we will be reading verses 13 through 16. Verses
13 through 16 of Hebrews chapter 11. All these
died in faith, without receiving the promises,
but having seen them and having welcomed them
from a distance, and having confessed that they
were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those
who say such things make it clear that they are
seeking a country of their own. And indeed, if
they had been thinking of that country from which
they went out, they would have had opportunity
to return. But as it is, they desire a better
country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore,
God is not ashamed to be called their God. For
he has prepared a city for them. Let's go to
the Lord in prayer. Father, we come to you this
Lord's Day. Lord, we ask that you would be in
our midst. Father, as your word is proclaimed,
we ask that your spirit would work effectively
in our hearts and in our minds. Lord, we ask
that your spirit... would convict us of sin in
our lives and drive us to Jesus Christ. Father,
we ask that your Spirit would renew our hearts
and our minds afresh. Lord, we ask that your
Spirit would sanctify us and grow us in grace.
Lord, we ask that your Spirit would save sinners
today. Bless the ministry of your Word, Lord.
We ask these things in Christ's name. Amen. You
may be seated. Many supposed evangelicals attend
church for various reasons. We could think of
many reasons that those who would call themselves
evangelicals attend a Bible preaching, a supposed
Bible preaching church or a church of their choice.
whatever it might be, wherever it might be. But
oftentimes the reality is that many supposed
evangelicals attend the church that they attend
because they want to hear what they want to hear
when the word is proclaimed. They want sweet
morsels for their own souls that encourage, that
help them to think well of themselves, that give
them steps to improve their life, that make them
better people, better members of the community
in various different things. They go to the church
they go to because they want to hear what they
want to hear. But brothers and sisters, we don't
come to church to hear what we want to hear.
We come to church to hear truth. To hear the
truth of God's Word. The truth. proclaimed to
our hearts and our souls and our minds so that
the truth can help us face the difficult and
hard realities of life. So that we would not
merely be improved or better people, but that
we would be transformed by the power of the Holy
Spirit working through the truth in our lives.
The reality is that all of us face difficult
situations in our lives. All of us have struggles
and hardships in our situations, whatever they
might be. Every single person in here is wrestling
through something. And all of us will face one
great enemy. At the end of each of our lives.
Every single person. There still remains one
enemy. Though conquered. He stands in our way.
And he must be stared down. And passed through.
That great reality of death. Every single person.
Whether or not the Lord Jesus returns in our
lifetime. Or whether he comes in another hundred
or two hundred or three hundred or a thousand
years. Likely every single person that is living
on the face of the planet today will die. With
the exception of Christ's return. We have an
enemy to face. Yes, he's been conquered, but
brothers and sisters, you personally must face
the reality of death. It's really incredible
that this universal reality that is so prevalent,
without exception, is not talked about all that
often. The world tries to avoid it. The world
tries to extend it. or deal with it, or deny
it. But the Christian recognizes, because the
Word of God tells us, that we will die. And it's
important for the Christian to die well. Some
people die, but they don't die well. Other people
die, and they die well as a testimony unto the
Lord and where their hearts are already dwelling
and resting at. Every single one of us must face
this reality. The saints of old, that Hebrews
chapter 11 speaks of, all lived by faith and
died by faith with the exception of... Enoch,
I know. It was a faith that they all had to deal
with. We're going to consider three things today.
The first being the universal characteristics
of faith in those who live and die well. We'll
see this in verse 13. Then we're going to consider
that which by faith Their hearts were set upon
which enabled them to die well. So what their
hearts were resting on that gave them or enabled
them to live and die well. And lastly, we will
speak about the inheritance those who live and
die by faith receive. And we see this in verse
16. Beginning with the universal characteristics,
A faith in those who live and die well. We read
this in verse 13. All these died in faith. Without
receiving the promises. But having seen them
and having welcomed them from a distance. And
having confessed that they were strangers and
exiles on the earth. Up to this point in Hebrews
chapter 11. We've been hearing this term a lot,
by faith, by faith, by faith, speaking of the
individuals who lived by faith in their lives
personally. We've seen it of all the characters
we've studied up to this point so far. But notice
in verse 13, the author is no longer speaking
of individuals. The author is speaking about
all of them now as a group. He says, all these
died in faith. So he's speaking with regards
to the group as a whole. So now he's not turning
to personal acts of faith, personal expressions
or exercises of faith in the life of the saints,
but now he's talking about common characteristics
and universal traits. that accompany true faith,
that is operative and effective in the life of
saints. I believe that he's speaking, really,
about what faith looks like in the life of the
saints, and that which is generally true of faith
in this life in a... fallen world. But he's also
talking about how faith interacts with this life.
