Marriage Is Honorable

Mark chapter 10 and we'll begin reading in verse two here. In in just a moment. Titled this message on the screen, marriage is honorable. I have another title here on my paper, The Apple of God's Eye, The Family, The Family. God created men and women, created in the image of God.

God also created their union and the family that is produced thereby. The apple of God's eye, the family. We're going to look first at this verse up on the screen then we'll be to Mark 10 in just a moment. Hebrews thirteen four says, marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled but whoremongers or fornicators and adulterers, God will judge. Marriage is honorable in the bed undefiled but whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge.

This is God's word on something that is extremely important to him and so should also be important to us. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you for your word. The opportunity to proclaim it with joy in our hearts.

And Lord, with an understanding of the great need that we have. To know you through your word and through faith in Jesus Christ, your son. And to know your will for our lives and to do it with all our heart and with all our might. That one day when we stand before you, we might hear those words. Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Or as the song I sang mentioned a moment ago. I saw Jesus in you. Lord, may we for just a few minutes today, put other things out of our mind and heart. Lord, may we focus upon your word and upon the importance of something that you created and ordained that is under such great attack in our country, in our churches, in our homes, and in our lives today. May we stand for Jesus Christ, our savior.

We we recognize what is at stake and Lord, may others see Jesus in us. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen. The family unit often called the building block of civilization is under a tremendous assault today on every quarter in our society. Humanity has sadly taken upon itself to redefine the home as something other than what God created and ordained it to be.

They have treated marriage vows as empty words, easily broken, and as a result, there are many in this current generation even in my generation that have become quite cynical with the institution of marriage. Having seen it fail so often, they wonder, is it even necessary anymore? Or worth all the trouble? Even Christian marriages are failing at a rate very near to the rest of the population and more and more often, even professing Christians justify living together without taking wedding vows. Is this what God intended?

Is this justifiable? In the sight of God? Is God's word and his way outdated? Is divorce still a bad thing? Our wedding vows no longer necessary or worthwhile?

I hope you know the answers to all of those rhetorical questions. They are very clear from God's word and that's where we're going to look to for answers today specifically to the words of Jesus here. In Mark chapter 10. Mark chapter 10 verse two, if you'll follow with me. Mark chapter 10 and verse two and the Pharisees, these were religious leaders came to him that is Jesus and asked him, is it lawful for a man to put away to divorce his wife?

Tempting or testing him. And he answered and said unto them, what did Moses command you? In other words, he pointed them to the scripture. They said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement and to put her away. Jesus answered and said unto them, for the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept because of your wayward way and determination not to follow God's will.

God allowed this but he goes on to say in verse six, but from the beginning of creation, from the very beginning of all that we know. From the beginning of the creation of God made God made them male and female. We'll come back to that in a few minutes. For this call, shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife and they twain or two shall be one flesh. So, then, they are no more twain or two but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. And in the house, his disciples asked him again of the same matter and he say it unto them, whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her and if a woman shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committeth adultery. So, here is what the scripture has to say on marriage and divorce and the home. God's opinion, I don't believe has changed. God says in his word, I change not.

The world around us changes all the time. Culture changes, society changes, opinions and actions of men change, the laws change, everything around us is in flux, everything changes except for one thing. God does not change. God who created marriage, God who created the home has certain expectations for the home that he created, for the institution that he ordained and some of them are listed here in this passage and are therefore obviously important to God and important enough that we should take a few minutes here today to reexamine them ourselves especially in light of the deterioration of our society and the home. The Pharisees came to Christ once again with an insincere question.

It says here in the passage, they were tempting or testing him. They really didn't want to know the answer to this question. That wasn't why they were asking. They were asking this question like many other questions to try to trip him up, to try to get him to say something that they could use to accuse him, before one group or another. You see if he said that, divorce is is always wrong and you're never ever to divorce and that he condemns divorce period end of story, then they could accuse him and say, well then why did Moses allow for divorce?

