Messed Up Church: Single on Purpose (North Campus)

1 Corinthians 7:7-9, 26-35

What's the strangest gift you've been given? What did you do with it?

Read 1 Corinthians 7:7-9

What do these verses say about singleness?
(It's a good gift.)

Do we commonly think of singleness as a good gift? Why or why not?

Do Christians put too much emphasis on marriage as a key to fulfillment and happiness?

Singleness for many is a temporary season. Looking back, can you see any temporary seasons in your life that God used to do something important in or through you that wouldn't have been possible in the same way later in life?

Read 1 Corinthians 7:26-31

These verses mention several everyday things including relationships, our emotional states, our possessions and our jobs. Do you think Paul is intending for us to totally disregard those everyday things?
(No. Paul is saying we should live with such commitment to God's mission that it seems as if we have no concern at all for these everyday things.)

How does your day-to-day life reflect the urgency for God's mission described in these verses?

Read 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

These verses highlight God's purpose for singles. What is given as the reason for the gift of singleness?
(Undivided devotion to God.)

In what way are singles uniquely suited for living in undivided devotion to God?
(They do not have the responsibility of marriage.)

Can you think of an example in your life, or in the Bible, in which a single person used their gift of singleness in an important way for God's mission?
(Bible examples: Joseph (until later in life), Jeremiah the prophet, Ruth (for an important season), John the Baptist, Anna the prophetess, Martha, Paul, Jesus, etc.)

How can you avoid allowing a good thing (marriage) to take place of the best thing (devotion to Christ)?

Next Steps:

If you're single, have you been treating singleness like a good gift? If so, what is one way you can encourage other singles to do the same? If you haven't been, what is one thing you can do to change course?

If you're married, have you been encouraging the single people you know to live in undivided devotion to God? If so, how can you continue to do so? If not, what's one thing you could do to help singles use their good gift this week?

Whether married or single, all followers are called to live in devotion to God? What part of your life doesn't reflect devotion to God? What practical step can you take this week to bring that part of your life into line with God's urgent mission?

Announcements:

Communion is on Sunday, March 18th. (Please note: I had the date wrong last week.) We encourage all of the rGroups to take that week off from your Bible discussion, and instead do one of the following:
• Serve together as a group
• Host a party (with food) and invite others to come hang out with you.
• As a group, go be a part of something else going on in the city.

This Week's Prayer Topic: Love for ability to study scripture
Pray that you and our church will take God's Word seriously and study it diligently.