The Under-Appreciation of God in Our Marriage (Part 2)
May 10, 2009 · Filed Under Sermon Study Guides, Sermons
- Describe in your own words what marital oneness is. What are the biggest barriers to marital oneness? What barriers have you seen manifest themselves in your own marriage?
- What makes for a healthy, God glorifying sexual oneness? How does this differ with what our culture teaches? What is the danger of hyper-reacting to our culture and swinging the pendulum all the way to the other side in this area of healthy sexuality?
- Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 and jot down some thoughts regarding the relationship that exists within the matrix of your body, your spirit, the Holy Spirit and sex and be ready to share them with the group.
- Respond to this statement: “It is more important that your children know that you love your spouse than it is that they know you love them.” Do you agree or disagree? What are the effects of living out this statement? What are the effects of not living it out?
- The sermon mentioned three key ideas that collectively set the table for multigenerational faithfulness. Sketch a brief plan below each one that you will execute on to make the idea or principle come alive in your family (you may want to do this with your spouse if you have one)
- We must model Jesus-like love for our spouse. How will you do this?
- We must model for our spouse and our children a high view of God and a passionate pursuit of His kingdom. How will you do this?
- We must strategize and execute on sweeping our children and grandchildren up in the kingdom story. How will you do this?
- The sermon addressed four important ways to guard your spirit as it relates to your marital commitment and the health of your marital relationship. Identify which of the four is the most difficult for you to live out. What is your plan to grow in this area? In addition assess the danger for your marriage if you do not grow in this area. The four are:
- Get grounded by spiritually feeding yourself with your own hands.
- Find fulfillment by rooting your joy in the joy of your spouse.
- Secure satisfaction by slaking your thirst and your spouse’s sexual thirst on one another.
- Avoid atrocity by acknowledging your weakness and embracing personal accountability.
- Ask for a specific prayer request from each in the group for their marriage relationship. If they are not married ask for a specific request concerning another important relationship in their life.
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“It is more important that your children know that you love your spouse than it is that they know you love them.”
I think at first glance the statement causes some to misunderstand the point. It is not “Either / Or”. The statement presupposes that you are already loving your kids to some extent. The statement, more fully understood, leads to a better understanding of the point: some people try to love their kids while neglecting the spouse. The way to truly love your kids is to be an example to them (instead of “do as I say, not as I do”). So the man who exemplifies love of his wife to the kids teaches them how to properly love. The man who shows favor to his kids at the expense of his wife teaches them how to disdain and marginalize.