Your Marriage Can Thrive Series, Part 1: Forgiveness
June 1, 2025

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Message Review

Thriving marriages don’t happen by accident, and they don’t happen by trying to avoid hurt. You can’t prevent hurt in your marriage. Every marriage will involve moments of offense, disappointment, and pain. But what separates surviving marriages from thriving ones is how couples respond to that hurt.  The first essential cause of a thriving marriage is Forgiveness.

Main Point: A thriving marriage requires two good forgivers.

Scripture References: Ephesians 4:30-32

Bible Study      

The focus Bible passage from the sermon was Ephesians 4:17-32. Before going to the Sermon Discussion Questions, study the passage by reading through it together, then talk through it using the following Inductive Bible Study Method questions that follow:

  • Context: Discuss the context of this passage (Use the Bible Overview to learn the context)

  • Observation: What do you notice in this passage? What words or phrases stick out to you? And why?

  • Interpretation: What was Jesus’ original intent in this passage? What main point(s) was he trying to communicate, and why is that important?

  • Application: What is one key takeaway or insight you had from this passage? How can or should you apply it to your life?

  • Questions: What questions/tensions do you have from this passage that you want to discuss?

Discussion Questions

  • What were your initial thoughts or takeaways from the sermon?

  • Ronnie said you can’t prevent hurt in marriage, but you can choose how you respond to it. Why is that truth essential to understand in every relationship?

  • When someone has hurt you, what emotions rise within you? How do you usually deal with it?

  • Why do we often hold onto resentment, bitterness, and anger toward someone who hurt us?

  • Read Ephesians 4:31.

    • What is Paul instructing us to “get rid of”?

    • What do all the things Paul listed here have in common?

    • Paul said to get rid of “all”.  What happens when we hold onto any of these?

  • Read Ephesians 4:32.

    • What does it practically mean to forgive “just as in Christ God forgave you”?

    • How is that different from how we want to forgive?

  • Read the following three passages: Matthew 5:21-26, Matthew 6:14-15, Matthew 18:21-22. 

    • What main points was Jesus communicating in these passages?

  • What are some common misunderstandings people have about forgiveness?

  • Ronnie said the Biblical definition of forgiveness is the decision to cancel another's debt.  What does that mean, and why is that so hard to do? 

  • Ronnie walked us through a 3-part process of forgiveness: Identify, Release, Extend. Which is most challenging for you right now? Why?

  • What does unforgiveness do in you and in your marriage (or any other relationship)? 

  • Is there someone—maybe even your spouse—you need to forgive?

  • What next step must you take for the transformation of forgiveness to begin in that relationship or within your marriage?

To watch or listen to Sunday’s sermon, visit our Sermons page.