1 00:00:03,003 --> 00:00:05,472 I appreciate you being here this morning. 2 00:00:05,472 --> 00:00:08,074 We're going to get into chapter 19. 3 00:00:08,074 --> 00:00:10,377 In chapter 19 4 00:00:10,377 --> 00:00:14,180 is it's a it's a tough chapter to read 5 00:00:14,180 --> 00:00:17,183 and and to let speak. 6 00:00:18,218 --> 00:00:21,021 To understand what it says and 7 00:00:21,021 --> 00:00:24,024 and to get some to some deeper things 8 00:00:25,158 --> 00:00:28,161 to kind of behind the initial things. 9 00:00:28,995 --> 00:00:32,932 And so as we prepare for this, 10 00:00:34,267 --> 00:00:36,936 this truth of chapter 19, 11 00:00:36,936 --> 00:00:39,939 I just again encourage us to 12 00:00:40,473 --> 00:00:43,476 just let let the Bible talk 13 00:00:44,477 --> 00:00:46,146 and just kind of be 14 00:00:46,146 --> 00:00:49,149 in the moment with the Scripture. 15 00:00:49,682 --> 00:00:52,652 It'll have something to say for every one of us. 16 00:00:53,453 --> 00:00:57,290 But in in setting up this chapter, I was thinking 17 00:00:58,458 --> 00:01:00,293 this week 18 00:01:00,293 --> 00:01:04,130 about chapter 19, and I thought, I thought, here's what's going on. 19 00:01:04,197 --> 00:01:07,634 Have any of you been around somebody 20 00:01:08,535 --> 00:01:12,839 where they asked a question, but they're really trying to get to a deeper question. 21 00:01:14,074 --> 00:01:16,242 Ever been around someone who's there asking something? 22 00:01:16,242 --> 00:01:21,214 But, you know, that's not like they have an agenda behind the first question. 23 00:01:21,581 --> 00:01:23,083 Anybody. 24 00:01:23,083 --> 00:01:25,051 And they're kind of leading you. 25 00:01:25,051 --> 00:01:28,354 It it's pretty deceitful honestly. 26 00:01:28,388 --> 00:01:30,256 Like don't be a lawyer right now. 27 00:01:30,256 --> 00:01:31,558 If you got a question, just ask me. 28 00:01:31,558 --> 00:01:31,858 Right. 29 00:01:31,858 --> 00:01:37,197 Like, don't offend me by trying to manipulate something out of me. 30 00:01:37,230 --> 00:01:40,233 Just be honest and ask the question anybody? 31 00:01:40,500 --> 00:01:42,802 Yeah, I have people like that in my life. 32 00:01:42,802 --> 00:01:43,837 I try not to be around them. 33 00:01:43,837 --> 00:01:45,672 I try not to talk to them because you just. 34 00:01:45,672 --> 00:01:48,041 It's hard to try to trust them. 35 00:01:48,041 --> 00:01:49,876 Like, where are you going with this? 36 00:01:49,876 --> 00:01:52,879 That Jesus experienced this all the time, 37 00:01:53,279 --> 00:01:56,082 specifically with the Pharisees and the scribes. 38 00:01:56,082 --> 00:01:59,853 And whenever Jesus faced them and their questions, 39 00:01:59,853 --> 00:02:03,723 he rarely ever answered them outrightly because he knew that there was an 40 00:02:03,723 --> 00:02:05,225 issue beneath the question. 41 00:02:06,192 --> 00:02:07,060 And so what Jesus 42 00:02:07,060 --> 00:02:10,063 did, he always got to the issue. 43 00:02:10,096 --> 00:02:12,398 And so we're going to see that in Matthew 19. 44 00:02:12,398 --> 00:02:15,468 There's going to be asked two questions, but he realizes there's 45 00:02:15,468 --> 00:02:18,505 a deeper issue under the questions, and that's where he's going to get to. 46 00:02:18,538 --> 00:02:19,339 But we're going to talk 47 00:02:19,339 --> 00:02:22,976 about the two questions, but we're going to talk about what's underneath them. 48 00:02:23,343 --> 00:02:24,611 That's what chapter 19 is. 49 00:02:24,611 --> 00:02:27,180 And so here's the big idea for this chapter. 50 00:02:27,180 --> 00:02:33,019 Jesus confronts the hardness of heart because his kingdom consists of commitment 51 00:02:33,019 --> 00:02:36,356 and sacrifice, while our kingdom consists 52 00:02:36,356 --> 00:02:39,359 of loopholes and excuses. 53 00:02:39,626 --> 00:02:42,295 This is going to be our tendency this morning 54 00:02:42,295 --> 00:02:45,298 as we go through chapter 19 55 00:02:46,499 --> 00:02:47,934 to explain our loopholes 56 00:02:47,934 --> 00:02:51,704 and our excuses, we're going to say, yeah, but for me. 57 00:02:51,704 --> 00:02:55,875 But see, but see, maestro, but see what I experienced, but see what I 58 00:02:57,210 --> 00:02:58,011 and we're going to, 59 00:02:58,011 --> 00:03:02,682 we're going to see in these two questions that are brought up in chapter 19, 60 00:03:03,383 --> 00:03:06,653 we're going to we're going to read them for what they are, but we're going to 61 00:03:07,787 --> 00:03:10,423 the first thing that's going to pop in our head are our loopholes and excuses. 62 00:03:10,423 --> 00:03:14,561 So just just suspend that tendency for a moment. 63 00:03:15,195 --> 00:03:18,398 You understand that just that's our kingdom. 64 00:03:18,398 --> 00:03:21,401 So just suspend that for a moment. 65 00:03:22,235 --> 00:03:25,238 Let the Scripture do what it says 66 00:03:25,672 --> 00:03:29,909 when it's taught as profitable for rebuking, correcting and training. 67 00:03:29,943 --> 00:03:34,881 Rebuking says, I'm going to confront you with error that you're thinking right now 68 00:03:35,114 --> 00:03:36,382 and the way you're living. 69 00:03:36,382 --> 00:03:38,952 And then I'm going to correct you and show you the right way, 70 00:03:38,952 --> 00:03:42,155 God's way, and I'm going to train you how to walk in that way. 71 00:03:42,155 --> 00:03:44,424 So that's what the Scripture is supposed to do. 72 00:03:44,424 --> 00:03:47,060 It's supposed to rebuke us and confront us. 73 00:03:47,060 --> 00:03:49,429 Our tendency is going to happen is to put the brakes on and say, 74 00:03:49,429 --> 00:03:50,863 oh no, no, no, no, no, no, 75 00:03:50,863 --> 00:03:53,866 that doesn't that my story is a little bit different here. 76 00:03:54,033 --> 00:03:58,171 Don't like let it rebuke so that it can correct. 77 00:03:58,171 --> 00:04:03,142 Because in correction is training on the back side of that is mercy and grace. 78 00:04:04,777 --> 00:04:05,411 And so I would 79 00:04:05,411 --> 00:04:08,414 encourage us in this moment just say, you know, father, 80 00:04:08,514 --> 00:04:13,119 confront me and convict me and train me 81 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,290 all by your grace. 82 00:04:17,790 --> 00:04:20,393 Just as a God increase my desire 83 00:04:20,393 --> 00:04:24,097 for righteousness and holiness and obedience. 84 00:04:24,597 --> 00:04:27,600 Just put yourself in that position. 85 00:04:29,102 --> 00:04:31,904 Chapter 19. 86 00:04:31,904 --> 00:04:32,505 There's a lot. 87 00:04:32,505 --> 00:04:34,574 I'm a I'm a I'm a priest. 88 00:04:34,574 --> 00:04:37,810 I'm gonna teach fast, as fast as I can 89 00:04:38,811 --> 00:04:41,681 and still get through this in a way that's credible. 90 00:04:41,681 --> 00:04:42,749 Verses one and two. 91 00:04:42,749 --> 00:04:44,984 Now, when Jesus had finished saying these things. 92 00:04:44,984 --> 00:04:45,518 What things? 93 00:04:45,518 --> 00:04:47,320 Well, the things you just said in Matthew 18 94 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,089 all about forgiveness and how many times I have to give somebody, 95 00:04:50,089 --> 00:04:52,825 what if they can just keep on doing it? Just keep forgiving on why? 96 00:04:52,825 --> 00:04:55,762 Because you've been forgiven a lot more than you will ever forgive. 97 00:04:55,762 --> 00:04:57,063 That was all. Chapter 18. 98 00:04:57,063 --> 00:04:58,698 And he finished saying those things. 99 00:04:58,698 --> 00:05:03,202 He went away from Galilee, and that's up north and into the region of Judea, 100 00:05:03,236 --> 00:05:04,637 beyond the Jordan, kind of down south. 101 00:05:04,637 --> 00:05:07,640 And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 102 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:10,443 What surprises me about those two little verses 103 00:05:10,443 --> 00:05:13,713 is that these people just thronged to Jesus, 104 00:05:13,713 --> 00:05:17,150 and I'm sure that they did ask him for them. 105 00:05:17,150 --> 00:05:19,819 I'm sure that there were some people who believed in him in this crowd. 106 00:05:19,819 --> 00:05:22,221 But the Bible, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 107 00:05:22,221 --> 00:05:25,191 only tells us a crowd followed and he healed them. Because why? 108 00:05:25,191 --> 00:05:26,359 Because he had compassion. 109 00:05:26,359 --> 00:05:27,994 What amazes me about that 110 00:05:27,994 --> 00:05:31,531 is there's no indication that these people even believed in Jesus. 111 00:05:32,231 --> 00:05:34,233 They just were like, look, I got a need. 112 00:05:34,233 --> 00:05:35,268 You got resources. 113 00:05:35,268 --> 00:05:37,737 And Jesus is like, you know, you're right, I have resources. 114 00:05:37,737 --> 00:05:39,739 You have a need. And so let me just go ahead and heal you. 115 00:05:39,739 --> 00:05:43,710 I just love that about it because he's so full of compassion. 116 00:05:44,110 --> 00:05:48,681 He's such a merciful God and his mercies are new every morning. 117 00:05:48,681 --> 00:05:52,652 His compassion kind of spills out of him onto those of us in need, 118 00:05:52,719 --> 00:05:54,153 without even asking, 119 00:05:54,153 --> 00:05:58,491 without even great belief, he just says, let me heal what's broken. 120 00:05:58,491 --> 00:05:59,759 I want you to understand that. 121 00:05:59,759 --> 00:06:02,261 I want you to keep that kind of as the umbrella. 122 00:06:02,261 --> 00:06:05,264 As we go through the rest of chapter 19, do you understand? 123 00:06:05,998 --> 00:06:08,101 You may not even realize. 124 00:06:11,671 --> 00:06:14,674 Your need to ask for healing. 