You Are the Church

Introduction:

A lovely building is not a church. All the beams, joists, decking, pews, seats, pulpit furniture, carpet, fixtures, woodwork, organ, piano, speaker system, chalkboards, easels, and podiums do not make a church. These merely form a church building or the building where the church meets.

I. You are the church.

A. No building is ever mentioned in the NT.

B. The building is not essential.

C. What is the truth—you are God’s building.

1. The church is people.

2. You are the key issue in the church.

II. Your foundation has already been laid.

A. Paul says, “I have laid the foundation.”

B. There is only one foundation that can be laid.

1. Everyone who has a foundation has the same one.

2. If you don’t have the one foundation, you don’t have any foundation at all.

C. Christ is the one foundation—faith in Him gives you this foundation.

III. You are responsible for building the superstructure.

A. You build on that one foundation.

1. The foundation is the same.

2. The superstructures are different.

B. You have the choice of various materials.

1. Materials are detailed here.

2. Materials are readily available.

C. You are building with such things as:

1. Conduct

2. Character

3. Communication

4. Commitment

5. Contribution

IV. Your workmanship will be tried.

A. It will happen “at that day”—the “Day of the Lord.”

B. Your building will be manifest.

1. It will be subjected to the fire of judgment.

2. What you have truly built will be revealed.

a. There will be a discerning.

b. The true character of building will be revealed.

C. “Let every man take heed how he builds.”

1. Our building is incredibly important.

2. The architect might do differently if he knew trial coming.

Conclusion:

You are the real church building. Your foundation has been laid in Christ. How you build is incredibly important.

Wood, C. R. (1994). Sermon Outlines on Great Doctrinal Themes (pp. 15–16). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.