Hebrews 13:1-8 “God’s Blueprint for a Kingdom Community: Anchored in Christ as a Church that Loves, Lives, and Leads Well”
Today's message is called God’s Blueprint for a Kingdom Community. It’s actually a 2 parter. So, the subtitle is “Anchored in Christ: A Church that Loves, Lives, and Leads Well”.
That’s because these are one and the same thing, and I couldn’t decide which title is better.
Why? Because our passage today, which comes from Lectionary, which is a church calendar for preaching that’s used by a lot of churches; our passage today really focuses on both the building of kingdom community, godly community in the church, and it does so by addressing these three questions:
What does it mean to love well, what does it mean to live well, and what does it mean to lead well.
And this applies to us individually, and it applies to us as part of the body of Christ.
When we approach the Bible, context is always essential. The verses that come right before our passage set the stage for what follows. In Hebrews 12:18–27, the writer reminds us that in coming to faith in Jesus Christ, we haven’t arrived at Mount Sinai—a place of fear, trembling, and judgment when the law was given.
Instead, we have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem—the joyful city of God—where grace and welcome flow to us through Christ.
That’s why we’re urged to listen carefully to His voice and cling to the unshakable kingdom He has given us.
The chapter closes with these words: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” (Hebrews 12:28–29)
That’s the immediate backdrop for our passage today, which we’ll be walking through together in an expository way, line by line.
Keep in mind that these thoughts, expressed in the first eight verses of Hebrews 13, immediately follow Hebrews 12:28.
Hebrews was originally written as one continuous text, without chapter or verse numbers.
Those divisions were added in the 13th century by Stephen Langton, a monk who later became Archbishop of Canterbury. Before that, Scripture appeared in scriptio continua—a flowing script with no breaks.
Here’s an early fragment of Hebrews 12:1–11.
Anchored in Christ as a Church that Loves Well (Keep this heading and add highlighted verses below)
What does it mean to love well?
So chapter 13 starts with this: Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.
Sometimes Scripture feels like it comes in super-sized portions— kingdoms, mountains, heavenly cities. Big stuff. It takes real mental energy just to picture what went down on Mount Sinai, let alone wrap your head around the joy of God’s eternal city.
Honestly, these massive ideas can make our brains want to tap out and grab a nap. That’s why it helps to take them in small, bite-sized pieces—spiritual tapas, if you will—rather than trying to swallow the whole feast at once.
And the first thing we're told here is deeply relatable. The first thing we’re told about this magnificent kingdom that we are inheriting, that cannot be shaken is that it is deeply relational.
And what is that the centre of it? Well, God is at the centre of it, and because God is at the centre of it, love is at the centre of it.
One of the hardest parts of church life is that the church is full of people just like us—imperfect.
We bring strengths and weaknesses, wounds and wisdom and blind spots, maturity and immaturity. In other words, every one of us is a bit of a mixed bag.
And because we’re complex people—sometimes falling apart, other times shining with grace—we need the reminder from Jesus, the gospels, and right here in this verse:
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.”
Christian love isn’t just an idea or a lyric—it shows up in loving actions: in listening well and deeply, in welcoming strangers, caring for the hurting, visiting the imprisoned, and sharing in others’ struggles.
This outward posture is how faith is made visible, in how we treat both those close to us and the vulnerable we meet in the world.
There is consistent encouragement in scripture about this. In John 13:34–35 Jesus says– “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Does Jesus present this as an optional thing that we can add to our faith? No. It’s a command from the living God.
In 1 John 3:16–18 we see this – “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
And in Romans 12:10 we are encouraged to “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.”
So does that mean I get to pick and choose who I care about? Or decide it’s fine to dislike a few people? Or let my prejudices run the show and make snap judgments?
Not at all. I’ve only got one path: to love you, to put you before myself, and to stay committed to you—even on the days when my patience wears thin.
That’s the way of Jesus. And the good news is, through God’s grace, the Spirit’s power, and our willing cooperation, we’re actually able to live this out.
2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
This is an extension of verse one. Loving each other as brothers and sisters is actually not all there is. Some of you would say that, that’s challenging enough!
It’s crucial that we show real hospitality—open arms and genuine welcome—to strangers. That means blessing people we meet throughout the week, whether with a smile or help in need.
And here in church, where we already spend plenty of time together— serving, studying, gathering for things like The Chosen evenings—we’re called to keep loving one another as family.
But God’s kingdom is never only about us; it’s also about the stranger. The one who is not yet here, not yet a part of us.
At one point all of us in this room were strangers, unless we are blood relatives. And it’s very important for us to be welcoming and loving and engaging, actively talking to strangers who come to us, be they coming to the Sunday service or the Bible study afterwards or during the fellowship time after the service or in one of the many gatherings we have every week.
My brother, Craig, who passed into God’s presence in 2007, made it an important mission of his to be the person in his church to make sure that everybody who came into the church, especially new people, would always receive a deep and joyful welcome.
