We Are a New Kind of Family

4/7/2024

From the fall in Genesis to the final scene of Revelation, the Bible tells the story of how God is building a new kind of community—a people He set apart for His glory. But from its very beginning, controversy has surrounded the Church. People throughout history—insiders and outsiders alike—have struggled to understand the Church and its mission. Join us every Sunday for This Is Us, a sermon series exploring a new kind of family and its mission to heal a broken world.

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Passage

Matthew 12:46-50

Principle

The Church is a new kind of ##family##, not bound by biology, ethnicity, or race, but by a common ##faith## in ##Jesus## and His ##Kingdom##.

We are an "##in-between##" people:

In between who we ##were## and who we are ##becoming##
In between ##heaven## and ##earth##

Practice

Participate in 85 Days of ##Community##!

Small Group Questions

Use this outline for personal reflection, as a couples or family devotion, or with a small group.

HANGOUT

Who was your favorite TV family growing up, and why? What is the biggest difference between TV families of the 1950s and 1960s and TV families of today?

HEAR

Read Ephesians 2:11-13

What does Paul want the Christians in Ephesus to remember (v. 12)? Why is this important?
How should remembering your life before Christ affect how you think about others?
How were we brought near to God? Who did the work necessary for that to happen?
Read Ephesians 2:8-9. How should this impact the way Jesus’ followers interact with people who are currently far from God? What would happen if every Christian lived this way?

Read Ephesians 2:14-16

In this passage, who is being reconciled? Who is doing the reconciling, and how is it being accomplished?
According to verse 15, what was God’s goal in “destroying the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility”?
Where is our hostility put to death? How can the cross become the solution to the social, political, and cultural walls of hostility we face today? Can it do this for families, too?

Read Ephesians 2:17-22

What does Paul mean by saying that we who are in Christ are now “fellow citizens” and “members of his household”?
How should this truth impact the church? Does it? Why or why not? What should Aspire Church do to see this become a reality in our church? What can our group do to make this a reality?

HUDDLE

Did you experience “family envy” growing up? What is your idea of a perfect family and a perfect church? What will you do this week to make the family/community God has given you more like heaven? Talk about it, invite accountability, and take time to pray together.

Daily Reading

As you read each passage, look for connections to this week’s sermon and small group discussion. Invite the Holy Spirit to be your teacher as you seek Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Day 1: Genesis 1:26-31 & 3:1-24
Day 2: Genesis 12:1-3 & 15:1-6
Day 3: Matthew 12
Day 4: Romans 12
Day 5: Galatians 4
Day 6: Ephesians 2
Day 7: 1 Peter 1:2

Think Deeper

Did you ever experience “family envy” when you were growing up?
Has the church ever felt like family to you? If so, when? If not, why not?
What can you do to help build a community on earth that reflects the hopes of heaven?