8.16 Sermon

Well, good morning. Baltimore Bethany glad to have you here for our early service today to take your Bibles, please and turn with me to Mark chapter 10. I've titled my message this morning what Jesus says about divorce but we will see that in markten Christ is going to be shredded by the Pharisees the religious leaders and they going to try to test him. Teachings on subject most of all my rage certainly remember that it was back in the 1980s. Efficiency first and forth with a divorce rates for our country at 50% or 50% of marriages end in divorce. There was a reaction to that participate in research Today Show in the rate of divorce in our country. Are you supposed to do free today website first marriages at 42% will end in divorce second marriages 60% been divorced a Moltres 73% culture in the last 40 years has become more. Call Amy Amy Winehouse Rehab stoves for basement affected by the fact that movie today couples with cheese to engaging Thurman as they might work together and John look as if they were married without the benefit of legal contract. That's a possibility. But one thing that you would probably like I have her in the last six months is that there is a stark reality being postulated regarding the pandemic and experts have said Buffet at Pizza Pie 50% increase in divorce filing. Following six months of close confinement at home for couples can find our combined with financial stress that many families have experience as a result of clothing. In fact, I found it interesting that one such a sad masticator tried to put a more positive wash. Your mom on The Voice. They said bush people today are more mindful of their mortality and making change a long-overdue what this person was showing in this life is short is too short to put up with a lesson before marriage relationship. And if any NBA team has reminded me of my own mortality in such a way, but I think it's time for me to cut time on a relationship that is not providing me with the foreman and Florida without a more meaningful relationship with another in the years that I have remaining and if I read that I thought well, that's one way of looking at it.

So pervasive today is our culture's preoccupation with happiness. That commitment to Life's most sacred institution is often conditioned on the question. Am I getting fulfillment fungus? Duration in regard to marriage John Adam and Nancy Williamson right in there get divorced how and when to let go these words.

People change their values in lifestyle people want to experience new things change is part of life changing personal growth of treats for you to be proud of indicative of a vinyl Sushi Nine. You must accept the reality. Then there's no point baskets and world. It is especially easy for two persons to grow apart letting go of your marriage if it is no longer is this going to be the most successful thing you have ever done getting a divorce to be positive and problem-solving growth-oriented.

