Marriage + Divorce

Monday: Numbers 8, Acts 5
Tuesday: Numbers 9, Acts 6
Wednesday: Numbers 10, Acts 7
Thursday: Numbers 11
Friday: Numbers 12, Acts 8
Saturday: Psalm 73-74, Proverbs 16
Sunday: Nehemiah 5-13

Key Passage: Matthew 5:31-32, 19:1-12
Deuteronomy 24:1
1 Corinthians 7:15
Ephesians 5:8-11

1. Marriage was created by God
2. Marriage is between one man and one woman
3. Marriage is the making of a new family
4. Marriage was intended to be exclusive and permanent
5. Marriage is not for everyone (Singleness is not for everyone either)

Exception #1: Except for sexual immorality 
Exception #2: Desertion by an unbelieving spouse

1. The reality of abuse / The consequence of sin
2. The need for community (walking in the light)
3. The need to apply grace and truth in areas of tension
4. The wisdom of time
5. The hope of reconciliation (the road of healing)

"Difficult though this is, we must remember two things. It is not possible for the ethics of the kingdom to be articulated in anything less than ideal terms. And yet the Lord is consistently compassionate to those who fail, repent, and come back to him for restoration. This passage follows hard on the heels of one that expresses the unbounded mercy and forgiveness of God. So legalistic rigorism is as inappropriate for the Christian community as is casual divorce." -John Stott, The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven

3DQ - 3 discipleship questions to ask each other: What is God saying to you? What are you going to do about it? How can I help?

1. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in the passage or the sermon?

2. Learning to walk in the Spirit is a matter of having the right foundation, the right environment, and the right strategies.  Colossians 3:1-16 is a helpful passage of Scripture to bring a clear gospel presence into your life and situation:
a. V. 1-2 - Set your mind on Christ.  Set your affection on Him.  He is the sun around which all of your life orbits. Share a time when you set your mind on Christ and lived this practice out. What was this experience like?
b. V. 9-10 - Put on your new self.  The old man (Adam) was disobedient, but the new man (Jesus) obeyed fully and completely.  Consider what it looks like to walk this out.  What strategy have you found to practically do this?
c. V. 12 - Your life is fundamentally defined by God’s love.  You are “holy and dearly loved.”  His grace and love defines you.  How does this impact your battle against sin and lust?
d. V. 15 - You are ruled by the peace of Christ. This peace allows you to be firm, stable, unmoved - regardless of the storms of life. What supporting Scriptures would you use to describe this point?
e. V. 16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.  God is giving you the wisdom to connect the knowledge of God's word with the strength and wisdom to walk it out. How can you do this?

3. Deuteronomy 7:25 talks about being ensnared in sin. What sin are you ensnared in? Have you acknowledged this struggle and reflected on the weight and consequences of this sin? (Self-Reflection)

4. The weight of lust and sexual sin is a matter of life and death - Jesus encourages a radical approach to dealing with this sin. What is your “radical next step”?

5. Here are 3 ways we can put sexual sin to death - which one resonates with you as a next step:
a. Separation (Cutting Off)
How can you steward technology and the internet in your life and household in a way that empowers righteousness?
b. Confession (Bringing into Light)
God is concerned with the hidden parts of our life. Where have you been fighting against the light of Christ?
c. Discipline (Starving your Flesh)
Fasting is a powerful discipline in bringing your “flesh” into spiritual submission. Is this something you need to consider?