Download Sermon Notes SOTM Pt 25 – Furthermore What about Divorce
Discussion Guide:
**Bible Reading:**
1. Matthew 19:4-6 (ESV)
“He answered, ‘Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.'”
2. Ephesians 5:22-33 (ESV)
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘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. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
3. Genesis 2:24 (ESV)
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
4. Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
**Observation Questions:**
1. In Matthew 19:4-6, what does Jesus say about the creation of male and female, and how does this relate to the concept of marriage?
2. How does the passage in Matthew 19:4-6 describe the union of marriage and the intention behind a man and woman becoming ‘one flesh’?
3. Reflecting on Ephesians 5:22-33, what roles are described for husbands and wives, and how do these roles reflect the relationship between Christ and the church?
4. Considering Genesis 2:24, what does the phrase ‘hold fast to his wife’ imply about the nature of the marital relationship?
**Interpretation Questions:**
1. What does the permanence of the ‘one flesh’ union in Matthew 19:4-6 suggest about God’s design for marriage?
2. How might the call for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church in Ephesians 5:22-33 challenge contemporary views on marital roles?
3. In what ways does the concept of being ‘yoked’ in Matthew 11:28-30 provide insight into the purpose and nature of marriage?
4. How does the idea of leaving one’s parents to ‘hold fast’ to a spouse in Genesis 2:24 speak to the priority and exclusivity of the marriage covenant?
**Application Questions:**
1. Reflect on your current or future marriage. How can you more intentionally embrace the permanence and sacredness of the ‘one flesh’ union this week?
2. Identify one way you can demonstrate sacrificial love or respect in your marital relationship, as outlined in Ephesians 5:22-33, and commit to implementing it.
3. Consider the yoke metaphor from Matthew 11:28-30. What is one area in your marriage where you can work more closely with your spouse to fulfill God’s purposes?
4. Discuss a practical step you can take to prioritize your marriage over other relationships, in line with the principle of ‘holding fast’ to one’s spouse from Genesis 2:24.
5. Think about your involvement in your church community. How can you engage more deeply to receive and offer support for strengthening marriages within the body of Christ?