Sermon Tone Analysis

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We’re excited to celebrate what God has done and is doing through the ministry of the Refuge as we celebrate several men who have completed this morning.

At Veritas, we go through books of the Bible and learn from what God has spoken to us through the Scriptures.

Today, we’re in … if you don’t have a Bible, you can grab one in the pew right in front of you… and that is our gift to you.

We’re bouncing around a bit, but next week we’ll be looking at Christian accountability and forgiveness, and the end of that passage dovetails into this one today… So Jesus finishes talking about forgiveness and then jumps into this text.

If you’re able, out of reverence for the Word of God, please stand for the reading of Scripture this morning.

Jesus has a large crowd around him, he’s healing and caring for the sick.

Then the religious leaders try to catch him in a trap again, they’re trying to come against Jesus.

in order to test him Their real intention is to discredit Jesus by getting Him to contradict what Moses taught about divorce (compare Matt 16:1; 22:18, 35).

There were several leaders in the religious community, of the day, that were in disagreement over the issue of divorce.

Today, it’s apparent that once again Jesus is addressing a interpersonal conflict over what is an appropriate view regarding marriage, the most sacred of human relationships.

So we will examine (1) the essence of identity, gender, and marriage as seen in (vs.

1-9), (2) the gift of singleness as seen in (vs.

10-12), and we will briefly discuss (3) how this fits within God’s wider plan of redemption and hope for all people.

The Essence of Identity, Gender, and Marriage (vs.

1-9)

The religious leaders are confronting Jesus & When the religious leaders refer to Moses law, they’re referring to what is written in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.

feut 24:1

Deut

Up to this point, the pharisees thought the “certificate” is what made the act of divorce okay… and Jesus is saying, “NO!”

Jesus essentially tells the religious leaders, “they’re missing the entire point of marriage.

They’re completely wrong about marriage.”

Marriage exists to point us towards God and point us towards the gospel!

Marriage is the only relationship that could be likened to God’s relationship as the Trinity (Father, Spirit, and Son).

Marriage is the only relationship that could be likened to God’s relationship as the Trinity (Father, Spirit, and Son).

The Trinity of Father, Spirit, Son has always existed in perfect, harmonious, and sacrificial love!

This is the ideal — this is the perfection of God.

In the beginning, marriage was meant to mirror this reality…

As image bearers, we are made to reflect God’s perfect nature, and in turn, ascribe to him glory, which is our greatest virtue, our highest aim — our reason for existence!

This is the source of genuine joy and meaning — to be in healthy relationships that honor God and point to his perfect love!

This was distorted by sin — and ultimately, the reality of marriage was distorted as well.

In antiquity, at the time of Jesus, women who were divorced could not survive in society and were placed in the margins.

women who were divorced could not survive in society and were placed in the margins

men were divorcing their wives if they found “any indecency” with them

And what was happening was that men were divorcing their wives if they found “any indecency” with them… and this included any and everything:

they didn’t like what they made for supper, they didn’t like how they looked anymore, they wanted to marry someone else.

For these reasons, they would divorce, and they would back it up by using the Bible — which they did WRONGLY!

Jesus goes back to the original intent of marriage being a lifelong aim.

matthew 19:4

Jesus quotes & makes reference to … “I have made you uniquely male and female...” And I love how he finishes this:

Few takeaways here:

God makes human beings as male or female ().

We are not ambiguous creatures that create our own definition biologically.

We are made this way, and God calls it good.

Furthermore, the Bible gives no indication that either Male or Female makes for a better or more exceptional sex.

Human beings, whether male or female are image bearers of God and are, therefore, infinitely valued by God.

God created human beings as male and female, but our worth is not limited to our sexuality.

Our culture wants to say that our identity is completely wrapped up in our sexuality.

But we are more than that!

We are made by God and we are made for God.

True life isn’t found by exploring whatever sexual desires we experience.

True life isn’t found merely in identifying sexually.

True life is found in God.

And that is true for every person, despite what proclivities or desires we experience.

Identity, simplified, boils down to what we ultimately find meaning in or derive our purpose from.

My identity, the most important definitions of me boil down to the fact that, “I am...”

We use, “I am

And the most fundamental response to what I am, biblically, is that I am and you are A CHILD OF THE LIVING GOD!

So fundamentally, my identity is in who God says I am not in what I say I am or in what culture says I am or in what someone else says that I am.

I am labeled by God and that is a good thing… because God values each of us greatly!

Many of our expectations about marriage are wrong.

One fallacy of marriage is related to our expectations = “if it’s good then it should be easy...”

That’s simply not true!

Then why did God permit marriage in the Old Testament, that what the religious leaders are asking???

And Jesus responds, because of sin.

fallacy = “if it’s good then it should be easy...”

matthew 19:

Essentially, Jesus is saying, “divorce is not ideal, but sometimes divorce happens — because of sin.”

But divorce isn’t something we should celebrate or be flippant about.

And I think one of the reasons this is so hard is that we, like this early community we’re reading about today, are so selfish!

ALL OF US!!!

In the book the meaning of marriage, Tim Keller starts off the first chapter by digging into our assumptions and expectations about marriage.

He says:

In the book the meaning of marriage, Tim Keller starts off the first chapter by digging into our assumptions and expectations about marriage.

He says "Both men and women today want a marriage in which they can receive emotional and sexual satisfaction from someone who will simply let them "be themselves."

"Both men and women today want a marriage in which they can receive emotional and sexual satisfaction from someone who will simply let them "be themselves."

We expect the other person to meet our needs, do what we wish, make us happy — without any expectation or assumption that maybe we need to change, maybe we need to grow, maybe we need to serve.

c

[SIDENOTE] I want to make very clear what I AM NOT SAYING RIGHT HERE —

If you’re in an abusive relationship in any way, I am not saying you should suck it up and stay with that person.

You deserve to demand that any abuse stop and I believe you have every right to refuse & to do whatever is necessary to get out of that situation — and as a church, we want to you to know we will do whatever we can to help you!

Spousal and relational abuse is all too common and often goes unreported.

Spousal and relational abuse is all too common and often goes unreported.

No one should be expected to remain in an abusive relationship.

And if you’re an abuser, “WOE TO YOU.

GOD WILL NOT DEAL KINDLY WITH YOU UNLESS YOU TURN FROM YOUR WAYS.”

This is serious and we must acknowledge it.

Now I recognize that this is not in this passage, but I felt the need to clarify that point, as I do not want anyone here today to misunderstand the point Jesus is trying to make or that I am trying to make.

so one issue = if it’s good then it should be easy...”...

What Jesus is acknowledging is similar to what he’s been saying throughout Matthew and particularly around these chapters — relationships matter, (1) ultimately our relationship with God and what follows is (2) our relationship with others.

Marriage falls in the later category and shouldn’t be seen as a way to exploit someone else or be selfish.

Healthy relationships are hard, especially marriage.

But this should not be an excuse for selfishness… We should take our focus off ourself and focus our attention towards God — he’s the only one that can cleanse us from our selfishness & wretchedness.

We will consider that more briefly...

The Gift of Singleness (vs.

10-12)

This is really important for the church to recognize.

And I don’t have time to belabor it here — but often I think we can emphasize marriage to the point that singles can feel as though they are less human… and this is not what the Bible teaches.

Marriage is a gift of God, but so is singleness.

Some people are called to be single, and to make the most of their singleness by devoting their whole life to God, friendship, and ministry.