Talking Points:
- Modern culture depicts love as a feeling that comes and goes. Many couples use this unrealistic standard to measure the quality of love in their marriage.
- The Bible paints a different picture for marital love: Love is a choice, not just a feeling. Love is based on a promise and is represented by our marriage vows. Mark 10:2-9, Proverbs 20:25
- The ultimate analogy for love is how Christ loves his church. He gave up his life for his “bride” even though he didn’t feel like it. Ephesians 5:25-27
Discussion:
- Describe how you think our culture (through entertainment or popular opinion) views love and marriage. Explain. How might those views be fueling the divorce rate in our country?
- Make two lists: (1) good feelings you’ve felt in your marriage (2) bad feelings you’ve felt in your marriage. How have feelings affected your marriage, positively and negatively?
- Read Proverbs 20:25. Looking back, do you think you understood the commitment you were making on your wedding day? What promises have proven hardest to keep?
- List some choices or sacrifices you’ve made for your marriage. How did you come to those decisions?
- Read Ephesians 5:25-27. What did Christ do to set his bride (the Church) apart? What would your spouse say you need to do to set the marriage apart more?
- Talk about the 5 love languages. Which one is your love language? Which one is your spouse’s primary love language?
- What are some practical ways you can start speaking your spouse’s language?
See Also: