The Perspective Of The King | Matthew 19

CONTEXT:

IDENTITY OF THE KING: Chapter 16-17

COMMUNITY OF THE KING: Chapter 18

PERSPECTIVE OF THE KING: Chapter 19

EXAMPLE OF THE KING: Chapter 20

So, THE IDENTITY OF JESUS: MATTHEW 16 AND 17.

Religious Leaders Wanted Jesus To Do Signs.

Religious Leaders Did Not Want A Leader.

The Disciples Wrestled With Who Jesus Was.

Peter, Inspired By The Holy Spirit, Confessed Jesus Was Christ.

The Transfiguration Demonstrated The Glory Of Jesus.

It Reveals His Role As Prophet, King, And Suffering Servant.

A Voice From Heaven Verified The Identity Of Jesus.

Then, THE COMMUNITY OF JESUS. MATTHEW 18:

The Type Of People In His Kingdom.

The Life Of People In His Kingdom.

They Are Humble, Repentant, And Forgiving.

ISSUES DEALT WITH IN THIS CHAPTER WITHIN THE CHURCH:

THE KINGDOM PRINCIPLE: THE LEAST IS GREATEST:

A. GREATNESS WITHIN THE CHURCH COMMUNITY:

B. PROTECTION WITHIN THE CHURCH COMMUNITY:

C. DISCIPLINE WITHIN THE CHURCH COMMUNITY:

D. FORGIVENESS WITHIN THE CHURCH COMMUNITY:

OUTLINE:

THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE KING: MATTHEW 19:

A. HOW DOES JESUS LOOK AT DIVORCE:

(19:1–12).

B. HOW DOES JESUS LOOK AT CHILDREN:

(19:13–15).

C. HOW DOES JESUS CONFRONT THE RICH YOUNG RULER:

(19:16–30).

TAKEAWAY:

JESUS CALLS FOR TRUE FAITHFULNESS.

JESUS EXPECTS MORE THAN JUST DOING THE MINIMUM.

WHAT IS THE PRESPECTIVE OF THE KING ON THESE ISSUES:

A. HOW DOES JESUS LOOK AT DIVORCE:

(19:1–12).

TEACHING ABOUT DIVORCE.

LARGE CROWDS CONTINUE TO FOLLOW HIM, AND JESUS CONTINUES TO HEAL THOSE WHO COME TO HIM.

SOME PHARISEES FIND JESUS AND COME TO TEST HIM WITH A DIFFICULT AND DIVISIVE QUESTION.

THEY HOPE TO GET JESUS TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL DISCREDIT HIM IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE.

THEY HOPE TO GET JESUS TO SAY SOMETHING THAT WILL GIVE CAUSE TO ACCUSE HIM OF HERESY.

AMONG THE JEWS OF THAT DAY MARRIAGE WAS A SACRED DUTY.

If A Man Was Unmarried After The Age Of 20.

Except To Concentrate On The Study Of The Law.

He Was Guilty Of Breaking God’s Command.

He Was Guilty Of Failing To Be Fruitful And Multiply.

They Said That By Not Having Children.

He Killed His Own Descendants.

He Had Lessened The Glory Of God On Earth.

In Theory, The Jews Of That Day Had A High Ideal Of Marriage.

Yet They Had A Low View Of Women.

The Jews Had Very Low Views Of Women.

A Wife Was Bought, Regarded As Property, Used As A Household Drudge, And Dismissed At Pleasure.

WITH THIS AS A BACKGROUND:

THEY ASK JESUS:

IS IT LAWFUL:

FOR A MAN TO DIVORCE HIS WIFE JUST FOR INFIDELITY.

FOR A MAN TO DIVORCE HIS WIFE FOR ANY CAUSE.

THE QUESTION: WHAT CONSTITUTES UNCLEANNESS?

The School Of Rabbi Shammai:

Understood That Uncleanness Meant Sexual Immorality.

This Was The Only Valid Reason For Divorce.

The School Of Rabbi Hillel:

Understood Uncleanness To Mean Any Sort Of Indiscretion:

Example: Anything Was Considered Valid Grounds For Divorce.

Rabbis Sayings About Bad Marriages And The Bad Wife:

They Said That The Man With A Bad Wife Would Never Face Hell Because He Has Paid For His Sins On Earth.

They Said That The Man Who Is Ruled By His Wife

Has A Life That Is Not Life.

They Said That A Bad Wife Is Like Leprosy To Her Husband

And The Only Way He Could Be Cured Is By Divorce.

They Even Said: If A Man Has A Bad Wife

It Is A Religious Duty To Divorce Her.

THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE TESTING HIM:

Tried To Get Jesus To Side With One Teaching Or The Other.

