Looking Forward To The Eternal City Series

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you live in an eternal city?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we have an eternal city to live in for eternity whose Architect and Builder is GOD.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 11:10 (Amplified Bible)

11:10 For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect and Builder is God.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS for You have prepared an eternal city for us that You have made and built.

VI. TITLE:

Looking forward to the eternal city

Subtitle: Study on the Book of Hebrews

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels - J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Abraham was looking forward to the eternal city

"For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city which has fixed and firm foundations,"

Foundations or "themelios" in Greek meaning:

1. something put down

2. a substruction of a building

3. foundation

City or "polis" in Greek meaning:

1. a town, or city

The author of the Hebrews is pertaining to New Jerusalem here as it is described in Revelations.

Revelation 21:2 (Amplified Bible)

21:2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband;

Philippians 3:20 (Amplified Bible)

3:20 But we are citizens of the state (commonwealth, homeland) which is in heaven, and from it also we earnestly and patiently await [the coming of] the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] Savior,

Revelation 21:10-27 (Amplified Bible)

21:10 Then in the Spirit He conveyed me away to a vast and lofty mountain and exhibited to me the holy (hallowed, consecrated) city of Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God,

21:11 Clothed in God’s glory [in all its splendor and radiance]. The luster of it resembled a rare and most precious jewel, like jasper, shining clear as crystal.

21:12 It had a massive and high wall with twelve [large] gates, and at the gates [there were stationed] twelve angels, and [on the gates] the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written:

21:13 On the east side three gates, on the north side three gates, on the south side three gates, and on the west side three gates.

21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundation [stones], and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

21:15 And he who spoke to me had a golden measuring reed (rod) to measure the city and its gates and its wall.

21:16 The city lies in a square, its length being the same as its width. And he measured the city with his reed—12,000 stadia (about 1,500 miles); its length and width and height are the same.

21:17 He measured its wall also—144 cubits (about 72 yards) by a man’s measure [of a cubit from his elbow to his third fingertip], which is [the measure] of the angel.

21:18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city [itself was of] pure gold, clear and transparent like glass.

21:19 The foundation [stones] of the wall of the city were ornamented with all of the precious stones. The first foundation [stone] was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony (or white agate), the fourth emerald,

21:20 The fifth onyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.

21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each separate gate being built of one solid pearl. And the main street (the broadway) of the city was of gold as pure and translucent as glass.

21:22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Omnipotent [Himself] and the Lamb [Himself] are its temple.

21:23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the splendor and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its lamp.

21:24 The nations shall walk by its light and the rulers and leaders of the earth shall bring into it their glory.

21:25 And its gates shall never be closed by day, and there shall be no night there.

21:26 They shall bring the glory (the splendor and majesty) and the honor of the nations into it.