Numbers 26

If we look only at Numbers 16, it would seem that Korah and his entire family were destroyed. Yet it is clearly pointed out in Numbers 26:11 that the family line of Korah wasn't wiped out. We aren't given a reason for what happened that though the tents of his family fell into a pit some survived. It causes me to think that perhaps some of the complete brutality some claim God showed isn't what they say it is. Whatever did ultimately happen we will see the sons of Korah later. The sons of Korah are credited with writing eleven different Psalms: Psalms 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 84, 85, 87, 88. Whatever the father of this line was like it seems to me that the apple clearly did not fall close to the tree (they weren't like him).

Another note in this chapter made at the very end is that other than Joshua and Caleb, no one numbered at the beginning of the book is alive when this numbering took place. As God had said they would all die. One bad choice can change your destiny forever. One bad choice can remove you from the promised land God had in mind for you. Yes, Jesus forgives but actions still have consequences. 

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Numbers 25

 The actions of Phinehas are to some considered drastic. However, Moses had just ordered the death of those who had committed this sin. So Phinehas is doing not what he thinks is right on his own but in obedience to what God had commanded. Phinehas' action brought an end to the plague going through Israel, which makes me wonder if this wasn't an STD of some sort. Whatever the plague was, it stopped and God blessed Phinehas that his descendants would always have someone in the priesthood. A reminder that our actions can have a lasting impact on our family.

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Isaiah 63

isn't afraid to admit that he is, as I have heard said, getting his hands dirty. People often are uncomfortable with the image of God who delivers vengeance or tramples his enemies. But as I have noted other places, God wouldn't be a God of love if he didn't bring judgement on those who do evil. For the ones who are abused, the thought that God will bring equity is calming. We don't have to get even, God will do it and will do it rightly. As is said in Romans 12:19, (Deuteronomy 32:35) God will repay. 

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Numbers 24

Balaam, it says, didn't try using his normal magical tricks to get a different answer because he knew God had made up His mind. If Balaam had kept with trusting God, he would have been better off. However, this shows wisdom in Balaam at least here to just go with God's plan even when it wasn't what those who were hiring him wanted. In fact, we will see that Balak tells Balaam, basically, you can blame God you're not getting paid. Disobeying man rather than God is worth not getting paid. 

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Mark 12

As I have pointed out, these are the rough notes for my messages. If you come hear the message, you may be surprised how different it is preached. 

MARK 12: 1-12

 

1And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 5And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

 

10And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

 

11This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

 

12And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

 

The Unfaithful Tenants

 

Trashing the place- $30,000 damage in 3 months,

 

We  often look at those that abuse what is not theirs with disgust and think that is horrible and maybe even pat ourselves on the back because we are not like that.  

 

However as is often the case of the Bible, what we see as the issues of others are often things in ourselves that we need to deal with.

 

This is where we come to this parable.

 

A man created a vineyard.

1.    Plant a vineyard (Prepare the land)

2.    Put up a wall (Protect from pest, animals, and trespassers, direct water)

3.    Dug a pit for the juice (way to prepare the juice for wine)

4.    Watchtower (ALL THIS IS HARD!)

5.    Hired workers (Do the easier work, but there is still work)

6.    Moved (often to do marketing, get buyers for the wine)

 

The owner sends to get proceeds of the crop. Perhaps to give samples to possible customers so even this action is an act of kindness.

 

A greater market could mean more income for the owner and the tenants.

 

However, the tenants treat the servants that are sent like trespassers.

 

These tenants get worse.

 

Finally the owner sends his son.

Is the Owner stupid? No he is showing love, he is trying to make a connection to the people he believes should recognize him.

 

There were times in the ancient world when a ruler had an area in rebellion that they would send a family member to the area to try and rebuild the relationship. The idea was that others could be doubted (someone just claiming to speak for the master/king) however a relative they couldn’t doubt. The would see the family likeness. If however, they would not accept the family member the king would know that these aren’t as it were wayward children but enemies of the king/owner.

 

The act of sending his son wasn’t an act of ignorance or stupidity, it was an act of love.

 

Jesus is saying that God values the tenants so much he is willing to sacrifice his servants to save them and eventually his son.

 

Side note: To take a step away from this parable, God hasn’t changed. God is still willing to sacrifice his servants to save the wayward. God can ask that of us because he also did it. God isn’t up in heaven calling us to suffer for him while he has it easy. God has suffered for us.

 

Sometimes the suffering in this world is a result of sin, ours or others but other times God allows us to suffer so that other tenants in this world can be saved, just like he allowed others to suffer so that we might be saved.

