Word of Salvation – Vol. 30 No. 40 – Oct 1985

 

No Enduring City Here

 

Sermon by Rev. H. L. Hoving on Hebrews 13:13-15

Scripture Readings: Psalm 49 and Hebrews 13:7-21.

Suggested Psalms and Hymns: P.H. 218; 273; 368; 408; 491.

 

Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ:

‘Here we do not have an enduring city.’

On this earth we do not have a permanent place.  Our existence in this world will not last forever.  We all know that.  Does it make us happy, or sad?

It depends partly on our experience, how we feel.  For there is good and bad, as we see it.  There are good things: Health, work, worship, birthdays, success at school or in business, employment, holidays, a home, a family, affluence, etc.

And there are bad thing: sickness, loneliness, unemployment, divorce, wars, back-sliding members of the church, and so on.  Some may feel that they would like to live the life in the world forever.  Others may long for their new home in heaven.  Yet, we all know that we are not going to stay in the home we live in now forever.  There will be constant changes in our situation and there will be an end to this life.

No doubt: here we have no permanent place.

Is the other statement of verse 14 also real among us, in our hearts?
  “We are looking for the city that is to come”

The first fact: No abiding city, gets an exclamation mark – the second fact a question mark?  Are we looking for the city that is to come?

We could say that we must avoid two extremes:

First you have the monastery, or the hermit: withdraw from the affairs of this world, this city.  Dream of the new heaven and the new earth, and let the world be what it wants to be.  Then people may say of us: These Christians are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly use.  Maybe you read in ‘New Life’ recently the letter from the man who said that Christians should concentrate on faith and Evangelism and not bother about politics and other worldly affairs.

The other extreme to be avoided is: act as if this world is here to stay; as if we have an enduring city here.  And that is not easy in a time of materialism and affluence.  We complain a lot in Australia (New Zealand) about the bad state of the economy.  In the meantime we live well, taking or earning our share of the cake.  And, in keeping with the standards of the world, we set our hearts on worldly things, even creating the impression that this is all we live for.

We must remember Jesus’ prayer for us, as recorded in John 17: “My prayer is not that You take My followers out of this world, but that You protect them from the evil one.”

As Christians we live in this world now, and here we have to love the Lord our God and our neighbours.  Fully equipped by the Holy Spirit and therefore fully active in the Kingdom, employing the gifts and talents we have received to the best of our ability.  And always keeping in mind that we are pilgrims: in the world, but not of the world.  As we used to sing:

            “Some day the silver cord will break,
             and I no more as now shall sing;
             But O, the joy when I shall wake
             within the palace of my King.
             And I shall meet Him face to face,
             and tell the story: Saved by grace.

Now we read verse 14 again.  Can we put an exclamation-mark behind both statements?  Or must we use a question-mark for the second one?  Maybe older people are the ones who should be looking for the city to come, and young people seek their future here?  Are we the Christians that verse 14 depicts?  And, if not, how can we be?

The first word of verse 14: FOR, because, is the conclusion drawn from previous verses.  There we read about the sacrifices in the Old Testament time; about the Day of Atonement; about animals burned outside the camp, outside the city.

So Jesus died on the cross outside the city.

Hence verse13: Let us then go to Jesus outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore.  It is quite clear: as long as we have not acted on verse 13, we cannot be the Christians as described in verse 14.  These two belong together.

First: Go to Jesus.  Kneel at His cross.  As a sinner who has no other way of escape than the way of the Gospel; forgiveness of sins through the death of Christ.  A personal encounter with Jesus.  It seems to be easy enough to say: Jesus is Saviour.  We must learn to say: Jesus is MY Saviour.  And that does not come naturally, because this means self-denial, confession, humiliation, saying NO to self and YES to Jesus.  Not easy.  But possible; gloriously possible; for everyone is invited and God gives His Holy Spirit to all who ask Him.

And when you have done that, when you have gone to Jesus outside the city, what then?

Continuous happiness?  Singing Hallelujah all the day?  And prosperity, honour and glory?  Because you are a child of God again and heir of eternal life?

For sure: because of forgiveness, new life in Christ, eternal life, the answer is YES!

