MARK 10:1-12

1 Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" 3 "What did Moses command you?" he replied. 4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." 5 "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 6 "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." 10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. 11 He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. 12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits
adultery." NIV 84LESSON NOTES

Divorce is what Moses allowed; but not what God designed. Jesus distinguishes between what Moses allowed due to our hard hearts and what God originally designed in the garden.God's pre-fall plan for marriage establishes three distinct truths: it is a relationship between a man and a woman, it functions as the strongest relationship, and it is a sacred union formed by God Himself.We are called to live out God’s pre-fall plan for marriage in a post-fall world. The beauty and difficulty of marriage is that "two become one" in a broken world where sinners get married.While Jewish cultural debates focused strictly on the external, legal reasons for writing a certificate of divorce, Jesus exposes the root internal issue: hard hearts.Living out God's original intent for marriage in a post-fall world cannot be achieved through trying harder or loving better; it requires our hard hearts to be broken and compelled by the love of Christ.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1 Of the three characteristics of God's pre-fall plan for marriage - which one challenges you or encourages you the most right now and why?

2 A marriage counselor cited in the sermon advises couples to regularly say, "Remember who brought us together." How does shifting your perspective to view your marriage as a divine union change how you handle daily conflicts?

3 "Two become one" was described as both beautiful and difficult. What has been one of the hardest and one of the most beautiful parts of becoming one with your spouse?

4 Read 2 Corinthians 5:14 ("one died for all"). How does deeply internalizing the reality that Christ died for your spouse's shortcomings—just as He died for yours—transform the way you extend grace during difficult seasons?