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…Marriage provides the opportunity for great intimacy and blessing. However,
few other types of relationships provide the forum for such great __pain__,
heartache, broken __lives__ and shattered dreams.
…Dr. Nicoli, a Harvard professor, identified six trends that are most
destructive of the family. These include: mothers of young children working
outside the home, frequent family moves, the invasion of TV, lack of moral
control in society, lack of communication at home and __divorce__,
“which is by far the major cause of emotional problems and the major detriment
to the family.”
…In Jesus’ day, men held women in a very __low__ esteem. Men had come
to believe that they had the right to divorce their wives for almost any and
every reason. It was many times just “legalized __lust__.”
…Jesus again contrasts the true meaning of the Law with the current teaching
of the rabbis. He presents a very __narrow__ view of divorce and
remarriage.
TWO PARTS OF JESUS’ TEACHING WARNING US OF THE DANGER OF
DIVORCE.
…For unbiblical divorce __leads__ to multiplied adulteries.
I.
Jesus Tells Of The
Current Lenient Practice Of His Day. (v 31a)
A. "It
has been said,” refers to the teachings of the rabbis on this subject.
1.
Deut 24 is the
__only__
OT passage that dealt with divorce, so the Lord points to this text and cites
…the only requirement was “to do the paperwork.” Issue a certificate of __divorce__.
2.
It was so easy,
it was the early “no-fault” divorce. Matthew 19:1-3…”for any reason?”
B. They
justified their action by the wrong understanding of Deut 24. The
__paperwork__
was not the big thing. They took the word “indecent” and made it mean
__anything__
they desired. However, this text laid down several principles:
1.
It
__limited__
divorce to certain causes…”nudity” meant sexual sins.
2.
It enforced the
giving of a Certificate of Divorce to
__protect__
the wife…
3.
A man
who divorced his wife was
__not__
allowed to marry her again.
II. Jesus Unfolds The Problem With Unbiblical
Divorce; It Leads To Adultery.(v32)
A. We
need to understand what the Old Testament teaches about marriage. Two become
One!
1.
Genesis 2:24
“one flesh.” Bonding. Sexual relationship is the
__fullest__
expression of that oneness. Marriage is not a civil contract, nor a
sacrament, it is
__one__
flesh!
2.
The penalty for
adultery, Lev 20:10, “death” tells us how
__serious__
God views marriage.
…when the penalty was carried out, the living spouse was free to marry again.
3.
Adultery
__destroys__
the bond of “oneness.” (1 Corinth 6:15-17)
4.
God
__hates__
the sin that brings about a divorce…He never commanded it, but He does
regulate it. (Mal 2:16) God’s standard: sexual
__purity__
before marriage, fidelity after.
B. Jesus
tells of God’s real intent on this subject…in Matthew’s text along with
Matthew 19:1-5.
1. Jesus
affirms Moses’ words in Deut 24, that unjustified divorce leads to adultery.
2.
By allowing a “No
fault” divorce practice, a blight of adultery contaminated the people.
3.
When a husband
divorced his wife on grounds other than adultery, he would cause her to commit
adultery when she remarried. She often remarried for
__safety__
and survival.
4.
The
__only__
legitimate reason for divorce is “porneia,” fornication. The oneness of the
marriage has been shattered by the adultery. Now free to remarry.
LESSONS FOR OUR LIVES:
1.
Marriage is a covenant we enter into as a __lifelong__ promise. Gouge
out anything from your heart that…
2.
The lenient, no-fault divorces of our day are not Biblical. They lead to all
sorts of adultery.
3.
Both these texts from Matthew teach that sexual unfaithfulness in marriage __breaks__
the bond of oneness and provides legitimate ground for divorce. It is very
restrictive.
4.
The Lord desires to take your marriage and bless it with __beauty__ and
love…daily give it to Him.
5.
Practice the law of love and __forgiveness__, if your mate has been
unfaithful to you. Forgive as you have…
6.
__Protect__ your marriage. Love your mate enough to build hedges
around it so as to protect it.
7.
No matter what your background has been, God’s saving grace washes away __all__
your sin, even adultery.
8.
May God help us to be __faithful__ to our spouse and for our spouse (if
marriage is in our future). If you are married, commit yourself today moral __purity__.
9.
Perhaps your need is to be saved from the penalty of your sin. Come to the
Savior today!! Do not delay.
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