2.Not A Servant But The Bride - Zac Poonen
Kakinada Meetings - 2011: A Bridal Relationship With Christ
Summary
The speaker cautions against misinterpreting scripture, using the Pharisees' twisting of divorce laws in Matthew 19 as a primary example. He argues that people often twist verses to suit their desires rather than following God's true will. Ultimately, he contrasts the old covenant's legalistic relationship with God to the new covenant's desired 'bridal relationship,' which requires a soft heart over a hard one.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Did Moses command divorce?When tested by the Pharisees in Matthew 19 about divorce, Jesus points them back to the beginning, explaining that Moses only permitted divorce because of the people's hard hearts, not because he commanded it.
How people twist scripture to get their own wayPeople often take verses out of context, like an Israelite wanting to leave his wife or people today misusing Bible verses to justify personal choices, making it sound like God spoke when He did not.Deuteronomy 24:1–4
God opposes those who speak their own thoughts as His wordThrough Jeremiah, God warns against prophets who declare whatever comes to their minds and claim the Lord said it.Jeremiah 23:31
The hard heart behind the old covenant permissionsJesus explains that divorce and other low standards were permitted in the Old Testament because of human hardness of heart.Matthew 19:8
Arise, My Love, and come away to a bridal relationshipJesus calls believers away from the relationship of a low-level servant working for a master into a rich bridal relationship where the master wants to marry the servant.
Raising the standard from external acts to internal purityIn the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus raises the standard from merely avoiding murder, adultery, or false oaths to refusing even anger, lust, or dishonesty in the heart.Matthew 5:21
The promise of a new heart and the Holy SpiritEzekiel prophesied a future day when God would sprinkle clean water, remove the heart of stone, give a soft heart of flesh, and put His Spirit inside believers to make them keep His commandments.Ezekiel 36:25
How sensitive is your heart?A soft heart is sensitive to sin and gets instantly convicted of anger, lust, or dishonesty, whereas a hard heart feels nothing when doing wrong.
Going back to God's original plan in the beginningJesus points back to creation when God made only one man and one woman, showing that God's original design did not include provisions for divorce.
The deep sleep of Adam and the piercing of ChristJust as God put Adam into a deep sleep and took a rib from his side to make his wife, God put Jesus to death on the cross and pierced His side so that His blood could cleanse and form the church as His bride.Ephesians 5:23
Not a servant, but the brideBelievers must see themselves not merely as servants of Jesus, but as the Bride of Christ whom He loves deeply, and ask Him for a soft heart to live out that high calling.
