WEBVTT 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:16.359 we will be reading verses 13 through 16. Verses 00:00:16.359 --> 00:00:21.120 13 through 16 of Hebrews chapter 11. All these 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:25.500 died in faith, without receiving the promises, 00:00:25.899 --> 00:00:30.000 but having seen them and having welcomed them 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.700 from a distance, and having confessed that they 00:00:33.700 --> 00:00:37.899 were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those 00:00:37.899 --> 00:00:40.640 who say such things make it clear that they are 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:45.460 seeking a country of their own. And indeed, if 00:00:45.460 --> 00:00:48.880 they had been thinking of that country from which 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:51.380 they went out, they would have had opportunity 00:00:51.380 --> 00:00:56.740 to return. But as it is, they desire a better 00:00:56.740 --> 00:01:01.179 country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:06.120 God is not ashamed to be called their God. For 00:01:06.120 --> 00:01:11.040 he has prepared a city for them. Let's go to 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:15.099 the Lord in prayer. Father, we come to you this 00:01:15.099 --> 00:01:20.200 Lord's Day. Lord, we ask that you would be in 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:23.519 our midst. Father, as your word is proclaimed, 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:27.540 we ask that your spirit would work effectively 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:31.579 in our hearts and in our minds. Lord, we ask 00:01:31.579 --> 00:01:35.200 that your spirit... would convict us of sin in 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:39.659 our lives and drive us to Jesus Christ. Father, 00:01:39.739 --> 00:01:42.959 we ask that your Spirit would renew our hearts 00:01:42.959 --> 00:01:47.340 and our minds afresh. Lord, we ask that your 00:01:47.340 --> 00:01:50.459 Spirit would sanctify us and grow us in grace. 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:54.120 Lord, we ask that your Spirit would save sinners 00:01:54.120 --> 00:01:58.560 today. Bless the ministry of your Word, Lord. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:03.450 We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. You 00:02:03.450 --> 00:02:11.490 may be seated. Many supposed evangelicals attend 00:02:11.490 --> 00:02:17.710 church for various reasons. We could think of 00:02:17.710 --> 00:02:22.210 many reasons that those who would call themselves 00:02:22.210 --> 00:02:26.750 evangelicals attend a Bible preaching, a supposed 00:02:26.750 --> 00:02:30.969 Bible preaching church or a church of their choice. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:37.159 whatever it might be, wherever it might be. But 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:44.039 oftentimes the reality is that many supposed 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:48.719 evangelicals attend the church that they attend 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:54.360 because they want to hear what they want to hear 00:02:54.360 --> 00:03:00.860 when the word is proclaimed. They want sweet 00:03:00.860 --> 00:03:07.840 morsels for their own souls that encourage, that 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:11.960 help them to think well of themselves, that give 00:03:11.960 --> 00:03:17.919 them steps to improve their life, that make them 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:22.919 better people, better members of the community 00:03:22.919 --> 00:03:28.159 in various different things. They go to the church 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.379 they go to because they want to hear what they 00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:36.139 want to hear. But brothers and sisters, we don't 00:03:36.139 --> 00:03:40.560 come to church to hear what we want to hear. 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:47.979 We come to church to hear truth. To hear the 00:03:47.979 --> 00:03:54.919 truth of God's Word. The truth. proclaimed to 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:58.379 our hearts and our souls and our minds so that 00:03:58.379 --> 00:04:04.879 the truth can help us face the difficult and 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:09.939 hard realities of life. So that we would not 00:04:09.939 --> 00:04:13.900 merely be improved or better people, but that 00:04:13.900 --> 00:04:17.560 we would be transformed by the power of the Holy 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:22.500 Spirit working through the truth in our lives. 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:27.920 The reality is that all of us face difficult 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:33.100 situations in our lives. All of us have struggles 00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:36.800 and hardships in our situations, whatever they 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:41.240 might be. Every single person in here is wrestling 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:50.120 through something. And all of us will face one 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:55.060 great enemy. At the end of each of our lives. 00:04:55.480 --> 00:05:01.480 Every single person. There still remains one 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:07.220 enemy. Though conquered. He stands in our way. 00:05:07.540 --> 00:05:14.300 And he must be stared down. And passed through. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:21.379 That great reality of death. Every single person. 