Discussion Questions from 05/16/2010 Sermon at WBC

On Sunday, May 16th, I only preached during the 8:30 am service. Randy Presley challenged the seniors on Senior Recognition Day during the 11 o'clock service and Phillip Powers preached during the evening service. All of which can be watched or listened to at some point tomorrow (05/17/2010) here.

I chose to preach on one verse in Luke's Gospel instead of 'clump' of Scriptures as I normally do as I have been going through Luke. The text we are at in our study of Luke is Luke 16:18.

If you did not attend yesterday at 8:30, that is fine, but I would strongly urge you and encourage you to listen and/or watch the sermon prior to trying to answer the discussion questions below. The questions could be answered without hearing the message, but would help tremendously. The questions I pose are done so assuming those who walk through them attended or listened to the message.

Here are the questions:

1. Since Luke only recorded Jesus talking about divorce/remarriage in 1 of his 2,158 verses (combining Luke and Acts), we can be pretty sure that his purpose in including verse 18 of chapter 16 was NOT to give his readers a robust theology of divorce, remarriage, and adultery. This being the case, what was Luke's main purpose in including the verse? To ask it another way, why does Jesus just all of the sudden bring up divorce and remarriage and adultery in the middle of this chapter, seemingly out of nowhere?

2. Compare your answer with what Paul says in Philippians 3:7-14.

3. In what ways have you been trying to justify yourself to God instead of trusting in Jesus alone for your righteousness and salvation?

4. Why does Jesus consider someone who marries after divorce as committing adultery? See Genesis 2:24. Why does Jesus consider lust adultery? See Matthew 5:28.

5. One of the questions Bro. Matt posed in his sermon was, "If I Have Divorced and/or Remarried, What Do I Need to Do?"

The four scenarios/responses given were:

a. If you are divorced and are not remarried, do everything possible to reconcile with your spouse. Everything you possibly can.

b. If you are divorced and single, and your previous spouse has remarried, based on Luke 16:18, I would suggest remaining single (see 1 Corinthians 7:32-35).

c. If you are divorced and have remarried, but did so assuming it was fine and there were no problems in the eyes of God (in other words, your motives were totally pure when you divorced and remarried… you were ignorant of the truth of God’s word on this), recognize God’s understanding of marriage, agree that His decree of it is right, look outside yourself to Jesus to be your righteousness, and commit to follow and obey Him in this regard the rest of your days.

d. If you are divorced and remarried, and did so knowing it was a sin against God and his ideal of marriage, repent by agreeing with God that your attitude was sinful, look outside yourself to the One who fulfilled the law for you (Jesus), believe that He is enough, and fight with all of your might to glorify God in your current marriage, committing to a life of obedience to Him and His expectations for the marriage covenant.

Do you agree/disagree with these? Why or why not?

6. If you are married, how does Luke 16:18 challenge you in your marriage? What do you need to do?

7. If you are not married, how does Luke 16:18 challenge you? What do you need to do?