Download... November 1, 2009. Sunday morning service. Bro. Dave Goble.
TEXT: Matthew 19: 3-11
3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
The message this morning doesn't deal with literal divorce but our relationship with God. You can "start well," but if you don't finish well, ..you don't really finish.
Many times God has shown so much mercy to so many, yet something "leaks out," and you see them...no more. The World has an effect, and we see "them" no longer around the "body" of Christ. Yet God has a way to keep us close to Him. Here in this scripture, we "see" Jesus speaking with a religious group, who at this time were under the law. Then a man could put away his wife with a divorce, for any cause regardless of how trivial, with religion's acceptance. God wants us to know it is not about who's right, and who's wrong, but the attitude reflected. The high minded "pharisees" in these times, needed some reproof. Verse 6b: ..."What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder."
The Title of this text "The Great Divorce," was taken by Br D Goble from C.S.Lewis, who wrote a book with this title. It was an answer in allegory, to a previously "false" book by another stating all evil will eventually become good. Lewis's book more correctly illustrates that there really is no grey matter in this, as good, is only by choice of self denial, as is evil is the gratification of fleshly choices, from no real faith. The thought here is pointing out,.."The Great Divorce," between God and how the "merely" religious" are living. The Pharisees valued their religious traditions over the relationship God had created differently,.. or Their God had actually created. They had "changed" the rules on how God wants the relationship to be. Between God and individual spirits,..... there is a Great Divorce in the religious world today!
So many are having a great or difficult time to comprehend the concept of the marriage of God's children,.. to Christ. Consider,..a Truly- in- Love couple,.. Never want to be separated for Anything. Then Real life comes,..where they must set some things aside. They became "acclimated" and return later,.. also to some of their previous interests. A lot of hard work goes into a successful marriage. A lot of sacrifice, for two souls to be "knit" together, one flesh, a union, of two spirits ...made as One. It is not always by choice when something "separates." Yet, as long as "true love" Rules,.. it is a "Type" of our relationship with God.
The Jews had, had that relationship at one time to reveal God. But,..in fact the Pharisees "attitude" was allowing separating in a marriage for trivial matters,.. and not for a real cause.
Likewise in our times that attitude has caused Divorce to become cheap in our society,..like it's values. Marriage is in reality a legal agreement, made between those two people. In a Christian marriage it is in spirit, before God Himself.
A "type" of our relationship with God, ..Demonstrates God. I am responsible on how I deal with these relationships. I need to be Careful. Likewise there is a type of marriage today with souls. There is a Great Divorce going on between men, women, boys, girls,...And God. God's message is not meant to be uncomfortable,..but to stir us to be true to God. People too easily give up their commitment, everything is too grey,..life like a "waiting place," Nothing really more,.. it becomes life to the "unregenerate." Again, a Great Divorce is going on between men, women, boys, girls,.. And God. God desires to be married...to our souls.
Revelations 19:9 God is calling us to a marriage supper,..not just as witnesses as two are getting married,..but to The Church as His Bride. The problem is people today separate themselves from The Church. "The Church" only becomes a "thing", an idea,.. we see it, all around, as only considered.. an "institution." "They" become the Church,.. instead of precious souls married to God! Listen to your language about this vital Serious, potential, not devoted, and disrespectful attitude. How do you separate yourself? The Great Divorce..."You know what They will say", or anything pertaining to "Me, Myself, or I". The Church,....became Self. God's children UNselfishly... Are The Church, "The Ecclesia-called out,(origins from meeting in Greece, on a hill)" "The Assembly", "The Congregation," "The Summoned,"....the people who gather." The "holding the sovereignty of the people,..the Ecclesia." If you did not go up with that group, you had nothing to say about their decisions, yet were relegated to their rule, or affected. The same today happens with our voting system. If you don't vote, you truly have nothing to say about the effects of the elected. You must "see" the church as Me, or The Assembly, or you are not Married to Christ. "Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage supper of the Lamb!" In those "earlier bible times, the supper for the marriage, took place in a house, ..often took a week, leading up to that man and woman's consummation of their marriage together.
Too many today are witnesses without a participation,..defining The Great Divorce. People who are not married in soul to Christ, are those who are not participants.