If he said, well divorce is permitted then they could say, well, you know, I thought it was a bad thing. They're trying to put him in a pickle, in a situation kind of like when they came to Christ with a coin, Roman coin and they said to Christ, is it lawful to pay taxes on the Caesar? Do you remember that? And what they were trying to do was trying again get him in a a corner where no matter what he said, they would have cause to accuse him either before Caesar because he said don't pay your taxes or before the Jews because he says, do pay your taxes. The situation is is similar here.

They're trying to get him to pick sides. Christ doesn't pick sides. Christ speaks the truth. The truth is what matters. Not whose side you're on.

But the truth is what matters. And the truth is very often unpopular. But nonetheless, it is the truth and so despite the fact that their question, is it lawful for a man to put away or divorce his wife? Is insincere. He took this opportunity to teach, to teach others his disciples, and others that were gathered around listening.

About the importance and the nature of marriage which God created. Jesus is clear. While the law of Moses allowed for divorce, Deuteronomy 24, the dissolution of marriage was never the intent of the God who created and ordained it. But the invention of sinful human man. Not the intention of God but the invention of man and only in the case of infidelity is it at all justified in his sight.

Some would add from first Corinthians chapter seven, abandonment or abuse and that as well which by the way, I guess in a way manner of speaking is infidelity and unfa ithfulness. But in the vast majority of cases Jesus is clear. The Bible is clear And Christ goes on to explain why this is the case. Jesus often took time to explain himself. Even when the petitioner wasn't maybe really listening all that much.

He went on to explain himself for our sake and for the sake of his disciple. There are several things that he teaches us here from this passage concerning marriage in the home. First, God created Adam and Eve and then put them together one man and one woman. One male and one female. Notice, not one man and many women.

One man and one woman. Notice, not one man and one man but one man and one woman. Not one woman and another woman. But one man and one woman. Male and female created he them.

And he brought them together. And he established and ordained. Marriage and the home between one man and one woman. The humanity can try to redefine marriage. They can claim it as something other than it is not.

But when it comes down to it, the only one who define marriage in the home is the God who created and ordained it. Man can say what he wants but that does not God change God's mind. He created them, the male and female, Adam and Eve to compliment and complete one another. As a unit, for the purpose of bearing and raising children, for mutual companionship, as Adam named all the animals, he realized he didn't have a companion. God wanted him to recognize that so that he would appreciate the companion that God gave him and for the glory of God, for the glory of God.

The home and marriage is meant to be a beautiful picture of the faithfulness of God and thus, it is to bring glory to God. In its symbolism but also in everyday living. Genesis two eighteen. And the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a help meet, a suitable partner, companion for him.

Genesis one twenty seven and twenty eight. So, God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he him, male and female created he them and God blessed them and said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. It was God once again who created man and woman, created them both in God's image. One is not greater than any value way than any other.

They are different. But equal. In the eyes of God who made them. God brought them together. God ordained marriage between the man and the woman that he created.

Secondly, the relationship that they entered into was to be for a lifetime. It was intended to be one man, one woman, for a lifetime. That was the institution that God created. God created marriage and then again, man invented divorce. Jesus was very clear with his disciples that man need not dismiss so freely that which God ordained.

Sadly, man dismisses so freely many things today about God and things that God ordained. One of these things sadly is the home. Thus, it says here, what therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Jesus is being blunt. Jesus is being clear.

Not leaving a lot of wiggle room here. Says, what God has joined together, what God has instituted, what God has ordained, man should not be ripping apart. So, casually putting us under. That sadly is where we are in our society today. It was where they were in Jesus' society in that day.

You know, some preachers want us want you to think that the world has never been as bad as it is today The world is bad I think Jesus is coming soon Amen? But the world has been bad for a very long time. Jesus's day was not a whole lot different than our day. Marriage was under assault. Particularly in pagan cultures, fornication, and all sorts of corrupt immorality from homosexuality to all sorts of craziness.

