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TITLE: The Marriage Rule
TEXT: Mark 10:1-12
PROPOSITION: We look for the loophole before we know the rule.
QUESTION: What?
KEY WORD: Rules
SCRIPTURE READING:
INTRODUCTION:

1. Marriage and Divorce are difficult issues because:
   
2. Prevalence - 1 out of 2 marriages end in divorce
   
3. Emotional issues involved - family, children, grandparents
   
4. Eternal issue - sin and consequences, heaven or hell
   
5. Moral issues - fornication, adultery, broken promises
   
6. Biblical issues - Many are looking for the loophole.
   

What did Moses allow? (3-5)

1. Study Deuteronomy 24:
   
2. Two schools of thought
   
   1. Unclean = fornication
      
   2. Found no favor in her = anything I don't like
      

What was the original plan of God? (6-9)

1. Beginning - male and female (6)
   
2. Leave = cut ties of dependence
   
3. Cleave = glue (Greek - mucilage)
   
4. God is involved - tri-lateral contract
   
5. No man can void a contract with God
   

Private study with apostles (10-12)

1. The Rule (11)
   
   1. Put away wife and marry another = adultery against her
      
   2. Put away husband and marry another = adultery against him
      
2. Waiting Game
   
   1. One says, “Why don't you just divorce me?”
      
   2. Then justifies self - “I did not divorce, he did.”
      
   3. After divorce many just try to “out wait” the other to remarry
      
   4. Wedding vow - Is to maintain the marriage - to the best of your ability.
      
   5. Keep your promise.
      

Conclusion:

1. We made a contract with God and a spouse to be faithful to that contract until death.
   
2. It does not expire, can't renegotiate, not a 3 year lease with option to renew
   

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