Proverbs 18:24 ...... Closer than a brother,..essentially as in being married to Christ. Only Jesus can "solve", be involved,..."closer than a brother." Liturgies, "processes," but only a witness to the marriage,..is a Great Mystery. The "world" wants to break the marriage, ..therefore often, ..The Great Divorce. Why is this such a problem? Substitutions of All kinds of "things," ..are being substituted for the "split marriage." When you get your eye on someone "special," they can become the "apple of your eye." When actually the apple of your eye is meant for God alone. People frequently everyday make substitutions,.."divorcing" themselves from Christ. Why is it so difficult to remain married? Because in a large part, the entertainments they choose,..other temporal choices, over devotions exclusively meant exclusively for God. Goals, agendas, ..The Great Divorce, even amongst those "claiming" marriage to Christ around the Church. God wants to be our marriage partner. Regardless of how young or old, God wants to be spiritually married to you.
Frequently temporal distractions, employment, education, etc., consumes their thinking of Him. When so many would try to use the thought "I have to put bread on the table," that attitude is often just a "cop-out." It becomes an excuse for any particular "agenda," ...their values, their training, time sacrifices, their excitement,..but substituted for God,.. it causes The Great Divorce. Their children interests sometimes becomes a "god" for their self interests. You cannot be excessively supportive of your personal interests (example, children) and... what God might dictate. There is no substitute for God's union,..for our direct participation in that. For an example Liturgy a way to worship. People take the notion of "Liturgy," as their "marriage" to Christ as a replacement of selflessly serving Him, or a substitute for a True relationship. Too often after "the honeymoon" wears off, the "Marriage" becomes unappreciated work. Everyday Marriage to God or your mate, involves a Devotional work or labor. If this is not the case for you, it must be that you have substituted something else, and The Great Divorce, is happening! Substituting "patterns" for Prayer, can have a real "liturgy" style. So sometimes...there is no "safety" in prayer,..unless fully surrendered . This full resignation can seem risky, but is is Vitally invaluable to marriage to Christ. Being willing,..takes labor,..not Just a routine. Vital devotions.
A term that is used in wrestling is,.."tapping out." Someone outside the ring, comes and taps you for their turn, for their chance to get in the ring. Such as in Greece Wrestling,..if I "tap" back, I Submit to that "interference." People today are "tapping out," of the battle," to the evil, because it is too tough, difficult,etc.,.. ultimately they submit to the world,.. and not to God.
Ephesians 6:12 We wrestle against the fleshly principalities, a match, so as not to "tap out" of the spiritual battle. We don't wrestle literal flesh and blood, but the motivations that drive the flesh against the spiritual. Too many are reversing (potentially some young people).. wrestling against another one. The pastor gave an example provided by his high school son, Mike Goble. Some go to his high school to actually learn, while others are known at other high schools to circumvent the learning system by figuratively "wrestling" against the teacher's efforts to teach. It essentially comes down to a "babysitting" system, because some of those students have willfully halted a potentially beneficial learning environment, or again,... The Great Divorce. Spiritually this applies to and is based in those who have again "substituted" their goals, for the submission solely to God. So the Un-submissive are battling each other, a social hour, adults wrestle with adults at work, status, position, reputation,.. so it becomes a wrestling match between employees, employers, etc. Conservatives, Liberals, are more polarized in this country, than at any other recent history. People are again substituting marriage with Christ for their fleshly battles,..The Great Divorce. Fleshly minded people want to "rewrite the rules," instead of Learning of God's way,.. or His Way.
Revelations 19:6-9 Between God and his people, Almighty God Omnipotent reigneth. This wife is the Church who has made herself ready in fine, clean, "white linen," and the priesthood, which Is the righteousness of the saints. You cannot continue to be a sinner, and be married to God. Don't substitute Anything for the relationship God wants to have with you. Allow No substitute other than the Worship God desires,..to avoid The Great Divorce. Be willing for God's corrections, the surrendering of Anything distracting,.. from The Marriage to Christ. An older person (and now wiser) once said,.."what I know now, I could have used earlier." Br Goble confessed in a class he once took, he finally got it, and still ended up with a C, because he got it, a little late, for any great advantage, like potentially so many of us. Again, as in the first line of these thoughts, it ends with, "You can start well, but if you don't finish well, ..you don't really finish."
