This morning I would like you to turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews. And I'm just going to preach to you on verses 14 and 15. It's quite an amazing couple of verses here. I had originally thought to take verse 16 as well. but found as I prepared the message that I just had way too much, so I couldn't do it. And so what we need to focus on here this morning is praise and thanksgiving, which are expressly talked about here in these verses. And there's some wonderful things that I would have you to notice from these verses that will be of real benefit to us, I think, in living our life to God in coming days. Let's bow together for prayer. Oh Lord, thank you for your faithfulness, your loving kindness. which is everlasting, and your truth which endures to all generations. We thank you that as we think about the subject of thanksgiving that we as believers would be more thankful people and express that thanksgiving to you even as it's described here in these two verses. We pray that you will enable us to see many good truths from these two verses. May they set our hearts on fire to be people of praise and thanksgiving, and expressing that to you daily, hourly, and moment by moment, in everything giving thanks, for we know that this is your will in Christ Jesus. So we ask that you will now work in our hearts, O Holy Spirit, and bring to our attention the things that we in particular need to hear, We pray and ask it in your blessed name, Lord Jesus, amen. Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 14. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by him, that is by Christ, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. So it says here that we have no continuing city, that since we seek the city that's to come, that therefore, that we ought to offer the sacrifice of praise regularly, that is, during all the time of our earthly sojourn here upon the earth. And the first thing that the apostle would have us to remember to do is that while we are seeking the city, which is to come, that we ought to remember to continually be praising God for what is coming. That's going to be my first point to you. And the second is this, that in offering the sacrifice of praise, we are to continually give thanks to his holy name, remembering how great and glorious a God he is. It's fitting for us to think about these things in light of Thanksgiving Day that we'll celebrate as a nation here this coming Thursday. And so we need to remember to praise him and to thank him not only on that day, but at all times. So first of all, while we're seeking the city which is to come, we ought to, it says here, continually praise God for what is coming. Notice the wording in verse 14, for here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. This letter was written to the Hebrews and the apostle wanted those Hebrews whom he was writing to to understand that in a few short years Jerusalem would not be a city that they could continue to live in. The Lord Jesus had prophesied that not one stone would be left upon another when Titus and the Roman armies came down upon them in 70 AD to deal with those rebellious Jews who had not recognized the time of their visitation by the Son of God. But I think that we who are Gentiles need also to see that this verse speaks to us right now where we live as well. The world is being pictured here for us as a city. That is what the apostle is saying here, and as such, this city will not forever continue in the way that we know it now. The world is passing away, and the less thereof, but he who does the will of God abides forever. The world has existed for 6,000 years now, and many generations of people have come and gone. Why is the world passing away? Why will it not continue to be the great city of humanity? Didn't God create it to stand forever? Well, yes he did in the beginning, but you remember what happened, Adam and Eve. The first persons created by God, they sinned against him. They didn't heed the word that God had spoken to them. They disobeyed His one good commandment that He gave them to keep. And the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they thought would make them wise actually made them over into sinners. Sin entered their very mind and heart, and it brought about their fall. from their original righteousness. And so having eaten of this fruit, eventually they would die physically too. And because sin entered them, body, soul, and spirit, it entered the world as well. It entered the world through their sin. And so the whole world fell together with Adam and Eve. Romans chapter 8. And verse 20, for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope, because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Oh, how true this is. Since we know that the whole creation is groaning, you and I ought to praise God that he upholds the whole creation, each and every moment of each and every day. Even so, He is faithful to a thousand generations, even though there's no continuing city here. But every generation of people has had to come to terms with the fact that each and every person will die physically someday because of Adam and Eve's sin. And furthermore, Everyone should remember that all men by nature are dead spiritually when they are born into the world. So each generation of people must understand that they have no continuing city here. Each generation of people must find God Himself to be their dwelling place. Let me read for you Psalm 90. And verses 1 to 12, Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Well, that's the truth, isn't it? It doesn't take long for a generation of people to live and largely be forgotten by the rest of the world, but look what it goes on to say. Before the mountains were brought forth, wherever you had formed the world and the earth, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. You turn man to destruction and say, return, O children of men, for a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past and like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood. They are like a sleep in the morning. They are like grass which grows up in the morning. It flourishes and grows up in the evening. It is cut down and it withers, it says here. Wow, that's just incredible, isn't it? It says in verse 7, we have been consumed by your anger, and by your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins, in the light of your countenance. For all our days have passed away in your wrath, and we finish our years like a sigh. The days of our years are 70 years, and if by reason of strength, they are 80 years. Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow, for it is soon cut off. and we fly away. Who knows the power of your anger? For as the fear of you, so is your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may present to you, or that we may gain a heart of wisdom." It says here, well, if that's the way that things are, if that's how difficult it is in life, it was that way for the Jews when they were under God's wrath in the wilderness. And that's the way it is for so many people. They're under God's wrath in our day today, and many people don't even live to be 70 years old, or even 80 years old. And you and I need to see this. Why should we continually offer up praise then, seeing that this is the case? The things that I just read to you. Well, it's because all believers are looking to the future. At least they ought to be. You and I ought to be looking to the future. We look to the future because of what God has promised us in relation to his redemptive work in Christ. So, when God saved us, we were crucified to the world. And the world was crucified to us. Look with me over at Galatians chapter 6 and verse 14 and you will see this. Galatians chapter 6 and verse 14. Paul says, for God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. So it's because of Christ going to the cross that we can praise God every day that the world is not really our home. Do you praise God in that way? Are you looking forward to eternity and being with God forever if you have believed in the Lord Jesus? That's what you should be thankful for. The future is coming. and it is progressing towards us, and we are overtaking it in age, and the years go by, and we hardly realize that we're getting old until we're there. That's the incredible thing that we need to think about. But while we're thinking about it, let's rejoice in the fact that through Jesus Christ, our Lord, the world is crucified to us. That is because of his redemptive work we look to him and we don't love the world anymore or the things of the world. If we do, we're very foolish as a Christian to do so. Once I was young and now I am old. But you need to understand that time moves very swiftly. And very soon it is gone, like it says in that psalm, and we fly away. Is the Lord your dwelling place? The Lord is our dwelling place to all generations. He dwells with you and you with Him when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. But I'm saying it's because of Christ going to the cross that we can praise God every day that the world is not really our home. Oh, what a blessing it is to think this way. We presently have everything that we need if we have Christ, without desiring what the world would tempt us to. We have peace in Christ, we have pardon in Him, we have righteousness, and we have life. We have salvation, and we have eternal glory coming because of what Christ did for us. That's the reason that you ought to continually praise the Lord and be offering the sacrifice of praise. I'll talk more about that, what that means in just a bit. Because praise is beautiful and it glorifies God. When we are seeking the city which is to come. What interesting wording here. When we're seeking the city which is to come, our sacrifice of praise now, the apostle is saying, is something that every Christian should do because they believe in Christ and they're seeking the city which is to come. So all believers in Christ Both Old Testament and New are seeking the city which is to come. And I want you to turn with me over to Hebrews chapter 11. And I want to read to you verses 8 to 10 of Hebrews chapter 11. It says here, by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going. And by faith he dwelt in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise, for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." So we find here that Abraham, the father of our faith when he was called by God to leave Ur of the Chaldees and go to the land of Canaan, he obeyed because he knew that he would eventually receive an inheritance. Now he went out, it says, not knowing where he was going. In other words, the Lord led him all the way there and made sure that he understood where he wanted him to be. Did you know that the Lord does the same thing with you? That he leads you in the way that he wants you to go and you don't understand many things about living the Christian life or what that's going to involve for you personally. But you know that he will be leading you and you have to live by faith and not by sight. It says here that Abraham sojourned in this land as a pilgrim. He dwelt in tents with his children Isaac and then grandchild Jacob. He didn't actually own any single portion of the land of Canaan even though it was promised to him. The whole thing. The whole land. But I'm saying he lived by faith. He was actually looking for a city It says here, waiting for a city that has foundations whose builder and maker is God. Now look at verses 13 to 16 of the same chapter, chapter 11 of Hebrews. It says here, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, having seen them afar off, were assured of them faith is the assurance of things hoped for, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return 