00:05:24.589 --> 00:05:26.930 Whether or not the Lord Jesus returns in our 00:05:26.930 --> 00:05:31.689 lifetime. Or whether he comes in another hundred 00:05:31.689 --> 00:05:33.449 or two hundred or three hundred or a thousand 00:05:33.449 --> 00:05:40.069 years. Likely every single person that is living 00:05:40.069 --> 00:05:45.829 on the face of the planet today will die. With 00:05:45.829 --> 00:05:50.610 the exception of Christ's return. We have an 00:05:50.610 --> 00:05:54.540 enemy to face. Yes, he's been conquered, but 00:05:54.540 --> 00:05:59.279 brothers and sisters, you personally must face 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:03.139 the reality of death. It's really incredible 00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:08.300 that this universal reality that is so prevalent, 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:14.660 without exception, is not talked about all that 00:06:14.660 --> 00:06:20.420 often. The world tries to avoid it. The world 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:23.610 tries to extend it. or deal with it, or deny 00:06:23.610 --> 00:06:27.649 it. But the Christian recognizes, because the 00:06:27.649 --> 00:06:35.910 Word of God tells us, that we will die. And it's 00:06:35.910 --> 00:06:44.110 important for the Christian to die well. Some 00:06:44.110 --> 00:06:51.220 people die, but they don't die well. Other people 00:06:51.220 --> 00:06:57.360 die, and they die well as a testimony unto the 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:01.139 Lord and where their hearts are already dwelling 00:07:01.139 --> 00:07:06.100 and resting at. Every single one of us must face 00:07:06.100 --> 00:07:11.360 this reality. The saints of old, that Hebrews 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:16.519 chapter 11 speaks of, all lived by faith and 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:20.069 died by faith with the exception of... Enoch, 00:07:20.269 --> 00:07:26.230 I know. It was a faith that they all had to deal 00:07:26.230 --> 00:07:29.629 with. We're going to consider three things today. 00:07:30.449 --> 00:07:33.810 The first being the universal characteristics 00:07:33.810 --> 00:07:42.269 of faith in those who live and die well. We'll 00:07:42.269 --> 00:07:46.290 see this in verse 13. Then we're going to consider 00:07:46.290 --> 00:07:51.139 that which by faith Their hearts were set upon 00:07:51.139 --> 00:07:55.800 which enabled them to die well. So what their 00:07:55.800 --> 00:07:59.139 hearts were resting on that gave them or enabled 00:07:59.139 --> 00:08:05.680 them to live and die well. And lastly, we will 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:08.660 speak about the inheritance those who live and 00:08:08.660 --> 00:08:12.399 die by faith receive. And we see this in verse 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:16.720 16. Beginning with the universal characteristics, 00:08:17.709 --> 00:08:22.149 A faith in those who live and die well. We read 00:08:22.149 --> 00:08:28.930 this in verse 13. All these died in faith. Without 00:08:28.930 --> 00:08:32.850 receiving the promises. But having seen them 00:08:32.850 --> 00:08:36.429 and having welcomed them from a distance. And 00:08:36.429 --> 00:08:39.350 having confessed that they were strangers and 00:08:39.350 --> 00:08:45.009 exiles on the earth. Up to this point in Hebrews 00:08:45.009 --> 00:08:48.809 chapter 11. We've been hearing this term a lot, 00:08:48.929 --> 00:08:53.870 by faith, by faith, by faith, speaking of the 00:08:53.870 --> 00:08:58.190 individuals who lived by faith in their lives 00:08:58.190 --> 00:09:01.370 personally. We've seen it of all the characters 00:09:01.370 --> 00:09:04.909 we've studied up to this point so far. But notice 00:09:04.909 --> 00:09:07.610 in verse 13, the author is no longer speaking 00:09:07.610 --> 00:09:11.649 of individuals. The author is speaking about 00:09:11.649 --> 00:09:18.820 all of them now as a group. He says, all these 00:09:18.820 --> 00:09:24.620 died in faith. So he's speaking with regards 00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:28.840 to the group as a whole. So now he's not turning 00:09:28.840 --> 00:09:33.940 to personal acts of faith, personal expressions 00:09:33.940 --> 00:09:37.720 or exercises of faith in the life of the saints, 00:09:37.820 --> 00:09:41.279 but now he's talking about common characteristics 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:47.740 and universal traits. that accompany true faith, 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:51.960 that is operative and effective in the life of 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:57.139 saints. I believe that he's speaking, really, 00:09:57.279 --> 00:10:01.700 about what faith looks like in the life of the 00:10:01.700 --> 00:10:06.980 saints, and that which is generally true of faith 00:10:06.980 --> 00:10:11.210 in this life in a... fallen world. But he's also 00:10:11.210 --> 00:10:14.590 talking about how faith interacts with this life. 00:10:15.649 --> 00:10:20.289 How faith, the person with faith interacts with 00:10:20.289 --> 00:10:24.649 this fallen world in which they live. How the 00:10:24.649 --> 00:10:29.110 person of faith lives and relates to this mortal 00:10:29.110 --> 00:10:34.669 temporary life. So what are the characteristics 00:10:34.669 --> 00:10:39.169 or these traits? Well the first is It's a faith 00:10:39.169 --> 00:10:44.730 that perseveres. It's a persevering faith. All 00:10:44.730 --> 00:10:51.269 of these died in faith. It's a faith that perseveres 00:10:51.269 --> 00:10:54.009 unto the end. It's a faith that endures all the 00:10:54.009 --> 00:10:58.769 way to the deathbed. Those who live by faith 00:10:58.769 --> 00:11:04.690 die in faith. But it's also a faith that perseveres 00:11:04.690 --> 00:11:11.320 through death or in. It's a persevering, enduring 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:16.799 faith that presses on. These individuals did 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.240 not forsake their confession in the Messiah because 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:24.080 of the pressure. These individuals did not recant 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:27.659 with regards to who Jesus Christ is and the work 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:30.299 that he's done. They did not leave Christianity 00:11:30.299 --> 00:11:34.259 and return to the system of Judaism and animal 00:11:34.259 --> 00:11:37.659 sacrifice and the worship in the synagogues. 00:11:38.009 --> 00:11:41.809 They pressed on in their faith. They continued. 