Videos

Previous Sermons
We did a sermon series on marriage in February 2009 which offered a broader perspective. You can listen to all three parts here.

• Part 1: “Marriage”
• Part 2: “The Role of Men”
• Part 3: “The Role of Women”

Part 1

LifeGroup questions:

Read Genesis 29:15-35

1. Do you often find yourself bothered by some of the stuff in the Bible (i.e., polygamy, bride purchasing, etc.)? What bothers you the most in this story? Does the fact that it’s in there mean that God condones it?
2. Why does Jacob offer so much for Rachel?
3. Do you believe in THE ONE? Aaron says it’s a myth. Do you buy that? Why or why not?
4. Why was Jacob so easily conned? (ANSWER: he was vulnerable because of his shame, and his personal emptiness).
5. Is it your observation that many people are subject to abuse for the same reasons?
6. Why did Leah long for Jacob? Read Genesis 3:16. Is there a hint there? Discuss the implications of Genesis 3:16 (carefully!)
7. What happened to Rachel between verse 34 and 35?
8. What happens to a marriage when someone sets up there spouse to be THE ONE, the answer to what aches in their soul?
9. What does that do to our relationship with God? With our spouse? Why?

Sunday, August 15

Part 2

1. what are some of the things your grandparents, or great-great-grandparents believed that now seems unenlightened? What do you think your offspring will look back and find to be unenlightened about your current belief system?
2. What did you learn from your parents about gender roles? Was it good or bad?
3. Read 1 Kings 21:1-7. Discuss.  It’s a scenario with a controlling female, and a passive/apathetic male.  How common is that?
4. What does “equal but not equivalent” mean?
5. When the word “helper” is used in the bible, to whom is it most often referring? (answer: God)
6. Why does being a helper require a position of strength? How has the word ‘helper’ been misunderstood?
7. Can you list the four things that submission is NOT? (answer: obedience, inferiority, to all men, absolute). Discuss each.
8. In marriage, every vote is either unanimous or deadlocked.  What happens if you’re deadlocked? If applicable, share about a time when you and your spouse were deadlocked.
9. The role of the man is to lead, which essentially breaks down into what two things? (answer: initiation and accountability)
10. Read and discuss Eph. 5:21-25.  What stands out the most to you in this text?
11. God held Ahab accountable for Jezebel’s behavior? Why? Is that fair?
12. The Bible gives us lots of flexibility: Provided men and women are in the right roles, they can work out details in whatever way best fits their circumstances and giftedness. Talk about what it means to separate duties based on giftedness.  What has worked you for you? What hasn’t worked? Where are you stuck?
13. What questions do you still have about gender roles (discuss, and remind them about texting questions to 268-woot)

Sunday, August 22

Part 3

1. What is “failure to launch?” How do you think it affects marriage?
2. [Read Gen 2:24] Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. [25] And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
3. Make a list together of all of the ways that we must “leave” our father and mother.
4. What are some indications that someone has never REALLY left?
5. Why is it so difficult to REALLY leave?
6. Do you think that the idea of two becoming one is primarily referencing sex?
7. Biblical sex isn’t about giving yourself physically, it’s about giving yourself entirely.  What does that say about sex outside of marriage? Adultery?
8. In what ways can sex be an indicator of marital health? Why?
9. When Adam and Eve sinned, they realized they were naked. They then covered up the parts about them that were different.  Why is this significant?
10. Aaron said that men tend to be sexually immodest and emotionally modest, while women tend to be the opposite (sexually modest and emotionally immodest). Do you agree? If so, how does that effect the marital relationship?
11. In what ways can marital trust be broken? How can it be restored?
12. In what ways does a spouse have the power to ruin, or truly heal their spouse?

Sunday, August 29

Part 4

1. Read Hosea 1:1-9
2. Has God ever asked you to do something strange? How did you respond?
3. Hosea was obedient to God even though it made for a very hard life. Does that sound strange?  Can you think of other scenarios where obedience could make things harder, not easier?
4. Do you think Hosea regretted his decision to obey?
5. How was Hosea’s marriage a sign to Israel?
6. How do you think Hosea’s preaching was effected by the fact that his message was also his story?
7. How does this story reflect the gospel?
8. How is this story our story? How should the fact that this is our story, effect the way we share with others?
9. This is a story about A marriage, but in what does it teach us about marriage in general?
10. In what ways are our marriages supposed to be gospel demonstrations?
11. What’s the difference between penitence and repentance?
12. What are some of the small ways we can show grace to our spouses?
13. What are some of the big ways we can show grace to our spouses?
14. Pray for each other!

Sunday, September 5