Was rampant. And even in Jewish society, the home was under terrible, terrible assault. Sadly, even the religious leaders of Jesus day, the very man that asked this question of him, Sadly, many of them were essentially practicing adultery in their day. By divorcing their wives without cause that they might marry another. Who tickled their fancy at the time.

Turn if you would, hold your place in Mark. Turn if you would back to Matthew chapter five. Matthew chapter five. I'd like you to see this. Matthew chapter five.

Matthew five and look at verse 21 and then we'll skip down to verse 27. Actually, verse 20 and then we'll skip down to 27. So, Matthew five verse 20. Jesus says to his disciples, this is part of what's called the sermon on the mount and he's speaking specifically to his disciples though there are others gathered around also. He says, for I say unto you, we're again, we're in verse 20, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus says to his disciples, unless your righteousness is vastly greater than the righteousness, the piety, the hypocrisy is what it was of the scribes and Pharisees. You will never enter heaven. The scribes and Pharisees obeyed the law so to speak. Law is they saw it, as they manipulated it. On the outside, to impress other people but in their heart, they had no place for God and for his law and for his will.

They had no true relationship with him. It was all a put on. Thus, if you go down to verse 27, he says, you have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery. That is one of the 10 commandments, is it not? But I say unto you, Jesus going to be a little more focused here.

Give us a little more information. He says, but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Jesus says to those that are standing here, particularly the self righteous Pharisees, you think that you're okay because you are not physically committing adultery with other women but I say unto you that every time you look on a woman and you lust and you fantasize about her, in God's sight, you have already done what? You've already committed adultery with her. You have sinned in your heart before God.

You have broken God's law. So, don't think quite so highly of yourself. He goes on if you look in verse 31, he goes on to say, it hath been said, whosoever shall put his put away his wife, let her give him give her a writing of divorcement. Now, that again is from Deuteronomy chapter 24 beginning in verse one. We won't take time to read all that but that's where he's getting this from and that is indeed what it said under the Mosaic Law.

But he goes on to say, But I say unto you that whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Jesus again pointing his finger at the hypocrites, pointed his finger at the Pharisees said unto them, you think you're okay because you don't quote unquote commit adultery but you commit it in your heart and in your mind and that's a sin. Said furthermore, you get away with essentially what is still adultery by casting off your wives when you get tired of them to take yourself another wife who appeals to you at the time. Is that what God intended? Is it?

No. That's not what God intended. That's not even what the law of Moses allowed for. That law was not put there in place to allow men to legally commit adultery but that's how it was being used in Jesus' day even by the religious crowd. Many of them and sadly, that is the way it is used.

In bunches today in bunches. Thus, he called the Pharisees hypocrites for while they condemned others like the woman caught in adultery in John eight. They indeed were no better. For what is legal or lawful is not always moral and right. Let me say that again.

For what is legal and lawful is not always what? Moral and right. It is legal as I mentioned last Sunday morning and lawful in The United States to take the life of an innocent child who has yet been yet to be born. We call that abortion. God calls that murder.

It is lawful in The United States Of America today with some minor restrictions in places. But does that make it moral and right? The answer is no. That does not make it moral and right. I think sometimes as Christians, we get caught up in what is legal and lawful and we forget what is moral and right in the eyes of God.

For that's what truly matters. Not whether you get caught, not whether it's lawful or legal in the eyes of the government but whether it is right in the eyes of God. What they were doing in divorcing their wives was not moral, was not right, was not pleasing in the eyes of God. It was a sin. Very heinous one and one which tears at the fabric of civilization and society that God created.

Nevertheless, due to man's sinful nature and inability to remain faithful in marriage as some are. Man developed a divorce which God permitted to continue under the restrictions of the Mosaic Law. Under the law, God demanded a writing of divorcement. In other words, a written reason be given the divorced spouse, wife in particular. Why did he do this?

