testify to the validity of a divorce that indeed had taken place 184 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:01,280 So there's a lot of things going on here 185 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:08,280 But let me say this this bill of divorcement the certificate of divorce never made the divorce right 186 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,280 It only said a divorce took place 187 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:19,280 It was kind of like a receipt so you go and buy something the receipt doesn't say you made a good purchase or a bad purchase it simply says you made a purchase 188 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:26,280 The bill of divorce doesn't say whether divorce is acceptable or whether it's not acceptable it simply said a divorce took place 189 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:34,280 It gave proof and thus the woman who her only way of survival was to be married could marry someone else 190 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:41,280 Now God's intention was never to divorce but the time you get to Deuteronomy 24 these divorces were very common 191 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:47,280 They're very common because in Egypt they're very common Egypt had a low view of marriage where had Israel been for 400 years 192 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:53,280 In Egypt a lot of the culture influenced them so all these divorces were taking place 193 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:59,280 Moses is upset about it and so he steps in and he gave rules to regulate the practice 194 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:06,280 Again I have to say it is not a command at all it is a concession on the part of Moses 195 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:11,280 But I hope you're following we fast forward to the time of Jesus now 196 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:22,280 And the Pharisees looking back at Deuteronomy 24 seeing the word uncleanness and they say that gave them the permission to divorce and remarry with impunity 197 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,280 They could do it for any frivolous reason 198 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:31,280 And the Lord Jesus is going to radically alter the way that marriage is viewed 199 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:37,280 Now Matthew 5 does not give all the answers there's other explicit passages that talk about marriage and divorce 200 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,280 Matthew 19, 1st Corinthians 7, Ephesians 5 but I want to look at Matthew 19 for just a moment 201 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:49,280 Now notice the text here there's a group coming to Jesus who are they? The Pharisees same people 202 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:57,280 They came to Jesus testing him they don't like him they want to get him in trouble 203 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,280 So what are they going to do? What's a hot button issue that we get you in trouble with? 204 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,280 It's kind of like politicians don't like to be cornered into something so that's what people try to do 205 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:10,280 Well these people were experts like let's get Jesus let's catch him in his words ah let's talk to him about marriage 206 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,280 Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? 207 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:20,280 On its surface let me just say that's a pretty dumb question I would think the answer ought to be no for just any reason 208 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:29,280 But notice Jesus what he does he answered and said to them have you not read that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female? 209 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:35,280 He said for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined with his wife the two shall become one flesh 210 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:41,280 So then they are no longer two but one flesh now this is the part that I think we're missing today 211 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:48,280 Look at the end of verse 6 therefore what God has joined together let not man separate 212 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,280 Who forms the covenant? God 213 00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:58,280 They said to him well if that's the case why did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and put her away? 214 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:08,280 Wrong poor logic there he said to them Moses because your hearts were hard he did permit you to divorce your wives 215 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:14,280 But from the beginning it was not so and I say to you whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality 216 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:22,280 Pornaya and marries another commits adultery and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery 217 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:29,280 And his disciples the people who are with him they couldn't believe what they're hearing they're saying if such is the case of the man with his wife 218 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,280 Isn't should we even get married is it better not to marry? 219 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:39,280 Now let's look at this quickly in verse 3 the Pharisees were teaching that it was you could divorce your wife for just about any cause 220 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:44,280 Now why were they thinking about that? Rabbi Chalel remember the liberal view 221 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:50,280 So they're wanting to trap Jesus they're like hey Jesus do you agree with Chalel or Shema? 222 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:55,280 They wanted to see what his interpretation was but I love the Lord he's never caught he's never trapped 223 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,280 He did not answer their question instead he posed a question to them 224 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:03,280 He said oh you want to ask questions let me ask you this one have you not read Genesis? 