So right wing spot, that is unbelievable. Only in our culture today. Can we make self-fulfillment the ultimate guiding principle, NY to the degree that you can now call failure. You can call Prescription creation glow and you can call disaster Triumph and I'm going to tell you the church that the human mind is capable of appreciating preaching Avon. But what is your mom and all morning today? Call Emily Osment appliances in this manner of divine institution of marriage is one of them. Christian music on sadly be little better than their secular counterparts. Too often. Do we even as Christians pray to worshipping fulfillment to the degree that we rationalize bad decisions. I have as a pastor of many years talk to people who say no, that's why I know that I shouldn't get a divorce, but God is a god of Grace. I know that he will forgive me later. Once I confess your sin once I get through it and I confessed it. He'll forgive me and I'll be able to restore my walk with him at that point isn't the word theology. I've heard in this matter. I think the worst prg is the most frequent answer that I hear the dispatcher. I know God wants me to leave this marriage. I know God wants me to get a divorce because he wants me to be happy and I'm not I want to tell you that nothing wrenches my soul more than hearing horrid destructive thinking touted as God's will I take to Mom and Dad's in the matter of divorce. I will also say then there may be no matter that's more personally touching of most Adult lives. If you are a married person that. True true shooting fail on your relationship or the justifications that you may believe that you have make it particularly challenging. I'm so thank God. The Bible doesn't leave the most difficult facets of life. I'm here for us. The truth of the matter is that God has talked to us often about institution. She has said much about his design of marriage much about the matter of divorce. She speaks regarding remarriage for persons wants divorce and we need only to Avail ourselves of what he has said a movie able to rest stops music in almost everything we face in life. Listen to look at your file. I went to Multnomah. Give me a call seminary and the founder of that school on Whose name. Escape the number John Mitchell had a radio program Super Famous on the library at the Seminary and it was Mitchell's favorite quote as he recruits and who would often say this don't you folks ever read your Bibles? A little bit of on Uranus tied up in that famous quotes from this dignified saint but there's so much truth to that. We want to know what to do when he's real Bible attention to what he has said to us about life on Earth beginning Mark chapter Genesis the transition chapter by chapter 9 and prior refined Frank has been ministering primarily in the Galilee and Regency north of there is focused Ministries were beginning chapter 10 creepy sounds in a traveling in Chesterton is a traveling chapter which is going to culminate at chapter 11 verse one where he's going to enter Jerusalem and go on to face it his crucifixion where he lay down his life chapter 10 is a moving chapter until March after 10 live with me at verse 1. He says and he left there. Where is bear what we can see. In chapter 9 hookah, Bruce 30 of chapter 9 it says they went on from there passed through Galilee. There is Galilee who did verse 33 chapter 9. It says they came to capernium a particular student in Galilee mention now in chapter 10 verse 1. It's thanks for leaving the gallery who's leaving party. I'm done. He left there and went to the region of Judea and Beyond the Jordan. Mark is going to record crisis destination as the region of Juvia beyond the Jordan which means that he's going to now travel from likely left side of the Jordan River. He's going to move South from Capernaum south from the Sea of Galilee. He's going to cross over to the east side of the Jordan River and he's going to Ministry now in speed of an area that has not been primarily before this is the area that we would call perea. Apria is the name of that vicinity where John the Baptist centered much of his ministry Jesus now traveling south east into the hills. He's going to text PPL Corporation Bellingham John the Baptist did a great job of pointing to Christ praying to the one who is to come and it is no surprise in chapter 10 verse one that when juice Entrance into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan that says and crowds gathered to him again. And again as it was his custom to talk them through rotation did not diminish Christ impact and popularity in anyway, it's entry allowed him to travel on to speak to an audience is where we read by way of introduction Christ being approached and question. We will see his teaching on divorce and I'm showing you on the screen that what Christ is going to share with us. If you're stopped at their Jewish religious culture marriage as a temporary conditional relationship notice the interaction between your birth to Chase before she came up and in order to test him.

Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? Once again, what did Moses come around here and they said Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and December away? Jesus said to them because of your Hardness of Heart who wrote you this commandment. What we find is that as Christ is approached. He's questioned and rather than and his question not authentically genuinely. He's intentionally doing? 2015-16 tested for trying to put him in a corner and soak rice response was very wise. Why would rather than giving his opinion issued a state of affairs? Did Moses tell you to do anything with Moses get a events the man who divorces his wife should write a certificate of divorce to her, but it's very true. In fact that you keep your finger here. And if you flip back to Deuteronomy chapter 24 your find this very thing to be the case in the Army chapter 24 Moses is going to write a series of stipulations for the nation of Israel. I want to read verses 1 through 4 month Deuteronomy chapter 24 when a man takes a wife and marries her if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found something decent fee International Hortons word that he's handsome indecency in her and who writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and Center out of his house and she departs out of the house and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, I'm a ladder mom hates her and right sir now a second certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand in Sumter out of his house or four letter mom dies who appears why then her former husband who sent her away may not take her again to be his wife. After she has been defiled for Radisson Obama Nation before the Lord and you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance question is Deuteronomy 20:4 a commanding justification for Jewish practice of divorce and I would say that's the intent of his versus if that's what I believe Moses is green chair is Moses is placing a restriction additional restriction on a practice that was already rampant in their culture at that time. What happened Jewish people works commanded not to intermarry not to marry people from other foreign Nations tribes. God said we are to be God's chosen people here to marry within Jewish women Jewish Family. If you met people from other nations, you'll be tempted to worship their gods and that would be a sin against me in and yet we know that the Jews did not obey God in that they were often guilty of marrying outside of the Covenant relationship that God had with them as Jews and in those instances, there are times in scripture where we see cannabis wholesale divorce practice going on in as the Jewish people who had married outside of prohibited down within together when they come to repentance Woodforest a close relationships. Jeweler in regard to this restriction what Moses is doing. Is he speaking up for the rights of women in a culture that put all the power in the man's hands? Do you know that from historical references regarding the practice of divorce in Jewish culture? In fact, we know that even in Christ day there was a difference of opinion depending on which Rabbi you would follow on how loose or how restrictive divorce would happen in a Jewish person live. For example, Rabbi. Hello, which one who took the turn indecency Moses said she found human decency in her not worry is a very specific word. It has to do with some kind of sexual sin. It doesn't say what it is. It's not adultery because the Jews had a different way of dealing with adultery remember what that was. Yeah, they would don't think that no tolerance for that business is not Daltrey because there was a different answer for that problem. But there was some kind of particularly heinous sexual conduct short of adultery that is being referred to here. We don't know exactly what it was before the rabbis would begin to guess as to what it referred to Rabbi. Hello. So trivialize the concept of indecency that his followers took in decency to include a woman arguing with her husband, right waiting at the world. It included burning the dinner. You're out of here. It included speaking disrespectfully about her husband's parents. I am so foolish became this understanding of indecency that there was a whole set of Jewish people who are divorcing over nothing and feeling like they had biblical permission to do so. Rabbi Akiva in sacrament so far in the understanding that term indecency Deuteronomy 24 that she permitted at a Jewish man to divorce his wife if you found someone prettier than shoe ones. That is why the Pharisees as they approached Jesus in our texts are going to question him in this way. Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? In Matthew's gospel. It's elaborated further. Is it is it possible? Is it permissible lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every read Matthew records the question? Because that's exactly what was going on at the time among Jewish folk divorce should become a simple matter that made it needed little or no grounds to obtain a Jewish man kissing to look at his wife. Did he become just please reconsider? I divorce you and she was immediately out of the house. No right to property no legal protections and Left Bank for her own why I believe Moses restriction Deuteronomy was intended to be a protection for women. Like listen if you guys are going to do that's what you should be doing this but if you're going to do it to do it this way, you know, right a certificate. It's going to be a a done deal illegal contract. She's going to have a document that says that she has been put out by you and that will change her options for the future in a limited way. It'll give her some protection. It is reported that some of the practice of divorce in Jewish culture became so horrible that a man would say to his wife. I divorced you at night put her out of the house take another wife for the night divorce the new wife in the morning. Try to take his first wife back.

I'm going to tell you that the culture that we live in is not you. We're not the first culture to look lightly on an institution like the institution of marriage until we see here in Deuteronomy chapter 24 Moses restricting that practice right by giving the Jewish people a commandment of of legal protection for women. And when the Pharisees came to Jesus and Jesus said no matter what did Moses tell you to do and they send Moses a lot of man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away. Jesus said to them because of your Hardness of Heart who wrote you this commandment. Play from the beginning God had ordained that marriage was to be a lifelong permanent commitment between a man and a woman in the nation of Israel had so perverted intention temporary additional almost repulsive relationship who won the fastest had to trap Jesus contradicting either God or Moses Jesus instead of held God's design while explaining that the commission Moses and placed on them was one that was intended to protect women. Jesus took this wide open doorway of Jewish divorce and replace the bearing the air condition that had to be modified on it calling their attention to Moses Laurel condition, which would merely eliminate divorce. among Christian people for centuries to follow

