Three times in our reading today, Jesus pulls the carpet out from under the disciples. Three times he says things that go directly against how the disciples understand the world and God’s kingdom to work. Each time he takes their worldview and turns it on its ear.
The first time has to do with marriage. Apparently divorce was a problem in Jesus’ day, just as it is in our day. The Pharisees test Jesus asking him if a man can divorce his wife for any reason. In today’s world of “no-fault” divorce the law would seem to allow divorce for any reason. However, Jesus makes it clear that divorce was never part of God’s plan for husband and wife. In fact, he goes further and says that the reason Moses permitted divorce was because the people were so hard hearted. Sadly, that hard-heartedness exists on both sides of the marriage equation as couples stand before the judge to end their marriage.
It makes me think of Ezekiel 36:26 – “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put with in you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Even in marriage, (maybe especially in marriage) we need God’s grace and transformation. The disciples seem to think – as did their culture – that men should be able to divorce their wives if they dissatisfied them. Jesus, on the other hand, wants husband and wife to live in love and forgiveness together.
Is there still hard-heartedness in this world in regard to marriage. Yes. A quick word to those who have experienced the pain of divorce in their lives: Remember that we live by God’s grace. Do not allow guilt, sorrow or your past mistakes to destroy your future. Leave them at the cross, and live in God’s love.
The second situation that makes the disciples re-evaluate their stance has to do with children. Children were seen as a gift from God, and were treasured, but they also had no standing in their culture. Adults did important stuff and children did not. Jesus was important, and to the disciples’ mind the children were keeping him from what he needed to do. But Jesus sees things differently. The children are important for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Pause on that a moment. What is our attitude toward children? What are we willing to do to bring the kingdom of God to them? Do we pause for our children to lay our hands on them, that is, to bless them? I know I struggle with that, getting wrapped up in my own “importance” and busy-ness. I think more and more that one of the most important jobs that we have as parents and as God’s people is to pass the faith on to the next generation. That requires valuing our children as Jesus does and investing our time in them the way Jesus did too.
As we talk about this, we should pause and remind ourselves why Jesus stopped for these children. He did it because he loves them. Just as he loves us, he also loves them. We are conduits of that love to our children.
The final area the disciples get challenged on in this chapter has to do with money. In their culture, the disciples saw wealth as a blessing from God. Wealth can be a blessing from God, but there is a sense that it can also be a hindrance to our relationship with God. When our trust and confidence in God get’s connected to what we have, or worse, how good we are, there is danger that our faith will be placed in the blessing instead of the one who blesses. Our wealth can become an idol or god in our lives.
Jesus is showing the disciples and us that God values people over stuff. He loves men, women, and children, while comfort, convenience, prestige and wealth are not so important to him.
Do you recognize an area or two where your heart and attitude do not match with Jesus’ here? (I know I do in myself.) Remember, Jesus loves you and his forgiveness extends to us. Live in that forgiveness and let God’s Spirit give you a new heart. One that beats with God’s pulse.
Father in Heaven, create in me a clean heart. Take my heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh, and help me to love others as Jesus does. Help me to value people the way Jesus does. And by showing that love, help me to bring people to know Jesus’ love and transformation in their lives. Amen.
The first time has to do with marriage. Apparently divorce was a problem in Jesus’ day, just as it is in our day. The Pharisees test Jesus asking him if a man can divorce his wife for any reason. In today’s world of “no-fault” divorce the law would seem to allow divorce for any reason. However, Jesus makes it clear that divorce was never part of God’s plan for husband and wife. In fact, he goes further and says that the reason Moses permitted divorce was because the people were so hard hearted. Sadly, that hard-heartedness exists on both sides of the marriage equation as couples stand before the judge to end their marriage.
It makes me think of Ezekiel 36:26 – “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put with in you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Even in marriage, (maybe especially in marriage) we need God’s grace and transformation. The disciples seem to think – as did their culture – that men should be able to divorce their wives if they dissatisfied them. Jesus, on the other hand, wants husband and wife to live in love and forgiveness together.
Is there still hard-heartedness in this world in regard to marriage. Yes. A quick word to those who have experienced the pain of divorce in their lives: Remember that we live by God’s grace. Do not allow guilt, sorrow or your past mistakes to destroy your future. Leave them at the cross, and live in God’s love.
The second situation that makes the disciples re-evaluate their stance has to do with children. Children were seen as a gift from God, and were treasured, but they also had no standing in their culture. Adults did important stuff and children did not. Jesus was important, and to the disciples’ mind the children were keeping him from what he needed to do. But Jesus sees things differently. The children are important for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
Pause on that a moment. What is our attitude toward children? What are we willing to do to bring the kingdom of God to them? Do we pause for our children to lay our hands on them, that is, to bless them? I know I struggle with that, getting wrapped up in my own “importance” and busy-ness. I think more and more that one of the most important jobs that we have as parents and as God’s people is to pass the faith on to the next generation. That requires valuing our children as Jesus does and investing our time in them the way Jesus did too.
As we talk about this, we should pause and remind ourselves why Jesus stopped for these children. He did it because he loves them. Just as he loves us, he also loves them. We are conduits of that love to our children.
The final area the disciples get challenged on in this chapter has to do with money. In their culture, the disciples saw wealth as a blessing from God. Wealth can be a blessing from God, but there is a sense that it can also be a hindrance to our relationship with God. When our trust and confidence in God get’s connected to what we have, or worse, how good we are, there is danger that our faith will be placed in the blessing instead of the one who blesses. Our wealth can become an idol or god in our lives.
Jesus is showing the disciples and us that God values people over stuff. He loves men, women, and children, while comfort, convenience, prestige and wealth are not so important to him.
Do you recognize an area or two where your heart and attitude do not match with Jesus’ here? (I know I do in myself.) Remember, Jesus loves you and his forgiveness extends to us. Live in that forgiveness and let God’s Spirit give you a new heart. One that beats with God’s pulse.
Father in Heaven, create in me a clean heart. Take my heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh, and help me to love others as Jesus does. Help me to value people the way Jesus does. And by showing that love, help me to bring people to know Jesus’ love and transformation in their lives. Amen.
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