00:11:41.850 --> 00:11:46.649 They persevered. So we find that it's a persevering 00:11:46.649 --> 00:11:51.289 faith. That's always going to be the case. God 00:11:51.289 --> 00:11:53.350 -given faith that is operative and effective 00:11:53.350 --> 00:11:58.830 in God's people always perseveres unto death 00:11:58.830 --> 00:12:05.370 and always perseveres through death. But it's 00:12:05.370 --> 00:12:11.100 also a faith that is content not receiving the 00:12:11.100 --> 00:12:17.519 fulfillment of God's promises in this life. Notice 00:12:17.519 --> 00:12:24.600 what the author says. Without receiving the promises, 00:12:24.820 --> 00:12:29.120 but having seen them and having welcomed them 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:38.379 from a distance. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, 00:12:38.379 --> 00:12:44.919 they did not receive the fullness and the full 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:48.659 realization of the promise that God had made 00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:53.639 to them. Do you remember in Abraham's life? What 00:12:53.639 --> 00:12:58.039 did he own of the land? How much of the land 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:04.919 did he own physically? A grave. so that he and 00:13:04.919 --> 00:13:09.559 his family could die there. That was it. Yes, 00:13:09.659 --> 00:13:12.779 God had given him the land, but he did not physically 00:13:12.779 --> 00:13:17.679 and naturally possess the land within his lifetime. 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:22.200 The promise was not fulfilled in his life, in 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:25.919 Isaac's life, or in Jacob's life. His faith was 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:30.080 content not receiving the fullness of the promises. 00:13:31.820 --> 00:13:34.940 It didn't have to be fulfilled in his lifetime. 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:40.000 He knew that God would be faithful to his word 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.059 and that God would fulfill those promises in 00:13:44.059 --> 00:13:50.600 due time. It's a faith also that perceives realities 00:13:50.600 --> 00:14:00.679 beyond this mortal life. This faith... that is 00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:03.820 God -given, that is operative and effective in 00:14:03.820 --> 00:14:10.019 God's people, has eyesight that sees beyond this 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:16.899 age, that sees beyond this world, that even sees 00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:22.759 beyond the grave, having seen them and having 00:14:22.759 --> 00:14:30.129 welcomed them from a distance. meaning there 00:14:30.129 --> 00:14:36.009 was still more for God to accomplish and do before 00:14:36.009 --> 00:14:40.970 those promises would come to full and final realization 00:14:40.970 --> 00:14:47.070 and fruition in their life and in the world. 00:14:47.230 --> 00:14:54.049 We read similarly to this in John 8, verse 56. 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:07.179 Where the Lord Jesus speaks of this. He's speaking 00:15:07.179 --> 00:15:11.720 to the Jews. And we'll start in verse 53. And 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:14.039 we read this. Surely you are not greater than 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:18.320 our father Abraham who died. The prophets died 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:23.100 too. Whom do you make yourself out to be? Jesus 00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:27.590 answered. If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. 00:15:28.129 --> 00:15:31.929 It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you 00:15:31.929 --> 00:15:37.570 say he is our God. And you have not come to know 00:15:37.570 --> 00:15:41.929 him, but I know him. And if I say that I do not 00:15:41.929 --> 00:15:45.929 know him, I will be a liar like you. But I do 00:15:45.929 --> 00:15:48.250 know him and keep his word. And listen to what 00:15:48.250 --> 00:15:53.309 the Lord Jesus says. Your father Abraham rejoiced 00:15:53.309 --> 00:16:01.809 to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. What 00:16:01.809 --> 00:16:06.250 is the Lord Jesus talking about? How is it that 00:16:06.250 --> 00:16:11.309 Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus' day? How did he 00:16:11.309 --> 00:16:16.070 see and perceive Jesus' day? The time when the 00:16:16.070 --> 00:16:18.610 gospel would come to fruition, when the Messiah 00:16:18.610 --> 00:16:21.779 would come. He saw with the eyes of faith, brothers 00:16:21.779 --> 00:16:26.500 and sisters. He rejoiced because he trusted that 00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:31.580 God would in fact bring those things about. He 00:16:31.580 --> 00:16:36.720 saw with faith. He saw the Messiah through the 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:43.740 promises that God had made. But he saw them at 00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:49.139 a distance. Faith perceives. That which is beyond 00:16:49.139 --> 00:16:54.779 this mortal life, brothers and sisters. It has 00:16:54.779 --> 00:17:02.000 to. If we can't see beyond this life, beyond 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:06.599 what our natural sight can perceive, then brothers 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:10.680 and sisters, what hope do we have? If we cannot 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:14.359 see and know the realities which the Word of 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:17.440 God puts forward, which have to do with things 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:22.599 beyond this age, beyond our lives, beyond that 00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:25.019 which we can physically touch and physically 00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:27.559 and naturally see, then brothers and sisters, 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:33.420 we have to throw the Bible out. Faith perceives 00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:36.900 that which the eye cannot see, that which the 00:17:36.900 --> 00:17:40.019 hand cannot touch, and that which is even beyond 00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:46.329 our own lifetime, brothers and sisters. But we 00:17:46.329 --> 00:17:53.170 also see that this faith frees the believer from 00:17:53.170 --> 00:17:58.730 a sinful entanglement with this mortal life. 00:17:59.990 --> 00:18:02.869 When I say entanglement, what I mean by that 00:18:02.869 --> 00:18:08.930 is this. Faith works in a person in such a way 00:18:08.930 --> 00:18:16.220 that it brings conflict. with our affections 00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:19.240 and our desires when they are placed and set 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:24.680 on things of this world in unhealthy and sinful 00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:32.660 ways. Faith frees the believer from these things. 