Would Jesus Get A Divorce?
Preaching
Shaking Wolves Out Of Cherry Trees
And 149 Other Sermon Ideas
Purpose Statement: This is a very difficult subject, but there is such a high percentage of persons who are divorced, divorced and remarried, or contemplating divorce, that it merits our attention.
Surely, many church members are confused over when and if divorce is right. Surely, ministers have had divorced members ask, "Am I living in sin?" The subject is made more difficult because it is hard to understand the position Jesus took. Mark 10:1-12 seems to be Jesus' definitive word on the subject. His position appears to be: There should be no divorce (vv. 8-9), and anyone divorcing and remarrying is guilty of adultery (vv. 11-12). Other addenda would include: a man (sic) who, apparently, has never married commits adultery by marrying a divorced woman (Luke 16:18), and in Matthew 22:23-30 Jesus seems to say nothing to challenge the Jewish tradition of a man marrying his brother's widow. What should the Christian's position be?
a. First, if not totally prohibited, divorce should be an extreme last resort. Jesus stresses the importance and beauty in the rich relationship of marriage where two become one. Divorce reflects failure at some point, and it creates a host of problems, which are especially compounded when there are children. In a day and age when everyone is talking about family values, it is easy to see that greater numbers of divorce reflect not just families with problems, but a society that has serious problems. Divorce destroys potentially beautiful relationships, or more accurately, is the culmination of a destroyed relationship. Currently, we stress exploring all other avenues before seeking divorce.
b. Second, it may be a matter of a "higher" principle taking precedence. There are times when two principles clash and one must choose between them. In this case it would be choosing between the sin of divorce and the sin of people destroying each other in a disastrous relationship. One could, perhaps, obtain Jesus' approval of divorce by some creative interpreting. When Jesus says, "What God has joined together," we could claim a broken relationship was never "joined by God" no matter who said the vows.
c. Third, how do you resolve the problem of a divorced person contemplating remarriage? The reason for Jesus or the church's caution is that at some point a series of divorces and remarriages becomes simply promiscuity. It would seem there is some limit to whether these marriages are real relationships. Unless one has a more creative way of sidestepping Jesus, one may have to say, "It may be wrong, but I am doing it!"
d. Fourth, once a divorced person remarries, the problem shouldn't be compounded with another divorce. The sins of the past are forgiven and forgotten. When people ask me if they are living in sin, I reply that it is a new life from today forward and a fresh start when sins are forgiven. God doesn't want another broken relationship.
e. Finally, as mentioned above, Jesus apparently doesn't condemn widows and widowers who remarry.
Surely, many church members are confused over when and if divorce is right. Surely, ministers have had divorced members ask, "Am I living in sin?" The subject is made more difficult because it is hard to understand the position Jesus took. Mark 10:1-12 seems to be Jesus' definitive word on the subject. His position appears to be: There should be no divorce (vv. 8-9), and anyone divorcing and remarrying is guilty of adultery (vv. 11-12). Other addenda would include: a man (sic) who, apparently, has never married commits adultery by marrying a divorced woman (Luke 16:18), and in Matthew 22:23-30 Jesus seems to say nothing to challenge the Jewish tradition of a man marrying his brother's widow. What should the Christian's position be?
a. First, if not totally prohibited, divorce should be an extreme last resort. Jesus stresses the importance and beauty in the rich relationship of marriage where two become one. Divorce reflects failure at some point, and it creates a host of problems, which are especially compounded when there are children. In a day and age when everyone is talking about family values, it is easy to see that greater numbers of divorce reflect not just families with problems, but a society that has serious problems. Divorce destroys potentially beautiful relationships, or more accurately, is the culmination of a destroyed relationship. Currently, we stress exploring all other avenues before seeking divorce.
b. Second, it may be a matter of a "higher" principle taking precedence. There are times when two principles clash and one must choose between them. In this case it would be choosing between the sin of divorce and the sin of people destroying each other in a disastrous relationship. One could, perhaps, obtain Jesus' approval of divorce by some creative interpreting. When Jesus says, "What God has joined together," we could claim a broken relationship was never "joined by God" no matter who said the vows.
c. Third, how do you resolve the problem of a divorced person contemplating remarriage? The reason for Jesus or the church's caution is that at some point a series of divorces and remarriages becomes simply promiscuity. It would seem there is some limit to whether these marriages are real relationships. Unless one has a more creative way of sidestepping Jesus, one may have to say, "It may be wrong, but I am doing it!"
d. Fourth, once a divorced person remarries, the problem shouldn't be compounded with another divorce. The sins of the past are forgiven and forgotten. When people ask me if they are living in sin, I reply that it is a new life from today forward and a fresh start when sins are forgiven. God doesn't want another broken relationship.
e. Finally, as mentioned above, Jesus apparently doesn't condemn widows and widowers who remarry.
