This morning is our second part in Hebrews 11. I mean, our third part, sorry. This morning will be in verses 8-16. So Hebrews 11, 8-16. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith, he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man and him as good as dead were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven, as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone 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 for them a city. May the Lord bless His Word. As we continue our time in chapter 11, we need to see the difference between physical Israel and the church. We certainly need to see the faithfulness of God as he dealt with physical Israel, but more importantly, we need to see the faithfulness of God as he deals with the church. Certainly physical Israel has the church inside. Certainly there were those of Israel, those born physical Jews that certainly believed God and were saved by faith, by grace in Christ alone. But we must understand that most of physical Israel in the Old Testament is judged and condemned by God as faithless. Only by God's grace was there a remnant saved in Israel. And we need to see the difference because as Christians we still sin. Therefore, if we confuse physical Israel and the church, we will live in fear of God's judgment. But if we rightly see the difference between physical Israel and the church, we will be warned of the ugliness of sin and its consequences, but we will live by faith at peace with God because of Christ and the gospel. In other words, there's things spoken of in the Old Testament, promises made to physical Israel that God certainly fulfills. But there were also threatenings and warnings at Israel's disobedience that God certainly fulfilled. And if we blur the line between physical Israel and the church, between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, we will live not by faith, but we will live by sight, and we will abuse the promises of God, and we will doubt God, and we will fear His judgment will rest upon us. But when we rightly see the gospel, when we rightly see those that God, by His sovereign choice, has pulled out of the Old Testament and given us as examples, as brothers and sisters in Christ, then we'll be encouraged by their life. But we also must understand that they also lived in a physical nation, no different than us. We are Christians who live in a physical nation. We're Christians, the nation's not. God dealt specially with the nation of Israel, but the whole nation of Israel is not the church. The church is inside, the remnant is inside of physical Israel. And so we need to see these things if we are to rightly be encouraged and rightly understand God's design for the church. In other words, chapter 11 is designed by God to be an encouragement to the church to show that faith placed in Christ alone is not misplaced faith, even in the midst of trials and persecution when life is hard. So let's look at God's faithfulness and see how His faithfulness changed the lives of these believers as they lived by faith. Look at verse 8. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. In other words, we see the testimony in the Old Testament that Abraham was a pagan who lived in the land of Ur. He was called out by God out of a physical nation, a pagan nation, and called to go to another land, another physical land that his descendants would receive as a promise. But if we miss the fact that Abraham is also called out as God's chosen as his elect, as his bride, as part of the church, then we'll confuse what's happening in Abraham's life. We need to see the difference between physical promises for his physical descendants and spiritual promises for his spiritual descendants. In other words, there is excellent and beautiful things to see how God is faithful to carry Abraham from Ur all the way to the promised land. But if we don't see that it's more important for God to carry Abraham all the way from the beginning of justification all the way to glorification, then we'll misunderstand what's happening in God's word and we'll misunderstand what's happening in the gospel. Verse 9 says, by faith he went to live in the land of promise. as in a foreign land living in tents with Isaac and Jacob. So again, there's a land of promise. Israel was a land of promise, a nation of promise. He lived in the place that God had promised that His feet would walk on. And He even promised that 400 years later, that His descendants would walk in that same land. But we need to see what God is pointing at in verses 8-9, and 10 actually, or we'll miss the whole point of chapter 11. He says, by faith he went into the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. Now is he pointing to the promise made to the nation of Israel, or is he pointing to Christ and the gospel? And I believe he's pointing to Christ and the gospel, because that's the whole point of the whole section that we'll look at. There was a difference between where the church is headed and where physical Israel was headed. There are blessings to get physical Israel into the promised land. God had to conquer nations. God had to do so many things to get physical Israel into the land that He promised. But think about what God did to get the church to where she's been promised to go. Much more important for us to see the work of Christ and the person of Christ and God's grace and mercy and forgiveness. Look at verse 10. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Is he really talking about physical Jerusalem? I think not. I think he's talking about glory. I think he's talking about heaven. I think he's talking about the final dwelling place of all believers. Again, here we need to be reminded that the letter to the Hebrews was written to Jews to take their eyes off of the things that are physical and temporary and to exalt the things that are spiritual and eternal. Again, certainly there were promises made by God that united Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob physically. They were physically related. They were physically part of the same family. They were physically part of the same nation. But these verses are also exalting God's faithfulness to the church that unite Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob spiritually. These promises are about God's amazing work of grace by Christ through the gospel. I want to look at some passages, and I just went just quickly through some passages in Romans, and you can see many other passages in the New Testament that accomplish this same purpose. But I want us to take a quick look in Romans just to see the difference between physical Israel and the church. So turn to Romans chapter 2, verse 28. And I need us to wrestle with this because again, if