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:41.599 Abraham openly confessed that he was a sojourner, 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:46.230 a pilgrim. That he was an exile, brothers and 00:18:46.230 --> 00:18:49.289 sisters. He was a stranger in the land that God 00:18:49.289 --> 00:18:55.410 had promised to him. We could read Psalm, we 00:18:55.410 --> 00:18:58.490 could read Genesis chapter 23, 4, where he literally 00:18:58.490 --> 00:19:04.630 says, I am a sojourner. Isn't this why the author 00:19:04.630 --> 00:19:10.380 of Hebrews says, and having confessed, That they 00:19:10.380 --> 00:19:14.880 were strangers and exiles on earth? Meaning, 00:19:15.059 --> 00:19:20.039 the earth, that age, that world, their lives, 00:19:20.220 --> 00:19:28.319 that was not their lasting, permanent home. There 00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:32.059 was more that they were perceiving by faith. 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:36.160 Now, all throughout the Scriptures, This pilgrim 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:39.900 sojourner language is applied to believers throughout 00:19:39.900 --> 00:19:46.240 time, not just to Abraham. In many ways, he is 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:54.039 a type of future believer where he is representing 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:58.400 our pilgrimage. And then we are pilgrims and 00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:02.750 we are exiles in this world. We see this all 00:20:02.750 --> 00:20:04.710 throughout the New Testament and all throughout 00:20:04.710 --> 00:20:08.430 the Psalms, brothers and sisters. Doesn't Paul 00:20:08.430 --> 00:20:14.150 say that we are absent from home in 2 Corinthians? 00:20:14.869 --> 00:20:18.369 That we would prefer to be present with the Lord 00:20:18.369 --> 00:20:22.910 and absent from the body to be at home with the 00:20:22.910 --> 00:20:27.150 Lord? We are sojourners, brothers and sisters, 00:20:27.190 --> 00:20:34.910 because ultimately, Everything is fleeting with 00:20:34.910 --> 00:20:38.930 regards to our lives and our situations and our 00:20:38.930 --> 00:20:46.670 circumstances in this life. This was the manner 00:20:46.670 --> 00:20:51.769 and character of their life and death of faith. 00:20:52.430 --> 00:20:57.269 They lived with loose hands regarding the world 00:20:57.269 --> 00:21:02.559 around them. Abraham literally. moved around 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:09.220 all the time in tents. Why? Because the land 00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:15.839 was not his. He wasn't living for the land of 00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:22.940 exile. He was living and he was going to die 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:27.319 in faith because of the promises that God had 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:32.880 made to him. Their lives looked very, very differently 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:41.440 than many modern believers. I dare say that their 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.519 lives looked very, very differently than our 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:49.619 lives, brothers and sisters. They were content 00:21:49.619 --> 00:21:55.880 not being attached to the things of the world. 00:21:57.450 --> 00:22:00.289 They were content not building their kingdoms 00:22:00.289 --> 00:22:08.349 in this age. They were content living in tents. 00:22:11.369 --> 00:22:17.589 Largely, I would say the majority, a large portion 00:22:17.589 --> 00:22:22.009 of believers today, their minds are restricted 00:22:22.009 --> 00:22:31.180 to this world. To the things of this life. To 00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:38.500 my job. My career. My future. My family. The 00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:41.799 government. The politics. The system. The structures. 00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:45.140 The world. The culture. The societies. All the 00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:48.559 things in this life, in this world. All the while, 00:22:48.779 --> 00:22:54.430 our minds never make their way by faith. to heaven, 00:22:54.470 --> 00:22:57.569 brothers and sisters, and eternal realities. 00:23:00.549 --> 00:23:07.150 We want immediate fulfillment now. We want our 00:23:07.150 --> 00:23:11.750 kingdoms present now. If there's not hope for 00:23:11.750 --> 00:23:15.990 this world now, I won't believe it. I won't submit 00:23:15.990 --> 00:23:20.839 to it. I won't accept it. We build our financial 00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:24.299 empires and our financial legacies and our personal 00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:27.039 kingdoms in this world. Why? Because of heaven? 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:35.259 Because of eternity? No. Because of this world 00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:39.160 and this age and these generations and this day 00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:44.519 and this hour. Brothers and sisters, our lives 00:23:44.519 --> 00:23:46.799 and our thoughts and our thinking and our hearts. 00:23:48.430 --> 00:23:54.769 Are so vastly different. Than our forefathers 00:23:54.769 --> 00:23:58.029 and our predecessors. Who were wholeheartedly. 00:23:59.730 --> 00:24:08.809 Content. Waiting on eternal realities. How does 00:24:08.809 --> 00:24:14.990 a person live in such a way? How is a person 00:24:14.990 --> 00:24:22.069 able. To live. Like that. How is a person able 00:24:22.069 --> 00:24:27.289 to have manifest faith with these universal traits? 