Grace Family Church Michigan

07/01/2026

Sermon Summary: Is it lawful to Divorce?

This sermon, drawn from Matthew 19:1-12, addresses the topic of divorce and God's original design for marriage. The pastor walks through Jesus' response to the Pharisees, who were testing Him by asking whether it was lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason. Jesus redirects them to Genesis, reminding them that God created male and female, that a man is to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and that the two become one flesh. What God has joined together, no person should separate. The pastor emphasizes that divorce was never God's intention, and that Moses only permitted it because of the hardness of people's hearts, not because God approved of it.

Key Verses
Matthew 19:3-9
Genesis 1:27
Genesis 2:18-24
Genesis 5:1-2
Deuteronomy 24:1-4
1 Corinthians 7:1-7
Ephesians 4:32

Questions:
-The Pharisees came to Jesus with impure motives, trying to trap Him rather than seeking truth. In what ways do we sometimes approach God's Word looking for loopholes rather than genuine guidance?
-Jesus pointed back to Genesis to establish God's original design for marriage. Why do you think He went all the way back to creation rather than simply answering the Pharisees' question directly?
-The pastor described marriage as two people being 'glued' or 'yoked' together into one flesh. How does understanding this picture of oneness change the way you think about the commitment of marriage?
-Jesus said Moses permitted divorce because of the hardness of people's hearts, but that it was never God's original intention. What does this tell us about how God responds to human sin while still upholding His standard?
-The pastor shared that the disciples responded to Jesus' teaching by saying it might be better not to marry at all. What does that reaction reveal about how seriously they took the covenant of marriage, and what does it say to us today?
-The pastor challenged the congregation to surround themselves with people who will hold them to God's standard rather than telling them what their flesh wants to hear. Who are the people in your life that hold you accountable to biblical truth, especially in your relationships?
-First Corinthians 7 teaches that a married person's body belongs to their spouse, and that the only reason to abstain from physical intimacy is fasting and prayer with mutual consent. How does this level of mutual submission challenge the individualistic mindset that is common in our culture today?
-The pastor said that if both spouses genuinely want to please God, it makes the marriage more secure and enjoyable. How does a shared commitment to honoring God serve as a foundation for a healthy and lasting marriage?

Life Application:
This week, take an honest look at the covenants and commitments in your life, especially in your marriage or future approach to marriage. If you are married, identify one practical step you can take to strengthen your unity with your spouse, whether that is having an honest conversation, removing something that creates unnecessary distance, or simply choosing to serve your spouse in a way that reflects the oneness God designed. If you are single, spend time in prayer asking God to clarify the gift He has given you and to prepare your heart to honor His standard when the time comes. In either case, find at least one person in your life who will hold you accountable to God's Word in your relationships, not someone who will simply tell you what you want to hear.

Key Takeaways:
-God created marriage as a permanent covenant between one man and one woman. When two people marry, they are no longer two individuals but one flesh in God's eyes, and what He has joined together should not be separated.
-Divorce was never God's original design. Moses permitted it as a protective measure because of the hardness of people's hearts, but Jesus made clear that from the beginning it was not meant to be this way.
-The only biblical grounds for divorce that Jesus identifies is sexual immorality (fornication). Remarrying outside of this exception is considered adultery in God's eyes because He still views the original couple as married.
-God has given different gifts to different people. Some are called to singleness and have the capacity to remain celibate for the sake of the kingdom, while others are called to marriage. Knowing your gift is essential to honoring God in your relationships.
-The people you allow to speak into your marriage matter greatly. Surrounding yourself with individuals who uphold God's standard will help protect your covenant, while those who encourage separation can become instruments of division in what God has joined together.

06/28/2026

Welcome to Grace Family Church,

We’re glad that you decided to join us today, we pray that you’re drawn closer to the Father as a byproduct of his word.

Speaker: Pastor Kevin
Title: Is it Lawful to Divorce?

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Text “Give” to (833) 975-2981

We appreciate your continued support!

Until we see you again, Be Blessed!

