Malachi 2:13-16: Divorce: Part Three
OUTLINE Children and divorce The heart and divorce Hatred and divorce INTRODUCTION We are in our third sermon looking at the matter of divorce. So far we have looked at the spiritual consequences for those who pursue divorce; what constitutes a marriage and last week we laid out an overview of the Bible’s teaching on divorce. We got as far as looking at Genesis to the teachings of Christ. I wanted to say one last word based on the teaching of 1 Corinthians 7 before we moved on with our exposition of Malachi 2:13-16. I feel that there is...
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Malachi 2:10-16: Divorce: Part Two
INTRODUCTION Last week we began to engage with the second problem that Malachi was addressing around marriage in Israel. The Israelites were divorcing their wives to marry idolaters. We have dealt with the issue of being unequally yoked, last week we looked at the nature of marriage, today we continue with a look at the biblical teaching on divorce. Knowing how many questions there are on this matter I have chosen to expand our investigation. At present there are three main views held in the Christian Church. There is the view of acceptable divorce on the grounds of adultery...
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Malachi 2:13-16: Divorce: Part One
Introduction Marriage in NZ is under attack. 2020 saw some of the lowest amounts of marriages in NZ recent history. There were only 16 380 marriages.1 The statisticians add a further 403 same sex marriages and civil unions, but as Christians who have a biblical view of marriage, we cannot admit the same sex unions are marriage, it cannot be a marriage in God’s eyes unless it is between one natural man and one natural woman. Likewise civil unions are legal realities that defy being defined by the Bible, they refuse to define themselves as a marriage and...
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Malachi 2:10-12: Unequally Yoked
OUTLINE The sin in Israel The sin in the Bible The sin in our experience INTRODUCTION Marriage is an institution created by God and as sinners we reject God’s institutions and sin against them just as we sin against God. In the endless creativity of our sinfulness there are many sins against God’s institution of marriage. We sin against marriage when we do not keep sex for marriage, not seeing it as a seal of the covenant bond, a picture of our union with Christ, an expression of committed love, and the means of bringing children into the protected...
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1 Corinthians 7: Singleness
We have said many things about marriage, but I am aware that not everyone who hears these messages is married or will get married. So I think it is appropriate that we also address the matter of singleness. Now in announcing that this is the topic of the sermon I am sure that all the singles out there will be squirming because they think that this is a sermon directed at them, but it is a sermon for all. Just as we can all benefit by listening to a sermon addressing those who are married, we can all benefit...
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Ephesians 5:28-32: The Realities and Responsibilities of Union
The Bible often argues from what you are to what you should do. Because you are a new creature in Christ, act in a new way. Because you are in a one Spirit union with believers of other races, put away racism. Because your life is joined to the resurrected Christ consider your life in His and live appropriately. Because you are in a one flesh union with your spouse love them as yourself. What you are, or what realities are true about you imply how you ought to live. This is a basic truth which the bible assumes....
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Ephesians 5:25-27: Words of Life and Death
‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.’ Prov. 18:21. One of the most effective weapons and one of the greatest fertilizers in marriage is our speech. What we say and how talk to one another will either make or break your marriage. James 3:6, ‘And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.’ We can all think of words that have...
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Ephesians 5:26-27: Glorify Your Wives
When Lynn and I got married we asked for a full sermon to be preached. Our pastor at the time, Leigh Robinson preached a four point sermon on the purpose of marriage. Marriage is for partnership, marriage is for procreation, marriage is for pleasure, and marriage is for perfection. One of the main goals of marriage is holiness. This is a distinct perspective that Christianity brings to the issue of marriage. For many marriage is about not burning, or not being lonely, or having kids, these are true but a major part of marriage is God’s purpose to make...
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Ephesians 5:25: Husbands love your wives
Why do we love? One physicist gives us the evolutionary perspective, ‘Biologically, love is a powerful neurological condition like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. We talk about love being blind or unconditional, in the sense that we have no control over it. But then, that is not so surprising since love is basically chemistry. While lust is a temporary passionate sexual desire involving the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and oestrogen, in true love, or attachment and bonding, the brain can release a whole set of chemicals: pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin and vasopressin. However, from...
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Ephesians 5:23: The Husband is the Head of the Wife
When the Bible wants to demonstrate the roles of men and women it does not begin with culture but with creation. The NT regularly references Adam and Eve when it explains the roles of men and women in the home and church, 1 Cor. 11:2-16; 1 Tim. 2:11-15. One of the things that Paul wants to prove by this is the fact that men are to be the head and women the helper. Paul uses phrases like, man was made first, or woman was made for the man. So let’s reflect on the Garden when God created men and...
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Ephesians 5:22: Wives Submit to Your Own Husbands
The war of the sexes goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden. In Genesis chapter 3 we see the fall of man in sin. We see the first sins of the first husband and wife. Adam tolerated the serpent questioning God, and passively allowed the serpent to mislead his wife failing to defend her. Eve presumptuously taught the serpent taking the lead not deferring to her husband’s authority. Adam failed to lead, teach, defend and punish. Eve failed to get permission, clarification and help. Both wanted to be like God; both questioned God and both abandoned...
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Ephesians 5:22-33: The Institution of Marriage
What is marriage? One mother says, ‘marriage is just a fancy word for adopting an overgrown male child who cannot be handled by his parents anymore.’ But speaking more seriously, modern views of marriage are descriptive not prescriptive. Here are some suggested definitions, ‘A more or less durable connection between a male and a female lasting beyond the mere act of propagation till after the birth of the offspring.’ Or including polygamy, ‘a relation of one or more men to one or more women that is recognized by law.’ Or more legal definitions, marriage exists to establish a legal...
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Romans 16:3-5a: Prisca and Aquila
Introduction: If I were to ask you to think of 24 names in a church you have never visited, could you do it? Could you name 24 people in the names of one of our sister Reformed Churches you have not visited? We come to now to the Greetings section of the letter where Paul greets 24 people in the Church in Rome. First mentioned are Prisca and Aquila. Apart from Timothy mentioned in 16:21, these would be the best known to us that Paul greets. Acts 18 as well as Paul’s ministry in Ephesus in Acts 19 give...
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Romans 16:1-2: Deaconesses?
Introduction: What is the role of women in the church? Can women be deacons? These are some of the matters that we will be looking into today as we deal with Romans 16:1-2, ‘I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.’ We come to a new chapter and the last chapter of the book of...
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1 Kings 11:1-8: The Fall of Solomon
Introduction: Solomon was a wiser man than you or I and he fell into sin. A terrifying thought when we all know our weakness so well. It is very important for us to study men like Solomon, men and women who are better than us, but also sinners like us to see how it is that sin takes them. We have been observing some of the warning signs that have been setting Solomon up for his fall. We have seen his small compromises in the area of riches and political alliances. But here in 1 Kings 11:1-8 we are...
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Romans 13:1: God and the Government
Introduction: There are two extremes we need to avoid as we investigate the biblical teaching on our relationship to the government. We can call these overrealised and underrealised views of the kingdom. The overrealised view of the kingdom totally confuses the governments of this world with the rule of Christ. That rule which will one day rule over the new creation is attempted to be installed now. This results in conflating the work of the church and the state. This spiritualises the work of political activism as kingdom activity. It tends to be a liberal tendency and attaches to...
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