Sermon Notes:
1. Putting God to the Test (10:1-2)
2. The Bible, Divorce and Remarriage (10:3-12)
3. Some Important Texts (Genesis 2:18-25, Deuteronomy 24:1-4, Malachi 2:13-16, Matthew 5:31-32, Romans 7:1-3, 1 Cor 7:8-1)
4. Summary Lessons
1. Marriage is a gift and work of God that receives its meaning and significance from him.
2. God’s design for marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman and unique among all human relationships (10:6-7)
3. God’s plan from the beginning is that marriage would be permanent (10:9).
4. Jesus acknowledges that because we live in a fallen world and have hard hearts, divorce will occur (10:3-4).
5. To divorce one’s spouse without a biblical cause and remarry another is to commit the sin of adultery.
Study Questions (Questions gleaned from D. Akin “Exalting Jesus in Mark”.)
1. How has the world changed in the last 50 years with regard to relationships and divorce? What were the social trends behind those changes? What can the church do to improve society?
2. What aspects of Genesis 2:18-25 point to God’s prescription for the ideal marriage?
3. What is the definition marriage? What is the purpose of marriage?
4. Why is it difficult not to let feelings enter into the determination of what is the biblical truth about divorce?
5. How has the fall influenced God's ideal for marriage? How does it affect the way a Christian might counsel couples?
6. How would you respond to someone who says, ‘I’ll just get divorced and remarried, then I’ll ask God for forgiveness”?
7. Why are there so many different opinions on divorce and remarriage?
8. What can the church do to help prevent divorce before it happens? What can individuals do?
