Greetings Church,
Jesus is continuing to teach on discipleship- what is a true disciple? He is tested by the Pharisees with questions about divorce and he teaches us the true nature of marriage.
Read Mark 10:1-12.
Questions for Small Groups:
To start your group, have everyone share one way they have seen God at work in their life this week.
I. Confusion over divorce.
1. Are there any things that you have heard taught about divorce that you might call confusing or even wrong?
2. Jesus said that Moses “allowed” divorce as a concession because of their hard hearts. What does this teach us about divorce and its relationship to the Fall?
II. Jesus’ View of Marriage.
3. Jesus’ view of marriage comes from Genesis 2:24 (read it). Jesus adds to this “what God has joined together, let no man separate.” What does this teach us about the sacredness of marriage? The permanence of marriage? The intimacy of marriage?
4. Have you seen your marriage as a consumer relationship of a covenant relationship? What is the difference?
5. How does a covenant marriage reflect the Trinity? Jesus and the Church?
III. Jesus’ View of Divorce.
6. Pastor Mark said that the Bible seems to allow divorce for sexual unfaithfulness and for desertion (although it should be noted that there are many good Bible teachers with differing views), however, divorce should always be the last resort. Do you agree with this?
IV. Applying Grace.
7. For Singles: Do you have a biblical view of marriage? Do you see singleness as a gift from God?
8. For Married: Are you willing to fight for your marriage? Have you thanked God for your marriage? Do you need to repent or turn from mistrust of God within your marriage?
9. For Divorced: Have you grieved your loss? Have you considered and prayed for restoration of your marriage? Are you letting God’s grace and forgiveness heal you?
10. For ALL: Do you believe that often God does His best work in the worst situations?
Discuss the Fighter Verse-
Ephesians 5:31-32. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
- How does a marriage reveal Christ’s marriage to His bride, the church (see Ephesians 5:21-32)?
- Do you see marriage as a “oneness” that should not be broken? How does this inform your personal view on divorce?
Pastor Brady
