Sermon: Strangers and Exiles

I take copy of God's word this morning. We're gonna turn open to the book of Hebrews as we continue our way through that book. Hebrews chapter 11

this morning, verses 13 through 16. As we continue our way through this hall of fame of faith, it's often called,

if you use in the Pew Bible, you can turn to page 1008 and the Pew Bible. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 13 through 16 this morning,

let's pray before we open God's word together.

Father, we do pray this morning in all humility that you would come to us a fresh and anew by the power of your spirit and the truth of your word.

You would open ears, you would make minds fertile soil.

You would make hearts malleable. She would enliven spirits.

She would stir our affections for you and the things of you this morning,

I thank you that you are a God who speaks,

that you speak with your authoritative, commanding true voice. Speak to us today in Christ's name, amen.

Hebrews chapter 11, verse 13 through 16. This is the holy and errand sufficient word of God.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they're seeking a homeland. They had been thinking of that land from which they'd gone out, they would've said 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 where he's prepared for them. City, though the grass withers and the flower fades, the word of God is forever. Thanks. Speak to God. Amen.

Everything that is moving is aimed at something. A car is moving. It's aimed at something, a Judd airplane that goes through the sky. Moving is aimed at something. A ball that is rolling down a hill is aimed at something, and so it's true of us. None of us in this room, we're watching or sitting in the room over there. None of us are static. We're moving through this hour. We're moving through this day, moving through life.

The question is, is what is it that we're aimed at? You aimed at? You're aimed at something. Now, we may not have given a lot of thought to it or we may have just given a little thought to it, maybe as much thought as, I'm just trying to get to that nap this afternoon aimed at that, But you're aimed at something because everything is that's moving.

So the question is, is what are you aimed at?

Not what you want to be aimed at, not what you think your Sunday school teacher would say you should be aimed at. What are you actually aimed at?

The writer of Hebrews here pauses to consider what the patriarchs were aimed at For 12 verses. The author has walked through the faith of these patriarchs and right in the middle of the Abraham story, he stops with what feels like a kind of interlude, but it's really not an interlude. I want you to see what he's doing here. He's given us the story of Abraham. Abraham being called by God out of the earth, the Aldis and out Abraham goes by faith,

and then we have that Abraham receiving that promise of Isaac and he receives that promise by faith and on we go through these verses regarding Abraham here in Hebrews chapter 11, but if we drop down verse 17, you'll see that he picks the story back up with Abraham by faith. Abraham offers up Isaac as a sacrifice and we'll look at that next week, verse 17 and all that follows in the verses immediately after that are all consumed with this idea

of Israel returning back to the promised land. It's centered upon that. And so what the writer of Hebrews is doing is he's stopping us right here because in verse 12, we have Abraham settled in the promised land and so he stops for what feels like a kind of interlude that isn't an interlude. Why? Because he doesn't want us to miss what Abraham was aimed at. So he stops. He Doesn't want you to think that because Abraham has arrived in the promised land in Canaan

that he's arrived. He doesn't want you to think that Abraham thinks that he's arrived because he's in the promised land because Abraham doesn't think that way. Canaan was not his goal. That's not what he was aimed at. The writers making it clear whether the patriarchs were in the promised land or whether the patriarchs were outside the promised land, they were still seeking or they were aimed as he says in verse 16 at a better

country, a heavenly one that was the aim of their life.

You want your life aimed at something that is worth it being aimed at. You want that? The patriarchs did this? Well, we get so caught up in going through our day and getting through the next day and getting through this week and all of the things here that it is so easy, especially this time of year, fascinatingly enough just to be aimed at the wrong thing.