Why did he allow this and why was it to be given in writing? At least two reasons. You can probably think of more but two that came to my mind. First of all, to make a husband think twice about divorcing his wife because he had to do what? He had to come up with something that at least appeared to be a valid reason and the only real valid reasons had to do in part in some form or fashion with infidelity.

Now if under the Mosaic Law, if you blatantly, publicly committed adultery and were caught, what was the punishment? The punishment was death under the Mosaic Law. However, you might not quite go all the way that far and still be in a matter of speaking unfaithful. And so that would be the primary reason. And so this made a husband think twice about divorcing his wife because he had to come up with a legitimate reason for doing so.

Second of all, the written document gave the woman now divorced the ability to legally marry for being a widow or single woman in the ancient world place one at a terrible disadvantage in life. So, God allowed this in this form and fashion to continue not because it was what he desired, not because it was his intention because man had brought it upon himself. Man who was now a sinner, couldn't keep things together, God allowed it but he required a writing of divorcement in order to cause the husband to have to think twice as it was in the case in Old Testament times. Now, both husband and wife and to give the party that was divorced, the means legally to remarry. However, God makes it clear just how God feels about divorce and Malachi chapter two.

Here is what God has to say. He says this, therefore, take heed to your spirit and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel say it, that he hated putting away. Now, putting away again is another word for divorce. What God says is that he hates divorce.

Why does he hate divorce? Because he didn't create the home and the family to be torn apart in such a manner. He created it and ordained it to be for a lifetime and when it is torn asunder and when divorce happen and some of you have had to deal with that in your life. It does cause heartache. It does bring difficulty.

Difficulty and heartache into your life particularly for children that God did not intend for us or them to deal with. You know, when God gives us guidelines and instructions, he doesn't do us do it to keep us from having fun. That's what Satan said in the Garden Of Eden to Adam and Eve, to Eve. He said to Eve, basically, God doesn't want you to eat of the fruit of that tree because God doesn't want you to be like him. God doesn't want you to have any fun.

But that wasn't the truth, was it? God did not want them to suffer That's why. God doesn't want us to suffer and when sadly, we have to deal with this as a reality in our lives. Lives It brings what? It brings suffering It brings suffering God loves us God created this beautiful institution The world wants to tear it apart In the passage, we read that the two, the man and the woman in marriage are to become one, not merely a physical act though physical intimacy is certainly implied.

But a merging together of two lives and two ambitions into one partnership in the Lord. Each loving and respecting the other above themselves. Turn if you would to Ephesians chapter five. Ephesians chapter five. Look if you would in verse 21.

Ephesians chapter five verse 21. In this partnership that God created, this institution of marriage. Each one is to love and respect the other above themselves. Chapter five verse 21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Wives, submit yourselves under your own husbands as under the Lord. For the husbands, the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he that is Christ is the savior of the body. Therefore, as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also love the church and gave himself forth. There is to be a mutual love and respect.

For both parties for one another. That has to do with two becoming one and putting the needs of the other before themselves. Secondly, in this partnership, each embrace their varied roles within the new home that was created by their union. Each embraced their varied roles. Mother, father, husband, wife.

Again, equal but different. We're different. That doesn't take a rocket scientist to see and yet we live in a world today that is screaming, we're not different. When we know we are. God create us this way.

That is not a bad thing. That is what? That's a good thing. That's a good thing. God made us different.

Particularly in the home, God gave us differing roles and responsibilities. That's not a bad thing. That's a why. That's a good thing. That's the way God made it to be.

One of the problems I observed in marriages today is that often, this union doesn't really happen to the extent that it should. Each has their own friends, their own careers, their own ambitions, their own bank accounts, their own hobbies. There is never truly emerging of two lives into one unit or partnership, making it more and more likely for the two eventually to go there separate ways. Now, it's okay for me to have his friends and her to have hers but you also need to have some mutual friends. It's okay to have your hobbies and his hobbies or hers but it might help that you had some hobbies and things you enjoy doing together.

