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Mark 10:1-12 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Turn to the Gospel according to Mark as we continue to look at Mark's account of the life, death, and resurrection of our friend Jesus.
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! As you're turning, I'm discovering that this lectern is too steep to put a stack of books on.
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Okay.
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Turn to chapter 10 beginning in verse 1. We'll read 12 verses together.
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And he left there and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again, and again, as was his custom, he taught them.
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And Pharisees came up, and in order to test him, asked, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?
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He answered them, What did Moses command you?
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They said, Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.
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And Jesus said to them, Because of your hardness of heart, he wrote you this commandment.
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But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
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Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
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So they're no longer two, but one flesh.
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What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.
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And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.
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And he said to them, Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her.
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And if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.
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This is God's word to us, written for his glory and our good.
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We would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands.
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Let's pray together.
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Father, we do thank you.
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We praise you this morning for your written word to us.
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It is by your word that we have the salvation of our souls.
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Your spirit combined with your truth and changed our hearts.
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And I pray this morning, Father, you will give me ability to speak with care and with clarity about the issue of marriage, remarriage, and divorce.
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And that you help us all to apply it appropriately to our hearts.
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And we pray this in the name of Christ.
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Amen.
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So we're moving through the gospel according to Mark, verse by verse, as is our custom here.
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And we see now that he has now left this region that he's been working in.
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And he's moving through and gone to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan.
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We've entered now into kind of the second act, so to speak, of Mark's gospel.
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He's moved from his primarily public Galilean ministry to now this journey on his way to Jerusalem where he's finishing off the disciples.
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He's giving them the final teaching, the things they need to know to be devoted to him after he leaves.
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And we've seen this series beginning in the second part of verse 8 where he heals a blind man at Bethsaida.
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And he heals him in varying degrees, not because he didn't have the power to do it in one fell swoop.
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But he's communicating, as Mark's recording it for us, that Jesus is the Lord of spiritual blindness.
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And we see this to be the case with the disciples as they're coming to further dawning revelation of who it is that Jesus is.
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We see Peter's confession in chapter 8 at Caesarea Philippi that Jesus is the Christ.
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And then Jesus teaches them about the cost of discipleship, the surety of the coming kingdom.
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And we see the transfiguration, the necessity of faith, the excellence of service, the radical nature of discipleship,
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which Kyle so poignantly taught on last week.
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And then we come to this teaching on the nature of marriage.
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They're now in a region called Perea.
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Perea, Mark and Matthew both skip over Jesus' Judean ministry.
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Luke records it for us, but Mark and Matthew skip right over the top of it.
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And he's now moved south of the Sea of Galilee and out to the east to this area called Perea,
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an area that was full of Jews.
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So he's moved from a primarily Gentile region now to a primarily Jewish region.
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And again, the crowds are gathering to him.
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And as was his custom, praise God, Jesus is teaching them once again.
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And here we find again in verse 2, the Pharisees.
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In order to test him, they ask him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?
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This was the job of the Pharisees.
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This is what they were all about as they surrounded Jesus, following him around, lurking around every corner,
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hiding behind every bush, looking for a way for him to slip up as he was a man coming,
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declaring to be the Christ, declaring to be the Son of God.
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They wanted to do away with this understanding.
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And so they ask him a question.
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Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?
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And we must ask at this point, why would that have been a test?
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Why would they have asked this question in order to test him?
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If you remember back in chapter 3 of Mark, verse 6,
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we immediately see the Pharisees going out and holding counsel with the Herodians against him,
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how to destroy him.
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And if you recall in John chapter 6, we see John the Baptist arrested by Herod.
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So you see them holding counsel with the Herodians,
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and then we see John the Baptist being taken prisoner by Herod.
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Why?
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The reason being, this group of Herodians were loyal to Herod the Great,
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which was the father of Herod Antipas, which is the one who arrested John the Baptist.
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And John the Baptist was telling Herod Antipas that it was not okay
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for him to have left his wife and taken his brother's wife.
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This was the circumstance, the situation that was going on.
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The woman he married's name was Herodias.
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She was the one that demanded John's head on a platter.
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So remember that John the Baptist had been arrested and beheaded
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for speaking against the situation that occurred with Herod.
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And so they're trying to trick him into the same thing, this large Jewish population.
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They're trying to get him to be also against what Herod had done
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in order for him to be arrested and therefore put to death.
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So this is a major loaded question.
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For us, we just read it.
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This was loaded when they asked the question.
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But Jesus does not back down from the challenge.
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But rather, he responds with a very bold proclamation about divorce and remarriage.
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I hope you were wrapping your mind around it as we read it together.
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He begins by asking them a question.
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What did Moses command you?
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And they said Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce
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and to send her away, verses 3 and 4.
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Now, it's important for us to understand what was going on culturally
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around the issue of divorce and remarriage at the time.
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The reigning opinion in the matter was given by a rabbi named Hillel.
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And it was common in this day that rabbinic traditions,
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rabbis that would interpret the scriptures,
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make doctrinal statements about them, and people would follow those things.
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In fact, to the degree that they no longer study the scriptures,
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but they simply studied the teachings of the rabbi.
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And Rabbi Hillel, having died 20 years previous,
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this was his prevailing understanding about divorce.
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And he had said,
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For any reason, unload that woman.
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That was his phrase concerning the matter.
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And in this day, the religious understanding was that you could divorce a woman for any reason.
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Any offense given to you.
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Dinner's on the table a little bit too late.
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She spoke out of turn.
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Any reason that you found her unsatisfactory,
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you were able to divorce her.
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So this is the common thing that's happening in this day.
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Now, we get some Old Testament reference.
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And it's very important that we understand what is Jesus talking about
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when he asks the question,
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What did Moses command you?
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And they respond,
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Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce
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and to send her away.
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And Jesus says to them,
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Verse 5,
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Because of your hardness of heart,
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he wrote you this command.
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We have to get our minds around us.
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We have to understand what's going on here.
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And the first thing I want to point out to you
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is that when Jesus says,
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What did Moses command you?
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And then in verse 5,
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Because of your hardness of heart,
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he wrote you this commandment.
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That both the verb and the noun that he uses there,
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the verb in the Greek for command
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and the verb in the Greek for commandment
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are much softer words than we would take them to be.
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Command is a definite command.
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You do the thing that you're commanded to do.
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Many of you on this side saw me command Cademan
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to sit still during Aletheia Way,
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and he did it, right?
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That's a command.
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It's a softer form of that verb.
