Finding Home: The Journey of Belonging and Peace

Summary

On this Independence Day weekend, the invitation is to reflect on what it truly means to find “home.” In a world where many feel unsettled or out of place, the search for home is not just about a physical location, but about discovering a sense of belonging, peace, and rootedness wherever we are. Drawing from Luke 10, the call is to intentionally seek out and create spaces of peace, to recognize that home is less about geography and more about the people and the presence of God among us.

Life often takes us on journeys—sometimes literal moves, sometimes transitions of the heart. Many of us have lived in multiple places, been part of various communities, and found that the idea of “home” shifts and grows with us. The memories of being surrounded by loving voices, the comfort of community, and the bittersweet realization that we can’t always return to what once was, all point to a deeper truth: home is something we are called to find and make anew, again and again.

Jesus’ instructions to his disciples—to travel light, to be intentional, to risk vulnerability, and to accept hospitality—offer a recipe for finding home wherever we go. It’s not about small talk or surface-level connection, but about being fully present and open to the people before us. There is risk in this openness; we may face rejection or discomfort, but the rewards of genuine connection and shared peace are profound.

Hospitality, in the way of Christ, is a two-way street. Sometimes we are the ones offering help, and sometimes we must be humble enough to receive. The act of sharing a meal, of accepting what is set before us, becomes a sacred moment—a form of communion where the lines between host and guest blur, and grace flows freely. In these moments, Christ is present, and home is found.

Stories of unexpected hospitality, of being served by those we thought we were serving, and of children leading us in worship, remind us that home is discovered in the act of giving and receiving, in the courage to be vulnerable, and in the willingness to be surprised by grace. As we gather at the table, may we be open to the hope and peace Christ offers, and may we carry that sense of home with us wherever we go.

Key Takeaways

- The search for home is a lifelong, intentional journey. It requires more than just moving from place to place; it calls for a single-minded focus on building genuine connections and being present with others. Home is not a static destination but a dynamic process of seeking and creating belonging wherever we are. [52:46]

- Vulnerability is essential to finding true community. Jesus sends his followers out as “lambs among wolves,” acknowledging the risks involved in opening ourselves to others. Yet, it is only by risking rejection and discomfort that we can experience the deep rewards of authentic relationship and peace. [54:33]

- Hospitality is a sacred exchange, not a one-way act. The act of receiving can be as holy as the act of giving. When we allow ourselves to be served, especially by those we least expect, we encounter the grace of God in surprising ways and discover that the lines between host and guest are often blurred. [56:55]

- Communion is more than ritual; it is a living symbol of shared life and hope. Whether gathered around a table in a sanctuary or in an unexpected home, the breaking of bread together becomes a moment where Christ’s presence is made real, and peace finds a home among us. [01:02:31]

- God’s love defines our identity and our sense of home. No matter how many times we move, how often we feel lost, or how imperfect our journey, we are continually called by God’s grace to find and create home in new places and with new people. Our failures and wanderings do not define us; God’s love does. [01:08:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Announcements and Community Life
[06:30] - Introduction: Independence Day Reflections
[08:15] - What Is Home? Interactive Word Wall
[12:00] - The Nomadic Life: Stories of Moving and Belonging
[15:00] - Memories of Early Church Community
[18:00] - The Challenge of Returning Home
[20:00] - Jesus’ Recipe for Finding Home
[22:00] - The Intentional Search for Home
[24:00] - The Risk and Vulnerability of Community
[27:00] - Hospitality and the Jujitsu of Grace
[30:00] - Communion Stories: Receiving and Giving
[34:00] - Children and the Surprising Gift of Service
[37:00] - Prayer: God’s Love and Our True Home
[41:00] - Communion Liturgy and Blessing
[47:00] - Closing Song and Benediction

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: “Peace Finds a Home”

---

### Bible Reading

Luke 10:1-9 (ESV)
> After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”