Define Christ cancer fascinating. She didn't choose to focus on the exception. But instead he wanted to help them understand the intention of marriage exception to the marriage relationship. He wanted to focus on what God had designed it for Jesus is here recovering God's will for marriage rather than arguing about possible exceptions to it before his opponents. Wanted to ask what's permissible in Jesus wanted to point out what's commanded and that leads to the second truth in our test, which is the god design marriage as a month-long relationship between a man and a woman in other words the place to begin the discussion on these where she is not with the exception, but it's with the rule. A black baby girl what to do when it comes to marriage is this that it was created by God as a permanent Human Relationships that were not two views temporary image versus the Bible is a serving in the strongest possible language the permanency of marriage. Look at Mark chapter 10 verses 6 through 9. Jesus said this from the beginning of creation. God made them male and female. That's what a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh what therefore God has joined together, let Mom not separating Ciara wedding ceremony somewhere nice person. Jesus answer is powerful call their attention not to be an option but to the rule of to get to the war he goes back to the very beginning in the Book of Genesis chapter 1 and chapter 2 and he quotes them God's original design for the marriage relationship from the beginning of creation designs emerge to take place between a man and a woman and it says that he shall leave his father and mother and shall be United to wife at USB said hold fast to fascinating word. What's a word that indicates an Inseparable bond is cementing that takes place talked about this before as super glue, right? You won't play with Superglue, right? How many of you are super with your fingers together, right? And then what happened? Play stupid HubSpot to be in a pretty much hurt yourself getting out of that fix write an MSP kind of permanent Bond and Inseparable bond that if you make it come apart, it's going to rip the flash. It's going to hurt. It's going to destroy what God says that up for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother that your home might bond with his wife and the two shall become one flesh. It's not uniting that is described here only and marriage. Do we see the mass of one plus one equals one and that's a Christian marriage. Text Patsy math that we might use to describe only one other place that I know one plus one plus one equals one describing what? The Trinity got himself. There is a unique solidarity that comes by way of Covenant marriage the two shall become one flesh. They are no longer two and what God has joined together. Let man not separate. Question could be awesome is Jesus probe divorced? The answer is a resounding no. unquestionable no What God has put together let man not separate.

You can find this similar when you look at the first book of the Old Testament. Why don't you look with me at the last book of the Old Testament The Book of Malachi for a moment? Malachi chapter 2 received that profit at the close of Old Testament Revelation with hearing a similar principle regarding divorce more.

contact Uber support

read this way.

Yeah, thank you Lord for and fresh batteries, right? PowerPoint chapter 2 verse 14 Prophet says that you say why does he not? Why does God not accept all offering he say why did you not because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth who you have been faithless that she is your companion and your wife by Covenant. Bounce I seen that God wants you to their prayers won't receive their worship. Why because they haven't been living up to their Covenant of marriage was fifteen not make them run with a portion of the spirit in their Union. And what was the one God seeking Godly Offspring to guard yourself in your spirit let none of you who faceless to the wife of your youth for the man who does not love his wife but divorces her since the Lord the god of Israel covers His Garment with violence says the Lord of Host Club live yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless. Question is God in favor of divorce answer is a strong. No. We understand that that God standard has always been the same God expects a chastity before marriage infidelity after marriage. But unfortunately, the Jews had lost sight of God's original design for marriage and instead of treating the roads coming slightly and because of this skin God wasn't hearing their prayers by accepting your worship what God had created in the high standard of marriage commitment. They had lowered into an internal standard of marriage commitment that left many women in Israel desperate and alone. And for these couples marriage have become a temporary conditional relationship with God had designed it to be a lifelong relationship.

