HEBREWS 11:8-162009 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: Hebrews 11:8-16

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2009. As we continue our study in the book of Hebrews, now the second part of Hebrews chapter 11, looking at the subject of faith. And faith is so important. We saw last week, because without faith, it is impossible to please God.

And so we want to be people of faith. We want to be people that are pleasing to God. And as we continue our study of faith this morning, there's some more examples for us that we could understand what faith is. And I would encourage you and challenge you to really look to apply these things to your life and figure out and understand how God wants to work out these things for

for you personally, in His relationship with you, and in your life here on this earth. I really like what David Guzik has to say about faith. He said this, Faith is very difficult when we live as practical atheists.

Faith is very difficult, he says, when we live as practical atheists. What is a practical atheist? Well, he goes on to say, this describes someone who may have a theoretical belief in God, but the belief does not matter in what they do from day to day.

So he shares that this is someone who has a, in theory, I believe in God. This is someone who professes to believe in God, but in what they do from day to day, there's no impact of God or God's truth in their life.

What they do from day to day really doesn't matter. So he says it's a practical atheist because in practicality, for their lifestyle as far as their life and their day to day activities are concerned, there's no real relationship with God. There's no real activities of faith. And so he says faith is very difficult.

If we live on a day-to-day basis that what we believe really doesn't matter and does not impact our life, well, we will not be able to live lives of faith, believing in God and trusting in Him. This morning, are you a practical atheist? For all intents and purposes, your life from day to day, does it demonstrate what you say you believe?

Is it full of evidence of the truth of God and His Word, the promises and instructions that He's given to us? Faith, I've shared with you, I've defined as obedience to God at His Word.

And although we use that, I use that kind of as an operating definition of faith, at the same time I acknowledge that faith cannot be summed down into two or three words in that sense. There's great aspects to it and that's why the author of Hebrews is spending a whole chapter giving us all of these examples that we might have an understanding of the type of faith that God calls us to have.

As we started out the topic of faith last week, as we started chapter 11, we learned first of all that faith is not invisible. That faith should have some tangible evidence, some substance in our lives. It's not just a thing that we can't see.

It's not just the theories and knowledge and information, but it should impact us. As James said, I'll show you my faith by my works, by the way that I live. My faith will be demonstrated by my lifestyle. And so faith is not invisible.

We also saw that faith produces a testimony. It produces a good testimony. It produces a witness, a proclamation of God. The truth of God, the truth of His Word, and what we believe about Him. It proclaims our relationship with Him to the world around us. And we saw that in the example of Abel as he offered an excellent sacrifice.

Because he had a relationship with God and he was obedient to Him. His testimony still speaks to us this day. Last week we also saw that faith pleases God. And we saw this in the example of Enoch who walked with God. He walked with God and we equated that with diligently seeking God. And so as we're looking at this subject of faith, it impacted his life.

It wasn't just something in theory, but he really walked with God and he had a daily relationship with the Lord and he was pleasing to God up until the day that God raptured him and took him and caught him up to be with him and he did not die. We also saw the example of Noah as we learned that faith is obedience to God at his word.

And Noah, he moved with godly fear. When God told him about the coming judgment, the coming danger upon the world, he responded. He was obedient. He spent a hundred years building the ark out there in the wilderness where they had never heard of rain and never experienced flood. He was obedient. It impacted his life. There was evidence. It produced something in his life.

And so we see these elements of faith and the importance of faith in their lives, but we continue on this week with some more examples. We have the example of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob, as well as the example of Sarah. As we continue on in verses 8 through 16, we have five points about faith. Five more things for us to consider and to challenge our hearts. And again, I would ask you and challenge you to consider, are you a practical atheist?

Do these elements of faith manifest themselves in your life? Point number one this morning. Faith obeys when called. Look at verse 8. Verse 8 says,

Here in verse 8, the author brings up the example of Abraham.

And he points back to Genesis chapter 12, verses 1 through 9. This account where Abraham was called by God to leave. He was dwelling in Ur of the Chaldees, over kind of in the area of Babylon or modern day Iraq. And he was over there and God says, I want you to leave. Leave your family, leave all your friends, leave everything here behind and go. But the catch was, God said...