00:24:27.670 --> 00:24:30.849 How is the principle of faith in our life able 00:24:30.849 --> 00:24:34.150 to wear those clothes that we just considered 00:24:34.150 --> 00:24:39.170 in the text? Well, this brings us to the second 00:24:39.170 --> 00:24:43.049 thing we have to consider. That which by faith 00:24:43.049 --> 00:24:48.000 their hearts were set upon. which enabled them 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:57.259 to live and die by faith. Now, it's helpful to 00:24:57.259 --> 00:25:03.039 first clarify what their hearts were not set 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:12.000 upon. Let's look in verse 15. And indeed, if 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.559 they had been thinking of that country, from 00:25:15.559 --> 00:25:19.759 which they went out, they would have had opportunity 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:23.660 to return. So it seems as though the author of 00:25:23.660 --> 00:25:29.259 Hebrews is anticipating an objection. Meaning, 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:33.200 well, weren't they just thinking about their 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:39.539 homeland? Abraham's native land, Ur of the Chaldees? 00:25:40.180 --> 00:25:42.579 Isn't that what they're talking about? And the 00:25:42.579 --> 00:25:46.240 author says, no. That is not what I'm talking 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:50.440 about. They had plenty of opportunities to return 00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:53.819 to their homeland, to his native land, yet he 00:25:53.819 --> 00:25:57.839 chose to be a pilgrim in the land of promise, 00:25:57.880 --> 00:26:03.099 to never put down roots, and to follow God throughout 00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:06.400 that land, moving and moving and moving, journeying 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:09.619 and journeying and journeying, continually throughout 00:26:09.619 --> 00:26:16.180 his life. It is not... his homeland. Now notice 00:26:16.180 --> 00:26:22.900 that verse 15 is contrasted with verse 16, where 00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:27.259 it tells us what their hearts were positively 00:26:27.259 --> 00:26:32.200 set upon. We read in verse 16, but as it is, 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:37.980 they desire a better country. So their hearts 00:26:37.980 --> 00:26:40.630 were set on this better country, but What does 00:26:40.630 --> 00:26:42.470 that tell us about what their hearts were not 00:26:42.470 --> 00:26:48.670 set upon? It's not as good as that which their 00:26:48.670 --> 00:26:53.710 hearts were set upon. Meaning it's temporal. 00:26:55.630 --> 00:27:02.710 It's not lasting. And it's not permanent. Abraham 00:27:02.710 --> 00:27:09.240 was not looking for a geographical people. Abraham 00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:14.079 was not looking for a nation or a state. He was 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:17.700 not looking for a geographical land. Brothers 00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:20.759 and sisters, Abraham was not looking for anything 00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:25.960 that he could be loosed of. Anything that could 00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:29.599 be taken from him. Abraham was not looking for 00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:35.900 anything in this world, in fact. So what was? 00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:42.480 Their hearts set upon by faith. Their hearts 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:48.740 were set upon a country of their own, first of 00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:53.759 all. We read in verse 14, For those who say such 00:27:53.759 --> 00:27:58.180 things make it clear that they are seeking a 00:27:58.180 --> 00:28:03.900 country of their own. What does the author mean 00:28:03.900 --> 00:28:08.680 by that? Well, was the land of promise Abraham's 00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:14.180 own? Was the land that God had promised to him 00:28:14.180 --> 00:28:18.500 his? By right? In that day, in that age, in that 00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:23.039 culture, in that society? No. It was the natives 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:28.980 of that land. It was not his own. He didn't fully 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:34.359 enjoy it as he could have. It wasn't fully and 00:28:34.359 --> 00:28:39.779 completely in his possession. There was more 00:28:39.779 --> 00:28:44.160 to come for the promise of God in Abraham's life. 00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:49.759 A country of his own where he was not in exile. 00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:55.799 A country where he was not the stranger in the 00:28:55.799 --> 00:29:01.700 place. He was looking for a country where he... 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:07.500 could not be opposed. He was looking for a country 00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:11.500 that was free of heartache. He was looking for 00:29:11.500 --> 00:29:14.339 a country that was free of suffering and hardship. 00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:18.640 Brothers and sisters, his heart was set upon 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:21.099 something further and much more glorious and 00:29:21.099 --> 00:29:26.619 much more grand than physical property. His heart 00:29:26.619 --> 00:29:30.809 was set upon heaven. His heart was set upon a 00:29:30.809 --> 00:29:38.190 better country additionally. But as it is, they 00:29:38.190 --> 00:29:43.789 desire a better country. That is, a heavenly 00:29:43.789 --> 00:29:48.430 one. The author decides to do away with all the 00:29:48.430 --> 00:29:53.309 questions. Here's what I'm talking about. Here's 00:29:53.309 --> 00:29:57.740 what Abraham's heart was set upon. Heaven. Brothers 00:29:57.740 --> 00:30:03.579 and sisters. Eternity. That which does not change. 