(We don’t own the rights to the music in this video)

06/26/2026

06/22/2026

Matt 18:33-35
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

06/22/2026

Sermon Summary: Be Humble, Forgive!

In this sermon from Matthew 18:21-35, the pastor explores the topic of forgiveness through Peter's question to Jesus: "How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive Him?" Jesus responds not with a specific number but with a posture, making clear that forgiveness should be a constant disposition of the heart rather than a calculated limit. The pastor uses the parable of the unforgiving servant to illustrate that every believer has been forgiven an impossibly large debt before God, equivalent to 200,000 years of labor, while the offenses others commit against us are comparatively minor, like a few months of wages.

The sermon challenges the congregation to recognize that pride is the root of unforgiveness. When we refuse to forgive others, we are essentially claiming we have no need of God's forgiveness ourselves. Drawing from Ephesians 4 and Colossians 2, the pastor calls believers to put on the "new man," characterized by kindness, tenderness, and a forgiving heart. He also shares personally that he spent two years in unforgiveness, using his own story to show how the enemy can deceive us into justifying bitterness. The call to action is clear: be humble, recognize the depth of what God has forgiven you, and extend that same forgiveness to others.

Key Verses:
Matthew 18:21-22
Matthew 18:23-35
Luke 17:3-4
Ephesians 4:31-32
Colossians 2:13-14
Romans 5:8

Questions:
-Peter asked Jesus how many times He should forgive someone who sins against Him, suggesting seven times as a generous number. Why do you think we naturally want to put a limit on how many times we forgive someone?
-The pastor described forgiveness as a posture of the heart rather than a number to track. What does it look like practically to have a heart posture of forgiveness in your daily relationships?
-In the parable, the servant who was forgiven an enormous debt refused to forgive a much smaller one. In what ways do we sometimes act like that unforgiving servant without realizing it?
-The pastor said that pride is at the root of unforgiveness, because holding a grudge implies we believe we have not offended others or God ourselves. Do you agree with that? Why or why not?
-Ephesians 4:31-32 calls us to put away bitterness, wrath, and anger, and to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. Which of those qualities is most challenging for you personally, and why?
-The pastor made the point that forgiveness is for you, not for the other person, because the offender often does not even know you are holding unforgiveness. How does understanding that change the way you think about forgiving someone who has hurt you?
-The sermon acknowledged that forgiving someone does not mean returning to an unsafe situation or pretending the offense did not happen. How do you think a person can genuinely forgive while still maintaining healthy boundaries?
-The pastor shared that he personally walked in unforgiveness for two years and that it took both God and His wife challenging Him to change. Who in your life holds you accountable when your heart posture is off, and how do you respond to that kind of correction?

Life Applications:
This week, take some quiet time to honestly examine your heart. Ask God to reveal any person or situation where you may be holding unforgiveness, whether it is something recent or something you have carried for years. Write that person's name down and pray over it daily. You do not have to reach out to them immediately, but begin the process of releasing that debt before God. Remind yourself of the weight of what God has already forgiven you, and let that gratitude fuel your willingness to forgive. If it feels impossible, ask God for the faith to take even a small step toward a forgiving heart.

Key Takeaways:
-Forgiveness is not a number to count but a heart posture to maintain. Jesus told Peter to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven, pointing to a lifestyle of forgiveness rather than a limit.
-We have been forgiven an impossibly large debt before God. Just as the servant owed 200,000 years of labor, our sin against a holy God is a debt we could never repay, and Christ paid it for us.
-Pride is the root of unforgiveness. When we refuse to forgive others, we are acting as though we have no need of God's forgiveness ourselves, which is both spiritually dangerous and contrary to Scripture.
-Unforgiveness harms the one holding it, not just the offender. Most people who have been unforgiven do not even know it, which means the bitterness only damages the person carrying it.
-God's forgiveness of us is conditional on our willingness to forgive others. Matthew 18:35 makes it clear that the heavenly Father will not forgive those who refuse to forgive their brothers and sisters from the heart.