Sermon Title: Dance or Duel
Text:
Colossians 3:13-14
Message Notes:
Marriage is dance, not a duel
Deeper Dive:
- They say opposites attract. Is this true for you and your spouse? How opposite are you? Explain.
- How have you complemented each other with your differences? How have your differences been a source of conflict? Explain.
- What is your default reaction to conflict in your marriage? Anger, blame-game, silent treatment, ignoring it, giving in, putting up the other person or looking for ways to solve the problem and move forward together? Explain.
- In Colossians 3:13-14, Paul instructs the church to bear with each other. The word “bear” means to “lift each other up.” How would making this your default response change the way you resolve conflict?
- Conflict is inevitable but conflict resolution must be intentional. Do you have an intentional conflict resolution plan in place for your marriage? If yes, how does it work? If not, develop some initial steps and share with the group?
- For Paul, a critical component of conflict resolution is an attitude of forgiveness. On a scale of 1-10 (10 is very) how quick are you to offer forgiveness and to ask for forgiveness? Why is that so?
- Paul points out that the power of forgiveness is ultimately found in the reality that God has forgiven us in Christ. What does it mean to you that God has forgiven you, and how does that affect your practice of forgiveness daily?