00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:08.420 That which is permanent, safe, and secure. That 00:30:08.420 --> 00:30:15.000 which a person cannot be displaced from. That 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:22.000 which cannot be taken from the saints. Abraham's 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:25.460 heart was set on that which is beyond the grave. 00:30:26.670 --> 00:30:30.190 And notice how it says that his heart relates 00:30:30.190 --> 00:30:36.910 to these realities. It gives us three ways that 00:30:36.910 --> 00:30:42.609 Abraham relates to this country of his own, this 00:30:42.609 --> 00:30:46.410 better country. Notice that it says in verse 00:30:46.410 --> 00:30:51.869 13, And indeed, if he had been thinking of that 00:30:51.869 --> 00:30:55.720 country, thinking or remembering, with regards 00:30:55.720 --> 00:31:00.180 to that country. His mind was set on heaven, 00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:04.240 brothers and sisters. But also, notice in verse 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:10.059 16, but as it is, they desire. Their hearts are 00:31:10.059 --> 00:31:14.019 longing for this country. Their hearts are beating 00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:19.180 for that which is eternal. Their hearts are earnestly 00:31:19.180 --> 00:31:25.130 desiring that which only God can give. But it's 00:31:25.130 --> 00:31:28.269 not just their minds and their hearts. Look in 00:31:28.269 --> 00:31:31.069 verse 14. For those who say such things make 00:31:31.069 --> 00:31:36.670 it clear that they are seeking a country of their 00:31:36.670 --> 00:31:42.829 own. Their mind, their heart, and their will. 00:31:43.829 --> 00:31:49.910 What does that tell us? Their whole beings. Their 00:31:49.910 --> 00:31:55.380 whole persons. were oriented towards what, brothers 00:31:55.380 --> 00:32:01.920 and sisters? Eternity. Heaven. A heavenly country 00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:07.599 which God had promised them. Every fiber in them 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:13.019 was headed for heaven. That's what they longed 00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:14.819 for. That's what they wanted. That's what they 00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:19.400 pursued. That's what they thought of. How different. 00:32:21.769 --> 00:32:34.990 Are we today? What our hearts are set upon greatly 00:32:34.990 --> 00:32:41.430 influence how we live by faith and how we die 00:32:41.430 --> 00:32:47.529 by faith. How is it that they were able to live 00:32:47.529 --> 00:32:51.410 by faith in the way they did? And how is it that 00:32:51.410 --> 00:32:53.809 they were able to die in faith the way that they 00:32:53.809 --> 00:32:58.509 did? Because their hearts had otherworldly affections, 00:32:58.509 --> 00:33:03.089 brothers and sisters. Their hearts were bound 00:33:03.089 --> 00:33:10.769 by faith to realities beyond this world. That's 00:33:10.769 --> 00:33:14.269 how they were able to live as they did. And that 00:33:14.269 --> 00:33:20.960 is how they were able to die as they did. What 00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:27.259 our hearts are set upon in this life greatly 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:34.119 influence how we live by faith. If my heart is 00:33:34.119 --> 00:33:44.180 set strongly upon my vehicle, and my heart's 00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:49.539 affections absolutely love, with an undying love, 00:33:51.660 --> 00:33:58.119 That little old Toyota Tacoma. Nothing can happen 00:33:58.119 --> 00:34:02.140 to that Toyota Tacoma. If something happens to 00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:06.460 that Toyota Tacoma, it is my prize. It is the 00:34:06.460 --> 00:34:10.139 apple of my eye. It is all that I care about. 00:34:10.199 --> 00:34:13.000 It's all I think about. It's all my heart longs 00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:16.360 for. It's all I work towards. My blessed Toyota 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:24.320 Tacoma. What happens? When my Toyota Tacoma shuts 00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:30.599 down. What happens when that Toyota Tacoma goes 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:39.619 bye -bye? Kyle crumbles. My faith is ruined. 00:34:40.219 --> 00:34:45.000 I'm in despair. I have misery and heartache in 00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:48.119 my soul and my heart. Why? Because my heart's 00:34:48.119 --> 00:34:52.510 affections are resting. on a created object that 00:34:52.510 --> 00:34:57.869 was never intended to fulfill that in my life. 00:35:00.230 --> 00:35:04.670 That's a fun story. But brothers and sisters, 00:35:04.929 --> 00:35:09.250 the reality is it's not too far off from the 00:35:09.250 --> 00:35:14.670 reality of many people's hearts today. If your 00:35:14.670 --> 00:35:17.789 heart's affections are resting in this world, 00:35:18.230 --> 00:35:23.789 will you not be anxious, fearful, worried and 00:35:23.789 --> 00:35:27.809 distressed at the thought of that being removed 00:35:27.809 --> 00:35:33.190 and taken away? Will you not be threatened in 00:35:33.190 --> 00:35:38.190 your soul when that object is threatened? You 00:35:38.190 --> 00:35:43.809 will. But if your heart's affections are resting 00:35:43.809 --> 00:35:49.179 squarely, On the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the 00:35:49.179 --> 00:35:52.239 eternal realities which He has promised us and 00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:55.380 He has given to us because of His Gospel work 00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:57.639 and His life, His death and His resurrection 00:35:57.639 --> 00:36:00.659 and the realities which are to come. Brothers 00:36:00.659 --> 00:36:02.800 and sisters, there's nothing that can be taken 00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:08.880 away from you that will crush you. Your affections 00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:12.139 are outside of the world. How were Paul and Silas 00:36:12.139 --> 00:36:15.840 able to sing and pray with hymns and to rejoice 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:19.460 when they were thrown in prison? Because it revealed 00:36:19.460 --> 00:36:23.039 the fact that their affections were resting elsewhere 00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:30.599 