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And we get a little bit of insight into that
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in the same account,
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the parallel account in Matthew,
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chapter 19,
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second half of verse 6 through 8.
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Jesus says,
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What therefore God has joined together,
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let not man separate.
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Verse 7,
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They, being the Pharisees,
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said to him,
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Why then did Moses command
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one to give a certificate of divorce
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and to send her away?
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And listen to Jesus' response.
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Verse 8,
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He said to them,
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Because of your hardness of heart,
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Moses allowed you to divorce your wives.
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But from the beginning,
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it was not so.
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So you see the difference there.
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Moses didn't, in fact,
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command it,
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but rather he just allowed it to happen,
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and he put some parameters
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on the result of divorce.
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So let's go.
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I want you all to turn
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in your copy of God's Word
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to Deuteronomy, chapter 24.
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Now remember in this day,
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as it is in our day,
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it was proper,
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and it was common
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to quote from the Old Testament
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in a loose manner.
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We do that all the time.
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We talk all the time to each other
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about biblical truths,
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and we don't directly quote.
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We'll say the scriptures say
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in Ephesians,
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and we'll make a loose quotation
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of something.
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This is okay,
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provided that we can firmly back it
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with the actual recorded Word of God.
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They were doing this as well
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in this day,
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and when we see New Testament,
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loose quotations,
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citations of Old Testament,
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we can also take those
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as the inspired Word of God as well.
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So often,
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we get some clarity on things
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when we look at the New Testament
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as it compares to the Old Testament.
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Sometimes,
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the reverse is true.
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We go to the Old Testament
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to get greater clarity
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about what they were talking about.
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That's the case here.
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Deuteronomy 24,
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verses 1 through 4.
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When a man takes a wife
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and marries her,
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if then she finds no favor in his eyes
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because he has found some indecency in her,
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and he writes her a certificate of divorce
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and puts it in her hand
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and sends her out of the house,
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and she departs out of his house,
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and if she goes and becomes another man's wife,
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and the latter man hates her
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and writes her a certificate of divorce
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and puts it in her hand
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and sends her out of his house,
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or if the latter man dies
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who took her to be his wife,
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then her former husband
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who sent her away
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may not take her again to be his wife
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after she has been defiled,
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for that is an abomination before the Lord,
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and you shall not bring sin upon the land
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that the Lord your God is giving you
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for an inheritance.
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Okay?
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So follow the logic through there.
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If you couldn't stick with it,
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that's okay.
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It took me a couple of times as well.
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If a man gets married,
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and he finds for any reason,
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this was Hillel's understanding of this,
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for any reason,
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some indecency,
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some reason he no longer wanted her to be his wife,
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and gives her a certificate of divorce,
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and she goes off
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and is married to another man,
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and then that man does the same thing,
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also finds some indecency in her
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and gives her a certificate of divorce,
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or he dies,
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the only thing,
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the only thing
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that Moses is forbidding here
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is for the first man
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to take her again for his wife.
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It's the only thing
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that he's forbidding in this case.
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And what he's doing here
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is he's saying,
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you can't on a whim divorce your wife
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and then change your mind
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and go back and remarry her.
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Right?
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She goes off.
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She's married to another man.
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There's another one flesh union happening there.
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He can't go reclaim her for his own.
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So back in our text today,
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Mark chapter 10,
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Jesus clarifies this whole situation.
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Jesus is clarifying it for them.
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I think they got it in their context.
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We have to do a bit more work.
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But beginning of verse 6,
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he says,
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but,
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but,
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what did Moses command you?
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They respond.
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And he says,
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but,
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from the beginning,
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he starts out with the very beginning
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of the way God created things to be.
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God made them male and female.
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Therefore,
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a man shall leave his father and mother
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and hold fast to his wife.
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Quoting there from Genesis 2.24,
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and the two shall become one flesh.
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So they are no longer two,
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but one flesh.
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What therefore God has joined together,
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let not man separate.
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Right?
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Later on,
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they're in a house,
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the house.
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The disciples asked him again
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about this matter.
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He says,
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then whoever divorces his wife
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and marries another
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commits adultery against her.
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And if she divorces her husband
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and marries another,
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she commits adultery.
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A rather absolute statement
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given by Jesus
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concerning divorce and remarriage.
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And if we stop at this point,
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if we simply open Mark
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and read this,
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I don't think there's any wiggle room
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in this.
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Do you?
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We just read this text.
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I don't think that there is.
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However,
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there is a hermeneutic principle
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that we let Scripture
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interpret Scripture.
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We look at the Bible
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on the topic,
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and there are some other texts
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that certainly refer
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to divorce and remarriage.
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This has led to a spectrum
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of views.
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Not a couple of views,
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but a spectrum
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of views on this issue.
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There are two widely held,
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I'll call them conservative views,
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views held by people
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that we would respect
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and that we align ourselves
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with theologically
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in other regards.
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I'll give some detail
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to these shortly,
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but I'm going to call them
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this morning,
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number one,
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the more permissive view,
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and number two,
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the more restrictive view.
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Not to give any value
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in the way I'm saying that,
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but the more permissive view
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and the more restrictive view,
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these two commonly held views.
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But before we get to those things,
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I want to talk first
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about some non-negotiables.
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Things that both of these views
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completely agree upon.
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Things that if we're going to be
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biblically faithful,
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we must agree upon.
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Five.
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I'm sure there are more,
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but five that I came up with
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this week.
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Number one,
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God presided over the first marriage
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and presides over every subsequent marriage.
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End of Genesis chapter 2.
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The first marriage happens.
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Jesus quotes from it
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in verses 7 and 8.
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Genesis 2, 24.
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What therefore God has joined together,
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let not man separate.
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We don't join ourselves together.
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A priest or a pastor
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does not join us together.
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The state,
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the federal government
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doesn't join us together.
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God joins us together.
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And just as an aside,
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let this bake your noodle.
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God created marriage
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before the fall.
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Secondly,
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God created marriage
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to give us a shadow
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of the blessed relationship
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between Christ
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and the church.
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Right?
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Creates marriage before the fall.
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This is what it's created for.
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This is the reason.
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There are subservient reasons.
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There are other reasons
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that marriage exists.
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But the primary reason,
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the overarching reason,
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this is the reason.
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If we must put a reason,
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God created marriage
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to give us a shadow,
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a glimpse
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of what the relationship
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between Christ
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and the church
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looks like.
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What that kind of covenant,
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committed love
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looks like.
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You can read more about this
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in Ephesians 5,
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22 through 33.
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For the sake of time,
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we won't go there today.
