the God factor

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 50:15-26

15 When Joseph’s brothers realized that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge and wants to repay us in full for all the harm we did to him?”

16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, ” Before he died, your father gave this instruction:

17 ‘Tell Joseph this: Please forgive the sin of your brothers and the wrong they did when they treated you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sin of the servants of the God of your father.” When this word was presented to him, Joseph wept.

18 Then his brothers also came and threw themselves down before him; they said, “Here we are; we are your slaves.”

19 But Joseph replied to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

20 As for you, you meant to harm me, but God intended it for a good purpose, so he could preserve the lives of many people, as you can see this day.

21 So now, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little children.” Then he consoled them and spoke kindly to them.

22 Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father’s family. Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.

23 Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; who were counted as his own.

24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am going to die. But God will certainly come to you and lead you up from this land to the land he swore on oath to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

25 Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath. He said, “God will certainly come to you. Then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

26 So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten. After they embalmed him, his body was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

_______________________

the God factor

Joseph had all the authority he needed to execute revenge against his brothers, and he had most certainly been wronged by them. So, why did he choose to forgive instead of repay their evil with his own? He took into account the God factor. He saw the good that God brought out of the evil, and chose to trust God’s purpose. He understood that not everything that happens is a good thing, but that God can cause even the bad things to work together for the good of those who love him and are called by him.[1]

That perspective also gave Joseph insight into why the family of Jacob had been relocated to Egypt. God’s providence was also at work there, assuring that the family had a chance to grow and develop into the nation it was destined to be. So, Joseph was confident that God was not through with them. He gave his brothers instructions to take his coffin with them when they returned to the land that God had promised them.

So, the God factor gave Joseph the insight he needed to react with forgiveness and grace in spite of the wrong done him in the past. It also gave him the wisdom to trust God to continue working everything together for good in the future.

LORD, give us the insight into your work in our lives that we need to respond appropriately to life’s injustices, and to trust you to complete the work you have begun in us.

______________

Whew! One book down, 65 more to go! Just to give you a head’s up, I plan to continue our study of Matthew’s Gospel tomorrow, and finish that study before I begin with another Old Testament book.

Jefferson Vann

[1] see Romans 8:28.

Posted in grace, Joseph, providence, sovereignty of God | Tagged | 2 Comments

inequality, equality and kingdom investment

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 20:1-16

1 “Because the kingdom from the sky is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.

2 And after he had agreed together with the workers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 But when he went out about the third hour he saw others standing around doing nothing in the marketplace,

4 so he told them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will pay you whatever is right.’

5 So they went. When he went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you standing around here doing nothing all day?’

7 They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into my vineyard too.’

8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’

9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.

10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius.

11 And when they received it they complained to the master of the house,

12 They said, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have done the hard work all day in the scorching heat.’

13 But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me to work for a denarius?

14 Take what belongs to you and go. I am choosing to give to this last worker the same that I give to you.

15 Am I not permitted to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you resent my generosity?’

16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”

_________________________________________

inequality, equality and kingdom investment

The prophets, John the Baptizer, and Jesus had taught that a kingdom was going to come down from the sky. Believers in that kingdom had the opportunity to invest in that coming kingdom by learning and obeying the commands of Christ. This opportunity spans the ages from the point in Old Testament times when that kingdom was merely hinted at in biblical history and the Mosaic law, to the point in the distant future, when the harvest is complete, and Christ comes again. There are two principles concerning that kingdom investment that Jesus explains by means of this parable:

1. The principle of inequality is that not everyone will have equal access to the kingdom, or equal understanding of it. In fact, many people and cultures who are first to learn of this coming kingdom will be among the last to embrace it, and benefit from it. The first century Jews among whom Jesus walked thought that they were God’s privileged elite. But – as a whole — they would reject that kingdom, making them last instead of first.

