Marriage is unbelievably good. (Proverbs 18:22; 19:14) Therefore, steward your marriage well.
Marriage can be unbelievably bad (Proverbs 12:4; 19:13; 21:9, 19). Therefore, be discerning whom you marry.
Marriage is unbelievably important as it was invented to display God's love.
Icebreakers
Most memorable fictional or non-fictional wedding?
Where did you learn about marriage?
Checking In
Last week we sought to increase our delight in the friendship of Jesus as well as befriend others. How did that go this week?
Digging Deeper
Read aloud Proverbs 18:22 and Proverbs 19:14.
Where and how have you seen the goodness of marriage?
Why do you think both verses emphasize "from the Lord"?
If a good spouse is ultimately from the Lord, how would you counsel a dear friend who desperately wants to be married, but has not found a suitable spouse?
Read aloud Proverbs 12:4, Proverbs 19:13, and Proverbs 21:9, 19.
Marriage is always between two sinners. As a result, discord is bound to happen. What you have seen cause quarrels in marriages?
After years of fighting, some couples give up and resign themselves to a mediocre marriage. What counsel might Jesus give his couple? [Hint: you may want to revisit this question about working through #3 (below).]
Do you think it matters if a husband and wife are both Christians? Why or why not? [Hint: consider Paul's counsel in 1 Corinthians 7:39]
God institutes marriage at creation (Genesis 2:24) and has purposed marriage to be an echo or reflection of his relationship between himself and his people.
How is this different than our culture's view of marriage?
How does this increase our view of marriage?
If you are married, how does affect your actions in marriage? If you want to be married, how does this affect your preparations for marriage?
Next Steps
For those married:
Activity: Each spouse think of a letter grade for their marriage. Then, at the same time, reveal your grade, rationale, and trend since last year.
This might be better done in private! (But if you have a tight-knit group, go for it!)
What helps your marriage? Share with your group one small next step you commit to taking to improve your marriage before the end of August 2020.
For those not married:
Would you like to get married? Why or why not?
What are your criteria for a spouse? Ponder them this week and then share next week.