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This is why, though,
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marriage was created.
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For these reasons,
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thirdly,
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God hates divorce.
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God hates divorce.
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Malachi 2, 16.
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And this is in the ESV rendering of it.
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Malachi 2, 16 says,
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The man who does not love his wife
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but divorces her,
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says the Lord,
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the God of Israel,
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covers his garment with violence,
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says the Lord of hosts.
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So guard yourselves in your spirit
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and do not be faithless.
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Now, there's a lot of weight
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to the way in which
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we deal with our marriages
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and the way in which
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we deal with divorce
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in Malachi 2, 16
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in the ESV rendering.
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However,
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I think that they fell a bit short
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in their rendering here.
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If you read it from the NASB,
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another translation
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that I respect highly,
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and most other translations,
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it reads this way.
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For I hate divorce,
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says the Lord,
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the God of Israel,
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and him who covers his garment
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with wrong,
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says the Lord of hosts.
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So take heed to your spirit
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that you do not deal treacherously.
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Now, I think both
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are true statements,
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but I think the other,
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the NASB rendering of it,
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has much greater weight to it.
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God says,
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I hate divorce.
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And this is why we do too.
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Like, I know that everyone
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in this room,
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there's not a single person
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in this room
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or in my hearing
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in some later recording of this
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that hasn't in some way
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been touched.
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I have divorced.
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Whether you've been part of one,
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your parents have been divorced,
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you know people
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that have been divorced,
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it's a rampant issue
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in our culture today.
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We have all been affected
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by this,
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and no one loves it.
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No one celebrates it.
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Right?
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We don't rejoice
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in the breaking of unions
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in this way.
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God hates divorce.
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Number four.
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These are non-negotiables,
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remember.
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The marriage covenant
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is temporal.
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That means it exists
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in this realm.
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That is that death
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breaks that covenant
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and gives a remaining spouse
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the ability to remarry.
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Right?
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So, marriage is
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a lifetime commitment.
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When somebody dies,
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you're freed from that commitment.
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Romans 7, 2 and 3.
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Paul writes,
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For a married woman
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is bound by law
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to her husband
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while he lives.
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But if her husband dies,
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she was released
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from the law of marriage.
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Accordingly,
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she will be called
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an adulteress
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if she lives
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with another man
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while her husband
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is alive.
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But if her husband dies,
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she is free
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from that law.
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And if she marries
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another man,
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she is not an adulteress.
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So, death frees us
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from the covenant
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commitment to our spouses
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and we are then
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able to remarry.
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Don't take this
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as an endorsement
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of murder.
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Number five.
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Divorce
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and or
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remarriage
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after divorce
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is not
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an unpardonable
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sin.
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Whatever stance
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you or I,
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we take
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on this issue,
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whichever camp
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we decide to align with
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in this matter,
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right?
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So, whatever you deem
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in your convictions
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in your reading of Scripture
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as sinful
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in this,
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whatever it may be,
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it's not
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an unpardonable
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sin.
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In fact,
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the only unpardonable
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sin is the sin
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of unbelief.
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The sin of grieving
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the Spirit,
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which is to say
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that we don't
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respond to the
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convictions
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that the Spirit
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brings on us,
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that we don't
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repent of sin.
20:04
Both views hold
20:05
that if someone
20:05
is wrongly divorced
20:07
and or wrongly
20:08
remarried,
20:08
that these are
20:09
acts of sin.
20:10
Not perpetual sin,
20:11
they're an act
20:12
of sin.
20:13
You're not living
20:13
in that sin,
20:14
but you've committed
20:15
a sin,
20:16
as so many of us
20:17
have committed sins,
20:18
as so many wrongs
20:19
have been issued up
20:20
against our Lord.
20:22
And that is that
20:23
they should be confessed
20:24
from the past
20:25
and should be avoided
20:26
in the future.
20:28
So, divorce and or
20:28
remarriage after divorce
20:29
is not an unpardonable
20:31
sin.
20:32
It does not separate
20:33
you from the love
20:34
of God in Christ.
20:36
Okay.
20:38
A few details
20:38
about the two views
20:39
to get your
20:40
theological minds
20:42
primed.
20:44
Firstly, a few details
20:45
about the more
20:46
permissive view.
20:48
The more permissive view
20:48
would say that divorce
20:49
is permitted
20:50
under three circumstances.
20:52
And you get into
20:53
some of the spectrum
20:54
of different
20:55
understandings here,
20:56
but I'm going to
20:56
present it to you
20:57
in this way.
20:58
Under three circumstances,
20:59
when a spouse
21:00
deserts the relationship,
21:02
when a spouse
21:03
commits adultery,
21:05
or when a spouse
21:06
is dangerously abusive.
21:08
They also believe
21:09
that remarriage
21:10
is permitted
21:10
to the non-offending
21:12
spouse
21:13
when divorce
21:15
has occurred
21:16
for the
21:16
aforementioned reasons.
21:18
So, the non-offending
21:19
spouse, the one
21:20
who didn't sin
21:20
in the severing
21:21
of the covenant
21:22
relationship,
21:23
they are then
21:24
free to remarry
21:25
in that case.
21:29
Secondly,
21:31
that was brief,
21:31
wasn't it?
21:33
The more restrictive
21:33
view would say
21:35
the divorce
21:36
is only permitted
21:37
when a believer
21:39
is married
21:39
to an unbelieving
21:41
spouse
21:42
who demands
21:43
a divorce.
21:44
Paul says
21:45
in 1 Corinthians,
21:45
for the sake of peace,
21:46
you grant it to him.
21:47
An unbelieving spouse,
21:49
being a person
21:50
who's not under
21:51
church discipline,
21:52
demands a divorce
21:53
and you grant it
21:54
to him.
21:55
And remarriage
21:56
is not permitted
21:57
under any circumstance
21:59
provided
21:59
that the spouse
22:01
is still alive.
22:01
Now, remember
22:02
that these things
22:03
are simply
22:03
an act
22:04
of sin.
22:07
It's not really
22:08
a super clear-cut
22:10
simple issue.
22:13
I have a typo
22:14
in my notes
22:14
that says
22:14
this isn't a clear-cut
22:15
smile issue.
22:16
It's not that either.
22:17
It's a rather
22:18
complex issue.
22:20
And it's an issue
22:21
that can't really
22:21
be weighed in a vacuum.
22:23
And it's so easy.
22:24
Some things in the scriptures
22:25
are so easy.