2. The principle of equality, ironically, is also taught here. The wages at the harvest in the parable were distributed equally, regardless of how long the workers worked in the vineyard. From the workers’ viewpoint, this seemed unfair. But from the master’s viewpoint, it was all a matter of grace. He chose to employ the workers, and he chose to give them the same wages. In the same way, the eternal life that God promises to give citizens of his coming kingdom will be shared equally among all the recipients of his grace.

LORD, You are the master of the harvest. We refuse to compare ourselves with others who have served you. We only thank you that all of us who have served you at all times will gain the great reward of entrance into your kingdom and eternal life. Thank you for your grace.

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last visit to Machpelah

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 49:29 – 50:14

29 Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is located in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30 in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham purchased with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.

31 There they had buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they had buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah-

32 the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.”

33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and expired and was gathered to his people.

50:1 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him.

2 And Joseph commanded his servants the healers to embalm his father. So the healers embalmed Israel.

3 Forty days were required for it, because that is how many days are required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

4 And when the days of mourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found respect in your eyes, please appeal to Pharaoh on my behalf, saying,

5 My father made me swear, saying, ‘I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.’ Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.”

6 And Pharaoh replied, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.”

7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

8 as well as all the family of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s family. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen.

9 And both chariots and horsemen went up with him. It was a very large group.

10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very loud and grievous lamentation, and he mourned for his father seven days.

11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” This is why the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan.

12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them,

13 because his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place.

14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

_______________________

last visit to Machpelah

There are two major metaphors, then, which originate in the Old Testament and speak to the issue of the intermediate state. One speaks of the dead person being gathered to his or her people (relatives, regardless of whether they were saved or not). The other speaks of that person lying down or sleeping or resting with those same relatives. When these two expressions are combined, they help establish a basis for some theological principles about what happens at death.

1) All who die go to the same place. Death is not a place of judgment. It is a state where one is reduced to the same status as one’s ancestors. This does not preclude a day of judgment later, but neither does it establish that judgment is taking place during the intermediate state. Judgment day will take place “after this.”[1]

2) Since death is described as sleep, the natural assumption is that the intermediate state (between death and resurrection) is unconscious. The scriptures verify this assumption by describing the intermediate state as one of darkness,[2] and silence.[3]

3) The hope of the believer is found in neither of these realities, but looks beyond them. To be true to the scriptures, the believer does not look forward to death or the intermediate state. The believer anticipates the resurrection, just as someone who lies down and sleeps looks forward to the morning light.

Jacob’s desire to be buried at Machpelah, together with the fact that he was gathered to his people the moment he died, tells us that his hope was that he would be raised from that grave. His hope looked squarely into the reality of death, and did not deny it. But

his destiny was the same as ours: to be raised to life again by Jesus.

LORD, give us the maturity to face the reality of our own mortality, but also the faith to trust in Jesus to open the grave for us. He has the keys.

[1] Hebrews 9:27.

[2] Job. 7:9; 10:20; 17:13; 18:18; Psalm 13:3; 49:19; 88:12; 143:3; Prov. 20:20; Eccl. 6:3-5; Lam. 3:6.

[3] Eccl. 9:5,6,10; Job 21:13; Psalm 6:5; 30:9; 31:17; 94:17; Isaiah 38:18-19.

Posted in conditional immortality, resurrection | Tagged , | 1 Comment

the rewards of kingdom investment

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 19:23-30

23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Honestly, I am telling you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom from the sky.

24 Again I am telling you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom from the sky.”

25 After the disciples heard this, they were greatly overwhelmed, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “For man this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we get?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Honestly, I am telling you, at the renewal, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will get a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

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the rewards of kingdom investment

Peter asked if everybody in the kingdom was equal by grace, what could be gained by forsaking all to follow Jesus. Jesus promised three rewards of kingdom investment, each of which will be realized by us at his second coming:

1. thrones, representing the power we must give up in this life to follow our master. That authority relinquished for Christ will be rewarded with authority in the new age under Christ, the king of kings. We give up ambitions of temporary authority, and will gain permanent authority.

