Today we take time out of our Gospel of John series to address the issue of same sex marriage that seems to be the ‘hot issue’ at the moment in our nation. I am not so sure that it really is the ‘hot issue’ that everyone is making out. It is a minority group who have marshalled the media for their cause. The media is the one driving this issue now and until they succeed in their cause it will remain an issue! The media always drives current affairs and it is time that people stood up and began to question their naivetés in such matters where they are clearly wrong.
So how does the Christian, and indeed the church, respond to something that is clearly opposed in the Scriptures? There are of course, those who love to use the argument that everything is tied to culture and that culture must be the driving force behind change. Sadly, people forget that often many cultural practices are clearly against God’s word. What is acceptable in one culture may be totally unacceptable and abhorrent in another. History teaches us this. This is why we always need to return to Scripture to find the answer. And Scripture is clear on this matter of same sex marriage. There is no justification for the union people of the same sex. In fact, any form of homosexuality is condemned by Scripture, just as any form of sexual activity outside of marriage is condemned. This may be unpopular to many but as Jesus says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it”.
Pastor Ernest will take us to Jesus’ teaching from Mark 10: 1-9 this morning. In the text we come face to face with the stark reality of what Jesus is teaching concerning marriage. Jesus takes us back to the beginning of time … He takes us back to creation… and let us never forget that Jesus was there at creation. He says, “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one.” It seems pretty straightforward to me! What about you?
It would be good for you to pray for the ministers and pastors as they wrestle with the thought of retaining their marriage celebrant’s license with the possibility of a change to the Marriage Act. You may wish to read a very good article on the ‘Thinking of God’ web site titled ‘40 Questions, Yet Only One Question is Needed’ to help you in your thinking.