How faith, the person with faith interacts with
this fallen world in which they live. How the
person of faith lives and relates to this mortal
temporary life. So what are the characteristics
or these traits? Well the first is It's a faith
that perseveres. It's a persevering faith. All
of these died in faith. It's a faith that perseveres
unto the end. It's a faith that endures all the
way to the deathbed. Those who live by faith
die in faith. But it's also a faith that perseveres
through death or in. It's a persevering, enduring
faith that presses on. These individuals did
not forsake their confession in the Messiah because
of the pressure. These individuals did not recant
with regards to who Jesus Christ is and the work
that he's done. They did not leave Christianity
and return to the system of Judaism and animal
sacrifice and the worship in the synagogues.
They pressed on in their faith. They continued.
They persevered. So we find that it's a persevering
faith. That's always going to be the case. God
-given faith that is operative and effective
in God's people always perseveres unto death
and always perseveres through death. But it's
also a faith that is content not receiving the
fulfillment of God's promises in this life. Notice
what the author says. Without receiving the promises,
but having seen them and having welcomed them
from a distance. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah,
they did not receive the fullness and the full
realization of the promise that God had made
to them. Do you remember in Abraham's life? What
did he own of the land? How much of the land
did he own physically? A grave. so that he and
his family could die there. That was it. Yes,
God had given him the land, but he did not physically
and naturally possess the land within his lifetime.
The promise was not fulfilled in his life, in
Isaac's life, or in Jacob's life. His faith was
content not receiving the fullness of the promises.
It didn't have to be fulfilled in his lifetime.
He knew that God would be faithful to his word
and that God would fulfill those promises in
due time. It's a faith also that perceives realities
beyond this mortal life. This faith... that is
God -given, that is operative and effective in
God's people, has eyesight that sees beyond this
age, that sees beyond this world, that even sees
beyond the grave, having seen them and having
welcomed them from a distance. meaning there
was still more for God to accomplish and do before
those promises would come to full and final realization
and fruition in their life and in the world.
We read similarly to this in John 8, verse 56.
Where the Lord Jesus speaks of this. He's speaking
to the Jews. And we'll start in verse 53. And
we read this. Surely you are not greater than
our father Abraham who died. The prophets died
too. Whom do you make yourself out to be? Jesus
answered. If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.
It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you
say he is our God. And you have not come to know
him, but I know him. And if I say that I do not
know him, I will be a liar like you. But I do
know him and keep his word. And listen to what
the Lord Jesus says. Your father Abraham rejoiced
to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. What
is the Lord Jesus talking about? How is it that
Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus' day? How did he
see and perceive Jesus' day? The time when the
gospel would come to fruition, when the Messiah
would come. He saw with the eyes of faith, brothers
and sisters. He rejoiced because he trusted that
God would in fact bring those things about. He
saw with faith. He saw the Messiah through the
promises that God had made. But he saw them at
a distance. Faith perceives. That which is beyond
this mortal life, brothers and sisters. It has
to. If we can't see beyond this life, beyond
what our natural sight can perceive, then brothers
and sisters, what hope do we have? If we cannot
see and know the realities which the Word of
God puts forward, which have to do with things
beyond this age, beyond our lives, beyond that
which we can physically touch and physically
and naturally see, then brothers and sisters,
we have to throw the Bible out. Faith perceives
that which the eye cannot see, that which the
hand cannot touch, and that which is even beyond
our own lifetime, brothers and sisters. But we
also see that this faith frees the believer from
a sinful entanglement with this mortal life.
When I say entanglement, what I mean by that
is this. Faith works in a person in such a way
that it brings conflict. with our affections
and our desires when they are placed and set
on things of this world in unhealthy and sinful
ways. Faith frees the believer from these things.
Abraham openly confessed that he was a sojourner,
a pilgrim. That he was an exile, brothers and
sisters. He was a stranger in the land that God
had promised to him. We could read Psalm, we
could read Genesis chapter 23, 4, where he literally
says, I am a sojourner. Isn't this why the author
of Hebrews says, and having confessed, That they
were strangers and exiles on earth? Meaning,
the earth, that age, that world, their lives,
that was not their lasting, permanent home. There
was more that they were perceiving by faith.
