GENESIS 2 (Part 2)
Mission Spot: Praying for “ Go Week”
Share briefly:
Who are you planning to spend time with during Go Week?
What are you hoping to do?
Is there a particular opportunity or conversation you would like prayer for?
Pray by name for these people. Ask God to deepen relationships, open natural opportunities to speak about Jesus, and give us courage to take them.
Genesis 2
Opening question
Why do you think the world around us considers marriage important:
For society as a whole?
For the individuals who marry?
How are society’s answers changing over time?
Read Genesis 2:18–25
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the mancalled each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam[a] nosuitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs[b] and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib[c] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23 The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt noshame.
What stands out to you? What questions does the passage raise?
Where do you see both the sameness and difference of man and woman in this passage?
What can go wrong when differences between men and women are emphasised at the expense of their shared humanity, dignity and equality?
What can be lost when sameness is emphasised in a way that leaves no room for meaningful difference?
What does this passage teach about the Goodness of marriage?
Read Ephesians 5:25, 31–32
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
“‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church.”
Read Hebrews 13:4:
“Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
How to each of these new testament passages, uphold the importance of marriage?
How does Marriage serve as an image for the gospel itself?
Read 1 Corinthians 7:7–8, 32–35:
“I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.”
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs, how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife, and his interests are divided… I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.”
Read Mark 3:33–35:
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
How do Paul and Jesus’ insights clarify how marriage is not the ultimate bond in light of the gospel?
How should knowing that marriage is not the ultimate thing shape the way Christians approach:
Singleness?
Dating?
Marriage?
Apply
In your present season, are you more likely to make marriage too important or not value it enough? What might need to change?
Pray
Thank God for the gifts of marriage, singleness and the church family. Ask him to help us honour each faithfully while finding our deepest identity and belonging in Christ.