Some time ago, I began blogging on our Sunday sermons to help myself review; today, I’m continuing that by covering our Dec. 6 sermon, on Hebrews 11:8-16, by Pastor Peter Kim. You can stream the recording of this service here.

Our text was this:

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE. All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went 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 a city for them.

Abraham was called out of the land he knew simply to follow God, without a clear view of what was to come. Eventually, he received a promise – but he never fully received what was promised; instead, he lived the rest of his life in view of the promise, but as an alien and stranger, never receiving the promised land.

That’s exactly how we are to live as Christians (eg 1 Peter 2:11). This was likely written to the Hebrews during the time of Nero’s persecutions, but there were no promises given to Christians that they would have a good life, or even that they would not die; instead, they, like Abraham, are to regard themselves as aliens and strangers – and we are to have the same attitude.

Many of us have a real longing to belong, and people often won’t stay in a church until we feel like we belong. However, we need to have our real home be with Christ and we find our belonging there, because we are only strangers here, just passing through.

If, instead, we seek belonging here, we can easily end up competing, comparing, and collecting – looking at the people around us and competing with them, comparing ourselves to them, and trying to have more and more here. However, if we live by faith, we realize this is temporary – like a rental home or even an AirBnB, and we’re not concerned with this life to the same extent; we can live as aliens and strangers.

Abraham and Sarah spent their life not receiving what they had been promised, not in full, and they had the opportunity to go back. But at some point they realized that the real prize was not the physical Caanan, but a city with a foundation laid by God himself.

If we are living for this life, we’ll wonder when we get the payoff, the reward for our labors. When will our sacrifice be rewarded? But if, like Abraham and Sarah, we realize that our real home is the spiritual promised land, there is great hope for us.

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself longing for the permanent and lasting. My clothes wear out, appliances come and go, even my body wears out. It seems like something is always broken, worn out, needing repair or replacement. I long for the better and lasting. And the reality is, that is exactly what we are promised in Christ Jesus.

Consider Moses, for a moment; he never entered the promised land, but do you really think that when we see him in heaven he will be grieving because he didn’t make it? No! He’ll be delighting and worshipping because he’s now in the greater, more precious and still better promised land.

Phil. 3:20-21 notes how our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Critical, then, is recognizing not just the highlights of Abraham and Sarah’s life, but knowing that they were normal people like us who also struggled, yet they believed in an awesome God. Be inspired by them to live like aliens and strangers.

This sermon was a great reminder that this world is not my home, and so to live in accordance with that belief and truth.