Dating and Marriage

Teaching Goal:   Jesus needs to be at the center of our dating and marriage relationships.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers…what fellowship can light have with darkness…For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Materials:

• Website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0gbuF_PiNI
• 9 playing cards

In Advance:  Practice the card trick located on YouTube, titled “Interactive LOVE Magic

Trick.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0gbuF_PiNI   Use the word JESUS instead of LOVES. NOTE: This trick will not work with 1 or 2 letter names/initials.

1. Play theme song
2. Pray
3. Review last lesson
4. Lesson and Discussion

• Words written in bold are when the leader is speaking. Feel free to use your own words.

The Bible teaches believers in God not to be yoked to unbelievers. Farmers used to use animals like oxen and horses to plow their fields. A yoke is the collar that was used to connect two oxen together so they could pull the plow together. Invite a volunteer to read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

This verse is not saying, “Never speak to unbelievers.” Or, “Never be friends or do things with unbelievers.” What this verse warns against is entering into the closest of relationships like business partnerships, dating, or marriage with unbelievers. The concern is that being close with people of different core values will pull us away or compromise our own Christian values and beliefs.

As followers of Christ, we want “Jesus” to be the center of our closest relationships. When we date and when we marry there are three in the relationship—you, your partner and Jesus. It will help us to develop relationships centered on God’s teaching and his call for holiness if we always view our relationship as including Jesus.

ACTIVITY: To demonstrate this principle of centering our dating and marriage relationships around Jesus, we are going to do a fun card trick. Have each person select someone with whom they are in close relationship. OR, use the generic titles of girl, boy, husband, wife. This is more memorable when you use names of different lengths.

For example:

Boy Jesus Girl

Husband Jesus Wife

John Jesus Marie

Sandra Jesus Michael

I pray this simple, fun card trick can remind us to center our closest relationships on Jesus. Encourage family members to demonstrate this simple card trick with close friends and dating partners. Is there someone with whom you can share this card trick?

Close in Prayer