FAITH IN A BETTER CITY

uh this morning i invite you to turn uh in the scriptures to hebrews chapter 11 hebrews chapter 11 and we're continuing our study in this great chapter in god's providence westminster seminary had a great conference over the weekend on this subject of faith and we now come to we looked at last time the first seven verses we are going to be moving to verses 8 through 10 so just three verses today can you believe that three verses and that but i will read through verse 16 so that you see the larger context here so beginning at verse a actual pick up at verse 1 and and then move down to verse 8 now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen for by it the people of old receive their commendation now verse eight by faith abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance and he went out not knowing where he was going by faith he went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land living in tents with Isaac, and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of the sand by the seashore these all died in faith not having received the things promised but having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that these were strangers and exiles on the earth where people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland if they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone 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 for them a city and there will end the reading of God's word well I was particularly struck this week as we're continuing in this great study of the book of Hebrews and come today to chapter 11. I was struck by something that that John Calvin said about this particular section and I want you just to hear it and I want it to set in just for a minute because I think it sets well what is before us and I think it helps us to see exactly what's happening in our particular passage this morning with Abraham. But here it is. I command you to go forth with closed eyes until, having renounced your country, you have given yourself wholly to me. How would that sound today? Close your eyes. I want you to go to a place that you have no idea of where I'm sending you. And you do it until you have fully renounced America. Oh, that's a little more uncomfortable, isn't it? That's a little bit more uncomfortable. Renounced America. And, listen to me, after having renounced America, you've given yourself wholly to me. Let that sink in. Feels a little bit radical. It's a little bit surprising. Can you even imagine it? Can you even imagine it? Well, this is where I want to spend some time now moving to Abraham. And I want to help us see and wrestle through some of the difficulties that this man faced. This is what's wonderful. The author here spends a lot of time on Abraham. He spends the most time on Abraham. He wants to spend the most time on Abraham. he finds him to be an incredible encouragement to us and a help to us in this life to study his life and to see what it is to live by faith and that's where we're beginning today our study of abraham just just a few verses of hebrews chapter 11 verses 8 through 10 and i don't want to um i want you just to kind of notice the outline of these three verses i think these three verses uh provide a very good outline for understanding what the author is doing here because you'll notice that he sort of seems to break off in the next section by talking about the faith of sarah and then comes back to this so i think he wanted this particular section to set in for a minute because it really is verse 10 is a a shocking verse so let's let's look at this considering then and you can kind of break it down by each verse his calling and his dwelling and his persevering and we're sort of building with that because the issue that you'll know in this book the author has been working with is the issue of perseverance or endurance that has been heavy on his mind he said that in the previous section that you have need of endurance what does that look like how do we endure in difficulty and in struggle and that's where we are today considering now Abraham and how he faced the many challenges of life and lived by faith and so that leads us at verse one to where we began last week where we considered and the ESV reads it this way translates it now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen and you'll remember he's not giving us some sort of exhaustive definition of faith here what he's doing is helping us to understand what faith looks like particularly what faith looks like under trial under testing under difficulty and he was expressing to us that faith is a great blessing from the lord it's a great gift of the lord he has given us something really special in this life to live by faith and it's not some sort a blind faith it's not an empty faith it it embraces and it receives and that's why we wrestled a little bit with the translation last week it receives the reality of the promises but why is that so significant well because they wanted to go back in the book to types and shadows so in all the ways you could translate uh verse one he really wants to emphasize that you've been and you have received by faith the reality who is Christ. You don't need the types in the shadows, which is what they wanted to go back to. They wanted to go back to Old Testament sacrifice and offering. Christ is the reality. Christ is the substance of all these things. Faith gives you Christ. Faith gives you access to him. You embrace him. You receive him by faith. And it confers and brings him to you and all the benefits that come with this, which are wonderful. The hope that you have. And that's why he helped us to sort of flesh it out a little bit more in the second part of that definition by saying, it's the strong conviction of what you do not see. So we looked at last time, faith celebrates. Faith celebrates the reality who's Christ of your hope. and it's a strong conviction of what you do not see right now see that's what we were working with