One Sunday the pastor was preaching on heaven and during his message he asked for a show of hands of all those who wanted to go to heaven. Of course everyone raised their hand except for little Johnny who was sitting on the front pew. Instead of raising his hand, he had a disturbed and frightened look on his face. Thinking that perhaps little Johnny didn’t understand the question, the pastor said again – ‘All those who want to go to heaven, raise your hand way up high!’ But again little Johnny didn’t raise his hand; as a matter of fact, he seemed to sink lower into the pew. After the service the pastor went to Johnny and asked him why he didn’t want to go to heaven when he died. ‘Oh! You mean when I die. I thought you were trying to get up a group for today.’
That’s kind of way it is, isn’t it. Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. Yet although many of us may not want to die today, many of us are looking forward to spending eternity in heaven. Today we are going to study the value of living for heaven.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out , they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
The people referred to here are many of the saints of the Old Testament. Note what is said about Abraham –
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
The reason we call it the Promised Land is because God promised it to Abraham and his descendants. Yet all through his life, Abraham, nor his son Isaac, nor his grandson Jacob, never owned more than a cave Abraham purchased for a cemetery. For that matter, the children of Israel still have never possessed all of their possession and will not do so until Jesus returns. Yet even though Abraham had to live like a stranger in the land that was rightfully his, he was able to do so because he believed God and he looked ahead to the day when he would live forever in that great country, the place we call heaven.
I. There Were Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
These all died living the life of faith and although parts of their life here on earth might have been hard, they believed God had something better ahead for them.
A. Strangers and Pilgrims
1. Connection with Friends and Family
The question that every believer has to answer for themselves is – “Am I at home in this world? Do I want to be at home in this world?” Many of you were raised in this area and so in a sense, this is your home. You grew up here. You went to school here. You work here. Much of your family, maybe all of your family lives nearby and so you naturally feel a very close connection with this area. Yet can you say that this world is your home?
2. Disconnection From the Culture
However, as believers must understand that this world is not really our true home. Whereas there may be a connection with friends and family, there should be a disconnection from our culture’s way of living and value system. For some of you there may even be a disconnection from the way many in your family live.
a. As God’s children, we are strangers to this world. We don’t fit in and we’re not supposed to. We may ‘IN’ the world but we are not to be ‘OF’ the world. 1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
b. As God’s children, we are also pilgrims. A pilgrim is someone, who although they may at the time be residing in a particular country, that country is not their home. They’re on a journey to another destination.
Abraham was described as a ‘sojourner’ in the land of promise. A sojourner is someone who is living somewhere only temporarily. They’re not at home. They’re in the process of traveling to another destination. Abraham was on a journey to a better city and so are we.
B. This World Is Not Our Home
1. This World Is Not Our Home
So often we get upset when our circumstances change here on earth. That’s especially true when a loved one dies. It’s only natural to grieve when we lose a loved one, yet if they are a Christian, the Bible says that we sorrow, yet not as those who have no hope. Death is not defeat for the Christian. It is a doorway that we must go through in order to reach heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The believer’s body must die so that it can changed into a new body that will never die. Who would want to live in heaven with a body that had arthritis or cancer? When a believer dies, their soul immediately goes to heaven. There is never another moment of suffering for them. Their body is buried for a season in the ground and will remain there until Jesus returns. At His return, Christ will resurrect their earthly body and change it into a body like His own and so shall all of God’s saints ever be with the Lord.
2. Heaven Is Our Home
As the children of God, we are on a journey with our destination being heaven. Years ago there was a gospel songwriter named Albert E. Brumley who apparently understood this great truth. Some of the songs he wrote reveal his thoughts and feeling about this world and heaven – ‘I’ll Fly Away’, ‘I’ll Meet You in the Morning’, ‘I’ll Sail Away Home Some Sweet Day’, ‘I’m Bound For That City’, ‘I’m Just a Stranger Here’, and perhaps one of his most popular – ‘This World Is Not My Home.’
This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
O Lord you know I have no Friend like you
If Heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?
The angels beckon me from Heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.
There is a void in every man’s life and that void is the presence of God. This world and the things of this world will never fill that void. Only God can fill that emptiness. Hell is an eternal separation from God’s presence. It’s the torment of eternal emptiness. But heaven is eternal happiness and the reason heaven will bring such happiness is because in heaven, we will finally be at home with the One who made us.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle (dwelling place) of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
II. Desired a Better Country
Hebrews 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly:
A. They Desired a Better Country
1. Homesickness for Home
Another one of my favorite gospel songs is by Squire Parsons. It’s called Beulah Land. The name ‘Beulah’ means – ‘married’ and it refers to the time when God’s people will become God’s bride. As I was preparing this messages, some lines from Squire Parsons’ song came to my mind. It begins with – “I’m kind of homesick for a country to which I’ve never been before.” A lot of people wouldn’t understand how someone could be homesick for a place they’ve never been, yet that’s how a true child of God feels. They’re homesick for home.
Hebrews 11:6 But now they desire a better country…
The words used in this passage indicate a desire that is much greater than an occasional longing. They crave their new home and long for it desperately. They reach out with everything that is within them to grasp it.
2. Home is Heaven
a. The writer tells us very plainly that our home is heaven
b. It’s a place where there will be no more sorrow, no more sadness, no more suffering; but best of all – no more sin
c. Peter says that it is a place – ‘Wherein righteousness dwells’ (see 2 Peter 3:13)
B. Why Was It Important That They Have Such a Desire?
1. Important to enable them escape the things around them
Hebrews 11:13 … confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
The reason many believers struggle with living the Christian life is because they haven’t come to the point to where they confess themselves to be strangers to this world. If the truth be known, some are more of a stranger to the things of God than they are to the things of this world. They speak the world’s language and they sing the world’s songs. They embrace the world’s lay of living, yet the Bible says –
The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Tim 2:19)
2. Important to enable them escape the things behind them
Hebrews 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
The thought is – they couldn’t keep revisiting the past in their minds. They couldn’t hold on to the life God had called them from. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2Cor 6:17-18)
3. Important to enable them to embrace the things before them
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them,
By faith they were able to see and to embrace what was before them. Embracing the promises helped them to live for the promises and to escape the corruption of this world.
III. God Is Not Ashamed to be Called Their God
Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
I can’t think of a more powerful statement in all the Bible than this – ‘God is not ashamed to be called their God.’ What does that mean? What could that mean?
Just after the turn of the century, pioneer missionary Henry C. Morrison was returning to New York after forty years in Africa. That same boat also bore home the wildly popular President Theodore Roosevelt. As they entered New York harbor, the President was greeted with a huge fanfare. The crowds were cheering and the bands were playing. There were signs, banners and billboards everywhere saying, “Welcome Home”. The dear missionary and his wife with their luggage in hand quietly made their way to the deck of the ship to exit. No one had come to welcome them back home. There were no bands playing or banners flying in their honor.
Henry Morrison went to his hotel room with a rather heavy heart. As he sat there on the bed, he asked his wife, “Honey, for 40 years we poured our lives into ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a single soul comes to welcome us home!” His wife came and sat down next to her husband. She put her hand on his shoulder, and said to him, “Henry, you have forgotten something, you’re not home yet!”
"Seeds of Faith" 