Whether you are here in person or engaging from home, we are thankful you have chosen to worship with us today. If it is your first time, welcome! we would love to get to know you better. Would you consider filling out our Next Steps card and let us know you stopped by?

At Grace Family we focus our worship on Sunday to impact our lives every other day of the week as well. We also believe no one is perfect but everyone is welcome to worship God with us. So, no matter where you're from, what you've done, or what your week has been like, let's worship God and learn from His word together today.

2 Parties

Conservative Party (Shammai)

- Divorce was only allowed in response to adultery.

Liberal Party (Hillel)

- Divorce was allowed for any reason.

2 Possible Traps:

Trouble with Herod Antipas.

Theological trouble with Moses.

Mark 10:3-9

"3 Jesus answered them with a question: “What did Moses say in the law about divorce?” 4 “Well, he permitted it,” they replied. “He said a man can give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away.”[a] 5 But Jesus responded, “He wrote this commandment only as a concession to your hard hearts. 6 But ‘God made them male and female’[b] from the beginning of creation. 7 ‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife,[c] 8 and the two are united into one.’[d] Since they are no longer two but one, 9 let no one split apart what God has joined together.”"

God creates a marriage.

God created marriage to be permanent.

God created marriages to reflect his covenant with his people.

Mark 10:10-12

"10 Later, when he was alone with his disciples in the house, they brought up the subject again. 11 He told them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. 12 And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.”

Divorce is a concession, not the design.

Married People:

- Live like divorce is not an option.

- Keep learning and growing as a spouse.

- Keep your covenants with God because he keeps them with you. 

Mark 10:13-16

"13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them."

We can learn from the faith of Children.

Helpless / Hopeful / Trusting

Never stop bringing children to Jesus.

We invest in children and students.

Parents:

- Place your kids in biblical environments.

- Surround kids with people who love Jesus.

- Invite them "up" into your lives.

Mark 10:17

"17 As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Eternal life is found in what Jesus has done, not what we can do.

Mark 10:18-21

"18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’[e]” 20 “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” 21 Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

There's a reason the first commandment is the first commandment...

Exodus 20:3

"3 “You must not have any other god but me."

Mark 10:22-23

"22 At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Is it worth pursuing a rich life on earth only to be bankrupt in eternity?

Mark 10:24-25

"24 This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard[f] to enter the Kingdom of God. 25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Wealth encourages dependence on self rather than dependence on God.

Mark 10:26-27

"26 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. 27 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”"

It is impossible for any person to save themselves. It is only by the grace of God.

Mark 10:28-31

"28 Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. 29 “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30 will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.[g]”

Idolatry:

Derails marriages.

Corrupts our parenting.

Distorts our view of wealth.

Marriage: Keep your promises to God first.

Children: Carry them to God first.

Treasure: Give it to God first.

How have you placed what you want ahead of what Jesus wants?

Use the space below to ask a question and one of our pastors will get back to you!

Every week we spend time praying for your requests at our staff meeting. Submit your request below and we will be sure to pray for you this week!