that's what we spent our time with last time to look at hebrews 11 1 well now he he moves to abram after we've looked at briefly abel and then we looked at enoch and then we looked at noah in the prediluvian period before the flood now he's moving to the great father of faith abraham and And so you'll notice in verse eight, he says, by faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. The author wants us to consider the calling of Abraham. That's a big, a big word there that Abraham was called by God. So this calling was hugely significant for the text in Genesis chapter 12. And you remember, if you remember years and years ago, our study through Genesis, in verse 1 of Genesis chapter 12, this is what we have. Now the Lord said to Abram, go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. What land was that? We'll come back to that. I want you to ponder this just for a minute. God looked down of all the people in the earth at this time and he chose a Gentile pagan and he zeroes in on what was, who was effectively a moon worshiper named Abram. Out of the blue this text comes to us. We don't know much about him. We don't know anything about him. Just a little bit of genealogy to know that he comes from a very pagan world and he is an absolute pagan in worshiping the false gods on the other side of the river. And he comes to Abram. And he gives an effectual calling. He places his call on Abram's life. You are to leave and you are to come to me. And notice this, I want you to leave land and your country. They've done major archaeological excavations of Ur. It was a great place to live. It was a great place to live. Two great rivers provided a huge source of life for them. You had everything you could imagine in Ur. You had all kinds of produce. You had wealth. You had every kind of food. I mean, it was a good life in Ur. In fact, they pulled a body of a queen of Abram's time out of the ground recently, and she was wrapped in pure gold. Pure gold. You come to a land that I'll show you. That's it. That's the call. Sovereign call on his life. You leave your family, you leave your father and your mother and your sisters and your brother. You leave them all. Come to me, Abram. I'm going to show you a land. I want complete separation with your paths. Drop it. Come to me. Now, I think some of that might sound familiar. That's the kind of calls that we receive in the scriptures, don't we? These are the kind of the calls that Jesus gave. It was at the heart of Jesus' callings in the Gospels when he called people to follow him. And they were to leave. I mean, think of Matthew at the tax office, getting up and leaving it all and following Jesus. Think of all the calls that he came. And he would throw down these calls pretty heavily, wouldn't he? If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. And, of course, there were always a series of excuses in the Gospels of people who first wanted to go bury family. I want you to leave your past. I want you to leave everything that you know. You are to walk away from it and come. Which of course you know we would take in the New Testament looking at all the calls of what we are to leave in life from our former lives and see that it's a call to leave a life of sin and a life of everything, of walking and living in the darkness, a life of idolatry, a life of sexual morality. It's all that. Here's Abram. The conditions are not right. Leave a land of prosperity. Leave your father. And now you're calling me to come, but there is absolutely no certainty of the future. Where am I going? What am I going to do? Where's my economic certainty? If you sit down and you think about and meditate upon the call, it really is a shocking call. No one could ever do this. Just do this. Maybe someone has done it foolishly. A lot of people do foolish things, but to have some sense to it, right? None of us would just do this from an unnamed God that we don't even really know. You imagine saying to your wife, honey, we're moving. Where are we going? I don't know. How is this even possible? You would think this doesn't really feel like the great example show. It feels really shocking. faith is a gift of god isn't it i mean that's what ephesians 2 tells us that that by grace you've been saved through faith and that not of yourselves the whole thing it's it's a gift faith is a gift of god and it's not something we've ever worked up within us so clearly god had done something really wonderful for abraham god had given him faith and it's what the author of hebrews is beginning to wrestle with and wants us to think about here It's by faith that God's calling was heard. That that calling on life was even heard was by faith. And that we would follow wheresoever Christ leads us is by faith. The author wants us to think about it. He wants us to wrestle with this. He wants us to think of the marvel of this. The chapter is celebrating where God sent these people. It really is. The whole chapter kind of celebrates this. some went out and conquered kingdoms. Some went out and enforced justice. Some went out and stopped the mouth of lions. Some went out and became mighty in war. Others, though, went out and suffered flogging. Others were stoned. others were sawn in two that was isaiah you know that he was sawn in two they all went out not knowing the future now if you understand the context here and you understand this because the the hebrew christians did not want to accept the present moment that god was calling them to. This is the big point of this, I think, that the Hebrew Christians in the first century would not accept that God had called them to endure hardship. Rome was coming down on them. And they were called to stay the course. And they were called to follow Christ. They were called to remain believing in the gospel, weren't they? Realizing that all of life is appointed by God. all of life is appointed by God not only that we believe Philippians 1 says but also that it has been appointed that we suffer for his