These patriarchs live their lives well in this regard. How do we know that? Because as the writer says in verse 13, these all died in faith. Our first point this morning dying well is evidence of having lived well. Dying well is evidence of having lived well. We die as we live. How do these great saints die? They died as they lived in faith. We like the story of deathbed conversions like a kind of moves us. It stirs us in in different ways,

but seldom is that the reality is those who live in faith that tend to die in faith. Now, the Lord can do absolutely anything that he wants to and there will be those that are in glory on that last day that he saved upon their deathbeds in their final moments like you did that thief on the cross. But that's the exception, not the rule. The rule is we tend to die as we live, and that means it is disastrous. It's The greatest act of self-hatred for you

and I to put off having faith today and seeing the very salvation of our souls today, it's the definition of self-hatred to wait. Abraham heard the coal and he responded in faith, he didn't wait, and though he stumbled, he continued to walk in faith. In fact, all of these patriarchs though not perfect, they died in faith. Why? Because they walked in faith. As Ken Hughes said, death is the final test of faith and they all passed with flying colors living

by faith right up to the last breath. Walk in faith that you might die in faith. Second, let's note that when our lives are aimed at Christ in faith, there's a mindset change. It's a mindset change. He says quote, they all died in faith not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that they were strangers in exiles on earth. That there are four participles there in verse 13,

having received, having seen, having greeted, having acknowledged. But the first part of simple is in the is in the negative. Not having received, not having received what? Well, the subject of the two part of simples that follow it, not having received what they had seen, not having received what they had greeted from afar. Well, what is that? What? Well, it's the promises and ultimately the promise of the Messiah to come.

They had this promise of the Messiah to come. They had seen and they had greeted from afar. They knew this promise of the Messiah to come, but they had not received this promise of the Messiah to come. It did not come in their lifetime,

but they acknowledged, and here's the mindset. Mindset change. The final par participle. They acknowledged they were strangers and exiles on the earth. When our lives are aimed at Christ and faith, we acknowledge that we are strangers and exiles on the earth. These are negative terms that are used here. Citizens have full rights. Strangers and exiles, sojourners aliens have less rights, less privileges. As one commentator said, even in their own countries,

Christians are strangers and exiles. Now the question is why get asked that question when you're going through this passage? Why is it, why would not having received the things promised and ultimately receiving the promise of the Messiah, why would that change the mindset? Why would that cause them to acknowledge that they are aliens and that they're sojourner and that they are exiles here on the earth? Because they were a people of promise

and they recognize that they belong to the God of that promise.

They Belong to him and his kingdom.

That's where they belong.

They look to God even as they looked up to God, they understood that they belonged to God and the kingdom of God. They were strangers and exiles on the earth. See, Abraham expected, said Isaac and this Jacob because they knew, they knew that they had another home.

Canaan, wasn't it?

Their lives reamed at that other homem. Verse 15, he's making it clear that this home could not have been the earth of the Chaldeans where Abraham came from. If that was all that he longed for, he says, look, he, he could have just returned back to where he came from and no. Verse 16 says, they desired a better country, a heavenly one. That was their aim. They lived in faith aimed at that city Because They were God's Were God's

People Shaped everything about their lives.

Love what was said of Richard Sibs, great Puritan upon his death. A love reading went said about different people when they die. And a man wrote this about Richard Sibs upon his death. He said heaven was in him before he was in heaven. And that's true of these patriarchs, and that's to be true of every Christian.

Abraham had not arrived. The earthly promised land was but a type. It was a mere shadow of the promised land and that eternal city to come. That is what they longed for. And here's where it comes home. The writer of Hebrews is making this clear. He's giving you and I these patriarchs before us to say, look, they are your examples as they live. So you are to live. You are to imitate them are lives are to be aimed at the same thing by faith.

We are to acknowledge that we are strangers and we are exiled here. This is not home.

Paul details this in Philippians three, but our citizenship is in heaven. And from it, we await to savior the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him to subject all things to himself. Our citizenship is in heaven. We look to God and belong to God. We look to Jesus and belong to Jesus. He's our king. And so we long to dwell with him as our king in his land with him over us forever more.

That's what we long for.

That's what we desire.

That's our aim because it means being with him.

Remember, Jesus will say of Abraham, say Abraham, long to see my day.

John Jay once wrote, I cannot hope to attain hereafter what I do not desire and delight in now we die as we live. Desire it now. He then asked himself, do I owe my soul prize a heaven of which Christ is all in all? Do you do I do. We long to dwell with him in that celestial city forevermore where he reigns over us as king and we as his subjects forevermore. Is that what you're aimed at

to long for?

To see themselves as strangers and exiles? Here do. Let me give you four. Encouragement of living with our lives aimed at him and that better country and as strangers and exiles here

first that's true of you. You'll labor for what is lasting. Labor for what is lasting.

