Mr. & Mrs. Wrong

Intro

I will never forget our wedding day!!

In the name of God, I, Jon, take you, Elisa, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward forsaking all others, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

Message

The Gospel according to Matthew A. Teaching about Divorce, 19:1–12

Once more Jesus confronts a wrong understanding of the meaning of God’s law. Just as in the Sermon on the Mount, he shows that it is not enough to keep the letter of the law. The law allowed divorce, and some pious Jews availed themselves wholeheartedly of this provision. Jesus invites his hearers to reflect on what the law actually means and to recognize the sanctity of marriage. The fact that divorce was possible did not mean that it was to be sought. Rather, it was to be seen as a desperate last resort; every effort must be made to save a marriage.

God Created Marriage

Marriage is defined by God

Matt 19.4-5 “4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?”

Marriage is a covenant under God

Matt 19.6 “6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.””

God Hates Divorce

Divorce is always a result of sin

Matt 19.8 “8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”

Divorce is almost always sinful

God Regulates Divorce

Biblical grounds for divorce

Deut 24.1-4 “1 “When a man takes a wife and marries her, if then she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, and she departs out of his house, 2 and if she goes and becomes another man’s wife, 3 and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, 4 then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.”

Adultery

Matt 19.9 “9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.””

Abandonment

1 Cor 7.15 “15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.”

Biblical grounds for remarriage

Only for the offended

Only after biblical divorce

Matt 19.9 “9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.””

1 Cor 7.15 “15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.”

God Redeems Divorce

Exalting Jesus in Matthew God Redeems Divorce

Undoubtedly this subject brings old and new wounds to the surface, as these are tough words in Scripture for some people to hear, but there’s a reason divorce is addressed like this. The reason God is so serious in His Word about our marriage covenants with each other is because He is so serious about His marriage covenant with us. Christians who have been a part of a divorce are still part of the bride of Christ. Jesus is worthy of our praise because He is always forgiving and He is always faithful.

Exalting Jesus in Matthew God Redeems Divorce

Even if the marriage covenant in your life was broken in the past, know that the ultimate marriage covenant is still firmly intact. God picks you up daily where you are, and He carries on His covenant of love with you. Unlike an earthly spouse, He will never commit adultery against you and He will never abandon you. No matter what happens in this world, Jesus never forsakes His bride—never! This is the gospel.

Married

Husbands love your wives with sacrificial love, take responsibility for the glory of Christ

Wives honor Christ in building husband up as spiritual leader

Considering Divorce

remember the power of the gospel!

biblical grounds?

restoration…

Divorced and Single

Biblical = rest in singleness / remarriage to the glory of Christ

Unbiblical = repent of your sin both to God and to former spouse [reconcile] and then let the gospel of Christ give you hope for the advancement of the gospel in singleness until your future wedding day with Christ.

Divorced and Remarried

Repent & Reflect… genuine repentance and then magnify Christ in this marriage!!

Close

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Sixteen: The King’s Instructions (Matthew 19:1–15)

Happy marriages are not accidents. They are the result of commitment, love, mutual understanding, sacrifice, and hard work. If a husband and wife are fulfilling their marriage vows, they will enjoy a growing relationship that will satisfy them and keep them true to each other.

Finances

Sexual Intimacy

Communication

Group Discussion

In this message what stood out most to you personally and why?

List some ways that our culture’s view of marriage is unbiblical (think TV, radio, advertising, etc.).

Why is it crucial to begin our discussion on marriage with God’s design in Genesis? Discuss the idea that divorce is fundamentally an offense against God.

What wrong messages about Christ and His redemption are communicated to the world when Christians don’t obey God’s Word concerning marriage and divorce?

How can churches show both tenderness and courage in confronting the issue of divorce?

Why was the Pharisees’ questioning misguided and wrongly motivated?

If a friend asked, “When is it OK to get a divorce?” how would you answer?

Why is it so crucial for Christians to take the approach that we ought to be looking for every opportunity to reconcile?

What are practical steps to strengthen an existing marriage?

What does it mean practically for a single person to maximize his singleness?

What counsel would you give to someone who had been divorced and who thought their usefulness in God’s kingdom had ended? How would you counsel someone who had abandoned a spouse?

How might a wrong view of marriage and divorce be a precursor to other issues in society such as homosexuality, abortion, etc.?

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