125 00:06:15,708 --> 00:06:18,711 But he is so compassionate that God wants to heal. 126 00:06:18,978 --> 00:06:21,981 And I hope you find that this morning, 127 00:06:23,149 --> 00:06:25,385 verse three, and the Pharisees came up to him 128 00:06:25,385 --> 00:06:29,188 and tested him by asking, is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause? 129 00:06:29,255 --> 00:06:31,257 Let me just kind of give you this. 130 00:06:31,257 --> 00:06:32,892 The scenario that's going on here. 131 00:06:32,892 --> 00:06:37,630 Jesus is leaving Galilee up in the north and moving down towards the Jordan 132 00:06:37,630 --> 00:06:38,331 in the south. 133 00:06:38,331 --> 00:06:40,099 He's headed towards Jerusalem. 134 00:06:40,099 --> 00:06:42,235 Well, he'll spend the last few weeks of his life 135 00:06:42,235 --> 00:06:43,703 before his crucified and resurrected. 136 00:06:43,703 --> 00:06:45,938 So he's moving from the north down to the south. 137 00:06:45,938 --> 00:06:48,975 And here's, here's what's happened, this interplay here. 138 00:06:48,975 --> 00:06:53,746 When these Pharisees come and ask, is it lawful for a man to life for any cause? 139 00:06:53,780 --> 00:06:58,651 What's happening is there's these two schools of thought within Judaism. 140 00:06:58,651 --> 00:07:03,122 One was in the north, headed by Rabbi Shammai. 141 00:07:03,322 --> 00:07:08,461 Everybody say Shammai, and the other one was in the South had run by 142 00:07:09,796 --> 00:07:10,730 Rabbi Hillel. 143 00:07:10,730 --> 00:07:12,198 Everybody say Hillel. 144 00:07:12,198 --> 00:07:16,936 And so these two schools of thought were the primary and predominant ones 145 00:07:16,936 --> 00:07:17,937 in Jerusalem. 146 00:07:17,937 --> 00:07:22,642 And all the rabbis kind of followed one of those two schools, the one in the North. 147 00:07:22,675 --> 00:07:26,312 Shammai was very strict and very conservative, 148 00:07:26,312 --> 00:07:30,082 and the understanding, teaching and application of the law of God, 149 00:07:30,116 --> 00:07:34,787 the one in the South, Hillel, was very liberal and very loose 150 00:07:35,021 --> 00:07:38,224 with the understanding, teaching and application of the Word of God. 151 00:07:38,224 --> 00:07:39,058 And so they all 152 00:07:39,058 --> 00:07:43,796 they each have their different things that they allowed and disallowed. 153 00:07:44,096 --> 00:07:48,301 No nor Shammai very strict South Hillel very liberal. 154 00:07:48,301 --> 00:07:54,307 And so these these Pharisees are asking Jesus, is it 155 00:07:54,340 --> 00:07:58,010 lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason? Why? 156 00:07:58,077 --> 00:08:01,514 Because these two schools of thought are coming into conflict now. 157 00:08:01,681 --> 00:08:05,751 One rabbi, the circle is going to say very limited allowance. 158 00:08:05,785 --> 00:08:09,622 The one, the liberal one in the South is going to say, oh heck yeah, anything. 159 00:08:09,655 --> 00:08:13,359 And so they're putting Jesus kind of in this, in this corner. 160 00:08:13,392 --> 00:08:15,695 They want him to choose which one are you? 161 00:08:15,695 --> 00:08:19,432 Are you do you follow Rabbi Chemise teaching or Rabbi Hill's teaching? 162 00:08:19,465 --> 00:08:24,237 The interesting thing is the Apostle Paul, he grew up way down south, 163 00:08:24,270 --> 00:08:25,938 actually in like in Sicily, 164 00:08:25,938 --> 00:08:31,210 who would be more of the Hillel school, which was very gracious and very little, 165 00:08:32,512 --> 00:08:34,914 I don't want to say liberal, because that's a different connotation 166 00:08:34,914 --> 00:08:39,252 in our day, but a much more allowance and grace filled 167 00:08:39,385 --> 00:08:43,422 Peter was more up in the in the North, which was very legalistic. 168 00:08:43,422 --> 00:08:47,460 And so even within Jesus followers, there were these things that they brought 169 00:08:47,460 --> 00:08:48,361 to the table with them 170 00:08:48,361 --> 00:08:52,198 and their understanding of God's Word and how to be a disciple. 171 00:08:52,198 --> 00:08:54,233 And so that's kind of the scenario. 172 00:08:54,233 --> 00:08:58,137 And so they ask, is it lawful for a man of for any reason? 173 00:08:58,137 --> 00:08:59,872 Look at verses for 174 00:08:59,872 --> 00:09:03,743 he answered, have you not read that he who created them from the beginning 175 00:09:03,776 --> 00:09:07,113 made them male and female, and said, therefore the man shall leave his father 176 00:09:07,113 --> 00:09:10,850 and mother, and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 177 00:09:10,850 --> 00:09:16,956 So they no longer they are no longer two, but one, one flesh. 178 00:09:17,156 --> 00:09:18,591 Therefore God has joined together. 179 00:09:18,591 --> 00:09:20,393 Let not man separate. 180 00:09:20,393 --> 00:09:21,794 And so Jesus says, listen, 181 00:09:21,794 --> 00:09:24,797 you want to talk about something to take you back to the garden. 182 00:09:25,498 --> 00:09:29,201 In the beginning, God made man and woman, male and female. 183 00:09:29,201 --> 00:09:30,503 There's only two. 184 00:09:30,503 --> 00:09:33,506 They don't come together and make a third like it's. 185 00:09:33,506 --> 00:09:36,409 And marriage exists between a man and a woman. 186 00:09:36,409 --> 00:09:38,744 You can't redefine that. 187 00:09:38,744 --> 00:09:41,581 That's that's God's intent from the beginning. 188 00:09:41,581 --> 00:09:43,583 That's where Jesus takes them right back to the garden. 189 00:09:43,583 --> 00:09:48,754 And in the beginning, God instituted this thing that we call marriage 190 00:09:48,754 --> 00:09:49,989 between a man and a woman. 191 00:09:49,989 --> 00:09:54,760 And it was intended by God from the beginning to be a lifelong 192 00:09:54,760 --> 00:10:00,800 covenant commitment that you cannot, once you get into it, get out of everybody. 193 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:01,834 Clear. 194 00:10:01,834 --> 00:10:04,470 That's where Jesus takes them back to. 195 00:10:04,470 --> 00:10:08,874 They want Jesus says, listen, there's a difference between men and women. 196 00:10:08,908 --> 00:10:11,911 They were created at different times. 197 00:10:12,111 --> 00:10:13,713 Man was created first and then a woman. 198 00:10:13,713 --> 00:10:15,748 They were created from different substance. 199 00:10:15,748 --> 00:10:17,516 Man was created from the dust of the earth. 200 00:10:17,516 --> 00:10:19,585 Women was created from the side of a man. 201 00:10:19,585 --> 00:10:21,954 They were created with different responsibilities. 202 00:10:21,954 --> 00:10:27,259 Man had the responsibility to manage and to rule over, and woman 203 00:10:27,259 --> 00:10:31,063 had the responsibility to complete the man because the man was incomplete 204 00:10:31,230 --> 00:10:35,067 and a man is not complete without the completion of his wife, 205 00:10:35,234 --> 00:10:40,172 and the two of them together give the fullness of the image of God. 206 00:10:40,172 --> 00:10:42,074 Both of them are image bearers. 207 00:10:42,074 --> 00:10:45,578 Both male and female are image bearers of God Almighty. 208 00:10:45,811 --> 00:10:49,215 We each just present a different, 209 00:10:50,616 --> 00:10:53,586 a different image of who God is, both male and female, 210 00:10:53,586 --> 00:10:57,523 and together in marriage is the more of the fullness of God's image. 211 00:10:57,523 --> 00:10:59,892 That's what Jesus is saying. Do you follow? 212 00:10:59,892 --> 00:11:04,163 And that union, God's purpose from the beginning 213 00:11:04,230 --> 00:11:08,100 was that that be a forever lifetime commitment? 214 00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:10,936 So Jesus says, you want to talk about divorce. 215 00:11:10,936 --> 00:11:14,940 I want to talk about the garden and God's purpose. 216 00:11:14,974 --> 00:11:16,676 You want to talk about your opinion. 217 00:11:16,676 --> 00:11:17,943 I want to talk about the Bible. 218 00:11:17,943 --> 00:11:20,346 That's what he says, which is a great place to be 219 00:11:20,346 --> 00:11:22,982 because everybody has their opinions, right? Opinions like belly buttons. 220 00:11:22,982 --> 00:11:25,985 Everybody's got one but Adam and Eve, right? 221 00:11:27,853 --> 00:11:30,222 Follow that. 222 00:11:30,222 --> 00:11:32,058 So? So Jesus is like, look, I get it. 223 00:11:32,058 --> 00:11:33,025 You have your opinions. 224 00:11:33,025 --> 00:11:35,027 Whatever. I'm gonna take you back to the Bible. 225 00:11:35,027 --> 00:11:36,495 That's where we always need to land. 226 00:11:36,495 --> 00:11:38,831 And so as we go through these two issues, 227 00:11:38,831 --> 00:11:41,400 everybody's going to have their opinion about it. 228 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,436 You're all going to have your opinion. 229 00:11:43,436 --> 00:11:45,705 What we want to do here, just go back to the Bible. 230 00:11:47,573 --> 00:11:49,542 Because here's the thing. 231 00:11:49,542 --> 00:11:52,545 My I have to move my position. 232 00:11:52,712 --> 00:11:55,681 I can't try to move God's standard. 233 00:11:55,681 --> 00:11:58,150 So even when our opinion differs, 234 00:11:58,150 --> 00:12:01,153 it's my opinion that has to move, not the standard of God. 235 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,456 We we good. Everybody understand. 236 00:12:03,456 --> 00:12:05,958 So that's where I'm coming from with the Scripture here. 237 00:12:05,958 --> 00:12:09,061 And that's where we always have to arrive. 