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 notice the language a city for them it says here so Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Jacob and all those who believed in their respective families they all died in faith It says here, they were all seeking a homeland, but not finding their ultimate happiness or satisfaction in this world. Because why? They were worshippers of God. And you and I are worshippers of God. And when we are worshippers of God, we are looking forward to the city that's made by God. He is the builder and maker of it. And He is going to give it to us as an inheritance. First of all, when we die, and then in the new heavens and new earth which is coming, in which will dwell righteousness when Christ comes back again. I'll speak more of that here in just a little bit. What did they really desire? Well, they had grace working in their hearts. They desired a heavenly land, it says here, a heavenly inheritance, which would be imperishable, as Peter says, and undefiled, reserved in heaven for you. That's where we're moving. That's where we're going. We're here for a few short years, and then we fly away to Jesus. and how good that will be. Let me ask you if you see yourself as a pilgrim and as a stranger in this world, although you may have many friends, although you may know and be earthly friends of many people in this fallen world, you as a Christian should be leading a deliberately separated life from unbelievers and worldly people. Even though you love your neighbor as yourself, and you're seeking to try to win them to Christ, your ultimate aim before God is living a righteous life and pursuing holiness. That's what your life's all about. But sometimes we get caught up with the world and we don't see that. We don't realize where we're going to. We don't realize there's this city that we should be seeking. Now, you probably know that the church of our Lord Jesus Christ is called by Him in Matthew 5.14, a city that is set on a hill. So we are the city of God as the church, and the city of God is actually the people of God in a very real sense. But there's a time coming when there will be a greater manifestation of the sons of God, as I read to you from Romans chapter 8. And that time will come when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will return. And He's going to bring an end at that time to this city. the world that we presently know and are a part of. He's going to do this at a future time and day that no one knows, the hour or the day. He's going to do that for all believers so that they might know this glorious inheritance of a new world. which he and the Father have promised to us. Are you looking forward to this, dear Christian? Do you give thanks to God for what is coming? Do you seek the city which is coming? A few scriptures will help here. Philippians chapter three, verses 20 and 21, for our citizenship is in heaven. from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body according to the working by which he is able to subdue all things to himself." Revelation 21. that famous second to the last chapter of the book of Revelation, verses one to four, and I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and also there was no more sea than I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Also 2 Peter 3, verses 10 to 13. 2 Peter 3. It says, But the day of the Lord will come, as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner, what kind of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God? because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." So let me ask you again whether you are praising God for what is coming. for it will most surely come in due time." That is this city, this continuing city that we seek for, the one that's coming. Let me ask you whether you praise God for all that He's going to do in the future. Looking forward to it. His plans, it says in Isaiah 25, were formed long ago. in perfect faithfulness? Do you praise Him that not one purpose of God's will fail? Will you not thank Him that you're part of the city of God, the people of God now, but also that you're moving forward to that eternal city made by God's hands? You remember Jesus And John 14 says, I go and to prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also. Do you look forward to that, that mansion that Jesus is making for you? In my father's house, there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you. That's what he's doing. What an amazing place it's going to be. It will be exceedingly great, this city that is coming. I could spend another hour talking to you about this, but I won't. Because secondly, I want you to see that in offering the sacrifice of praise, that you are to continually give thanks to his holy name. Verse 15, therefore by him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Now I wonder if you see praising God for how it's described for us here in this verse as a sacrifice and one which you are told to offer up continually to God through Christ. The reason that you're told to do this, to continually offer up the sacrifice of praise, it's the best way that you'll be ready for that day that is coming when Christ will return and the eternal city will begin. As a believer in Christ, you are here urged to take up your responsibility to offer the fruit of your lips The calves of your lips, it says in Hosea 14 in the original. That is, it's a sacrifice. A sacrifice of praise. Not a sacrifice like Christ, which was redemptive, but a sacrifice which you give to God because of what Christ has done. That's what we're talking about here. In fact, We need to ask the question, what is the sacrifice of praise? It's not a mere acknowledging of God's greatness, his glory, his goodness, and his love in Christ, although it's that, but it is a declaration of it. That's what I want you to see. That's what the sacrifice of praise is. It's your declaring to God and