In part, that's because when he was first exploring faith and then when he became a Christian, when he visited different churches, he would sometimes be ignored as a visitor, and he knew that didn't feel good.
In this passage we’re given a powerful reason to show hospitality: some have entertained angels without even realizing it. God sends people our way—sometimes even his messengers of grace.
As Augustine put it, “Do not neglect hospitality; in the guest you may receive Christ Himself.” So showing hospitality isn’t optional—it’s a sacred responsibility and joy.
Scripture repeats this call: “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13). “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).
That last word really matters— offer hospitality, offer welcome with joy, not with a bad attitude. “‘Without grumbling.’ In other words, don’t greet new folks, or anyone actually, with the same face you use for paying taxes.”
My brother lived this out; at his funeral, many testified that his warm welcome and steady care were the reason they joined the church.
And in a passage that really drives home the seriousness of what we’re talking about, says:
3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
The early church faced a great deal of persecution, and at any given point in time, any member of the church could have been captured by the Romans and put into jail.
And that’s not for criminal reasons, but simply for belonging into the church, simply for being someone who lives a life that proclaims Jesus Christ.
So maybe for us to understand this, imagine that we came to church today only to discover that Pastor Miguel and Darlene and William and Marjorie are in prison,
just because they believe in Jesus and proclaim the gospel of Jesus in the way that they live in the way that they speak.
Thankfully, here and now, following Jesus isn’t treated as a crime the way it was in the early Roman Empire. But that could change—and we’d be wise not to take our freedom for granted.
So this, coming to church and hearing this kind of bad news, that is a grief and a worry that we don’t have to deal with, but of course this passage is God’s Word to us, it is also a call to empathy, to remember those who are suffering, to remember those who are being mistreated.
Further we have in Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.”
And in 1 Corinthians 12:26 – “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.”
and finally Jesus speaking: Matthew 25:36 – “I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”
Anchored in Christ as a Church that Lives Well
What does it mean to live well? Cultivating Integrity in Personal Life
Then we have this: 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
That’s why Hebrews 13:4 says that “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral”.
God doesn’t say this because He’s a kill joy. He calls us to holiness of body because he knows that we are only truly free when ALL OF US is free.
And of course our sexuality impacts our spiritual life most profoundly. That’s because EVERYTHING IS SPIRITUAL.
Holiness, Christlikeness, faith..that isn’t just about what we believe—it’s about how we live daily in our closest relationships, and also in our attitudes toward money and security.
This is about being anchored in Christ and living in a way that reflects that reality in real life.
Now, relationships are very important to all of us, and Scripture is not at all unclear that intimate relationships, sexual relationships belong in marriage.
And, let’s understand the context here, that would’ve meant what we now call traditional marriage.
We often try to layer modern interpretations and modern social realities on top of Scripture in order to feel more comfortable with what is normal around us, more at home in our world.
But what we get from the Bible is clarity on this issue. Marriage is an honourable estate, as I have said quite many times when I have had the privilege of marrying couples.
The marriage bed, sexual expression within marriage, must be protected and kept sanctified. And the reason given is that God will judge those who ignore this command, who twist this command.
Marriage is God’s good design. It is a covenant meant to reflect His faithfulness.
Rather than listing every possible distortion of marriage, Scripture calls us to cherish what is true. Like a bank teller who studies genuine currency, we learn to recognize what is false by knowing the real thing deeply.
John Chrysostom observed, 'The love of husband and wife is the force that welds society together.' By honouring marriage, we bear witness to God’s holiness and grace. Christ calls us to purity, not as a burden, but as a path to freedom.
Jesus said: 4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
So Jesus gets the last word on this issue.
And here’s more about being anchored in Christ and living in a way that reflects that reality:
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Money—you can never have enough. And if you do, you’ll wish for a little more.
That’s why Scripture warns us: money can pull us away from integrity, from being anchored in Christ in the way that we live.
As John Chrysostom said, “The rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much.”
And in 1 Timothy 6:17–18 (NIV): “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
We used to have a family that attended the church, for about 10 years. They were quite wealthy.
Most of their friends were also quite wealthy.
After being in this church for a while, they grew to love us, and to enjoy the ways in which we are perhaps a bit different from some other churches that had been a part of.
They observed something. They said that compared to most of their friends, our community here was much more at peace, more welcoming, more generous.
Why? Those who had money, and felt secure because of that money, so they tended to borrow more money, for a mortgage on a huge house, or a yacht or whatever... because they could.
And rather than enjoy those things as they thought they would, most of them lived with the stress and misery of being massively in debt.
I think that family learned from us, who are accustomed to living more simply.
1 Timothy 6:6–10 – “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Even way back in the early church, Paul had this pastoral concern as he wrote to Timothy, a young pastor.
Paul indicated here, even in his day, there were people within the church who, because of the temptation of money, had actually wandered away from the faith, and like the wealthy friends of the family I was describing, ended up piercing themselves with many griefs.
