But here's a confession for every Christian, now sadly the ESV doesn't give us the translation, that would make you think it's a confession, but here's what it says at the end of verse 13, and having confessed, that's the Greek word, that they were strangers and exiles on the earth, hey what's your confession Christian that's struggling, I'm an exile and I'm a stranger, this is not my home, I have a confession, I have unfulfilled hopes and dreams, and I am an exile, the sooner dear Christian that you grasp, that there's a better life to come, that suffering isn't the end all, persecution isn't the end all, trials aren't the end all, you will be helped, no wonder Peter writes, and he says to those elect exiles of the dispersion, beloved I urge you as sojourners and exiles, to abstain from the passions of the flesh, no wonder the psalmist in Psalm 39 writes, I'm a sojourner with you, or Psalm 119, I'm a sojourner on the earth, we are heirs of salvation to the eternal heavens, and yet we're refugees on earth, and I'm not trying to make a political statement, the church in California, right across the street from our little place, has a picture of Jesus and Mary and a baby, and it says refugees welcome, now I'm not normally one for vandalism, I'm just kidding, our best life isn't now friends, that's the point, you don't get everything on earth, that you think you might want, I love 1st Peter chapter 1, it's just good for my mind, to be refreshed with scripture, after I think about my own thoughts so often, in this you rejoice, though now for a little while if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the testing of the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes, though that is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and honor, at the revelation of Jesus Christ, though you have not seen him, you love him, though you do not see him, you believe in him, and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible, and filled with glory, Abraham didn't get all the promises, on earth realized, did he even see the countless number of his offspring, the answer is no, it's all about the timing of the Lord, he makes a promise, he will fulfill it, and if it's not on this earth, it's in heaven forever, how about Moses, wouldn't he be a good illustration of this very thing, Moses is promised to get to the promised land, or was he, he an angel, he an alien, he a stranger on earth, he said, Lord, I will bow to the fact, that the nation would possess the holy land, the promised land, the Canaan land, but I'll never make it, unfulfilled in his life, standing on top of Mount Nebo, dying, so we as Christians, need to have that temporary confession, that we are pilgrims, that we're aliens, that we're just passing through, I'm an alien, I'm a stranger, this is not my home, there are unfulfilled expectations, then what does it say in verse 14, as we continue, for people who speak thus, make it clear that they're seeking a homeland, what do you mean a homeland, I thought it was the promised land, was a homeland, no, the ultimate homeland, this sounds like Paul, does it not, but our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, to be like his glorious body, that's what we're waiting for, seeking a homeland, what's the homeland, Israel as a nation, as a country, that's not the ultimate homeland, it's the greater homeland, the earthly dwelling, they already know the eternal dwelling, they weren't trusting in the earthly city, they were looking, hoping, desiring for that ultimate city, that is the heavenly city, Hebrews is teaching us, that we ought to long for heaven, verse 15, if they had been thinking of that land, from which they had gone out, they had an opportunity to return, could Abraham have gone back to Ur, yeah, could Abraham say, you know what, I think I'm going to go back, to the land where I came from, yes, what about his son, he didn't even want his son to go back to the land, make sure when you go get a wife for Isaac, bring her back here, we're not going to stay there, make sure you do not take my son back there, Genesis 24, don't go back is the point, say well you know what, all these promises of God, they don't seem to be that fulfilled, shall I just go back, and now you can see how important it is, for these recipients of this letter, I was trusting in Jesus, things seemed to go well, then everything broke up, everything split up, everything was a disaster, maybe I should go back, and when you look at the Bible, things don't go well for people that turn back, right, Lot, had a wife, and she looked back, reminds me of the days, we'd sit around the dinner table, and I just try to make up as many Bible stories, as I could with counsel time, kind of a lot of things, and I just remember, we're in Genesis, Lot's wife looks back, she turned to salt, I just poured salt in all the kids hands, we're all like cattle with salt, licking the salt, she turns back, don't turn back, you can't go back, at the end of chapter 10, don't shrink back, you can't say, you know what, I had trusted my eternal soul, to this eternal faithful God, and now I've got