Mark 10:2-16

Over 50% of all marriages end in divorce. (Source: Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, Springfield) Believe it or not the rate of divorce is actually down a little from a high 5.3 per 1000 in 1981 to 3.7 per 1,000. But there are also less people getting married. In the end we're still talking about 1 out of every two marriages that end in divorce.

And that does not begin to touch the emotional pain that divorce can cause. When you invest your life in another person and that relationship falls apart it hurts. Psychologists rate the stress caused by a divorce as being higher than the stress caused by the death of a spouse. Sometimes the marriage is so dysfunctional or even abusive that divorce is the only recourse. Even in that situation divorce is a difficult and painful transition.

How do we Christians respond to this reality in our society? Many choose to simply to condemn those who are divorced. Some churches formally or informally shun or even excommunicate those who are divorced. Many pastors refuse to do weddings for those who have been divorced. Some Christians just ignore divorce all together.

Divorce is a very real issue in our society. If we are the body of Christ, how do we offer healing and forgiveness and wholeness to those who have been or are going through divorce? How do we reach out to hurting people with the grace of God and still stay true to the Gospel? We need to start by taking a close look at what Jesus said on the subject.

The only time Jesus said anything about divorce and remarriage it was in the context of a question posed by people trying to test Jesus. Most people move straight to the answer and ignore the question. But you can't truly understand the answer without understanding the question it is a response to. The question was "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" and it was asked by a Pharisee. This is a loaded question. It was a trap and a mine field. John the Baptist was beheaded because he criticized King Herod's divorce and remarriage to his brother's wife.

First of all the laws of Moses made provision for a man to divorce his wife if she had done something "shameful." So the Pharisees knew it is allowed, but what was up for debate was what does "shameful" mean. Certainly if she committed adultery that would be shameful, but what if she embarrassed her husband in public? Some of the Pharisees taught that if a wife displeased her husband for any reason he could divorce her. If she burned his toast all he would have to do is say "I divorce you" three times and put it in writing.

There was a very real justice issue here. Notice that a wife could not divorce her husband. And if a husband divorced his wife she was without legal recourse or financial support. Basically the Pharisees were advocating not just easy divorces but legalized wife abandonment in a culture when women with no husband were vulnerable.

The Pharisees were playing games with the law of God. Jesus doesn't play their game. The problem is that most people assume he is playing their game. While they are quibbling over the legal meaning of "shameful" he is dealing with the spiritual meaning of "marriage." What is marriage? "A man shall leave his parents and a woman her home and they become one." Marriage is a miracle of God joining two people together.

God's plan was that human beings mate for life. That we be joined together and not be separated. So when we are separated it is painful. In the movie "Fireproof" this is illustrated by someone gluing a salt and peppershaker together. After they are glued they can be pulled apart but not without damaging them in some way. In the same way when a married couple separates damage is done to them emotionally and spiritually.

A divorce is like an amputation. If you have a sore thumb you don't cut off your hand. However if there is something growing in the thumb that puts the whole body at risk you may amputate as a last resort. Because divorce is so traumatic it should only be used as a last resort when the relationship has become so toxic that it proves a danger for those in and around it. And God knows that where human are involved that kind of thing happens. God even provided for that possibility in the laws given to Israel.

So when Jesus is taking about divorce here, he is not laying down law but explaining principal; lifting up the ideal. Later when talking with his disciples and says that a man who remarries commits adultery, he is talking about divorcing one so that he can marry another. If a married person starts looking around and finds someone else they want to marry while they are still married, that is adultery. And getting divorced from one so that you can marry another is a betrayal of the first marriage. Again Jesus is addressing the issue of divorce for selfish and sinful reasons.

This is where the rest of this passage comes in. I don't think it is coincidence that in both Matthew and Mark these teachings about divorce are followed up by the story of the children being blessed by Jesus. Jesus says two very important things here. He said "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them." He also said "Whoever does not enter the Kingdom of God like a child cannot enter it." I like "The Message" translation of this "Unless you accept God's Kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get it."

Have you seen that commercial? A child and an adult are standing next to a shiny new bicycle and the adult says, "Would you like to ride this bike." The child says yes and jumps on the bike and starts to ride but the adult stops them and says, "the terms say that you can't take the bike out of the proscribed area." On the floor is a small square barely big enough for the bike to stand in. The child says, "I can't ride the in that." And the adult corrects "You can't ride far." And in conclusion the announcer says "Even a child knows that is not fair."

