It’s Ok to Not Be Ok: Divorce Study Guide

Connect
Besides in a wedding ceremony, have you ever taken vows? What was the situation? What were you committing to?

Engage
God uses the picture of a bride and groom in a marriage to represent His view of the Church and Jesus.

• Has God had a “happily ever after” relationship with the Church?
• Given the price Jesus paid to redeem the Church, how easily would he give up on the Church?
• Was God’s commitment to the Church conditional? What has His covenant meant to Him?

God said (Genesis 2:24) that a man and a woman “shall become one flesh.” This may be the strongest expression used by God to express a human relationship.

• Do our modern wedding vows express the gravity of this covenant between bride and groom?
• Do modern couples take vows seriously? Does the word “covenant” mean much to people today?
• How does the taking of vows shape the relationship in the future?
• How can the breaking of a vow shape the relationship?

Does the breaking of a vow invalidate a covenant? From the sermon, can you remember some of the circumstances or situations that might lead to a truly broken marriage?

How important is repentance and forgiveness in a marriage relationship? What will happen if repentance and forgiveness are not offered?

Apply

Scott said that there is still hope for every marriage. This may be very difficult for many people in seemingly impossible situations. If this is true, can you explain how or why?

Divorce is a common experience today. Whether it occurred for scriptural reasons or not, two or more lives have been changed for a lifetime. Scott said that there is still hope on the other side of divorce.

• Do we view divorced people as though they are damaged? How should we view them?
• Can broken vows be forgiven by God? Should they be forgiven by other people?
• Can divorced people be remarried? What kind of awareness should each partner bring into a new covenant relationship?

Scott said that when Jesus was asked to explain his position on divorce, he was not as concerned about the legal technicalities or following of rules. He was more concerned about the state of your heart.

• Do you have relationships that would change if your own heart was not hard or self-centered?
• Do you feel the sorrow that God feels when relationships are broken?

Additional Resources:
Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller
Divorce and Remarriage in the Church, David Instone-Brewer