22:26
Some theological wrestling,
22:28
you can stand
22:28
way back
22:29
from any real circumstance,
22:31
any real consequence,
22:32
and you can muse
22:33
about it
22:34
and you can wonder
22:34
what did God mean
22:35
by this?
22:36
But this isn't that way.
22:38
It means things
22:39
for our living.
22:40
It means things
22:40
for the life
22:41
of our church.
22:42
It's a challenging one.
22:45
In addition to that,
22:46
it's a widely contested one.
22:49
The more permissive view
22:50
is held by modern pastors
22:52
and scholars
22:52
like John MacArthur
22:53
and Andreas Kostenberger.
22:56
You don't have to know
22:56
who that is.
22:58
It's the most widely held
22:59
evangelical view,
23:00
which is not necessarily
23:01
a reason to believe it.
23:03
It's historically held
23:04
by Protestants
23:05
like John Murray.
23:06
And in fact,
23:07
the Westminster Confession
23:08
of 1647 reads,
23:10
in case of adultery
23:11
after marriage,
23:12
it is lawful
23:13
for the innocent party
23:14
to sue out a divorce
23:16
and after the divorce
23:17
to marry another
23:17
as if the offending party
23:19
were dead.
23:21
The more restrictive view
23:22
is held by modern pastors
23:24
and scholars
23:25
like Votie Bauckham
23:25
and John Piper.
23:27
Historically,
23:28
the Baptists of England,
23:29
when they adopted
23:30
the Westminster Confession,
23:31
omitted the previously
23:32
read paragraph.
23:33
They just took it out
23:34
altogether in the
23:35
Second London Confession
23:36
of 1689.
23:38
So,
23:39
you've got,
23:39
this is just some examples
23:40
of opinions,
23:42
respected,
23:44
scholarly opinions,
23:46
on both sides
23:47
of this coin.
23:50
All of this
23:51
should cause us
23:52
to pause.
23:52
It should really cause us
23:53
to weigh these things out,
23:55
to give attention.
23:56
Some theological stances
23:57
you can just dismiss
23:58
altogether from the source
23:59
that it's coming from,
24:00
right?
24:00
You know,
24:01
that guy's crazy.
24:02
Don't listen to anything
24:02
he has to say.
24:03
But these are respected men
24:05
that are holding
24:06
varying opinions,
24:07
not only now,
24:08
but through history.
24:11
I have been vexed
24:12
by this issue
24:13
for the last
24:14
three or four weeks.
24:16
In fact,
24:16
I've spent a good deal
24:17
of my time
24:18
on this issue
24:19
over the past
24:19
three or four weeks.
24:22
I brought up here
24:22
the things I was complaining
24:23
about not stacking.
24:24
Just some of the books
24:26
that I've been reading
24:26
on the matter.
24:28
This doesn't include
24:29
the online resources
24:30
that I've been looking at,
24:31
trying to gather
24:32
and glean and listen.
24:34
Many of you in this room
24:35
I've had conversations with.
24:36
We've been talking at length
24:37
about what this means
24:39
and what the truth
24:40
could be.
24:42
I came to a great deal
24:43
of conviction
24:44
in the matter
24:44
because I have given
24:45
advice
24:46
concerning,
24:48
counsel concerning
24:48
divorce and remarriage
24:49
without first carefully
24:51
consulting the scriptures.
24:52
I realized
24:53
that whether,
24:53
whatever view
24:54
may be right
24:55
that I had just
24:56
wholeheartedly swallowed
24:57
the more widely accepted view
24:58
and had never really,
24:59
really searched the scriptures
25:00
myself on the issue.
25:02
What a great deal
25:03
of conviction
25:04
that brought for me
25:05
as a pastor.
25:07
It's possible,
25:08
it's possible
25:09
that I've been
25:09
partied to sin,
25:10
that I've actually
25:11
encouraged it
25:12
in some ways.
25:13
If not,
25:14
if not,
25:15
if I was right
25:16
in the counsel
25:16
that I gave,
25:18
the conviction
25:18
is still there
25:19
that I didn't really
25:20
give it from a biblical stance.
25:21
I hadn't planted
25:22
my foot firmly
25:23
firmly on the word
25:24
of God
25:24
as I gave
25:25
that counsel.
25:28
Much repentance
25:29
was necessary for me
25:30
on that part.
25:32
It's been a bit
25:32
of crisis of faith
25:33
for me
25:33
to be totally honest
25:35
with you.
25:36
It's caused me
25:36
to really look
25:38
at the word of God
25:39
on the matter
25:39
and wrestle with it.
25:42
To say,
25:43
if this is God's word,
25:45
am I willing
25:45
to submit to it
25:46
no matter what
25:47
it requires
25:47
of me?
25:49
No matter what
25:50
uncomfortable situation,
25:51
no matter what
25:52
apologies I may
25:53
have to issue,
25:53
no matter what
25:54
it says,
25:55
am I willing
25:55
to submit myself
25:56
to it?
25:57
Am I going
25:57
to put myself
25:58
under it,
25:59
be governed by it,
26:00
or put myself
26:01
over it to judge it
26:02
and to make my own
26:03
calls based on
26:04
the circumstances
26:05
in my life
26:06
and those
26:07
in the lives
26:07
of people
26:08
around me?
26:10
No.
26:10
No,
26:11
of course not.
26:12
Of course not.
26:13
This is the very
26:14
word of God
26:14
to us
26:15
and it's not ours
26:16
to piecemeal
26:16
and treat the way
26:17
we would like to.
26:18
God has spoken
26:19
to us
26:21
and we must
26:21
submit ourselves
26:22
to it
26:22
whatever
26:23
it may say.
26:26
I'm very thankful
26:27
this past couple
26:28
of weeks
26:29
for our
26:30
general habit
26:32
of verse-by-verse
26:32
exposition
26:33
because I've got
26:34
to tell you,
26:35
the temptation
26:35
for me would
26:36
have been
26:36
to skip over
26:36
chapter 10.
26:38
I just would
26:38
have gotten
26:38
really far away
26:39
from the teaching
26:40
on divorce.
26:41
We'd have just
26:41
gone,
26:41
yeah,
26:42
chapter 10,
26:42
it's a great
26:42
chapter.
26:43
We're going
26:43
to start off
26:44
in chapter 11
26:44
now just to
26:45
distance myself
26:46
from having to
26:47
wrestle
26:47
the issues
26:48
and the
26:49
outcome,
26:50
the outworkings
26:51
of such
26:52
issues.
26:53
I'm thankful
26:53
for it.
