These questions and comments relate to the sermon on 4 September 2022, Keep Your Word.  The primary scripture is Matthew 5:31-37 and 19:1-9.  I originally intended to cover divorce and oaths in this message, but it came to be mostly about how Jesus addressed marriage and divorce.  An audio recording of the sermon is available on this website.

1.  Think about the ways divorce has affected your life.  In a small group, you may want to share part of your story, but it is not required.

2.  The sermon reviewed Bible study methods because we must be careful not to make erroneous doctrine, especially on socially sensitive issues.  I will leave you to the sermon for review.

3.  We also emphasized that Jesus was explaining how he fulfills the law and prophets.  The people of his time and place were not respecting marriage well, and it is probably why he included the topic in his explanation.  When the Pharisees tried to pull Jesus into an argument about divorce, he redirected them to the meaning of marriage (see Matthew 19).

4.  If you have not, read the primary scriptures listed above.  Then read the Old Testament book of Hosea.  It illustrates how far God will go to redeem his people.

5.  Small groups may want to re-hash some of the above material or take up the oaths section, Matthew 5:33-37.  Our dependability and trustworthiness hinge on our word.  Are you trusted to do what you say you will do?

6.  The teachers of the law in Israel had developed a difficult system of rules regarding taking oaths.  Some of the rules were designed to protect them when they wanted to violate a promise or abandon their oath.  What was Jesus teaching about oaths here?

7.  How can we develop trust in our marriage and in other relationships?

8.  Consider the order of topics in this section of Matthew's gospel: adultery, divorce, oaths.  What kind of character does this suggest for kingdom people?