Jesus on Marriage, Part 2

Jeannie Greer Jesus understand the covenant of marriage is so strong that it made listener say wow if that's what you're told us we got to commit to it might be better than ever even go into his Jesus visit what you're saying is when you get married you say I like to leave you no matter how much you disappoint me or how difficult you make life life with pastor Jeannie Greer and as always I'm your host Molly. That's the program with a doozy of a question what really think about divorce when an important topic is our world wrestles with this question with alarming regularity in today's message from the series forever family pastor Jeannie walks us through Jesus's teaching helps us see that while God's command about divorce is clear there is no marital situation so hopeless that he cannot redeem restore it. If you missed the first part of this message yesterday. You can find it online@jdgreer.com. Let's join Pastor JD and Matt. Chapter 19 God designed marriage and everything that goes with it to give us a taste of his love. Not only was I going to give you a pattern for how you can love your spouse, but ironically is to show you how you can be happy and fulfilled in a season when you're not married even when you really want to be how you can be content in a marriage that you're disappointed in how you can be happy in an unhappy marriage right before I got married first time that I went out with Veronica that went into my class at Exmoor seminary class of one of my friends. You knew what had gone out with Veronica that I before the Lord, you know what you think. And so I went out of my notebook a piece of paper that is redone every adjective that I can think the described are like 60 some different adjectives and a put on the sex and that's what I think about her couple years later when we got engaged also have that no but one that found that list got explained and been on her wedding day. Give that to her and had little statement under by CS Lewis basically was. You represent something that can never be taken away from me.

What I meant was, yes, there are situations where Veronica could be taken away from me. Death could come to one of us and she might not be a part of my life that you represent something the beauty that I experienced you are the love that the tenderness those are things that emanate from the sunshine of God's love that can never be taken away in some dark cloud work to obscure the raid, the son of God's love remains. By the way, I hope that you will start learning to look at all of the blessings of life. That way the attention of the tenderness I felt for my parents. That was a stand-in for God's love, the affirmation.

Sometimes the community that I feel from friends.

Those things are all manifestations of the goodness of God and experiencing them. I'm learning to experience goodness that comes from him that the sun itself is God's love and his presence. One of the raised one of the manifestations is marriage and it's a great but CS Lewis said in the Bible tells you fixated on the raid because of the sun is what's important. The essence of marriage is the covenant. The purpose for marriage is friendship and a pattern for marriage is the gospel. Now let's look at how Jesus uses those concepts to spell out what he's gonna say is an obvious answer to the divorce question what is Jesus teaching a marriage mean for the horse verse six verse six. Therefore what God has joined together, no man on a separate notice that the other the other note neuritis. No, no fine prints recommended reading. In the sentence. Marriage is a covenant instituted by God to demonstrate his love marriage really is a fusion of two souls into one present. Divorce should never be an option for seven they said it will Jesus. Why then did Moses was speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Why did Moses then command one to give a certificate of divorce in the center away that point.

If you're writing the score for the CU Q the dramatic music that will serve Moses had said in Deuteronomy 24 one. When a man takes a wife and marries her if he finds any indecency in her, then, well, he could divorce her know I will. Jesus you're saying we should get divorce but Moses clearly says we could use the word command.

He commands us to got to Jesus, by the way, for the record you and say you should never get the battle of wits with Jesus, particularly over the Bible but the Pharisees were not always a spicy history does in the bag so they did. Jesus look back at them very calmly and says, okay, it's because of the hardness of your heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives even command you, he allowed it from the beginning, according to God's original design. It was not so rabbis in Jesus day taught a distinction listener. This between a command in the wall and a concession from the law, the command they said express God's heart. The command reveals God's desires and his plans from the beginning. A concession was something that God allowed in society because of the fallenness of man because were broken people in order to keep peace in the society that are filled with with different ones of us at various levels of spiritual maturity disallowance for divorce. Jesus said it was never a command and you know that he tells the Pharisees.

It was not a command express God's heart.

It was a concession due to our fallen state. The Pharisees knew that many of the rabbis of the time for the difference in a command concessional log that wasn't something new Jesus, but he was there trap. What did Moses mean by something indecent.

Deuteronomy 24's and you get divorce instead of a not be in sin if it was because of something indecent. In Hebrew the phrase for something indecent is or what the bar was an ambiguous phrase even for people who were fluent in Hebrew. What qualifies is or what the bar and there were two dominant schools of thought. The first was represented by very popular rabbi around that time in Rabbi semi and he said in that context, indecent, something indecent means only sexual indecency, meaning that Moses allows divorce only in cases where some sexual in this in indecency has occurred. This was a very conservative position.