2. the hundred-fold return, representing the lives we will actually affect in this life, a return which we will only see partially now, but our actual influence will be seen at the return of Christ. Making a difference in their lives may mean sacrificing the homes and families and countries we were born into. Whatever the cost, we need to be willing to invest in the lives the master sends our way, or sends us to.

3. and eternal life – the gift of gift. Many have fought, and some have even killed to prolong their lives, only to eventually succumb to the grim reaper. The only true solution to our mortality is the resurrection by Christ at his return.

But those who think they are first will be last. The rich young man who thought he was one up on everybody else was actually last in line, destined to be the biggest loser –an eternal loser, because his possessions came first. The only winners in life are those who will dare to let Jesus be first. It is very hard for a person who is endowed with wealth to do that. It is like a camel trying to thread himself through a needle. Actually, that is not just difficult, it is impossible. Fortunately, we serve a God who does impossible things all the time. He can save rich and poor, wise and foolish, mighty and humble. Those he saves always come to him with nothing, because Jesus needs nothing that they have.

LORD, You are the master. We agree to your terms of employment. We have left our all, and we will follow you, even if it means poverty and death and insignificance in this life. We trust you to surprise us with inexpressible joy at your coming. Your commands are our joy today.

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a legacy of justice and grace

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 49:13-28

13 “Zebulun will stay at the shore of the sea; he wil become a safe place for ships, and his border shall be with Sidon.

14 “Issachar is a strong donkey, crouching among the sheepfolds.

15 He saw that an undeveloped place was good, and that the land was nice, so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant there, doing forced labor.

16 “Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, a viper by the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that his rider falls off backward.

18 I wait for your deliverance, O LORD.

19 “Raiders will raid Gad, but he will also raid at their heels.

20 “Asher’s food will be rich, and he will produce royal delicacies.

21 “Naphtali is a doe let loose that bears beautiful fawns.

22 “Joseph is a fruitful limb, a fruitful limb by a spring; his branches run over the wall.

23 The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and hassled him severely,

24 but his bow remained unmoved; his arms were made nimble by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (the Shepherd is from there, the Stone of Israel),

25 by the God of your father who will help you, by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that crouches below, blessings from the breasts and from the womb.

26 The blessings of your father are more mighty than the blessings of my parents, up to the bounties of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph, and on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf, in the morning devouring the prey and at evening dividing the spoil.”

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. _______________________

a legacy of justice and grace

The blessing of his sons speaks to the strong spiritual tie that Jacob has to them, but its root goes deeper than that. He speaks of the God who is able to bless even greater than the blessing experienced by his parents. He knows that behind his life and that of his sons is the unmoved mover, who has a plan for the world, and has brought him and his descendants into that plan. For his sons, the things that they do of their own will are written into that plan, but nothing changes it. He sees a destiny produced by God’s grace. But that destiny does not sidestep God’s justice. What his children have done matters, but ultimately it is what God has done that will make the difference. That is why this old man proclaims that he will wait for the LORD’s deliverance.

LORD, we respect your justice, and so seek to only do what you want. But we also marvel at your undying grace, which has promised ultimate deliverance through Christ. We celebrate that grace.

Posted in grace, Jacob, judgment, sovereignty of God | Tagged | 1 Comment

Jesus and the garbage hoarder

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 19:16-22.

16 And see, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good thing must I accomplish to have eternal life?”

17 But he replied to him, “Why do you ask me about a good thing? There is only one who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,

19 Honor your father and mother, and, love your neighbor as yourself.”

20 The young man said to him, ” I have obeyed all these. What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in the sky; and come, follow me.”

22 But when the young man heard this he went away unhappy, because he had many possessions.

_________________________________________

Jesus and the garbage hoarder

This man who approached Jesus looked like he had everything, so I could imagine that Jesus’ disciples were inwardly saying “I hope Jesus picks him – he could really help out. He was young, wealthy, and outwardly obedient. Who wouldn’t want someone like that in their church? But Jesus saw the inner flaw. The man’s lack was found in his surplus. He did not have room for the total commitment required of the sky kingdom.