I'm not going to tell you exactly where you're going until you get there. So I want you to go to the place that I will show you. And so Abraham left even though he did not know where he was going. He left even though he didn't know where he was going to end up and what all of this would mean ultimately. He didn't have all of the details yet.

He went. Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. He obeyed. This is something that is very important about faith because God very seldomly gives us all the answers in advance. It's very rare that He gives us all the details and the whole map and all of the instructions and all of the information that we would like to have before we even start the journey.

Very, very seldomly does he do that. What he does most often is he gives us the first step. I want you to leave. I would ask you to put yourself in Abraham's sandals for a moment. God speaks to you. He says, I want you to leave. Leave Corona. Leave everything you've known, this area that you've grown up in or whatever. Leave, but I'm not going to tell you where you're going to go. And so you pack up the U-Haul. You get all ready to go and your friends and your family are saying,

But where are you going? Well, I don't know. Well, what are you going to do for gas? I mean, what about a job? What are you going to do? I don't know. I mean, I think some of your family would probably try to have you committed to some type of institution or something, right? Because you've got to have a plan. You have to have something figured out. You can't just go out there and just go because...

You think God said, but this is what Abraham did. This is what God called Abraham to do. And I suggest to you, this is what God could still call any one of us to do anytime He pleases. Because God does not require anything of us that He's not required of the generations before us. He requires the same thing that is for us to, well, to obey when we are called. To obey when we are called. Now,

Let me make sure I make this clear. Just because something is crazy or sounds ridiculous or you don't know how it will work out, that does not make it faith. We can do a lot of stupid things and have no idea how it's going to work out. And that's not necessarily faith. Faith is...

What Abraham did here, Abraham obeyed when he was called. He didn't know the answers. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't have all the information. What he did know is God spoke to him and called him to go. And faith is obedience to that call. Faith is obedience to that instruction that's given by God. And so when you are called, you are to obey. That is faith.

That is what we are called to do. Now, very often we like to have all the answers and we want to know how it's all going to work out. And sometimes it's so that we can decide then, if I know the end result, then I can decide whether or not I want to go down that path.

But faith is completely trusting in God and believing God to provide, to meet our needs, to take care of us in big things, in little things, in areas of life, in areas of employment, in areas of ministry, whatever category or part of your life you want to consider. Faith is being obedient to the call of God in our lives and the instruction that He has given to us. Are you being obedient?

to those things which God has called you to do. We're to be walking worthy of the calling with which we've been called or the calling which we've received. We're to walk worthy of that calling. We're to be obedient as God speaks to us. And that applies to general instruction and general commands that we have in the Word, which apply to every believer, every Christian. We have scriptures and commands that are given to us that apply to every one of us.

And that's part of our call. We've been called to make disciples. Are you being obedient? Are you being faithful? Are you obeying that call in your life? We've been called to walk in the Spirit. Are you being obedient? Are you being faithful? We've been called to serve and minister to the world around us. We've been called to be a servant of all, Jesus said. We've been called to deny ourself. We've been called to enter into His presence and serve.

Spend time with Him there in the throne room of God. We've been given all of these general instructions throughout the scriptures that apply to all of us corporately and individually. Faith obeys when called. But then we've also been given personal instruction, personal commands. Some of our missionaries you might be familiar with and

You might have been a part of God speaking to them. You might have been a part of as they're sharing and saying, Hey, God's been speaking to my heart and He wants me to go to Virginia. And God gave some personal instructions, some personal commands. In the same way for us, the general instruction, the personal instruction, those things that are just for us,

Faith is obedience when called in those areas. Whatever God speaks to us, however He speaks to us, faith is obedience to that call. Whether it is moving to Virginia or Okinawa or Italy or somewhere else in the United States or wherever. Or it doesn't have to be that dramatic. Sometimes, maybe you've experienced this, where you're in a situation where there's someone over at a table and they're

Well, they're sobbing, they're crying, they're definitely troubled, it's apparent, and the Lord begins to speak to your heart. Why don't you go and comfort that person? Why don't you go and encourage them? Why don't you go share my love with them and tell them about me? And we begin to think to ourselves, well...