namesake I don't like that part what was happening to them they were ready to bolt they were running and we're not talking about just running from some circumstance to circumstance they were running from the gospel they were leaving christ this was what the book was warning about apostasy he was concerned about it that people were apostatizing and i think he's coming back because remember he said but we're not of those who do that who shrink back to perdition but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul he says i want to encourage you with abraham for a minute would you think upon him with me for a minute. How in the world could Abraham do this? Don't worry, I haven't developed this whole section yet. How in the world could Abraham do this? And he's not saying it as if to say, he's the great hero and you, you're just not quite as good as him. Not what his intention is. Before I answer this, let me, let me bake the picture just a little bit darker first because as dr godfrey always pointed out yesterday at the conference calvinists are good at that so we've got it and you guys aren't laughing they laughed over there what's the deal wake up wake up all right verse nine by faith he went out to live in the land of promise ready for this here it is as in a foreign land living in tents with Isaac and Jacob heirs with the same of the same promise now I believe the intended effect of that for the reader is to be what did we never consider this before did you not read Genesis 12 through 15 carefully before you're saying God put this big call on Abram. He made all these promises, but what was realized when he came to the land of promise was he lived in a tent. He lived in tents. How's that for the promise? Go to a land, go to where you're going to go, and you end up in Fresno in a tent. Leave your stability. Leave your rooted home. Leave your father and your mother and come to this land. I'll bless you. He gets there. He doesn't even get a foot of the land. In fact, in my study, The only land he ever really acquired was Sarah's burial tomb plot. That's all he got. All he got in that land was the cemetery piece. And then he had a world of other problems. How in the world could millions and millions of inhabitants be cleared? Well, you're studying Joshua, but he didn't see that. How in the world can millions of people, billions of people, how many people would it be in the history of the sand of the seashore in the kingdom of God would come from a wife who's barren? You explain how that works at her age? How in the world could from this one man all the nations of the earth be called blessed? That's impossible. verse 39 says he did not receive what was promised these all died verse 13 not having received the things that are promised now he's waiting to give a great encouragement to you with that point when he says the reason they haven't because he's not going to receive it apart from you you sitting here right now that's that's the last verse of hebrews chapter 11 which is the pinnacle of the whole thing which is meant to make us just fall in awe of God's promises but if you trace the the life of Abram there was nothing but problems and and he struggled with this he threw away his wife twice to another man he tried to to leave the promised land and take matters into his own hand even tried to bring about the seed himself with another woman what is this this this crazy life I've come to this land and there's nothing but idolaters here and there's there's nothing but conflict and there's nothing but problems and there's nothing but discouragement that's that's all I seem to know Lord and I just came from Haran for riches and happiness my guess is there are some here today who are not quite content with where god has them you know do we really believe that god appoints times and boundaries and the boundaries of our dwellings act 17 do we really believe that that where you are and where you go is really appointed anything in life see this in the church a lot people come in and it doesn't take long before they're gone because it required heart sacrifice. Anything in life requires that. It matters. But because we're not content, we take control of the place God brings us and we try to change the circumstance and the scenario and it just never really goes well. We struggle with contentment. Think of the variety of things that can make our current circumstances really difficult. And whatever it might be, we attempt to change the circumstance with the hope that we can finally find happiness again. We'll get it. I'm not suggesting, of course, hear me, that we cannot better ourselves or our circumstances in life. That's not what I'm saying. But if we're true, we are all struggling with contentment and the calling God has for us right now. when hardship comes, when the unexpected death comes, when everything else gives way, Psalm 46, the mountains are hurled in the midst of the sea. We're on a search. Not by faith, but by sight. Rarely do we ask, why has God brought me to this place? He would have said to Abraham, in your hardship, you're going to be a blessing to all the nations. But here you are today. Whatever circumstances called you to, whatever place you are. God has you exactly where he wants you. You're here. You're listening. And I think the basic question of Hebrews 11 is, do you realize God has placed a calling upon you? And you're not too much in control of how it goes. Christ said, come to me. And he gives you faith to come. When you keep reading, what you see from Abram is he kept going. He passed through the land. If you go through these verses in 12, 6, and 9, he was on a continuous journey. He was on a continuous journey. And beloved, that's wilderness life. We seem to think that God's calling in life by faith means glory now. We have not gotten over this. That's what the American church has taught us to believe. And this is the heart of the matter as to why Abraham is raised for us. How content are we with where God has