to others. Not only declaring here in the church, although you'll do that, but also in public when you're with other people, and even in private when you're by yourself. that you offer up praise to God. It's a sacrifice for you to do this. It's a giving of your heart and your thoughts to God and praise to Him for all that He is and all that He does for you. And in all areas of your life, I'm saying. In church, and we do that here. in public when you're with other people, when somebody says something about God, and you can say, praise God! That God's in perfect control of things. Perfectly in control of the weather when people complain about it. Perfectly controlled in providence when things are going against you. You can still praise God like Job did when everything was taken away. He praised Him. Oh, this is something for us to think about, isn't it? Study the prayers of men and women in the Bible. Have you done that? Have you done a study lately of the prayers of godly people in the Bible? Oh, it's such a good study. Even just reading the Psalms is a good way to understand how to know how to praise God as you ought. Psalm 71, five and six, but you are my hope, oh Lord God, you are my trust from my youth, by you I've been upheld from my birth. Do you declare that to God? You are he who took me out of my mother's womb. My praise shall continually be of you. It says there, verse 23 of that same Psalm, my lips shall greatly rejoice. When I sing to you and my soul, which you have redeemed, my tongue also shall talk of your righteousness all the day long. Oh, isn't this good? For they are confounded. They are brought to shame who seek my hurt. And then Proverbs 18.10, you remember that verse, the name of the Lord is a strong tower. and the righteous run into it and are safe. Dear believer, do you see God in this holy way that I'm talking to you about here this morning? Psalm 113, we are instructed as those who would be God's servants. Let me read that for you, Psalm 113. Praise, oh, praise the Lord, oh, servants of the Lord. which is what you and I are. Praise the name of the Lord, which is what our text is telling us to do. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its going down, the Lord's name is to be praised. Oh, you want to know what sanctification is all about? Sanctification is learning to praise God all day long. Oh, dear believer, this ought to bring joy to your heart. You think of sanctification as something very hard and very difficult, and sometimes it is in terms of obedience. But is this really as hard as what we think it may be? Not when we engage in it. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, his glory above all the heavens, who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high, who humbles himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth. He raises the poor out of the dust and lifts the needy out of the ash heap, that he may seat him with princes, with the princes. of his people. He grants the barren woman a home like a joyful mother of children." So, do you see God's true greatness? That God humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven and upon the earth? That's what God does regularly. God is that great. It's like he's looking down and he's, what are they doing down there? But he knows it better than that, doesn't he? He knows our hearts. He fashioned our hearts. And he sees us as we really are. So God humbles himself here, but what specifically does he do? He raises the poor out of the dust. And the needy out of the ash heap, physically poor people, needy people, He does this with them when they trust in Him. But also spiritually poor and spiritually needy, He does this. And what does He do? He lifts them up by His grace, He brings them to church, and He seats them with the princes of His people. How do you like that? He's not just talking about earthly princes, but in New Covenant, New Testament language, when he seats us with the princes of his people, he's talking about being brought to church and being seated with those who are eminent saints of God. What a wonderful thing he does. In New Testament language, believers are priests. and kings, it says in Revelation chapter 1. And why are we called priests if it's not to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God, beginning with the fruit of our lips? That is that we speak the praise of God ongoing, regular, daily, moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day. We praise the Lord continually. Why is it that the Apostle Paul can say rejoice in the Lord always? And again, I say rejoice. Isn't it because the Lord has ordained this to be our strength? that we praise him. Thou hast ordained strength, Psalm 8, for those babes who are praising him in the temple. He's ordaining strength for them to declare his praises, to sing his praises in the temple. And the Pharisees are saying, don't let them do it, Jesus. And Jesus says, well, if they don't, the stones are gonna cry out. No, they're glorious in their singing. He wanted them to do this. He wanted them to praise him and God. Oh, this is such precious stuff. He gives Christians a princely spirit. Do you realize that that's what you have, dear Christian? He gives you this noble-mindedness, this noble spirit. You're a noble, as it were. You're a king. You're a prince. You're a priest in Christ. He lavishes blessings upon you continually from the heavenly places but they're apprehended by faith and it begins with praise for what he has done. And surely what he's talking about here is that when a person comes into the family of God and into a local church, that person may have led a life in which they learned the vanity, the barrenness of living to themselves and to the world, but nothing lasting profitably came to them. When they believed in Jesus Christ, immediately God began to do a work in their heart. They began to be fruitful in righteousness, holiness, good