26:54
I thank you
26:54
that you put
26:55
up with slow,
26:56
careful,
26:57
verse-by-verse
26:57
exposition
26:58
for that
26:58
very reason.
27:02
So what
27:02
opinion
27:03
did I arrive
27:04
at?
27:06
I haven't.
27:09
I know you
27:09
probably would
27:10
like for me
27:10
to have arrived
27:11
at opinion,
27:11
but I haven't.
27:13
I haven't set
27:14
my feet firmly.
27:15
We can talk
27:16
later if you'd
27:16
like I'm leaning,
27:18
but I haven't
27:19
yet.
27:19
I'm still
27:19
working it
27:20
through.
27:20
I'm still
27:21
trying to
27:21
carefully search,
27:22
prayerfully consider
27:23
what it is the
27:25
Word of God
27:25
has to say to
27:26
us about
27:27
marriage,
27:28
divorce,
27:29
and remarriage.
27:31
But here's a
27:32
realization that I
27:32
came to
27:33
together.
27:35
It would be
27:35
arrogant of me.
27:37
It would be
27:38
an improper
27:39
abuse of my
27:40
position if I
27:41
stood up here
27:41
and told you
27:42
what I believed
27:43
and then expected
27:44
that you all
27:45
would believe
27:45
it too.
27:47
This is not
27:47
the way our
27:48
church is
27:49
governed.
27:50
I certainly
27:50
am entitled
27:51
to my opinion
27:52
and my
27:53
convictions.
27:53
There are many
27:54
cases in the
27:54
scripture I'm
27:55
going to tell
27:55
you what I
27:56
think it
27:56
means,
27:57
but often
27:57
those things
27:58
don't have
27:58
real implication.
28:00
They don't
28:00
work out in
28:00
any practical
28:01
way in our
28:02
living together.
28:03
Romans chapter
28:03
11, the very
28:04
end is an
28:05
example of that.
28:05
What does it
28:06
mean by all
28:06
Israel will be
28:07
saved?
28:08
I presented
28:08
to you a
28:08
bunch of
28:09
options.
28:09
I told you
28:10
this is what
28:10
I think it
28:10
means,
28:11
but the general
28:12
point of the
28:12
text is that
28:12
we shouldn't
28:13
be haughty
28:13
towards the
28:14
Jews.
28:15
Right?
28:16
Acceptable in
28:16
this case.
28:19
I don't think
28:19
I have the
28:20
power, though,
28:21
to say this
28:22
is what our
28:23
church will
28:24
believe on
28:25
this particular
28:25
issue.
28:27
Let me read
28:28
to you from
28:30
our statement
28:30
of faith the
28:31
current statement
28:32
on the
28:32
family.
28:34
I'm going to
28:34
give you five
28:35
reasons why I
28:36
think we need
28:36
to make a
28:37
doctrinal stance
28:38
concerning divorce
28:38
and remarriage
28:39
as a church
28:39
together.
28:40
Let me read
28:41
to you first
28:41
what I
28:43
think needs
28:44
to be amended
28:44
in our
28:44
statement of
28:45
faith to
28:45
bring some
28:46
more clarity
28:46
to the
28:47
issue for
28:48
our church.
28:49
It says,
28:49
of the
28:49
family,
28:51
we believe
28:51
that marriage
28:52
is the
28:52
lifelong
28:52
uniting of
28:53
one man
28:54
and one
28:54
woman in
28:55
covenant
28:55
commitment,
28:56
that the
28:56
husband and
28:57
wife are
28:57
of equal
28:57
worth before
28:58
God,
28:58
being created
28:59
in the
28:59
image of
28:59
God,
29:00
and in
29:00
equal
29:00
measure,
29:01
dependest
29:02
on his
29:02
grace,
29:03
and that
29:03
the marriage
29:04
is God's
29:04
unique
29:04
revelation of
29:05
the union
29:05
between
29:06
Christ and
29:07
his church.
29:08
There's
29:08
some further
29:08
things about
29:09
the roles that
29:10
we play in
29:11
that relationship,
29:11
but that's
29:12
what it
29:12
currently says,
29:14
and it
29:14
leaves some
29:15
wondering.
29:17
It seems
29:17
actually to
29:17
be a fairly
29:18
restrictive
29:18
statement,
29:19
but are
29:20
there other
29:20
circumstances
29:21
in which
29:21
it's okay,
29:22
and how
29:23
do we deal
29:23
with remarriage?
29:24
It doesn't
29:25
say anything
29:25
about that.
29:28
Some people
29:29
may say that
29:29
this just
29:29
doesn't really
29:30
matter.
29:31
It's not
29:31
that important.
29:32
Let people
29:33
follow their
29:33
personal convictions,
29:34
but I say
29:35
to you that
29:35
it does
29:36
matter.
29:36
It matters
29:37
immensely.
29:39
How am I
29:39
to know
29:40
that's
29:41
true?
29:41
But on my
29:42
personal convictions,
29:42
what ceremony
29:43
should I perform
29:44
and not perform?
29:46
Someday,
29:47
if we have
29:47
leadership and
29:48
multiple pastors
29:49
and one holds
29:50
one view and
29:50
another holds
29:51
another view,
29:52
isn't that
29:52
going to be
29:52
horribly confusing
29:54
for someone who
29:54
comes and asks
29:55
the question,
29:56
I've been
29:56
divorced,
29:57
can I be
29:57
remarried?
29:58
Shouldn't we
29:58
have the same
29:59
answer to
30:00
that question?
30:01
I think we
30:01
should.
30:03
So let me
30:04
give you five
30:04
reasons that
30:06
I'm going to
30:06
lead us to
30:06
make a doctrinal
30:07
stance concerning
30:08
divorce and
30:08
remarriage.
30:09
Number one,
30:11
our church
30:11
believes in
30:12
a congregational
30:13
church polity.
30:15
That means
30:16
governance,
30:16
that the final
30:18
say in
30:18
matters of
30:19
doctrine and
30:20
in matters of
30:21
discipline belong
30:22
to the church,
30:23
not to elected
30:24
officials of any
30:25
sort, but to
30:27
the congregation.
30:29
It's one example,
30:30
Galatians 1.8,
30:31
Paul says to
30:31
them,
30:32
but even if we,
30:33
the apostles,
30:35
or an angel from
30:35
heaven,
30:36
should preach to
30:37
you a gospel
30:37
contrary to
30:38
the one we
30:39
preached to
30:39
you, let him
30:40
be accursed,
30:40
or cast out,
30:42
or separated
30:42
away.
