Mark 10:1-12— 1/21/2024 - English

We turn our attention to the Book of Mark. We said the Jesus is the Messianic King promise to the people of Israel. And then after this has been declared by Peter in that famous statement that you are the Messiah we made a turn. We made the turn from what he is and who he is the what he has come to do. What did the Messianic King need to come and do?

If you would open up to Mark chapter 10 verses 1 through 12.

You never walked into a trap.

I never knowingly walked into a trap. Have you ever started a conversation with someone and within about 5 Seconds known? I'm not prepared for this.

Have you ever gotten involved with somebody? And you realize you do I had this feeling before this started that this wasn't going to end. Well, and I went ahead and got to know him anyway. Have you ever known someone? It is done you wrong. And you got got that close to him again. And then they do you're wrong again. It feels like a trap. Your trip car and I've been watching a lot of Scooby-Doo, right? Fred's traps Fred loves to set traps for Billings, right? He is never more excited than when one of his traps actually works. A lot of them do a lot of them don't work at all a lot of them fail or end up succeeding in their failure, right?

I'm not going to lie to you. I feel like I'm walking into a little bit of a trap this morning.

Mark chapter 10. Jesus is going to address messy relationships. Jesus is going to address the idea that marriage may end in a divorce. And I have never been more humbled and shaking with nurse then stand up here and talk about this this morning. I feel like I'm walking into a trap. Is there going to be a number of you this morning? They think Derek went way too far? Another me some of you think Darry didn't go far enough. Order me some of you to sit there and say I don't like what Derek said. Are you send me this morning and say I love her lyrics?

It was a little bit like a trap.

This morning if you have concerns about what I say. You have the responsibility to yourself and to me to talk to me and not other people. You have a responsibility to yourself and to God talk to me and not the other people. You have the opportunity to go back and listen to what I actually said cuz I can promise you it is been put together with time and great care.

And I beg your grace because I am growing. But the reality is our relationships are messy broken and painful. You can sit here this morning and tell me you don't have a messy broken and painful relationship. I can sit here and honestly tell you you're a liar. And the reality is the Jesus shows us the way to Pure restore and joyful relationships. If you say nothing else away from this morning. Jesus is showing us the way to Pure restored and joyful relationships. And our text today we see the traps the treaty. and the truth

Mark chapter 10 verse 1 he said out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan then crowd converged on him again. And as was his custom he taught them again. Some jerseys came to text asking is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife he replied to them. What did Moses command you they said Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away. He was told them he broke this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. Beginning of creation God made them male and female and for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer to one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together. Let no one separate. When are in the house again the disciples question about this matter? He said to them whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against. also if he divorces her husband and marries another He commits adultery. first the Trap Jesus traveling around in the region of Judea and comes across the Jordan and he's teaching the large crowds that are converging on him. And he's teaching them again and some of the Pharisees come and we're told they come specifically to text him.

The test. Is there a good test to see what you know, and then there are tests that are there specifically to show you that you don't know much at all. I'm going to tell you I think this morning Jesus is being tested in the Waterway where they are trying to intentionally try to him and what he believes about marriage are intentionally trying to trap him and saying something that's going to get him into trouble because we have to remember the context of what we're reading in March after 10. If you go back to Mark chapter 3 6 7 chapter to go we're told that the Pharisees and the herodians have gotten together and they're looking for a way to kill him. Right. We already know their intention. We already know their motivation. We know they're after him and his life. And you can see in the question in which they asked another track. Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?

This was rabbinical Orthodoxy. That's a fancy way of saying everybody agreed you could divorce. Write everyone up until this point all the rabbis agree. It's okay for you to get a divorce and is part of a divorce part of the marriage certificate that they would be given the white and durotomy 24 would say that they could then go and remarry. There's no such thing as divorce without being tempted and remarried. Image of itself we're divorcing so they can marry someone else.

everyone agrees that they can divorce So, why are they asking him? Well, I'll tell you why I think what did John the Baptist say about Herod Antipas? and his cousin wife

Did you send me Mary's messy relationship? I'm going to blow or teenagers Minds here for a second here and Antipas was the son of Herod the tetrarch, right? And Herod Antipas is a little brother is named Phillip Phillips married one of his older brother's daughters erroneous move to Rome living room visits roll to see his brother Philip and his wife erroneous and he leaves were only goes back to Israel with a new wife is cousin wife.