in the Lord Jesus Christ. Will this not influence 00:36:30.599 --> 00:36:36.059 and impact not just how we live by faith, but 00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:45.050 also how we die? If we go throughout life loving 00:36:45.050 --> 00:36:51.989 this mortal life, loving the things of this world, 00:36:52.090 --> 00:36:59.409 if our heart's affections rest in this world 00:36:59.409 --> 00:37:04.570 for 60, 70, 80 years, and then at the moment 00:37:04.570 --> 00:37:08.010 of our death, will we not be fearful to leave 00:37:08.010 --> 00:37:14.380 it behind? The manner of our death, brothers 00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:18.539 and sisters, is not unrelated to the manner by 00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:24.659 which we live by faith either. What our heart's 00:37:24.659 --> 00:37:29.340 affections are on matter greatly for how we live 00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:38.699 and die as believers in Jesus Christ. Is Christ 00:37:40.300 --> 00:37:47.440 The burning desire of your heart now. Is He the 00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:51.320 overwhelmingly significant longing of your life? 00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:58.099 Is He reigning supreme in your heart? Is He all 00:37:58.099 --> 00:38:01.480 -consuming now? Are your affections on Him now? 00:38:03.559 --> 00:38:05.840 Don't wait until the end of your life to try 00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:09.710 and change that. Don't wait until the moment 00:38:09.710 --> 00:38:12.469 of your death to place your affections on Christ 00:38:12.469 --> 00:38:15.690 and to train your affections to look to Him over 00:38:15.690 --> 00:38:21.730 and over and over. Brothers and sisters, is Christ 00:38:21.730 --> 00:38:28.389 the aim and goal of your heart, your mind, and 00:38:28.389 --> 00:38:34.650 your will in all of your life? Do you think about 00:38:34.650 --> 00:38:40.559 eternity in heaven? Do you think about that which 00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:51.900 God has promised to you in the age to come? Now, 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:58.039 this text doesn't stop with Abraham's desire, 00:38:58.420 --> 00:39:05.500 his longing, and his thinking of heaven. This 00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:10.369 text continues in verse 16. With these words. 00:39:11.489 --> 00:39:15.630 Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their 00:39:15.630 --> 00:39:23.630 God. For he has prepared a city for them. What 00:39:23.630 --> 00:39:31.050 is the inheritance. For those who live. And die 00:39:31.050 --> 00:39:36.670 by faith. Now notice a few things about verse 00:39:36.670 --> 00:39:44.570 16. Everything in verses 13, 14, 15, and the 00:39:44.570 --> 00:39:49.349 first half of verse 16 have to do with Abraham, 00:39:49.690 --> 00:39:53.429 his desires, his longings, his perspective, his 00:39:53.429 --> 00:39:59.130 pursuit of the promises, God, eternity, and heaven. 00:39:59.789 --> 00:40:04.829 Now, in the second half of verse 16, the perspective 00:40:04.829 --> 00:40:10.050 completely changes. Now everything is from a 00:40:10.050 --> 00:40:13.389 divine perspective. Now everything has to do 00:40:13.389 --> 00:40:17.329 with God's response and God's reception of those 00:40:17.329 --> 00:40:23.570 who lived and died by faith. Therefore God is 00:40:23.570 --> 00:40:27.590 not ashamed to be called their God, for he has 00:40:27.590 --> 00:40:34.289 prepared a city for them. This text speaks of 00:40:34.289 --> 00:40:40.250 God's approval of those... who live and die by 00:40:40.250 --> 00:40:44.869 faith. The book of Hebrews up to this point has 00:40:44.869 --> 00:40:48.489 already spoken often of the commendation that 00:40:48.489 --> 00:40:54.349 God gives to those with faith. Here we have the 00:40:54.349 --> 00:41:03.409 ultimate form of that. We have the patriarchs 00:41:03.409 --> 00:41:09.190 who live by faith and died in faith. Entering 00:41:09.190 --> 00:41:14.670 into Christ's heavenly kingdom. They receive 00:41:14.670 --> 00:41:18.750 the inheritance that God has given, that God 00:41:18.750 --> 00:41:23.630 has prepared for them. God approves of them. 00:41:23.650 --> 00:41:27.409 He's not ashamed of them. His divine pleasure 00:41:27.409 --> 00:41:35.389 is upon them. But He also openly identifies with 00:41:35.389 --> 00:41:39.820 those Who live and die by faith. This is one 00:41:39.820 --> 00:41:42.139 of the most remarkable things in this chapter 00:41:42.139 --> 00:41:47.360 in the book of Hebrews. That God is not ashamed 00:41:47.360 --> 00:41:55.780 to be called their God. Why is that? It's because 00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:59.519 of their faith, brothers and sisters. It's because 00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:02.079 God commends and acknowledges and recognizes 00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:10.909 faith. Now, it also speaks of the enduring covenant 00:42:10.909 --> 00:42:15.309 relationship between the patriarchs by faith 00:42:15.309 --> 00:42:20.670 and God as he relates to them through their faith. 00:42:21.289 --> 00:42:23.489 We're going to go ahead and turn to Genesis chapter 00:42:23.489 --> 00:42:29.190 17. Genesis 17 verse 7, which says this. And 00:42:29.190 --> 00:42:33.570 think how similar these words are to what the 00:42:33.570 --> 00:42:37.550 author of Hebrews is saying. in chapter 11, verse 00:42:37.550 --> 00:42:43.010 16. Starting in verse 6, I will make you exceedingly 00:42:43.010 --> 00:42:46.869 fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and 00:42:46.869 --> 00:42:50.269 kings will come forth from you. I will establish 00:42:50.269 --> 00:42:54.449 my covenant between me and you and your descendants 00:42:54.449 --> 00:42:58.650 after you throughout their generations for an 00:42:58.650 --> 00:43:03.650 everlasting covenant to be God to you. and to 00:43:03.650 --> 00:43:08.349 your descendants after you. Does that sound familiar? 