If He Agreed With The Lax School Of Rabbi Hillel,

It Was Clear That Jesus Did Not Take The Law Of Moses Seriously.

If He Agreed With The Strict School Of Rabbi Shammai,

Then Jesus Might Become Unpopular With The Multitude:

Who Generally Liked Access To An Easy Divorce.

HOW DID JESUS ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION?

GET BACK TO MARRIAGE WAS HIS RESPONSE !!

JESUS SAYS:

TAKEN FROM GENESIS, CITING GOD'S PLAN FOR MARRIAGE.

GOD MADE HUMAN BEINGS TO BE MALE AND FEMALE.

GOD DECREED THAT MEN SHOULD LEAVE THEIR PARENTS.

HOLD FAST TO THEIR WIVES.

AND BECOME ONE FLESH IN MARRIAGE.

MEN SHOULD NOT SEPARATE WHAT GOD HAS JOINED.

VERSES (4-6):

FIRST ANSWER FROM JESUS: GET BACK TO MARRIAGE.

HAVE YOU NOT READ:

The Pharisees Wanted To Talk About Divorce.

The Pharisees Wanted To Talk About Rabbinical Opinions.

Jesus Wanted To Go Back To The Scriptures.

Jesus Wanted To Talk About MARRIAGE NOT DIVORCE.

Jesus Began With The First Marriage:

The One Between Adam And Eve !!

THIS EMPHASIS ON THE SCRIPTURES AND ON MARRIAGE,

Rather Than Divorce, A Wise Approach For Anyone Interested In Keeping A Marriage Together.

He Chose Specially To Set His Seal Upon A Part Of The Story Of Creation.

In The Case Of Adam And Eve Divorce Was:

Not Only Inadvisable.

Not Only Wrong.

It Was Completely Impossible.

For The Very Simple Reason That There Was No One Else Whom Either Of Them Could Possibly Marry.

IF MARRIAGE IS GROUNDED IN CREATION:

THEN IT CANNOT BE REDUCED TO COVENANT RELATIONSHIP.

THEN IT WOULD DISSOLVE WHEN PROMISES ARE BROKEN.

Genesis 1:27: Meaning:

Jesus Indicated First That God Made Men And Women Different.

God Joins Men And Women Together In Marriage.

Jesus Asserts God’s Authority Over Marriage.

IT IS AN INSTITUTION MADE BY GOD NOT MAN.

THE SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION OF MARRIAGE:

Jesus Makes It Plain That Couples Must Forsake Their Singleness.

A Man Shall Leave His Father And Mother.

And Come Together In A One-Flesh Relationship.

The Law Of God:

A Man Should NOT Forsake His Wife.

He Should Rather Forsake His Father And Mother.

He Should Cleave Unto His Wife Living And Dwelling With Her.

Adam Said This At The Creation Of Eve.

PARAPHRASED:

You Are Different Than Me.

But You Were Made For Me And From Me.

We Are Not The Same, But We Are One.

Adam Tells Us That Men And Women Are Different From Creation:

· Different Sources Of Creation.

· Different Methods Of Creation.

· Different Times Of Creation.

· Different Names At Creation.

THE 2 BECOME ONE FLESH ALSO PROHIBITS POLYGAMY.

It Shows That This Was God’s Intention From The Beginning.

Though Polygamy Was Allowed Under The Old Testament,

BUT It Was Never God’s Best.

What God Has Joined Together:

Jesus Also Reminded The Pharisees That Marriage Is Spiritually Binding Before God.

Marriage Is Not Merely A Social Contract.

And As God Has Joined, He Expects Man To Honor What He Has Joined And To Keep The Marriage Together.

THE PHARISEES PUSH BACK:

DEUTERONOMY 24: MOSES PERMITS A MAN TO GIVE HIS WIFE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE FOR INDECENCY.

HOW DID JESUS ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION?

JESUS EXPLAINED THE MOSIAC CONTROVERSERY!!

JESUS INSISTS:

ALLOWED BY MOSES ONLY BECAUSE HUMAN HEARTS ARE HARD.

IT WAS NEVER GOD'S INTENT:

FOR MARRIAGE TO BE BROKEN.

FOR MARRIAGE TO INCLUDE POLYGAMY.

VERSES(7-9):

SECOND ANSWER FROM JESUS: THE MOSAIC CONTROVERSY.

Why Then Did Moses Permit To Give A Certificate Of Divorce.

Why Did Moses Allow A Man To Put His Wife Away.

The Pharisees Wrongly Thought That God Commanded Divorce Where There Was Uncleanness.

BUT JESUS NOTED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN:

COMMAND AND PERMITTED.

GOD NEVER COMMANDS DIVORCE

BUT HE DOES PERMIT IT.

THE PHARISEES THOUGHT

THAT MOSES WAS CREATING OR PROMOTING DIVORCE.

