And Pharisees came up to Jesus and tested Him by asking, ‘Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause? ...Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?’ He said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.’ - Matthew 19:3, 7 – 8 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…’ - Hebrews 3:7 – 8 Any view of divorce and remarriage that sees the problem only in terms of what may or may not be done has already overlooked a basic fact — divorce is never to be thought of as a God-ordained, morally neutral option but as evidence of sin, or hardness of heart. – Donald Carson Introduction: In Matthew 19 there are three groups that approach Jesus; the Pharisees, parents with their children, and a rich young man. As we compare and contrast their approach we can learn some important lessons about the kingdom of God and the kind of people Jesus receives, or turns away. Pharisees (19:1 – 12) Parents with Children (19:13 – 15) 3. A Rich Young Man (19:16 – 30) The Classic Investigative Questions: When did this happen? - Where did this happen? - Who approached Jesus? - What did they want from Him? - Why did they want it? - How did Jesus respond? Discussion Questions: In the curriculum entitled ‘Authentic Leadership’ (Equip Canada) there is a tool given for selfexamination. It is called the Emotional Discovery Exercise: Step One – Examination: ‘What is going on?’ Step Two – Excavation: ‘Where is this coming from?’ Step Three – Evaluation: ‘What is God trying to say to me?’ Most often we do not take the time to reflect on and answer these questions when we face raw emotions. We simply react, defend, justify, or blame-shift. Imagine what a different story we would be reading in Matthew 19 if the Pharisees would have been able to do this! What might happen if we were to slow down and examine ourselves in the light of God’s Word and the leading of His Spirit? Can you think of a recent incident where this would have helped? How did this Scripture preached today impact you? Are there some things you need to pray about or discuss with someone? Application: What could you do this week to demonstrate a child-like approach to Jesus? What recent conversation could you revisit in order to show the heart of God, rather than merely argue about matters found in God’s law?