“He Has Prepared a City”
(Hebrews 11:13-16)
Series: Captivated by Christ (Hebrews)
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
Henderson’s First Baptist Church, Henderson
- Please take your Bibles and open to Hebrews chapter 11.
While you’re finding that, let me remind our members that your deacon nominations are due this Wednesday. You should have received a packet of ballots in the mail. If you didn’t, just contact the church office—mistakes do happen—and be sure to turn in your nominations by Wednesday. Prayerfully consider whom God would have you nominate as you read over the list and the biblical qualifications. We’ve got great deacons here at Henderson’s First Baptist Church!
And again, I want to mention the free handout at all the exits this morning. Especially if you don’t have a study Bible and you want to know the background of all these people we’re reading about in Hebrews 11, this handout will be very helpful to you as you endeavor to read Hebrews 11 every day this coming week.
Last time we learned five (5) faith facts: faith works through imperfect people, faith means not having to know all the answers, faith is acting like God is telling the truth, faith is the means by which God does the impossible, and faith helps us live in this fallen world, sojourning on as pilgrims living in temporary housing.
And we learned those things largely from the lives of Abraham and Sarah, Abraham being the man referenced in the verse where we left off, verse 12: “Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”
God worked through this imperfect person, Abraham; an especially imperfect husband to his wife Sarah. Several of us met here yesterday for our quarterly “Grace Marriage” get-together to study God’s Word and learn how to be gracious husbands and wives.
Abraham was a great man of faith but he was an imperfect husband. You’ll remember he lied about his wife Sarah’s being married to him. However difficult some of the husbands in our church may be to their wives, I don’t know a wife yet who has said, “My husband twice tried to give me away!” God works through imperfect people. The writer here highlights Abraham’s faith in spite of his failures. Let’s look at the next passage, verses 13 through 16.
- Please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
13 These (immediately preceding; verses 8-12) all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them (NU,M omits “were assured of them”), embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
- Pray: “Our Father, that last verse alerts us to the possibility that we could live in such a way that You would be ashamed to be called our God. We don’t want that. We’re here today to learn how to live in such a way that you not be ashamed to be called our God. Help us to that end for our good and for Your glory through the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus our Lord, amen.”
I don’t often use props in my sermons but I kept thinking of this framed digital 3D art. I’ve shown some of you this before years ago in a sermon on forgiveness. Digital 3D art was all the rage when it first came out in the 90s. The way these things work is you look at all of these colorful dots and if you look long enough, and in the right way, you can see a picture in the frame.
So what looks like a mass of dotted confusion is actually a picture. You’ve got to get your eyes right to see it. And when you do, it’s like the light goes on and you smile and say, “Wow, I see it!” And in this picture, if you have “eyes to see,” you can see a picture of the resurrection. There’s a tomb here with a stone rolled away, a cross here, and the words “He Has Risen.” Not everyone can see this. You have to see it by looking at it a certain way.
I thought of this picture when I read this text because all of these people in Chapter 11 are people who look at things a certain way, living with eyes to see more than the world before them. They have “eyes of faith,” seeing promises, as verse 13 says, “not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off they were assured of them.”
Let’s go back though these four verses, my favorite passage in the whole chapter, and teach our way through them and then I’ll give three (3) takeaways after we have studied them.
13 These all (namely these in the previous verses 8-12, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob) died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them (NU,M omits “were assured of them”), embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
What does it mean that they “died in faith, not having received the promises?”
Abraham and Sarah were promised a beautiful land as an inheritance and innumerable descendants and yet all they had was Isaac when Sarah reached the ripe old age of 90 and Abraham at 100. So they died in faith, not having received the promises, but they believed God’s promises, living as sojourners, travelers and nomads moving from place to place through the land, never getting to see the Promised Land as a permanent home. Yet they embraced the promises, remaining faithful even to their death.
Here, then, is an example of living by faith. Recall the definition of faith in verse 1: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Abraham and the others looked forward in faith. So real was what they saw that you could say it was “substantial” and “evident.” Faith is the substance of things hoped for or longed for, the evidence of things not seen. Though the eyes of faith, it is seen; seen with crystal clarity. They could see the fulfillment of the promises and acted on them, acting as if God was indeed telling the truth.