 

The tenants have faulty logic, they believe that killing the son will mean that they will get the inheritance. (What???)

 

Nowhere in the world does murder mean you get an inheritance. It’s always the way to lose it. Even Klingons wouldn’t go for that. An honorable fight to the death yes, murder never.

 

Jesus asks what will that owner do?

 

This question is like what Nathan did when he confronted David.

 

(This answer is obvious and no one would have argued it.) Tenants will need to be killed (face judgement) and new tenants found.

 

Then Jesus gives a quote from Psalm 118:22,23. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ The chief priest and the scribes see this as an accusation against them.

 

Jesus as Paul will say is Ephesians 2:20 and Peter sill say in 1 Peter 2:6 Jesus is this cornerstone and his rejection is a marvelous thing.

 

This is the truth: The rejection and crusifition of Jesus which we will soon celebrate is a victory, not just because he dies for our sins but he is risen and is in victory. He has become the chief cornerstone. Without Jesus nothing holds together.

 

The Chief priest and the scribes know this is directed at them but they see it as against them.

 

This is NOT against them it is a warning to them.

 

The story isn’t a condemnation it is like the story of Hosea a love story a story which is trying to call them back. Yes it carries a warning a dire warning but they need it. These both show God is slow to anger and full of mercy. But eventually if God is going to be just he has to punish.

 

It is like a doctor warning a person who has kidney disease to watch out for the amounts of fluids they drink. He isn’t being mean. He is trying to warn them.

 

Often in the Bible we receive warnings and condemnations about sin. Often people don’t like it but the truth is that if life run on our own principles falls apart.

 

Before people point at the church (as an organization through history) and say they didn’t do well. I would say yes but that is because they may have been saying they were serving God and following Jesus but they weren’t. They were like the chief priest and scribes that we read about here and God will bring judgment on them.

 

The owner has been doing what is right, in a real way he is working for the tenants but the tenants don’t see it. They see a threat to what is THEIRS (even if it isn’t)

 

Unlike David, the Chief Priests and scribes though seeing this was about them, didn’t repent. They wanted to kill and destroy.

 

This is true. Even today if we don’t like what someone says what often takes place is we try to destroy the messenger.

 

We see this but as I mentioned earlier We  often look at these people and think that is horrible and maybe even pat ourselves on the back because we are not like that.  

However as is often the case of the Bible, what we see as the issues of others are often things in ourselves that we need to deal with.

 

Leviticus 25:23 The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it

 

1 Corinthians 10:26

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

 

Revelation 4:11

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and were created.”

 

Everything in this world is Gods.

 

God is trying to work for your best and the best for all. Are you willing to trust him?

 

Or do you attack and dismiss the truth or maybe even the messengers he sends?

 

Today I’m like Nathan, I have shared a parable where you may have said those chief priest and scribes are horrible they deserve to die.

 

I’m here to tell you, if you haven’t surrendered everything to Jesus  (not just saying Jesus I want to go to heaven but really given him everything) then you’re the man.

 

You are refusing to give the God, the owner of your life, what is right.

 

And judgement will fall.

The good news is God is working for you good. He wants to save you and guess what he sent his son to save you. Though our sins put him on the cross, so in a real way we killed Jesus. God wants to save us.

 

God wants you to be in right relationship with him. The true Lord of Life. So will you surrender to him.

 

Dear God,

 Forgive me for I have not let you have all of my life. I have sinned against you and not been obedient. Have mercy on me. I thank you that you sent Jesus to die for my sins and that he was resurrected so I have hope for life everlasting. Jesus be the Lord of my life and help me to serve you faithfully.

I ask in Jesus name, Amen

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Psalm 48

 

I was recently reminded that though we are a very North-oriented people, ancient Israel was East-oriented. We would see north as up. Israel would have seen the East as up and thus God can destroy those not just from the East (closer to God) but also those from Tarish the very south all the way down there. This psalm is saying there is no place where God isn't King. 

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Numbers 23

 As I look at this again, I'm reminded how Balak thinks that seeing Israel from a different vantage point will change things. I know this probably has more to do with the pagan idea that some places are controlled by certain forces or gods and therefore moving might get Balak what he wants. It's not the case. God is proving he is God of every place. 

The second thing for us today is just because you change locations doesn't make sin okay. Sin is sin. You might want to try and find an exception in the Bible and therefore excuse what sin you want to do but that doesn't make it so. Do what Balak didn't do, listen to God. God told Balak through Balaam, if you want to be blessed, he needed to bless Israel. Balak had the answer, he didn't want it.