I don't know what to say. I don't know that person. I'm not really good around people. I'm not sure how I can comfort them. I don't even know what the problem is. And we come up with all these reasons why we cannot. All these reasons why we shouldn't. We begin to think, well, I'm sure there's someone else. I can just pray for them. And there's someone else that's better equipped and maybe trained to be able to handle these kinds of situations. And God can use them. And I'm just going to pray for

But the whole time God's speaking to your heart, why don't you go? Why don't you go? See, faith is obeying when called. And you and I can think, but I don't know what I'm going to say. And God says, well, how about this? How about go? And then I'll tell you what you need to say when you get there.

Well, I want to know ahead of time what I need to say. I want to know ahead of time what I'm supposed to share. And I want to know in advance. And I want to have all the seven points and have it written out and have my notes. I mean, I want to be prepared for this. I want to know in advance. But, well, God doesn't always operate that way. Sometimes He calls us there on the spot to go and meet someone's needs and care for someone and share with someone. Faith obeys when called.

Or maybe God says, you need to quit your job. And you say, what?

I can't do that. I have another one lined up. You know, we begin to try to justify it with some Christian terms. You know, I need to be a good steward and I need to be responsible. Yeah, those things are true, but not at the expense of being disobedient to God. Hey, if God calls you, you need to be obedient. Well, what's going to happen and how is it going to be resolved and how are my bills going to get paid and we have all the questions. God says, faith obeys.

when you're called, when God speaks, when God gives the instruction, whether it's general, whether it's personal, even if we don't have all the answers, faith is obedient. Trusting in God completely to provide, to meet the needs, to give us the words, whatever the situation calls for. Faith obeys when called. Let's be people of faith. Let's hear from God as we walk with Him and He speaks with us. Let's take those steps.

And some of them might be life-changing. Some of them might be that dramatic. But most of the time, it's simple things. It's little things. Areas that He's called us to reach out in. Areas where He's called us to be obedient. Areas that He's called us to clean up. Faith obeys when called. The second thing we find here in this passage this morning is that faith dwells in the land of promise. Look at verse 9 and 10.

It says,

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all given the same promise by God. The promise that the land of Canaan would be the inheritance for their descendants. And so Abraham had Isaac and

And God passed on this promise to Isaac. Isaac had Jacob. God passed on this promise to Jacob. And so Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob dwelt in the promised land. Although they never owned land, they didn't have kingdoms and cities there in the promised land. It was inhabited by other nations. They dwelt there in tents because God had said, in the future...

Your descendants will inherit this land. Your descendants will dwell there. And so they dwelt in the land. It says, by faith he dwelt in the land. And they were dwelling in tents. And so since we want to be people of faith, we've decided you should sell your house and move out of your apartment. And we're going to set up a campground here in the church parking lot. And we're just going to dwell in tents so that we could be people of faith.

No, of course we're not going to do that. Does it mean that we're all supposed to dwell in tents? No. What it's about is it's about obedience. It's about obedience.

It's about obedience to God. God told him to go. He told him, I'm going to make you a sojourner and later on your inhabitants are going to inherit this land. It's not yet. It's 400 years later. But Abraham dwelt there believing the promise of God. He was there right then even though the promise was not ultimately fulfilled until many years later. And so he dwelt as in a foreign country dwelling in tents.

The word dwelt, it means to be a resident alien. It's one who lives somewhere but does not have a permanent status there.

For you and I, I think we would relate to, you know, it's like living out of a suitcase. That's how they lived. They were just mobile. They were ready whenever God wanted to move them, they could move. They weren't attached. They weren't really rooted and built up. They were not established there in the sense of they hadn't built a kingdom or a city. But they were just, they were living there in faith.

Knowing that God had made a promise and that it was going to come to pass. It had not yet, but they believed it. And so they were living there in the land, even though they did not see that promise fulfilled yet. In the same way, you and I have been given promises by God and we're to live today according to those promises.

