1 John 2:15-17

Do not love the world or the things that are in the world … the lust of the FLESH (sex) and the lust of the EYES (money) and the pride of life (power) … are of the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but he who does the WILL of God abides FOREVER.

 

Connect group:

• Choose ONE NIGHT a week to hold your connect group.
• Ask each member of your connect group to bring their Bible.
• If you want, you can also take communion together.

 

WELCOME

 

Icebreaker:

Choose one of the following topics and talk about it: a) What is an important life lesson about relationships or love that you learned from your parents or grandparents?

b) If you must be honest, do you think it is easier in today’s culture to speak the “truth” or to show “love”? How do you find the balance?

 

Prayer: Open with prayer.

 

WORD

 

Read:

 

Our Core Text for Today:

 

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Flee from sexual immorality… Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…

 

Ephesians 4:15

…Children of God are called to speak the truth in love.

 

Genesis 2:24

Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

 

Talk in your Connect Group about the following:

 

This week we approach complex and sensitive issues regarding sexuality, relationships, and marriage from a Biblical perspective.

 

The goal of this lesson is to do so in a spirit of respect and goodwill, striving to maintain Godly love, humility, and respect for all people. It is all about truth with grace: sexual holiness, human dignity, repentance, forgiveness, mutual respect, and Christ-centered restoration.

 

When we look at God’s instructions, we must understand that the “spirit of the law” (rules, restrictions, and commandments) is based on love and on protection against harm to ourselves, others, and our relationship with God. God wants to preserve the beauty of unity and protect you against unnecessary pain and exploitation within romantic relationships.

 

Reread today’s texts and talk about them:

 

a) The lesson explicitly states that we are called to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15) and to leave the final judgment to God. How can we do this practically when interacting with people who do not accept Biblical standards, particularly by “starting with a relationship,” “listening,” and showing “Jesus rather than mockery or pressure”?

b) When it comes to finding a life partner and navigating romantic relationships, the lesson recommends choosing “according to God’s Word” and looking “at the fruits (character, habits, values) before you fall in love”. Why is it so important to exercise self-control in the pacing of intimacy, and to ensure that the relationship builds you up (your relationship with God, yourself, and others) rather than destroying it?