This hits where it hurts, because all of us have things or even ideas that we hold dear. For Jesus to come along and say “you have to give that up first” is a hard pill for us to swallow. For this man, it was his wealth. He could not see serving Christ as a poor man as gain. His whole life had been about gain. That is why he asked the discipleship question in that way: “What do I still lack?” Discipleship was – for him – just one more possession. But even he realized that there was a flaw in his worldview. In spite of all the wealth he had gained, he still knew that he lacked something.

Jesus’ challenge is to us all – rich or poor. He challenges us to surrender our current worldview. He wants us to stop trying to gain the kingdom by what we possess – or even confess. He wants us to give up everything for the one thing that we can carry with us into that kingdom when it comes. That one thing is a relationship with him. Without that, all the wealth in the world is just garbage collecting.

This man went away unhappy because of all the garbage he had hoarded.

Oh, please, LORD, give us the wisdom to surrender the garbage we have hoarded for the only real treasure we can gain in this life – a relationship with you.

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building up a spiritual legacy

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 49:1-12

1 At that time Jacob called his sons and told them, “Collect yourselves together, that I may tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

2 “Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the firstfruits of my strength, greatest in dignity and greatest in power.

4 Unstable as water, you shall not have supremacy, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it- he went up to my couch!

5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers; vessels of violence are their swords.

6 My soul, do not come into their council; O my glory, do not be joined to their company. For in their anger they killed men, and for their amusement they hamstrung oxen.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it is violent, and their wrath, for it is brutal! I will divide them up among Jacob and scatter them throughout Israel.

8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares provoke him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the compliance of the peoples.

11 While binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes are dark from wine, and his teeth white from milk.

_______________________

building up a spiritual legacy

Jacob’s blessing to the four oldest sons reads somewhat like a curse. He reveals that the character traits that were so common among these men would be passed on to their tribes. The destiny of their children would be wrapped up in their own. As a consequence, Reuben not only loses his birthright, his family will lose its greatness as well. The reason: sexual sin. It matters to God, and it matters to Jacob.

Simeon and Levi were guilty of brutal violence. Jacob does not slap them on the back and say, “those are my boys, you can’t mess with them.” No, their violent actions show that they cannot be trusted to congregate together. As a result, the tribes will be separated and dispersed in Canaan.

Judah comes out as the leader among the elder brothers. He inherits the blessing and his tribe will have the supremacy. His tribe will have both power and wealth. Why? Judah had his own problems, he was not sinless. But he interceded for his brother. His taking responsibility was the character trait that would be remembered and passed on as a legacy to his descendants. One of those descendants would intercede for all humanity.

LORD, thank you for reminding us of the spiritual legacy we are passing on to our descendants. Build in us lives that our children will not be ashamed of, and that will be a blessing long after we are gone.

Posted in faithfulness, family, Jacob, Judah, responsibility | Tagged | 1 Comment

unqualified for his presence

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 19:13-15

13 Then children were presented to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples criticized the people,

14 but Jesus responded, “Allow the little children to come to me and do not get in the way, because to people like that belongs the kingdom from the sky.”

15 And he laid his hands on them and went away

_________________________________________

unqualified for his presence

Jesus had already told his disciples “unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom from the sky” (18:3). He was reminding them of that reality when he gently scolded them for criticizing those who brought children to him to bless. In both chapter 18 and 19, the issue is arrogance, which is defined as “an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions.”[1] Jesus was not so much recommending that believers act like children (by being immature, selfish and uncontrollable) as he was reminding the disciples that no one comes to faith by virtue of qualification. Who deserves to be blessed by Jesus? No one does – and that’s the point.

Coming to Jesus as a child means admitting my lack of qualification, and submitting humbly to his grace. You see, it is possible to preach this very text in a way that leads to the presumption of qualification because of one’s childlike submission. It is possible to take pride in one’s humility. The children that were presented to Jesus that day were totally dependent upon their parents or grandparents. They did not choose to see Jesus. They were brought to him, and they simply passively accepted that being in his presence was a good thing. Most of us are introduced to Jesus that way.