We've been given the promise of the return of Jesus Christ. And so we're to live today believing that promise and having a lifestyle that represents and shows and demonstrates that we believe that promise. We've been given the promise of eternity with God and so much like Abraham, we are to dwell here in tents.

Not that we have to have a literal tent, but that we're not establishing our kingdom here on this earth. That's not what life is about. But we realize and we understand and we dwell here not having a permanent status. We're like resident aliens because we know our citizenship is in heaven. And we're going to be there and that's what counts and that's what matters. It's eternity that is most important. And so we're to dwell and to live right now

Holding fast to and knowing that that promise will be fulfilled in the near future. Now, consider Abraham for just a moment. God specifically told Abraham, your inhabitants, I'm sorry, your descendants are going to go to Egypt. They're going to be there for 400 years. And then they're going to come back and inherit the land. And if I was Abraham, I would consider Abraham

What does it matter if I live here then if it's not going to be till 400 years later that my descendants will inhabit this land? Why is it so important for me to live here? Maybe I could move somewhere that's a little bit more comfortable, you might think, or he could think. Maybe I could, you know, go back here or go to this place and enjoy that. Why do I need to dwell in a tent? Why can't I build my house somewhere and get established somewhere? And

He could have lots of reasons to think about, yeah, it's not so important. But God said it was. God had given him instruction. And so he dwelt in the land of promise. He lived in the promises of God. He lived believing the promises of God. And it says he was waiting for a city which has foundations. He didn't get established. He didn't get tied down because, well, he didn't find the city that he was looking for. The city that God had built was,

He didn't find it yet. And so he waited patiently. He dwelt in a tent until he could find that city. Now, we could ask ourselves, what city does not have foundations? I mean, how can you have a city without some type of foundation, without it being built upon something? All cities have foundations. The problem is, what Abraham was looking for was not a temporary foundation. You remember what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4?

There he teaches us, he shares with us, that the things which are seen are temporary. The things which are unseen are eternal. And so Abraham was looking for a city which has foundations. All cities have temporary, visible foundations. But he was looking for a city with eternal foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are examples for us of faith.

Because they dwelt in tents. They dwelt there in the land that they did not own, that they did not possess, that was not theirs, as resident aliens, because God had promised that one day they would inherit this land. And so they lived right now, believing the promises. Their lives showed that they believed the promises of God.

And it's a challenge for us to dwell in the land of promise, to live today in the promises of God, to believe them and live accordingly. The promise that we have access to God by faith in Jesus Christ. Let's dwell, let's live in that promised land, spending time with God, entering into the presence of God.

Again, these things apply to some general promises that God has given to all believers. The promise of His return, the promise of us being with Him forever and ever, the promise of entering into His presence and many other promises that we could look at. But it also applies to personal promises.

As you spend time with the Lord, as you walk with God, God gives you some personal promises. He speaks to your heart and He shares with you some things that He wants to do and some things that He will do for you in your life. Dwell in the land of promise. Live today showing that those promises are true, that you believe God, that you receive the promises of God and that you walk in them. It's by faith. Faith dwells in the land of promise.

Number three this morning, faith receives strength. Look at verse 11. By faith, Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child when she was past the age.

because she judged him faithful who had promised. 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. Here he goes on now and he gives us the example of Sarah, looking specifically at Genesis chapter 21. Sarah received strength to give birth to Isaac. And so we have the example

Principle that faith receives strength. Now, this is an amazing miracle if you're not familiar with it. Abraham and Sarah were given a promise that through them would come a multitude of descendants. That through them, their descendants would be so many that they could not be numbered. It would be equivalent to the stars in the sky or the sands of the seashore.

That's quite a lot of descendants. And so you would think that having that type of promise and that many descendants are going to be coming from them, you would think then that they would have had, you know, 20, 30 kids. But the reality is they're up in age. She was 90 years old when she gave birth to her first and only child. One child. We might think that it's not a great way to, you know, kind of begin the fulfillment of the promise. Like, well, one child, okay.