238 00:12:09,862 --> 00:12:13,065 And Jesus says, for this reason, this marriage reason, 239 00:12:13,065 --> 00:12:17,670 a man will leave his father and mother and cleave and be united and attached to. 240 00:12:17,703 --> 00:12:22,641 So there has to be a marriage, a leaving of all other things and all other people, 241 00:12:23,109 --> 00:12:28,114 so that the two can cleave one to another where there was once two. 242 00:12:28,114 --> 00:12:30,182 Now there's one, a whole separate entity. 243 00:12:30,182 --> 00:12:32,752 That's what happens in marriage, that marriage 244 00:12:32,752 --> 00:12:35,755 is a completely different entity than what existed before. 245 00:12:35,755 --> 00:12:38,157 It's not a man and woman come together and learn how to live with each other. 246 00:12:38,157 --> 00:12:40,259 It's a whole new creation. 247 00:12:40,259 --> 00:12:42,261 This is God's intent. 248 00:12:42,261 --> 00:12:47,800 And because God created marriage, he has say over what it is. 249 00:12:47,833 --> 00:12:51,504 And because that's the case, Jesus is saying 250 00:12:51,504 --> 00:12:54,540 man and women do not have the right to separate it. 251 00:12:54,540 --> 00:12:56,375 That's what he's saying. 252 00:12:56,375 --> 00:12:57,877 And so he said, I don't want to talk about divorce. 253 00:12:57,877 --> 00:12:59,478 I want to talk about marriage. 254 00:12:59,478 --> 00:13:03,482 And so then they press him as they do, as we all do. 255 00:13:03,482 --> 00:13:05,785 Verse seven, they said to him, when? 256 00:13:05,785 --> 00:13:09,822 Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and send her away? 257 00:13:09,855 --> 00:13:10,623 He said to them, 258 00:13:10,623 --> 00:13:14,593 because of your hardness of heart, Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. 259 00:13:14,593 --> 00:13:16,028 But from the beginning it was not. 260 00:13:16,028 --> 00:13:17,096 So I say to you, 261 00:13:17,096 --> 00:13:18,330 whoever divorces his wife, 262 00:13:18,330 --> 00:13:21,467 except for sexual immorality and marriage and other commits adultery. 263 00:13:21,467 --> 00:13:24,537 And so they said, listen, if it's supposed to be forever. 264 00:13:24,570 --> 00:13:29,475 Why did Moses command, you know, men to divorce their wives? 265 00:13:30,376 --> 00:13:31,744 Jesus was like, well, you're wrong. 266 00:13:31,744 --> 00:13:33,512 Moses never commanded it. 267 00:13:33,512 --> 00:13:37,783 Moses gave allowance for it, but it was never the command in Scripture. 268 00:13:37,917 --> 00:13:40,920 Divorce is never the command of Scripture, ever. 269 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:43,055 There's an allowance for it. 270 00:13:43,055 --> 00:13:46,425 And see, Jesus is going to get to the issue behind the question, 271 00:13:46,826 --> 00:13:50,095 because the question is ultimately not about the issue is ultimately 272 00:13:50,095 --> 00:13:53,098 not about divorce and marriage he is going to get to. 273 00:13:53,098 --> 00:13:57,102 But what they're referring to is what's listed for us 274 00:13:57,102 --> 00:14:00,840 in the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 24. 275 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,343 It's one of the only places in Scripture that gives the instructions 276 00:14:04,343 --> 00:14:08,714 if a divorce is to happen, and Moses and Deuteronomy 24 tells the people, 277 00:14:08,714 --> 00:14:12,918 when a man takes a wife and marries her, if, then she finds 278 00:14:12,918 --> 00:14:17,890 no favor in his eyes because he has found some indecency in her, 279 00:14:17,890 --> 00:14:21,660 and he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand. 280 00:14:21,660 --> 00:14:25,231 And since her out of his house and she departs out of his house, 281 00:14:25,231 --> 00:14:25,831 and then he goes on 282 00:14:25,831 --> 00:14:28,234 with this long explanation of what her life is then like and what 283 00:14:28,234 --> 00:14:29,902 other people's life are like around her. 284 00:14:29,902 --> 00:14:33,772 And so this is what they're talking about, Moses said. 285 00:14:33,772 --> 00:14:36,876 If a man finds some indecency in his wife, 286 00:14:37,109 --> 00:14:40,613 then the allowance then would be for divorce. 287 00:14:40,613 --> 00:14:44,416 And so so this this is what they misinterpret. 288 00:14:44,416 --> 00:14:46,151 And they say he commanded us to divorce her 289 00:14:46,151 --> 00:14:48,821 if she's rotten and she says, no, not at all. 290 00:14:48,821 --> 00:14:50,256 He never commanded that. 291 00:14:50,256 --> 00:14:51,390 He may have allowed it. 292 00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:54,627 So listen, from the beginning he says, it was not so. 293 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,663 God designed a marriage to be a lifelong commitment 294 00:14:57,663 --> 00:15:00,099 and the covenant commitment with each other. 295 00:15:00,099 --> 00:15:03,469 The thing at issue here is that 296 00:15:03,469 --> 00:15:06,639 divorce is a divine concession 297 00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:11,143 due to man's sinfulness and weakness. 298 00:15:11,543 --> 00:15:13,612 It's never a command of God. 299 00:15:13,612 --> 00:15:15,014 Do you understand? 300 00:15:15,014 --> 00:15:18,951 It's a divine concession, not a command. 301 00:15:20,419 --> 00:15:23,422 The thing at issue is the indecency. 302 00:15:23,956 --> 00:15:27,026 If one finds their spouse to be indecent. 303 00:15:27,226 --> 00:15:30,462 Now here's where the North and the South come into play. 304 00:15:30,462 --> 00:15:33,332 These two schools of thought, Shammai and Hillel. 305 00:15:33,332 --> 00:15:35,501 Indecency in hell's mind. 306 00:15:35,501 --> 00:15:37,670 The one down south, the Liberal one. 307 00:15:37,670 --> 00:15:40,673 Indecency for him would be this. 308 00:15:41,273 --> 00:15:42,508 Guys, you're married. 309 00:15:42,508 --> 00:15:47,313 You come home after a hard day of work and your wife puts some burn to your dinner. 310 00:15:47,346 --> 00:15:48,681 That is indecent of her. 311 00:15:48,681 --> 00:15:51,650 How dare she divorce her? 312 00:15:53,352 --> 00:15:56,055 Hillel would say that 313 00:15:56,055 --> 00:16:01,093 if your wife speaks disparagingly about your parents, she's indecent. 314 00:16:01,093 --> 00:16:04,096 Divorce her. 315 00:16:05,998 --> 00:16:07,599 How many of you would still be married? 316 00:16:09,068 --> 00:16:09,835 Hillel would 317 00:16:09,835 --> 00:16:14,907 say that if your wife is so indecent that she would raise her voice 318 00:16:14,907 --> 00:16:17,977 through your neighbors, hear her, divorce her. 319 00:16:20,145 --> 00:16:23,148 Hillel would say that 320 00:16:23,682 --> 00:16:25,985 it is your religious duty 321 00:16:25,985 --> 00:16:28,787 to divorce a bad woman, 322 00:16:28,787 --> 00:16:32,157 so it actually makes you more righteous if you get rid of her. 323 00:16:33,492 --> 00:16:36,228 Well, my dad was a sergeant in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, 324 00:16:36,228 --> 00:16:39,531 and he came home from Vietnam and he had this jacket that I just loved. 325 00:16:39,531 --> 00:16:42,201 It was all kind of dragon and Vietnamese. 326 00:16:42,201 --> 00:16:43,669 And on the back it said, 327 00:16:43,669 --> 00:16:47,373 when I die, I know I'm going to heaven because I spent my time in hell. 328 00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:52,411 That's exactly what School of Hillel said about bad women, 329 00:16:53,145 --> 00:16:55,014 that when I die, I know I'm going to heaven 330 00:16:55,014 --> 00:16:58,017 because I've already done my time in hell with a bad woman. 331 00:16:58,317 --> 00:17:03,322 That's later another Rabbi, Akiva, would come in the school of Hillel and say 332 00:17:03,322 --> 00:17:08,894 this, that it is indecent for a woman to be less attractive than her neighbor. 333 00:17:08,894 --> 00:17:12,031 So if a man finds a woman more attractive than the one he married, 334 00:17:12,064 --> 00:17:13,999 he should divorce her and go get the more attractive one 335 00:17:13,999 --> 00:17:16,068 because it's indecent for her to be less attractive. 336 00:17:17,136 --> 00:17:19,338 Now, listen, they had a very high view of marriage. 337 00:17:19,338 --> 00:17:22,341 Everybody had be, but they had a very low view of women. 338 00:17:22,775 --> 00:17:24,043 Do you understand? 339 00:17:24,043 --> 00:17:27,579 That's this school of thought now in the in the North, 340 00:17:27,613 --> 00:17:30,616 the School of Shammai said, no, no, no, there's only one reason. 341 00:17:30,682 --> 00:17:36,455 Deuteronomy 24 if a man finds this sexual indecency in her 342 00:17:36,555 --> 00:17:40,459 and she has transgressed the marriage covenant sexually, 343 00:17:40,459 --> 00:17:42,494 that's the only reason for divorce. 344 00:17:42,494 --> 00:17:47,833 And so that's what's that's, that's the the schools that are in play here. 345 00:17:47,866 --> 00:17:54,106 Now listen, Jesus size in this case more with the like. 346 00:17:54,106 --> 00:17:57,676 No, no, there's one reason you don't go to divorce a woman for any reason at all. 347 00:17:57,676 --> 00:17:58,410 That's ridiculous. 348 00:17:58,410 --> 00:18:02,581 There's one reason given by Moses, general 24, in decency. 349 00:18:02,581 --> 00:18:05,851 But Jesus uses the word Pawnee, 350 00:18:06,385 --> 00:18:11,990 which means any type of sexual expression outside of the marriage. 351 00:18:11,990 --> 00:18:17,596 Not just not just the intimate act, but any type of sexual 352 00:18:18,730 --> 00:18:20,532 expression outside the marriage. 353 00:18:20,532 --> 00:18:22,301 It's a very broad term. 354 00:18:22,301 --> 00:18:26,472 So though Jesus sides with the more conservative 355 00:18:26,472 --> 00:18:29,942 interpretation, it's still a very, very wide application. 