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When Church Becomes Home

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” MATTHEW 12:46-50 NIV

The Church becomes our home…

When Jesus radically transforms our understanding of family

He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” LUKE 9:59-60 NIV

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. MARK 10:29-30 NIV

In what ways do you experience Sandals Church as your family?

When we collectively create a space for single people to thrive

But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another. So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:7-9 NLT

If marriage displays the commitment of Jesus, then singleness displays the satisfaction of Jesus

When we neither obsess nor oppose marriage, but rather see singleness as an opportunity.

Opportunity found in freedom

Opportunity found in time

Opportunity found in passion

Opportunity found in wholeheartedness

I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:32-35 NLT

For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant—to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever. ISAIAH 56:4-5 NIV

When we anchor our identity in who we are together in Christ

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” REVELATION 19:6-9 NIV

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place to talk to and listen to God. You may want to take a few deep breaths. When you are ready, invite God to guide your time. When you think of your experience of family, what thoughts and feelings surface? Share these with God and ask him to help you see where these are coming from. How does this compare and influence what you feel and think about Sandals Church being your spiritual family? What would need to change for Sandals Church to become more of your spiritual home? If you are single, to what extent do you view singleness as an opportunity to wholeheartedly focus on knowing and serving God with your freedom, time, and passion? Ask God to reveal His love and faithfulness to you. If you are married, how could you wholeheartedly build your relationship with God and your spouse, not neglecting one or the other? Ask God to reveal His love is more than enough for true and lasting joy. Close your time by thanking God for the ways He has made Sandals Church feel like a home for you. Ask God to lead you into making a change this week that would enable you and others to better experience Sandals Church as a family. Pray for our singles that God will help them to see and embrace the opportunities to know and serve Him wholeheartedly.

Discussion Questions

Choose a couple of the following questions from each section that best fit your group. Or have everyone read the questions, choosing which one(s) from each section they feel led to respond to.

  1. START HERE: Share about a time when you longed for home.
  2. START HERE: In what way have you experienced people at Sandals Church as your family?
  3. START HERE: If you could relive your childhood, would you want to? What would you change?
  4. KEEP GOING: Read Matthew 12:46-50 (NLT). According to Jesus, who are my brothers, sisters, and mother? What does He mean by this?
  5. KEEP GOING: In a few words, what was your experience of your family growing up? Was it mostly positive or negative?
  6. KEEP GOING: How has your experience of family growing up influenced how you see the church as a family?
  7. KEEP GOING: Think of a time now or in the past when you are/were single. How have you experienced this as an opportunity for freedom, time, and passion?
  8. KEEP GOING: Read 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 (NLT). 
-If you are currently single, how can you wholeheartedly focus on your relationship and service with Jesus, not only living for yourself? 
-If you are married, how can you wholeheartedly build your relationship with God and your spouse, not neglecting one or the other?
  9. LIVE IT OUT: Mark 10:29-30 (NLT) isn’t saying that family isn’t important, just not as important as following Jesus. How could you prioritize time with God, His family, and His mission?
  10. LIVE IT OUT: How could your group create space for single people to experience God’s love and thrive?