That one child went on to have two children, Jacob and Esau. I can still count on this. One, two, three. Not a big start. But then, of course, Jacob, also named Israel, had twelve. And then those twelve had many more. And God grew them into a great nation there in the land of Egypt. And He brought them back into the Promised Land. And this promise was fulfilled through them. There's been descendants that are innumerable. As many as the stars in the sky.

and it's still counting, still growing. This promise has been fulfilled. But what an amazing miracle, what an amazing start to the fulfillment of this promise. Because she, well she was past the age of childbirth. She was 90 years old. Not only was she 90 years old, but she'd been married a long time and she hadn't had children prior to that. She was barren. And God gives her a promise in her old age, you're gonna have a child. What would you think?

What would you consider? What would be going through your mind? You're old enough to be a great grandmother, but you don't have one child, and God says, I'm going to give you a child. What would be going through your heart and your thoughts? But it tells us that she judged him faithful who had promised. See, it's not so important how difficult the promise is. What's more important is the faithfulness of the one who made the promise.

And so it didn't matter so much how impossible it seemed, it mattered more how faithful is God. And if God is faithful, well then it doesn't matter how difficult or how impossible it may seem, He's faithful. And so she judged Him faithful, she believed. And so she received strength to conceive seed and she bore a child, even though she was past the age. We have this incredible example of Sarah.

And I think God gave us these kinds of examples, these accounts, so that we have no excuses. Because what has God asked you to do that is more difficult than it is for a 90-year-old barren woman to have a child? What has God asked me to do that is harder than that? Well, I need a job. Well, that's not harder than a 90-year-old barren woman having a child. Well, I need a place to stay. Well, that's not more difficult than a 90-year-old woman bearing a child.

And we could look at all the examples of our lives. I mean, we face some difficulties and some things we would consider to be impossible. But here we have this incredible example where she didn't get caught up in the impossibility of the promise, the impossibility of the task. Instead, she judged Him faithful. God is faithful. She believed God to be faithful. And so she was able to receive the promise. She received strength.

in order to accomplish that which God said that he would do in her. What has God asked you to do? Because whatever it is, God's strength for that to be fulfilled is there. You just need to receive it. He's faithful. He gives you, along with the calling, he gives you everything that you need to be able to fulfill that calling. Maybe not in the timing that you desire it, that you want it, but he gives it to you.

Again, there's someone there, there's someone in need. God says, go and speak to that person. And you say, oh, I can't do that. We start to be like Moses. Don't you know I stutter and I'm not really good with my words and I don't know a lot about this or that. And God says, I have everything that you need for that conversation that I'm calling you to. You just need to receive it. Will you judge him faithful? Will you be obedient and go and trust him to be faithful to his promise?

Remember Paul said in Philippians 4.13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Receive strength by faith in God, judging Him to be faithful. Don't get so caught up and consumed with the difficulty of what He's calling you to do. Instead, be consumed with the faithfulness of the One who has promised. And so God speaks to you and He says, I want you to go and serve in children's ministry and teach the kids.

And you and I could think, man, I'm not good at that and I don't have that kind of personality and I don't have the patience and I don't have the endurance and I don't know how to study and I can't even really tell stories that well. And we can come up with all the reasons and look at all the difficulties of why that's impossible. Instead, respond to the call. Be obedient. Judge Him to be faithful and receive strength to do the impossible. God says, go and make disciples.

Teach people to walk with me, to have a relationship with me. And we come up with all kinds of reasons why we can't, why that's impossible.

How, you know, we're not perfect in our own selves and how we mess up here and there and how these people, well, they don't like to hear what we have to say and we try to disciple them and they don't receive it and it's difficult and it's impossible and so we disqualify ourselves and we discourage ourselves and we pull ourselves out and we decide ahead of time we can't even do it and so we don't do it.

God says, faith receives strength. Those who have faith receive everything that they need to do what God has called them to do. So go do it. Receive the strength that is found in Jesus Christ. You can do all things that He's called you to do. God says, forgive. Even as I've forgiven you, forgive one another. And this is a difficulty for many. It's a huge stumbling block at times in our lives.

