Upside Down Kingdom: Mission & Message | Week 7 | Upside Down Marriage | Matthew 5:31-37

Week 7 | Radical Renewal

"And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil." – Matthew 5:36-37 

Matthew 5:31-37
 
As Disciples of Jesus, we understand the Christian faith is rooted in the biblical principal “covenant”: an unchangeable, legal agreement between God and man that clearly defines the requirements, promises, and conditions of the relationship. The concept of covenant is vital for how we understand key relationship like marriage and our relationship with God.

From the beginning God instituted marriage between one man and one women. It was a covenant from God whereby He says the two will become one flesh. A married couple is in that sense a new creation made by God.  Marriage isn’t a civil, cultural or governmental contract it is an institution of God by God for His people. We don’t define marriage, God does, because He created it. He made marriage to be monogamous and to be cherished by all involved.  Yet we recognize sin impacts marriages.

Because men and women bring sin to their relationships and sin in their relationships the covenant bonds of marriage can be frayed and broken. God’s Old Testament laws were written to include instruction on divorce to protect women and children from the negative impacts that are often experienced. However, what God meant for provision man turns to perversion. Men would use the Laws on divorce to easily end a marriage.

Jesus restores and renews the significance of marriage by raising the stakes of divorce. Jesus emphasizes the sanctity of marriage as laid out in scripture and affirms it cannot be dissolved lightly.  What God has joined together cannot be torn apart painlessly so it should be avoided. Jesus says there is only one completely legitimate biblical cause for divorce, “sexual immorality/fornication”. Physical, or emotional, unfaithfulness by one or both parties in the marriage effectively destroys the bonds of one flesh enough to violate the covenant. The sin of unfaithfulness in marriage destroys the marriage covenant and can make divorce allowable. Divorce for adultery is legitimate. When legitimate divorce ends a marriage, the non-offending spouse is free to remarry. Your relationship to that person is the same as if they were not alive. We are to remain faithful and true in our marriages and all our other relationship.

Jesus wants what his disciples say to be reliable. Truth in relationships, particularly between Christian brothers and sisters, is a command from God. We acknowledge the dignity of our neighbors who are made in the image and likeness of God by recognizing they have a right to the truth.  Telling the truth is important in respecting our neighbors and God who is the source of all truth.  There is mercy and grace. We have broken our promises and covenants with God when we fail to love Him and our neighbors perfectly. On the cross God Jesus is broken so God does not have to break His promise with us.

QUESTIONS: 

1. What part of the text or sermon had the greatest impact on you? Did you learn anything new about Jesus, marriage, or divorce?
2. What examples, positive or negative, of marriage did you experience growing up? How did these examples shape your view of marriage?
3. When have you seen or experienced divorce? What was the impact on those involved? Did it line up with Jesus’ teaching on divorce?
4. Why does honesty and truth matter in our speech and relationships? When have you seen trust broken? When has it been restored?

PRAY – Praise God the Father for creating the gift of Marriage. Thank Jesus for being forsaken on the cross so we do not have to be. Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen and sustain the marriage in our community.