we don't wrestle with this, we'll miss beautiful promises to the church in the Old Testament, or we'll take promises that have already been fulfilled to physical Israel and try to make them about the church. And both of those things are dangerous. Both of those things will cause our faith to be shaken. So first passage I want us to look at Romans 2, starting in verse 28. Paul says, for no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly. nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not the letter. His praise is not from man, but from God." And what Paul is saying in these two verses is that there's a difference between physical Israel and spiritual Israel. There's a difference between the Christian who's been born again by the power of God who circumcised the heart by the Spirit, and there's a difference between external physical Jews who were circumcised in the flesh by man according to the letter, the law. So you have the gospel and you have the law being contrasted here. You have physical Israel and spiritual Israel being contrasted here. And you have grace and works being contrasted here. You need to see that in these two verses. Jump down to Romans chapter 9. And I just pulled some passages out and we could read many more, but I just want us to get a glimpse of Paul, who is a Jew, who rightly understood the difference between the physical nation he came from and the church that he was purchased into. Romans 9, starting in verse 1. I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off for Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh." So in other words, Paul the Jew had a yearning, a broken heart for his countrymen to be saved. Paul didn't think that he was a Jew, therefore every Jew was saved. He's showing that he's a Christian, he's in Christ, and his heart is aching so much for his countrymen, those that are physically related to him, that he even says he wished he could be accursed if that could accomplish it. But Paul didn't believe that him being a curse would save them. He believed that the preaching of the gospel would save them, and that's what he did in his life, and that's what he writes in his letters to the church. So we need to see this again. It's important for us to see this. A physical Jew is praying for physical Jews to get saved. Let's continue. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. In other words, Paul's saying, listen, I understand the faithfulness of God to the nation of Israel. He gave them signs. He gave them wonders. He gave them a temple. He gave them promises. He gave them shadows. He gave them all these things. And God saved a remnant out of that nation. But most importantly, in the shadows, in the signs, they all pointed to Christ, and Christ is from their physical line. In other words, there's promises that are made to physical Israel that apply only to Christ. He is the answer. He is the fulfilling of the promises that were made. He is what the believers were waiting for. And so Paul is saying, listen, as I look at my physical countrymen, they've been blessed by God. Their state of lostness, I cannot blame on God. Their state of unbelief, I will not call because of God's unfaithfulness. He's pointing to the faithfulness of God throughout the history of the nation of Israel. Why? Because God has been about saving a people for His own glory. If we look at the big picture and miss the church, then we can look and say, well, there's more people being lost than being saved. What's God doing? But if we rightly understand that all of us come into this world depraved, all of us come into this world not deserving salvation, then we look at the church and say, wow, look at God's grace. Look at His bounty of blessing and mercy that has been poured out on unworthy sinners such as I. And our heart will break and we will preach to our countrymen and we will preach to our family and we will preach to our neighbors and our friends and strangers around this world. Because we understand that we came into the blessings of God by hearing the word of God, by faith alone, by grace alone, for the glory of God alone. And so we need to understand that as Paul, as a Jew, he's writing glorious truths about the gospel, but he doesn't want people to think that God failed in the Old Testament. He wants to show the handiwork of God in the Old Testament, just as chapter 11 wants to show the handiwork of God in the Old Testament, by saving a people for his own glory. Look at verse six, but it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. And not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. Is Paul delirious? Or is Paul saying there's a group of physical Israel and there's a group of physical Israel that is spiritual Israel? See, if we miss this, then we'll misunderstand the whole Old Testament. We'll come up with new ways for God to save people. We'll come up with new ways for God to be gracious to people. And we'll see promises of God failing, and we'll blame it on the gospel, and then our faith will be shaken. Rather than seeing a covenant of works on physical Israel, and it was conditional, obey and live, obey and be blessed, disobey and be cursed. We've looked at this before. We've covered in the book of Hebrews already the difference between covenants and works and grace, but we also need to understand who those covenants are being applied to. And so the covenant of grace was preached to Israel and God saved the people for his own glory. But God never, ever promised it that all of physical Israel would be saved. Because if that's the case, then throughout the testimony of the Old Testament and into the New Testament, we have people perishing that God promised to save. So what happened to the cross? What happened to the promise? This is why it's dangerous to blend and to mix the two and not have wisdom to understand. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. Not all Jacob's children belong to the church. And not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of promise are counted as offspring. Just as Abraham had multiple physical children, and yet the promise to the physical nation went through Isaac, so too the promise to become children of Abraham is by faith alone, not by works, lest that anyone should boast. Jump down to verse 22. What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory? In other words, when we look at world history, We should see the workings of God as a means to make known the riches of His glory for the church. Because you have two different groups here, vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy. Vessels of wrath are those that don't believe, refuse to believe, and that's the world. And then you have vessels of mercy, which is the church, the elect, those that believe in Christ Jesus. And then he says, even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles. In other words, he's pointing and saying, not all Israel is Israel, but not all physical Israel is not the church either. Paul wants it to be clear that the church is made up of Jews and Gentiles. One church, every nation. He wants to show the faithfulness of God in the gospel to the Jews, and he wants to show the faithfulness of God to the Gentiles. But not just in his everyday care, common grace, he wants to show his care in the gospel. So if we look at creation, and we look at the physical world, we can see God caring for all of his creation, providing for all of his creation, and we can be encouraged. But to see the beautiful promises that will carry us to glory, we have to see the faithfulness of God in the gospel. And you can already see in Paul's letter, he's having to deal with people saying, did the word of God fail? Did God fail? Did God not fulfill his promises? Because they were misunderstanding. Even the disciples, as they walked with Jesus, now will you restore physical Israel to its rightful place? Now will you do? Now will you be the earthly king? That's what Judas thought. Judas clearly thought he was backing an earthly king that was going to rule with power. And then when he found out he was going to die as a suffering lamb, I'm out of here. But the king that was promised in Jesus wasn't another physical king like David, but a spiritual king like David. And we have to see these things. Listen to what he continues. So the church is made up of Jews and Gentiles, as indeed he says in Hosea. Wait a minute, I thought the whole Old Testament was only about the Jews. So he's quoting an Old Testament prophet to show that the Gentiles are part of the church. Those who were not my people, I will call my people. And her who was not beloved, I will call beloved. And in the very place where it was said to them, you are not My people, they will be called sons of the living God. And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out His sentence upon the earth fully and without delay. And as Isaiah predicted, if the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah. So he points to the physical Israel again and says, not all physical Israel will be saved, only a remnant will be saved. And the only reason why the remnant is saved is because God graciously left them a remnant. If God had dealt with them as their sins deserved, Isaiah, Hosea, and Paul are in agreement, we would have been like Sodom, and we would have been like Gomorrah. If God did what justice demanded, Israel would have been wiped out. But we know today that Israel still exists, and we need to say that Israel exists, and every other nation exists. by the graciousness of God alone. America has boundaries. America is a nation because God is gracious. But God also will carry out without delay His judgment upon the world. In other words, common grace has an end date. And at the end date that only God knows what that date is, judgment will fall upon every single person who doesn't believe in Christ. But that's why we need to see the difference, because the promises of the gospel have no end date. The promises of the gospel are being fulfilled throughout eternity by the graciousness of God, and the mercy of God, and the glory of Christ. What a difference! If you want to live only under the common grace of God, and you think that His benefit in this world is enough, and who cares about eternity? Then you're not drinking the beauty of the gospel. You're just seeing His faithfulness in the world, and that's enough. But a heart that is drunk deeply of the gospel of grace can't be satisfied with the sun rising and rain falling, and hearts beating and lungs breathing. The heart that is drunk deeply from the gospel is satisfied in Christ alone with all the glorious promises of the gospel. What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it? That is a righteousness that is by faith? But that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed at reaching that law? Paul's dealing with the understanding of arguments. In other words, people are going to look at it and say, but Israel followed God for all these years. And you're telling me they didn't reach it? But the Gentiles, who just simply believed by faith, reached the goal? And the answer is yes. Because the Gentiles are believing by faith, and therefore are saved, and the Jews are pursuing it as a law. As if they can earn their own righteousness. Look at what Paul says. Verse 32, why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it was based on works. In other words, they heard the signs, they heard the symbols, they heard the warnings, they heard the law, and they said, we can do it. We can be righteous. We can obey God. We can do this thing that's being required of us. And they pressed on in their own strength as if the righteousness that God required could be earned by their own hands. But the saved Gentiles and the saved Jews that make up the church heard those same laws, heard those same promises, saw those same signs and symbols, and says, I need Christ, I can't make it. I'm a sinner. I need my sins forgiven, and I'm certainly not righteous. I need a righteousness that's not my own. And so the Old Testament church stood saying, God alone provides righteousness. Isn't that what David cried out in his prayer this morning? That if you deal with us simply by your own justice, no one could stand? Deal with me in your righteousness, and in your love, and in your mercy? See, the church of the Old Testament stood knowing that God was righteous, and He graciously gives righteousness, and God is merciful, and He forgives sins. Well, guess where the New Testament church should stand? That God alone can give the righteousness that's required for salvation, and God alone can be merciful to forgive sins. We need to be encouraged by the Old Testament church. But again, if we blur the line between the church and physical Israel, we won't be encouraged by how God dealt with physical Israel. We won't be encouraged as they're sent into exile. We won't be encouraged as other physical nations came in and slaughtered thousands upon thousands in God's judgment. See what I'm saying? If we blend the two, if we mix the two, we'll be saying, well, when will my sin deserve what God did to physical Israel? When will my sin cause God to send me off into exile? When will my sin get the wrath of God here on earth? And the church should say, because of Christ Jesus, I will never experience the wrath of God. I will never experience the judgment of God. I've been set free from my sins because of Christ. See the difference? Paul writes to the Corinthians and says, listen, all the things that they did were written down for your instruction. We need to learn from physical Israel. Don't walk there. Don't think you can save yourself. Don't think that you're holy enough. Don't think that you can appease a holy God by what you do. But inside that physical Israel, we also need to be deeply encouraged by the church. Those believers that God gives us a testimony of their faith that they had in Christ, and the worship that they had of God. Jump to chapter 11. I want to finish reading, since you already turned to 11, I just want to finish reading verse 32. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it was based on works, they have stumbled over the stumbling stone. As it is written, behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. So there's Jews being put to shame because they didn't believe in the rock. And there were Jews being saved that believed in the rock. Now let's go to 11. I ask then, has God rejected His people? See what I'm talking about? As we're looking at the truths that God is writing in His Word, our own hearts are going to well up and say, well, did God reject His people? He's already dealt with, did God's Word fail? Now He's dealing with the character of God. Because guess what? If God makes a promise, and He breaks that promise, He becomes unfaithful. He becomes unholy. And if the church ever doubts that God is good, we're in big trouble. Because how can we trust the promises of God if we doubt God Himself? So Paul asked the question, has God rejected His people? Has God rejected those that He promised to save? By no means. For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Again, Paul is drawing a line, a difference between physical Israel and spiritual Israel. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he appeals to God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. He didn't disagree with Elijah. Elijah cast an accusation against the physical nation and God didn't say, oh no, no, they're all mine, they're all saved, don't worry about it. They're not really as bad as you think they are. It's not what he does. Instead he says, by my sovereign hand I've kept 7,000 that haven't bent their knee to bail. Do the math. How many millions live in Israel at this time? And God is declaring, Elijah, I want to encourage you, you're not alone. There's 7,000 that I've saved and kept by my sovereign grace. What do we do with the rest of physical Israel? They're the world. They're the unbelieving ones. They're the ones that stumbled over the stumbling stone. See, we need to see the faithfulness of God so we can be encouraged, but we also need to hear the warnings of God. You can't just be physically religious. You can't just gather together as a people and assume that it pleases God. You have to do it God's way. You have to come by faith alone, by grace alone, by Christ alone, for the glory of God alone, or you're not coming to God. That's why Jesus, a Jew, said, no one can come to the Father but through me. He didn't say, all of you are already at the Father, and you're already there, and I came just as an addition. So people want to say, the Jews are already God's people. We shouldn't witness to them. They're already saved. It's what the Bible teaches. And I'm here to say, no, it doesn't. The Bible teaches that God saves Jews and Gentiles. And the Bible even goes farther to say that he saves from every tongue, tribe, people, and nation. But nowhere in the scripture does God say, I'm going to save every single individual all over the world, regardless of what they believe in. He says, I will save all those that believe in my son. all those that trust in the finished work of Christ. So the promise God makes, He will perfectly fulfill. And we never want to doubt that. Has God's promise failed? Certainly not! Every single person that the Father gave to the Son, the Son will save, and the Spirit will convict, and will be carried to glory. We can count on that. But if we look at the world and say, well, they're basically good, or they're basically religious, and they've fallen the light that they have, aren't they in? We need to say from Scripture, no, they're not in. Not even all of Israel that God dealt so faithfully with were all in. If God judged them with the grace and glories that He revealed to them, why would He not judge the world that cares less about the grace and the glory that's been revealed? So Paul says, God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. And earlier in Romans, we have that great chain of redemption that those that he foreknew, he predestined, he called, and he justified, he glorifies. And nothing can separate us from the love of God. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah? He wants the church to understand that it's in the Scripture that we see the truth about God. It's in the Scripture we see the truth about the Gospel. It's in the Scripture that we understand the faithfulness of God. Don't try to assume that our eyes can look at the world and judge whether God's been faithful or not. Because when you witness to the lost, that's what they attack. Well, if God is love, then why do all these things happen in the world? If God is love, then why are all these people lost? If God is love, it's God's fault. Sin needs to be exposed. and grace needs to be exalted. But never does God's goodness need to be brought into question. So after he tells Elijah that he's kept a remnant for himself, look at verse 5. So too at the present time, there is a remnant chosen by grace. So Paul's writing to the church and saying, listen, if you're a Jew, if you're a Gentile, and that phrase covers every human being in the world, If you're a Christian, it's because God has kept you as a remnant chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking? The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. Paul wants us to understand. That Christ is the Savior of the world in the sense that He has people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. And God, by His grace, has dealt with different nations in different ways at various times. But He deals with His church consistently and perfectly in Christ. The grace that flows to the world accomplishes what God desires of it. The grace that flows towards the church in Christ accomplishes something far better, far more glorious. Flip over to back to Hebrews 11 and verse 10. Now look at verse 10, it says, for he, meaning Abraham, was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. And I want us to look at some texts that I hope help us understand what this city is and what it's not. I believe that the Bible is declaring that there is a physical Jerusalem and a heavenly Jerusalem. There is a physical nation of Israel, and then there is a spiritual nation of Israel. So let's go to Ephesians chapter two, And then I want to go to a passage in Revelation and see if we can see a better glimpse of what this city is and what it is not. Ephesians 2, starting in verse 13. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace. who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility." Paul understood that there was tension between Jew and Gentile. But Paul also understood the greatness of what Christ has accomplished. So he's writing to a Gentile church and saying, you were far off, meaning you weren't a Jew. You didn't grow up with all the blessings and all the promises that God bestowed upon the nation of Israel. But he called you to and drew you to himself. And just as he drew from the Jews people to himself, he makes one church, one body by killing the hostility. In other words, naturally there may be tensions between people groups. When you become a Christian, that hostility must be killed by the work of the cross. And we have a major problem in that area in this country and around the world. Because prejudice that exists outside of you being a Christian are allowed to shape the church. Our church and other churches don't look like every tongue, tribe, nation, and people. We migrate towards people that are like us. And that can be dangerous. It can reveal demographics, but it also can reveal that we still have prejudice in our heart. That we don't reach out to people that are different than us. And we have to be careful that we don't cause the glory of the gospel's finished work in Christ. to be diminished by what we think about other colors and other peoples. Verse 17, And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Again, through the Son, by the Spirit, to the Father, that's where the church is saved. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Is he saying to the church at Ephesus, you're now physical Jews? Or is he saying to the church at Ephesus that you're now spiritual Jews? Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone. What in the world does he mean that the church, the household of God, is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets? The Word of God. That God spoke through the prophets in the Old Testament, and God spoke through the apostles in the New Testament, and that's where the church lives. That's where she dines. It's the revealed Word of God, from God, through His church, to His people. Genesis to Revelation, that's where our faith is built. But Paul wants it to be clear. Listen, we're not going to exalt a prophet too high. We're not going to exalt an apostle too high. Because listen, Jesus Christ himself is the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being built is joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. This is the city that Abraham longed for. He longed to be with the Jew and Gentile church in Christ as living stones being built into a temple for the living God. This is the city whose designer and builder is God. This is the city that has a glorious foundation, and that foundation is Christ Jesus. As believers, we need to understand what makes up the city of God and what doesn't make up the city of God. We're not longing for a city that's made here on earth. We're not longing for a physical nation to be our Savior. And yet that's exactly where our mind goes and our heart goes sometimes. Well, Lord, if you did this in our nation, it would be better for us. If you did this in our country, it would be better for us. If you did this in the world, it would be better for us. And God stands there giving testimony time and time again, I did in Christ everything that you need. And the church should be rejoicing that the city of God will be built perfect because of what Christ has done perfectly. There'll be nothing missing from that city. No stones, no jewels, no bricks, nothing missing. Why? Because all those that he foreknew, he will save. This city will be built perfectly by the grace of God. Turn to Revelation chapter 21. Revelation 21, starting in verse 1. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. We need to see this link. John is seeing a vision. He says the vision is a holy city. It's the new Jerusalem. It's not looking behind him to the physical Jerusalem. He's looking above to the new Jerusalem. And he says this new Jerusalem, this holy city is prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. What is where is that phrase used in scripture to describe the church? The church is the bride of Christ. Let's keep reading. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The former things have passed away. And he who was seated on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new. Also, he said, write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. And he said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, to the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage. I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, The faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bulls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me saying, come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the lamb. So same terminology, same phraseology, the bride, the wife of the lamb in verse nine and up on top, it says the holy city, New Jerusalem prepared it as a bride adorned for her husband. Now let's keep reading. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem. I will show you the bride. I will show you the wife of the Lamb. And I saw the holy city Jerusalem. We're not talking about the Jerusalem that's in physical Israel. We're talking about the Jerusalem of God coming down out of heaven. And it's not a physical city. It's the church. Coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like the most rare jewel, like jasper, like clear crystal. It had a great high wall with 12 gates. And at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed. On the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Again, the foundation is being pointed to, to the Word of God. Back in Ephesians, it was the prophets and the apostles, and here it's the apostles of the Lamb. The gospel, the truth given to the apostles, spoken. That's how we started this letter, right? That in various times, in various ways, God spoke to our forefathers, but now he speaks through his son. Jump down to verse 22. And I saw no temple in the city. For its temple is the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it. For the glory of God gives it its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day, and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations, but nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life." In other words, those