356 00:18:29,942 --> 00:18:32,945 Honestly. 357 00:18:33,479 --> 00:18:37,416 But Jesus, he says, listen, the issue that you're asking 358 00:18:37,716 --> 00:18:40,719 the issue is really not about marriage and divorce. 359 00:18:40,819 --> 00:18:43,522 There's a deeper one, and he's going to address it in just a minute. 360 00:18:43,522 --> 00:18:47,693 But because it's in the context of of of marriage and divorce, 361 00:18:47,693 --> 00:18:51,997 I have to deal with that issue here because I know if I don't, 362 00:18:52,030 --> 00:18:53,999 if I just get to what the real heart of the issue 363 00:18:53,999 --> 00:18:56,468 is, you're all going to walk out saying he never dealt with it. 364 00:18:56,468 --> 00:18:59,471 And so let me deal with the issue of divorce. 365 00:19:01,673 --> 00:19:05,744 There is no doubt that marriage is under attack. 366 00:19:05,744 --> 00:19:10,282 It always has been in every culture, there's no doubt. 367 00:19:10,282 --> 00:19:13,652 And we're seeing a great change 368 00:19:13,652 --> 00:19:17,856 in our nation's attitude towards marriage and practice of it. 369 00:19:17,856 --> 00:19:21,026 So much so that the Gen Z generation now, 370 00:19:21,026 --> 00:19:25,531 which would be the early 20s, early 30s, that generation, 371 00:19:26,798 --> 00:19:29,801 they are marriages and marriages. 372 00:19:30,102 --> 00:19:33,105 They're marrying much later in life. 373 00:19:33,105 --> 00:19:35,641 The average age now for the Gen Z 374 00:19:35,641 --> 00:19:39,311 marriage is in the late 20s, early 30s. 375 00:19:39,678 --> 00:19:43,081 That's that's when the that's the average. 376 00:19:43,081 --> 00:19:46,952 So if you're in your later 20s, early 30s, you're not married yet. 377 00:19:46,952 --> 00:19:48,120 You're not the anomaly. 378 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:50,455 That's that's your generation. 379 00:19:50,455 --> 00:19:53,358 They just don't marry early at all. 380 00:19:53,358 --> 00:19:56,662 And there are fewer marriages 381 00:19:56,662 --> 00:19:59,665 and later marriages than any generation before. 382 00:19:59,798 --> 00:20:05,103 And so the actually the divorce rate in the in this new this Gen Z generation 383 00:20:05,103 --> 00:20:10,375 is much lower than any generation well than the previous 2 or 3 for sure. 384 00:20:10,542 --> 00:20:13,478 But the reason is because they're married so late in 385 00:20:13,478 --> 00:20:15,347 life, are not getting married at all. 386 00:20:15,347 --> 00:20:17,783 So numerically, it just seems like there's 387 00:20:18,750 --> 00:20:19,918 less divorce. 388 00:20:19,918 --> 00:20:22,054 It's interesting though, 389 00:20:22,054 --> 00:20:25,157 the Gen Z generation is the first generation in our country 390 00:20:25,157 --> 00:20:26,858 that we, since we've been tracking generations, 391 00:20:26,858 --> 00:20:30,362 that is actually growing up worse off than their parents. 392 00:20:31,463 --> 00:20:34,700 Every generation before millennials, 393 00:20:34,700 --> 00:20:38,370 Gen X, boomers, pioneers, all that stuff. 394 00:20:38,470 --> 00:20:42,374 All those generations always grew up with the understanding and expectation 395 00:20:42,374 --> 00:20:45,110 and reality that their life was going to be better than their parents. 396 00:20:45,110 --> 00:20:48,113 This was the first generation that they realized it's not, 397 00:20:48,947 --> 00:20:52,651 and it's the first generation that we, since we be tracking this, 398 00:20:52,718 --> 00:20:55,721 where there are more men who want to be married than women, 399 00:20:56,555 --> 00:20:59,625 and this Gen Z generation of women are looking 400 00:20:59,625 --> 00:21:03,795 at the state of marriage and thinking, why do I want to invite that into my life? 401 00:21:03,795 --> 00:21:06,898 And they're looking at young men their age who are addicted 402 00:21:06,898 --> 00:21:10,669 to porn in video games and like, why do I want to invite that? 403 00:21:10,702 --> 00:21:14,539 Why do I want to invite into my life this issue that 404 00:21:14,539 --> 00:21:16,908 this boy has been addicted to? 405 00:21:16,908 --> 00:21:17,576 Point of video games. 406 00:21:17,576 --> 00:21:19,011 I don't need that hassle. 407 00:21:19,011 --> 00:21:22,114 And so there's like there's none. I'm not. 408 00:21:22,614 --> 00:21:24,283 And so we're seeing 409 00:21:24,283 --> 00:21:28,253 this this quantum shift in our country as far as marriage is concerned. 410 00:21:28,253 --> 00:21:29,554 And the other thing we're seeing 411 00:21:29,554 --> 00:21:33,425 as far as marriage is concerned is the dramatic increase of grade divorce. 412 00:21:34,059 --> 00:21:36,962 It's on a dramatic rise where older 413 00:21:37,896 --> 00:21:40,799 adults represent the 414 00:21:40,799 --> 00:21:43,502 much larger share of divorces 415 00:21:43,502 --> 00:21:46,338 because they grew up in the older people. 416 00:21:46,338 --> 00:21:50,142 The 50s and 60 year olds grew up in the they were children 417 00:21:50,142 --> 00:21:52,377 and the baby boom generation and the baby boom generation 418 00:21:52,377 --> 00:21:54,713 at the highest level, divorce of any generation. 419 00:21:54,713 --> 00:21:56,348 So they grow up in that culture. 420 00:21:56,348 --> 00:21:59,751 And now as older adults, they're starting to live that out. 421 00:21:59,985 --> 00:22:02,954 In 1990, there were only 8% 422 00:22:02,954 --> 00:22:06,291 of all divorces were aged 50 and older. 423 00:22:06,792 --> 00:22:10,796 And today that's nearly 40% of all divorces 424 00:22:10,796 --> 00:22:14,433 are of people 50 years and older, 40% 425 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:18,770 of full, 10% of all divorces are of married 426 00:22:18,770 --> 00:22:21,773 people who are 65 and older. 427 00:22:25,911 --> 00:22:28,480 And of those who are 50 and older who are divorcing. 428 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:30,315 It's doubled more than doubled 429 00:22:30,315 --> 00:22:33,552 in the last couple of decades, like it's just grown exponentially. 430 00:22:34,786 --> 00:22:37,322 The other issue that's really attacking marriage is the issue 431 00:22:37,322 --> 00:22:39,224 with the younger generation, because they're not getting married, 432 00:22:39,224 --> 00:22:41,059 they're just cohabitating. 433 00:22:41,059 --> 00:22:45,664 And the couples just statistically who cohabitate before marriage, 434 00:22:45,664 --> 00:22:50,535 that cohabitation is associated with a much larger increase in instability 435 00:22:50,535 --> 00:22:53,538 that leads to divorce by nearly 40% increase. 436 00:22:55,140 --> 00:22:57,275 You want to you want to hedge your bet 437 00:22:57,275 --> 00:22:59,378 that you'll get divorced, cohabitate before you're married. 438 00:22:59,378 --> 00:23:01,980 Your chances go up 40%. 439 00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:04,983 And so this whole marriage and divorce thing is, 440 00:23:04,983 --> 00:23:08,954 it's though the numbers seem like they're better now, it's they're really better 441 00:23:08,954 --> 00:23:11,957 because people are living together and just not getting married. 442 00:23:12,858 --> 00:23:13,625 Marriage. 443 00:23:13,625 --> 00:23:14,693 From the beginning, 444 00:23:14,693 --> 00:23:18,597 God set the standard in the design that it would be all life with no divorce. 445 00:23:18,597 --> 00:23:21,800 So I tell young people before, you know, as you're dating, you're looking for 446 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:26,104 someone to marry, look for three things physical, fun and faith. 447 00:23:26,471 --> 00:23:28,039 There's got to be the physical attraction. 448 00:23:28,039 --> 00:23:30,242 There's got to be that factor. 449 00:23:30,242 --> 00:23:32,144 You got to have fun with each other. 450 00:23:32,144 --> 00:23:35,380 If you're not attracted physically and there's no fun, there's no marriage. 451 00:23:35,580 --> 00:23:37,382 But there's got to be the faith factor. 452 00:23:37,382 --> 00:23:40,185 And most people get married because they check the first two boxes. 453 00:23:40,185 --> 00:23:41,219 Never think about the third. 454 00:23:41,219 --> 00:23:44,322 The problem with the first two boxes, they're going to die off pretty soon. 455 00:23:45,290 --> 00:23:48,293 Marriage isn't always fun, right? 456 00:23:50,896 --> 00:23:52,330 You might start this whole thing over. 457 00:23:52,330 --> 00:23:54,332 So respond to me like married. 458 00:23:54,332 --> 00:23:55,033 Don't be afraid. 459 00:23:55,033 --> 00:23:57,903 Your spouse knows you're no fun. 460 00:23:57,903 --> 00:23:59,938 Marriage isn't always fun, right? 461 00:23:59,938 --> 00:24:00,739 Right, right. 462 00:24:00,739 --> 00:24:03,742 And the physical stuff fades, right? 463 00:24:03,775 --> 00:24:06,611 Don't worry. You faded. 464 00:24:06,611 --> 00:24:07,579 And so. 465 00:24:07,579 --> 00:24:10,682 So if those two go away, what are you left with? 466 00:24:10,682 --> 00:24:13,652 If the faith thing isn't there, that's the only thing that lasts. 467 00:24:14,419 --> 00:24:16,721 And because so many people get married, because the first two, 468 00:24:16,721 --> 00:24:19,791 pretty soon they find out those are gone, they got nothing left. 469 00:24:19,958 --> 00:24:22,994 And so this is why Jesus is saying, look, listen, 470 00:24:22,994 --> 00:24:27,265 I want you to understand the intent and let's be wise going into this. 471 00:24:27,532 --> 00:24:30,535 Don't rush into this. 472 00:24:32,304 --> 00:24:36,308 The exception given here is adultery. 