Good morning! Today’s talk I have named Marriage is Beautiful. But as we are exploring the passages from Mark 10 on Divorce and Hebrews 2 on Authority, I will preface the talk with some important considerations:

• Bible passages on marriage and authority are often misused by people to exert control over others and the world we live in – this is wrong.
• People in the church often judge others based on the success of their relationships – this is wrong.
• Sometimes church has been a place where people have felt pressured to stay in abusive relationships – this is wrong.

If someone is in a relationship where domestic abuse or violence occurs, the church should be a place of safety and support. On the Diocese website in bold is says “the Bible is wholly against violence and oppression in any relationship. Jesus’ ethic is an ethic of love and self-sacrifice, of gentleness and respect in relationships.” Bishop Richard takes family violence very seriously and wrote: “I have zero tolerance for abuse of any kind. There is no place for family violence or abuse in our churches or communities. We want our communities to be safe, respectful and supportive places in which to live, and none more so than in the family home.”

I would like to remind everyone also that if someone needs help due to family violence of problems due to separation, a great place to start is through a confidential call to the Domestic Violence hotline on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. Or dial 000 in an emergency. These numbers are on my sermon which will be posted on our St Luke’s website. Even the 000!

Lastly, I feel it is important to say that I do not have the full lived experience or authority that makes me the right person to talk on divorce and separation. I hope my words will not offend anyone and will only help people. I nearly chose not to talk on this topic today, but I feel it is something we don’t talk about enough in church and God wants us to be bold and not shrink from thinking about the hard topics that have impact on people’s lives – like divorce.

Putting aside any preconceptions about what marriage is today, I invite you to look at these passages afresh and think about what God’s will is for us through the promise of marriage and the purpose of authority.

In Mark 10:2-16, we find Jesus answering the Pharisees challenging question about divorce. He talks firstly to the Pharisees in public and then to his disciples in private. Interestingly he doesn’t respond in public by talking about the law and what is “lawful”, but instead refers back to the story of creation: “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”. Here Jesus is reinforcing God’s original design for marriage—a union meant to be lasting and sacred.

Jesus clearly is more interested in discussing the deep, intimate connection that goes beyond mere coexistence and the law; he conveys a complete union of life, love, and purpose. As we reflect on this, I am sure we can think on our experiences of marriage that have at times demonstrated this union of life, love and purpose beautifully: they may be the marriages of those close to us like parents, grand parents or siblings, the marriages in our community of neighbours and friends, or if blessed with a good partner, your marriage to someone you love.

Jesus then in private, emphasises the seriousness of marriage. If “what God has joined together, no one should separate”, then he is clear that both men and women who seek divorce for themselves or others, need to accept that there will be an impact on them spiritually. This serves as a powerful reminder that marriage is a covenant, not a contract. A covenant is a promise made before God and witnesses, a commitment to each other that is meant to endure all seasons of life.

Today things are no different than in Jesus’ time: A life-long commitment feels extreme. How can Jesus teach on Divorce in this way? If the church follows Jesus’ teaching on Divorce, aren’t we just closing our eyes to the reality of broken relationships? Are we not just blissfully wishing for an unachievable ideal?

I like the way this dilemma is answered by Dick France in the Daily Bible Commentary series: “There is a way between these two extremes, but it is a difficult one to define and to practice without inconsistency. It is to insist both that God’s standard is absolute, and that divorce can never be good, and also that in a world which is characterized by human weakness and failure it must be possible to find ways of coping with a broken marriage (as Moses found that he had to). In that case divorce and remarriage, while it can never be good, may be the least bad of the options available.”.

He goes on to write “…If, reluctantly, we come to this conclusion, it is a very different matter from accepting the verdict of society that divorce is ‘OK’, and assuming that Jesus’ words are an unworkable ideal. They are not.” Even though marriage is difficult, the church and society have a responsibility to hold the standard of faithful, lifelong partnership as being good, life-giving and worth pursuing, and not let it fade in to an unreachable ideal.

Why should we hold up this standard here at St Luke’s? The bible explains that the promise of marriage is divinely provided to reflect God’s character and faithfulness. In Ephesians 5:31-32, Paul writes about marriage like this: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”  This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.”

I read the following and thought it helpful. God wants to relate to humankind, so he started with a couple. Out of all the pictures God could have chosen, such as a mighty storm or earthquake, or a king and servants, or even a father and son, he chose instead to start with the picture of marriage. And not only does he start here, but this picture continues on in the narrative of scripture, initially with Adam and Eve, then with his people Israel, and then ultimately in the invitation to the marriage of the Lamb, where the church is pictured as the bride of Christ.

In the bible we are given pictures, metaphors, and images to help us understand who God is and remember what he has done for us. The image of marriage is an important one.  It is a picture held within the bible starting at the garden of Eden up to today, which shows God’s purpose for marriage as an illustration and lived out experience of his close love, service and sacrifice to the church (us), and our love, service and sacrifice to God.

As we reflect on this, we must ask ourselves: How do we treat our marriages and relationships? Are we honoring this divine institution with our words and actions by encouraging people towards, and supporting them through, a journey of marriage? Are we preparing our hearts and minds for the marriage of the Church to Christ?

Now, let’s turn our attention to Hebrews 2:5-12. In this passage, the author reflects on Psalm 8, reminding us of the significant authority given to humanity: “For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, ‘What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?’”

This teaches us that God has crowned humanity with glory and honour, giving us authority over the works of His hands. This is both a privilege and a responsibility. Our relationships, including marriage, fall under this authority, and we are called to treat them with importance and care. In marriage, love is to be modeled after the love that Christ has for His Church—a love characterized by selflessness, forgiveness, and grace. As we support one another in our marriages, we are reflecting God’s authority and care in our lives. This is particularly relevant in times of challenge. When difficulties arise, we need to remember our authority to influence our relationships positively. The author of Hebrews also points out that Jesus identifies with us as our brother, showing us the importance of a community of love. Many times, it is through our relationships with each other that Christ’s love is manifested.

I will quickly give an example of this…

In conclusion, Mark 10:2-16 and Hebrews 2:5-12 together, provide a beautiful picture of what marriage is meant to be—a sacred covenant reflecting God’s love and faithfulness, carried out with the authority He has given us. As we commit ourselves to nurturing our marriages and relationships, let us reflect the love of Christ in all that we do. May we honour the gift of marriage and recognise our responsibility to uphold God’s design. Let us embrace the authority given to us to love, serve, and build each other up.

Amen.