Maybe as Christians we need to apply some childlike sensibilities to the issue of divorce. Marriage is big and important. Sometime we make mistakes with big and important things - sometimes we human mess up and the things we are involved in get messed up. When we make mistakes and get messed up it hurts. And any children know that when you get hurt you need help and comfort. As Christians we should be the ones providing the help and comfort to those who have been torn apart by divorce. Too often Christians just condemn and pout salt in the words.

Don't hinder the children of God who are hurt by divorce from coming to Jesus. They need to come to Jesus to be blessed and healed. And when someone makes a mistake they deserve a second chance. God, recognizing that humans are fallible, allows for remarriage in the laws of Moses. In the same way we need to allow for a new beginning for those who have been through a divorce. God is a God of new beginnings. We need to allow the children to come to Jesus. We need to provide a community of forgiveness and healing for those who have been divorced.

Job 1:1; 2:1-10

Why do bad thing happen to good people? This is one of those questions that people of faith have pondered for millennia. Why do seemingly good or innocent people suffer? Why do children die in natural disasters? Why are infants born with debilitating diseases and why do babies get cancer?

Job is the book in the Bible that deals with this issue head on. In it we are told the story of a man who is truly righteous. In fact God Himself says that Job is blameless. Yet Job suffers horribly! He loses all his possessions and his family in one day. Then he loses his health and suffers from a horrible disease. Yet in all of this, Job does not sin against God.

But the question of why bad thing happen to good people is much closer to home than some guy who lived thousands of years ago in a far away land. For me it's in my own family. Why did God allow my daughter Mary at the age of 7 to lose much of her hearing? Why did God allow Melissa at the age of 3 to lose much of her hearing and vision? They were surely innocent, yet God allowed this to happen to them.

As I said, people of faith have wrestled with this issue for thousands of years. The book of Job was probably written between 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. So there have been a number of different approaches to this issue. Let's just take a quick look at a few attempts to answer the question: Why do bad things happen to good people?

The first response is "Who is really good?" After all the Bible says that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." So all of us are deserving of punishment and suffering. So really, bad things do not happen to good people because there are no truly good people.

Well what about Job? Could he have been truly blameless? Maybe he was just as blameless as a person could be. Or maybe he was blameless by Old Testament standards. Like many of us, maybe he never actually stole anything or killed anyone. But Jesus raised the bar of righteousness to show us God's standard. Jesus says if we covet we have stolen and if we hate we have killed. By those standards we are all thieves and murderes - sinners all! So Job may have been blameless by human standards but not by God's eternal standards. Therefore he deserved his suffering as punishment.

But this answer falls woefully short. It might cover most of us. But what about suffering endured by children and infants. It doesn't explain people born with debilitating and painful ailments. To just say we all deserve punishment isn't an adequate answer to the question.

The second answer is that bad things happen to good people because God chooses not to interfere. This is based on the attitude I talked about last week that many people have. The idea that God is somehow detached from the universe. God started the machine going and people have messed the universe up. As a result bad things happen to good people because we have messed up the way the universe is supposed to work. Our sin has thrown a monkey wrench into the internal workings of the cosmos and gummed up the machine.

But that is not a Christian belief. God is involved in His universe. God does intervene in its workings to cause oceans to part and rain to fall or not fall and to heal diseases and save people. God even went as far as to come in the flesh in Jesus Christ. And Jesus didn't just teach, he also healed and then he died for the sins of the world.

So like the first answer this one too is not adequate.

Another answer is that bad thing happen to good people because God allows us to have free will. God in His eternal love has allowed us to do what we want. We can choose to do evil because we have been given free will as a gift. We can choose to drive drunk and kill innocent pedestrians. We can choose to dump toxic chemicals into the water supply and cause innocent people to get cancer. We can choose to fire a gun into the air without a thought about where the bullet might land and who it might injure or kill.

This would explain many of the tragedies of the world. Much suffering can be attributed to the malicious or irresponsible acts of others. Perhaps infants are born with birth defects because of our society's use of toxic and radioactive chemicals. Maybe those chemicals and materials in the environment cause other illnesses too.

But it still doesn't explain things like natural disasters. Oh, maybe global warming can be blamed for some of it. But it doesn't explain all the earthquakes and tsunamis and hurricanes and tornados that inflict suffering on so many innocent people. Again this answer explains some incidents but still falls short of being a complete answer.

I have barely scratched the surface of the question. You can go to the library and get all kinds of books by theologians and philosophers that deal with this issue. But none of these answers is God's answer. Don't get me wrong. Many of them are good answers and they may help us understand parts of the question. But God gave a different answer.