All the southern Baptist would've been on on this with this what they we will believe on the other side you had Rabbi Hillel Hillel was the progressive thinker the progressive lab i.e. live over in Chapel Hill to go over previous Hillel said indecent means anything you don't like about her. Maybe she was has indecent behavior by talking too much of parties. Maybe she has indecent cooking skills. Maybe she has indecent morning breath. I imagine not exaggerating this, we have a record of Rabbi Hillel say if she consistently burns the bread or what the bar right you may divorce or if you fall out of love with her. What the bar divorce or you fall over somebody else or want the bar divorce her. Here's the thing.

Most of the Jewish world was on the side of Rabbi Hillel was the more progressive thinker, so the Pharisees are trying to get Jesus on record saying something about marriage and divorce will make them really unpopular what is Jesus answer out as he responded verse nine I say to you, whoever divorces his wife except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery, Jesus actually comes out stronger than the conservative position. Not only should you not get divorce. He says if you marry somebody else. After leaving your first spouse you are living in adultery with the second person because in God's eyes. At first covenant is still active because the marriage is not a contract where you agree to a set of conditions, so long as the other party satisfactorily fulfills theirs. Marriage is a covenant.

He said were you leave and cleave you company you pledge complete unconditional sacrificial love that mirrors God's love for us what God has joined together. He said nobody should separate.

There were two understandings of marriage in a day just like there are two NR's. I called one a consumer understanding and the other a common understanding consumer relationship is a relationship where you contract with somebody to meet a need and just so you know there's nothing wrong with consumer relationships in the right context private consumer relationship with my grocery store I go to my grocery store because it is convenient to my house and it's really good prices in the care of those white chocolate covered Oreos. I love, but if I find another grocery store that is more convenient if it's got better prices on those Oreos when then I go there. It's not a huge deal have to meet with the owners of the store near break up with them and have a really tearful mother has to happen. It's a consumer relationship and there's nothing wrong with consumer relationship back on deck. I can have a current relationship with one of my children unload on my children so you know in a riot thing to do a change for me and it's just not working out anymore so you it's me back to been hanging out with him. It was some of the neighbors kids are much happier with them so as not to be seeing that much anymore. Now my relationship with my kids is not a consumer relationship. We are united in a family. Here's a question, according to Jesus, which relationship is marriage more like when you know the answer, covenant dissolving a covenant is not working for you is not an option inherent in the covenant was not about working for me it's about making a covenant with you that mirrors what what God is pledge to me.Jesus statement is so strong that the apostles respond by saying let it burst him low. If that's the case, a man with his wife. It's better not to marry you like typical male commitment photos yeah but what you should take from that is Jesus understand the covenant of marriage is so strong that it made listener say wow if that's what you're telling us we gotta commit to it might be better to never even go into it because she's been through what you're saying is when you get married, you're saying I like to leave you no matter how much you disappoint me or how difficult you make life for me is and what it meant. What why do you use it except in the cause of adultery. What's that all about and why would that be an exception. I know she pay very close attention here to the logic of this is very important answer some of the other questions we have about this. There are certain things that can kill the marriage covenant. Let's say the obvious want the death of a spouse when the spouse dies, then that covenant is no longer alive because the person you made with is no longer alive. The covenant is dead and therefore you spouse dies, you're free to remarry. What Jesus is alluding to here is adultery. Listen to this adultery also kills the covenant, adultery is so powerful and it is so destructive that many people can come back from doesn't mean that there's been adultery that you have to get divorce and this means that in reality as many people can come back for that in Jesus allows that is understatement of the covenant is been killed. You say well is adultery. The only exception, no Paul in first Corinthians 7 seems to use the same logic 2.2 desertion.

He says in the case of desertion. First, Caribbean seven right. The believer is no longer bound the word for the bounded means to meet you no longer considered to be obligated to that marriage covenant anymore because in desertion they have killed the covenant so people say well what if there is technically not adultery or the departure of an unbelieving spouse, but one spouse is abusive or involved in illegal activity, they won't stop that is putting your family in danger.