30:44
Paul's saying
30:45
to the church
30:45
at Galatia,
30:47
hold everyone
30:48
accountable.
30:49
The apostles,
30:50
angels,
30:51
and anyone else,
30:52
hold them
30:53
accountable to
30:54
the truth of
30:55
God.
30:57
Secondly,
30:57
these matters
30:58
have bearing
30:59
on how we
31:00
function together
31:01
as a faith
31:02
family.
31:03
What will
31:03
permit,
31:03
what we
31:04
won't permit.
31:05
I mentioned
31:06
before,
31:06
how strange
31:06
would it be
31:07
if the
31:07
leadership
31:07
had varying
31:09
views on
31:09
something.
31:10
If one
31:11
person says
31:11
you need to
31:12
confess a sin
31:13
and the other
31:13
person says
31:14
it's not sin
31:15
at all.
31:16
How horrible
31:17
and confusing
31:18
that matter
31:19
would be.
31:21
Thirdly,
31:22
we must
31:23
contend for
31:24
the truth
31:25
in this
31:26
generation
31:27
concerning
31:28
marriage.
31:28
We must.
31:29
As the
31:30
people of
31:30
God,
31:31
we should
31:31
be set
31:32
apart
31:33
concerning
31:34
marriage.
31:35
There's a
31:35
lot of
31:35
statistics
31:36
running around
31:36
out there
31:37
and statistics
31:37
get skewed
31:38
in all kinds
31:38
of ways.
31:39
For many,
31:39
many,
31:39
many years
31:40
people have
31:40
said that
31:41
the statistics
31:42
outside of
31:42
the church
31:43
for marriage,
31:43
half of
31:44
marriages end
31:44
in divorce
31:45
and those
31:46
within the
31:46
church,
31:47
half end
31:47
in divorce.
31:48
They're the
31:48
same.
31:50
Some more
31:50
recent studies
31:51
have come out
31:51
and said,
31:52
no,
31:52
that's not
31:52
the case.
31:53
Actually,
31:54
people within
31:54
the church
31:55
are more
31:55
successful in
31:56
their marriages
31:56
but it's
31:57
still like
31:57
30%.
31:58
It's still
31:58
a dramatic
31:59
rate in
32:00
which people
32:01
are getting
32:01
married.
32:02
Whichever
32:02
one of those
32:04
shows that
32:06
we're not
32:06
setting
32:07
ourselves
32:07
apart
32:07
from the
32:08
culture.
32:08
We haven't
32:09
separated
32:09
ourselves
32:10
and fought
32:11
for marriage
32:13
and what
32:13
it's for.
32:14
If we have
32:15
a right
32:15
understanding
32:15
of it,
32:16
marriage is
32:16
not primarily
32:17
about our
32:17
happiness.
32:19
Marriage is
32:19
about the
32:19
glory of
32:20
God.
32:22
So whatever
32:22
the truth
32:22
may be,
32:23
we have to
32:23
contend for
32:24
it.
32:25
We have to
32:25
set down
32:26
firm lines
32:27
and stand
32:28
on those
32:28
things,
32:29
not let the
32:30
culture
32:30
influence
32:31
who we are.
32:32
We can't
32:33
let the
32:33
culture at
32:33
large define
32:34
truth for
32:35
us.
32:36
We must
32:36
let God's
32:37
word do
32:38
that.
32:41
Fourthly,
32:42
working together
32:43
through a
32:43
process to
32:45
make a
32:45
doctrinal
32:46
statement,
32:46
as I said,
32:47
I'm going to
32:47
suggest that we
32:48
just make a
32:48
change to the
32:49
statement of
32:49
faith.
32:50
We could
32:50
write a
32:51
paper.
32:51
There's many
32:51
ways we
32:52
could accomplish
32:52
this.
32:53
But to
32:54
form this
32:54
kind of
32:54
doctrinal
32:55
statement is
32:55
going to
32:56
be a
32:56
test,
32:56
I think,
32:57
a really
32:57
healthy
32:57
test of
32:58
our love
32:59
for the
33:00
truth.
33:02
Do we
33:02
love the
33:03
truth?
33:03
Do we
33:04
want to
33:04
walk in
33:05
the truth
33:05
regardless of
33:06
what it
33:07
says or
33:07
what it
33:08
means for
33:09
our living?
33:09
Are we
33:10
subservient to
33:11
the truth?
33:13
Let me read
33:14
from you again
33:14
from our
33:15
statement of
33:15
faith on
33:15
the scriptures.
33:16
We believe
33:16
that the
33:17
holy
33:17
bible was
33:18
written by
33:18
men divinely
33:19
inspired and
33:20
is a
33:20
perfect
33:21
treasure of
33:22
heavenly
33:22
instruction.
33:23
That it
33:24
has God
33:24
for its
33:25
author,
33:25
salvation
33:26
for its
33:26
end,
33:27
and truth
33:28
without any
33:29
mixture of
33:29
error for
33:30
its matter.
33:31
that it
33:32
reveals the
33:33
principles
33:33
by which
33:33
God will
33:34
judge us
33:34
and therefore
33:35
is and
33:36
shall remain
33:36
to the end
33:37
of the
33:37
world the
33:38
true center
33:39
of Christian
33:39
union and
33:40
the supreme
33:41
standard by
33:41
which all
33:42
human conduct,
33:43
creeds,
33:44
and opinions
33:45
should be
33:46
tried.
33:47
What a lofty
33:48
statement about
33:49
what we believe
33:50
about the
33:50
scriptures and
33:51
this will be a
33:52
test of that.
33:54
John 17
33:54
7,
33:55
Jesus is
33:55
saying a
33:55
high priestly
33:56
prayer and
33:57
he's laying
33:58
out his
34:00
hopes for
34:00
his apostles
34:01
and therefore
34:02
for us,
34:03
he says to
34:03
God,
34:04
sanctify them
34:05
in the
34:05
truth.
34:06
Your word
34:07
is truth.
34:09
Are we
34:10
going to
34:10
arrange our
34:10
lives by
34:11
common
34:13
philosophy,
34:14
by our
34:16
own
34:17
circumstance,
34:18
or on
34:20
revelation?
34:21
It will be
34:21
a test of
34:22
our love
34:23
for the
34:24
truth.
34:26
Fifthly,
34:27
it will be
34:27
a test of
34:27
our love
34:28
for one
34:29
another.
34:30
a test of
34:32
our love
34:32
for one
34:33
another.