that believe by faith alone, by grace alone, for the glory of God alone. We're sinners. We've done detestable things. We've done things that are false. But if we believe the Gospel, God gives us His righteousness and gives us His forgiveness. The imputed righteousness of Christ and our sins imputed to Christ to be crucified on the cross is what makes the Gospel good news. And so God, before the foundation of the world, wrote names in the Lamb's Book of Life. And God in time and space from Israel, from America and from every tongue, tribe and nation has been saving those people that had their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life. In other words, we need to see that God's Word before the foundation of the world is causing His faithfulness throughout human history, not unfaithfulness. That although the world sinned in Adam, although the world sins every single day by their own desires and their own will and their own rebellion, it doesn't stop the faithfulness of God throughout human history. See, if we miss God's faithfulness to the church, then we miss the beauty of the gospel. We miss seeing this heavenly city as our final dwelling place. where God will wipe away our tears, that there'll be no more sorrow, there'll be no more suffering, there'll be no more pain, there'll be no more sin, because we will worship Christ, because we will see Him as He is. This city that's being painted in Ephesians and in Revelation is the finished church. It is the church of the living God, redeemed, forgiven, and cleansed in His presence forever. Because this is our final destiny, you and I can live here with hope. Because this is our final destiny, you and I can persevere through trials and through suffering and through hard times. Why? Because God has promised something that's altogether lovely, and we believe Him. Why or when in church history was revelation written? During great church persecution. And so one of the things that God wants to show the church that's being persecuted is her home in heaven. what awaits her in glory. Don't look at the cities that are falling apart. Don't look at the cities that are in rubble. Don't look at the cities that are in financial trouble to find your hope. Look to the city whose designer and builder is God. Look to the church of the living God. Look to the resting place that God promised to build you. Didn't Jesus say that to his disciples as he was leaving? I promise to go to prepare a place for you. If it were not so, I wouldn't say so. That finished work of the church is by the work of Christ, not by the works of the flesh. Again, this is the church of the living God, those chosen by God in love, saved by His grace, and kept by His sovereign word. The elect from every tongue, tribe, and nation, the redeemed of all time in, by, and because of Christ Jesus. Back to Hebrews chapter 11. By faith, verse 11, by faith, Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man and him as good as dead were born descendants, as many as the stars of the heaven, as many as the innumerable grands of the sands of the seashore." Abraham and Sarah, when you read that story, you should look at them physically and say, there's no hope. if it was left to Sarah and Abraham. There's no way the promise of God's going to be fulfilled if you leave it to Sarah and Abraham. But Sarah's faith says the one who promised, he's faithful. And we don't want to see that Isaac was some immaculate conception. We need to see that Isaac was born by natural means. And that's why the writer of Hebrews points to Abraham when he says, therefore from one man and him as good as dead were born descendants. Sarah, past her age of bearing children, and Abraham as good as dead. God says, you'll have a child. In their flesh, they try to have one a different way. And he wasn't the child of promise, no matter how hard they tried. No matter how hard they tried to apply the promises of God to Ishmael, he wasn't the child of promise. And when their faith rested in the one that they considered faithful, Isaac was born. Can you imagine that? Left to themselves, hopelessness. Isn't that what Jesus says? Salvation with man is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. See, the main point of the story of Sarah and Abraham isn't that old people can have kids. It's that God reigns and God fulfills every promise that he makes, no matter what your circumstance looks like. Look at Sarah, look at Abraham, you're going to be filled with doubt and fear. Look to the God that they worshiped, you'll be filled with hope. See, there's ways we can look at each other and be encouraged as we see Christ working in our lives, as we each point to Christ. But if we base our analogy that we understand God by looking at people, by trusting in what people do, we're going to be disappointed. But if we look at the way God works in a sinful world, saving a people for his own namesake, we'll be encouraged. Again, we need to see the faithfulness of God as He raises up the nation of Israel from one man. God did a miracle, a physical miracle through Abraham and through Sarah to raise up a nation. But more importantly, we need to see the faithfulness of God as He saves the church through one man, Jesus Christ. See, there's shadows in the life of Abraham and Moses and David, but they're only important when they land on Christ. Turn to Paul's letter to the church at Galatia and see if we can see this a little clearer. Galatians 3, starting in verse 16. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say and to offsprings, referring to many, but referring to one. and to your offspring who is Christ. This is what I mean. The law which came 430 years afterward does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise, but God gave it to Abraham by a promise." So in other words, Paul, as he writes to the church, says, listen, what you read in the Old Testament about God giving a promise to Abraham, it was fulfilled by God in Christ, not fulfilled by Israel with the law. See how he just jumps all the way from Abraham to Christ to encourage the church? God spoke to Abraham and gave him a glorious promise, and it was fulfilled where? Not in Isaac. Not in the physical nation of Israel, but in Christ. He was the promised offspring. So people would ask the question, what's the point of everything that happened in the middle? Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made. And it was put into place through angels by an intermediary. Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not. Now he doesn't mean that the law and the gospel are the same. He means, is the law unholy and the gospel holy? Certainly not. The law was given by God and is holy. The gospel is given by God and holy. The law points to our sin and drives us to the gospel. But they're different. Verse 21, is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not. For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. But the scripture imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. So what was the point of the promise made to Abraham? Believe in Jesus. Isn't that amazing? Abraham was a pagan who lived in Ur, who from his physical loins came a physical nation. And yet Paul, to show the faithfulness to the church, jumps right from Abraham right to Christ. Not to say that all that history doesn't mean anything. Not to say that God didn't work in that time and space. But he wants to be clear. The promise made to Abraham didn't change. And today there's people that teach, well, God saved this way, then he saved this way, then he saved this way, then he saved this way, and finally now he saves in Christ. The God of the Old Testament was kind of mean and angry and only forgave by works, and the God of the New Testament, well, he's more love and he forgives through Jesus Christ by faith alone, as if faith alone is something cheap that offers cheap grace. When you look at human history, he's taking us all the way back to Abraham and saying that promise lands on that Christ. Whatever you read in the history of Israel, in the history of the world, don't lose that promise. Don't miss the faithfulness of God over those thousands and thousands of years. Because God spoke in time and space and fulfilled in time and space. Paul later says in the book of Galatians that at the fullness of time, He sent forth His Son. So some people would say, well, He made a promise to Abraham, boy, it took a long time to fulfill it. No, He patiently waited. bearing on, putting up with vessels of wrath to show his mercy to vessels of grace. In other words, you need to see the faithfulness of God throughout that time in history, not the unfaithfulness of God. And what will that do going forward? Jesus made a promise, I'm coming to get you. And yet it's been 2000 years. Do we now say, well, God's taken a long time. You must be unfaithful. We look back here and we see the faithfulness of God in bringing Christ the first time and encourages us to wait for Christ coming the second time. The first time Christ came, He came according to the promise of the Word of God. The second time He comes, He comes according to the promise of His Word. And the only people that were happy at the first coming will be the only people happy at the second coming. If you weren't excited As a Jew, when Jesus came the first time, you're not going to be excited as a Jew when he comes the second time. And you can put any nation in there. There's a difference between physical Israel and the church. There's a difference of what they hoped in. There's a difference in what they waited for. Those that were waiting for Christ rejoiced when they saw him. Those that were waiting for an earthly king to get the Romans out were greatly disappointed. But the Scriptures imprisoned everything under sin. In other words, when you read your Bible, sin is exposed. But the Gospel is exalted. So that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. All the promises of God are what in Christ? Yes and Amen. There's not a promise God made to the church that isn't for you and isn't for me. Verse 23. Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then the law was our guardian until Christ came in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus, you are all sons of God through faith." What's Paul saying? Church, don't go back under the law. Don't try to earn God's favor by what you do. Understand that you're in God's favor by what Christ did. Because you're already sons of God through faith. You're not sons of God by works. You're either sons and daughters of God by faith, or you're sons and daughters of disobedience in the world. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Some people try to take that verse and say, see, there's no distinction between male and female, they're both the same. There's no distinction between countries, they're all the same. That's not what he's saying. He's saying it doesn't matter if you're a Jew or a Gentile, you're saved by grace. It doesn't matter if you're free or a slave, you're saved by grace. It doesn't matter if you're a male or a female, you're saved by grace to be in the church. And everyone that's in the church is one in Christ, not the rich up here and the poor down here, not different colors up here and different colors down here. Jew and Gentile, black and white, rich and poor, slaver free, one in Christ. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise. You see what he just did? Promise is made to Abraham. It was fulfilled in the offspring in Christ. And then he declares the church is the offspring of Abraham. Most people want to put all the blessings of God on physical Israel and miss the blessings that God has put on the church. The church is the Israel of God. The church is spiritual Israel. The church is spiritual Jews. The church are the children of God. Don't miss that. Don't read the word of God wrong and feel like those rebukes that are happening to physical Israel are meant for you. But also don't miss the glorious promises made to the believers in the Old Testament that are meant for you. From Genesis till the end of time, till that vision and revelation is fulfilled, every single person that is saved is saved by faith alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. And all those that believe not, I don't care what they believe in, if they believe not in Christ, they will perish. We need to understand that Abraham is considered the father of the faith because the promise of faith was made to Abraham. Abraham doesn't save us. Abraham didn't earn our salvation because we can trace back through our lineage and we know that we're physical descendants of Abraham. Abraham believed God by faith and was saved, declared righteous. If you and I believe God and are saved by faith and are declared righteous, we are the offspring of Abraham, heirs according to the promise. Back to Hebrews chapter 11, verse 13. Verse 13 starts off with, These all died in faith. He's not referring to all physical Jews. He's referring to all the people that he's talked about that believe by faith. All that I've used as an example up to this point. Abel, Sarah, Abraham. All those that I've used as an example died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar. Doesn't that sound like verse 1? Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the convictions of things not seen. All the Old Testament believers saw the church from afar, saw the finished work of Christ from afar. In other words, they saw in the signs and symbols and promises of God that one day that there would be a church made of every tongue, tribe, and nation, perfectly forgiven and perfectly righteous because of Christ. Christ hadn't come yet. Christ hadn't died yet. And yet God was building a people for Himself. out of every tongue, tribe and nation. So having seen them and greeted them from afar and having acknowledged that they were, wait a minute, strangers and exiles on the earth. There's a way that we're no longer strangers and exiles because we've been pulled into the family of God. But there's a way that we look at this world and we're strangers and exiles. Paul said to the Gentiles, you used to be apart from the church, but now you're brought into the church. Israel walked on the earth physically, and they thought they had their land and all their promises that they needed. And yet those inside physical Israel that really believed God and His promises lived a very different life. They didn't put all their hope in physical Israel. They didn't put all their hope in physical Jerusalem. They put their hope in God. And when they put their hope in God, their heart said, you know what? This place really isn't my home. This place really doesn't hold me the way it used to. This world no longer binds me and has me in chains like it used to. I've been set free in Christ and now my home's in heaven. And I wait for that day when all the brothers and sisters from all time are united together in Christ. No division, all perfect, seeing God face to face. So Abraham journeyed from Ur all the way to the promised land. And yet he was a stranger in exile. His descendants journeyed back to the same promised land and built the city that God promised to build on a physical mountain. And yet they looked at it and said, this isn't our home. We don't belong to a physical mountain. We belong to Mount Zion. We don't belong to the law on Mount Sinai. We belong to the mountain of God, the gospel of grace. Paul says for people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland If they had been thinking of the land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return In other words, it wasn't about traveling from one physical nation to another is about journeying by faith to the homeland to heaven to the eternal dwelling place of God because 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 for them a city." I hope you were blown away as you read that verse. I had to read that verse multiple times. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God. The holy God of all the universe is not ashamed to claim you as His own. nor ashamed for you to claim Him as your own. And the evidence that's given is that He's prepared for them a city. Isn't that awesome? There's so many times our mind doubts, does God really love me? Does God really care for me? Has God really provided all I need in Christ? In this verse, beautifully declared in Scripture, God is not ashamed to be called your God. Because the gospel declares what? We've been made at peace with God because of Christ. We've been forgiven by God because of Christ. We're loved by God because of Christ. He's not ashamed of his church. This ragtag group of sinners pulled from all corners of the world. He's not ashamed of us for one reason. We're beautiful in Christ. We're perfect in Christ. We're redeemed in Christ. We're righteous in Christ. We're forgiven in Christ. You can make the list on and on from all the promises that are declared in scripture. Your position in Christ is far more beautiful than you and I have given him credit. And if we're not stunned that a holy God that declared the world into existence is not ashamed of these jars of clay, then we're not being blown away by the gospel rightly. You need to see the beauties of God, the promises of God, the faithfulness of God all being fulfilled in Christ and the Gospel. He promised it in Genesis 3.15, I'll send a seed of the woman who will crush the head of Satan. One seed did that. Christ Jesus. I'll send you an offspring, Abraham, and that offspring will build a nation that's too numerous to count. Not Isaac, not Jacob, not David, but Christ. Not a physical nation that lived on earth, but a heavenly nation that lives in the kingdom of God. Not a city made of brick and mortar or steel and glass. Not an earthly city made by man. Not a temporary city made in a temporary kingdom. but an eternal city in a heavenly kingdom, the dwelling place of God. A city made up of those redeemed by God's grace, those saved by faith alone, those who are righteous in, by, and because of Christ Jesus alone. And these sinners saved this way, God is not ashamed of because the finished work and person of Christ. May we see our worth in Christ. May we see our beauty in Christ. May we see our eternal place with God as secure because of Christ. And may our hearts cry in unity and love. Come Lord Jesus, come. Let's pray. Father, we thank you that you gave John a glimpse of the finished glorious work of redemption. We thank You, Lord, that the church will be altogether lovely one day with sin being driven from us and our bodies being glorified and us being in the presence of Christ. Father, we thank You that Your promise made to Abraham so many thousand years ago hasn't changed. That in Christ, You are saving people from all over this world. May we not doubt Your faithfulness. May we not doubt your word. May we not doubt your promises. May we as your church see you as forever faithful. May we see your everlasting love pursuing your church around the world, even as your church rebels and kicks against you. May we see that your church is made up of sinners saved by grace, not self-righteous people who earned their way in. Father, protect us from being law-driven people. Help us to be grace-carried people. Help us to obey Your Word in a way that doesn't bring honor to us, but brings honor to You. Help us to be a people who love to enjoy Christ and preach Christ. Help us to be a people who rest in Christ daily to get their strength. so that we're not shaken, that we don't lose our way. Lord, help us to be a people who see all the promises of God as yes and amen and your son. What a great God you are. What a faithful God you are. Time doesn't cause your promises to elapse. And sinful man can't stop you from fulfilling your promises. May we be in awe of what a great and glorious God we have. What a great and glorious Savior we have. What a gospel we believe in. How at sweet forgiveness we swim in. Thank you for Christ. Thank you for His life, His death, and His glorious resurrection. Thank You for His mediatorial work on behalf of Your people. Thank You for Your faithfulness to the Church of all ages. We give thanks in Jesus' name, Amen.