473 00:24:36,975 --> 00:24:39,978 And I would add to that first Corinthians 474 00:24:39,978 --> 00:24:42,981 715 abandonment. 475 00:24:43,081 --> 00:24:47,252 When a spouse abandons their marriage and abandons their vows, 476 00:24:47,652 --> 00:24:50,989 that's an allowance that seems that Paul gave. 477 00:24:51,456 --> 00:24:52,390 Now, it's interesting 478 00:24:52,390 --> 00:24:55,393 that Paul would give that, because Paul lived down in the South 479 00:24:55,494 --> 00:24:59,798 under the more gracious application of the Word of God. 480 00:25:00,532 --> 00:25:03,034 Peter lived up north, which was very strict. 481 00:25:03,034 --> 00:25:04,803 And when you look at how they both presented 482 00:25:04,803 --> 00:25:08,740 discipleship, one was very strict and one was very gracious. 483 00:25:08,740 --> 00:25:12,811 And so even within God's kingdom and disciples, there was this how do we 484 00:25:12,944 --> 00:25:14,412 how do we move this together? 485 00:25:14,412 --> 00:25:18,783 And so Paul would add this one instance of abandonment. 486 00:25:19,217 --> 00:25:21,920 And it seems as God determined his word. 487 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,556 He didn't say, no, Paul, you're wrong. 488 00:25:24,556 --> 00:25:27,559 And so, so adultery, 489 00:25:27,692 --> 00:25:30,896 which is a very broad term, any sexual expression 490 00:25:30,962 --> 00:25:34,833 outside of marriage and abandonment, there would be the allowance, 491 00:25:34,866 --> 00:25:35,500 not the command. 492 00:25:35,500 --> 00:25:36,101 You don't have to 493 00:25:36,101 --> 00:25:40,105 just because someone does that, but the allowance if you chose to. 494 00:25:40,138 --> 00:25:44,943 Now abandonment again, this is all that's going into this simple question. 495 00:25:45,143 --> 00:25:47,078 Abandonment is certainly leaving. 496 00:25:47,078 --> 00:25:50,582 But abandonment also is when one spouse 497 00:25:50,582 --> 00:25:54,753 continually sins against with chronic and repentance, 498 00:25:55,253 --> 00:25:58,757 they've abandoned the promise of that covenant. 499 00:25:59,190 --> 00:26:03,461 And some rabbis would say that's a legitimate biblical reason 500 00:26:03,461 --> 00:26:07,265 for divorce, because they've abandoned the covenant, 501 00:26:07,899 --> 00:26:12,103 perpetual sin against with perpetual and repentance. 502 00:26:14,940 --> 00:26:16,541 Abandonment. 503 00:26:16,541 --> 00:26:19,778 There could be sexual abandonment outside the marriage and sexual 504 00:26:19,778 --> 00:26:23,348 abandonment inside the marriage, where it's just non-existent 505 00:26:25,317 --> 00:26:27,452 abandonment. 506 00:26:27,452 --> 00:26:29,521 These are all the things that are in play here. 507 00:26:29,521 --> 00:26:31,790 Certainly physical abuse would be abandonment. 508 00:26:31,790 --> 00:26:35,627 The have abandoned the protection of the marriage covenant. 509 00:26:36,261 --> 00:26:40,599 And so so the question is marriage and divorce. 510 00:26:41,266 --> 00:26:43,001 Jesus is going to get to something deeper. 511 00:26:43,001 --> 00:26:48,940 But I want to explore to you the context of biblical divorce. 512 00:26:51,676 --> 00:26:56,114 If a couple runs into problems and chooses to separate, 513 00:26:56,114 --> 00:26:59,784 the biblical expectation is because if it's not a biblical divorce, 514 00:26:59,784 --> 00:27:03,221 even though they're separate, they live as if they are married to each other 515 00:27:03,221 --> 00:27:06,591 and are still pure and chaste with other people. 516 00:27:07,158 --> 00:27:10,462 They choose to live as a single purely. 517 00:27:11,596 --> 00:27:15,033 Now here's how convoluted it gets if they're separated, 518 00:27:15,033 --> 00:27:20,505 and the one who initially wasn't in error takes up intimately with someone else. 519 00:27:20,672 --> 00:27:23,341 Now, technically they've committed adultery 520 00:27:23,341 --> 00:27:26,678 because in God's eyes, that couple, though they're separate, are still married. 521 00:27:26,711 --> 00:27:30,815 So now this one has no problem remarrying. 522 00:27:31,282 --> 00:27:33,785 Do you see how convoluted it gets? 523 00:27:33,785 --> 00:27:36,187 Do you see how confused you're like, okay, wait wait wait wait 524 00:27:36,187 --> 00:27:39,157 wait, why all of these different scenarios? 525 00:27:39,157 --> 00:27:42,060 The reason is because we look for loopholes 526 00:27:43,261 --> 00:27:46,264 when God has said, this is my standard. 527 00:27:46,498 --> 00:27:48,733 And so the issue 528 00:27:48,733 --> 00:27:51,736 marriage and divorce was not the issue. 529 00:27:52,504 --> 00:27:54,973 The issue was hardness of heart. 530 00:27:54,973 --> 00:27:56,975 And Jesus says is because you're hardness of heart. 531 00:27:56,975 --> 00:27:59,144 It's not because of indiscretion, 532 00:27:59,144 --> 00:28:01,913 because that hardness of heart applies in both ways. 533 00:28:01,913 --> 00:28:05,583 It could be that the hardness of heart is in the offending person, 534 00:28:05,583 --> 00:28:09,921 who chronically offends and is completely unrepentant, perpetually unrepentant. 535 00:28:09,921 --> 00:28:10,855 That's just a hard heart. 536 00:28:10,855 --> 00:28:14,392 Or in the one who is offended against that. 537 00:28:14,392 --> 00:28:16,261 My heart is so hard I refuse to forgive. 538 00:28:16,261 --> 00:28:19,397 In light of Matthew 18, how many times I have to keep forgiven you? 539 00:28:19,831 --> 00:28:22,834 Well, what Matthew 18 say, 540 00:28:23,001 --> 00:28:25,970 as long as you're repentant iki forgiving. 541 00:28:26,371 --> 00:28:30,275 And so Jesus says, listen, I know you wanted to talk about marriage and divorce. 542 00:28:30,275 --> 00:28:32,143 I want to talk about God's design. 543 00:28:32,143 --> 00:28:36,881 And the issue of getting out of that covenant is because 544 00:28:37,882 --> 00:28:40,852 hearts are hard. 545 00:28:41,519 --> 00:28:44,522 It's just because hearts are hard. 546 00:28:44,622 --> 00:28:46,224 It just gets so convoluted. 547 00:28:46,224 --> 00:28:47,425 And here's here's why. 548 00:28:47,425 --> 00:28:50,495 Because the human heart wants the benefits of God's kingdom 549 00:28:50,495 --> 00:28:53,498 without fully submitting to the authority of the King. 550 00:28:54,799 --> 00:28:56,668 If the question were really about marriage, 551 00:28:56,668 --> 00:28:59,637 the question would have been this how do I honor marriage 552 00:28:59,637 --> 00:29:01,873 when it gets difficult? The question, what about marriage? 553 00:29:01,873 --> 00:29:04,375 It would have been, how do I keep my commitment? 554 00:29:04,375 --> 00:29:05,710 The question we're really about marriage. 555 00:29:05,710 --> 00:29:06,611 The question would have been, 556 00:29:06,611 --> 00:29:09,881 how do I restore that relationship that's been broken? 557 00:29:09,881 --> 00:29:11,382 If the question were really about marriage, 558 00:29:11,382 --> 00:29:14,385 it would have been a different question. 559 00:29:15,954 --> 00:29:18,389 So they were looking for loopholes. 560 00:29:18,389 --> 00:29:20,992 And then what you and I do, 561 00:29:20,992 --> 00:29:23,228 we look for loopholes, 562 00:29:23,228 --> 00:29:26,231 not just in marriage, but like in every in everything with the Bible 563 00:29:26,231 --> 00:29:28,066 gives us instruction. We look for loopholes. 564 00:29:28,066 --> 00:29:29,467 Why is it different for me? 565 00:29:31,469 --> 00:29:33,037 Jesus identifies the problem. 566 00:29:33,037 --> 00:29:35,373 The problem is a hard heart. 567 00:29:35,373 --> 00:29:37,709 And so Jesus shifts the focus from 568 00:29:37,709 --> 00:29:40,712 what's permitted to what's intended. 569 00:29:41,279 --> 00:29:43,615 He said it might be permitted, but that's not the intent. 570 00:29:43,615 --> 00:29:46,217 Let's get back to the intent 571 00:29:46,217 --> 00:29:49,354 and listen, my dear friends, and some of the toughest. 572 00:29:49,387 --> 00:29:52,991 This was one of the toughest areas of life to navigate, and certainly 573 00:29:52,991 --> 00:29:55,994 for the church to to have an understanding of teaching 574 00:29:56,094 --> 00:29:57,695 and some of the toughest areas of life. 575 00:29:57,695 --> 00:30:00,732 It calls for great, great, great, 576 00:30:00,732 --> 00:30:03,735 measured biblical wisdom. 577 00:30:06,538 --> 00:30:09,474 And the guiding principle is this that legal permission 578 00:30:09,474 --> 00:30:12,477 is not always, always the same as spiritual maturity. 579 00:30:17,081 --> 00:30:19,417 The general point is this please hear me on the 580 00:30:19,417 --> 00:30:23,221 some of this hits hits you right in the face. 581 00:30:23,321 --> 00:30:26,291 You've lived this. You are living this. 582 00:30:26,558 --> 00:30:29,694 Here's the here's the overall principle to this. 583 00:30:30,762 --> 00:30:33,731 If there's been divorce in the past. 584 00:30:36,034 --> 00:30:39,037 And there's remarriage now, 585 00:30:39,137 --> 00:30:41,639 live by the biblical principle 586 00:30:41,639 --> 00:30:44,642 of stay faithful in the place you are. 587 00:30:45,043 --> 00:30:48,012 Stay faithful in the place you are. 588 00:30:48,079 --> 00:30:51,082 If there's been this in the past 589 00:30:52,517 --> 00:30:57,622 and there's stay faithful where you are now, don't go back 590 00:30:57,622 --> 00:31:02,160 and try to recreate something and try to, you know, get back like it's done. 591 00:31:02,961 --> 00:31:05,930 It's not going to be repaired 592 00:31:06,397 --> 00:31:09,267 when there's repentance, because divorce is always the result of 593 00:31:09,267 --> 00:31:13,671 sin, always at some levels result of sin because it was never God's intent. 