Marriage Foundations Seminars: Session 9 & 10

Is Divorce and Remarriage the Unpardonable Sin?

1 Corinthians 6:9–11

Mark 3:28–29

1 John 1:9

Divorce and Remarriage (Matthew 19:1-12)

It’s a Trap (v. 3)

- School of Hillel

- School of Shammai

God’s Design for Marriage (vv. 4-6)

But Why did Moses…(vv. 7-9)

When Divorce is “Permitted”

“In the case of adultery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to sue out a divorce. (Matt. 5:31–32) and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead.

(Matt. 19:9, Rom. 7:2–3)” — WCF 24.5

Reflection Questions

1. Why does divorce happen?

2. Do you have any questions concerning the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:10-16,

Matthew 19:1-12 or Deuteronomy 24:1-4?

3. When a person is considering divorce, when should the elders of a church and the rest of the church get involved?

4. Based on today’s teaching, how should you approach the subject of divorce and remarriage?

5. Take some time to consider the great love of Christ in loving spiritual adulterers like us

Marriage Foundations Seminars: Session 8

1 Corinthians 7

• The Situation (7:2)

• The Solution (7:2-3)

• The Submission (7:4)

• The Concession (7:5)

Proverbs 5

• Attention (5:1-2)

• Defense (5:3-14)

• Offense (5:15-20)

• Conclusion (5:21-23)

Reflection Questions

1. Do you personally know someone who has committed adultery? Have you ever talked to them about it?

2. Why is sexual immorality so common today?

3. How is giving and submission the anti-thesis of sexual immorality? What does this look like in the context of marriage?

4. According to Proverbs 5, why is adultery insane?

5. What does Proverbs 5 look like in practice?

6. “When you love Christ most, you will love your spouse best.” Discuss.

7. What resolutions can you make in view of 1 Corinthians 7 and Proverbs 5?

Marriage Foundations Seminars: Session 7

4 Biblical Principles of Sex

1. Procreational

2. Relational and Social

3. Public Good

4. Pleasure

What about Contraception?

• Birth Control is a Misleading

• Contraception has implications

• Catholic Theology on contraception is misdirected

• Children are not a disturbance, they are a blessing

• Preparing for marriage is preparing for children

• Not all contraceptives are created equal

Reflection Questions

1. Do you find it uncomfortable to talk about sex at church? How does knowing God created sex change our attitude towards it?

2. Is it really possible to connect the pleasures of sex to Christ? (Eph 5:31-32; Ps 16:11)

3. How do the five principles of sex contrast with what the world teaches about sex?

4. What do you think about the term birth “control”?

5. Are contraceptives sinful? Can contraceptives be used sinfully?

6. Do you have any other questions when it comes to sex itself or contraceptives?

Marriage Foundations Seminars: Session 6

12 Hallmarks of Biblical Hospitality

1. Hospitality is an expression of love

2. Hospitality is welcoming strangers into our homes and caring for them

3. Hospitality is Regular

4. Hospitality is Service

5. Hospitality is Sacrificial

6. Hospitality is Not Exchanged

7. Hospitality should be joyful

8. Hospitality is a Stewardship

9. Hospitality is a Continuation

10. Hospitality to Strangers is Really Hospitality to Jesus

11. Hospitality is a spiritual ministry

12. Hospitality is to the glory of God

Reproof

• Failing to show hospitality at all

• Fear of strangers

• Only speaking kindness without showing kindness

o “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 Jn 3:17–18, ESV)

• Hospitality that is sporadic or sparse

• Being selective in hospitality to only people you “like” rather than in need

• Expecting to be repaid for hospitality

• Grumbling and complaining over the difficult of hospitality

• Thinking your home is your own rather than the Lord's

• Forgetting Christ’s bringing you near when you were a stranger to him

• Neglecting other believers and forgetting they belong to Christ

• Hospitality that is disconnected from God’s word

• Serving in your own strength

• Looking to be praised for your service, rather than giving all glory to God

• Forgetting the heavenly hospitality Jesus will lavish upon us

Reflection Questions

1. Before this session, what did you think hospitality meant?

2. Do you love strangers or fear them or something else?

3. How does hospitality help a church grow and glorify God?

4. What about hospitality tempts you to grumble?

5. What does spiritual hospitality look like in practice?

6. In what ways can you begin to practice hospitality?

Marriage Foundations Seminars: Session 5

Three Reasons to Talk About Singleness in a Series on Marriage

1. You may be single

2. Put marriage in its proper context

3. To bridge the single/married divide

Context

• “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote…”

• Outline of Chapter 7

o “To the unmarried and the widows" (vv. 8-9)

o “To the married” (vv. 10-11)

o “To the rest” (vv. 12-16)

o General Principles (vv. 17-23)

o “The betrothed” (vv. 25-38)

o Widows (vv. 39-40)

7 Principles for Singleness

1. Both singleness and marriage are good gifts from God

2. Those who really want to get married, should try

3. See your current station in life as a Calling from God

4. It’s ok to change your status

5. Marriage is hard

6. Marriage is momentary

7. Prioritize your relationship with the Lord

 

Reproof

• Seeing singleness (or marriage) as a curse

• Married people looking down and judging those who are single

• To use singleness as an excuse for sexual immorality

• To be discontent with where God has placed you and to question his sovereign goodness

• Stubbornly resisting marriage as an infringement on your freedom or having standards that are unreasonable.

