Seeing the invisible future
Scripture Text Hebrews 11:13-16
13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Introduction:
Hebrews 11 is often called the hall of faith, because it enshrines men and women of faith who has been victorious in the own lifetimes. There is a word about vision in these heroes of faith.
You can not separate vision and faith:
With a vision- Proverbs 29:18 the people perish.
A lack of vision can be a lack of faith as well.
• Biblical vision – is informed by a person and promise of God that gives us stability and focus- a stable prospective
• Faith is defined as Heb. 11/1 ¶ now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our text is about people who through difficult times made it because of vision along with faith succeeded.
Paul writes in 2 cor. 4:16-18
16. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Paul’s out look allowed him to undergo intense hardship and pain with unwavering faith because of vision of Gods promises. It was mostly a matter of vision and perspective that gave him the determination to go on. Our old man wears out and our time on planet earth is brief. But our hardships here on earth are temporary and the glory we will inherit is eternal. The inner man should be growing stronger as our outer man is grower weaker.
We can suffer in hope because we have the glorious vision of a glorious future in the promises of God.
Heavenly Hope
Verse 13: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
1. Vision – They saw the promises afar off- these gave them power for today- Vision gives you faith with long arms.
2. Confidence- assured of what God promises- makes us optimistic – knowing that faith works.
3. Hunger- They embraced the promises –took ownership of what was coming as if it where now. Embrace it with long arms of faith, hugging the promise bringing the promises near as in the heart. In my life there must be vision things I would like to accomplish, knowing that God gives us the desires off our heart according to his word and that my faith stands in the place of believing those things that are not as though they were.
4. Resolve- They confessed they where strangers and pilgrims and their minds where made up and their dreams and not their memories consumed them.
Their Epitaph Reads
They all died in the Faith! (Viewing their promises afar off.)
They where not only strangers and pilgrims but confessed that this world is not mot my home we merely passing through.
Vision is a requisite to confessed faith- You see the promise and confess it. You embrace it, and are persuaded, lay hold of the promises and press them to your heart. The fruit of your faith comes by professing that you are a stranger and pilgrim on journey to the home place.
Hebrews 11:14-19
14. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
17. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18. Of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"
19. Concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
Here you have the triumph of faith, one of the greatest victories that was ever achieved by faith when a man was willing, at God’s command, to offer up his son, his only son, according to promise, his son in whom all the covenant was to be fulfilled.
True pilgrims never think of going back, they know that whatever difficulties and trials lie ahead of them; there are far greater ones in that country from whence they came. We never want to go back to where we were no matter what we have to face on our journey to Heaven.
If we are not mindful of where we came out from we will have opportunity too return but never wish to return. May gods grace always keep any of you from turning back unto perdition?
Verse 11:16
They are not ashamed to be called God’s people, and he is not ashamed to be called their God. They where looking for a city and he has prepared a city for them.
We should not be ashamed to look forward to the future for our joy. God has prepared joy for us now and in our journeys end.
Jesus laid a plan for the future- Vision of this plan is stated in John 14:1-4
1 ¶ "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me.
2. "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
4 ¶ "And where I go you know, and the way you know.
He has prepared a place for us in his father’s house. He gives us a vision of our future in his word; A plan that the Holy Spirit will finish in our lives.
You see Jer 29:
11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12. Then you will call upon me and go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13. And you will seek me and find me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
By faith we look toward the completion of our journey.
We aim to finish this journey well. Our confidence will be rewarded and our obedience will be recognized and falling back will be regretted and the return of Christ will be celebrated. Our race is a marathon and we must run to win.
