Jesus Builds Your House – January 31, 2024

Read: Hebrews 3:1-6

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
Hebrews 3:1-6

Jesus Builds Your House

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When builders build a house, there are many questions they ask. How many bedrooms and bathrooms will the house have? Will it have a garage? Will it have a big kitchen? Will it have a basement, a fireplace, a pool, or a front porch? Then they then have to plan how all of those pieces will fit together. Where will the rooms be? How will electricity and water run safely through the house? Will the walls be able to support the weight of the roof? The details are almost countless.

Today, God pictures his Church as a house. God’s people throughout the history of the world have all been built together to form one unit. Even though there are many pieces and many different ways history could have gone, God made sure it went one way.

What is the way God made sure everything went? It all points to Jesus. Everything in the Old Testament, even though it was written long before Jesus lived, points to Jesus. Everything in the New Testament, even the things that happened after Jesus died and rose again, all points to Jesus.

The same is true for you and me. Everything that we do points to Jesus. After all, God says we are part of his house. And Jesus is over his house. This is why the church preaches Jesus every time you attend worship. This is why God has placed you where you are right now. You can say to yourself, “I was put here by God to point to Jesus.” Then live in such a way that gives honor to Jesus as the one who built the church.

There are lots of ways you do this. You start by going to a church which faithfully preaches Jesus. You also try at all times to avoid sin. And when you fail, you turn to Jesus. He doesn’t kick you out of his house. Instead, he forgives you so you can always remain in his house. When people ask you why you live the way you do, tell them that you are not any more special than they are. But you are part of a very special house—Jesus’ house!

Closing Prayer:

Dear Jesus, help me to live a life that always points to you as my hope. Amen.

The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.

Questions for Younger Children

• List some of the people who live in your house. The Bible tells us that we are part of another family of believers in Christ. Who are some of the other people in this family?
• In today’s devotion, who is in charge of the house? How do you know?

Questions for Elementary Age Children

• List some of the tools and materials that a builder needs to build a house. How does God build his “house” of believers?
• How does Jesus give us confidence and hope that we are part of his house?

Questions for Middle School and Above

• Moses was a faithful believer who led God’s people, the Israelites, out of Egypt and to the land promised them by God. Moses was a prophet who spoke from God to the people. How was Jesus like Moses? How is Jesus greater than Moses?
• “Fix your thoughts on Jesus.” Describe in your own words what that’s saying. Then give one way you can do that.