• Thinking marriage is easy

• Investing too much hope in marriage

• Prioritizing your marriage over Christ instead of putting Christ at the center

Reflection Questions

1. Before today’s session, what were your thoughts on singleness?

2. What are the greatest challenges of being single? What are the greatest blessings?

3. Is there a married/single divide in our church? In what ways can that be bridged?

4. How does this session provide perspective on marriage?

5. How can a marrieds and singles person be divided in their interests? How can they give undivided devotion to the Lord?

6. As a result of 1 Cor 7, what can you resolve to change in you life?

Teaching

- First, holiness begins with identity

* Second, holiness it is an attitude of obedience

* Third, holiness means resisting passions

* Fourth, holiness is a calling

* Fifth, holiness means being like God

* Sixth, holiness is a way of life

* Seventh, holiness is biblical

Reproof

- First, do you humble yourself before God and recognize your are helpless without him?

- Second, do you listen for God, and listen to God?

- Third, are you different from the world?

- Fourth, what would you say is your calling in life?

- Fifth, do you tremble at the holiness of God?

- Sixth, does this show up in your everyday life?

- Seventh, what is the Bible to you?

Correction

- How can anyone enter the presence of a holy God?

- God doesn’t call those who are already holy

- The greatest gift of the Holy Spirit

Training in Righteousness

- Resolve to make holiness your primary calling in life

- Resolve to meditate on the 7 dimensions of holiness in 1 Peter 1:14-16 every day this week

- Resolve read The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

- Resolve to read your bible more than anything else

- Rejoice in Jesus Christ who is our holiness

Teaching

- We have more hope than the prophets

- We have more hope than the angels

- Set Your Hope

- Two Conditions

- Eager Expectation

Reproof

- Taking the greatness of salvation for granted

- Trusting in False Hopes

- Not Looking Forward to Heaven

Correction

- What will heaven be like?

- New

- Substance of a Shadow

- Better than the First Coming

Training in Righteousness

- Resolve to be sober-minded

- Resolve to see every joy as a mere taste of heaven

- Resolve to hope MOST in the return of Jesus Christ

Teaching

- Greeting (vv. 1-2)

- Who is this letter from?

- Who is this letter to?

- Elect Exiles

- 3 Reasons to Praise God (vv. 3-5)

- Living Hope

- Indestructible Inheritance

- Secure Salvation

- 5 Ways to Rejoice in Trials (vv. 6-9)

- First, rejoice in your salvation, not in the situation

- Second, know the suffering is short

- Third, see trials as an opportunity to test your faith

- Fourth, remember Christ’s sufferings for you

- Fifth, Focus on heaven

Reproof

- Do you see yourself as an elect exile or are you expecting to stay on earth forever?

- In what are you placing your hope?

- As you go through trials, are you rejoicing in them, or complaining?

- And if you are complaining…what does this reveal about your faith?

Correction

- Love Jesus

- Trust Jesus

- Rejoice in Jesus

Outline:

Teaching

- Who God is (Verses 1-2)

- What God does (Verses 3-13)

- How we should respond (Verses 14-16)

Reproof

- Is Psalm 91 true?

- The Devil uses Psalm 91 against Jesus (Matt 4:5-7)

- How do we test God?

Correction

- Did God always deliver Jesus?

Training in Righteousness

- Resolve to hold fast to God in love

- Resolve to know his name

- Resolve to call to him

Teaching

- Opening: Come to God Boldly

- Because of God’s righteousness

- Because of God’s track record

- Shame

- Take your thoughts off of the opinions of man…

- And look to the opinion of God…

- Anger

- Be angry

- And do not sin

- Think

- Sleep

- Keep Quiet

- Repent

- Obey

- Trust

- Depression

- You vs. they

- Heart vs. Grain and Wine

- Where is true joy found?

Reproof

- Wrong ways we deal with shame

- Wrong ways we deal with anger

- Wrong ways we deal with depression

Correction

- How do you get this joy in our heart?

Training in Righteousness

- Resolve to trade this world for Christ

- Resolve to meditate on Psalm 4