1. Listen to the Message

Today’s Scriptures:
Ephesians 5:31-33; Genesis 1 & 2

God’s Design for Marriage

1. Marriage is between a

You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination. —Leviticus 18:22

2. Marriage is a

And He answered and said, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” —Matthew 19:4-6

3. Marriage is about putting your

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. —Philippians 2:3-4

Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. —1 Corinthians 7:1-5

5. Marriage is a

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. —Ephesians 5:31-32

My Additional Notes:

2. Discuss in a Life Group

READ TOGETHER:
Review the main points and read the corresponding passages and then discuss the following topics.

DISCUSS
Why can we not change God’s design for marriage?

DISCUSS
Describe what commitment means and why it is crucial in marriage?

DISCUSS
Discuss what it looks like to put your spouse before yourself.

DISCUSS
Why is intimacy so important in marriage?

DISCUSS
Discuss how marriage points to Christ’s relationship to His church.

PRAY

Take some time to pray for each other. Any specific needs can be listed here.