You know, there's those that have hurt us deeply, that have wounded us terribly, that, well, the bitterness has grown up and we just, man, it's impossible. We're not able to forgive. We cannot forgive. In fact, we refuse to forgive. We consider it impossible. That is not going to happen. I cannot keep that command. Yet God commands it. What does that mean? He gives you everything you need to accomplish it. Receive strength by faith.

God says, be a man or woman of integrity there in the workplace. And we say, oh, it's so hard. You know, they're around my co-workers and I'm going through these things and there my boss is putting pressure and it's so difficult and I have to compromise and I just, I have to. It's so difficult. It's impossible to really stand up and do what's right in the workplace. God says, do all things as unto the Lord Jesus Christ.

He gives you the command, He gives me the command, and therefore He gives us everything that we need. By faith we need to receive that strength. We need to receive the resources that He's given to us. We can do the impossible if that's what God has called us to do. And if He's commanded us, if He's spoken to your heart, rest assured, He's given you everything that you need. Receive it. Walk in it. Be obedient. Faith receives strength. Number four.

Faith is openly declared. Faith is openly declared. Look at verse 13 and 14. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

It caused me to ask the question, does my life declare plainly that I seek a homeland? Does my life declare? Is it apparent? Is there a proclamation going forth from my life that I'm seeking a homeland? That I'm a stranger and pilgrim on the earth? There's a sticker that's very popular around here. You've probably seen it around. It's there on the board. N-O-T-W.

stands for not of this world. Not of this world. That is an awesome proclamation. I'm not of this world. We're strangers and pilgrims here on the earth. The author of Hebrews says, these all died in faith, not receiving the promises. They died and yet they didn't get to see the fulfillment of those things that God had told them was going to happen. Instead,

They saw them afar off. They saw them from a distance. I think this is something important to consider as well. Sometimes we start out in faith, but we lack endurance. Remember at the end of chapter 10, the author of Hebrews said, you have need of endurance. In chapter 12, he's going to say, run the race with endurance.

Sometimes we start out in faith, we start out believing God, but things don't happen the way that we think they're going to happen, or they don't happen according to the timeline that we were hoping. And so, well, sometimes it's very easy for us to give up. But we need to understand that, well, faith is about believing God and His Word. It's about obeying Him and His commands. Whether or not we see the fulfillment of those promises, whether or not we see the fulfillment of it,

That's not so important. What is important is that we be people of faith, that we be obedient. Some of the things that God has promised you, you might not see in your lifetime. Some of the things that God has commanded you to do, you might not see the fruit and the result of that in your lifetime. You know, like Abraham, he was commanded to go to the land that God would show him and he dwelt there in tents.

But the people weren't going to inhabit the land for 400 years later and he could think, well, what does it matter then? Why would I go there? Why go through that trouble? The fruit of his obedience was manifested 400 years later when his descendants move into the land as God promised. In the same way, you and I, if we say, if we agree, we're believing in the faithfulness of God and we believe in eternity and this life is

Well, this life is to be lived in order to store up treasure in heaven and to impact other people's lives that they might have right relationship with God. If that's what life is all about, if that's the importance of this life, well, then let's live this life according to that. Whether or not we see the fulfillment of those things, we can see them afar off and live accordingly today. Faith is believing God at His word.

Whether we see the fulfillment or not. Don't give up if it's been a year. Don't give up if it's been five years or ten years. Be faithful. I don't know about you, but I want to hear the Lord say, well done, good and faithful servant. It's not so important that it was fulfilled. It's more important that we be faithful with what He has given to us and what He has called us to do. The author of Hebrews says, they saw them...

that is the promises afar off, they were assured of them, which means that they were persuaded, they believed, and so they embraced them, they embraced the promises of God, they held fast to the promises of God, and then they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

This is another great example of what faith is. Seeing the promises afar off, but believing them right now and embracing them right now. Living our lives today, believing those promises as if those promises are already completely fulfilled in our lives. And the result will be a confession. That word confess, it means to declare openly or to speak out freely. It will be a bold proclamation, an open declaration.

that we seek a homeland, that we are not of this world. In Philippians chapter 3, Paul the Apostle talks about the enemies of the cross of Christ, and he lists some things about them, but he ends by saying, those who set their mind on earthly things. The enemies of the cross of Christ are those who set their mind on earthly things. And he gives the contrast in verse 20 of Philippians 3, our citizenship is in heaven.

from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Colossians 3.1, he tells us, if you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. You and I as believers in Jesus Christ, we're to be looking up. We're to have an open declaration of our faith, which says that we're pilgrims here. This isn't our home.

