Focus On the Original Design by Brother Curtis Hansen

                 In the time of Jesus ministry on earth, the Pharisees and the Sadducees would come to him in public with questions they hope would snare him in a theological trap. We will look at some of the questions they asked Jesus in a little bit and see how many men are asking in 2024. The purpose of growth and maturity is to bring change in man. Experience and failure are a part of the growth. There may be things you believed to be true at 12 you know better as an adult. There is room for growth and change with man. There is no change in Jesus. He remains constant.

        This morning we will be reading from the book of Matthew chapter 19. Our scripture reading will begin at verse 3.

        3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

        In your day to day goings, how many people have asked you questions in seeking a validation of their opinion? There were no good intentions or even genuine curiosity with the questions posed to Jesus. Notice that the question in verse 3 is not framed as just or right but if it's lawful. You could place any law in this context. There were 613 commandments written at the time of Jesus. 

        Please understand this message isn't about divorce as a subject. It's in how you can take any law we have and openly question God about it, trying to find a loophole or even acceptance in how you live your life. The rabbi's in the day of Jesus were teachers. They were very influential to the public in that time. Now, the teachers knew about divorce because that subject was written about in Deuteronomy. As a favor to you this morning, we will go there before continuing with this scripture.

        When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to paid that she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

        2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.

        3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and senders her out of his house, or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife.

        4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

        So, what is the point of these verses? What is the problem that Jesus is concerned with? It is mentioned in verse 4. It is the sin. You can't think you can keep acting like the world when in heaven. This scripture is not a license to divorce.

        Some questions asked of Jesus by the teachers of his day; Who are you? Under whose authority? What is the greatest commandment? When will the end of the world begin? How can we be saved? These questions were asked as a means to trap Jesus and still man ask these questions today.

        No favor is another way to do what satisfies your flesh. Laws were hard in this time because the abuse done by man. The teachers were asking about the sin but Jesus was addressing the design. Let's go back to Matthew 19 and verse 4.

        4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read. that he which made them at the beginning made them make and female.

        Why did you distort and misconstrue my law for your preference is what Jesus is actually asking these teachers. Jesus pivots the subject back to the beginning with his answer.

        5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

        As Jesus is answering, he's doing so with the word. In this verse he continues with the original design.

        6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, not man put asunder.

        So, in the original design, Jesus is referring to Adam and Eve. It was created before sin. Marriage is a partnership as one flesh and one body. Some people place their kids over their spouse. Bonded, communication, forgiveness, and grace are all tools to a successful marriage.

        Now in verse 7 is where man shows up. It is the rebuttal over truth.

        7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?

        Why do you allow when you are against things God? It is because of grace. Some questions asked today by man and forgetting grace. We can put scriptures in place to support our preference but not the whole scripture. Some have no problem peeling a verse here and verse there as scripture basis for whatever their flesh desires.

        There are so many times we persist God and nag him for things. A lot of it is fleeting and material. If you follow daily the original design there in lies blessings. Sin and unforgiveness post garden of eden forced Moses' hand to write the law. Sin is the root to ended relationships and friendships. We work backwards with God to find the line to stay close to our comfortable life.

        8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

        Hardness of your heart forced Moses to write a law from the original design. That hardness of the heart can end relationships and carry on to others in life.

        9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away doth commit adultery.

       10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.

        11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying save they to whom it is given.

        Jesus wasn't breaking something down to his disciples in private in verse 11. He was still in public. Some men cannot understand marriage. Not everyone is called to be married. You can't blame others because of the hardness of your heart. Discern your life to pull out the iniquities within.

        Verse 9 is God's theology regarding marriage. It doesn't go to if divorce is okay. Verses 4-6 are framed at the period of man before sin.

        As we go into the new year, sow into things, sacrifice some habits or preference of your flesh. A change is coming.