Near the end of the book, Job demands that God give him an explanation for why these things have happened to him. In chapters 38 - 41 of Job we have God's answer. But God doesn't give an explanation. Instead God asks Job a series of questions: Were you there when I put the stars in the places? Can you tell the sea where to go? Do you understand the ways of the creatures of the deep? Can you control them? In the end Job says, "Surely I have spoken of things I did not understand, thinks too wonderful for me to know."

Basically God's answer is: "I am God, I know what I am doing and you don't." God is the one who created this universe and God is the one ultimately in control of it. We should just trust God. Sure, things happen that don't make sense or don't seem right to us. But we are incapable of understanding the fullness of the universe. That doesn't mean we shouldn't ask questions and seek understanding and even question God as Job did. But ultimately God is in control.

I began by asking the question "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Perhaps the more important question is not "why" bad things happen but how we respond "when" they happen! That is really what the passage we read today is all about. In chapter 1 Job loses all his possessions and his family. His response is to say "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord." In Chapter 2 he loses his health and suffers from a painful disease. His own wife tells him to just curse God and die. But his reply is "Shall we accept the good from God and not trouble?"

Job shows us the response of the faithful to suffering. It is to acknowledge that God is the one in charge. It is like the song "He's got the whole world in His hands." He's got you and me and the little bitty babies in His hands. All we can do is trust HIM.

When bad thing happen to good people what do we do? How do we respond when the innocent suffer? What do we think when natural disasters injure and kill? We look to God, and trust in his wisdom and power. He, after all, is the one who created this world, and only He understands it completely.

Mark 10:2-16

Jesus said, "What God has brought together let no one separate."(Mark 10:9) Then Jesus told his disciples, "Whoever divorces ... and marries another commits adultery."(Mark 10:11-12) These words burn in our ears. Many of God's children have been divorced and then remarried. And those who haven't know someone who has. Often times we know there was good reason for divorce. Perhaps the spouse was unfaithful or uncaring. Perhaps the spouse was even abusive. And we want our divorced friends to find happiness in a new marriage in which they can experience a loving caring relationship. So we wrestle with these difficult words of Jesus.

But let me put these words in context. These sayings of Jesus were in response to a question posed by Pharisees to test Jesus. They were trying to draw Jesus into a current argument among the Pharisees and possibly trip him up. The debate involved an interpretation of God's Law. The Law of God allowed for a man to divorce his wife by signing a divorce certificate thus allowing both of them to remarry. But the Law said that he could do that only if she had done something "shameful." The rabbis argued over what "shameful" meant. Did it refer only to adultery, or to lesser things? Some rabbis went as far as to say that a man could divorce his wife because she had burned his toast or because another woman was more beautiful to him.

Jesus knew what was going on when the Pharisees asked him this question and refused to play their little game. Instead of joining the argument over legal definitions, Jesus chose to teach them about the nature and meaning of marriage. From the beginning it was God's plan that men and women join together and become one. (Mark 10:6-7) And once they were made one it was God's intentions that they stay that way. (Mark 10:8) That's what God intended, but people don�t always follow through on God's intentions, so God's Law made provision for dissolving a marriage when necessary. (Mark 10:5)

Later, in private, the disciples asked Jesus about this. It's then that Jesus told them that if a man divorced his wife and married another he commits adultery. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she commits adultery. By the way, the laws of Moses say nothing about a woman divorcing her husband but Jesus does.

So, how should Christians respond to these words from our Lord? Christians have responded in many differing ways. Some churches do not recognize divorces at all. Some churches will recognize a divorce but they will not remarry. Some blame the divorced person for not keeping their vows. Some churches refuse to allow divorced people to hold positions of leadership. Some will not allow divorced ministers to continue preaching. Some churches even say that a divorced person must return to their first spouse to be saved, while others argue that any divorces that take place before salvation are null and void. They are forgiven. Some theologians argue that the modern sociological situation is different and that Jesus' words do not apply to modern marriages.

What is the United Methodist Church's position on divorce? Let me read it to you.

