2025
Belong to the LORD
Passage: Ezra 9:1-5; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
“I know some muddle-headed Christians have talked as if Christianity thought that sex, or the body, or pleasure were bad in themselves. But they were wrong…[Christianity] believes that matter is good, that God Himself once took on a human body, that some kind of body is going to be given to us even in Heaven and is going to be an essential part of our happiness, our beauty, and our energy.”
—C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
OUTLINE:
- What happened?
- What is the danger?
- What should we do?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
In what ways have you seen positive examples of how marriage can reflect the church’s union with Christ?
Read Ezra 9:1-5 and 2 Corinthians 6:14-16. What do these passages show you about God’s character and about being his follower? What challenges, encourages, or sparks questions for you in these passages?
In the book of Ezra, we’ve seen the restoration of worship and community. Now Ezra has led a second wave of God’s people back from exile to Jerusalem. After a 4 month journey and arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra learns of unfaithful/disobedient practices happening among the people. Note the sinful practices were a religious (faithfulness), not racial issue (see Deut. 7:3-4, 6). What is Ezra’s response? In what ways does Ezra teach us how to respond to sin? What does his leadership and love for God’s people show us?
Kathy Keller reflecting on years of ministry wrote, “Over the course of our ministry, the most common pastoral issue that Tim and I have confronted is probably marriages—either actual or proposed—between Christians and non-Christians…Having grown weary and impatient, I want to snap and say, “It won’t work, not in the long run. Marriage is hard enough when you have two believers who are completely in harmony spiritually. Just spare yourself the heartache and get over it.” Yet such harshness is neither in line with the gentleness of Christ, nor convincing.” Why did it matter who God’s people were entering into marriage with during Ezra’s time? Why does it matter for us today?
What are the encouragements and challenges for you in this season accepting God’s instruction to Christians to marry Christians, to be equally yoked as believers in marriage? Consider also: 1 Corinthians 7:14, 39.
PRAYER
Share with your group how they can be praying for you: what is weighing on you from this past week? What are you praising God for from this past week?
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30