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Numbers 22

  I read a book that reminded the reader that fear was something we should listen to. Fear is a response to stimulus that we may understand, but often don't. Fear isn't a bad thing, I believe it is a gift from God for us in this fallen world. The problem with fear, as with anger, is that they can be good tools or signs but bad masters. As we see in this chapter, Balak is afraid of what he sees. His fear causes him to assume that the only way to deal with Israel is to see them destroyed. It seems to me he didn't see Israel as a possible ally or as someone that he could reason with. He didn't try any solution to his problem other than to try and destroy them using what he would have thought of as magic. 

The sad thing is that if Balak had reached out to Israel, then God may have led Israel away from his borders or created an ally. We will never know because Balak allowed his fear to drive him rather than (as I see it) his reason. 

Speaking of people not seeing the obvious, Balaam's donkey served him faithfully, and it was just this day something was different. From the interaction with the donkey, the donkey's actions were out of character. Balaam didn't ask himself why his faithful donkey was acting different, he assumed it was being difficult. Personally, I think he knew he wasn't supposed to go and therefore was in a bad mood. In my experience, those who are doing something they know they shouldn't are often one misstep from anger and rarely see how it is there actions, which are the problem.  

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Isaiah 62

 Though God has called judgment on Zion and Jerusalem. It is the love for Zion and Jerusalem that God will save them. For God it isn't always about love in the sense of peace and safety that God operates. God's love is about making his beloved better. Like raising children, if you love them you will discipline them. Often that discipline changes depending on the action. The problem with human punishment is that it is often based on what is best to make us feel better than on what is needed for the person doing wrong. God on the other hand always does what is best for the person involved and the community around them. God's anger, as it were, isn't about making God feel better, it's about doing what is right.  

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Numbers 21

 In the last chapter, Israel walked away, but here they attack and utterly destroy the enemy. God gives them permission and helps them. This seems brutal, yet there is a reason. Typically, when nations or armies attacked a place, it was plundered. The best of everything is taken. Often the reason for attacking wasn't for righteousness but for gain. Moses, by pleading to destroy it all, is saying that we are doing this because it is right, not for us to make a profit. Nations today claim that they are doing things for the right reasons or to defend the rights of others, but unfortunately, too often it is about the bottom line. Moses tells God we won't be doing that and by pleading destruction removes greed from the table. 

Side note: Moses didn't pledge to chase after the people as they fled but to destroy what was there.

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Mark 11

 Here again are rough draft sermon notes. 

Mark 11:1-14 (and chapter 14)

 

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’ ”

 

They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

 

“Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

 

Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

 

The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

The Triumphal Entry

Repentance and Forgiveness

As we begin to finish the book of Mark and looking at the life of Christ I want us to see something that is critical for the Christian faith and the work and ministry of Jesus: Forgiveness.

 

I will bet in all the years of ministry you have never heard someone link Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with forgiveness though I am sure that pastors have tacked a plead to accept Christ on the end of a message on the Triumphal Entry.

 

However, there is something we need to understand clearly. Jesus loved his enemies. Jesus wanted to see those who hated him to change.

 

As we saw in last week’s message Jesus gave a truly harsh parable to give a warning to those who wanted to kill him. He wasn’t condemning he was trying to save. By the way, there were many religious leaders who did come to have faith in Christ. Some before now and others in the book of Acts. Jesus knew he wasn’t going to get most of them to change there were going to be only a few which would ask for forgiveness, but Jesus offered it to all of them. He gave them a chance while also warning them of the consequences.

 

Jesus also made it clear that this is the life we are to live. We are to love our enemies and try to bring them to God.

 

Of course, as I have said before this doesn’t mean that we allow them to continue to sin or enable them to do so. But our actions ultimately need to motivated as God’s is by love.

 

So let’s look at Jesus’ entry.

 

It would have been proper in those days when an important religious or Spiritual leader to come to Jerusalem that those in authority should make certain preparations.

 

Preparing for Dignitaries:

1.    Provide transportation (mount or carriage)

2.    They should clear a path (during festivals it was hard to do this)

3.    Provide food

 

Jesus had to provide his own borrowed mount.

A donkey (never ridden, no bond, loyal to death)

They saw donkeys in Scriptures are often (not always) associated with death: Abraham & Issac, Baalam, Sampson, Disobedient Prophet 1 Kings 13,   

 

Jesus disciples cleared a path laying out clothes and palm branches.

 

I’m going to jump ahead a little in the Story to look at the last thing that the religious leaders should have provided: food.

