No Strings Attached
Same Team Marriage | Week 2
September 22, 2024 | By Jesse DeYoung
Is your marriage a tug of war, or are you on the same team? In this message, we explore how tension in marriage isn’t a sign that something’s wrong, but rather a healthy design by God. Drawing from Genesis 2 and practical life examples, this talk dives into how couples can shift from competing against each other to working together. By moving from selfishness to selflessness, we can build marriages rooted in grace, complementing differences, and calling each other to higher standards. Ready to fight together, not against each other?
Set List
"Made To Praise" by Corbin Phillips, Shantrice Nekia Laura, and Taylor Gall
"Rest On Us" by Brandon Lake, Elyssa Smith, Harvest Bashta, Jonathan Jay, Rebekah White, and Tony Brown
"Highest Praise" by HIGHEST PRAISE | WORDS AND MUSIC BY NATE MANNING AND SYDNEY PETERSON | FLATIRONS MUSIC |
"Who Else" by Abbie Gamboa, Josiah Funderburk, and Zac Rowe
Small Group Questions
Same Team-Marriage
Jesse DeYoung
Sep 22nd, 2024
// Bible References: Genesis 2:18; Phil 2:4; Philippians 4:3, 11-13, Eph 4:29; Rom 12:10
// Community Question: Rank in order how easy you believe it is to achieve the following and explain why.
A) Financial Security B) Comfortable Retirement C) Home Ownership, D) Annual Vacation, E) Marriage and Kids.
// Discussion Questions
- Read Genesis 2:18. Jesse shared that God designed marriage with fundamental tension, meaning that differences and disagreements can contribute to growth rather than division. How does 'healthy tension' play a role in a successful marriage? Reflect on a time when relationship tension led to a positive outcome. What did you learn from that experience?
- Jesse explained that couples often see each other as opponents instead of teammates during conflicts. What does it mean to have a 'same team' mentality in a marriage? Can you think of a recent situation where you felt you were on opposite sides rather than working together? How might that have changed with a 'same team' mindset?
- Read Philippians 2:4. Paul encourages us to look to the interests of others. How can this principle be applied to marriage? How can putting your spouse's needs ahead of your own foster a strong relationship? Think about a specific need your spouse has that you could prioritize this week. How do you plan to do that?
- Read Philippians 4:3. Jesse encouraged us to move our view of marriage from being completed by our spouse to being complimented. Discuss how the following quote impacts your personal views. “Marriage is not for self-fulfillment. You don’t get married so YOU can become complete. This type of thinking turns your partner into some solution to a problem they may not even know you have. When you marry someone to make you feel better, to be less lonely, or to get something, you are putting a weight and responsibility on another person that they cannot carry.”-John Delony
- Jesse encouraged couples to uplift each other by affirming their strengths instead of pointing out their weaknesses. What are some practical ways to shift from 'calling out' your spouse’s flaws to 'calling up' their potential? Can you identify a strength in your spouse that you could highlight more often? How would expressing that strengthen your relationship?
// Challenge: Which of the following marriage “moves” (putting your spouse’s needs first, viewing your spouse’s role in your life as complimenting vs completing you, verbally uplifting your spouse) do you feel you needed to work on? Can you commit to making a plan to start to address that issue this week?