Talk about a messy relationship. I see the Pharisees there in a real mess because they're totally fine with divorce and there's two schools of thought there's the people who are descendants of shammai. The rabbi who says you can only divorce in the case of sexual immorality and that's it. And then there's the rabbi Terrell who the people say, you can divorce her own money for anyting your wife burned your food. She's do you know, like what she says to you. She's gone. She makes you a little upset she's gone. They would interpret Deuteronomy 20:4 very Loosely and liberally and say that her insecurities her and clean the second in anything that makes you ashamed of her

And now they have this leader who comes back with his cousin's wife and it doesn't pass the smell test Common Sense would tell you that guy shouldn't be married to that woman. right It it fits into the algorithm is this into the law in divorce or gave her marriage papers and she can she know she can marry hear it answer this now, but they're all up in arms because no she just doesn't make any sense.

And because John the Baptist spoke out against it what happened to him?

Is that it? It's a nice Pharisees know, it's John the Baptist was predicting Jesus and Jesus is in League with John the Baptist. He must have a pretty extreme view of this whole marriage thing. But didn't you say something still putting it on with the political forces of the day?

Call Mike Trapp.

There's a lot of debate about what the grounds for divorce for.

Are you one of the conservatives who said you can only divorce for sexual immorality? Are you one of the liberals who says you can divorce for anything? They didn't ask about Jesus view on the grounds for divorce. They asked whether divorce was permitted at all. I had not been up for debate. That was Orthodoxy you could divorce it was okay.

Jesus response Jesus told them Moses wrote this command for you.

What is a hardness of your hearts?

What do you want horseshoe wife?

Why you not want to be married to your wife anymore?

Why? Because where Jesus is saying there's something about your heart. That is silencing. What is been true since the beginning of time?

Your heart is hardened. in Zechariah Chapter Two this attitude in chapter 7 this attitude is expanded on Zachariah Zachariah 7:12 decision. They made their hearts Like Flint so that they could not hear the lawn Words, which the Lord of hosts at sent by his spirit is the former Prophets. They hardened their hearts cuz they didn't want to hear.

I saw something pleasing to the eyes. They saw the fruit of lust and passion. And they wanted it.

Even though then made a commitment in a covenant to be married to this person. They had 14 their hearts because they didn't want to hear it anymore.

And the Very nature of divorce was only because of human sinfulness. Because there are relationships that are so broken that they cannot continue on this Earth.

And divorce has been around for as long as broken marriages have been around. And it seems It's to limit the damage that a toxic marriage can create.

Is there a women stuck in abusive toxic relationships every single day?

And are men stuck in abusive toxic relationships every single day.

And there are a lot of things that God has allowed because of the hardness of Hearts of people and the reality in which we live that are not part of his plan. What are limiting the damage and in the injustice? It is being created by us.

So Jesus responds to them and their Hardness of Heart with what Moses commanded them. They want to go to Deuteronomy chapter 24 and Take 5 verses and develop this Ruthie algorithm for who can and cannot be married and who can and cannot be divorced and who can and cannot remarry? Jesus says, no. Did you not remember what Moses wrote in Genesis? You do remember how it was to be from the very beginning of time.

Have you forgotten?

He wrote this command for you because the hardness of your hearts, but from the beginning of creation. God made them male and female.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together. Let no one. separate

sure doesn't sound like God had the intention. Air Force it was the sound like God had a plan for divorce. It sure doesn't sound like God ever had any thought. For you to become unhappy in your marriage and to walk away from the person who has chosen to spend the entirety of your life with. Sure. Sounds like that wasn't his plan.

because from the beginning it wasn't this plan has been and always will be for a one man and one wife to join together in holy Union before him and all creation. And to stay together until the day that they die.

marriage

The Jews they were totally cool being a serial monogamist. They would marry someone. They look and see someone they might want more. They would divorce the person. I do marry someone else and they get tired of them and they were controlled wife back. What are Deuteronomy 24 days to put the reins on what they could do? It said no, no, no. No you gave her your divorce papers. She's going to go.

And you don't just get to go walk back and say what she was mine to begin with. So now she's not here. Elvis Injustice oldest Brokenness all of this mess that you're creating. It's not been this way since the beginning. Since the beginning you were to join together and become one flesh. What is a covenant?

What is a covenant? It's a beautiful marriage of Law and love. It's more loving because it's legal as more legal because it's loving if this Perfect Blend of Law and love and you can see a picture of it when God made his Covenant with Abraham. God came to Abraham and said okay Abraham. I'm going to make you a great nation and we are going to establish our covenant cut the animals in half and we will walk between them as the consequence of what will happen. If one of us breaks the Covenant relationship.

If you read the text in Genesis closely, there's only one of the parties that passes through the pieces. And it's not Abraham. It seems that what God is saying you're going to pass we're going to take this Covenant and you're not going to hold up your end of the bargain and I will take on the punishment for your Covenant unfaithfulness.

