Hold onto your Marriage

3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 

4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’  5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Matthew 19:3–6

I’ve been happily married for 18 years now. I’m aware for some at Village and others reading this today, marriage may be a hard topic. Whether it’s your parent’s marriage, another loved one or your own that has not worked out, many of us have painful experiences with marriage.

It’s one of those areas of life where you kind of wish Jesus didn’t say anything. Just leave it alone. Too hard, too painful, too complex. Well, Jesus doesn’t shy away from the hard issues. Because life is about the hard issues. And Jesus is all about real life, not fairyland.

The Pharisees, they are testing Jesus. Will he say what Moses says? Does he know the law. Jesus knows the law, but he also knows their hearts. For thousands of years people (men particularly) have been looking for an excuse to get out of their marriages and the Pharisees are no different. 

Jesus again changes the shape of the conversation. He reminds them that marriage isn’t a business arrangement. It’s not a friendship. It’s a spiritual union. They are one flesh. This is no small thing. Not that many of us think it is.

But here’s the action. Yes, we should encourage people in most situations not to get divorced. But for me, the action is, what can we do before it gets to that point. How can we make sure we have strong, healthy marriages.

Can I encourage those among us who are married. Are you taking care of your marriage? Are you pursuing Ephesians 5 forms of love?

Singles, how could you encourage some of our married couples? Don’t be afraid, ask them how their marriage is going. For those with kids who are under the pump, maybe offer to babysit one night. That’s a few thoughts.

Today:

Pray: