The Marriage Bed
The Marriage Bed / Small Group Discussion Guide
Getting the Most Out of It
Week 6
Starting Scriptures
Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”Reflection
In Hebrews 13, the writer encourages us to regard marriage as precious and honorable and to protect the value of God’s gift of sex. The value of the marriage bed is nurtured– or diminished – by how well we manage the tension the marriage bed produces. Whether we desire to be married someday in the future, to stay married for years to come, or to discover what God has for us on the other side of marriage, most all of us will find ourselves walking through one of these tension stages presented by the marriage bed:
Sexual Tension–You are not marriedbut someday hope to be. Your tension is avoidinggetting in the bed too soon, before God’s time.
Romantic Tension–You are married and seeking to keep the marriage bed fresh and exciting.
Work Tension–Your tension is found in your attempt to balance workand rest in order to relieve life pressuresand keep the marriage bed alive.
Compassion Tension–Your spouse is sick or weakened and cannot serve you during this season.
Passing Tension–The stage where your spouse has passed and now you are learning how to live as life goes on.
Discussion Questions
1.When it comes to the marriage bed – whether you have experienced it or not –which stage of tension might youpersonally consider to be the hardest to manage? Why?
2.We can gain a deeper appreciation of God’s plan forthe marriage bed during each one of these stages. What are some of the positive experiences you have encountered or might expect to encounter during anyof thesetension stages?
3.Which stage of tension do you currently find yourself in the middle of? What part of this stage of tension do you find particularly hard to cope with?
4.How would you encourage someone who may be walking in the stage of _____tension (Sexual, Romance, Work, Compassion, Passing)? As a friend, what might you say to them? How could you help them stay strong and endure the toil and hardship of it all?
Going Deeper
Matters of Prayer
God is the architect of the marriage bed. He is also an ever present help in time of need. Regardless of the tension you find yourself in, God stands ready to move on behalf of those who call upon Him.
He gives us beauty for ashes, forgiveness for failures, and He brings restoration to the broken and repentant. He who spoke light into existence can also speak a creative spark into the hearts and minds of husbands and wives, re-igniting romance into stale marriages. In His grace and wisdom, He teaches us how to balance work and rest in every season. And even in our loss, He stands with us so that we do not stand alone.
In light of all that He is, spend some time praying for each other. Also, pray for each others’ loved ones who may be struggling with any issue associated with these tensions.
Here are some people groups to remember:
- Young women (or couples) who have recently visited the Pregnancy Resource Center.
- Those who are grieving the loss of a spouse this past year.
- Our youth and single young adults, who fight to stand strong and pure in a culture that celebrates a dumbed down, cheap version of God’s great plan in sex.
The Marriage Bed / 1