And by their actions they lived out their certain faith, though they had not yet received the promises, they believed the promises, their lives thanking God for granting the substance of the promises to them.
Remember that if gratitude is thanking God after He does it, then faith is thanking God before He does it.
To thank God before He does it means that we take God at His Word. We believe His Word.
Remember the nobleman who had a son that needed healing and he took him to Jesus? Listen to this. Let me read it:
John 4:46-50:
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.
48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way.
Take God at His Word. Believe Him. If you can do that, then you can thank God before He does it.
Abraham and Sarah took God at His Word. As the writer says in verse 13 not only did they see the promises afar off, but “embraced them” or, as the ESV puts it: “having seen them and greeted them from afar,” as though Abraham could see all of his future descendants and could greet and welcome the promises as much as if he were greeting and welcoming each of his descendants by name! He saw them.
They lived by faith, their very lives a “thank you note” to God for His promises.
14 For those who say such things (confessing “that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth”) declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
JBP, “Men who say that mean, of course, that their eyes are fixed upon their true home-land.”
Hebrews 13:14, For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
Abraham could have gone back to Haran if he wanted. If all he were interested in was an earthly homeland, he could have re-traced his steps and gone back to Haran, back to his birthplace in Ur of the Chaldees in Greater Mesopotamia.
In fact, history indicates that Abraham’s hometown was an advanced city in many ways, having much more to offer than miles of sand, dust, and dirt, and tents; Abraham’s temporary housing. The writer seems to be encouraging the Hebrew Christians here that, no matter how difficult it may be on their journey in Christ, it will lead to a far better place than the place from which they left. In fact, he says in verse 16:
16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
By implication it seems that God is ashamed of some people, people who do not desire a better, heavenly country.
As we saw last week from verse 10: Abraham “waited for (or looked forward to) the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10).”
The last “Faith Fact” from last week was that “Faith helps us live in this fallen world.” I want to build on that application now by sharing:
**How to Live in the World as a Temporary Resident…
Three ways:
- Let the “hereafter” shape what you’re “after here”
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then the gospel assures you that you are headed to that “city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10).”
However many years you live here will be a short time when compared to eternity. And the Bible teaches that Christians either receive rewards or lose rewards based upon how they live as followers of Jesus. This is not earning our salvation. No one can earn his way to the kingdom. We enter into the kingdom of God as those who receive freely the water of life from Christ Jesus. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ. But once we are saved, we live our lives for Jesus. And we’ll receive or lose rewards in heaven based upon our faithfulness. 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
So let the “hereafter” shape what you’re “after here” in this fallen world. Don’t fall in love with this world.
Here is evidence of God’s grace at work within our hearts; that we are not too comfortable in this world. As long as we are alive we live as temporary residents living in temporary housing.
Don’t play the fool’s game of living for “the here.” Don’t live for your job, your career, nor even your family. These are important things and it’s not like we’re supposed to be hermits in this world. The point is not to love these things more than Christ and not to clutch to them as though our identity is wrapped up in this world. We are sojourners, pilgrims, temporary residents living in temporary housing. As Paul said in Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Don’t fall in love with this world. Remember the warning of Jesus when, in speaking of the judgment to come said, “Remember Lot’s wife!” It was Lot’s wife in the Book of Genesis who looked back longingly to the land of Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).
Don’t fall in love with the world. Let the “hereafter” shape what you’re “after here.” Spend time in God’s Word each day, read Hebrews 11 each day this week. Ask God to speak to you as you read His word. There’s light in the word of God, light to shine in the darkness of this world.
I’m afraid some of us may prefer the light of our TV to the light of Christ. We bask in the light of phones and screens instead of living in the true light of Jesus.
Let the “here after” shape what you’re “after here.” Secondly:
- See beyond your present circumstances
Remember that however bad it is here it will all be better there. No matter the trials and battles you have here, they’ll all be forgotten there.
God is working through all of our present circumstances—good and bad—to make us more like Jesus Christ. This is the point of Romans 8:28-29. In His children, in Christians, God works all things together for the good of conforming us to Christlikeness.
