I. Introduction
A. The Retail Apocalypse
1. In 2015, I taught a class at FHU about service management and marketing. In class, we discussed how companies that do not figure out how to expand beyond brick-and-mortar storefronts are likely not to survive the coming economy.
2. According to Coresight Research, in 2019, there was a “retail apocalypse,” with 9,500 stores closing or filing for bankruptcy due to an inability to adapt to the changing shopping preferences of the average US consumer.
B. You ARE the Church
1. I remember growing up hearing, “You don’t GO to church, you ARE the church,” said a lot.
2. The idea was that our physical building is not a sacred space; it’s the people who are sacred to God.
3. In our passage tonight, the Hebrew writer reminds us that this idea is true, but what does that mean?
4. The church must be more than these four walls.
5. Churches that figure out how to be the church outside the walls of their buildings are the ones that truly learn how to make disciples.
C. Review of Hebrews
1. Written to encourage people who are struggling with their faith because of trials (Hebrews 10:32-34).
2. It was written to remind them who Jesus is, what He has done for them, and what is possible in their lives because of it.
3. Tonight, let’s explore how the image of the church as the household of God can challenge us and encourage us.
II. More Than Four Walls
A.
1. Being God’s house means we are fashioned after His , not our own.
2. Notice the “if” in verse 6.
3. Illustration: Let’s say you decided to build your dream home. At some point, you will meet with a team to decide on blueprints, layouts, colors, etc. Along the way, you might make some adjustments, but overall, the blueprint is set. During the building process, you visit the worksite one day just to see how things are going and notice that the house is oriented completely the wrong way.
4. Jesus did not die to form lots of churches. He is clear that there is only one church that belongs to Him. The church that belongs to Jesus is the one built with Christ as the foundation and His as the framework.
a. Matthew 16:18 “…upon this rock I will build My church…”
b. 1 Peter 2:1-10
5. Our confidence and hope in Christ are demonstrated by our faithfulness to His desire and design.
B.
1. The church is described as the of God. The church is a family.
2. There are several places in Scripture that offer this same picture of the church:
a. Ephesians 2:19
b. Galatians 6:10
c. 1 John 3:1
d. 1 Peter 2:5
3. The church is not…
a. The church is not an organization.
b. The church is not a non-profit or not-for-profit business.
4. The church IS the family of God.
5. We call each other brothers and sisters. We sing of being part of God’s Family.
6. This means that, like family, we should be there for each other in good times and bad.
7. Remember also that, just like family, we might not always get it right. There must be room for forgiveness in our church family (Ephesians 4:32)
8. The church is a spiritual family for all of life.
C.
1. The church is part of a strong for our faithfulness.
2. The writer tells us that our boasting is in our hope. The church is part of that hope.
a. When Jesus tells the Parable of the Two Builders in Matthew 7, the foundation lies in the difference in outcomes.
b. One thing I always point out in this parable is that the same storm hit both homes. Building on the right foundation and with the right supplies doesn’t keep us from storms, but it does provide safety and security during them.
3. Illustration: Safe rooms and storm shelters are becoming more common in homes. The church is meant to be a safe room and storm shelter of sorts. I have this bad habit of going outside to see just how bad it is instead of seeking shelter.
a. The Christians receiving this letter were in danger of losing their faith because of storms they were facing (Hebrews 10:32-34; 12:4; 13:3).
b. In moments of crisis, we shouldn’t run out into the storm; we need to find a place in the house. The church should be that safe place.
III. Conclusion
A. Blessings of the Church
1. There are so many blessings of the church that aren’t contained within these four walls, nor should they be.
2. If we are the church (not this building), all those blessings should travel with us everywhere we go.
B. Invitation