 

In verse 12 and 14 Jesus goes to a fig tree and finds nothing on it. (Frist fruit not the main harvest) Often teachers will say this is Jesus demonstrating that the fig tree that was Jerusalem and it’s religious system had no fruit for the hungry and Jesus was showing in a physical action, live-action parable you could say, that the Jerusalem and the temple were going to be destroyed. This is true!

 

However, there is another story taking place. Writing from the times say that since the first fruits which were to be given to the priest weren’t done regularly, they took it on themselves to go out and clear all of the surrounding trees in the area of the fruit themselves.

 

The problem with this is it wasn’t what God commanded. God said the people were supposed to bring it in not them go take it. Secondly, this meant there was nothing left for the poor. Lastly, though the first fruits were for those chosen by God for a purpose now the religious leaders were the ones deciding who was “chosen.”

 

Jesus curses the tree (more on that in a minute)

 

Return to the Entry

 

People proclaimed (their expectation)

1.    Hoseana – Lord Save us

2.    Son of David – Earthly Kingdom

 

Leaders coming in go to their places of power.

Jesus went to the temple examined what was happening and left doing nothing. (not the place where the people would have thought that an earthly King would start his work)

 

Mark 11:15- 19

Jesus cleanses the temple. What was going on? Thief specifically from those who couldn’t afford it.

1.    Money exchange (fee involved)

2.    Pigeon bought (market cornered, Priest would proclaim wither of not an offering brought in was acceptable- what corruption could happen here? Plenty!)

3.    Stopped all sales (put a stop to the sin)

4.    Proclaimed the truth

 

Withered Tree Mark 11:20-25 “In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.  “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

 

 

Jesus has as I said before did a live-action parable, but also by cursing this tree removed another place were the Religious leaders could disobey God.

 

The disciples are amazed by the miracle not what it represents.

 

If God does a miracle there is a reason, even if it is only to show his love.

 

The disciples are still amazed at the things Jesus does. Perhaps thinking that they might have that power too? They had done other miracles.

 

Jesus gives a simplistic example of what faith can do but doesn’t stop there (most teachers do).

 

It is like Jesus is saying Yes faith can do great things but, first forgive so that you can be.

 

Remember Jesus is saying this as they are looking at the symbol of Jesus’ warning and if I could go so far, His call to repentance and later another call in a parable (which we talked about last week)

 

Jesus had every reason to rail against the Religious leaders or begin to talk more about the power of God but Jesus switches it all over and tells the disciples to FORGIVE is you hold anything (right, wrong, indifferent) against ANYONE (EVERYONE!)

 

Later We see that Jesus gives a warning in the Last Supper when Judas is there that one will betray him. Jesus was trying to give Judas, I believe a chance to change. In fact, when Jesus when speaking about Judas says in Mark 14:21 “But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born,” the word Woe is a lament. Jesus is brokenhearted over what is going to happen to Jesus.

 

Jesus is saddened by the choice of those who choose wrong? Jesus offers them opportunity to forgive while confronting it. Jesus does these things out of love! Jesus did tell us to love not just our friends, family, and those like us. (Sermon on the Mount) He called on us to love those who hate us and forgive.

 

Jesus didn’t just tell us to do this he did it himself.

 

Are you?

Proverbs 12

 There are many great principles of truth in this chapter, but I'm going to pick one right now, and that is about a wife. It says that a noble wife is a crown to her husband but a disgraceful one is decay. I think of the scene in the third Indian Jones movie where they are told to choose wisely as one cup brings life but the others bring death. Spoiler alert: the bad guy chooses poorly and dies horribly. Indians Jones chooses wisely and lives. When it comes to picking a wife, choose wisely. That goes for women choosing husbands too. 

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Numbers 20

Why did you bring us here? It seems that Israel forgot that it was God who led them by the pillar of cloud and fire. Now the people are complaining that Moses was the problem and not God. It's good that the people didn't complain against God, but the problem was that the complaint was against God because it was God who led them.  

Edom isn't attacked. We often see that God will have Israel attack or defend itself, but here they just left. For me this is a reminder that though there may be a time to defend yourself and your rights, there is also a time to just walk away, and perhaps more often than not, walking away is what we should be doing. 

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Numbers 19

This picture demonstrates how uncleanness in the Old Testament was transmitted.

 It is important to point out that the one who is to sprinkle the unclean can't be unclean. Only the clean can perform the actions needed to make the unclean clean. This is also a picture of Jesus, who, as the scriptures say, is the perfect lamb, the one who is clean. However, Jesus' cleanness/perfection is different from that of any other human because Jesus can touch the unclean and not be corrupted or made unclean. Jesus' touch, as we see in the Gospels, heals the unclean and the diseased. This is why Jesus' cleansing is better than what was ever in the Law. 