And yet… in the reality of this life in this world: NO; rather the opposite.  Going outside the gate, being in this world and not of this world means also: bearing the disgrace Jesus bore.  Jesus was rejected by this world.  So His followers will be.  As the Lord Himself said: “A servant is not above his master”.  If the world hated and hates Jesus, the world also hates His followers.

Have you gone to the cross outside the city?  Are you a child of God through faith in Jesus?  Do you believe the Gospel?  Are you saved?  That is the all-decisive question to be answered first.

Then the consequences:

a.  Disgrace, shame, abuse, persecution in this world.  And…

b.  A permanent home in heaven.

It is quite obvious why Christians are not loved by the world.  Simply because Christians are people who remind the world of sin and death and judgment: of heaven and hell.  And people in the world do not want to face the reality of their existence as creatures of God; as people who are responsible to their Creator.

In Australia/New Zealand most people know about God; there are churches everywhere.  But people do not want to face the true facts of life in relation to God.  So most of our fellow-men, our work-mates, our neighbours, are the opposite of verse 14: They live as if they have an enduring city here, and they are not looking for the city that is to come.  Like the man described in Psalm 49.  What a sad situation: caught in the rat-race.  Living from day to day.  Always expecting more to come.  And anything goes, anything for kicks.  They live as if they say: This life is only short and death will be long, so let us make the most of it here and now.  And it is never enough; there is always more to desire.  People live as if they say: Whatever you do, do not allow yourself time to think what life is really all about.  And the reproach and disgrace of Christ outside the city is the last thing they want.

How stupid; how foolish; how unworthy of a creature created in the image of God.

Christians, true Christians, remind them of Christ and the cross.
And of another destiny: eternal life.

Christians are different.
  They know where they come from,
            for Whom they live, and they know their destiny.
  They do not seek the favour of the world.
  They live a life within Christ’s favour;
            having a change in their behaviour; and their happiness is the Lord.

True Christians, that is.

There are too many Christians who are  only Christians in name.  Having a form of godliness but denying its power.  They belong to some church as if it is some club.  ‘I am a member of the RSL’; I am a member of the football-club’.  ‘I am a member of the church’.  Take your pick.  Please yourselves which club you want to join.

How we need to do what verse 13 suggests: Go to Jesus.  And receive from Him the power to live now and to live eternally.  As saved and sanctified people.  Different from the world.  People with two passports, with dual citizenship: a temporary passport for this world and a permanent one for the city that is to come.

Verse 14 is true for Christians who act on the admonitions in verses 13 and 15:

Let us go to Jesus; and let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

The sacrifice of praise.  That is, for instance, the singing of Psalms and Hymns in church on Sunday.  A foretaste of eternal rest.  And on Monday practising what we were singing.  And hearing new things from the Word of God, in church and in private and family- devotions.  Living a life of thanksgiving seven days a week, in grateful service to our Saviour and Lord.

Let us – let us – let us – but, can we?

Yes, we can: the secret is in verse 15.
  “Through Jesus”.  And through Him alone.  In His power.
  The power of the cross, the power of the Resurrection,
  and power of the Holy Spirit.
According to the Gospel of full salvation, here and now and forever.

Why should we then be scared of the world?  What does the world have to offer to us?  Inside this city, the city of this world, there are all the powers, the ingredients for decay, rottenness, destruction, condemnation, death.

Outside the city, where Jesus died, there is purpose, life, abundant life, joy, a glorious today and an even more glorious future.  We have a lot to offer to the world!

So let us go to Jesus.

Let us offer to God the sacrifice of praise.

And let us share it in the fellowship of believers and pass the message of life on to people who are still dead in sin and trespasses.

Yes, we are in this world.  Here and now God has called us and appointed us as His agents, workers in His Kingdom.  As men and women, boys and girls in whom the world can see the power of the Kingdom of heaven at work.  We are in this world as children of God, as pilgrims on the way.

No, we are not of this world.  We are pilgrims on the way.  We are looking forward to the city that is to come.

Through Christ we can live now and enjoy life, for we live forever.

Amen.