This is largely where the writer is headed after he mentions all these folks in chapter 11 who lived by faith. He’ll say in chapter 12, “Therefore we also, since we are surround by so great a cloud of witnesses…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” Then in verse 3: “For consider Him (Jesus) who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you also become weary and discouraged in your souls.” Verse 4: “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”
In other words, it hasn’t killed you yet, has it?! Your battles and struggles in this world, like your struggle against sin?
See beyond your present circumstances. Look to the joy set before you. Remember that however bad it becomes here, it will all be better there. Finally:
- Keep your eyes on Jesus; being captivated by Christ
Abraham moved forward by faith keeping His eye on the city which has foundations. He knew, as verse 16 concludes, that God “had prepared a city” for him.
And Jesus commends Abraham in a way that is even more praiseworthy. Jesus said that Abraham could even see the coming of the Messiah, the coming of Christ. Remember when the unbelieving Jews were arguing with Jesus in John 8? They spoke of their father Abraham and his greatness. And Jesus said in John 8:56, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Even Abraham had spiritual eyesight to look beyond his present circumstances and could see by faith the fulfillment of the promises of a coming Savior. “He saw it and was glad.”
Keep your eyes on Jesus; being captivated by Christ.
You’re either living with your eyes on Jesus or your eyes somewhere else. Some of you have got your eyes on the passing pleasures of sin, your eyes on pornography, recreational drug use or alcohol, your eyes on bad relationships, your eyes on your money, your investments, your stuff. Get your eyes off of sin and follow Jesus.
God created you to joy in Christ, to joy in Jesus, the Savior, the way, the truth, and the life! You can have life abundant and eternal in Jesus Christ.
Never forget you are a temporary resident here. This world is fading away. One day it will be completely remade. One day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. One day there will be, as Revelation 21 teaches, a new city, an eternal city where Christians will live forever and ever. We sojourn on until we reach that city.
All week long I’ve had this song playing in my head, “Sweet Beulah Land,” do you know that one? Written by Squire Parsons. The Gaither Vocal Band sings it often. It’s a song about sojourning on or traveling on through this temporary world, looking for the city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God. Beulah Land.
Beulah Land is mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah as the place God’s people will go to once they are freed from Babylonian exile (Isaiah 62:4). They once were “forsaken” but now they are “married (Beulah).”
In John Bunyan’s, Pilgrim’s Progress, Bunyan describes Beulah Land as a beautiful and peaceful place where sojourning pilgrims await entrance into the Celestial city.
The song goes:
I’m kind of homesick for a country
To which I’ve never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
For time won’t matter anymore.
Beulah Land, I’m longing for you
And some day on thee I’ll stand
There my home shall be eternal
Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land
I’m looking now, just across the river
To where my faith, shall end in sight
There’s just a few more days to labor.
Then I will take my heavenly flight.
We sojourn on until we reach that city, letting the “hereafter” shape what we’re “after here,” seeing beyond our present circumstances, keeping our eyes on Jesus; being captivated by Christ.
You know how I was able to finally see the image in this digital 3D art? The man at the kiosk in the mall said to me, “Rather than looking at it, try to look through it, like looking through a window.” And that did it! Looking beyond the mass of dots I was able to see this image out there, ahead, and was able to see depth and dimension. It was real now and I saw it by looking beyond the confusion.
Look beyond your present circumstances, like through a window, see the city up ahead. See the fulfillment of all of God’s promises in Christ. See beyond the confusion and see Christ.
- Let’s bow our heads for prayer.
With your heads bowed and eyes closed, know that every single one of us is either following Jesus or we’re following someone else. We’re either living for the Lord or living for the world. Take your eyes off sin, take your eyes off your circumstances, and look to Christ.
Some of you need to be saved this morning. Turn from sin in repentance and take hold of Jesus. You may say, “Well, how exactly do I do that? I have more questions about spiritual things.” I’d be honored to meet you after the service and talk with you, pray with you, that you may be saved. You can come forward in a moment when we sing.
Others of you want to be baptized or join the church. You too can come forward during our time of response and I’ll meet you up front here.
And even right where you are in the pews there as you sing our hymn of response. Let me encourage you to follow Jesus. Though none go with you, leave the world behind you, and follow Jesus.
“God, we thank You for preparing a city for those who live by faith and die in faith. Give us grace to live and die in Jesus Christ, in His name we pray, amen.”
Stand, sing, and respond however you need to respond.
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