225 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:12,280 Go back and see that God made them male and female he brought them together made them one flesh and that one flesh union is not to be broken 226 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:20,280 He takes them back to the beginning back to the original intention in the Garden of Eden where marriage was first instituted 227 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:26,280 Well what is God's intention? They become one flesh and it doesn't get broken 228 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:33,280 In other words God never intended divorce God joined that couple in a covenant 229 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:43,280 Verse 5 he said there be joined it's the word cleave it's the word to be glued together to adhere to one another 230 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:52,280 So marriage if we look at an illustration it's much like an epoxy or glue that cements two people into one new creation 231 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,280 But verse 6 what God has joined together 232 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:04,280 Friend this is the serious part God is the one who unites the couple and this is what makes divorce so terrible 233 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:10,280 Because it literally rips apart the two people who are never meant to be separated except by death 234 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:19,280 I have talked and counseled to many many people have gone through divorce and I've had so many people say I don't wish them to be dead 235 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:26,280 I don't wish them to be dead but it would have been easier for me had my spouse died than to have experienced this pain of divorce 236 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:34,280 I would have done better had that happened because divorce destroys a union that God made and never desired to be broken 237 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:42,280 Well look at verse 7 the Pharisees they go back they said if what you're saying is true Jesus and God didn't intend divorce 238 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:47,280 Then tell me why Moses the great lawgiver he commanded to give a certificate of divorce 239 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:52,280 First of all I would want to just jump out of my skin here Moses never commanded it 240 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:58,280 What he did command was not the divorce but he simply said if you are going to divorce you can't do it verbally 241 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:04,280 You've got to do it through the proper channels you've got to get a writing and it's got to be certified by two people 242 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:10,280 What was Moses doing? Regulating the practice to protect the woman who is vulnerable 243 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,280 Jesus comes back look at his rebuttal verse 8 244 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:20,280 He said you want to talk about Moses and his permission? Because your heart because of the hardness of your hearts 245 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:26,280 He allowed he permitted this but I love what he said in verse 8 246 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,280 But from the very beginning that was not the case 247 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:36,280 What was really the cause of divorce? Hard hearted individuals 248 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:43,280 The hearts of these men had grown hard toward their wives and they were unjustly divorcing them and Moses then said okay 249 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:45,280 I'm going to regulate it, but I'm not commanding it 250 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:51,280 But you have to follow the proper channels and again this problem had become so widespread 251 00:24:53,280 --> 00:25:00,280 And in Jesus day once more we see these religious leaders these Pharisees missing the whole point of the law 252 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:05,280 People including themselves were divorcing their wives at that time for frivolous reasons 253 00:25:06,280 --> 00:25:12,280 It would put the wife in a very dangerous and vulnerable place if there were no certificate 254 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:18,280 But the Pharisees the pure people right they had so corrupted God's law 255 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:24,280 They were teaching that it could take that divorce could take place for any trivial reason whatsoever 256 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:31,280 And Jesus was upset they were misusing and abusing the holy law of God 257 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:37,280 They were religious hypocrites and by the way they had missed the meaning of marriage entirely 258 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,280 Marriage is the building block of civilization 259 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:48,280 Friends it is absolutely crucial and important it's no wonder why God is so passionate about the sanctity of marriage 260 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:52,280 It's the stability of the home it's the stability for children 261 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:56,280 The marriage covenant is a single most important human bond 262 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:06,280 And you have these religious officials these so-called holiness experts blind and oblivious to God's true intention 263 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:12,280 Now some of you are jumping ahead you're like but verse 9 does say there's an exception pastor let's read it quickly 264 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:18,280 I say to you whoever divorces his wife except for sexual morality and marries another commits adultery 265 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,280 And whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery 266 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:27,280 Sexual morality is not the word for adultery there's a specific word for adultery it's this is the word pornea 267 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:33,280 From which we get the word pornography and it means any type of morality could be adultery could be homosexuality 268 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:39,280 Bestiality promiscuity incest prostitution you name it it's a blanket term 269 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:45,280 Jesus is not saying though immorality must lead to divorce 270 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:52,280 He said it may if you have one party who's gone outside the marriage and they had sexual relations with another person 271 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:57,280 They broke