Creating Heavenly Homes: A Sanctuary of Love

 

Summary

In the journey between the Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem, our mission is to create a semblance of heaven on earth, particularly within our homes. Ellen G. White describes the home as a "little heaven," a place where righteousness and justice should dwell, even amidst a sinful world. The challenge is not in reaching heaven but in preparing ourselves for it. Just as God led Israel out of Egypt, the real task was to instill a heavenly mindset in them during their wilderness journey. Similarly, our homes should reflect heaven's values, becoming sanctuaries of peace and righteousness.

Abraham's calling was to ensure his family lived in righteousness and justice, making his home a reflection of heaven. This is not about the size or luxury of our homes but about the atmosphere of love, order, and discipline. A well-ordered family is the greatest testament to the power of Christianity. Church leaders should exemplify this heavenly atmosphere in their homes, as their leadership should inspire the church to mirror such heavenly homes.

Creating a heavenly home in today's world requires understanding the challenges families face. Reports indicate that homes can be places of violence, especially in conservative religious groups. This highlights the need for homes to be places of love and safety, not fear and abuse. The biblical concept of oneness in marriage is crucial, where individuality is celebrated, and the permanence of marriage is upheld. This oneness reflects the mystery of the Trinity, where distinct individuals exist in perfect unity.

Children should be taught to obey and respect authority, starting at home. Fathers, in particular, are called to nurture without provoking anger. A home where parents are loving, supportive, and communicative fosters an environment where children can thrive. Such homes become sanctuaries in a cruel world, offering healing and refuge. Churches should support and empower families, focusing on family-centered ministry rather than church-centered activities. The true lighthouse is the family, where individuality, permanence, and distinct roles are celebrated, creating a little heaven on earth.

Key Takeaways:

1. Creating Heaven on Earth: Our mission is to translate the dream of heaven into reality within our homes, making them sanctuaries of peace and righteousness amidst a sinful world. This requires a focus on the atmosphere of love, order, and discipline, rather than material possessions. [00:00]

2. The Challenge of Preparation: The real challenge is not reaching heaven but preparing ourselves for it. Just as God worked to instill a heavenly mindset in Israel during their wilderness journey, we must cultivate a heavenly atmosphere in our homes. [12:46]

3. The Importance of Oneness: The biblical concept of oneness in marriage is crucial, where individuality is celebrated, and the permanence of marriage is upheld. This reflects the mystery of the Trinity, where distinct individuals exist in perfect unity. [29:43]

4. Teaching Respect and Obedience: Children should be taught to obey and respect authority, starting at home. Fathers, in particular, are called to nurture without provoking anger, creating an environment where children can thrive. [50:06]

5. Family as a Sanctuary: In a cruel world, homes should offer healing and refuge, becoming sanctuaries of love and support. Churches should empower families, focusing on family-centered ministry to create little heavens on earth. [01:10:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Mission of Creating Heaven on Earth
- [03:15] - Ellen G. White's Vision of Home
- [06:45] - The Challenge of Preparation
- [10:20] - Abraham's Example of Righteousness
- [14:00] - Atmosphere Over Material Possessions
- [18:30] - Church Leaders as Examples
- [21:54] - Challenges Facing Families Today
- [25:40] - The Concept of Oneness in Marriage
- [29:43] - Celebrating Individuality
- [34:10] - Permanence of Marriage
- [38:50] - Teaching Children Respect
- [43:20] - Role of Fathers in Nurturing
- [50:06] - Family as a Sanctuary
- [01:10:00] - Church's Role in Empowering Families

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 18:19 - "For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
2. Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
3. Matthew 19:6 - "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

Observation Questions:
1. According to Genesis 18:19, what was the primary reason God chose Abraham, and how does this relate to the concept of a heavenly home? [12:46]
2. In Ephesians 6:4, why does Paul specifically address fathers regarding the upbringing of children? [50:06]
3. How does Matthew 19:6 describe the concept of oneness in marriage, and why is this significant in the context of creating a heavenly home? [29:43]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon suggest that the atmosphere of a home can reflect the values of heaven, and what role does righteousness and justice play in this? [12:46]
2. What challenges do families face today in creating a "little heaven" on earth, and how can understanding these challenges help in overcoming them? [21:54]
3. How does the biblical concept of oneness in marriage reflect the mystery of the Trinity, and why is this important for a heavenly home? [29:43]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own home environment. What specific steps can you take to cultivate an atmosphere of love, order, and discipline? [12:46]
2. How can you and your family work together to ensure that your home is a sanctuary of peace and righteousness amidst the challenges of the world? [01:10:00]
3. In what ways can you celebrate individuality within your marriage or family while maintaining unity and oneness? [29:43]
4. How can you as a parent or family member teach respect and obedience in a way that nurtures rather than provokes anger? [50:06]
5. What are some practical ways your church community can support and empower families to create homes that reflect heavenly values? [01:10:00]
6. Consider the role of fathers in nurturing children. How can fathers in your community be encouraged to fulfill this role effectively? [50:06]
7. How can your family become a refuge and place of healing for its members and others in the community? [01:10:00]

