The Pilgrim Path---Mark 10: 1—12

And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked , “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

HEART DISEASE…

The state of things is an ugly state. We are reminded of that here as the Religious Elite come to talk to the LORD Jesus Christ. They seem to be “all” concerned about divorce---when they were not too concerned about it at all. By Jesus’ day the restraints on divorce had gotten too easy for Jewish men of influence. You could part ways with your wife for something as minor as poor cooking or poor looks. The women really received some shoddy treatment (this went back to Moses’ day). The LORD Jesus acknowledged that Moses had allowed a certificate of divorce, “because of your hardness of heart. But from the beginning , God made them---male and female.” The meaning being: you are to “stick together.” Two shall become one.

There are biblical grounds for divorce. Go back over the Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 24---and get a six-point over-view on, “Marriage and Divorce.” Much goes on in this ole world. I never encourage a woman to remain in a situation where she is threatened by harm in an abusive marriage. LORD Willing, the Church can aid in these situations---with appropriate counseling and care. They are never easy---and are never solved in anything close to a short period of time. The LORD help us All!

PLEASE pray for all our couples and all our people. What this TEXT reveals is, the insidious nature of a dangerous disease: HARDNESS OF HEART. Hardness of heart develops as you repeatedly turn from God’s Word---and you put what you “think” above what God says.

Hardness of heart is real---and rampant…

Here are some genuine conversations I have had with Church People over the years:

“Pastor---I just don’t love my wife anymore. The love is just not there. I’m going to move out.” This man had started dating an 18 year old that he had met while teaching a course at a local community college (I was not supposed to find that out---he was an assistant to the attorney general / lived in a big house / went to church every week / smiled a great deal).

“Pastor---I just do not think you can know you can be compatible with a woman ---unless you have had sex with her---before you get married.” PCA Ruling Elder, 25 years ago…this was said in a Session meeting…no one cared…

“Pastor---I sure would like to be reconciled with my wife.” PCA Ruling Elder 29 years ago---who at the time was separated from his wife. Sadly, he was living with another woman (this was said in a Session meeting---I was not supposed to know about the “other” woman).

Focus on the Family says over 1,600 ministers a month “leave” the ministry. Do you have a better understanding of why that may be true?

Hardness of heart develops as you repeatedly turn from God’s Word---and put what you “think” above what God says.

Help Us Gracious Savior to Believe Your truth and Follow what You say with sincere devotion and Love…

“My dear brother, let God make of you what he will, he will end all with consolation, and shall make glory out of your sufferings; and would you wish better work?” Samuel Rutherford

HYMN

Rough paths my feet have trod,

Since first their course began;

Feed me, thou Bread of God,

Help me, thou Son of Man.

For still the desert lies

My thirsting soul before;

O Living waters rise

Within me evermore.

John B. Monsell, 1866

Grace and Peace in Jesus Christ Our Risen LORD, Pastor Jason