RAP SHEET 2/2/25

Series: Love, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage

Sermon: Love in a Hopeless Place

Scripture: Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 37:4, Genesis 2:18, Romans 8:22

Review

This week, we kicked off our Love, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage series by zooming out to examine love and hope on the broadest level. Our culture often tells us we are incomplete, searching for an "other half" to make us whole. This idea, rooted in pagan myths, resonates because of the universal longing for connection—but it ultimately leads to misplaced hope in romantic relationships.

We explored how leaning on our own understanding in relationships often leaves us feeling empty and hopeless. Instead, Scripture calls us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). When we trust entirely in God, He makes our paths straight, smoothing the way for meaningful and hopeful relationships.

We learned these key truths:

1. Our primary relationship is with Jesus. Romantic relationships are a blessing but cannot make us whole—only Jesus can.

2. Trusting the Lord with all our hearts means fully relying on Him. The Hebrew word "batach" in Proverbs 3:5 pictures us leaning our entire weight on God, allowing Him to guide us.

3. Hope begins in Jesus. As Paul stated in Philippians 3:7-8, nothing compares to the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Only in Him can we find true hope, fulfillment, and purpose.

When we find HOPE in Jesus, we are finally ready to find LOVE in this world.

Apply

• In what ways have you been leaning on your own understanding or the wisdom of this world in your relationships?

• How can you invite God into the areas of your love life that feel hopeless or incomplete?

• What is ONE THING about your relationships you need to change in light of this week's message, and how do you intend to change it?

Pray

Take time to pray through these prompts:

• Thank God for His wisdom and guidance in your relationships.

• Confess how you’ve leaned on your understanding instead of fully trusting Him.

• Ask God to smooth out the obstacles in your path and to align your heart with His desires.