RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT'S MANUAL

LESSON THIRTY-TWO

SUNDAY, 8TH APRIL 2018

TOPIC: DIVORCE: NOT AN OPTION

*SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN*
*1.* O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.
*2.* O Sunday School, on the Lord's day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.
*3.* O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.
*4.* O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.
*5.* O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.
*6.* O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery" - Matthew 5:32

BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 19:3-13
Matthew:19.3
The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for [just] any reason?"
Matthew:19.4
And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made [them] at the beginning 'made them male and female,'
Matthew:19.5
"and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
Matthew:19.6
"So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
Matthew:19.7
They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?"
Matthew:19.8
He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
Matthew:19.9
"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery."
Matthew:19.10
His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with [his] wife, it is better not to marry."
Matthew:19.11
But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only [those] to whom it has been given:
Matthew:19.12
"For there are eunuchs who were born thus from [their] mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept [it,] let him accept [it."]
Matthew:19.13
Then little children were brought to Him that He might put [His] hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.

INTRODUCTION:
Divorce is one of the major problems facing homes today. Divorce is granted to the unbelievers for many reasons such as adultery, cruelty, desertion, drunkenness, neglect to provide, conviction of crime, separation, bigamy, incompatibility etc. However, is divorce permissible for Christians? Let us approach this lesson by attempting to answer a number of questions.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. Some common questions and answers
2. Counsel for partners in a shaky marriage

SOME COMMON QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Is there any scriptural ground for divorce?
There is one and only one reason and that is fornication (Matthew 19:9). What does the word "fornication" mean in this passage? The basic meaning is illicit sexual relationship with a third party. However, the "innocent partner" should be ready to forgive the "guilty partner" (Matthew 6:14-15, Proverbs 28:13). Divorce was not in the original plan of God for human beings.
2. How long is a marriage contract?
The answer is simply, until death breaks it (Matthew 19:6). In marriage, God performs a miracle when two individuals become one person. Only God is permitted to break that union by taking one of the partners in death.
3. Can the 'innocent partner' in a divorce re-marry?
It is doubtful if there is such a thing as an innocent partner in the sight of God. It is most likely that the "innocent" partner failed in some ways.
4. Why should people avoid divorce like a plague?
(a). Divorce represents a tragedy that has undermined the home, the very basis of society.
(b). Misery always follows in its path, broken homes, bruised and broken hearts, bewildered, homeless children, delinquent youth, loneliness, tears and at times suicide or insanity.
(c). The couple should consider the welfare of the children who would suffer most and the shame connected with divorce and the scandal that it engenders.
(d). Many Christians look at divorce as sinful, regardless of the circumstances because it is a public admission of utter failure which belittles the power of Christ (Philippians 4:13).
(e). Economic disaster often follows divorce and it is the cause of lack of love and happiness in marriage.

COUNSEL FOR PARTNERS IN A SHAKY MARRIAGE
Let both husbands and wives solemnly renew their vow "for better or for worse till death do us part". Let each get right with the Lord and then with one another. Confession and repentance with mutual sharing would make any marriage a success. Let them spend time in prayer individually and as a couple (James 5:6). Let the husband be the actual head of the home and not merely a figurehead (1Timothy 5:. Let the wives be subject to their husbands (Ephesians 5:24). Let husbands and wives continually woo each other because each needs a great deal of affection. Married couples should continuously ask God for a holy love for each other (1Corinthians 7:5).

CONCLUSION:
Can there be love when there is no respect? The answer is yes, for God loves the unlovely sinner, whom He cannot respect. Love that is unselfish and godly can be deep and powerful even with those whom we cannot respect. With such a love, our marriages would last for life (1Peter 4:. Let us pray for such divine love.

QUESTIONS
1. What is the scriptural ground for divorce?
2. Why should people avoid divorce?

Prophets did not die out with the old testament, prophet is a major thing in the new testament.
Don't just read history when you read your bible, read the holyspirit.