"When a married couple is estranged beyond reconciliation, even after thoughtful consideration and counsel, divorce is a regrettable alternative in the midst of brokenness. ... Divorce does not preclude a new marriage. We encourage an intentional commitment of the Church and society to minister compassionately to those in the process of divorce, as well as members of divorced and remarried families, in a community of faith where God's grace is shared by all. ."(The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, 1996, p. 87, para. 65D)

Jesus appears, at least on the surface, to be disallowing divorce and remarriage, yet our church recognizes divorce. We see it as regrettable, it is always a last resort when marriage partners are estranged beyond reconciliation, but we recognize it none the less as well as the divorced person's right to remarry. Methodist churches for the most part are open to including divorced and remarried individuals as full and active members. We have tried and often succeeded in ministering to and with divorced and remarried people. Does that mean that we Methodists are simply disregarding Jesus' words of this matter? By no means. We are not disregarding anything Jesus said, but rather we are trying to be true to everything Jesus said and did. I believe that the Methodist church's openness to divorced people is an attempt to be true to the larger message of the Gospel.

How is this so? As I pointed out before Jesus' words are not an attempt to lay down legislation but rather an attempt to explain God's intention. It is God's intention that people who marry should marry only once and remain married "until death do us part." But the truth of the matter is we humans rarely follow God's intentions. Sometimes through acts of unfaithfulness, hateful abuse, or even neglect a marriage dies. It is killed by the actions or inaction of one or both of the partners. The trust is betrayed. Sometimes through prayer and counseling the damage can be mended, but sometimes the partners won't be reconciled. God knows this about us so God made provision for the Israelites to divorce. It's not what God wants but as Jesus said God has made this provision because of the hardness of the human heart. (Mark 10:5) And that provision included the possibility of remarriage. After all the purpose of the certificate was to properly dissolve the first marriage so that another marriage could take place if desired. (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)

What do we do with Jesus' words that appear to label remarriage as adultery? Once again, Jesus is not laying down laws but principles. As I noted before, one prominent rabbi stated that a man could divorce his wife because he thought another woman was more beautiful. Looking at another in that way is adultery. Jesus was responding to the loose morals of his age, and the attitude that a small matter, like burning the toast, was proper grounds for dissolving a union ordained by God. That I believe is the attitude to which Jesus is responding. If Jesus were saying that God's people could not divorce and remarry he would be contradicting God's law given to Moses. And Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law."(Matthew 5:17) So he must be explaining God's intention behind it.

But let's look deeper. Consider who it is that is saying this. It's Jesus who came into the world to offer forgiveness, healing, and new life to all. By the power of his blood Jesus offers to wipe away our past and give us a new beginning. That is what Jesus offers all people including those who have been divorced. Jesus offers to forgive, or wipe away and heal the past, and to be at work in us all to create a new beginning. Sometimes that new beginning may include a new spouse with whom they can experience anew what it means to love and be loved.

This is where Jesus' blessing of the children comes in. It's no accident that this cute story falls right on the heels of this discussion about divorce. We Methodists are most familiar with this passage as the Biblical basis for infant baptism, but it is much more than that. It is an explanation of the proper relationship with God. Jesus says we must receive the kingdom as a child. A child is one who trusts and depends on the parent for guidance. A child looks to the parent as an example and tries to imitate the parent. Much of a child's play is simply copying the parents� actions; playing house.

That is how we should be. We should trust and depend upon God and try to imitate God's actions. Instead of spending our time making rules about divorce and remarriage, and then arguing over them like the Pharisees, we should trust and depend on God to show us how to reach out in love as Christ did. One day Jesus met a woman who had been married to five husbands. He didn't expound on the laws of Moses and apply them to her life like the Pharisees. Instead he reached out in love. He showed mercy and grace to her.

Yes, it is regrettable that people get divorced. Divorce is a painful thing. It is a result of our human frailty for we all fall short of God's intentions for us. But instead of condemning, we should be loving. Instead of inflicting pain and discomfort on people who are in a very painful situation already, we should be offering comfort and help. That is why I believe that the United Methodist Church's response to divorce and remarriage is faithful to the Gospel. It�s a response that offers forgiveness and healing. It�s a response that offers a new beginning through the power of Christ's blood. Like children of God, let us depend upon God to show us how to live grace and forgiveness. Instead of trying to keep the divorced away from Jesus as the disciples tried to keep the children away, we should lead them to Jesus. And just as Jesus picked up and blessed the children, he will pick them up and bless them.

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Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

What is Christianity all about? People have a lot of different opinions. Some think it is all about serving the needing and fighting for justice. Some think it is all about beliefs and practices; a set of rituals and doctrines. Some think it is a social or community service organization. Some think Christianity is all about a bunch of goody goodies shaking their fingers at every one.

The church has tried over and over again to state what the Christian religion is all about. In the back of your hymnal you will find a section of creeds starting on page 880. These are historic attempts to put the Christian faith into words.

