Bible Chapter: Matthew 19

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Jesus was never shy to deal with any topic.  Here He talked about marriage and divorce.  If He were in the public arena today, many of the elite and media would attack Him intensely.  He would be called a hate-monger.  He would be called narrow, bigoted and out of touch with reality.  They would point to surveys and opinion polls that accept all the “alternative” lifestyles.  The truth is that Jesus was simply declaring the eternal truth from God’s Word.  He said that God’s plan for marriage is one man and one woman committed to each other for as long as they both are alive.  This is the most fulfilling and productive lifestyle.  Divorce was never God’s plan and it is always painful.  Verse 6 explains why.  It was God who does the joining in the marriage and He uses a very powerful super-glue.
    Again, Jesus talked about the importance of children and how much God loves them.  Jesus encouraged them to come to Him.  Nothing has changed.  Children today are still better off when they know Jesus and grow up in a godly atmosphere.
    This chapter ends with a story about commitment.  A rich young man came to Jesus asking about eternal life.  The Bible tells us that it is a gift from God that is freely received.  Here Jesus talked about the commitment necessary to maintain it.  God expects His followers on earth to live in complete commitment to Him.  No earthly possession can be more important than God. This is why it seems to be more difficult these days for people to serve the Lord. They have so many toys and conveniences that they think they couldn’t live without them.  It is important to remember that all of these things only last for a while, then they are gone.

2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    I need to continue to be faithful to my wife.  That is not a problem as I want to be faithful to her.  We have been married for forty years.  God’s super-glue gets stickier as time goes by.  God’s plan for marriage is a great one.
    I also need to keep a proper perspective on material possessions.  I have often said that things breed.  It is amazing how they accumulate.  I like what Jesus said in verse 26.  Nothing is impossible with God.  He helps me live for Him and keep, or continue to develop, the proper perspective on stuff and eternity.  Every person who ever got in a big argument over an inheritance eventually either lost it, spent it or left it to someone else.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Especially in view of the social and moral standards in the 21st century, I must not be afraid to try to help people understand the importance of Biblical morality.  People are living together and think nothing of it.  We have a “hook up” culture where people are breaking God’s moral laws with people they don’t even know.  When people destroy God’s moral standards as they are doing today they are setting themselves up for many failures.  Even though there is much mockery against God’s ways, they are still and always will be the best.  This is especially important for young people to understand.
    I can also help people see the issues of material possessions.  Fancy things are nice, but now always necessary.