Is your marriage like that? Have you been in a marriage like that? Or is it supposed to be both parties going through it together? The god seems to know already that the reality is we break our treaty. We don't hold up our end of the bargain. We are constantly breaking our covenant faithfulness to him.

We do it in our marriages. We do it in our workplaces. We do it everywhere.

And it leads us to what's the truth?

The truth is even though it hasn't been so since the beginning we keep making a mess.

Could you turn to Hosea with me?

Hosea chapter 1 verse 2 God commands Hosea to do something.

I'll tell you it is almost inconceivable to me. The god commands him to do what he is commanded to do.

This is one of those packages that I struggle with. directional with

but Jose is a prophet. And jeroboam is king of Israel. And he's one of the most wicked kings that ever lived. It is in the northern part of Israel. 700 years before Christ and the people are rebellious and their Idol worshippers and they are awful awful awful people forsaking the worship of the one true God. And Hosea is a prophet. He's a prophet sent by God to help them find their way back to him. I think I could have been okay being a prophet that God sent and said hey say this is really hard but just say this and I'll get you through it. Jose is a prophet that God sent and said live this. You're going to not just say what's happening. You're going to live it. Go and marry a woman of promiscuity.

have children of promiscuity for the land is committing blatant acts promiscuity by abandoning the ward.

I don't know if she was a prostitute before. Call Mary.

But you definitely was after.

Because often runs off on her husband and has multiple Affairs so much to the point that God commands Jose to go and buy her back out of her enslavement. in her sexual immorality children with her

why?

Because God's children.

a cheated on him God's children Arusha ping another Dawn and her committing adultery against him.

And Hosea is going to live out the forgiveness and Reconciliation and restoration that God has planned for his children.

You flip over to the verses. the Jack racehorse this morning in chapter 2

It says in verse 19. I will take you to be my wife forever. I will take you to be my wife in righteousness Justice love and compassion. I will take you to be my wife in faithfulness. And that you will know the Lord.

You think I was I had an easy marriage?

Legos are had a joyful life. You need every minute of his marriage with sunshine and roses.

Gordo's it wasn't

and it points in Hosea. You can almost here in God. I want to break my Covenant with these people. I want out. These people are awful. Representations of my glory in my image and I want out. I want to be a part of this anymore. One who is not represented here? My image is not represented here. There's nothing being done that I am okay with

would you go to chapter 11?

How can I give you up Ephraim? How can I Surrender you Israel? How can I make you like adma?

How can I treat you? Like zebra when I've had a change of heart my compassion is stirred.

It's not a book. I would recommend you read or listen to I'll just give you the high points. Free foul language in it in in the heart of the book though is it's pretty incredible. A man named Harrison Scott Key wrote a book called How to stay married. He was sort of married to a Gomer of his own.

And the guy was cheated on her multiple times from this woman.

And at the end of the day he can't imagine giving up.

As of right now they're still married.

And they're still fighting through. And they're still working it through.

Yeah, I was kind of hard growing up.

You're trapped in a marriage like that your spouse cheats on you. You better get get-out-of-jail-free card.

You know what? I want to confess to you this morning.

I need to repent of that attitude.

What is that attitude? Is due to my Hardness of Heart?

Beginning it is not been God's plan for you to ever have an estate tax. out of the Trap marriage

Fresno get-out-of-jail-free card the guys okay with there is no failed marriage that God is going to sit there and say yeah, this was the plan. Because it's not been how it was supposed to be. and when I read what God says in Hosea chapter 11 How can I give up Ephraim?

My wife never cheated on me. But if she did I understand what God is saying here. How can I give her up?

How can I let her go?

baby RiverBend in a broken marriage

and it hurts. It hurts to have to let someone go.

even divorce Even in divorce if you ever been divorced, you know, it's almost impossible to ever let them go.

How can I give you up?

Do you ask me Derek? I need an algorithm.

I need you to tell me. What I can and can't do I need you to tell someone so what they can or can't do. Where are they at? What are they doing?

I want you to notice in March after 10. Jesus told the crowd has not been this way from the beginning. Ever told in Matthew 19 that his disciples are like well then why would we even get married? If I got to stay married to this person and you're telling me it's kind of like no matter what. Why would you even get married to begin with?

Jesus takes his disciples back at home and they do a deeper dive. It doesn't say this to the masses.

He's trying to tell them if you get divorced and you marry someone else you are committing adultery.

committing adultery

because you can't love God and something else.

You can't love your first bowel and be married to someone else.

It's a metaphor and a picture of how we treat. .

