Glencairn Church

Going Deeper is designed for use with your small group, a friend, or on
your own. Its aim is to create time for you to spend with God and his word. Do as much or as little as you like. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our pastoral staff.

1.Pray for each other, our church, and our leaders, for personal and corporate renewal, and to allow God’s word to transform us. Share a recent entry from your Life Journal with the group.

2. This Sunday we listened to Jesus describe the essence and purpose of marriage, a divine institution he created. He also responds to the reality of divorce and singleness. What thoughts or questions did the message raise for you? Which ones, encouraged you or posed a challenge to you?

3. Read Matt 19:1-12. The religious leaders asked Jesus about divorce in order to trap him over this contentious issue. In his answer, however, Jesus focuses on the issue of marriage. What are the main reasons he gives for the importance of marriage (v4-6)? How does this differ from our society's definition of marriage?

4. The message spoke about the essence of marriage being the covenant made between a man and woman. With so many people experiencing the pain of broken marriages, what comes to mind when you think of a covenant? How have you been impacted by a covenant kept, or broken?

5. Read Gen 2:18-25. Notice what was “not good” in the creation story, and
how God addressed it. What was Adam’s response? What does it mean to be “one flesh”? Where have you experienced deep friendship? What does it take to experience this level of oneness in a marriage?

6. Today, same-sex marriage has been sanctioned by our government. How does this fit in with the biblical precedent of God’s plan for marriage? How might vv11-12 speak to the issue of same-sex attraction? How should the church respond to those who disagree with God’s invention?

7. Read Deut 24:1-4. This concession in Moses’ law is a result of people’s hard hearts. Although divorce is allowed it is not what God originally intended. How should we respond to those who are divorced?

8. Take a moment of silence to consider how God is speaking to you. Is He asking you to make changes or to do something new? What concrete steps of response do you want to take? How can your group support you in these steps?