WEEK 6 : Countercultural Marriages

Icebreaker: If you’re married, share your engagement story in 30 seconds or less.

Pray: Holy Spirit, would you speak to us and teach us today, helping us to surrender our will and forming us to be like Jesus.

Read 1 Peter 3:1-7. This is a tough passage! We must always remember that Biblical authors lived in a different culture and context than us, so we need to understand their culture and the message the author had for that audience before we try to apply it to today. 1 Peter 3:1 says “in the same way,” which means we need to look back at chapter two and ask: In the same way as what? In chapter 2, Peter discussed submitting to earthly authority and gave the example of how Jesus submitted when treated unjustly.

In the society that Peter writes to, men had authority and women did not. Just as in chapter 2, Peter acknowledging that masters had authority over slaves doesn’t make it the ideal way, here Peter is acknowledging the cultural norms that husbands had authority over wives. Never once does he say this is God’s ideal design. Instead, he is addressing the tension for women in that time who wanted to follow Jesus but their husbands didn’t believe. Culturally, women would have adopted their husband’s religion. New female converts to Christianity wondered if they should leave their husbands because of their new faith. Instead of instructing them to leave, Peter gives them a plan for effective evangelism.

Pause and spend some time in prayer, following these prompts:

●     If you are in a marriage where your spouse is not a believer, or if you have family members who don’t believe in Jesus, pause and pray that the Holy Spirit would draw them to himself. Ask God how you can be a better witness, sacrificially loving them to show the love of Christ.

●     If you’re in a marriage where both partners are following Jesus, pray you’ll be a stronger witness for the Lord together than you would be apart.

●     If you are single, pray that God would give you contentment in your singleness, help you to serve him faithfully, and if it is your desire and his will, that he would bring you a spouse who can help you to be a better witness for Jesus.

We all should be driven by the dual purpose in life:

           1. To KNOW Jesus

           2. To make him known to others

We seek him wholeheartedly and we actively engage with the lost to help them KNOW Jesus.

1. How can God use our current relationships (family, friends, co-workers, etc.) to draw others to Jesus?

Read Acts 7. As Stephen is dying for his faith, he gives a great summary of the Old Testament story of God which culminates in Jesus. He values the salvation of others more than his own life. Notice who is watching at the end of the chapter. Stephen’s witness and death likely planted seeds in Saul (later Paul), to lead to his salvation in Acts 9.

In 1 Peter 3:7, Peter calls the women co-heirs under Christ, trying to flip the table on the cultural norm to say that in Christ, we are all equal and valued sons and daughters. In a patriarchal society, first Jesus and now Peter teaches that women have value and are co-heirs in God’s Kingdom. Saying that men’s prayers will be hindered if they don’t respect their wives was also incredibly counter cultural. Essentially, Peter’s saying a man isn’t living as a disciple of Jesus if he doesn’t treat his wife with love and respect. This would have been revolutionary in his culture.

Jesus continually lifted up women, even including them as disciples. (Though they aren’t listed in the 12, women followed him, learned from him, and supported his ministry. Women were quite possibly included when Jesus sent out the 72 disciples!) Throughout Acts, we see the early church was built on men and women.

●     When the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, it is highly likely that men and women spoke in tongues (Acts 2:17-18)

●     Lydia likely led a house church (Acts 16:15,40)

●     Priscilla taught (Acts 18:26)

●     Women prophesied (Acts 21:8-9)

Read Acts 9:32-43, a story of Peter healing a female disciple named Tabitha.

2. Why is it important that God uses men and women to grow his kingdom?

All people have value in the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit can enable each one of us to testify about him and spread the gospel to those in need.

3. How do I value and empower others, humbly considering others more than myself? (Phil. 2:3)

4. How would the world respond if we focus more on the heart than outward appearance and humbly serve one another in love?

Lord, may our relationships reflect you to the dying world around us. May our selfless love and humility shine above all else. May we always look to lift others up and never seek to rule over someone. We pray for the marriages of MCC and the community around us: make them strong, filled with mutual submission and love, and strong against the attacks of the enemy. Holy Spirit, draw our lost family members to you, working on their hearts and helping us to be a witness to them in words and in actions. Amen.