We're not trying to build heaven on earth. We're not trying to build our kingdom here. Instead, we're storing up treasure in heaven. We're building the kingdom of God. And again, going back to what David Guzik said about faith. He says, faith, you know, it's difficult whenever we are practical atheists. That is, that we live our lives on a daily basis with what we believe or what we say we believe really having no impact.

And so I would challenge you. Faith is not invisible. Is this kind of faith in place in your life? Is it openly declared by the way that you live that you are seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness? That you are seeking a homeland? That you're a stranger and pilgrim here on the earth?

And I've been challenged by this. As I continue to meditate on these things, I kind of pass them on to you. I don't mean to make anybody feel guilty or bad about their life or anything like that, but just some things that God has been challenging me with that I pass on to you. How many of us have things in our garages, in our closets, not being used, that we bought impulsively,

using some type of credit. And now we pay interest on that purchase every month for that thing that we don't use. And I would ask you to consider of those things, and I bet you we could add them up, and we could kind of figure out that, you know, with the interest that I'm paying on these things that I don't use, that I bought impulsively, I pay every month. I could have been supporting a family, putting food on their table. Around the world, I mean, $20...

$20 a month in interest, it's not really a lot for us. It's like, okay, that's not bad. It's pretty good. But $20, that can make a huge impact around the world for the kingdom of God. Again, not, hey, you've got to stand before the Lord. I don't know what God has called you to do. You're called to be obedient to the Lord. But it's just something that God has been challenging me with and causing me to consider. Does my life demonstrate, does it declare plainly that I'm seeking a homeland?

I'm seeking the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven. I'm not of this world. Is it a little bit ironic when you see, and again, between you and the Lord, this has nothing to do with us, but is it a little bit ironic for an $80,000 car to have a not of this world sticker? I mean, that's quite an investment in this world for not being of this world.

But that's between you and the Lord. You're called to be obedient. I'm saying not all of us are called to have a $500 Toyota Corolla. I'm not saying that. We're not all called to dwell in tents. You need to be obedient to what God has spoken to you. But it's a good check and challenge for our hearts as we live in this society that we get so caught up in this world and it's so easy to get tangled and wrapped up in it that we should challenge our hearts and challenge ourselves.

Does my life declare, does it openly proclaim that I'm seeking the kingdom of God? That I'm looking for eternity, that I'm looking to build the kingdom of God and not my own kingdom in this life. Faith is openly declared and the declaration is we're strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Number five, faith focuses on eternity. Faith focuses on eternity. Look at verse 15.

And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 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. He says, if they had called to mind the country from where they'd come out, they would have had opportunity to return. Faith forgets the past.

and looks forward to eternity. They looked forward to that kingdom or that city whose maker and builder was God. And he says if they would have, they could have looked back and thought about what they used to have amongst their old friends and their old lifestyle. They could have had an opportunity to return.

Much like the children of Israel, as they're there in the wilderness, and God's providing for them, but they're not real happy with His provision, and so they think, man, remember when we were in Egypt and how wonderful it was, and man, we had melons and fish and all the luxuries that we wanted. Everything was so wonderful when we were in Egypt.

And like us, you know, they conveniently forgot that they were in bondage and enslaved and, you know, that's kind of a minor thing. But we had all these wonderful things back before when it was so great and so wonderful.

They called to mind when Moses brought them to the edge of the promised land and they're about to go in, but the ten bad spies, they say, well, oh my goodness, there's giants and we're not able to overcome. And they sway the people and the people say, well, let's pick a leader and let's go back to Egypt. Let's forget this whole thing.

