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MARRIAGE,
DIVORCE, AND REMARRIAGE
Introduction: -
1. Has divided more
congregations - had more preachers fired
2. I know some will be hurt
- uncomfortable - all have family
involved
3. This lesson for all of us....
Children
- so they will make better choices
Young Married
- so they will remain committed
Older Married
- remember how important - appreciate God's blessings
4. Put away pre-drawn
conclusions
5. Preach every year.....
Charts on Divorce Rates: -
1. U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT -
2. TIME -
3. In
4. 9 of 10 persons will marry
5. 3 of 4 divorcees will remarry
6. Can't let social acceptance change what God's law demands
7. Would anyone put up a fuss over this lesson in 1700's; 1800's;
or even in 1950?
God's Marriage Law: -
Gen
Mal 2:13-16, "....... you cover the altar of the LORD
with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the
offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. Yet you say, 'For what
reason?' Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your
youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion
and your wife by covenant. But not one
has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was
seeking a godly offspring? Take heed then, to your spirit, and let no one deal
treacherously against the wife of your youth. 'For I hate divorce,' says
the LORD, the God of
Rom 7:1-3, Or do you not know,
brethren (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law has
jurisdiction over a person as long as he lives?
For the married woman is bound
by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she
is released from the law concerning the husband. So then if, while her husband
is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress;
but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress,
though she is joined to another man.
1 Cor
7:10-11, But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the
wife should not leave her
husband (but if she does leave, let her
remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the
husband should not send his wife away.
(Note:
v. 26, "present distress")
God Joins 2 into one......:
Gen
Jesus said, (Matt. 19:4 beginning) "Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning
MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said,
'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO
HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME
ONE FLESH'? Consequently they
are no longer two, but one flesh. What
therefore God has joined together, let no man
separate."
God's Law on Divorce......:
Mark 10:11, And He
(Jesus) said to them, "Whoever
divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her;"
Luke
The Exception! .....
Mat 5:32, (Jesus said...) but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the cause of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever
marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Mat 19:9, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits
adultery."
The Context of Matthew 19 ..... verse 3....
1. Verse 3.....
a. trying
to trick Jesus ... look for the trick
1) Jesus
was clear on his teaching
2) Man's
practice was different
3) Moses
allowed - women being left uncared for -
took care of
social arrangement -
remember -
Moses over civil govt. as well as spiritual
4) Neither
Moses nor God said divorce was acceptable
b. The trick -
are you going to tell us to go against the law?
c. God tolerated
(much like the kings/judges)
..... verse 4-6....
1. The union is God's .... not man's
2. This is God's law for ALL
a. sin is sin even if you are not aware of the law
b. is
the alien guilty for stealing, etc.?
..... verse 7-9.....
verse 7 ...... the trick
question......
1. Matt. 22:15,
Then the Pharisees went and counseled together
how they might trap Him in what He
said.
2. As always .... let
the scriptures answer them (verse 5)
3. we should do the same (story of man
who came to my office in Cortez)
verse 8 .....
1. God didn't change
2. Your heart
changed ------- look
at today
verse 9......
1. Mat 28:18, And
Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth".
2. John 12:48,
"He who rejects Me, and does not receive My
sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him
at the last day.
3. Luke 3:22, (at the baptism of Jesus) and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in
bodily form like a dove, and a voice
came out of heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am
well-pleased."
4. "He speaks as one
having authority..."
The Law..... (with phrase removed)
The ONLY Exception....
1. Any sexual impurity that violates the ONE FLESH
..... (i.e. homosexuality, bestiality, adultery)
2. ALSO, Whoever marries the divorced woman....commits adultery.
3. Must be the CAUSE - Not just a "loophole"
a. first responsibility is to forgive
b. can't force
by abstaining
1 Cor
7:3-5 Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife
to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the
husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his
own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement
for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again
lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
c. can't just
OUT WAIT the other to marry after divorce
d. is
to be taken seriously - not a loophole
to slip out of marriage through
4. The importance.....
1 Cor
6:9-10, Or do
you not know that the unrighteous shall
not inherit the
Rev 21:8, "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and
abominable and murderers and immoral
persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be
in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death."
Gal 5:19-21, Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which
are: immorality, impurity,
sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger,
disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things
like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those
who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
a. Some sins
have consequences which are irreversible
1) after divorce - too late - many wnat
to change God's law
2) many capital offences - can't make restitution (murder -
rape)
3) Adultery
is capital offence to God
Lev 20:10, 'If there is a man who commits adultery with
another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress
shall surely be put to death.
Deu 22:22, "If
a man is found lying with a married woman, then
both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman;
thus you shall purge the evil from Israel.
b. God takes it
SERIOUSLY
c. Violates
the sanctity of the home - family is picture of church
d. Destroys
family relationships & children's sense of identity
e. Marriage
relationship - earth's most intimate relationship
f. To betray
one's mate is to betray one's self
V10-12 "This is a Hard Saying"....
.....verse 10
1. Notice....now to His disciples
2. This is a strong saying
3. It might be best not to marry at all
.....verse 11
4. Jesus agrees ... for some it might be better not to marry at
all
5. some had already messed themselves up
- then as well as now
6. Some don't want to give up that side of their lives - (then
& now)
7. "to
those it was given..."
a. marriage
was given to those who could be happy with one mate
b. given
to those who would put the kingdom - put God - first
.....verse 12
8. There can be some very hard situations....
9. Some have become eunuchs
a. Some say man
can't do that - many have; even our Lord...and Paul, etc.
b. Some times
illness of a mate
c. Some were in
jail
10. BUT YOU MUST BE
FAITHFUL!!
Who is in Adultery?....
Why is it so HARD?....
1. God's laws don't cause misery and problems - sin does
Prov 15:10-13 Stern discipline is for him who forsakes the way;
He who hates reproof will die. Sheol and Abaddon lie open before
the LORD, How much more the hearts of men!
A scoffer does not love one who reproves him,
He will not go to the wise. A joyful
heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is
sad, the spirit is broken.
1 John 3:4, Everyone who practices sin also practices
lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
2. God's laws bring blessings -
3. The presence of children in an adulterous marriage doesn't make
it holy!
Ezra 10:2-4, And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one
of the sons of
Ezra 10:10-11, Then Ezra the priest
stood up and said to them, "You have been unfaithful and have married
foreign wives adding to the guilt of
Ezra
4. Parents must still provide for their children - though they
live out of the home
SIN PRODUCES THESE HEARTACHES - OBEDIENCE DOES NOT