I'm not opposed to having his and her bank accounts. However, as long as there's an understanding, it's not all his and her money. It's our money. It's our home. Our children.

Our our ministry. And that's lost In many Christian homes today. The two are to become one. Number four, the two would seek them to multiply themselves by having children and if granted such blessing by the hand of God would raise their children to love and serve the Lord. That's that's what God intended.

That's what God created. He says here in Genesis one twenty two and God bless them, Adam and Eve saying, be fruitful and multiply and fill and fill the waters in the season. Let the fowl multiply in the earth. He's not talking to them there. He's talking to all of creation but he said the same thing to Adam and Eve.

Ephesians six four says, and you fathers provoke not your children to wrath and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. That is in the training of the way of the Lord. Proverbs twenty two six, train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from him. So, what are we to do? What is one of the purposes and what is one of the responsibilities of Christian home?

To reproduce. To not just reproduce people but to reproduce servants of God who will therefore go and marry and have homes of their own and will teach their children the way Lord. Today, each one of these premises we looked at established by God is under attack and even some Christians have fallen prey to it. We are told today that polygamy is wrong. You agree with that?

Polygamy, wrong, bad thing? Yeah, hope so. We are told today that polygamy is wrong. But we're also being brainwashed to think that adultery is no big deal. Polygamy is wrong but adultery, no big deal.

One is essentially legal and accepted in society while the other is illegal and not acceptable in society. They are both wrong. Legal and lawful does not settle the question. What settles the question is God. Exodus 20 verse 14, thou shalt not commit adultery.

Hebrews thirteen four, we just read, marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled but adult, whoremongers, and adulterers, God will judge. The world glorifies adultery. It used to be even when I was little, adultery was still a bad thing. Some of you are a bit older than me. When you were growing up, adultery was a really bad thing.

Today, not really a bad thing anymore. Pretty acceptable behavior for most of the world. Not in the eyes of who? Not in the eyes of God. Today, we are being brainwashed to accept multiple marriages that is divorce and remarriage and divorce and remarriage and divorce and remarriage as acceptable and called as acceptable and we are called out of touch when we define marriage as a lifetime union.

What did God intend? I think God's clear. He intended it to be for a lifetime. Divorce is allowed and justified for just about any reason under the sun. Do they even have divorce court today anymore?

If they do have divorce court, it has nothing to do with why you're being divorced whether it's legal or not. It has all to do with how we're going to split up the what? The money or sad to say in some cases, the kids. That's what divorce course is about. It's not whether it's permissible.

It's a matter of how we're going to divide stuff up. That's what it's all about. Thus, it has become almost as commonplace that is divorce as marriage is. Prenuptial agreements are standard operating procedure for the wealthy. Why?

Well, in most cases, it's because they assume when they go into the marriage that it's probably not going to what? It's not really not going to last. So, let's set it up so that when we separate, we won't have to fight over it. Back to the Pharisees. They simply use divorce and remarriage as a loophole to lifelong faithfulness and allowing them to justify swapping spouses out for new ones without guilt or remorse.

Christ stated clearly that by doing so, they were committing adultery and essentially causing the one who remarried their divorced spouse to commit adultery as well. When you cast off your wives and take another, you're committing adultery and you're causing the person who takes your wife to commit adultery because there's no valid reason for the divorce. That's how God sees it. That's what matters. We wonder why our children have so many problems today.

They are confused they're insecure and angry One of the main reasons is an insecure fractured and incomplete home in which faithfulness and true love have not been demonstrated on the part of one or both of their parents. Leading often to failed marriages and their future lives also. You know, it's a downhill spiral. Read about it in Romans chapter one. It doesn't end well.

It isn't going well in our society today. When we throw off the loving restrictions of our heavenly father. We bring upon ourselves his judgment. Number three, we are being coerced into accepting unmarried relationships as perfectly fine and many professing Christians are living in sin and justifying. I found that to be more and more the case.