their covenant because their vow before God says I will keep these vows 272 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:04,280 Now I personally pastorally try I believe that restoration and forgiveness always should be the goal 273 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:10,280 But what do you do if the other person will not repent they continue in that adulterous behavior 274 00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:14,280 I do believe the innocent party is allowed at that point to be divorced 275 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:21,280 Martin Lloyd Jones in his commentary and I wish I want to speak for hours on this and I won't don't get scared I'm not 276 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:25,280 Nothing he says is a cause for divorce say fornication 277 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:33,280 It does not matter how difficult it may be it does not matter what the stress or the strain or whatever can be said about the incompatibility of temperament 278 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,280 By the way that's today right what is most people's divorce irreconcilable differences 279 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:43,280 No nothing is to dissolve the indissoluble bond save this one thing 280 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:49,280 The person who is guilty of adultery has broken the bond and became united to another 281 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:55,280 The link has gone the one flesh no longer obtains therefore divorce is legitimate 282 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:00,280 Let me emphasize again he says it's not a commandment but it is a ground for divorce 283 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:06,280 And a man who finds himself in that position is entitled to divorce his wife and the wife is entitled to divorce her husband 284 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:16,280 Verse 9 this is but we have to be careful here he said any other reason than sexual immorality and then you remarry 285 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:26,280 You're now in an adulterous relationship if a man marries a woman who is divorced for any other reason than sexual immorality he's committing adultery with that new bride 286 00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:32,280 How do they commit adultery because the original couple remains married in the sight of God 287 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:37,280 If God does not accept the divorce as valid remarry as adulterous 288 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:43,280 I said this way the state of Ohio may grant a divorce that does not mean that the court of heaven and God does 289 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:50,280 People all the time get divorced in the eyes of the government but God is not forced by the government to recognize that 290 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:58,280 Why how do you how am I saying that the state did not join that couple together God did 291 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:05,280 Therefore only he has the right to decide when and if that union can be dissolved 292 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:12,280 Serious it's very serious we need to listen carefully to the words of our Lord concerning marriage 293 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:18,280 Friends we have such a low view of marriage serial divorce and remarriage 294 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:25,280 We must as a church as citizens in the kingdom of God return to a high view of marriage 295 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:30,280 We must as citizens in the kingdom of God return to a high view of God's design for marriage 296 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:37,280 We must his disciples got it they said if that's the case Jesus if it's that strict 297 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:45,280 Isn't it better not to marry Jesus to go on talk about the gift of celibacy but they got it they understood 298 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:52,280 I mean if you're saying it's permanent am I taking a big risk on doing this 299 00:29:52,280 --> 00:30:00,280 Jesus is painting a very serious picture of marriage as a covenant in the marriage ceremony I say these words at the very beginning 300 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:10,280 Marriage is not to be entered into unadvised Lee or lightly but reverently deliberately and in accordance with the purposes for which God instituted 301 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:18,280 Don't get married rashly folks in the kingdom of God divorce is to be shunned entirely 302 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:24,280 But some people are divorced against their will and again I can't talk about all the exceptions 303 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:31,280 But I do I would be remiss if I didn't say this and we're getting very close I have counseled numerous people who are forced into a divorce 304 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:40,280 They did not want they did not seek and they did not cause okay I've counseled many many like this these folks in the church don't need our judgment 305 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:48,280 They need our compassion they didn't want it they hated as much as you and I in a fallen world that we live in divorce is sometimes unavoidable 306 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:55,280 It is always tragic God still hates it and is designed to still a monogamous lifelong marriage 307 00:30:56,280 --> 00:31:02,280 But what makes divorce so tragic is that it destroys the family and that's a basic building block of society 308 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:14,280 But can I say one more thing what's even more tragic is what it says about Christ you and I have been created an image of God so our lives tell a story about God 309 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:22,280 Christians I'm talking about just think Kingdom citizens here we have been redeemed and our lives are to reflect our Redeemer 310 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:30,280 We are image bearers of the one true living God so when Christians divorce and remarry we are telling the story whether we want to or not 311 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:38,280 That Jesus has more than one wife and that is heresy you're like what you're imaging him your life is reflecting tell a story 312 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:49,280 The Lord Jesus has only one bride the church for whom he gave