Don't misunderstand what I am about to say. Now beliefs and practices and service and justice and community are all important, but that's not what it's really all about. It's all about Jesus. It's about who he is and what he did and the relationship we have with him. I want everyone to repeat that. What's it all about? It's all about Jesus!

But who or what exactly is Jesus? Our reading from Hebrews tells us. It is a creed or statement of faith of sorts. It focuses on Jesus: who he is, what he did, and how we relate to him. Let's take some time to look at what Hebrews says about Jesus.

The first thing Hebrews says about Jesus is that he is God's Son and the one through whom God spoke to the human race. People have often wondered how to have a relationship with God. God is great and powerful and all understanding, but we are weak and small and ignorant. To span the gulf between us, God took the initiative. In Old Testament times God spoke through prophets.

But in our day God chose to send his Son and speak to us directly. Have you ever had to relay information by a third party? It can be slow and tedious. Sometimes the third party misrepresents or misunderstands the message. That's how it was with the prophets. But now God speaks to us directly through his Son!

Do you see how significant this is? How many of you have cells phones with you this morning? If I gave you the number of the White House do you think you could talk to President Bush right now? But you have already talked to God and he has talked to you. And God didn't use a cell phone. I'm talking about the presence of Jesus Christ living in your heart. So what's it all about? It's all about Jesus!

The second thing Hebrews tells us about Jesus is in that same verse. It tells us that Jesus is creator; "Through whom also he created the worlds." We usually think of God the Father as the creator. Even the creeds say things like: "I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth." But the Bible tells us that Jesus was there at creation. And it was through him that all things were made.

Do you see what this means? You know that original works are more valuable than copies. With modern photographic and printing capabilities we can all have a Mona Lisa or other work of a great master hanging in our living rooms. But no one is gong to try to steal it. In fact in most cases the frame is more valuable than the print. But go to the museums where the originals by the great masters are and you will find laser beams and armed guards and security cameras. You are an original work. The family might say you are a carbon copy of your Uncle Fred. Don't believe it, you are an original work of the Master. Look at the person sitting next to you. They are an original work of Master Jesus too. So each one of us is priceless because we are an original work of the Master.

Hebrews also says that Jesus was "appointed the heir of all things." Not only did he create it he is in charge of it. So Jesus is the creator and the master or all the world. So what's it all about? It's all about Jesus!

The next thing that Hebrews tells us is that Jesus is "the reflection of God's Glory and the exact imprint of God's very being." People have often wondered what God looks like. Artists have often imagined God as an old man. God has been described as light and power. God has been depicted in many different ways.

But there is more behind this endeavor than trying to decide if God has a beard or gray hair. It is all about trying to understand and know God from a human vantage point. How can a mere person know the entire universe? If that seems beyond our capacity then how could we ever hope to know the creator of that universe?

But Jesus is the very imprint of God in human form. What is God's character and attitude and demeanor? Look at Jesus. You want to know God, look at Jesus Christ. So what's it all about? It's all about Jesus!

Hebrews also tells us that Jesus is above the angels. When he died for our sins and rose again he took a place higher than the highest angel. I have been amazed at the interest in angels in our society. What really amazes me is that some of those people are not even practicing Christians or Jews. Angels are in the Bible and they make for pretty pictures so they interest me. They are messengers from God that is what the word "angel" means in Greek: messenger.

But what about these people who don't believe the Bible or worship the God of the Bible. What are angels to them? I guess at least in part they are symbols of connection to the divine. They represent the ability to know and tap into the spiritual power of the universe.

But Jesus is greater than even that. And what a friend I have in Jesus, all my sins and griefs to bear. His amazing grace saved a wretch like me. You see Christianity teaches us that a greater power than angels has reached out to each of us. "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so." So what's it all about? It's all about Jesus!

Now if someone asks you who Jesus is I hope you can tell them. You can say that he is the one through whom God speaks to the human race. You can say that he is the one through whom all things were created. You can say that he is the very image of God in the flesh. You can even say that he is higher than the angels.

But can you say, "He is my Savior?" That's the important part. Can you say that you know God through him and that he is master of your life? Can you say, "Jesus is my Lord and Savior?"

Christianity is a lot of things. It is ritual and practice and service and justice and the Bible and community. But what it really comes down to is your relationship with who? "Jesus!" So what's it all about? It's all about Jesus! Remember that!

And that's what Holy Communion is all about. When he instituted communion in the upper room, Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me." So what's it all about? It's all about Jesus!