In the same way, these examples that we have before us, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Sarah, if they had called to mind, if they would have considered, they would have had opportunity to go back and be with their families and live what they might have considered to be better lives. But they desired a better. That is a heavenly country. And so he says, therefore, because they had this attitude and this heart, God is not ashamed to be called their God.

For He has prepared a city for them. You and I, we have the same situation. If we call to mind, we have opportunity to return. We have an opportunity to go back into this world and get caught up in the things of this life. And it's very easy for us to do so. But let's desire a better that is a heavenly country. Jesus said, "Whoever puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God."

There's some real dangers with going back. There's some, well, there's some serious warnings that God gives about returning. Faith focuses on eternity. And those who continue, like Paul said, forgetting the things which are behind, but pushing forward to know Christ, to know the power of His resurrection, pushing forward to the things which are ahead. He says, therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God.

God, later on, after these men had long gone from this earth, God introduced Himself and proclaimed Himself as the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. He was not ashamed to be called their God. He proclaimed Himself to be their God because they were people of faith. They believed Him at His word. They were obedient and they focused, even though they had opportunity to go back, they focused on what He had promised them.

And so they desired that better, that heavenly country. And so God is not ashamed to be called their God. It reminded me of the words of Jesus in Luke chapter 9. He said, If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And then he goes on to say, whoever desires to save his life will lose it. Whoever loses it for my sake will save it. What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost? And then he says, for whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory and in his Father's and of the holy angels. Jesus said, if you want to come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.

Yes, you could go back. You could try to gain the whole world. But what value is it for you to gain the whole world and lose your own soul? What value is it to be ashamed of me, pretend you don't know me, and try to live a life of being ashamed of me and then lose your soul? He says, whoever is ashamed of me and my words, I'll be ashamed of him. God says of these, they desired a better that is a heavenly country.

Therefore, I'm not ashamed to be called their God, because they believed God, His promises, and they kept their focus on eternity. They were seeking first the kingdom of God, and it was demonstrated by their life. And so I close with that challenge from the beginning. Are you a practical atheist? On a daily basis, from day to day, does your life demonstrate? Is there evidence of faith?

Faith obeys when called. When God speaks to you, when He calls you, when He prompts your heart, believe Him. Be obedient. Step out. Even if you don't have all the answers, just as Abraham went out and he didn't know where he was going and how it was all going to happen, but he went. Hey, when God speaks to you, go out. Do it. Be obedient. Faith dwells in the land of promise. Just as they dwelt in tents, believing God that one day

Their descendants would inhabit the land. Dwell in a tent. Have a light grip on the things of this life. Knowing that one day you're going to be in heaven for the rest of eternity. And this life is but a vapor. Live right now accordingly. Live right now according to that promise. This is not where it's at. Seek first the kingdom of God. Faith receives strength. Some of the things that God asks you to do.

and will prompt you to do. Some of the things that God commands us to do in His Word seem impossible. They seem difficult. Seems like we could never do it. It could never happen. I couldn't do that. Receive strength to do the impossible. God's given you everything that you need. Faith is openly declared. Openly declared. Let your life be an open declaration.

Like Jesus said, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Live your life in such a way that it's an open declaration, the reality of God, the truth of Him, the truth of relationship with Him that is available through Jesus Christ. And faith focuses on eternity. Look up. Your redemption draws nigh. Look not to the things which are seen, those are temporary, but look at the things which are unseen.

Those are the things which are eternal. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you would help us to be people of faith. Help us, God, to trust in you and believe in you. Help us, Lord, to be obedient when you speak to our hearts. Lord, to put aside our doubts and worries and fears and our need to know every detail in advance. God, help us to have real faith. It's easy to say we have faith, Lord, and then not do anything about it when you actually give us instruction. But Lord, help us.

not to be fakers. Help us not to go back into the world and live the lifestyle of the world, but help us, Lord, to be pilgrims and strangers here on the earth, knowing that you've promised to us an eternal life with you. Help us, God, to seek first your kingdom. Help us, Lord, to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, to not be so rooted and ground to this life. May you be glorified in us. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.