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Isaiah 61

 

After the prophecy that Jesus quotes, the chapter goes on to speak on how those who trust God will be blessed. There is coming a day and in some ways it has already begun that we will know God's blessings. This ultimately will be a new heaven and a new earth, but in the meantime we can and will see God move in awesome ways in our lives. He will clothe us with His salvation. 

In the middle of this chapter it is said that God hates robbery and iniquity. Often people want to think about these things as what others do. The criminal is the robber. The bad person does iniquity. However, if we look closely we may find that we are also robbers and those who do iniquity. For just one example, God accused Israel of robbery since they weren't faithful in giving. Let's make sure we keep our lives right before God and to repent when we fail.

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Numbers 18

 

Two things stand out to me on this reading. One was that God is not speaking to Moses but to Aaron. Though earlier we are told by both Aaron and Miriam that God spoke to them, but here we actually have it recorded. Couldn't God have relayed this through Moses? Yes, but he chose not to. Second, the Levites who received the tithes from Israel were to tithe themselves. 

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Mark 10

This topic is profound and to preach in 20 minutes means not getting into every detail or exceptions but that is the point of the message. We shouldn't be living for the exceptions. These are rough notes, please excuse the mistakes.   

 Mark 10:1-12

Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them.

 

Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

 

“What did Moses command you?” he replied.

 

They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away.”

 

“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, b 8and the two will become one flesh.’  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

 

When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”

Divorce

 

I want to begin by saying I’m not preaching this because I want to attack anyone. I questioned several times about doing it, but the problem is people have lots of thoughts about this subject but little Biblical understanding. Like slavery before the civil war, people used scripture to “prove” they were right without asking what God really wanted.

 

 

 

As Chapter 10 begins Jesus begins teaching but the Pharisees came to tested him.

 

Just like before the some of the Pharisees aren’t there to get a real answer they are looking to divide Jesus from the people.

 

There were two different schools of thought on the division in marriage.

 

Hillel- Your response to your spouse should be as to honor God.

                 Our suffering is a praise to God.

 

Schlomo – God wants us to have well-being, Don’t judge others,

                          Divorce is a medicine you can take to cure yourself.

 

No matter what Jesus said the Pharisees trusted that Jesus would offend at least half of the people.

 

Jesus answers the question with the question.

What does Moses command?

 

Moses did give a command for divorce. This was the equivalent of a divorce decree without the ability to remarry. It tried to bring rational thought to what is often an emotional situation.

 

Jesus is laying out that the reason God gave this is because of the hardness our hearts.

 

Hardness of heart isn’t always the one who decides to walk away, it is equally speaking of those who live in a way that breaks trust.

 

Jesus as he always does takes them to the heart of the problem.

 

God’s plan was for married couples to stay married.

 

Marriage God’s way

1.    One man and one woman

2.    Leave their parents

3.    Be united (what’s in the best interest of my spouse)

4.    Become one (not a joint venture)

5.    Don’t try and break it up. (anyone that includes wrong behavior in the relationship)

 

It’s not mine or hers, it’s ours.

 

The problem with the Pharisees was they were focusing not on how to keep people together but on the way to break people up. They weren’t asking how do we stay safe, but how close can I get to the edge without going into sin.

 

Hillel problem – Ignored the actions of breaking by one of the members.

          1 Corinthians 7 speaks of a believer staying in relationship with unbeliever if they will live peaceably.  

Schlomo – Focused on pleasing oneself.

 

When Jesus is alone with his disciples, he lays out that if someone gets a divorce and then takes someone else they are committing adultery.

 

Divorce isn’t adultery, its sleeping(sex) with someone later that is adultery.

Note: adultery is not an unpardonable sin.  

 

The problem with divorce is that it divides what is supposed to be joined. (Break plate/tear a paper plate)

 

What about the innocent party? This is where honest believers have disagreements.

1.    Stay as you are. (1 Cor. 7)

2.    If you burn with passion, it is better to marry (1 Cor. 7:9)

 

The problem is in the culture then and now is are we focusing on living in unity or on trying to divide?

 

The next story is the disciples trying to divide Jesus from children.

 

Our focus should be on keeping unity. Not just in our relationships but in the relationships of others.

 

Don’t go looking for a way out, don’t do something that requires a way out.

 

Bad things happen but focus not on cures but on staying healthy. In our marriages and if I could be so bold, in our churches.