I have run into many Christian professing Christian young people and older people. Who just don't see anything wrong with an intimate relationship with someone to whom they are not married Well, I love them. Well, that's great. If you truly love them, you would commit to them. You're abusing them is what you're doing.

You're using them. Why not commit to them? That is God's way. That is the right way. Most churches no longer preach against this at least not often and not hard.

Many go as far as to condone it. Some even promote it. What are they promoting? What are they condoning? Sin.

It's what it is. The very thing we're supposed to be preaching against. Warning people against because we do not want them to suffer the result. What must we? God, I got ahead of myself.

God's word leaves no doubt. Marriage that is an intimate, monogamous, committed, binding relationship between a man and a woman for life. Is blessed by our creator but such an intimate relationship absent of such commitment before God is condemned. Not commitment before the state, commitment before who? Commitment before God.

What must we do about the situation we find ourselves in? Well, here's what we need to do. Follow God's commands and ignore. Ignore the world. Ignore the traditions of men.

Follow the commands of God. Merry Christians who have the same convictions concerning the Lord and the sacredness of marriage as you have. Be not unequally yoked. Stay married even when things are not rosy. Or downright lousy.

Treat each other with love and respect. Do not entertain thoughts of infidelity that often lead. To infidel. Embrace your roles as husband and wife, mother, and father in the home. Raise your children in the manner commanded by the Lord.

Take a stand for the Lord, the home, and the sacredness of marriage. Let others know where you stand. Vote for those who honor God and the sacredness of the home. Let your voice be heard. Let your actions be seen.

Let others see Jesus in you. And in your home. And in your life. Some of you, as I mentioned, suffered from broken homes already. We cannot go back and undo what's been done but what we can do is determine where we are to trust God with all of our heart.

To be a faithful husband, wife, or mother, or father. To let others see Jesus in us, to trust him and to do things right this time. In closing, why is God so concerned about the home? Well, it is a testimony to the faithfulness, creativity, and love of God. And it is a portrayal of the relationship with Christ which Christ shares with the redeemed.

Back in Ephesians chapter five, if you're still there, happen to still be there. It says verse 25 again, husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish so ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth that even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and his bones.

This call shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife and they too shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ in the church. What did Paul say? The union of husband and wife is representative of the union of Christ and the redeemed, the church. And as Christ is faithful and as Christ is loving and as Christ is merciful and kind and everything to us that a husband ought to be to a wife.

So, the home should signify also. Particularly, the Christian home. The most important question here this morning is not how is your home life? Though it is an important one. The most important question here this morning is not, are you being faithful?

Though it is a very important one. That you're going to have to answer to God someday. But the most important question here, is do you belong to Jesus? Are you part of the redeemed? Are you his church?

His bride? If you're not, you can be today. He proposes to you. He invites you to become his bride, his child through faith in his son, Jesus Christ. He offers you into his home.

He offers you a partnership. With the son of God. He offers you life eternal and forgiveness. He offers that to you today. Will you accept?

What will be your answer? If you will say yes, I will. He will save you, redeem you. He will keep you, preserve you, and one day, take you to heaven to be with him. If you turn down his proposal and you say no.

Then you're in trouble. The Bible says, he that believeth on him, that is Jesus is not condemned But he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed. In the name of the only begotten son of God. What will you choose today? Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word. We thank you Lord. For the reminder of a beautiful institution that you created called marriage. Wherein two can become one in their ministry and service for God and the raising of their children to know you, to serve you. Lord, forgive us of our failures Lord, grant us the faith.

Lord, to follow you, to receive your word as it is, indeed the truth, to apply it to our lives, to be faithful to us, be faithful to you as you are faithful to us to determine in our hearts to follow you that you might receive all the glory and praise And we pray Lord most of all, if there's one here today that's never received you as the Lord and savior of their life. They've never accepted your proposal. Be saved. I pray Lord they would come as we give this hymn of invitation this morning. That we can show them how God's word how they might be saved today and know it.

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.