Devotional

Day 1: Transforming Homes into Sanctuaries of Peace
Our mission is to create a semblance of heaven on earth, particularly within our homes. This involves cultivating an atmosphere of love, order, and discipline, rather than focusing on material possessions. The home should be a sanctuary of peace and righteousness amidst a sinful world. Just as God led Israel out of Egypt, the real task was to instill a heavenly mindset in them during their wilderness journey. Similarly, our homes should reflect heaven's values, becoming sanctuaries of peace and righteousness. [00:00]

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15, ESV)

Reflection: What specific changes can you make in your home today to foster an atmosphere of peace and love?


Day 2: Preparing for Heaven in Our Daily Lives
The real challenge is not reaching heaven but preparing ourselves for it. This preparation involves cultivating a heavenly atmosphere in our homes, much like God worked to instill a heavenly mindset in Israel during their wilderness journey. By focusing on the values of heaven, such as love, justice, and righteousness, we can transform our homes into places that reflect the divine. [12:46]

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively prepare your heart and mind for heaven in your daily interactions and routines?


Day 3: Embracing Oneness in Marriage
The biblical concept of oneness in marriage is crucial, where individuality is celebrated, and the permanence of marriage is upheld. This oneness reflects the mystery of the Trinity, where distinct individuals exist in perfect unity. In a world where homes can be places of violence, it is essential to create a home where love and safety prevail, reflecting the divine unity and love of the Trinity. [29:43]

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you celebrate individuality and unity in your marriage or relationships today?


Day 4: Nurturing Respect and Obedience in Children
Children should be taught to obey and respect authority, starting at home. Fathers, in particular, are called to nurture without provoking anger, creating an environment where children can thrive. A home where parents are loving, supportive, and communicative fosters an environment where children can thrive. Such homes become sanctuaries in a cruel world, offering healing and refuge. [50:06]

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4, ESV)

Reflection: How can you model respect and obedience in your interactions with your children or those you mentor?


Day 5: Empowering Families as Lighthouses of Faith
In a cruel world, homes should offer healing and refuge, becoming sanctuaries of love and support. Churches should empower families, focusing on family-centered ministry to create little heavens on earth. The true lighthouse is the family, where individuality, permanence, and distinct roles are celebrated, creating a little heaven on earth. [01:10:00]

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15b, ESV)

Reflection: How can your family become a beacon of faith and love in your community today?

Quotes

that's my submission that in between the garden of eden and that was not um um was able to be fulfilled and the new jerusalem that's going to be um and that is revealed in the book of revelation in between in the not yet we're supposed to develop um heaven on earth so our mission is not to idle and and be dreaming daydreaming about heaven one day will be in heaven our mission is to actually translate that very dream into reality in our in our in our own uh planet on our own planet in our own homes if you please for example um um in in the book adventist home in the book adventist home ellen g white refers to the home the home the family as little heaven she continues to say it is the sweetest type of heaven not just heaven but the sweetest type of heaven now this is not home in the garden of eden this is not home um after the earth has been restored in the new earth it is home now in the midst of wickedness and sinfulness it is home now in this cruel world in this sinful world right now in this world homes can be likened to a type of heaven homes can be viewed as a little heaven here on earth now i believe that humanly speaking um i'm not speculating that the greatest challenge for christ the greatest challenge for the triune god is not so much in taking us to heaven that's not big taking us to heaven is not god's main challenge god's main challenge christ's main challenge challenge of the holy spirit is to prepare [00:05:59]

preparing the place for us is not as difficult as preparing us for the place you remember when god led israel out of egypt it looked like it was a it was a a difficult a very almost impossible project just to get them out of egypt but that is nothing compared to them actually to god actually creating in them the whole heavenly mentality in the wilderness 40 years it took for god to try and and get them to experience heaven in the wilderness it was a matter of an event coming out of egypt may have taken few months or so to convince them to get out but to get into canaan and and and allow heaven to descend in the in the in the wilderness it almost took 40 years even that project was not even completed even as after 40 years so so so getting out getting out is is not as as as difficult as allowing heaven to actually feel our our source so for heaven to come down is difficult more much more [00:08:59]

According to Genesis 18, 19, and we're not going to comment on that much, just to highlight this point, Abraham is chosen by God. If you look at Genesis 18, 19, the reason God chose, the main reason that sometimes we overlook why God chose Abraham, if you read that text, it was so that Abraham could command his family, his home after him. He said, that Abraham may keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice. So Abraham's main task was to make sure that his family do righteousness and justice, that they live, they exude this righteous atmosphere, that there is justice in Abraham's household. [00:12:28]

So Abraham's main task, main assignment, the mission, the task that God had given to Abraham, was to make his earthly home to look like heaven, where righteousness and justice would dwell. You know, we know that the righteousness dwell in heaven, and now God says, now I want you to make sure that your home is going to be full of righteousness and justice. So heaven, when we say our homes are to look like heaven, we're not referring to the size of the house. [00:13:21]

and a well -deserved family in in others what we carry to the world is the atmosphere from our homes not so much the furniture and the walls i'm not saying those things are not important but it is what actually what makes constitute the family is that atmosphere that blesses the world actually i think it is in paul paul there in first timothy 3 verse 5 um where he instructs the church to choose leaders who have succeeded in making their homes heaven families that are well ordered and well distributed you know he says don't have elders don't choose deacons don't choose leaders who have failed to make their homes heaven because the reason why we choose this particular leader it is because we want our church to look like his home we want him to bring that very atmosphere from his home and bring it here in these homes to help these leaders to make their homes heaven in the church to look like heaven the reason we have church is to help families in the church to look like heaven now if that's the case so our leaders therefore our pastors must actually be coming from homes that look like heaven otherwise they are going to lead us to a type of home that does not look like the heaven we desire because they fail to do that in their own homes now in order to appreciate this task because the task is how how do we develop such homes it's easy to talk about homes that look like heaven but how do we do that in this world how do we do that yeah you could do it in the garden of eden there was no sin it can be done later on when sin has been destroyed but how do you do that in between that's the challenging part now for us to appreciate this task to see how important this is and the difficulty the challenge we need to understand the current status of our families in other words we need to know we need to appreciate what is wrong in our families what are the challenges that our families are facing so that we don't um move on to do this work um unaware and denying the challenges that we face now david williams some of you know him david williams is a prophesied harvard time he's an honorary associate family minister's director at gc in his presentation on violence and abuse he quotes the united nations report all right i i haven't read the report so i'm quoting him if if it's not correct then you take it up with him david williams um observes in that in that united nations report that home home is the single most violent and dangerous place for women i'm talking about the very home that you want to make heaven you [00:15:01]

children let's look at the first one the first one is such homes uh uh homes where oneness the biblical concept of oneness is exemplified paul refers to this oneness in the text i read as a mystery that the two can become one flesh and the word used there is the same way that is used in deuteronomy uh and and and elsewhere referring to god as one the trinitarian um that is for the trinitarian um that is a that's a mystery for god who is one and yet in three persons and one and paul says for two that are one flesh that is a mystery and and and such homes um accept that mystery they don't want to disentangle that means they don't want to set it apart they live with the mystery of that oneness two flesh one flesh two individuals one flesh and there are three ways uh remember we're still on the one is there are three ways in which this oneness can be achieved in other words a family that resembles heaven is a family that illustrates the biblical meaning of oneness and what is that meaning now there are three ways there are three um ways in which this oneness can be achieved i mean that oneness can be achieved or three um ways of explaining that oneness at least there could be more than that number one remember oneness now number one um biblical oneness or these homes that demonstrate biblical oneness affirm and celebrate individuality in marriage happy homes heavenly homes are homes [00:27:06]

One day we'll talk about that but the point is that when God created animals he created couples men and the female men and the female there you go but when he created when he created marriage he started off by creating individuals an individual who existed without the other when Adam was in existence there was no Eve when Eve at some point existed there was no Adam there was a time where Eve existed alone with God and there was a time when Adam existed alone with God the the before they could meet each other they had had time with God individually because you see when God created Eve he had to create and make sure that Eve is established in her individuality and so likewise with Adam. [00:30:09]

So we see that Adam and Eve existed. the absence of each other that their existence was sustained by their relationship with god they were happy they didn't start being happy when they met each other they were happy that's why they could meet each other they were happy they were not alone yes but not lonely because they were with god even with it with adam the bible says it was it was not good for men to be alone but not lonely in other words you know that's what god did beloved and this is very important and this kills marriage is that marriage is supposed to be a place that celebrates individuality that you can exist without me in an abusive relationship there's one partner who says you need me to to survive and that one who's who's in an abusive relationship thinks that she cannot survive without the other one their relationship to each other was preceded by their individual worship to god they are romantic and that's why they say that you are nothing without you you are nothing you are everything to me yeah you can say that but you don't mean it it's god who's everything too when when romance supersedes worship then romance becomes idolatry so what am i trying to say that that homes that look like heaven homes that resemble heavens are homes that affirm individuality are homes where individuality is celebrated [00:30:56]

