Pentecost 12 (2)

(NIV)

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

(NIV)

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore. 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Ancestry.com advertises that you can learn about where you came from by doing a simple DNA test. Based on this test, you will find out the places that your ancestors lived and your nation of origin. I find this unnecessary because I have continued a project my mother did of researching our family tree. I know the part of Germany her ancestors came from and the part of Holland my father’s parents were born and from which they emigrated to the United States in the 1920’s. I am even in contact with cousins who still live in Holland. Most, if not all, of us can trace our roots back to Europe and most of us to Germany. Our ancestors were not Native Americans who have lived here for thousands of years. So we know what it is like historically to move from one land to another without necessarily going back.

And we have adapted. Few of us can speak or understand our Muttersprache or carry out traditions yet from the old country. And even though our church archives have records written in German and textbooks in German by which our ancestors learned God’s Word, unless we studied German, they are useless to us for reading purposes. German isn’t even a requirement at our college as it was when I went there over 30 years ago. Our families have moved to a new country and even though it may have taken a generation or two, have acclimated very well and proudly call ourselves American.

The same thing happened with the Israelites. But it took several generations or more for this to happen. (brief history perhaps from Stephen’s speech)

(NIV)

2 To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. 3 ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ 4 “So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. 6 God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’ 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

In time the foreigners who came to the land of Canaan replaced its original inhabitants and formed their own people whom we still identify with that part of the world even today. (Jews live in Israel).

During the times of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they lived as foreigners in a new land. Looking forward to a brighter future. They did this by faith. Trusting in the promises of God. Hebrews tells us that they looked forward to more than building cities in Israel, they looked forward to a better country — a heavenly one.

How does this apply to us? Well, we can think about how our ancestors decided to leave the Mother Land and settle in Wisconsin for social, political, or economic reasons. We can understand why many youth in small town/rural America long to move to the “big city” for a “better life”. We may even have close relatives who have left us to pursue their hopes and dreams. (Our own son moved to Tennessee to be near his girl friend --- which is close to why his great grandfather moved to Wisconsin) — Neither one married their girl friend at the time. But Hebrews isn’t really given a commentary n why people emigrate to another country. It is really about faith which trusts in the promises of God and will lead people to do things because of that faith.

Why did Abraham move to the land of Canaan? He had faith in God’s promises concerning where he would live, his descendants, and the promise of that special descendant. This whole chapter of the Bible is about faith and how it would lead people to act.

Faith. It is the hallmark of the Christian. Hebrews definition of it is classic. “Confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see.” Faith looks ahead to what will be even if we never realize our goal.

For example. Minnesota Vikings fans have faith that their team will win the Super Bowl. Tom Clancy (famous author) once wrote about this dream in one of his Jack Ryan novels and in the novel the Vikings were winning during the second half of the Super Bowl. It seemed as though they would finally accomplish their goal and help both Vikings fans realize the goal of their faith. But a terrorist set off a nuclear device and everyone in the stadium perished. (Later when Tom Clancy wanted to buy the Vikings, this was brought to people’s attention.)

We have faith before the season begins that our favorite team will win a championship. Sometimes it happens, but not always, of course.

Well, our Christian faith is much more deep than sports or other wordly interests. The core of our faith centers on longing for a better country—a heavenly one. It centers on the resurrection (). We trust that we have an all powerful God who made the heavens and the earth, who has redeemed us from our sins, who will return to earth on the last day and take us to be with him whether we are still alive or need to be raised from the dead.

(NIV)

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

But in the mean time we live in a world that is not really our own. (see passages).

(NIV)

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

(NIV)

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

(NIV)

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

(NIV)

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (NIV)

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

We sing about this in “I’m but a stranger here.”

So how does this affect our daily lives? As we heard last week, what is our priority? Do we set our minds on things above or become so engrossed in the affairs of this world that we give our attention to spiritual matters and act on them infrequently or haphazardly?

St. Paul summarized it in the reading from 2 Corinthians. Our goal in life is not to make this life the best possible one we can have. (Which would be by being all that we can be or accumulating as many possessions as we can, or enjoying life to the fullest with no regard for others.) Our goal in life is to please God. What pleases God?

1As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

(NIV)

2For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

(NIV)

3It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;

1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

4that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,

Conclusion: How often have you moved in your lifetime? In those moves, have they been dramatic which involved a tremendous change of circumstances or were they less pronounced. Someday (unless Jesus returns first), we are all going to make that move to our final destination. When we arrived here almost a year ago, my wife and I were told that if we so desire, we could have graves here at no cost to us. (That is very generous.) But we have already made those plans. But more importantly, we have made plans that our final destination will not be in a grave but in the place that is truly our home—heaven. I’m sure that if the final goal for all of us.

5not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

6and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.

In mean time we live by faith in God’s promises and make it our goal to fix our minds on things above and to live in the way that pleases God. Amen.

7For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

8Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.