594 00:31:13,905 --> 00:31:17,141 If there's repentance and remarriage, 595 00:31:17,308 --> 00:31:20,411 live in faithfulness to that covenant. 596 00:31:20,478 --> 00:31:23,381 Now, do you understand that 597 00:31:23,381 --> 00:31:26,384 experience, the grace of God 598 00:31:26,384 --> 00:31:27,819 in repentance? 599 00:31:27,819 --> 00:31:29,988 There's now therefore no condemnation. 600 00:31:29,988 --> 00:31:33,625 Though it was wrong, it's been repented of 601 00:31:33,658 --> 00:31:36,895 that condemnations is leveled upon Christ on the cross. 602 00:31:36,895 --> 00:31:41,299 That's how great is his mercy and compassion than in your current marriage. 603 00:31:41,332 --> 00:31:42,867 Be faithful 604 00:31:44,702 --> 00:31:47,572 and experience his grace over that. 605 00:31:47,572 --> 00:31:49,540 Don't make the mistake of extremes. 606 00:31:49,540 --> 00:31:51,643 There's two extremes the church can make in this. 607 00:31:51,643 --> 00:31:53,478 We got to be very careful about both of them. 608 00:31:53,478 --> 00:31:56,814 One of them is being too lax regarding marriage and divorce, like Hillel. 609 00:31:58,850 --> 00:32:00,151 You know, it just didn't work out. 610 00:32:00,151 --> 00:32:02,954 I'm just not happy. Listen, marriage isn't about our self-gratification. 611 00:32:02,954 --> 00:32:05,990 It's about God's glorification primarily. 612 00:32:06,591 --> 00:32:09,027 The other extreme is to think 613 00:32:09,027 --> 00:32:12,030 divorce is the unpardonable sin because it's not. 614 00:32:12,096 --> 00:32:14,632 It's not. 615 00:32:14,632 --> 00:32:17,802 So when there is that unfortunate 616 00:32:18,269 --> 00:32:21,639 reality, confess, repent, 617 00:32:21,639 --> 00:32:24,642 and then live in the grace that God has now. 618 00:32:25,109 --> 00:32:28,413 And if there's biblical remarriage, be faithful. Now 619 00:32:30,081 --> 00:32:33,051 do you understand? 620 00:32:35,553 --> 00:32:39,090 The great example of the great encouragement for all of us is King David 621 00:32:39,691 --> 00:32:42,694 sin greatly, and was chastised 622 00:32:42,794 --> 00:32:45,697 painfully by God and repented. 623 00:32:45,697 --> 00:32:50,468 And from that repentance on was faithful to his now wife. 624 00:32:50,802 --> 00:32:54,372 And out of that union came Solomon. 625 00:32:54,772 --> 00:32:57,542 Incredible favor and blessing. 626 00:32:57,542 --> 00:32:59,944 That's the mercy and grace of God. 627 00:32:59,944 --> 00:33:01,379 So live in that. 628 00:33:03,614 --> 00:33:05,216 The logical question 629 00:33:05,216 --> 00:33:08,953 in verse ten is the disciples asked him 630 00:33:08,953 --> 00:33:12,056 if such is the case of a man with his wife, it's better not to marry. 631 00:33:12,123 --> 00:33:14,359 I mean, like Peter is like, look, here's the deal, man. 632 00:33:14,359 --> 00:33:15,793 There's no way we can't. 633 00:33:15,793 --> 00:33:18,229 This is too hard if that's the intent. 634 00:33:18,229 --> 00:33:20,832 That's the purpose of marriage. And that's the only way. 635 00:33:20,832 --> 00:33:22,066 That's that's too much. 636 00:33:22,066 --> 00:33:25,036 And just like, yeah, you're right, it is a lot. 637 00:33:25,036 --> 00:33:27,572 And he said, listen, here's the deal. 638 00:33:27,572 --> 00:33:29,774 If you can, if you can receive this, receive it. 639 00:33:29,774 --> 00:33:30,942 It's a tough teaching. 640 00:33:30,942 --> 00:33:34,479 Not everyone can receive this same, but only those to whom it's given. 641 00:33:34,479 --> 00:33:35,179 And then he says, 642 00:33:35,179 --> 00:33:37,148 look, there's three reasons why you wouldn't get married 643 00:33:37,148 --> 00:33:38,916 when he talks in terms of Unix. 644 00:33:38,916 --> 00:33:40,852 I don't want to go into this whole thing, but 645 00:33:42,320 --> 00:33:44,856 some people just can't 646 00:33:44,856 --> 00:33:48,059 do the marriage thing and they can't consummate and they've 647 00:33:48,059 --> 00:33:50,895 they've either born that way or they're made that way 648 00:33:50,895 --> 00:33:54,832 because of kings and harems and all this stuff and or this third case, 649 00:33:55,133 --> 00:33:57,835 like they have been given the gift of celibacy. 650 00:33:57,835 --> 00:33:59,937 That's basically what Jesus is saying. 651 00:33:59,937 --> 00:34:02,840 Some have been given this gift of being single. 652 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:04,175 And instead of worrying about, please 653 00:34:04,175 --> 00:34:05,777 in your spouse, you're worried about pleasing God. 654 00:34:05,777 --> 00:34:08,079 And it's a gift. 655 00:34:08,079 --> 00:34:11,082 And he says, if you can receive that gift, receive it. 656 00:34:11,215 --> 00:34:12,850 But it's tough. 657 00:34:12,850 --> 00:34:14,952 So here's the thing. You young ones aren't married. 658 00:34:14,952 --> 00:34:16,454 Anybody who's not married. 659 00:34:16,454 --> 00:34:18,523 If you're sitting here thinking the gift of celebration, 660 00:34:18,523 --> 00:34:22,393 that thing that's sounds horrible, like that's the gift you never use. 661 00:34:22,393 --> 00:34:24,062 I would hate that. You know, 662 00:34:25,029 --> 00:34:25,997 like, if that's your 663 00:34:25,997 --> 00:34:29,000 feeling about being celibate, you probably haven't been given the gift. 664 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:29,834 So don't worry about it. 665 00:34:29,834 --> 00:34:31,903 So go find someone. Miriam. Right. 666 00:34:31,903 --> 00:34:32,503 Have a good time. 667 00:34:32,503 --> 00:34:35,139 But understand it's for all the rest of your life. 668 00:34:35,139 --> 00:34:36,507 So that's the whole point. 669 00:34:36,507 --> 00:34:39,911 I love the fact that right after this, Jesus deals with children. 670 00:34:40,511 --> 00:34:43,815 Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. 671 00:34:43,815 --> 00:34:44,882 And the disciples rebuked him. 672 00:34:44,882 --> 00:34:46,184 But you said, let the little children come to me, 673 00:34:46,184 --> 00:34:48,319 and don't hinder, for such belongs to the kingdom of heaven. 674 00:34:48,319 --> 00:34:50,121 He laid his hands on them, and they went away. 675 00:34:50,121 --> 00:34:51,389 I love the fact that 676 00:34:51,389 --> 00:34:54,392 right after marriage and divorce, children are dealt with. Why? 677 00:34:54,425 --> 00:34:57,462 Because more often than not, in divorce, children 678 00:34:57,462 --> 00:35:00,998 are forgotten about and they're the ones who suffer most. 679 00:35:01,299 --> 00:35:02,700 We forget about that. 680 00:35:02,700 --> 00:35:05,703 And so Jesus says, let me highlight kids. 681 00:35:05,970 --> 00:35:09,107 Here's kids are either going to be seen as an interruption or an opportunity. 682 00:35:09,373 --> 00:35:12,376 They better be seen as an opportunity in this church. 683 00:35:12,376 --> 00:35:14,078 Do you understand that? 684 00:35:14,078 --> 00:35:15,746 And he puts his hands on any blessings. 685 00:35:15,746 --> 00:35:18,749 I mean, he probably blessed him with a three fold blessing on number six. 686 00:35:18,783 --> 00:35:20,051 The Lord bless you and keep you. 687 00:35:20,051 --> 00:35:22,186 The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 688 00:35:22,186 --> 00:35:24,522 And the Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace. 689 00:35:24,522 --> 00:35:25,656 Here's what he's saying 690 00:35:25,656 --> 00:35:28,626 for God to lift up his countenance, the person has to be above it, 691 00:35:28,626 --> 00:35:30,695 because lift him up your countenance lift you up your head. 692 00:35:30,695 --> 00:35:33,664 And so think about it in terms of a daddy with the little kid. 693 00:35:33,664 --> 00:35:34,999 In any dads have a little child 694 00:35:34,999 --> 00:35:37,435 and you throw them up in the air and what do you do? 695 00:35:37,435 --> 00:35:40,872 Your countenance is lifted up towards them, your eyes are on them, 696 00:35:40,872 --> 00:35:45,443 and you make sure that they are caught so they will learn that they can trust you. 697 00:35:45,476 --> 00:35:46,577 That's what he's saying here. 698 00:35:46,577 --> 00:35:50,281 May the Lord lift up his count and say, yeah, I love you. 699 00:35:50,982 --> 00:35:53,151 That's the blessing. 700 00:35:53,151 --> 00:35:56,154 And he follows up with children right after divorce. 701 00:35:56,154 --> 00:35:56,921 Because 702 00:35:58,456 --> 00:35:59,557 because oftentimes kids are 703 00:35:59,557 --> 00:36:02,560 forgotten about in this whole thing. 704 00:36:06,597 --> 00:36:06,731 Yeah. 705 00:36:06,731 --> 00:36:09,433 I find it interesting that Jesus never asked children to act like adults. 706 00:36:09,433 --> 00:36:12,436 You always ask adults to be childlike. 707 00:36:12,670 --> 00:36:15,940 And I love the fact that he says, let the little children come to me. 708 00:36:15,973 --> 00:36:17,975 Hear me on this, please. 709 00:36:17,975 --> 00:36:20,945 This ought to be great comfort 710 00:36:20,945 --> 00:36:24,315 for any of you who have lost a little one, 711 00:36:25,583 --> 00:36:28,586 because Jesus says, let them come to me, 712 00:36:29,453 --> 00:36:31,455 their mind. 713 00:36:31,455 --> 00:36:34,258 I'll receive them. 714 00:36:34,258 --> 00:36:37,261 Such comfort, such compassion. 715 00:36:37,895 --> 00:36:40,898 He's a good God. 716 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:43,467 I have one minute 717 00:36:43,467 --> 00:36:46,470 for the rest of this chapter. 