34:34
If you're
34:34
a member,
34:35
and I know
34:35
that many
34:36
of you
34:36
right now
34:37
in this
34:37
room are
34:37
not,
34:38
but if
34:38
you're
34:38
a member,
34:39
you did
34:39
not
34:39
commit
34:40
to this
34:41
church
34:41
as a set
34:42
of programs
34:43
and presentations.
34:45
At least I
34:45
hope you
34:46
didn't.
34:46
I hope we
34:46
made it
34:46
very clear
34:47
to you
34:47
that that's
34:47
not what
34:48
you should
34:48
be
34:49
committing
34:49
to,
34:50
but rather
34:51
you committed
34:51
to a group
34:52
of people,
34:53
a group
34:54
of people
34:54
who love
34:55
Christ and
34:56
want to
34:56
pursue
34:57
the truth,
34:58
a group
34:58
of people
34:59
that you
34:59
can pursue
34:59
the truth
35:00
with,
35:01
even when
35:01
we don't
35:01
get it
35:02
exactly right
35:02
sometimes.
35:03
You want
35:04
to walk
35:04
through those
35:05
things together.
35:08
Doctrine
35:08
is not
35:09
something given
35:09
to us
35:10
that we
35:10
can hurl
35:11
at each
35:11
other
35:11
carelessly,
35:12
not giving
35:13
any respect
35:14
to situation
35:15
and what
35:16
people have
35:16
walked through.
35:17
We don't
35:18
use doctrine
35:18
to beat
35:19
each other
35:20
over the
35:20
head with
35:21
it,
35:21
but on
35:21
the other
35:22
side,
35:23
there's so
35:23
many churches
35:24
this day
35:24
that just
35:24
go along
35:26
to get
35:26
along,
35:27
right?
35:27
Peace at
35:28
any cost,
35:28
and they
35:29
dismiss truth
35:29
altogether,
35:31
right?
35:31
So there's
35:31
this false
35:32
sense of
35:32
unity in
35:34
the church
35:34
which typically
35:35
has to do
35:36
with a piece
35:37
of property,
35:38
the building,
35:39
and what
35:39
they've accomplished
35:39
together that
35:40
they can
35:41
physically see
35:41
and touch.
35:43
Shame on
35:44
them and
35:44
shame on
35:45
us if
35:46
that's what
35:47
we do.
35:48
A wise
35:49
man once
35:49
said to me
35:50
that there's
35:50
a great deal
35:50
of difference
35:51
between
35:51
compliance
35:52
and commitment.
35:54
I'm just
35:55
kidding,
35:56
dad.
35:56
My dad
35:56
said that.
35:58
I mean,
35:58
he's a
35:58
wise man.
36:03
Sometimes
36:03
I don't
36:03
think about
36:04
what I'm
36:04
going to
36:04
say before
36:04
I say
36:05
it,
36:05
and it
36:06
comes out
36:06
all wrong.
36:09
That's
36:09
right.
36:10
That's
36:10
exactly
36:10
right.
36:14
I often
36:15
plagiarize
36:15
my dad
36:15
unknowingly.
36:16
He says
36:17
things to
36:17
me a lot
36:17
that I
36:18
end up
36:18
repeating.
36:18
I knew
36:19
this one
36:19
that time.
36:20
Anyway,
36:20
a wise
36:21
man,
36:21
my father,
36:22
said to
36:22
me,
36:22
there's a
36:22
big difference
36:23
between
36:23
just
36:24
compliance
36:24
and
36:25
commitment.
36:25
Just going
36:26
along with
36:27
things,
36:27
right?
36:28
Taking a
36:28
look at
36:29
reports that
36:30
we give
36:30
and budgets
36:31
that we
36:31
vote on
36:32
and just
36:32
going along
36:32
because it's
36:33
easier to
36:34
go along
36:34
than to
36:34
raise your
36:35
hand and
36:35
ask a
36:35
question,
36:36
right?
36:36
It's easier
36:37
to go
36:37
along and
36:38
not search
36:38
the scriptures
36:39
yourself.
36:41
Beloved,
36:41
as members of
36:42
this church,
36:43
you have
36:43
doctrinal
36:44
responsibility.
36:45
You have
36:46
responsibility to
36:47
hold me
36:47
accountable to
36:48
the truth.
36:48
If I get up
36:49
here and say
36:49
something and I
36:50
err in some
36:50
way,
36:51
it's your
36:51
job to
36:53
tell me that
36:53
I erred,
36:54
right?
36:55
Not to be
36:55
arrogant,
36:56
not to say
36:56
you figured
36:57
something out
36:58
ahead of me
36:58
and I'm
36:59
the pastor
36:59
and you're
37:00
so smart
37:00
sitting in
37:01
the pew,
37:02
right?
37:02
But so that
37:02
we can
37:03
preserve truth
37:04
together,
37:05
we can walk
37:06
together in it
37:06
because it's
37:07
best for
37:08
all of us
37:09
when we do
37:10
this.
37:12
1 Corinthians
37:13
13.
37:14
2,
37:14
Paul says
37:16
if I have
37:16
prophetic powers
37:17
and understand
37:18
all mysteries
37:20
and all
37:21
knowledge and
37:22
if I have
37:22
all faith so
37:23
as to remove
37:24
mountains,
37:24
he's setting
37:25
up this
37:25
hypothetical
37:26
scenario,
37:27
right?
37:27
I'm the most
37:27
brilliant person
37:28
ever.
37:29
I can discern
37:30
from right and
37:31
wrong with
37:31
flawless ability.
37:33
I can move
37:34
mountains with
37:34
my face,
37:35
but have
37:36
not love.
37:37
I'm nothing.
37:39
I am
37:40
nothing.
37:41
Ephesians
37:42
chapter 4,
37:43
Paul writes
37:43
again to us,
37:44
verses 11
37:45
through 16.
37:46
And he gave
37:47
the apostles,
37:47
the prophets,
37:48
the evangelists,
37:48
the shepherds
37:49
and teachers
37:49
jobs given
37:51
to the church
37:52
to equip
37:52
the saints
37:53
for the work
37:54
of ministry,
37:55
for building
37:55
up the body
37:56
of Christ
37:57
until we all
37:58
attain to the
37:59
unity of the
37:59
faith and of
38:00
the knowledge
38:00
of the Son
38:01
of God
38:01
to mature
38:02
manhood
38:02
to the
38:03
measure of
38:04
the stature
38:04
of fullness
38:05
of Christ.