us? Well, how did Abraham get through it? Maybe he wasn't so content in a right way. This is where Hebrews is. Nothing had gone well for Abram. What are we celebrating then? By faith, faith celebrates the reality of our hope and a strong conviction of what is not yet seen. What are we celebrating with Abraham? This is why I said last week, he's probably thinking about events in life. What gets us through? The thing's unseen. We have an unseen future. We can't even see glory. But the events that are coming are unseen. We don't know where we're going. We don't know where it's going to go. Abel was martyred. Enoch had a good go of it. What gets us through? I'm glad you asked. The Lord came and made promises to Abraham. After the call, this is what he said. And I will make of you a great nation. And I'll bless you. And I'll make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you. And him who dishonors you, I will curse. And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. I will, I will, I will, I will seven times. Seven promises. This is what I'm going to do for you. It's the summary of land and seed. It is an inheritance and it's Christ. That's yours. The seed is Jesus. And I'm going to make you a great nation. I'm going to bless you. My benediction and love is upon you, Abraham. Knowing exactly what you are and who you are. I will do this unconditionally with regard to you. Lord, what if I throw away my wife? I'll go get her. If I fail believing you along the way, I'll go get her. I'll deal with it. I'll bring you home. You will live by faith. Your name will be great. So how did he go forward? Here's the answer. By faith he went forward because he was looking forward to the city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. The summary of it all is verse 10. He went through life believing that wherever this call of God would lead him, wherever he went, he had need of endurance, they have need of endurance, you have need of endurance, that the way that he endured, now listen to me, this is so important for the text today, the way that he endured was to believe the promise that God was a master craftsman building him a city. A heavenly city. Established as a transcendent glory in heaven was awaiting him. And that God was building that, who is Christ. That's what Abraham rejoiced to see. This is what Abraham lived in light of. now faith is the reality of what we're hoping for connects you to that reality and it celebrates with strong conviction what is not seen what is not seen this city that awaits you do you know you have a city prepared for you you know god's constructed a place when he said in genesis 12 go to the place there's a play there that i will show you he wasn't talking about that land the dispensationalists are wrong he believed in a better land here's something interesting i never caught before he went and dwelled in tents with this mindset with isaac and jacob i paused there i never saw this jacob hadn't even been born yet i think the author's saying he lived and this is how he lived believing the same promise would be for all his future sons and daughters as he waited to see it and so verse 13 says not having received the things that were far off he saw them and greeted them from afar he saw by faith what's coming that's how he lived imagine the worst thing that could happen to you in life beloved how do you get through any of it well if america's our city are going to be pretty devastated. This city kills babies. This city's overrun with violence. This city's wicked. This city's fallen. This city's Babylon. It's fallen. God's city endures forever. No more sin. No more sorrow. No more death. And your loved ones will be there. I want you to live in light of that. This is when Voss wrote a whole book on grace and glory and heavenly mindedness. I want you to live in light of that. It's yours. That's what Christ has merited for you. That's what Christ has done for you. That's what his sacrifice has accomplished, which the whole book has been preaching to us. It's the reality. Faith confers that to your hearts so that even though you don't see it, you get to live a strong conviction wherever he has you today. That's what's ahead of you. That's what's coming in a short time. oh, it's just a short time. Faith looked at all the difficulties, looked beyond the difficulties, even though it had to walk through the difficulties, knowing Abram did, God had a purpose that would be fulfilled of him being a blessing. And that's the reason you're here today. It's really not about you. There's people involved in your life. And that's why he put you where you are today. So many people just bolt and run at any difficulty. our God is merciful and he wants you to live in this strong conviction today of that which is not yet seen that he gave you something to see by the way you know what he gave you to see today the bread and the wine you're going to come and partake of the supper now he's been preaching to you it's that which is not seen And yet, I think Jesus knew our great weakness so much, He said, I'm still going to give them something to see. When they hold up the bread and the wine, they're going to see my body and my blood given for them. And partaking in faith, you will truly see and receive the reality today. This is what the death of the mediator has secured. He who promised is faithful, and he cannot lie. So, believing sinners, come, come, come today to the table. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Amen. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for the gospel. Thank you for your favor. Thank you for training us in faith. Help us, Lord, to be believing. We're so weak, we confess it. we are thankful for your strengthening mercies by your spirit that we would live by faith and apprehend these promises and believe these things and receive what is intended today nourishment for our souls and the promise of the city that has foundations whose builder and maker is god in jesus name we pray amen