So that is a good cautionary story. We need to keep ourselves from the common human mistake of putting a great emphasis on money.
Beyond what we need to live, and some comforts, we are called to be generous to others with the money God has given us.
In fact the true Christian perspective is that everything we own belongs to God, anyway. A few other Scriptures to illustrate this:
Psalm 24:1 (NIV): “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
1 Chronicles 29:14 (NIV): “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”
Haggai 2:8 (NIV): “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Deuteronomy 10:14 (NIV): “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.”
The call is to be content with what we have, not chasing more than we reasonably need. And why? Because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Our security is not in possessions but in His presence. As Philip Yancey put it, “The only thing worse than not getting what you want is getting it and finding out it’s not enough.” We will never be abandoned by God. Never. God gets the last word on that.
6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
May we grow in trusting God’s faithful provision—for if He is with us, then no one else gets the final word. “Others may speak into your life, but only God has the final say.”
Anchored in Christ as a Church that Leads Well: What does it mean to lead well?
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Not everyone shares this type of experience, but in my younger years I was blessed with Christian leaders who, while not perfect, were truly excellent examples of faith and character.
In my early days as a new believer, I stumbled often and failed to live in line with God’s Word. At times I expected harsh discipline—or even to be cast out of the church.
Instead, I received firm but loving correction. Leaders took the time to see if I truly understood the seriousness of my choices and if I was repentant.
When it was clear that I was repentant, they welcomed me back and invited me deeper into church life.
That experience, along with watching their example and wisdom, shaped me—and I began to imitate their faith.
For years, even perhaps 10 years after becoming a pastor, when faced with a difficult situation, I would always ask myself, “what would Pastor Nunes say or do in this situation“.
Godly leaders model what a Christ-centred life looks like, and their lives point us to Jesus, who remains constant.
True leadership isn’t about personality or position—it’s about faithfulness to Christ, the One who never changes.
Even the best examples of Christian leadership fall short when compared to Jesus Himself.
And here’s the point: God’s word to leaders applies to us all, because leadership at its heart is simply influencing others toward what is good.
We don’t know what God will call us to, only that His plans are for our good.
1 Peter 5:2–4 – “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
When I was a young believer, leadership wasn’t even on my radar. Honestly, it scared me. I never thought I’d be in front of people, guiding or influencing anyone.
But God has a way of preparing us for what we can’t see ahead. He gave me little opportunities—baby steps, really—and though I stumbled often, with guidance and a teachable heart I began to grow into what He was shaping me to be.
That’s the way God works with all of us. Augustine once said, “God does not choose us because we are worthy, but by choosing us He makes us worthy.”
My story is living proof of that. I didn’t feel worthy, but God’s call and His grace were bigger than my fear.
And leadership isn’t just for pastors or church elders.
As Rick Warren put it, “Leadership is influence.” Every one of us influences someone.
A child, a friend, a neighbour, a co-worker. God has given each of us gifts and experiences that He can use in ways we’d never expect.
So yes, pastors must take this to heart. But don’t miss it: God’s call to influence others for good—to lead—is for every single one of us.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
So our passage today ends with this. The same Christ, who is the same yesterday and today and forever, goes before us.
Yesterday reminds us of all that Christ has done. He has suffered and died for us. He rose again for us.
He has called each of us to faith. He has walked with us and talked to us and cared for us; he has picked us up when we have fallen;
he has cleaned the miry clay off our faces and he is giving us hope in place of despair, dignity to replace our shame, and purpose and passion for life.
He has transformed us and loved us to this very second.
Today reminds us of all that Christ is doing right now. His power over death, his triumph over evil, his glorious resurrection...all these things that Jesus accomplished are at work in us today.
As Paul says in Colossians 1:27: “Christ in you (is) the hope of glory”.
Today is hugely important in life. Today is when choose to serve the living God. Today is when we can get right with God. When we can renew our love for Him.
Paul said that he worked with Christ’s energy which worked powerfully in him. That energy is working in us. Strength for today and bright hope for....
The Future reminds us of God’s abiding presence throughout the rest of our lives and into eternity. He knows the future.
And He knows the places we need to go as a congregation and he knows the places we need to go as individual followers of Christ. And his promises are sure.
We serve a God who is unchanging. He will always make His presence felt and wherever His glory rests, there we will find holy ground.. God will never leave or forsake you.
He will not abandon us. He will never let us down, never walk off or leave us”. Jesus is the same. Yesterday, today, and forever.
Prayer: Before the mountains were born, O God, or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
And you love this broken world and you heal our broken lives. By Your Spirit and in time, You replace fear with courage and depression with unspeakable joy.
You turn us outward, to love our neighbour, to act justly and to love mercy and you turn us to you and teach us to walk humbly with you.
We lift our eyes up to You, O God, and we boldly proclaim your strength, Your love, and our determination to follow the living Christ into the future He prepares for us.
In his matchless and glorious name we pray. Amen.