sexual immorality or adultery and the response from the from those who listen the audience say it's better for us not to be married so if you look at that text that text does not celebrate the exception clause that text is basically saying that marriage is permanent that is why those who heard were actually saying if marriage is like this if if it means that you can't get out then i would rather not get married because for you to wait until your wife would commit adultery at that time during that context that cultural context then you would wait forever because there's no one who's going to even think of committing um adultery when she knows what that would mean for her in that environment more can be said but it was christ was basically saying that as as he actually makes it what god has joined together let no man put asunder and i think what has destroyed our families is the easy way in which we can opt for divorce i mean divorce it's so easy in our mouths whenever there's a challenge you hear one person say i notice divorce we better divorce divorce is like breathing whenever you open your mouth you want to divorce whenever you open a month it's going to divorce it's like there's an exit clause that we have a contract but we can always leave we can always exit and some of the reasons that that are put forth for divorce it's a very very difficult thing and the reason that supports divorce is because you have complimentary Electricity and Diues so in other words right when you think you know when you have a declining life you know that you've been living in this current lifestyle and it's a disabled people and i think that's the only solution right no but that's what everybody is doing it's the only over for each other and if we move to the relationship and we don't say so in the reign of Spinac communion and family togetherness in heaven forever and so that environment must start in our homes separation divorce must be looked at as something that is a stranger an enemy i'm not going to dwell on the negative effects of divorce it has its own challenges but i'm saying when we accept the oneness when we are in a home with my wife we need to accept this thing right here together if we have problems we're going to solve them we're not going anywhere i remember one person saying to me who had gone home left home because there were challenges this lady um there's some serious challenges and he left home she left home and she says and this you don't do this at home before but she says pastor when we face challenges now and if my husband leaves home because we have challenged i will live with him and say i'm going to stay where you are staying where are you going of course the context uh if you were to get the context you'll understand that in other words there's a commitment there's a commitment to make our marriage work rather than to opt for divorce we will make sure it works you know why [00:36:11]

of oneness and secondly these homes are homes where children are taught to obey their parents or we can spend another hour with children obey not just comply obey their parents obey where obedience is a duty lack of respect for authority is another pandemic in our society especially in south africa soa tribunal don't we don't know tina this thing of respect for authority is now no respect for authority you go to other countries go to rwanda go to other countries some people argue they say no they use this and that but you see what it means for people to obey authority anarchy is the air we breathe is in the air we breathe but it starts in the home beloved where children are taught to obey not only talking about being not reasoning not being being able to protest, I'm not talking about that, but to respect authority. [00:44:21]

It's very interesting why this text singles out fathers, especially in the context where Paul was talking about obey your parents and then he says, when you obey your father and you honor your father and your mother. I mean, he doesn't just say father and mother, obey your parents by parents, I mean father and mother. But then he goes to the second, to the next verse, he says, and you, you, you, fathers. He doesn't say, and you parents, he doesn't say parents do not provoke your kids. That would also be true. But he says, you, I mean you specifically, you fathers, you fathers, that's how he puts it. But you fathers, exclude the mothers, I'm talking to you fathers, you mustn't provoke your children to anger, to wrath, don't do it. One commentator explaining this text says, fathers are more prone to passion, in other words, they are more prone to anger in relation to their children than mothers. Whose fault is rather over -indulgence. So he says, mothers are more, their fault is more on over -indulgence, but the fathers, their fault is prone towards anger, of making children angry, because they sometimes discipline in anger. There could be many reasons why fathers have been singled out. [00:48:32]

And the last one, parents who often help with schoolwork. I think they're about seven. And in conclusion, beloved, not a let to go, these families are found in the midst of a cruel world where pain and suffering are the order of the day. Such families offer a sanctuary, a shelter, a place of healing for its members and those associated with it. This world can scare us, this world can harm us, but these families can offer us, they can bandage, they can soothe us, they can apply oil on our wounds. This family, our kids have been raped and wounded. These families can come together and form a shelter and the wall and protect and build and first strike the healing of their child. Such families, such families are wonderful families. When the prodigal son was battered and bruised by the cruel and sinful world, he knew where to go and going back home. Sometimes these kids, when they've left home and then they are butchered by the world, they can't go home because the home looks like the world that butchered them. But a home in the midst of the storm, when things have gone bad, you know where to go. Such families do not give up on each other. After the death of Samson, we read that his brothers and all his father's household, all his father's family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him. When the whole world has forsaken us, there's a family that sticks closer than a brother. Churches, churches must refocus its ministry or their ministry on the families, empower families, resource families. [00:55:33]

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Transcript
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