00:43:09.369 --> 00:43:12.389 It sounds very similar to what he's saying in 00:43:12.389 --> 00:43:16.489 Hebrews chapter 11. Now turn to Exodus chapter 00:43:16.489 --> 00:43:22.969 3. I'm sure that many of you will know what text 00:43:22.969 --> 00:43:30.230 I speak of here. In Exodus 3 .6, listen to these 00:43:30.230 --> 00:43:37.929 words. He said also, I am the God of your father, 00:43:38.150 --> 00:43:42.989 the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the 00:43:42.989 --> 00:43:47.030 God of Jacob. Then Moses hid his face, for he 00:43:47.030 --> 00:43:52.289 was afraid to look at God. God claims that he 00:43:52.289 --> 00:43:59.039 is the God of the patriarchs still. Then we turn 00:43:59.039 --> 00:44:02.599 to Matthew chapter 22, and the Lord Jesus explains 00:44:02.599 --> 00:44:09.119 this text. Matthew 22, 32, starting in verse 00:44:09.119 --> 00:44:14.119 29. But Jesus answered and said to them, You 00:44:14.119 --> 00:44:17.260 are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, 00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:21.800 nor the power of God. For in the resurrection 00:44:21.800 --> 00:44:24.719 they neither marry nor are given in marriage, 00:44:24.940 --> 00:44:28.380 but are like angels in heaven. But regarding 00:44:28.380 --> 00:44:31.400 the resurrection of the dead, have you not read 00:44:31.400 --> 00:44:37.579 what was spoken to you by God? I am the God of 00:44:37.579 --> 00:44:40.820 Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of 00:44:40.820 --> 00:44:45.800 Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of 00:44:45.800 --> 00:44:54.800 the living. God's covenant faithfulness and covenant 00:44:54.800 --> 00:44:59.960 commitments to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, 00:45:00.159 --> 00:45:02.920 all the old covenant saints, brothers and sisters, 00:45:03.039 --> 00:45:07.360 his covenantal commitments don't end at the grave. 00:45:11.199 --> 00:45:16.360 A person stays in covenantal relationship with 00:45:16.360 --> 00:45:22.579 God through the grave, just like the patriarch's 00:45:22.579 --> 00:45:26.179 brothers and sisters. God identifies himself 00:45:26.179 --> 00:45:31.699 as still being in covenant relationship with 00:45:31.699 --> 00:45:39.320 those saints. And God proves it by preparing 00:45:39.320 --> 00:45:47.880 a city for them. Heaven, an eternal metropolis 00:45:47.880 --> 00:45:54.380 where the saints fellowship with God and... angels, 00:45:54.380 --> 00:45:59.480 and men. That which is permanent and has foundations 00:45:59.480 --> 00:46:07.099 and is lasting and will never fade away. Prior 00:46:07.099 --> 00:46:15.519 to death, as pilgrims, you and I, every true 00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:20.760 and genuine believer, will experience some form 00:46:20.760 --> 00:46:28.250 of shame, humiliation, hardship, suffering, difficulty. 00:46:28.409 --> 00:46:32.409 We will wrestle our way through this life as 00:46:32.409 --> 00:46:38.309 believers. There will be deriding as a result 00:46:38.309 --> 00:46:41.429 of being faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and 00:46:41.429 --> 00:46:44.449 the Scriptures. There will be derision upon your 00:46:44.449 --> 00:46:46.849 life at some point in time. There will be strained 00:46:46.849 --> 00:46:50.050 relationships in your life as a result of faith. 00:46:50.889 --> 00:46:54.869 There will be counting the cost as a true disciple, 00:46:54.869 --> 00:46:59.210 brothers and sisters. Every single person will 00:46:59.210 --> 00:47:03.530 have a sense of humiliation in this life, even 00:47:03.530 --> 00:47:08.070 if it's just sharing the gospel. You will have 00:47:08.070 --> 00:47:09.969 a sense of it. You will have an awareness of 00:47:09.969 --> 00:47:12.730 it. There will be a sense of embarrassment to 00:47:12.730 --> 00:47:15.849 some degree because you're walking faithfully 00:47:15.849 --> 00:47:18.610 with Christ. You will be the oddball in this 00:47:18.610 --> 00:47:24.829 world. But brothers and sisters, those with true 00:47:24.829 --> 00:47:34.809 saving faith will not be put to shame. Following 00:47:34.809 --> 00:47:40.670 the grave, there will be no more humiliation. 00:47:42.050 --> 00:47:45.510 Following the grave, brothers and sisters, that 00:47:45.510 --> 00:47:49.579 which you have... embraced by faith, and you 00:47:49.579 --> 00:47:52.920 have had your heart set upon all your days of 00:47:52.920 --> 00:47:59.380 faith, will become realized. There will be eternal 00:47:59.380 --> 00:48:05.019 joy, gladness, peace. There will be honor. There 00:48:05.019 --> 00:48:08.039 will be glory. There will be power. There will 00:48:08.039 --> 00:48:16.510 be blessing abundantly following the grave. That 00:48:16.510 --> 00:48:19.690 will be the funeral of your difficulties, and 00:48:19.690 --> 00:48:22.829 it will be the resurrection of your joys and 00:48:22.829 --> 00:48:26.389 your eternal, never -ending pleasures, brothers 00:48:26.389 --> 00:48:37.809 and sisters. Faith will become sight. You will 00:48:37.809 --> 00:48:44.809 belong with God in heaven. You will not ever 00:48:44.809 --> 00:48:50.409 be ostracized. You will no longer be the stranger. 00:48:51.789 --> 00:48:55.230 You will no longer experience that sense of shame. 00:48:56.489 --> 00:49:03.750 Brothers and sisters, change is coming for all 00:49:03.750 --> 00:49:11.190 those with faith. What your hearts longed for 00:49:11.190 --> 00:49:16.139 throughout this life. what your mind has thought 00:49:16.139 --> 00:49:20.099 of as aided by the power of the Holy Spirit, 00:49:20.340 --> 00:49:24.139 and what you have sought with your energy, your 00:49:24.139 --> 00:49:27.400 power, your efficiency, with your efforts, with 00:49:27.400 --> 00:49:29.980 your will, what you have pursued in this life 00:49:29.980 --> 00:49:36.219 by faith, it will be realized when you go to 00:49:36.219 --> 00:49:41.980 be with God at His heavenly throne. God is faithful. 00:49:42.989 --> 00:49:49.190 To his people. Yes, our lives will be marked 00:49:49.190 --> 00:49:55.090 as pilgrims. Yes, we must have our hearts set 00:49:55.090 --> 00:49:59.510 upon that which is otherworldly. And yes, brothers 00:49:59.510 --> 00:50:05.989 and sisters, God will receive us into his heavenly 00:50:05.989 --> 00:50:10.130 kingdom and we will be counted among the faithful 00:50:10.130 --> 00:50:15.500 around. His throne will be received into the 00:50:15.500 --> 00:50:21.639 bosom of Abraham. We will fellowship with those 00:50:21.639 --> 00:50:26.800 saints of old that we have read about in Hebrews 00:50:26.800 --> 00:50:28.260 chapter 11.