---

### Observation Questions

1. According to Jesus’ instructions in Luke 10, what are the disciples told to say and do when they enter a house?
2. What does Jesus mean when he says he is sending his followers out “as lambs among wolves”?
3. In the sermon, what examples did the pastor give of “home” being more about people and God’s presence than a physical place? [[48:22]]
4. What is the significance of Jesus telling his disciples to “eat what is set before you” and not to bring extra supplies? [[55:25]]

---

### Interpretation Questions

1. Why might Jesus instruct his followers to travel light and depend on the hospitality of others? What does this say about trust and vulnerability? [[51:49]]
2. The pastor described “home” as something we are called to find and make anew, again and again. How does this idea challenge or affirm your own understanding of home? [[49:58]]
3. How does the act of receiving hospitality (not just giving it) become a sacred or spiritual experience, according to the sermon? [[56:55]]
4. The sermon mentions that sometimes we are served by those we thought we were serving. What does this reveal about the nature of community and grace? [56:55]

---

### Application Questions

1. The search for home is described as a lifelong, intentional journey. Where in your life right now do you feel “at home,” and where do you feel unsettled? What would it look like to seek or create a sense of home in those unsettled places? [[52:46]]
2. Jesus calls his followers to risk vulnerability, even knowing rejection is possible. Can you recall a time when you risked being open with someone and it was either rewarding or painful? How did that experience shape your sense of belonging? [[54:33]]
3. The sermon talks about hospitality as a two-way street. Are you more comfortable giving help or receiving it? Why do you think that is? What is one way you could practice receiving hospitality this week? [[56:55]]
4. Think about a recent meal or gathering where you felt a sense of peace or connection. What made that moment special? How can you be more intentional about creating those moments for others? [[01:02:31]]
5. The pastor shared a story about a child serving communion, reminding us that God can use anyone to offer grace. Is there someone unexpected in your life who has shown you God’s love or hospitality? How did that impact you? [[01:05:24]]
6. The sermon says our failures and wanderings do not define us—God’s love does. Is there a place in your life where you need to let go of past mistakes or disappointments in order to experience God’s welcome and peace? [[01:08:08]]
7. As you go about your week, what is one practical step you can take to be more present and open to the people around you, making space for “home” to be found wherever you are? [[52:46]]

---

Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for courage to be vulnerable, for eyes to see opportunities to give and receive hospitality, and for God’s peace to make a home in each heart and relationship.

Devotional

Day 1: Peace Finds a Home Through Intentional Pursuit
Finding home is not a passive experience but an intentional, wholehearted pursuit that requires us to be present, attentive, and open to the people and places God brings into our lives. Jesus’ instructions to his disciples in Luke 10 remind us that discovering true belonging and peace is not about small talk or surface-level connections, but about seeking out and investing in genuine relationships and community. When we make finding home a central focus, we begin to notice the sacredness in the ordinary and the presence of God in unexpected places. [52:46]

Luke 10:5-6 (ESV)
“Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you.”

Reflection:
What is one intentional step you can take today to move beyond small talk and seek a deeper connection with someone in your community or family?


Day 2: Embracing Vulnerability and Risk in the Search for Home
The journey to find home and true belonging often involves risk and vulnerability, as Jesus likened sending his followers out to being “lambs among wolves.” Opening ourselves to others, sharing honestly, and reaching out for friendship can sometimes lead to rejection or disappointment, but it is through these risks that we also discover extraordinary rewards—real connection, healing, and the peace of being known and loved. [54:33]

Luke 10:3 (ESV)
“Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”

Reflection:
Where in your life do you sense God inviting you to take a relational risk, even if it feels vulnerable or uncertain?


Day 3: Receiving as an Act of Grace
True community and home are found not only in giving but also in being willing to receive from others, even when it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar. Jesus’ command to “eat what is set before you” challenges us to accept hospitality, to let others serve us, and to recognize that grace often flows in both directions—sometimes the greatest blessing comes when we allow ourselves to be cared for and nourished by others. [56:55]

Luke 10:7-8 (ESV)
“And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you.”

