DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Choose the questions for your group; no pressure to use all of them.
“What’s the Point of Marriage?”
Start Off
- Let’s begin our time by acknowledging the presence of God in our Group. Open in prayer, asking for a greater awareness that God is in the room in a special way as we meet.
- To kick off our discussion, what is one of your favorite romantic movies, TV shows, or books, and how did that shape your expectations of marriage?
- For a quick summary of the message, you can take turns reading the summary and key thoughts from the “Sermon Notes” section on the main page of the Chase Oaks App.
Reflect on God’s Word
- Read Genesis 2:18. What does this passage teach us about God's design for human beings and our need for relationship and community?
- Read Genesis 2:24. What do you notice about the three phrases: “leaves,” “united,” and “one flesh”? How do they contribute to the biblical picture of marriage?
- Read Philippians 2:3-4. What would it look like to apply these verses specifically within a marriage?
Go Deeper
- Which of the three myths (“marriage should make me happy,” “marriage should be easy,” or “my spouse should complete me”) do you think is most common in our culture? How can believing it affect a relationship?
- The message says that these myths all have one key ingredient: ME. What are some subtle ways marriage can become centered on “me” rather than “we”?
- Brad shared three building blocks for marriage: Priority, Permanence, and Purpose. Regarding priority, what currently competes with your marriage for your time, energy, attention, or emotional focus? Is there anything that needs to be reordered?
- With permanence, what does faithfulness look like in the ordinary, difficult seasons of marriage, and not just in moments of crisis?
- Regarding purpose, in what ways can a husband and wife help each other pursue Jesus and become more like him?
- For singles, how can the qualities of humility, faithfulness, and walking together with others shape your friendships and relationships even if you aren't married?
- Complete this sentence: “If my marriage were less about ME and more about WE pursuing HE, one change I would make is…”
Wrap Up
- What was a win for today’s meeting? Where did we see the Holy Spirit show up?
- Share prayer requests and spend some time in prayer.
VERSE TO MEDITATE ON AND MEMORIZE THIS WEEK
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24, NIV)
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE (BETWEEN MEETINGS)
Day 1 — Move from ME to WE.
Read Philippians 2:3-4. Pay attention today to how often you think in terms of “my needs,” “my preferences,” and “what I want.” Then intentionally ask, “What does my spouse need from me today?” Do one thing that serves your spouse without being asked. Pray, “God, help me lay aside my self-centeredness and genuinely seek the good of my spouse.”
Day 2 — Make Your Spouse a Priority.
Read Genesis 2:24. Identify one competing priority (work, phone, hobbies, friends, children, entertainment, or something else) and intentionally create 15–30 minutes of undistracted time with your spouse. Ask, “How can I make you feel valued and prioritized this week?”
Day 3 — Practice Faithfulness.
Read Malachi 2:14. Reflect on the promises and commitments you have made to your spouse. Choose one small action today that strengthens trust: keep a promise, follow through on something, apologize, encourage, or simply show up when your spouse needs you. What does “no matter what” faithfulness look like in this season of our marriage?
Day 4 — Pursue Jesus Together.
Read Philippians 2:3-4 again and reflect on the example of Jesus serving others. Spend 10–15 minutes together praying, reading Scripture, worshiping, or talking about what God is teaching each of you. Ask each other, “What do you think God is growing in you right now?”
Day 5 — Walk Together.
Read Genesis 2:24 again. Have a simple conversation about your marriage, not about problems to fix, but about the life you're building together. Ask, “What are we doing well? Where are we experiencing drift? How can I better support you? What is one thing we could do together to pursue Jesus more intentionally?” Pray, “God, help us become more than two people living alongside each other. Help us become a team, united in love, faithful in commitment, and committed to pursuing you together.”