Who can divorce and God be okay with it? No one cuz it hasn't been the plan from the start.

if you take even a cursory glance through scripture In the Old Testament you find broken marriage after broken marriage after broken marriage? You find David a man after God's Own Heart. Taking another man's wife and having that man killed. And if God's grace. And forgiveness and restoration and Reconciliation can be extended to David. He didn't extend his grace and restoration and Reconciliation. The people who have a messy past. Who can God use lives in and work through even with a messy pass? everyone

every Read what I Think. Jesus is trying to say in the bigger context of Mark. He saying to his disciples. I'm going to be betrayed. And on the night in which I'm betrayed you're all going to the derby. You're all going to abandon me. You're all going to walk away. Because you don't have the word for me that I have for you. And guess what? I'm not going to divorce you.

I'm not going to give you up. I'm not going to let you go. I'm going to stop what I'm doing and how I love you because of how you respond to me. I will not abandon, you know you abandoned me.

I'll put it this way. Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church. gave himself for her to make her holy cleansing her with the washing of Water by the word.

The truth is Jesus made us his bride. But taking the punishment for adultery.

You're stuck in a marriage.

You're looking for a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Jesus could have taken one.

Do you love yourself?

How can I give you up?

How can I give you up?

from the beginning

looking for a get-out-of-jail-free card. Go back to Matthew chapter 5. Jesus says anyone who works with lost has already committed adultery in his heart. You will get real for a second.

Show me a person who's never had lust after another human being. wanting someone that wasn't Theirs to want or have you would have algorithms and you want out. My spouse look lustfully at someone so they committed adultery with them so I can go marry. Whoever I want. That sound right to you. Doesn't to me.

Why didn't all the rhythms? Call short. Why you trying to figure out every hypothetical fall short because you get down the rabbit hole where common sense and the principles of scripture are left at the Wayside. Why every single relationship is different and must be considered and challenged and given Grace. Every relationship that Jesus has with us is considered and we were challenged and we are going to great.

What must he do he must give his life for his bride.

I'm all out of time this morning. We've been using this as a framework for all of our relationships.

If you're struggling in a marriage this morning consider your spouse. and yourself

Challenge your spouse give me the person that you know, God created them to be.

And then give him Grace. whether or not

you have friends in messy relationships. consider the situation that they're in challenge them in understanding and belief of marriage challenge them about what this means for the pattern of their life and then show them some Grace.

Cuz who can separate us. underwater Christ did Affliction or stress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written because of you. We are being put to death all day long. We are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. No. In all these things. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. I'm persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers or things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ. Jesus our lord.

Build your spouse today, so I don't like you very much.

If famines and wars and destruction can't separate you from the love of Christ.

Momentary dislike be able to separate you from your spouse. If we as people are to be models of Christ love for his church.

momentary Affliction in a marriage destroy what God has brought together.

Is the groom we are his bride?

My favorite quotes on marriage with in this Christian vision of marriage. Here's what it means to fall in love is to look at another person and get a glimpse of what God is creating. Play I see who God is making you and it excites me. I want any part of that. I want to partner with you and God In the Journey you are taking to his throne and we get there. I will look at your Magnus to say I always knew you could be like that. Glimpses of it on Earth, but now what?

When you this question this morning? How will our marriages be a picture of Love Christ has for us?

When you're thinking about marrying someday.

two words Choose Wisely

Choose Wisely

And the plan is one man one woman for life. Choose Wisely

because even if you choose poorly

can get out there will be a white out. If your heart's going to break.

You'll spend years heartbroken.

Cuz I'm officially no fault of your own. House is completely abandoned you. And whether they live the things that they've done the life they chose to lead. And there is nothing in your control you could do about it.

limit the offense

it's going to hurt.

Maybe your marriage right now feels like a trap.

Are you going to let the momentary affliction?

Divide what God has brought together.

Maybe you've been divorced.

My heart breaks for you.

I can't imagine. I don't want to imagine.

How many married? Maybe you got divorced and now you're married again.

I'm beginning mirror adjustment to be for life. Be the best Mary person. You can possibly be.

Be a picture of the law of Christ has for us.

God doesn't control us. But he is in control.

You can control with your spouse does. They have free will he can control what you do? He can use any messy broken relationship. Because he is the one who restores.

How will our marriages be a picture of the love Christ has for us? weather hasn't been a lesson on how to become a Christ follower meant to make us all better Christ followers if you fall in short of the love that Christ has for you. turn repent Hosea chapter 3 when people realize what the Lord has done for them, they have no choice but to leave their adult relationship and return to their God.

return to him You're not a Christian.

1st Corinthians chapter 6 there were some pretty messed-up people, but you were washed. You were Sanctified you were Justified. Be washed. He made right he may holy.

English of this morning You have any need we love to pray with you before you come now while we stand I'm always saying.