IN FACT, HE WAS CONTROLLING IT.

Because Of The Hardness Of Your Hearts:

Divorce Is Never Commanded.

But Permitted By God In Certain Circumstances.

And God Permits It Because Of The Hardness Of Human Hearts.

WAS JESUS SAYING:

THIS IS NOT IDEAL. IT IS AN ALLOWANCE BECAUSE A HARD HEART HAS MADE IT UNOBTAINABLE ?

HARDNESS OF YOUR HEARTS:

NOT ABOUT CRUELTY OF MEN TO WIVES.

BUT ABOUT UNRESPONSIVENESS TO THE WILL OF GOD.

EXAMPLE:

SOME Will Not Reconcile The Relationship.

SOME Refuse To Get Past A Offense.

NOTE: Often The Hardness Of Heart Is On Both Sides.

EXCEPT FOR SEXUAL IMMORALITY:

Jesus Interpreted The Meaning Of The Word Uncleanness In The Mosaic Law, Showing That It Refers To Sexual Immorality,

Not Just Anything That Might Displease The Husband.

THE APOSTLE PAUL ADDED:

TO THIS PERMISSION FOR DIVORCE,

THE CASE OF ABANDONMENT BY AN UNBELIEVING SPOUSE.

(1 CORINTHIANS 7:15).

Also, Problems That Are Serious Yet Fall Short Of The Biblical Permission For Divorce May Justify A Separation.

But The Partners Are Expected To Honor Their Marriage Vows.

Even In Their Separation.

Because As Far As God Is Concerned They Are Still Married.

Their Marriage Covenant Has Not Been Broken For What God Considers To Be Biblical Reasons.

Since Their Old Marriage Was Never Dissolved On Biblical Grounds, That Marriage IS Still Valid And They Are Actually Guilty Of Bigamy And Adultery.

There Are Also Many Situations:

Where A Marriage Is Separated Or Divorced.

The Reason Might Not Fulfill Biblical Allowance For Divorce.

But Later One Or More Of The Spouses:

DOES MOVE FORWARD

AND THROUGH LATER ACTIONS

GIVES THIS BIBLICAL ALLOWANCE.

Often By Marriage Or Sexual Relations With Another.

JESUS DO NOT AGREE WITH SHAMMAI OR HILLEL;

This Teaching Of Jesus Shows Us That Marriage,

As A Promise Made To God, To Our Spouse And To The World,

Is A Binding Promise And Cannot Be Broken At Our Own Discretion.

One Must Admit That This Is A Hard Teaching From Jesus.

There Are Many Reasons People Give Today To Justify Divorce That Do Not Fulfill These Biblical Allowances For Divorce.

WHAT IS THE FINAL ANSWER FROM THE BIBLE ON THIS MATTER:

PAUL WROTE IN 1 CORINTHIANS 7:17:

AS THE LORD HAS CALLED EACH ONE, SO LET HIM WALK.

In The Context,

This Statement Was A Warning About Trying To Undo The Past In Regard To Relationships;

God Tells Us To Repent IF APPLICABLE AND MOVE ON.

DO NOT THINK YOU CAN UNDO THE PAST !!!!!

AS THE LORD HAS CALLED YOU, WALK IN THAT PLACE RIGHT NOW.

WHEN THE DISCIPLES SUGGEST THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER NOT TO MARRY IF THIS IS THE CASE,

JESUS SAYS CLEARLY:

THIS IS TRUE ONLY FOR THOSE TO WHOM THIS ABILITY IS GIVEN.

HE MEANS OF EUNUCHS:

BY BIRTH,

BY CASTRATION,

BY CHOICE.

CELIBACY IS NOT HOLIER THAN MARRIAGE.

THE DECISION TO ABSTAIN IS NOT MEANT FOR MOST PEOPLE.

B. HOW DOES JESUS LOOK AT CHILDREN:

(19:13–15).

JESUS OVERRULES HIS DISCIPLES AFTER THEY REBUKE SOME PEOPLE FOR BRINGING CHILDREN TO HIM TO LAY HANDS ON AND PRAY FOR THEM.

HE REPEATS THE IDEA THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BELONGS TO THOSE WHO ARE LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN.

BY THIS, JESUS REFERS TO THEIR SENSE OF TRUST AND DEPENDENCE.

A HUMBLE, FAITHFUL APPROACH IS REQUIRED TO FULLY EMBRACE OUR RELATIONSHIP TO GOD.

BLIND BELIEF OR GULLIBILITY ARE NOT PART OF CHILDLIKE FAITH, BUT NEITHER IS ARROGANCE.

In The Midst Of Jesus’ Teaching On Marriage Parents Brought Their Children To Be Blessed.