Reflection:
Is there an area of your life where you find it difficult to receive help or kindness? How might you open yourself to receive grace from others this week?


Day 4: Finding Christ’s Presence in Each Other
As Jesus prepared his disciples for life without his physical presence, he pointed them to find his presence in one another—through acts of love, shared meals, and the breaking of bread. Home is not just a place but a people, and Christ invites us to discover his peace and wholeness in the community we build together, especially as we gather around the table in communion and everyday acts of care. [01:02:31]

John 13:34-35 (ESV)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Reflection:
Who in your life needs to experience Christ’s love through you today, and how can you make space for them to feel at home in your presence?


Day 5: Letting God’s Love Define Your True Home
No matter how many places we have lived or how often we have felt unsettled, God’s love is the constant that defines who we are and where we belong. Even when we feel lost, homesick, or unsure of our place, God surrounds us with grace, calls us by name, and invites us to lay down our burdens and find rest in his love—a love that frees us to be at home wherever we are. [01:08:08]

Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV)
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Reflection:
In what ways have you let past mistakes or feelings of not belonging define you? How can you let God’s love and grace be the foundation of your sense of home today?

Quotes

I think the first thing that's important to know in finding home is that it has to be the center of our attention. It has to be something that we're looking out for. It has to be a single -minded kind of thing, is what I think Jesus had in mind when he talked to the disciples. [00:52:49] (00:00:18 seconds)  #SingleMindedHome Edit Clip

There's some danger involved in this search, right? It might be more comfortable to stay in the fold or to stay in the corral or whatever that is, but you can't really find a lot of food in the corral. [00:53:29] (00:00:16 seconds)  #BeyondComfortZones Edit Clip

We've talked about this, haven't we? And we've taken the chance again. We've gotten back up and we've reached out for a friend. We've been betrayed by a friend. We've done some betraying ourselves. And it hasn't stopped that search for friendship, for love, for home. Yes, it is a risky thing. But with a great risk can come sometimes extraordinary, extraordinary rewards. [00:54:41] (00:00:30 seconds)  #RiskAndRewardInHome Edit Clip

Eat what is set before you without complaint is maybe assumed or implied. But the other thing that's assumed or implied is that you won't have the stuff you're going to eat in your bag. You'll be dependent on your host to provide that. [00:55:26] (00:00:19 seconds)  #DependOnYourHost Edit Clip

I think he's talking about communion here. I think he's talking about a form of communion. It wouldn't be outlandish to read that into this part of Luke because just a few chapters before it says Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem and you know what happens there certainly he did he was already even then thinking about sending them on without him or at least without him as they had known his presence and sending them to each other to find a home. [00:57:44] (00:00:35 seconds)  #CommunionOfHome Edit Clip

If Jesus had been their home and the locus of that place where they felt safe and where they felt loved and where they felt fully accepted and where they felt challenged in the best kind of way to become the very best they could be then that would not always be true they would not always be able to lean into his presence at least as they had known it and so he invited them to find his presence in each other. [00:58:24] (00:00:28 seconds)  #HomeInEachOther Edit Clip

So I think the act sometimes of even receiving so I'm gonna call this final instruction about where to find home is to be ready for maybe what we'll call the jujitsu of grace the way giving becomes receiving the way the lines get blurred and we've talked about this before haven't we between hosting and being hosted. [01:01:46] (00:00:24 seconds)  #JujitsuOfGrace Edit Clip

I hope that you will be open today to whatever Christ has in mind at this table, not just to ceremony. And I hope that when you leave this place so nourished, you will leave like Elijah once did, born with a spiritual hope and a spiritual energy that does not diminish, so that you too can find home. [01:06:05] (00:00:30 seconds)  #NourishedToFindHome Edit Clip