May 20th, 2012 Book of Mark Wk21 Jesus and Marriage

This week we jump back into the book of Mark and see what Jesus says about marriage.

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here: 

The Gospel of Mark: Jesus and Marriage

May 20th, 2012  by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passage: Mark 10:1-12

Review…( Mark 1-10)

A framework for understanding Mark: The book of Mark puts on display how Jesus brings more of heaven to earth and invites his followers to experience the same as they learn a new (kingdom) way of life from the Master and respond with regular repentance (turning to God) and belief (taking action). 

New (Mark 10:1-12)

There was currently an ugly debate going on between the religious leaders about what the proper ___________ for divorce are

The school of Shammai argued that divorce is only allowed if one’s spouse was _____________;

The school of Hillel, which eventually won out, said that a man can divorce his wife for virtually ___________ reason.

“It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law,” Jesus replied. ⁶ “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, ⁸ and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”  Mark 10:6-9

Jesus responds to their question by saying, in essence, “you are asking the wrong question. A much better question would be, How can I best _________ _______ in my marriage, so that it is everything God designed it to be, not how can I get out?”

They are looking for ________________ to take marriage lightly, but Jesus wont play that game.

And to that context (with the motivation to justify rampant divorce), Jesus gets serious and uses strong language and says, “if you are looking at it that way, then the answer is ___________.”

Jesus shows that in regards to marriage (like any important issue in life), a follower of Jesus does not first ask what everyone else around me is doing, or what is easiest, or what feels right, but rather what is the ____________ of ___________?

The heartbeat of heaven is….God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Genesis 1:27-28

Male and female make this beautiful expression of God’s image, and then together as one are meant to live in right relationship with God and each other, out of which ____________ a life full of fruit that reflects the goodness and character of God.

God wants the goodness of ____________ reflected on earth, through ____________.

We live in a very similar climate today as Jesus did. We are taught that If marriage doesn’t make me happy and feel good _____ the time, then its time to get out. We have been taught to think of marriage as another self-help ________________.

“God’s first goal in marriage is ____ to make you _______, but to make you _______.” –paraphrase of Gary Thomas, from Sacred Marriage.

God did design marriage for deep _______ but it comes at a cost, we must ________ to ourselves.

We grow (towards our destiny of being like Christ) through being in deep relationship with one another, none ___________ than marriage.

Marriage is a refining fire for holiness that produces enduring kingdom fruit. 

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