Matthew 19 DEVO: Divorce, Children & Riches

Chapter 19:
Three topics like this, written about nearly 2000 years ago, and people say the Bible doesn’t relate to today. I think the real issue is people don’t like HOW the Bible relates to today! I mean hey, we live in America, we can do what we want, right? Wrong! Well apparently the Pharisees may have felt this way as well.
Nearly 1½ Million divorces occur each year in the US – an alarming number, “for any and every reason.” Apparently the Pharisees wanted Jesus to give them the go ahead on divorce as well. (Don’t they ever realize this is Jesus they are asking?!~!) He first corrected them, Moses never commanded divorce, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.” Then Jesus laid out the consequences, “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." Not the answer they were looking for!
Then some kids were brought to Jesus, but the disciples rebuked the people who brought them, thinking Jesus shouldn’t be bothered. Of course, Jesus then rebuked the disciples, again placing high value on the young!
The chapter ends with a story that could be called “The Poverty of Riches and the Riches of Poverty.” It’s one of those stories that starts off good but has a sad ending. The rich young ruler seemed to be asking all the right questions and living an honorable life, but Jesus saw right to his heart! “Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." If he had treasured Jesus more than riches, then his heart would have followed what Jesus asked – “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (6:21). But instead, this was his response, “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” Jesus then used this as a teaching opportunity for His disciples on money and what to value.
SO WHAT?!
*Most of you reading this probably have divorce in your family. My parents divorced. My wife’s parents divorced. It’s not God’s plan. But regardless of wherever we are, God accepts us and wants us to move forward toward Christ-like holiness. We do not have to repeat the damage divorce has played in our lives. Jean & I are living proof. We celebrated our 19th anniversary last month. How? Certainly not because we’re both so sweet! It’s because Jesus is the center of our marriage and we made a promise to God & each other to stay together no matter what. So here’s a rather simple challenge: How about just keeping your promise?! And don’t enter marriage lightly. It’s better to be single wishing you were married than to be married wishing you were single!
*Importance of youth – round 3! Yep – invest and get involved in kids ministry & youth ministry!
*Finally, the money issue. It’s an issue that none of us is immune to. Many a night I have shed tears with my wife over finances: Lack of them, what are we doing wrong….no car payments, no 401K’s, no memberships, no eye bills or vet bills, we do our own lawn, cooking, cleaning, our house loan was for less than ½ of it’s value and yet each month we barely make it! So in the midst of those tears we have to remind each other that we choose what we value, and we have chosen to value God & people over money & stuff! Pastors don’t choose to be pastors (I hope) because of the money. And youth pastors even worse, at least senior pastors can “move up” – no such rankings in the student ministry world. NO – we feel called and we choose these things because this life on earth is not our eternal home. How about you? What does your life say that you value?