his life and he doesn't abandon his bride because he finds one more attractive or when she's behaving in a dishonorable way 313 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:58,280 The Lord Jesus the living God is always faithful to his covenant and you and I are called to be faithful to ours regardless of how difficult it may be 314 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:02,280 I've quoted him too much but I'll do it one more time Lloyd Jones because he's good 315 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:11,280 But on the basis of the gospel and in the interest of truth I am compelled to say this even adultery is not the unforgivable sin it is a terrible sin 316 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:21,280 But God forbid that there should be anyone who feels that he or she has sinned himself or herself outside the love of God or outside his kingdom because of adultery 317 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:35,280 God forbid you to think that way no if you truly repent and you realize the enormity of your sin and you cast yourself upon the boundless love and mercy and grace of God you can be forgiven 318 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:43,280 And I assure you a pardon he says but hear the words of our Lord go and sin no more 319 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:50,280 Go and sin no more now having seen how serious God takes marriage what should you and I do? 320 00:32:51,280 --> 00:33:01,280 What do we do as a people as a church as citizens of God's kingdom we repent let us repent 321 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:09,280 We confess our sin that means we agree with God about it and we turn from it and where else do we turn? 322 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:14,280 To the all merciful living God we cast ourselves upon him and his mercy 323 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:20,280 We bring forth though the fruit of repentance what's that mean? 324 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:30,280 We're going to deal seriously with our lusts we're going to deal seriously with our dissatisfaction we're going to deal seriously with our rebellion against God that would lead us to divorce 325 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:39,280 You're saying pastor it's too late for me it's not you cannot go back and undo what has already been done I understand that 326 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:45,280 If you're in a second marriage don't divorce your second wife and go back to the first don't that's not a biblical and that's not the point 327 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:54,280 But from this point forward you must ask God to cleanse you purify you and help you to be faithful to the promise you have made 328 00:33:54,280 --> 00:34:04,280 So what do we do? We feel guilty let us go to the table of the Lord and celebrate God's covenantal faithfulness 329 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:15,280 He's the only truly faithful one and we celebrate his covenant promise to forgive us through the death and resurrection of his son 330 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:25,280 Our grounds of assurance our grounds of salvation is in the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ it's not in how well you did in marriage 331 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:36,280 So we celebrate that today but I implore you as the cup we ministered and the bread will be given spend that time asking God if you're married protect your marriage 332 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:43,280 If you need to ask your wife or husband for forgiveness do it now if you need to repent before the Lord do so 333 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:51,280 He is a God who loves to pardon we have a faithful high priest who will represent you 334 00:34:52,280 --> 00:35:00,280 Come today come to the table the Lord if you don't know Christ you must come to him there is no salvation there is no savior 335 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:07,280 You must repent of your sins and come to the only one who can save you and his name is Jesus and he is a savior for all people 336 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:14,280 If you will simply humble yourself and believe in him you trust in him he will receive you today let us pray 337 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:17,280 Father help us Lord 338 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:24,280 Lord I knew the message would be a little stern I know it's hard to hear because we live in a culture of easy divorce 339 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:31,280 And Lord it's just so commonplace we become numb to it God would you forgive us have mercy upon us 340 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:38,280 Lord help us to uphold the sanctity and the blessing of marriage and Lord all of us Lord marriage is going to be difficult at times 341 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:44,280 Because there's two sinners in close proximity but Lord you give us grace you give us mercy and we thank you for that 342 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:49,280 Father help people not to be deceived into looking for greener pastures or thinking life would be easier if 343 00:35:50,280 --> 00:35:58,280 Oh God give us wisdom today that Lord we look to your son he was the true one who was obedient in all ways 344 00:35:58,280 --> 00:36:04,280 The one who was perfectly righteous and the only one in whom we can have hope Lord our assurance our salvation is found in him 345 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:13,280 Lord as we prepare for the table Lord prepare our hearts made through repentance confession and then also seeing the promises of God and receiving them 346 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:16,280 And we thank you for that in Jesus name Amen 347 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:20,280 Deacons if you would come to the table and go ahead and pass out the elements 348 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:27,280 If you know the Lord and you've been baptized in the name of the triune God this is the table of the Lord 349 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:35,280 But we would ask that you examine yourself if you don't know the Lord or you have never been baptized as the elements are being distributed please do not take it 350 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:40,280 This is a table for Christians and what marks a Christian out is the covenant sign of baptism 351 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:49,280 So we would ask that you hold them to the end and we take together as a body