It Was A Jewish Custom:

To Bring A Child To The Elders On The Evening Of The Day Of Atonement To Bless Him And Pray For Him.

This Shows Us Something Remarkable About Jesus’ Character.

He Was The Kind Of Man That Children Liked,

Children Are Often Astute Judges Of Character.

He Laid His Hands On Them.

With This, Jesus Blessed The Children.

He Did Not Baptize Them, But He Did Bless Them.

C. HOW DOES JESUS CONFRONT THE RICH YOUNG RULER: (19:16–30).

A WEALTHY YOUNG MAN APPROACHES JESUS.

THIS MAN CALLS JESUS GOOD.

THIS MAN ASKS WHAT HE MUST DO TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

JESUS INSISTS THAT ONLY ONE, GOD, IS GOOD.

THAT IMPLIES THAT TO CALL JESUS "GOOD" IS TO CALL HIM GOD.

THAT IMPLIES THAT WHATEVER JESUS SAYS OUGHT TO BE OBEYED.

JESUS SETS UP A UNIQUE CHALLENGE FOR THE MAN.

JESUS TELLS HIM TO KEEP THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.

JESUS GIVES A SAMPLE LIST OF FIVE.

JESUS ASKS IF HE IS SINCERE ABOUT KNOWING.

THE MAN ASKS WHICH COMMANDMENTS.

JESUS LISTS FIVE FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

THE MAN SAYS HE HAS KEPT THESE.

THE MAN ASKS WHAT ELSE HE'S MISSING.

JESUS FINALLY GIVES THE MAN WHAT HE WAS SEEKING.

WHAT GOOD THING WILL ENSURE HIS ETERNAL LIFE IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?

THE REAL QUESTION OF THE RICH YOUNG RULER:

IS PERFECTION THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN !!

JESUS SAYS:

HE SHOULD SELL EVERYTHING HE OWNS.

HE SHOULD THEN GIVE ALL PROCEEDS TO THE POOR.

HE SHOULD THEN FOLLOW HIM.

NOTE:

THIS IS NOT THAT YOU MUST BE POOR TO BE SAVED.

THIS IS A CHALLENGE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PERSON.

THIS IS A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE A SINCERE COMMITMENT.

THE MAN IS ENORMOUSLY WEALTHY AND HE LEAVES SAD.

THE MAN WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT HAVING A CHANCE FOR SALVATION.

THE MAN IS DEJECTED AT THE IDEA OF SETTING ASIDE HIS RICHES.

JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES:

IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE NEEDLE GATE SURROUNDING THE CITY THAN TO ENTER HEAVEN.

WEALTH AND OTHER EARTHLY ADVANTAGES USUALLY MAKES A PERSON THINK THEY ARE SELF-SUFFICIENT.

MONEY CAN NUMB US TO OUR NEED FOR GOD.

NOTE:

WHAT WAS THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM OF THE DAY?

AN ASSUMPTION THAT WEALTH WAS A SIGN OF DIVINE APPROVAL.

SHOCKED, THEY ASK HOW ANYONE COULD BE SAVED.

JESUS TELLS THEM SALVATION IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN BUT NOT WITH GOD.

PETER THEN REFERS TO JESUS' PROMISE TO THE YOUNG MAN THAT HE COULD HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN.

PETER ASKS JESUS WHAT HE AND THE OTHER DISCIPLES WILL HAVE IN HEAVEN.

PETER AND JESUS BOTH KNEW THEY LEFT EVERYTHING.

JESUS SAYS:

THEY WILL OCCUPY 12 THRONES IN THE KINGDOM.

THEY WILL JUDGE THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL.

THEY WILL RECEIVE 100 FOLD RETURN IN HEAVEN FOR GIVING UP EVERYTHING ON EARTH.

THEY WILL RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.

THEY WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT STATUS IN ETERNITY THAT THEIR STATUS ON EARTH.

Mark 10:21 Tells Us That In Response To The Man’s Answer, Jesus Loved Him. Jesus Had Compassion On This Man,

Who Was So Misguided As To Think That He Really Could Justify Himself Before God.

What Do I Still Lack?

This Alone Tells Us That This Man Had Not Perfectly Kept The Law,

Because He Still Knew That There Was Something Missing.

Jesus Simply Called This Man To Be His Follower;

But For This Man It Meant Leaving Behind The Riches He Had Set His Heart Upon.

He Went Away Sorrowful, For He Had Great Possessions:

Money Was His God; He Was Guilty Of Idolatry.

This Is Why Jesus, Knowing The Man’s Heart, Asked Him To Renounce His Possessions.

The Principle Remains:

God May Challenge And Require An Individual To Give Something Up For The Sake Of His Kingdom.

There Are Many Who Perish Because They Will Not Forsake What God Tells Them To.