And that leads to the end of our texts in verses 10 through 12 where Jesus is now going to In A Beautiful World episode The permanence of noise will get Mark chapter 10 to give me a Hispanic is in the house the disciples ask him again about this matter if they heard Jesus teach to the Pharisees who were trying to trap him and Christ in no uncertain terms goes back to the design of marriage as a permanent life on relationship, but the disciples who were with him we're puzzled on that because this was contrary to common practice in that game. And so they asked him again at home later as well as their habit from time to time and in the house the disciples ask him again about the spider verse 11, and he said that whoever divorces his wife and marries another Don't try against her and if she divorces her husband and knows your mother she commits adultery. Coast is going to teach the implications of the physiology of marriage to his disciples hear. Jesus is in no uncertain terms. Marriage is a lifelong permanent relationship designed by God. I'm not going to focus on those exceptions. I want to talk about original intent and design a room just to Cypress ask him later about it further. He explained it to them this religion gowns if you divorce your spouse and you're going you marry someone else that marriage is an act of adultery. Perhaps you like I think they puzzled the disciples puzzled. Maybe you and I puzzle over this group is a subsequent marriage after divorce and act of adultery. I don't tell you that wrestled with this as a pastor. I will tell you this is probably no issue in the life of pastoral Ministry that has been more difficult for me in the issue of divorce of marriage and divorce and remarriage Under the Sun and the fact of the matter is history is No, Lack of opinions among biblical Scholars on how to understand the biblical Theology of the marriage covenant. Razor hoverboard battery while you know this about me. I have a very conservative understanding of the biblical doctrine of marriage. That biblical doctrine of marriage does not give me in my conscience freedom to perform subsequent marriage ceremonies. So I'll have someone come and see him. I'm so excited. You found someone to come in for marriage counseling in Austin if it's time someone who's not one in their twenties guy, you may fill out a form and their night I meet with them when I say listen, if either of you have been married before and your first spouse is still living somewhere. I'm not going to be able to do the marriage ceremony for you that's hard for me to take its heart in part because I think the message they get his passion doesn't love me Pastor. Tim doesn't care about nothing is further from the truth. But my practice is worth while I do not perform those marriage ceremonies. If someone in our church makes that decision to go I will often go to the wedding. I will buy them a wedding gift. Every my family's gone, I would give him a hug and I will tell them what I love them. And then I lost and say to him this now I am going to be the biggest cheerleader for the success of this marriage that you have in your life. Cuz I want this one never to come apart. But the truth of the matter regarding God's intent is not unclear God define marriage to be lifelong. And Harmony mark is telling us in no uncertain terms that is there a subsequent marriage. There's an active adult tree that is intended with that marriage 4.5 had people who say okay pastor. I'm in I'm in a second marriage third marriage, whatever it is that you saying that I'm living in a continual state of adultery. No, I'm not saying that I'm saying that I believe the act of marriage initially was an act of adultery you should confess that then you should live in complete Fidelity to the marriage that you're in.

Parks is not alone in his framing of his texting you to see what other biblical writers say. Luke recorded this way everyone who divorces his wife and marries a mother commits adultery who who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery with a Samsung that in Matthew's gospel. There is an exception, cuz I don't have time to go in tonight in this text. I will tell you that I preach that passage before and if you'd like to know how I exposito and handle that I'd be happy to share with you that sermon cuz I looked like reach that sermon 11 years ago and got you don't remember that. Do you know you won't remember this by next Sunday? There's no way you're going to remember that from 11 years ago, even if you were here, but I will tell you that I believe I believe that the Bible is is consistent and its application that Matthew Explanation is consistent with Mark and Luke and even on further notice how the Apostle Paul wrote with this matter in 1st Corinthians 7 who married after miscarriage not I but the Lord the wife should not separate from her husband. But if she does she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband and a husband should not divorce his wife broken World divorce separation and divorce happens even among Godly Christian couples. I understand that. I think the scripture says that don't get a divorce. But if you do what is it stay here when you mean I'm married or be reconciled. This is how I understand the scriptures that teach on this matter how Paul says elsewhere in Romans chapter 7 for a married woman is down by law to her husband while he lives but if a husband dies, she was released from the law of marriage accordingly. She would be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive, but if her husband died, she was freaking about law if she marries a mother-in-law she is not an adulteress. What is the Bible say about subsequent marriage, but if you're a widow or widower get married again, there's no friction on that. Why because the marriage vow has been fulfilled because we all know if you had if you had a marriage ceremony done by me or many Pascal's like me. What about moonshine money? Did you say this for better for worse for richer for poorer sickness and health till death do us part and if you didn't know about that Covenant and your spouse and aren't you satisfied and that's why there's no adultery in a second marriage in a case where someone is a widow or widower. But if there is a divorce in your former spouse is still alive and engage in another marriage. There's an act of adultery biblically because your first Covenant come it hasn't been fulfilled yet.