718 00:36:47,138 --> 00:36:48,973 And behold, a man came up to him saying, teacher, 719 00:36:48,973 --> 00:36:51,375 what good deed must I do to have eternal life? 720 00:36:51,375 --> 00:36:53,010 And he said to him, why do you ask him what is good? 721 00:36:53,010 --> 00:36:54,879 There's only one who is good. 722 00:36:54,879 --> 00:36:57,615 And if you would enter life, keep the commandments, he said, in which ones? 723 00:36:57,615 --> 00:36:59,650 And Jesus said, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery. 724 00:36:59,650 --> 00:37:00,585 You shall not steal your shop. 725 00:37:00,585 --> 00:37:02,320 Air force witness honor your father and mother, 726 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:03,554 and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 727 00:37:03,554 --> 00:37:05,856 The young man said, all of these I kept what I still lack. 728 00:37:05,856 --> 00:37:08,793 Jesus said, if you would be perfect, go sell your possessions 729 00:37:08,793 --> 00:37:10,394 and give to the poor. 730 00:37:10,394 --> 00:37:13,064 Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me. 731 00:37:13,064 --> 00:37:14,332 When the young man heard this, 732 00:37:14,332 --> 00:37:17,034 you enter is sorrowful, for he had great possessions. 733 00:37:17,034 --> 00:37:19,704 The first question was, what about divorce in marriage? 734 00:37:19,704 --> 00:37:22,940 The second question is what about religion and being right? 735 00:37:23,841 --> 00:37:25,943 Jesus says it's not about divorce and remarriage, 736 00:37:25,943 --> 00:37:27,912 it's about the hardness of your heart and loopholes. 737 00:37:27,912 --> 00:37:30,181 And it's not about being religious and right. 738 00:37:30,181 --> 00:37:33,150 It's about the hardness of your heart and have an excuse 739 00:37:33,150 --> 00:37:36,153 to keep everything for yourself because you're selfish and materialistic. 740 00:37:36,554 --> 00:37:38,522 That's what he's saying. 741 00:37:38,522 --> 00:37:40,591 Jesus says, why do you say what's good? 742 00:37:40,591 --> 00:37:42,193 There's only one who's good is God. 743 00:37:42,193 --> 00:37:44,495 So you're coming to me asking me what's good. 744 00:37:44,495 --> 00:37:45,663 How do you be good? 745 00:37:45,663 --> 00:37:47,531 Because you know you don't have what's good. 746 00:37:47,531 --> 00:37:48,633 You know that I do. 747 00:37:48,633 --> 00:37:52,270 In essence, you're saying you're dealing with God right now when you talk to me. 748 00:37:52,303 --> 00:37:55,339 So I love the fact that this guy wants to talk about religion. 749 00:37:55,339 --> 00:37:58,342 And Jesus says, no, no, no, you deal with me. 750 00:37:58,342 --> 00:38:00,177 You deal with me. 751 00:38:00,177 --> 00:38:03,481 And if you want to be right with me, you want to boil it down to religion, 752 00:38:03,481 --> 00:38:06,417 obey the commands. And then he list commands. 753 00:38:06,417 --> 00:38:10,655 He goes back to the Ten Commandments, and the first five had to do 754 00:38:10,655 --> 00:38:12,990 with our relationship with people, but it leaves one of them out. 755 00:38:12,990 --> 00:38:14,292 What does he leave out? 756 00:38:14,292 --> 00:38:17,194 He leaves one of the commandments out and you catch it. 757 00:38:17,194 --> 00:38:19,497 What? Covetous. 758 00:38:19,497 --> 00:38:22,066 He didn't say don't covet. Why? Because the man was filthy rich. 759 00:38:22,066 --> 00:38:24,201 He bought everything he wanted. He didn't covet anything. 760 00:38:24,201 --> 00:38:25,970 And when he saw it, he bought it. 761 00:38:25,970 --> 00:38:28,873 But he adds, one of the commandment wasn't part of the Ten Commandments. 762 00:38:28,873 --> 00:38:29,774 What was it? 763 00:38:31,909 --> 00:38:33,511 Love your neighbor as yourself. 764 00:38:33,511 --> 00:38:36,514 And Jesus says, the way you're going to prove your love 765 00:38:36,547 --> 00:38:39,550 is if you give and are generous. 766 00:38:39,784 --> 00:38:41,185 Because he knew the issue 767 00:38:41,185 --> 00:38:44,922 was not being religiously right, the issue was a hard heart 768 00:38:44,922 --> 00:38:48,759 that wanted to keep all of his resources for his own selfish use. 769 00:38:49,060 --> 00:38:53,464 So Jesus obeyed the commands of those love your neighbor. 770 00:38:53,464 --> 00:38:56,467 And the way you're going to show love is by giving. 771 00:38:57,068 --> 00:39:00,071 Because right to the heart, right to the core. 772 00:39:01,939 --> 00:39:04,875 See, this man came to him 773 00:39:04,875 --> 00:39:07,478 saying that he wanted holiness and righteousness, 774 00:39:07,478 --> 00:39:10,481 but what he did was really love his money. 775 00:39:12,350 --> 00:39:15,353 And Jesus didn't let him off the hook. 776 00:39:16,187 --> 00:39:18,823 He says, listen, you want to talk about religion. 777 00:39:18,823 --> 00:39:20,224 I want to talk about your heart. 778 00:39:23,227 --> 00:39:26,864 And he went away sad, but he kept his stuff. 779 00:39:26,864 --> 00:39:30,468 Here's here's how I know that our possessions don't make us happy. 780 00:39:31,001 --> 00:39:34,638 He kept all his possessions and was still sad. 781 00:39:35,673 --> 00:39:37,375 Do you understand? 782 00:39:37,375 --> 00:39:40,378 Because God's kingdom is a flip side kingdom. 783 00:39:43,214 --> 00:39:44,281 The man came to 784 00:39:44,281 --> 00:39:47,251 Jesus, said he wanted holiness and joy. 785 00:39:47,985 --> 00:39:50,554 It's proved the fact that that this guy, 786 00:39:50,554 --> 00:39:54,258 he would rather live with less righteousness and more money 787 00:39:54,425 --> 00:39:57,461 than to be generous with his resources and gain 788 00:39:57,461 --> 00:40:00,464 righteousness. 789 00:40:04,702 --> 00:40:05,870 See hard hearts. 790 00:40:05,870 --> 00:40:08,873 Always look for excuses not to surrender. 791 00:40:12,943 --> 00:40:15,479 The opposite Jesus and the opposite of materialism. 792 00:40:15,479 --> 00:40:17,815 And I'm not asking me 793 00:40:17,815 --> 00:40:20,985 in poverty, but the opposite of materialism 794 00:40:20,985 --> 00:40:23,988 in your life is surrender. 795 00:40:28,659 --> 00:40:31,495 And he says, listen, this is hard, I get it. 796 00:40:31,495 --> 00:40:34,532 This is this is all this is all very difficult. 797 00:40:34,598 --> 00:40:38,436 Just says, truly, I say to you, only with difficulty 798 00:40:38,469 --> 00:40:40,171 will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 799 00:40:40,171 --> 00:40:42,873 Again, I tell you, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle 800 00:40:42,873 --> 00:40:44,642 than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. 801 00:40:44,642 --> 00:40:46,610 So I get it. This is hard. 802 00:40:46,610 --> 00:40:50,347 This is hard stuff like this whole marriage for everything. 803 00:40:50,347 --> 00:40:53,350 That's it's hard to stay married forever. 804 00:40:53,350 --> 00:40:56,353 This whole, like, generous with my. 805 00:40:56,554 --> 00:40:58,556 That's hard. It's hard to be generous 806 00:41:00,057 --> 00:41:00,825 because I get it. 807 00:41:00,825 --> 00:41:03,194 It ain't easy. 808 00:41:03,194 --> 00:41:04,829 But listen, it's hard for. 809 00:41:04,829 --> 00:41:06,897 He says it's hard for a rich person to get into heaven. 810 00:41:06,897 --> 00:41:08,732 Why not? Because money is bad. 811 00:41:08,732 --> 00:41:10,234 God is the giver of money. 812 00:41:10,234 --> 00:41:14,171 But because money gives us a false sense of self-reliance. 813 00:41:15,539 --> 00:41:18,576 And secondly, the Bible says we can't serve both God and God. 814 00:41:18,576 --> 00:41:19,043 Choose one. 815 00:41:19,043 --> 00:41:22,012 One of them is going to get priority. 816 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:23,914 The best indicator 817 00:41:23,914 --> 00:41:28,752 here it is the best indicator if finances is a top priority is 818 00:41:28,752 --> 00:41:32,323 can you submit to the standard of giving which is 10%? 819 00:41:32,990 --> 00:41:35,693 Or can you go beyond that to generous giving? 820 00:41:35,693 --> 00:41:38,696 It's the easiest assessment 821 00:41:39,263 --> 00:41:41,832 if money is top priority. 822 00:41:41,832 --> 00:41:43,067 And that's what Jesus is. 823 00:41:43,067 --> 00:41:45,870 Getting your hard heart keeps you stingy, is what he says. 824 00:41:48,772 --> 00:41:49,106 John. 825 00:41:49,106 --> 00:41:52,243 Jesus talks more about money and resources than he does heaven or hell. 826 00:41:52,276 --> 00:41:55,279 Every 10th verse in the Gospels is about resources. 827 00:41:57,581 --> 00:42:00,417 So on the surface, both questions look like about marriage 828 00:42:00,417 --> 00:42:03,654 and divorce, and religion and money both sound. 829 00:42:05,256 --> 00:42:07,391 Both of both of these questions 830 00:42:07,391 --> 00:42:10,461 sound like they're looking for a spiritual standard to live by, 831 00:42:11,228 --> 00:42:14,598 but they're actually both looking for a manageable standard 832 00:42:14,598 --> 00:42:17,601 to live with. 833 00:42:17,735 --> 00:42:19,203 And that's what makes us look 834 00:42:19,203 --> 00:42:22,172 for loopholes and excuses. 835 00:42:22,940 --> 00:42:25,242 What what they're really asking 836 00:42:25,242 --> 00:42:28,512 is, how far can I go without being guilty? 837 00:42:29,780 --> 00:42:32,483 What they're really asking 838 00:42:32,483 --> 00:42:34,585 is, how minimally can I do 839 00:42:34,585 --> 00:42:37,955 without surrounding everything, what they're really asking? 840 00:42:37,988 --> 00:42:40,991 Technically, what's really required, just technically 841 00:42:41,358 --> 00:42:44,361 what they're really asking is where's the exception? 842 00:42:45,763 --> 00:42:48,699 What they're really asking is how much can I keep for myself? 