38:06
This is our
38:06
great goal
38:07
together,
38:07
so that we
38:08
may no longer
38:09
be children
38:09
tossed to
38:10
and fro
38:11
by the waves
38:12
and carried
38:13
about by
38:13
every wind
38:14
of doctrine,
38:15
by human
38:16
cunning,
38:17
by craftiness
38:17
in deceitful
38:18
schemes.
38:20
Rather,
38:21
speaking the
38:22
truth
38:22
in love,
38:24
we are to
38:24
grow up in
38:24
every way
38:25
into him
38:25
who is the
38:25
head,
38:26
into Christ,
38:27
from whom
38:28
the whole
38:28
body,
38:29
joined and
38:29
held together
38:30
by every
38:30
joint with
38:31
which it
38:31
is equipped,
38:32
when each
38:33
part is
38:33
working properly,
38:34
makes the
38:34
body grow
38:35
so that it
38:35
builds itself
38:36
up in
38:37
love.
38:37
love.
38:38
And what I
38:39
want you to
38:39
take away
38:39
from that
38:40
is that
38:41
we have
38:42
the capacity
38:43
to walk
38:44
in truth
38:44
together.
38:45
We've been
38:45
given the
38:46
scriptures,
38:46
we've been
38:47
given the
38:47
spirit of
38:48
God,
38:49
and we've
38:49
beheld
38:50
Christ.
38:51
We're being
38:52
built together
38:53
into his
38:54
body.
38:55
So working
38:55
through a
38:55
process like
38:56
this is
38:57
going to be
38:57
a great
38:58
test of
38:59
our love
39:00
for one
39:01
another.
39:01
I hope
39:03
that encourages
39:03
you to
39:04
work on
39:05
this process,
39:05
to be
39:06
involved in
39:07
this process,
39:08
to begin
39:08
wrestling with
39:09
these doctrinal
39:10
issues.
39:12
So how
39:13
will we go
39:13
about all
39:14
this?
39:15
I'm going
39:16
to form a
39:16
committee made
39:17
of the elders
39:18
of the church
39:18
and a few
39:19
other members
39:19
of our
39:19
congregation
39:20
just to
39:20
broaden the
39:21
scopes and
39:22
perspectives on
39:23
things.
39:24
And we're
39:25
going to
39:25
work really,
39:26
really hard
39:26
to present
39:27
to you a
39:28
paper of
39:29
some sort
39:29
for your
39:30
review.
39:31
Let me
39:31
again encourage
39:32
you, you
39:32
should be
39:33
studying this
39:33
on your
39:34
own.
39:34
If you're
39:34
a member
39:35
of this
39:35
church, I
39:36
will be
39:36
sending out
39:36
an email
39:37
later in
39:37
this week.
39:38
I'll link
39:38
this sermon
39:39
to it for
39:39
those who
39:40
weren't here
39:41
this Sunday.
39:42
And I
39:42
will also
39:43
include some
39:44
links and
39:45
resources on
39:46
both sides
39:47
of the
39:48
doctrinal
39:48
debate.
39:49
You need to
39:49
begin working
39:50
through it
39:51
on your
39:52
own.
39:53
We'll
39:53
together as
39:54
a committee
39:54
will present
39:55
a paper to
39:55
you and
39:56
then we're
39:56
going to
39:56
meet to
39:57
discuss.
39:58
And we're
39:58
going to
39:58
meet to
39:58
discuss and
39:59
we're going to
39:59
meet to
40:00
keep on
40:01
working at
40:01
it and
40:01
keep on
40:02
working at
40:02
it, loving
40:03
one another
40:04
in the
40:05
truth until
40:06
we can
40:06
arrive at
40:08
I hope a
40:08
unanimous
40:09
decision,
40:10
maybe just
40:10
a consensus
40:11
among us,
40:13
but this is
40:14
something I
40:14
think is
40:14
incredibly,
40:15
incredibly
40:16
important that
40:17
we wrestle
40:17
through
40:18
together.
40:20
This will
40:21
likely be a
40:21
lengthy process.
40:23
I think it's
40:23
going to take
40:24
us time,
40:25
but I think
40:25
that the
40:25
time and
40:26
the energy
40:27
invested in
40:27
it will be
40:28
ultimately
40:28
really healthy
40:29
for the
40:29
long-term
40:30
life of
40:31
this church
40:31
and ultimately
40:32
glorifying to
40:35
God.
40:36
Now in all
40:37
of this,
40:38
as I said
40:38
before,
40:38
we've all
40:39
been touched
40:39
by divorce,
40:41
remarriages,
40:41
some of those
40:42
exist in our
40:43
congregation.
40:44
Don't hear any
40:45
of this as
40:45
condemnation
40:46
towards you.
40:48
My sins are
40:49
as deep as
40:49
yours.
40:50
We have all
40:50
failed in so
40:51
many respects.
40:52
If we arrive
40:53
at a position
40:53
where you find
40:54
that you need
40:55
to repent,
40:56
just repent
40:56
and move
40:57
on.
40:58
Know that
40:58
you're accepted
40:59
in this
41:00
faith family,
41:01
that we
41:01
love you.
41:03
We want to
41:03
lead each
41:04
other in
41:05
truth.
41:05
This is one
41:06
thing.
41:06
There are so
41:07
many other
41:08
things we need
41:08
to be talking
41:09
about.
41:09
There's so
41:09
much other
41:10
sin we need
41:11
to be working
41:11
out in our
41:13
body together.
41:13
This is just
41:14
one part of a
41:15
greater process
41:16
of living
41:16
together as a
41:17
community of
41:19
faith.
41:21
We're going to
41:21
fail.
41:22
I am confident
41:23
that in our
41:23
discussions and
41:24
in the things
41:25
we do,
41:26
we're going
41:26
to get
41:26
prideful.
41:27
We're going
41:28
to have to
41:28
repent of
41:28
that.
41:29
We're just
41:30
going to get
41:30
mad at each
41:31
other.
41:32
I hope not,
41:32
but I bet it
41:33
happens.
41:34
Praise God
41:35
that for all
41:36
these things,
41:37
there's grace
41:37
upon grace
41:38
upon grace,
41:39
infinite grace
41:40
given to those
41:41
who are His.
41:43
We have been
41:44
redeemed in
41:45
Christ.
41:47
As such,
41:47
our natural
41:48
response should
41:49
want to be
41:49
obedience,
41:51
discipleship.
41:52
This is what
41:52
Mark's pressing
41:53
us to,
41:53
that we would
41:54
follow,
41:54
Jesus,
41:55
with all
41:56
that we
41:57
are.
41:58
Let's pray
41:58
together.