Paul has more to say 1st Corinthians 7 or wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if my husband dies, she's free to be married to whom she wishes in the world. She there is a restriction that God Appliance to Venice. I mentioned earlier that this matter is one that has been challenging for me in pastoral Ministry. But what we find in our text today, is it the Pharisees and the practice of the Jewish people and their culture had widened permissiveness regarding divorce and the Ferocious Beast. Jesus still wanted to find out if Jesus going to uphold Moses or is he going to uphold the law another part of this conflict could be because he was questioned this way in the vicinity with John the Baptist head minister with John the Baptist head had been cut off by hairdo. Remember this story and and part of parrots hated for Jonathan Jonathan if you can flush divorcing his wife and herodias divorcing her husband and goes to marrying each other and John called off the upper on that you shouldn't do that. Palabra John into the crosshairs of leadership and ultimately cost him his head and the Pharisees man. Wanted to catch Jesus supporting Johnson Ministry movie to get Jesus in hot water with Herod as well. All of these things are likely true. Cruising I want to give some application something that I believe is positive as I have rested with this and I know that that some of you were here this morning had never been married and never will be married. Some of you are are single and maybe hope to be married someday soon. As you are in a marriage relationship. Some of you may be in a second marriage record manager whenever in all of this teaching balls on your stool, and I just want to give you something positive. Infusion. Do I didn't six biblical principles of marriage and divorce and remarriage and I want it encouraged you with things. Extra cash by the way, there's a hand out on a walk encounter. If you want to take one of these with you pushing the number one if you're married or Mike get married one day you should embrace the group teaching of the Bible on the institution of marriage is a lifelong relationship that isn't picture of the price on ending unconditional love for the church, like single people Choose Wisely who will get married and I'll say something else. There are some people long for a marriage relationship. Can we get them? I mean. If I don't in their life, and I'm tired of being single is hard. I want to tell you there's something worse and that's being married to the person. She only married to Rihanna embrace the place that God has called us to me with you if you are married in your marriage is in trouble. You should maintain a rock-solid commitment to your marriage vows. You need to take that option with divorce off the table to get to work to start crying and talk to a trusted friend to get a good Christian book that will address the issue facing you need to start doing marriage counseling with one of the pastors and I say this with confidence problem with things even the worst one can be overcome what you want Lo-Fang body can work for growth and change.

Dirt you're never without hope let me see if your spouse refuses to acknowledge the problem and work on it. Then I would say to you you need to come see me because God has provided you with the church, to love and support you through house that the company has provided you with Masters to Shepherd you and if your spouse comes to see me, I'm going to be calling you next I don't avoid the phone call answer the door when it's not done. We need to keep our problems naturally want to keep our problems a secret try to solve them ourselves. But some problems can be solved by you alone. And you need to get some help from those. Who love you most. Recipe for if your marriage problems are significant that may take a long time to see growth and change and you need to be patient. Do the Auburn City happen overnight? They won't heal overnight and sometimes sadly Satan rules. We don't always find victory over our sin and that may mean that you will separate or divorce from your spouse. And if that happens the Bible says you have two options to remain unmarried or to be reconciled. Number 5 if you have been divorced in the past and are considering another relationship. I encourage you to consider what the Lord wants you to do study the biblical passages that deal with marriage and divorce ask God to guide you through night. I say this again individually as I read scripture. I'm just talking to you as Tim your brother in Christ as I read scripture Ephesians where we marriage is specifically granted in the Bible is for those who lose a spouse to death.

But in our church, we believe in the priesthood of the believer that each and every one of us have direct access to God. In fact of the matter is if you're looking for a pastor who will have a different opinion than mine. You won't have to look far. They're everywhere but the variety of opinions on a difficult doctrine of water like this are

Homosexual Pastor Tim II, you know, here's an example from Chuck Swindoll. You know who Chuck Swindoll on taste different than you and I say, I know he does and I feel like you I'm I'm this big and Chuck is 10 feet tall. Who am I to disagree with such an amazing man, but I would say to you this.

I am Bound by the scriptures. But I have wrestled difficultly with this matter and it has led me to a place where I read it. This is what I see. Someone else. And I'm in a different place. That's fine. That's okay. You can have different than I do and we can still walk hand-in-hand in the body of Christ. You know, that's the beauty of what God has called us to change. Your password is my understanding and then finally I would like today is not your first marriage realize that God wants you to be fully committed to the marriage that you have now. She is a god of Grace and forgiveness a man and Tom and Di's bless us and use us even when we made mistakes in the past and we need to see if you presume by living in Polo commitment to the marriage that were in right now. I know This is how we act to the best of my understanding. This is Jesus teaching on divorce. Would you pray with me?