Now, all throughout the Scriptures, This pilgrim
sojourner language is applied to believers throughout
time, not just to Abraham. In many ways, he is
a type of future believer where he is representing
our pilgrimage. And then we are pilgrims and
we are exiles in this world. We see this all
throughout the New Testament and all throughout
the Psalms, brothers and sisters. Doesn't Paul
say that we are absent from home in 2 Corinthians?
That we would prefer to be present with the Lord
and absent from the body to be at home with the
Lord? We are sojourners, brothers and sisters,
because ultimately, Everything is fleeting with
regards to our lives and our situations and our
circumstances in this life. This was the manner
and character of their life and death of faith.
They lived with loose hands regarding the world
around them. Abraham literally. moved around
all the time in tents. Why? Because the land
was not his. He wasn't living for the land of
exile. He was living and he was going to die
in faith because of the promises that God had
made to him. Their lives looked very, very differently
than many modern believers. I dare say that their
lives looked very, very differently than our
lives, brothers and sisters. They were content
not being attached to the things of the world.
They were content not building their kingdoms
in this age. They were content living in tents.
Largely, I would say the majority, a large portion
of believers today, their minds are restricted
to this world. To the things of this life. To
my job. My career. My future. My family. The
government. The politics. The system. The structures.
The world. The culture. The societies. All the
things in this life, in this world. All the while,
our minds never make their way by faith. to heaven,
brothers and sisters, and eternal realities.
We want immediate fulfillment now. We want our
kingdoms present now. If there's not hope for
this world now, I won't believe it. I won't submit
to it. I won't accept it. We build our financial
empires and our financial legacies and our personal
kingdoms in this world. Why? Because of heaven?
Because of eternity? No. Because of this world
and this age and these generations and this day
and this hour. Brothers and sisters, our lives
and our thoughts and our thinking and our hearts.
Are so vastly different. Than our forefathers
and our predecessors. Who were wholeheartedly.
Content. Waiting on eternal realities. How does
a person live in such a way? How is a person
able. To live. Like that. How is a person able
to have manifest faith with these universal traits?
How is the principle of faith in our life able
to wear those clothes that we just considered
in the text? Well, this brings us to the second
thing we have to consider. That which by faith
their hearts were set upon. which enabled them
to live and die by faith. Now, it's helpful to
first clarify what their hearts were not set
upon. Let's look in verse 15. And indeed, if
they had been thinking of that country, from
which they went out, they would have had opportunity
to return. So it seems as though the author of
Hebrews is anticipating an objection. Meaning,
well, weren't they just thinking about their
homeland? Abraham's native land, Ur of the Chaldees?
Isn't that what they're talking about? And the
author says, no. That is not what I'm talking
about. They had plenty of opportunities to return
to their homeland, to his native land, yet he
chose to be a pilgrim in the land of promise,
to never put down roots, and to follow God throughout
that land, moving and moving and moving, journeying
and journeying and journeying, continually throughout
his life. It is not... his homeland. Now notice
that verse 15 is contrasted with verse 16, where
it tells us what their hearts were positively
set upon. We read in verse 16, but as it is,
they desire a better country. So their hearts
were set on this better country, but What does
that tell us about what their hearts were not
set upon? It's not as good as that which their
hearts were set upon. Meaning it's temporal.
It's not lasting. And it's not permanent. Abraham
was not looking for a geographical people. Abraham
was not looking for a nation or a state. He was
not looking for a geographical land. Brothers
and sisters, Abraham was not looking for anything
that he could be loosed of. Anything that could
be taken from him. Abraham was not looking for
anything in this world, in fact. So what was?
Their hearts set upon by faith. Their hearts
were set upon a country of their own, first of
all. We read in verse 14, For those who say such
things make it clear that they are seeking a
country of their own. What does the author mean
by that? Well, was the land of promise Abraham's
own? Was the land that God had promised to him
his? By right? In that day, in that age, in that
culture, in that society? No. It was the natives
of that land. It was not his own. He didn't fully
enjoy it as he could have. It wasn't fully and
completely in his possession. There was more
to come for the promise of God in Abraham's life.
A country of his own where he was not in exile.
A country where he was not the stranger in the
place. He was looking for a country where he...
could not be opposed. He was looking for a country
that was free of heartache. He was looking for
a country that was free of suffering and hardship.
Brothers and sisters, his heart was set upon
something further and much more glorious and
much more grand than physical property. His heart
was set upon heaven. His heart was set upon a
better country additionally. But as it is, they
desire a better country. That is, a heavenly
one. The author decides to do away with all the
questions. Here's what I'm talking about. Here's
what Abraham's heart was set upon. Heaven. Brothers
and sisters. Eternity. That which does not change.