843 00:42:50,301 --> 00:42:50,935 And Matthew 844 00:42:50,935 --> 00:42:54,972 25 and 26 he says, listen, with man it's impossible. 845 00:42:55,039 --> 00:42:56,941 Both God, all things are possible. 846 00:42:56,941 --> 00:42:57,541 He said. 847 00:42:57,541 --> 00:43:00,344 He says, look, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. 848 00:43:00,344 --> 00:43:02,179 What he's doing, he's relieving the pressure 849 00:43:02,179 --> 00:43:03,814 because this is tough teaching right now. 850 00:43:03,814 --> 00:43:06,450 Right, right, right. 851 00:43:06,450 --> 00:43:07,985 And so he's like, look, I get it. 852 00:43:07,985 --> 00:43:09,053 I've been pressing hard. 853 00:43:09,053 --> 00:43:13,958 And so he tells a joke in Hebrew, exaggeration was humor. 854 00:43:13,958 --> 00:43:16,160 And so I was like, look, I know it's hard to tell you. 855 00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:19,163 Let me I got something. Watch this. 856 00:43:19,463 --> 00:43:20,064 Gamble through. 857 00:43:20,064 --> 00:43:23,067 Ivan. It's so funny. 858 00:43:23,233 --> 00:43:24,034 He was joking. 859 00:43:24,034 --> 00:43:25,302 Like, he's he's making it funny 860 00:43:25,302 --> 00:43:28,672 because he knows it's hard, but he's making a point. 861 00:43:29,673 --> 00:43:31,542 He's saying with man, it's impossible. 862 00:43:31,542 --> 00:43:32,710 With God, all things are possible. 863 00:43:32,710 --> 00:43:34,178 Here's where he said, you can't. 864 00:43:34,178 --> 00:43:37,181 You can't manufacture this obedience by willpower. 865 00:43:38,015 --> 00:43:39,149 It's too hard 866 00:43:40,517 --> 00:43:42,152 forgiving someone over and over and over. 867 00:43:42,152 --> 00:43:44,822 It's too hard on your own by your own real power, right? 868 00:43:44,822 --> 00:43:46,357 Right. Yeah. 869 00:43:46,357 --> 00:43:47,658 Staying married forever. 870 00:43:47,658 --> 00:43:49,159 It's too right? Right. 871 00:43:49,159 --> 00:43:51,762 Sometimes you're like, oh, 872 00:43:51,762 --> 00:43:54,732 being 10% tithe is that easy? 873 00:43:55,132 --> 00:43:58,135 No, being generous beyond the tithe is that easy. 874 00:43:58,268 --> 00:44:00,437 Because, look, I know it's hard, I get it. 875 00:44:00,437 --> 00:44:02,973 The demands of the kingdom are not light. 876 00:44:02,973 --> 00:44:05,342 And you cannot do it by being religious. 877 00:44:05,342 --> 00:44:07,011 And you cannot do it by your willpower. 878 00:44:07,011 --> 00:44:09,913 You need the power of God by the Spirit of God, 879 00:44:09,913 --> 00:44:12,683 because the power of God, by the Spirit of God will enable 880 00:44:12,683 --> 00:44:15,653 you do everything that God has commanded by God. 881 00:44:17,721 --> 00:44:20,691 You can't do it on your own. 882 00:44:20,758 --> 00:44:23,560 I mean, Peter asked the natural question, well, God, we've given up everything. 883 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:25,262 What do we get for giving it all up? 884 00:44:25,262 --> 00:44:26,664 I get the question 885 00:44:27,898 --> 00:44:29,266 and Jesus says, listen, 886 00:44:29,266 --> 00:44:32,703 anybody has given up homes and families and relationships for the kingdom. 887 00:44:32,970 --> 00:44:36,640 You'll get a hundred times back in more than that, you'll get an eternal life 888 00:44:36,674 --> 00:44:38,242 thrown in. 889 00:44:38,242 --> 00:44:40,944 Man. I prayed that prayer when we moved here to start this church. 890 00:44:40,944 --> 00:44:42,579 I prayed that prayer in Matthew 19. 891 00:44:42,579 --> 00:44:44,748 Over and over and over, God. We gave up a home. 892 00:44:44,748 --> 00:44:45,716 We gave up a church. 893 00:44:45,716 --> 00:44:48,619 We gave up friends. We gave up everything to come start. 894 00:44:48,619 --> 00:44:51,355 I want 100 fold, but I didn't want it all on earth. 895 00:44:51,355 --> 00:44:52,556 Because who wants 100 friends? 896 00:44:52,556 --> 00:44:54,591 And who wants 100 kids and wants 100 mother in law? 897 00:44:54,591 --> 00:44:58,162 You know, it's just I want I want this, I want this 898 00:44:58,195 --> 00:45:01,432 eternal heritage 100 fold what I gave up. 899 00:45:01,932 --> 00:45:04,134 And Jesus says, don't worry, you'll get it. 900 00:45:04,134 --> 00:45:06,070 Because everything you get give up for me. 901 00:45:06,070 --> 00:45:10,908 Every investment you make in the kingdom is noticed and repaid 100 fold. 902 00:45:12,543 --> 00:45:15,279 I know I've asked a lot of you, he says. 903 00:45:15,279 --> 00:45:16,380 I know my the man's. 904 00:45:16,380 --> 00:45:19,383 My kingdom are astronomical. 905 00:45:20,451 --> 00:45:21,785 You can't do it on your own. 906 00:45:21,785 --> 00:45:24,221 Quit trying to be religious. You're going to muster this. 907 00:45:24,221 --> 00:45:26,056 Submit yourself to my word. 908 00:45:26,056 --> 00:45:27,357 Let it rebuke you. 909 00:45:27,357 --> 00:45:29,626 Let it correct you, let it train you, 910 00:45:29,626 --> 00:45:32,863 and rely on the power of my Spirit to enable you to do it. 911 00:45:33,664 --> 00:45:36,667 That's life in the Kingdom. 912 00:45:37,634 --> 00:45:39,536 And when we give ourselves 913 00:45:39,536 --> 00:45:43,373 in repentance to the mercy and grace of Almighty God, 914 00:45:43,373 --> 00:45:47,544 it is a beautiful thing to live in his mercy and grace. 915 00:45:48,946 --> 00:45:51,949 Let's not look for loopholes and excuses. 916 00:45:52,282 --> 00:45:55,252 Submit ourselves to a standard by his grace. 917 00:45:59,623 --> 00:46:00,290 I'm proud of you, 918 00:46:00,290 --> 00:46:03,293 Matthew or Matthew 19 is tough. 919 00:46:03,627 --> 00:46:05,896 Matthew 19 stuff. 920 00:46:05,896 --> 00:46:07,831 We will not do this on our own. 921 00:46:09,066 --> 00:46:10,234 I invite you in this moment 922 00:46:10,234 --> 00:46:14,738 to ask the Spirit of God to help you be faithful and obedient. 923 00:46:14,772 --> 00:46:16,673 Father, thank you. 924 00:46:16,673 --> 00:46:19,276 Thank you that you don't ask us to just kind of muscle it up 925 00:46:19,276 --> 00:46:20,477 and get through this on our own. 926 00:46:20,477 --> 00:46:24,014 Think you don't ask us to follow you with willpower and self-determination, 927 00:46:24,081 --> 00:46:28,185 thinking that you've said, look, you cannot do this apart from my spirit. 928 00:46:28,185 --> 00:46:31,789 And so, father, by your spirit, clothe us 929 00:46:31,822 --> 00:46:34,825 with the power of your spirit 930 00:46:35,025 --> 00:46:37,361 to soften our hearts 931 00:46:37,361 --> 00:46:41,832 to obedience and holiness, and to righteousness. 932 00:46:42,599 --> 00:46:48,172 I pray that your Word continues to rebuke us, so that it can correct us, 933 00:46:48,172 --> 00:46:51,175 so that we will be trained in righteousness. 934 00:46:51,708 --> 00:46:53,911 Father, thank you that though 935 00:46:53,911 --> 00:46:57,948 the failures of our past may still be painful in our present, 936 00:46:58,282 --> 00:47:03,153 in repentance, all that condemnation has been leveled against your son. 937 00:47:04,121 --> 00:47:07,224 What a glorious, glorious truth. 938 00:47:07,457 --> 00:47:10,694 Thank you that your mercies are new every morning, 939 00:47:11,361 --> 00:47:14,832 that even when we fall short of your standard, 940 00:47:14,832 --> 00:47:19,703 which we all do, that your mercy and your grace are new 941 00:47:19,703 --> 00:47:23,941 when we come in repentance, and so in repentance. 942 00:47:24,174 --> 00:47:27,177 Grant us all that your grace will allow. 943 00:47:27,544 --> 00:47:30,113 You are a good God. 944 00:47:30,113 --> 00:47:32,015 You're a good God. 945 00:47:32,015 --> 00:47:33,617 Thank you for your goodness to us. 946 00:47:33,617 --> 00:47:35,519 We give ourselves to you. 947 00:47:35,519 --> 00:47:38,255 And your name I pray. Amen. 948 00:47:38,255 --> 00:47:40,157 Listen. 949 00:47:40,157 --> 00:47:41,491 Well done. 950 00:47:41,491 --> 00:47:44,494 There's a lot there, right? 951 00:47:45,162 --> 00:47:46,363 I want you to. 952 00:47:46,363 --> 00:47:49,867 This week, I want you to go to our app and go to the message notes. 953 00:47:49,867 --> 00:47:54,571 And at the end of the message notes, there's this four fold assessment 954 00:47:54,571 --> 00:47:57,875 of our becoming Christlike 955 00:47:57,908 --> 00:48:01,178 in these areas of hardness of heart. 956 00:48:01,511 --> 00:48:04,982 So take advantage of that app that we've given you. 957 00:48:05,115 --> 00:48:07,718 Read through all those questions. 958 00:48:07,718 --> 00:48:10,954 Follow our devotional throughout the week, but especially today. 959 00:48:11,054 --> 00:48:14,892 Do your own assessment in these areas, 960 00:48:15,225 --> 00:48:18,962 those fourfold assessment at the bottom of the message notes on the app. 961 00:48:20,664 --> 00:48:22,599 Just commit to yourself 962 00:48:22,599 --> 00:48:26,670 in our spiritual formation process to becoming Christlike. 963 00:48:26,703 --> 00:48:28,272 Those four assessments will help. 964 00:48:28,272 --> 00:48:29,673 Do you understand? 965 00:48:29,673 --> 00:48:31,942 All right, I love you. I'm proud of you. 966 00:48:31,942 --> 00:48:35,812 God's mercy and grace are profound and their brand new for us. 967 00:48:35,812 --> 00:48:38,148 This morning 968 00:48:38,148 --> 00:48:42,619 in ready for next week, read through chapter 20 and let's let God 969 00:48:42,653 --> 00:48:47,624 kind of walk us as we get to the culmination of this whole Jesus story, 970 00:48:47,658 --> 00:48:50,861 his life, his death as a resurrection because of God's mercy and grace. 971 00:48:51,428 --> 00:48:52,896 Stand up church. Let's sing.