But the disciples were probably thinking that this dedication prayer of Jesus was a waste of time. There was important discipling for Jesus to do: teaching and preaching about the coming kingdom and healing those who were sick. The fact is that this little prayer meeting was important discipling. This event served as an illustration for the disciples regarding what Jesus had been teaching about discipleship and grace.

LORD, thank you for your grace. May we always come to you on that basis, and never presume that we are qualified to be in your presence.

[1] Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary.

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passing on a spiritual legacy

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Genesis 48:8-22

8 Then Israel saw Joseph’s sons, and he said, “Who are these?”

9 Joseph said to his father, “They are my sons, whom God has given me here.” And he said, “Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.”

10 The eyes of Israel had grown dim with age, so that he could not see well. So Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them.

11 And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and see, God has let me see your offspring also.”

12 Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground.

13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand, and stood them near him.

14 And Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands (because Manasseh was the firstborn).

15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless these boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a huge number in the midst of the earth.”

17 When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it upset him, and he took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.

18 And Joseph said to his father, “Not like this, my father; since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.”

19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be numerous. But his younger brother will become more numerous than he, and his family will become a number of nations.”

20 So he blessed them that day, saying, “Because of you Israel will pronounce blessings, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and as Manasseh.'”In this way he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “See, I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your fathers.

22 Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one mountain slope that I personally took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.” _______________________

passing on a spiritual legacy

Jacob blessed Joseph’s two sons, giving the greater blessing to Ephraim, and he also

bequeaths a mountain slope in the promised land to Joseph’s tribes. Jacob was able to

see beyond his own death to the lasting spiritual legacy he would leave.

There is something wonderful and surreal about looking into the eyes of your grandchildren. They are so full of hope and joy and potential. Jacob saw that in these two boys. He also saw beyond their present situation, living in and depending on Egypt. Jacob passed on the spiritual title deed to a piece of land that only the descendants of these boys would see. But he was able to see beyond his own limitations, and perceive the legacy that he could impart.

That legacy was more than simply a parcel of land. He told them about the God of his fathers who was his God as well, shepherding him all his life, and redeeming him from evil. It was his relationship with the LORD that he sought to pass on to his grandchildren. That is an inheritance of great value.

LORD, grant it for us to leave a spiritual legacy among our children and others we influence.

Posted in evangelism, family, Jacob, relationship with God, witness | Tagged | 1 Comment

accepting the marriage gift

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Jefferson Vann

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Matthew 19:7-12

7 They asked him, “Why then did Moses command the giving of a certificate of apostasy that makes the release final?”

8 He answered them, ” Moses responded to your hard-heartedness by allowing you to divorce your wives, but that was not what was intended from the beginning.

9 Instead I am telling you that whoever releases his wife – and marries again—commits adultery. The only exception is when she is found to have committed sexual sin.”

10 The disciples said to him, “If this is how committed a man should be to his wife, it is better not to marry at all.”

11 But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept what I just said, but only those to whom the gift has been given.

12 Because there are eunuchs who have been like that from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by other people, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom from the sky. Let the one who is able to accept that statement accept it.”

_________________________________________

accepting the marriage gift

The Pharisees had found what thy thought was a loophole in the Mosaic Law that allowed any man the right to get out of a marriage that did not please him. If one is inclined to think that the marriage relationship was designed to give happiness to the couple, that make sense. Many a marriage has been dissolved by one or both parties insisting that they deserve to be happy, and that the other party never – or no longer – makes them happy.

But Jesus told the Pharisees that marriage was God’s idea, and that it was a gift from him. Those gifted with this gift would have the opportunity to demonstrate the glory of the divine unity with their relationship. But not everyone could handle that responsibility. Accepting the marriage gift meant agreeing to the responsibility that comes with it. Or else, refusing to enter the relationship is the only wise and righteous choice.

LORD, either give us courage to accept the marriage gift, or wisdom to never enter the relationship. Make us faithful to you, and your purpose for marriage.

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