That which is permanent, safe, and secure. That
which a person cannot be displaced from. That
which cannot be taken from the saints. Abraham's
heart was set on that which is beyond the grave.
And notice how it says that his heart relates
to these realities. It gives us three ways that
Abraham relates to this country of his own, this
better country. Notice that it says in verse
13, And indeed, if he had been thinking of that
country, thinking or remembering, with regards
to that country. His mind was set on heaven,
brothers and sisters. But also, notice in verse
16, but as it is, they desire. Their hearts are
longing for this country. Their hearts are beating
for that which is eternal. Their hearts are earnestly
desiring that which only God can give. But it's
not just their minds and their hearts. Look in
verse 14. For those who say such things make
it clear that they are seeking a country of their
own. Their mind, their heart, and their will.
What does that tell us? Their whole beings. Their
whole persons. were oriented towards what, brothers
and sisters? Eternity. Heaven. A heavenly country
which God had promised them. Every fiber in them
was headed for heaven. That's what they longed
for. That's what they wanted. That's what they
pursued. That's what they thought of. How different.
Are we today? What our hearts are set upon greatly
influence how we live by faith and how we die
by faith. How is it that they were able to live
by faith in the way they did? And how is it that
they were able to die in faith the way that they
did? Because their hearts had otherworldly affections,
brothers and sisters. Their hearts were bound
by faith to realities beyond this world. That's
how they were able to live as they did. And that
is how they were able to die as they did. What
our hearts are set upon in this life greatly
influence how we live by faith. If my heart is
set strongly upon my vehicle, and my heart's
affections absolutely love, with an undying love,
That little old Toyota Tacoma. Nothing can happen
to that Toyota Tacoma. If something happens to
that Toyota Tacoma, it is my prize. It is the
apple of my eye. It is all that I care about.
It's all I think about. It's all my heart longs
for. It's all I work towards. My blessed Toyota
Tacoma. What happens? When my Toyota Tacoma shuts
down. What happens when that Toyota Tacoma goes
bye -bye? Kyle crumbles. My faith is ruined.
I'm in despair. I have misery and heartache in
my soul and my heart. Why? Because my heart's
affections are resting. on a created object that
was never intended to fulfill that in my life.
That's a fun story. But brothers and sisters,
the reality is it's not too far off from the
reality of many people's hearts today. If your
heart's affections are resting in this world,
will you not be anxious, fearful, worried and
distressed at the thought of that being removed
and taken away? Will you not be threatened in
your soul when that object is threatened? You
will. But if your heart's affections are resting
squarely, On the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the
eternal realities which He has promised us and
He has given to us because of His Gospel work
and His life, His death and His resurrection
and the realities which are to come. Brothers
and sisters, there's nothing that can be taken
away from you that will crush you. Your affections
are outside of the world. How were Paul and Silas
able to sing and pray with hymns and to rejoice
when they were thrown in prison? Because it revealed
the fact that their affections were resting elsewhere
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Will this not influence
and impact not just how we live by faith, but
also how we die? If we go throughout life loving
this mortal life, loving the things of this world,
if our heart's affections rest in this world
for 60, 70, 80 years, and then at the moment
of our death, will we not be fearful to leave
it behind? The manner of our death, brothers
and sisters, is not unrelated to the manner by
which we live by faith either. What our heart's
affections are on matter greatly for how we live
and die as believers in Jesus Christ. Is Christ
The burning desire of your heart now. Is He the
overwhelmingly significant longing of your life?
Is He reigning supreme in your heart? Is He all
-consuming now? Are your affections on Him now?
Don't wait until the end of your life to try
and change that. Don't wait until the moment
of your death to place your affections on Christ
and to train your affections to look to Him over
and over and over. Brothers and sisters, is Christ
the aim and goal of your heart, your mind, and
your will in all of your life? Do you think about
eternity in heaven? Do you think about that which
God has promised to you in the age to come? Now,
this text doesn't stop with Abraham's desire,
his longing, and his thinking of heaven. This
text continues in verse 16. With these words.
Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their
God. For he has prepared a city for them. What
is the inheritance. For those who live. And die
by faith. Now notice a few things about verse
16. Everything in verses 13, 14, 15, and the
first half of verse 16 have to do with Abraham,
his desires, his longings, his perspective, his
pursuit of the promises, God, eternity, and heaven.