A lot of our time, a lot of the sweat you and I expend a lot of the things that we do. They don't outlast us.

But when you see all this as temporary and not as your home, it changes how you relate with it. The more that you and I see ourselves as strangers and exiles in this world, then we will labor for that which is lasting for that which matters the most. And what's that? What is it that outlasts you? What is it that matters the most? That outlasts me?

It's the souls of others.

We invest ourselves in so many things that are passing with us and some of those things are necessary, can't get around it. But the great thing you and I are to be investing in is people. It's what lasts souls.

Tori's going along the road, don't accumulate stuff. They don't try to make a fortress. They're consumed with events here because they're headed there.

You'll be primarily concerned with that which is lasting. You will labor to impact people because they endure into eternity. You have such a mindset. Second, if you acknowledge you're a stranger next on earth, living with your life aimed at him in that better country, you will live a more tempered life, more tempered life. We live in an Instagram, Instapot, insta, everything world. Everything's immediate. Everything's critical.

Everything's an emergency. No it's not.

Strangers in exiles recognize much of it isn't. And take things in stride. Most of this isn't lasting. Don't get too worked up about it. We don't live by the headlines of the day. We don't have our face shaken by the events of the hour. Pilgrim's just keep going. Why? Because Christ is accomplished in its purpose as he see, he's seated enthroned in heaven on high. He rules over heaven and earth and he is bringing his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

It's just a matter of time.

So we don't get too high, we don't get too low.

I was thinking this morning about qualification for elders in Titus one just flipping over there this morning thinking about this, how they're almost tied to these two kind of manifestations of a pilgrim's mindset. Laboring for what lasts, not earthly gain

and being tempered, not driven by the things around you. An elder must not be greedy for gain, but hospitable. Titus says A lover of good laboring for what? S And he must be quote above reproach, not arrogant or quick-tempered or drunkard or violent, self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined, all temperate.

Live a tempered life. Third, if you acknowledge your stranger in exile on earth, living with your life aimed at him and that better country you live today in light of eternity. Now today matters and it matters because there is an eternity. It's not as if this world doesn't matter. In fact, when our theology shapes our living, the world truly benefits. We actually do earthly good when we are aimed at eternal good. When the church scattered throughout the world looks

and talks like the world, the world doesn't benefit at all. But when the church is scattered throughout the world and it talks as the church and it acts as the church, the world actually benefits.

And we could do this throughout history and we could take it all the way from, we could take it from literacy to child labor laws to respect for women, to freedom to democracy, and on week ago, and we could talk about the influence of the Christian faith upon these things.

When the church acts as the church and speaks as a church is actually good for the world, Christians are living in light of eternity. That's when the world is impacted. That's when it's affected.

Fourth, for your knowledge, you're a stranger in exile on earth, living with our lives aimed at him. In that better country, you'll live with a holy discontent.

Abraham was not content. He was in the land of Canaan. He wasn't content to be there. It wasn't enough. Neither was Isaac. Neither was Jacob. A land flowing with milk and honey. You would think that it was enough. It was not the ultimate answer for them though they sought a better country. They sought a heavenly one.

One of my greatest concerns for the church today is not what so many Christians are getting worked up about.

It is not critical race theory. It is not Christian nationalism. It is not even persecution or disunity. It's much more subtle. It's much more destructive. It's just that we get comfortable and I'm afraid the church is just too comfortable.

The maybe one of the greatest signs of this is the fact that we get so worked up when things are changing around us, those things changing around us. The reason that there is so much fear that is stoked is because we're comfortable,

comfortable in our families, we're comfortable in our churches, we're comfortable in this world.

There's to be a wholly uncomfortability, wholly discontent.

Of course there are things that we would like to change, but all in all we're pretty content here, Comfortable with what we have here.

The patriarchs, they're not satisfied. Yes, they enjoy the good gifts that God gave to them. We are to enjoy the good gifts that God gave to us, but we are not to enjoy those good gifts at the expense of enjoying the giver of those good gifts. There's To be a holy discontent. We're not happy till we have Him and all of him where we are living under his reign forevermore. And he is drawn near to us and we have drawn near to him

and we dwell with him. Everlastingly, this is not home.

You're To be discontented,

strangers and exiles here.