Good morning. Bethany Bethany Worship the Lord will us together. We are working our way to the gospel of Mark signal the Bible tickets open read Mark chapter 10. I have titled my message today what Jesus says about divorce with vines in what chapter 10 verses 1 through 12 that Christ was going to be confronted by some Jewish religious leaders and they're going to try to him by doing with this subject of divorce. If you are my age or in that vicinity you certain you will remember that it was back in the 1980s. Statisticians pulled our culture that the divorce rate in the United States is at 50. Shocked about that reality. It's an interesting thing statisticians keeping track of that since that time would actually pass if there's been a decline in the divorce rate in our country. I currently they estimate the divorce rate among first marriages at 42% that rises to 50% for second marriages or 72% score 3rd marriages. However, in spite of a statistical decline, it was an anomaly that it should our culture called the pandemic have you heard what prognosticators believe to be true about the pandemic a 50% increase in divorce filings? Why because couples have been locked at home together, but that's a recipe for trouble and then I just can't find a husband and wife at home for sale. Parks with no money and nowhere to go and that is a recipe for trouble. So those who are guessing about the outcomes of it. I read a number of job about how bad will happen and we would all acknowledge that makes sense. That was that a certain stress that goes with quarantine. How do I say in answer pressure that has been solved in one household and that would add to the quander. I will some quiet abused by one of those thinkers try to put a positive spin on it. You said he said in my opinion people are now more mindful of the mortality and making changes long-overdue essentially what he was saying, we realize now because of the pandemic how short life is and life is too short to put up with arrested for failing marriage relationship. John might as well get out now and pursue a more fulfilling relationship in the years, but I have lost and then I read that I just thought well that's one way of thinking about it but is certainly not the answer for most of us only say that in our culture. So pervasive is our culture's preoccupation with fulfillment personal happiness commitment for life's most sacred institutions is often made conditional to the question. Am I dead in 15 minutes from there? For example in regards to marriage John Adam and Nancy Williamson right in there book divorce how and when to let go these words. They say your mulch and we're out people change their values and Lifestyles people want to experience new things change of heart of life change and personal growth are traits for you to be proud of indicative of vital and vital switching mind. You must accept the reality that in today's multi-faceted world. It is especially easy for two persons to grow apart letting go of your marriage if it is no longer if it's going to be the most successful thing you've ever done getting a divorce can be a positive problem solving growth-oriented stabbed. It can be a personal Triumph. I heard that and I thought that he's unbelievable only in this culture. Can we make happiness and self-fulfillment such a guiding principle that we can call for your success that we can call Bush immigration grow and that we can call a disaster a Triumph. I want to tell you that humanly possible of Twisted logic you understand that sometimes and sadly Christians can at times be no better as read to easily excuse our own selfishness. I'd literally had people say to me is a pastor Pastor. I know that I shouldn't get a divorce but I know this about God is a god of Grace. He will forgive me for doing it. And so I'm going to go ahead and do it.

Only worst garage Eckley is the most common excuse. I've heard people who say faster. I know that God wants me to leave my marriage because he wants me to be happy and I'm not now there's that there's an incredible biblical Greek word for that. He's come from rhony.

What does God want you to be happy and maybe if that's not his most important priority for your life and mine. God wants us to be holy. God wants us to follow his will and his ways and some of those are hard pads to rock and certainly in the Divine institution of marriage. That's a tough Pathway to walk until we find ourselves again just by studying one of the gospels in our new testament an encounter with a pretty tricky cultural topic chapter 10 beginning at verse 1. Say, I mean left there and went to the region of Judea and Beyond the Jordan Tennessee transition chapter who wouldn't say that what we've studied so far Mark 1 through 9 Christ Ministry has been essentially located geographically in the area of Galilee lots of work in Capernaum the cities that are around there. It's too traveled North and he's done some Ministry north of the gallery.

