Discussion Guide on September 6, 2009 Message

(To be discussed on September 13)

Message Title

“The Family Part 1” – Ephesians 5:22-23

Message Outline:

Baptist Faith and Message:  The Family-- God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race. The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual and moral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example and loving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children are to honor and obey their parents.

Big Idea:  Follow God’s family plan for a healthy, lasting marriage.

I)                  Wives, submit to your husbands (22-24).

II)               Husbands, love your wives (25-33).

Leading the Session Helps/Discussion Questions

v     What does the Scripture mean when it says, “Wives, submit to your husbands”? What is gender confusion? (Men and Women have forgotten their roles in the family.) What does the verse mean for Men? For Women?

v     Does equality with Christ mean equal roles in marriage? Why not?

v     Larry said that one of the curses of the fall was the curse of feminism and chauvinism. (Genesis 3:16) What was he talking about?

v     What one event changed life for women for the better? (the Resurrection) How?

v     How does Biblical headship affect the marriage relationship?

v     What does it mean for husbands to love their wives? What are some things the man can and should do?

v     Husbands, is your love for your wife so sanctifying that her walk with Christ is better because of you?

v     How does the second law of thermodynamics apply to your marriage? (The second law of thermodynamics says that any closed system left to its self tends toward great randomness. If you don’t work on something, it falls apart.)

v     3 Helps to marriage:

o       Vocalize your love. Say, “I love You.”

o       Physical Affection (not always sex). Touch, hold hands, hug, kiss, have sex.

o       Verbalize your appreciation and admiration. Say nice things to each other.

o       Share your thoughts and feelings. Talk through conflict.

o       Give gifts.

o       Create alone time together.

o       Realize love is a matter of the will. It may not come natural.

o       Quit fighting dirty.

o       Develop a financial game-plan.

o       Have realistic expectations.

o       Serve together.

o       Don’t give up.

Application

Pick 2 of the above helps and commit to working on just those two things this month.