I love what he says there. We, we are to. He says they desire that there's that, that that inner longing. It's a compulsion.

You gotta Stir that up in you

should be a holy affection to be with him, to dwell with him.

You Don't want to be here anymore. You want to be with him. Desired

strangers here, exiles here, not there.

Finally, I want you to see just the astounding conclusion to this little interlude.

They should stir up that affection him verse 16.

But as it is, they desire a better country. That is a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God or he is prepared a city for them. He's not ashamed to be called their God. That's Astounding.

One of my greatest regrets in life is when I was in junior high, I had, uh, two great aunts that helped raise me alongside my single mom and my grandparents and Nadine and Wilma, NNW. We called them aunties and they were single all of their lives. They lived together. They, uh, grocery shopped together. They did everything together. NNW aunties. And they would every Saturday night, they would take my sister and I so that my single mom could have some time alone,

no doubt, to get a break from my sister because I was an angel. Uh, but we would Saturday nights spend with them every Saturday night growing up as a child and they just loved us. They would get pizza, we would play games, and it was just a blast Every Saturday night they loved us so well. I remember telling them, I made the mistake one day of telling them that I loved zingers, which were the offbrand of Twinkies. And so our doorbell would ring

and it was, oh, aunties are here. And they would be on the front doorstep and say, Jason, I brought you some more zingers. And we had a whole deep freeze chest in the basement full of zingers. Uh, they just spoiled us When I was in junior high, though I was embarrassed of them.

They would want to take us bowling or out to Pizza Hutt or to Dairy Queen. And I would make up excuses why we shouldn't go because I was afraid that some fellow student in my class would see me with these two old ladies.

I was embarrassed of them. Memory that haunts me the most is a year that they offered to take my friend and I to a Cubs Cardinal game. And we rode the bus from Springfield, Illinois up to Chicago. And I remember sitting in the bus with him and the entire time we just made private jokes about them.

I was embarrassed of them and yet they were so proud of me.

Everywhere I went with them, people seemed to already know me because they had talked about me. And anytime they met somebody new and I was with them, they would introduce who they were and our relation to them and they would brag on me while I'm trying to skimm away from them talking about me.

God is not like that childish, spoiled, rude, junior high boy.

He's not ashamed. He's not ashamed of those who look to him in faith.

He brags and he tells others of his relation to us.

What does he say? Over and over through the scriptures? I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. I am the God of Jacob.

He identifies himself with us.

He would say this morning, I'm the God of David. I'm the God of Tom. I'm the God of Brooke. I'm the God of Jen and I'm the God of Amity, not embarrassed.

He Claims us as his own and allows us to claim him as our own.

And he's not ashamed,

no embarrassment.

In fact, he's not only not ashamed. He has planned to dwell with us for all of eternity. He's preparing a city for us. The writer says for him and for us a picture of Revelation 21, where that new city, Jerusalem comes down out of the heavens and settles upon the earth and God says, I will make my home with them forever. With who? With those that Look Tim in faith.

Jesus said in John 14, in my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, so would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and I will take you to myself that where I am you may be. Also, Abraham was a liar. Know was a drunk. Rahab was a prostitute. David was a murderer.

I'm their God and I'm not ashamed to be identified with them for all of eternity.

'cause they looked to me in faith.

They sought him and they traveled through this world. Not perfectly, but they traveled through this world aimed at him above. Where are you aimed at?

Where you truly aimed at?

Not the Sunday school? Answer today. Where are you aimed at?

That's worth seeking.

That's worth being a alien and Sojourner and stranger in this world for if you look to him in faith, hear the writer announced once again some of the best news you can ever hear. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has prepared a city for them. You keep traveling, you keep looking in faith, you keep going. You're almost home. Almost keep living in faith. Let's pray.

Father, we thank you. You are a God who seemingly does the impossible and makes Wretches such as us. Trophies of your grace,

takes sinners and makes them sons,

takes rebels

and seats them enthroned on high rule and reign with you forevermore.

Keep us steadfast in this world, seeing ourselves as exiles and strangers here and longing, desiring that better country, always having it set before our eyes.

Looking forward to that day when we shall be home with you, the person of your son by the power of your spirit forevermore, and where that is lacking in us to increase that desire. In Christ's name. Amen.