The first thing I want to say if that's you or somebody you know you should definitely get yourself out of the situation immediately. As far as as divorce. Many Bible scholars say that the logic of Paul and Jesus. The statements here may allow for divorce when a spouse is killed the covenant by getting to a place where they are no longer able to be lived with you and your kids are in physical danger because of of them. This is me that they got annoying are they just change drive. Change or there is not doing it for me but that they killed the covenant to adultery or abandonment or abuse are the point is divorce ought to be as radical as amputating an arm or leg what God has joined together, nobody should separate his knowledge one union, one entity gotta be as radical as amputation. There are times when amputation is necessary, but any doctor would be run out of the practice, if the doctor was constantly your work quickly say in any problem you had outstanding date right and hangout listed amputating a sprained ankle, amputating ugly freckles let's cut it off when amputation is the last thing that you turn to. So that's where you are in this state of your relationship. Yes, you understand their ways and the covenant can be killed, but you want to do this under the close advisement of a Christian counselor.

The pastors of your church. If there is abuse happening you to go to the authorities to child protective services or the police to save your considering divorce this message while you may find parts of it helpful for you.

It should not be the only thing weighing in on your decision. The local church.

We often say around the summit is God's plan.

Eight. Even in a situation where you're facing possible divorce. It is tragic how common it is for people to slowly, quietly and secretly head toward divorce without letting anybody else know what's going on other people who might be able to help not only comfort you.

But what counsel you find out only when the situation is way down the line in a suitable way past the moment for good counsel. God gave you the church the wall through this. You don't have to go through it alone. I want to say this before I move on to our last question when divorce happens, that does not disqualify you as a Christian.

It is not make your second right say a lot of people in the church are so self-righteous when it comes to divorce. People look down your nose at it. It's like that the scarlet D that you wear around from that point on your life and what you consider this Jeremiah 38. In the Old Testament. Jesus knew God says this God himself says. I give faithless Israel. Her certificate of divorce.

They killed the covenant God calls himself a divorce person.

Which means if you're the kind of person that just tells you you're too good. The only thing to do a divorce.

People like you and your family are too good for them right or you don't want your son Mary and her daughter married somebody to come from divorce.

Jeremy unenviable position of feeling like you are too good for God is not a place you want to be you say well what if the what if I was the one at fault. What if what if divorce happened and it wasn't for biblical reasons is divorce the bib unforgivable sin.

After that, of course, is no and I will Timmy repent and remarry after you cheated. Can you give forgiveness and move on with your life. I love what what Tim Keller says sorely answers this question.

King David started his relationship with Bathsheba and the worst possibilities.

Talk about being knee-deep in sin and I'm sure there's a messed up situations even here in the church would almost. There's not many of them or any of on the quite reach this category but when he confessed. When David confessed and repented. God cleansed once this blessed his new marriage to Bathsheba, to the point that from that marriage came Solomon from Solomon king Jesus. Unbelievable. What is that mean other than God is trying to say all of us. I can redeem the war situations. In fact, I love doing it.

I love redeeming the hardest cases go ahead, try me. No one who ever has brought their messed up situation, a mess of life. Jesus is ever going away disappointed.

Jesus can take the hardest cases never turns anybody away.

He can forgive and restore you after Jesus teaches us here about marriage and divorce won't want one last living or what is Jesus is teaching a marriage mean for singleness the rolling offense and this really briefly because were to return to it later when the disciples say this is the case of the man's wife is better not to marry is what Jesus says not everyone can receive the same, but only the resume is given. In other words, if you were to survive in marriage.

God can have to give you grace for if you want to survive in marriage and I got to give you grace for I know that firsthand as I married the perfect girl and always say that I do married to her for 16 wonderful years and three other ones for a total of 19 and God's grace is drag us through those three as well as surround us all times recently. Yes, if you married this cannot be because you have the enabling power of God's grace for right but there also is a read that. But there are also eunuchs who have been so from birth and their units have been made eunuchs by men in their units have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven love the one who is able to receive this receive it. Marriage was God's answer to loneliness. Marriage was his plan a blessing.

We live in a fallen world and that world point of single, technically a eunuch is a man whose reproductive organs have been destroyed, but here Jesus uses eunuch as a metaphor for somebody who's not Mary for some.

