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Marriage As Commitment
By Dave Lomas
Dave Lomas teaches from Matthew 19:1-6 on Jesus' commentary on marriage, which can be framed as a "spark," a leaving, and a joining.
Marriage As Commitment
By Dave Lomas

Marriage & Intimacy: Marriage as Commitment (07.29.19)

Opening Silence
Open in prayer and then sit in 3 minutes of silence to shift focus toward this time of seeking God and practicing the way of Jesus.

Our Background
As a church, we are committed to letting Ephesians 4:2-6 guide how we interact with the Spirit and one another—including when we talk about topics like marriage.

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:2-6).

In light of this, here is an exercise to help us in understanding our collective background around marriage. 

  1. Slowly read through the statements below as a group. 
  2. In a spirit of courage and openness, raise your hand if you can resonate with any of the statements as they are read. 
  3. Group members should silently observe the rest of the group’s experiences and background. 
  4. Limit conversation to a minimum until the end of the exercise, but remember the thoughts, feelings, and questions that come up for follow-up conversation.


Read each statement slowly, and if you’re comfortable doing so, raise your hand if you agree with, relate to, or identify with the statement:


Take some time to discuss what you noticed about your community through this exercise. After discussing, have a few people pray for your group.

Hearing & Responding to Scripture
Slowly read through this week’s core sermon Scripture: Matthew 19:1-6

Prayerfully reflect with these questions for 5-10 minutes, and discuss with a partner or group:


Intercessory Prayer
Take a moment to intercede for one another, for those you know who need prayer, and for God’s will to be done in our city.