What's the price on the Move in a new direction is so she won't there she left there and went to the region of Judea and Beyond the Jordan if you understand, but the geography of Israel the food Gallery is here in the north. The Jordan River running down Grace has been ministering in this facility in north and now he's going to head South and East Algonquin Road download and he's going to move to be east side of the Jordan River the area beyond the Jordan to be in new territory Administration in crisis known of their herd of their disinfectant for the city with John the Baptist has centered hinzman. If we remember John the Baptist the one who came out as the Forerunner of the Christ. Thank you. Hold one who will come and and he's going to be the Messiah the Lamb of God and was pulling people to Jesus. Pat and John has had such a riveting Ministries in this was going to reread and Bruce one that it says when he went into each other to DMV on the Jordan crowds gather to run again and again as well as his accustomed to partner with Jesus has now moved to a new facility in the whole world that are still waiting to hear him teach and that continues to be the case for this game. We're going to find as we moved into this perception is that Chris is going to be questioning. He's going to talk about marriage as God has created it and one of the things that we will see is that the Jewish culture has now at this time you marriage as a temporary unconditional relationship look with me endorsements 2 through 5. Shark Steam Mop

What does intrastate intro school did not come with a question but Mark tells us that they're questioning him with the purpose of testing him or trapping Kim information is Not Enough by nek Heartfelt genuine speaking type questions. This is a question that leveraged to add the purpose of cropping price in some way. We came up in an order to cast him off. Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? Rancho Barn what did Moses come onto and they said Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her alone? And Jesus said to them because of your Hardness of Heart who wrote you this commandment.

How do you spell she's came and wanted to trap Jesus attached to him they did so by posing a delicate cultural question. I would say that question to this day is so delicate and cultural and it is what is the church's new? What is a person that they should do when it comes to the multitude of relationship of biblical marriage. Coming to trust him in this which is interesting. I think there's a two rounds of detest one that will talk about his how are the Jews practice a marriage and divorce at this time. In a second round of testing has to do with the fact of where the question is at. They are in the vicinity where John the Baptist has ministered. What did John John got arrested John became the enemy of Herod of that at that time and her and had arrested and imprisoned. John's conflict without Roman leader ended up in what happened to John Off With His Head. John was murdered over his conflict. What was the nature that John was calling here it out on it was a matter of an unjustified marriage relationship that Herod had with his present wife wear. Have been married to someone else and this girl have been noticing up and make your voice their spouses and became married to one another John call the tension in his public Teaching Ministry that the emperor was practicing. I think part of the testing in this passage could have been the policy say maybe if we can get Jesus to support John's ministry will come on the radar of Herod like John did and maybe a hundred will take care of Jesus this problem to our ways of thinking and I don't think either more it is rooted in Jewish practice. I want you to keep your finger here in Mark chapter 10, and I want you to go all the way back to Deuteronomy chapter 24 in the Old Testament.

Deuteronomy chapter 24. This is the portion scripture where Moses gave a command to the coven people of Israel regarding riding a certificate of divorce, which is what the religious leaders have reminded them of I mean Deuteronomy chapter 4 beginning of this one was there when a man takes a wife and marries her if she is mine. She finds no fever in his eyes because she has found some indecency in her that word in Houston C is a pivot toward. It's actually worried that a little tough to understand biblically, but what Moses told the children of Israel has been happily married man find something indecent in her the word the word is connected to some Form of sexual spin some kind of sexual impropriety in her enough to look at that see what maybe she liked had an affair on him. And that's that's who she not is adultery. Add another consequence in historic Jewish culture. What would the Jubilee do to manage to do to an adulterer? Don't do it. Don't do them. They put them to death. Cultured who got very seriously adultery. This is something different and to be honest. I don't think that we have a concrete idea of what it is. It's a very difficult words translate it again. He says if he takes a wife then she finds her favorite was ice because he was from some indecency and I'm so now that is some kind of a sexual impropriety, but we're not sure what it was he continued Who writes her a certificate of divorce of hoping in her hand and send her out of his house and she departs out of his house and if she goes and becomes another man's why I'm a liar man hates ran right through a certificate of divorce and pension in her hand and send her out of his house or if we got him home. I took her to be as well. Then her former husband who sent her away when not take her again to be his wife after she has been 254 that is an Abomination before the Lord and you shall not bring shame upon the rumor that the Lord your God is giving you what Moses said to them. Listen, if in your marriage practice, there is a divorce that takes place texting swimming against scariest scariest divorce practice.