He says they're single from birth and what I think that the mean is that they just have no desire to be married. For some reason it can be very, some were single by choice. They chosen to be single because of other things he thought God called them to do their day that they're single for the sake of the kingdom of brothers there single by circumstance, found the right person yet some visible thing happens that they were situation is getting married what Jesus says is in order to live happy is a single. It takes a special enabling by having what he means when he says in verse 12, the one who is able to receive this. Let them receive it. Living as a single person is a special enabling by God. But here's the thing. Living successfully as a married person also takes a special enabling of God. In other words, marriage is so difficult but you can only make it. We got to singleness is so difficult. But you can only make God's own. The point is whether God is called you to be single or married in the season you need his help based on how I read Genesis 2 lesson if we live in the perfect gardening everybody would be married forever. Even God supply Adam and vice versa.

But we don't live in apartment gardening right now we live in a fallen world, and in that world marriage is not to be for everybody but what you see here is that God has a plan for singleness. That means he will supply anything that were missing from marriage. After all, marriage was just a stand-in to teach us about God's love and for some reason in this season, or for your whole life. Your life is shielded from that ray of God's goodness right in God's love will supply what you like. Because even when the rays hit in the side of his love remains not, here's what you mean here not being married is not keeping you from a relationship that is essential to life. I think about a right Jesus was the most happy, fulfilled fully alive person ever walk the face of the earth, and he was single right, but no point in the Gospels to even see a hint that his singleness was a symbol of inferiority or source of dissatisfaction for him in Jesus and singleness certainly did not mean that he didn't fully know love right before he died he looks at his disciples and he says greater love is nobody them. Is that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus knew and experienced the greatest love available. Paul, who wrote much of our New Testament was single and he said he wished everybody in the church had the gift of singleness the enabling of singleness, like he did this because there's so much you can do it that get there so many ways you can use the ministry in ways that married people cannot be because they're encumbered by necessity with the cares of a family. For those who are not married. Jesus said, and I must say this later, the church, the body of Christ, that is your forever family are biological families or marriage partners. That's just temporary Christ body is permanent, not something single and married people can participate in a like where this pageant should leave you is asking was God one for me is whatever he wants for me or any of his grace to accomplish and thinking about getting here. You need his grace to teach you what it is like to approach that if you are married you need to understand what his enabling grace is able to do in your marriage. Whether you're married or single. The application is the same. You seek God first because whatever state you are in your going to need his help I got to say this of you were single and you really want to be married. Let me remind you of Jesus's great promise about this and every other thing in your life that your you're anxious about your worried about Matthew 633 if you will seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness is that all the rest of things will just be added to you. CS Lewis on always when I write about the ship six or three. Use Lewis's insight here.

Matthew 633. Lewis said Jesus is identifying first things a second things he said. You gotta get in the right order because when you put first things first.

We put God first.

Knowing God seeking him first.

He throws in second things and you enjoy them.

Their blessing is about. When you put second things first. Not only the least lose. The first thing God you also end up destroying the second X, the first thing in your life that Jesus judges think is is God forever family of the kingdom of God and in God can supply God will supply secondary things you need whether that's marriage or some other some other type of situation where he takes care of you and communicate you and where you're not lonely you go back and study acts. The early church have lots of problems and write lots of face persecution and famine in him and him and all kinds of problems with the one thing you never see anybody and I struggle with his loneliness because God is using the body of Christ be that for them and God. Once that he will supply that for you and in many ways will blow your mind. The way that God will supply the secondary things we put him first. Don't miss this important reminder. God is great in every relationship and believe ultimately redeem and restore your listening to the forever family series on Summit life with Jeannie Green or one of our primary goals around here is to clip everyone who listens to Summit life with resources to be disciple making disciples after Jeannie, can you remember what created a love for the word of God, you know, I grew up had the privilege of growing up in a home in a church setting where where the Bible was taught it, we we we were championed to memorize it.

Even now preaching some 30 years later I am going back and reaping the harvest of what was sown into me by my church, and so I am so deeply almost, almost unspeakably grateful for how that church taught me to memorize Scripture. One of the great hopes here of what we do in the ministry and Summit life here on our great hopes is that we can assist people in knowing the work better. This isn't a replacement for your local church but maybe it can supplement what you're hearing on the weekend and take you deeper into the gospel. I'm more the reasons we were were were providing burst memory cards. This month is because we really want to see you have tools to be able to to line the chambers of your heart with God's word so that as we said the other day when life cuts you.

Thank you for your went donation of $25 or more for your monthly commitment as a gospel partner you are bringing new resource for all things new memory verse not only help you remember the word of God's latest here for your sent today when you call 335-2833 524. You can get online I Molly for events. So much for joining us today know we often equate marriage with making something altogether different beautiful. Join us Thursday as we continue the forever family theory, life, career, ministry