works, In that local church setting and in their life in the community where they live in, they began to bear fruit to God. And in time they had, some of them at least, spiritual children. Let me ask you, do you have any spiritual children? You may have children, but do you have spiritual children that were born in connection with your words of truth to them and your life and your labors to bring them truth to their mind and heart that could be your own children or it could be your friends or it could be your co-workers could be your friends could be anybody that you might be able to win a soul to him He who is wise wins souls. You will be like the Apostle Paul, if you are like this, and you realize that God is letting you beget spiritual children. Oh, this is precious stuff. In the book of Philemon, the Apostle Paul says to his brother and friend Philemon, he says, I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and your faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints." Now let me ask you, is that how you think toward the saints? Are you like Philemon? You have this love and faith that other people hear about? toward all the saints that you share faith with them and that faith that you share with them becomes effectual by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in you for Christ's sake." And then he writes to Philemon about his spiritual child that he begot. They're in prison. Do you know you can beget children spiritually when you're in the most difficult situation of your whole life? Oh, yes. He says, and listen to the way he words this to Philemon. He says, for we have great joy and consolation in your love because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. Oh, isn't that precious wording? Do you refresh the hearts of the saints by your conduct in church and your interaction and fellowship with them? He says, therefore, I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting. He says, yet for love's sake, I rather appeal to you. Being such a one as Paul the aged. and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten, watch the language, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who was once unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me." In other words, what? He was saved. I'm sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is my own heart. You know, sometimes we have to give what's most precious to us in the work of the Lord. That's what Paul was doing. His very heart was the slave Onesimus he was sending back to find Laman. That's what he's saying here. Whom I wish to keep, he says, therefore receive him, that is my own heart. whom I wish to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But let me ask if you can believe that you can bear children, spiritual children, to God. Do you love Christ and the brethren? Then the Lord may grant you spiritual conception with people around you. Oh yes, I know it's hard for you to believe, but it's so. And you and I need to rejoice for those who can conceive. Not everybody can, I don't think. The apostle did. And beget spiritual children. But we need to rejoice and give God thanks for the working of his spirit, even in another person's life, if they can. We need to rejoice in being a part of Christ's church, and we need to be rejoicing that we are members of this local church, for it says in Psalm 87, verse 5, and of Zion, that is the church, it will be said, this one and that one were born in her. And the Most High himself shall establish her. The Lord will record when he registers the people, this one was born in her." Oh, that is so good. So realizing the greatness of all that God is doing through Christ, I'm saying, let us seek for the city. that is coming. And while we are seeking, let us by Christ offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks continually to his name. Let's pray together. Lord, thank you for this piece of scripture which is so loaded with truth. And we pray that we would receive these truths today. and that we might be those who are engaging continually in prayer and praise and adoration, that we might be those who are giving thanks always for everything in our Lord Jesus Christ, that we might be truly thankful people during this Thanksgiving season, and that we might look around us to see how we might actually be an encouragement and help to other people. May your blessing, which makes rich and add no sorrow, come to us to enable us to do these good things that we purpose in our heart. We pray and ask these things in your precious name, Lord Jesus. Amen. Well, let's close by singing hymn number 526. O Lord, by thee delivered, I thee with songs extol my foes thou hast not suffered to glory or my fall let's stand and sing this good hymn a pilgrim hymn O Lord, by thee delivered, I thee with songs extol. My foes Thou hast not suffered to glory or my fault. O Lord my God, I sought Thee, and Thou didst heal and save. Thou, Lord, from death didst ransom, and keep me from the grave. His holy name remember ye saints, Jehovah. His anger lasts a moment, His favor all our days. For sorrow like a pilgrim may tear, But joy the heart will gladden When dawn's the morning light. In prosperous days I'm boasted, Unmoved I shall be. Forlorn by thy good favor, my cause thou didst maintain, I soon was sorely troubled. I cried to Thee, Jehovah, I saw Jehovah's face. Let's do this a cappella. What profit if I perish? does not spare, shall thus repeat the praises, shall it the truth declare. O Lord, on me have mercy, and my That Thou mayst be my helper in mercy, Lord, appear. My grief is turned to gladness, to Thee my Who hast removed my sorrow And girded me with praise? O Lord, my God, forever my thanks to Thee. Amen. Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Whosoever is wise will observe these things and they will understand the loving kindness of the Lord. And all of God's people said amen.