Now, in the second half of verse 16, the perspective
completely changes. Now everything is from a
divine perspective. Now everything has to do
with God's response and God's reception of those
who lived and died by faith. Therefore God is
not ashamed to be called their God, for he has
prepared a city for them. This text speaks of
God's approval of those... who live and die by
faith. The book of Hebrews up to this point has
already spoken often of the commendation that
God gives to those with faith. Here we have the
ultimate form of that. We have the patriarchs
who live by faith and died in faith. Entering
into Christ's heavenly kingdom. They receive
the inheritance that God has given, that God
has prepared for them. God approves of them.
He's not ashamed of them. His divine pleasure
is upon them. But He also openly identifies with
those Who live and die by faith. This is one
of the most remarkable things in this chapter
in the book of Hebrews. That God is not ashamed
to be called their God. Why is that? It's because
of their faith, brothers and sisters. It's because
God commends and acknowledges and recognizes
faith. Now, it also speaks of the enduring covenant
relationship between the patriarchs by faith
and God as he relates to them through their faith.
We're going to go ahead and turn to Genesis chapter
17. Genesis 17 verse 7, which says this. And
think how similar these words are to what the
author of Hebrews is saying. in chapter 11, verse
16. Starting in verse 6, I will make you exceedingly
fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and
kings will come forth from you. I will establish
my covenant between me and you and your descendants
after you throughout their generations for an
everlasting covenant to be God to you. and to
your descendants after you. Does that sound familiar?
It sounds very similar to what he's saying in
Hebrews chapter 11. Now turn to Exodus chapter
3. I'm sure that many of you will know what text
I speak of here. In Exodus 3 .6, listen to these
words. He said also, I am the God of your father,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob. Then Moses hid his face, for he
was afraid to look at God. God claims that he
is the God of the patriarchs still. Then we turn
to Matthew chapter 22, and the Lord Jesus explains
this text. Matthew 22, 32, starting in verse
29. But Jesus answered and said to them, You
are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures,
nor the power of God. For in the resurrection
they neither marry nor are given in marriage,
but are like angels in heaven. But regarding
the resurrection of the dead, have you not read
what was spoken to you by God? I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of
the living. God's covenant faithfulness and covenant
commitments to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah,
all the old covenant saints, brothers and sisters,
his covenantal commitments don't end at the grave.
A person stays in covenantal relationship with
God through the grave, just like the patriarch's
brothers and sisters. God identifies himself
as still being in covenant relationship with
those saints. And God proves it by preparing
a city for them. Heaven, an eternal metropolis
where the saints fellowship with God and... angels,
and men. That which is permanent and has foundations
and is lasting and will never fade away. Prior
to death, as pilgrims, you and I, every true
and genuine believer, will experience some form
of shame, humiliation, hardship, suffering, difficulty.
We will wrestle our way through this life as
believers. There will be deriding as a result
of being faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ and
the Scriptures. There will be derision upon your
life at some point in time. There will be strained
relationships in your life as a result of faith.
There will be counting the cost as a true disciple,
brothers and sisters. Every single person will
have a sense of humiliation in this life, even
if it's just sharing the gospel. You will have
a sense of it. You will have an awareness of
it. There will be a sense of embarrassment to
some degree because you're walking faithfully
with Christ. You will be the oddball in this
world. But brothers and sisters, those with true
saving faith will not be put to shame. Following
the grave, there will be no more humiliation.
Following the grave, brothers and sisters, that
which you have... embraced by faith, and you
have had your heart set upon all your days of
faith, will become realized. There will be eternal
joy, gladness, peace. There will be honor. There
will be glory. There will be power. There will
be blessing abundantly following the grave. That
will be the funeral of your difficulties, and
it will be the resurrection of your joys and
your eternal, never -ending pleasures, brothers
and sisters. Faith will become sight. You will
belong with God in heaven. You will not ever
be ostracized. You will no longer be the stranger.
You will no longer experience that sense of shame.
Brothers and sisters, change is coming for all
those with faith. What your hearts longed for
throughout this life. what your mind has thought
of as aided by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and what you have sought with your energy, your
power, your efficiency, with your efforts, with
your will, what you have pursued in this life
by faith, it will be realized when you go to
be with God at His heavenly throne. God is faithful.
To his people. Yes, our lives will be marked
as pilgrims. Yes, we must have our hearts set
upon that which is otherworldly. And yes, brothers
and sisters, God will receive us into his heavenly
kingdom and we will be counted among the faithful
around. His throne will be received into the
bosom of Abraham. We will fellowship with those
saints of old that we have read about in Hebrews
chapter 11.