problems, I don't know if I can trust him anymore, that's the whole point, you can't go back, when I see people that go back, that long to be back in the day, it doesn't reflect well on them, remember when Moses brought the Israelites, out of slavery, out of Egypt, and here was their response, numbers 11, oh that we had meat to eat, we remember the fish we ate in Egypt, that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the garlic, and the onions, I could just go back, if I could just go back to before, no, that's not what we want to do, on the other hand, we see people like Peter, and James, and John, Luke 5, it says, they brought their boats to the land, they left everything, and followed him, and now number 4, unreal, faith endures even though, unknown, unmanageable, unfulfilled, and unreal, okay, here's my point, heaven is almost too good to be true, heaven is too good to be true, almost too good to be true, is it even true, let's find out, what does the scripture say, it is so great, you're gonna think, this is too good to be true, verse 16, 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 a city for them, or he has prepared for them a city, this part simple, remember, heaven is a place, and remember who's in heaven, that's we're gonna talk about the rest of the message, that heaven is a place, and who makes heaven wonderful, so you can tell heaven is a place, even if you look here, a better country, a heavenly one, right, you can see that in verse 16, prepared a city, a better country, a heavenly one, he's prepared for them a city, heaven is a place, it's more than a place, but it is a place, and so when you think of the Bible, and what does it teach about heaven, the place, what does it say, now, before I get into this passage, any further, I want you to realize, that this passage, helps me, and should help you, to navigate through crazy Christian television, crazy Christian preachers, small C Christians, people that talk about health, and wealth, and prosperity, and all these things on earth, that's not Christianity, this passage will teach us, that there's something better, that's not now, but it's better, that blessings that are spiritual, are better than material, and we see the world, saying oh it's all your best life now, and everything else, but it's crazy, and I remember, my old pastor used to say, if your best life is now, what does that mean, for you eternally, it means you're going to go to hell, but your best life isn't now, it's a wonderful life, great things happen in life, the common grace of God, and God's grace toward his children, it's awesome, but this faith, that is cultivated in this chapter, is not a faith cultivated in easy street, it's not a faith cultivated in, everything's going my way, yes you should believe, when everything goes your way, but this is a faith, that's cultivated in difficult times, for them, it cost them their life, their property, their person, for some of these readers, like Abraham, and Noah, it cost them shame, it cost them ridicule, this is a faith, that's cultivated in the soil of trouble, I just want you to remember that, when people come along, and then they want to say, why is your life so difficult, and you tell them, you're trusting in Jesus, but then all of a sudden, you don't have enough faith, how sad that is, that's not what this passage is teaching, it's a place first, it's a city, and it's a country, did you know, sometimes the Bible teaches that, heaven is described by a house, that's kind of interesting, remember this, speaking of places, figures of heaven in the Bible, heavenly realm, house, Jesus said, in my house are many dwelling places, or what's the King James say, mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you, if there's a dwelling place, there's this great place, I go to prepare a place for you, our Lord Jesus said, heaven is more than just a person, it's a place, and why did he pick home, why did he pick house, because it's the center of loving relationships, and where we depend on one another mutually, and we're provided for in their security, it's a house, heaven is also spoken of as a place, remember Jesus, had Paul go up to heaven, and Paul said that he was caught up into paradise, it's a house, it's called paradise, it's also called a garden, or a paradise garden, today you shall be with me in paradise, Jesus said to the thief on the cross, but here it's called two things, a country do you see, and a city, while this is amazing, the Bible talks about heaven as a holy city, a heavenly city, a glorious city, a protected city, an accessible city, it's talking about a place, it's a city, and this is in the context of Hebrews, where everything's better, Jesus is better than angels, Melchizedek is better than Abraham, Jesus is a better hope, he's got a better covenant, he's got a better sacrifice, his blood's better than Abel's, and there's a better country, a better place to go, that's why sometimes when I take trips to Israel, I hope you go with me next year, and people think they've made some kind of pilgrimage, to the holy land of all holy lands, I love Israel, don't get me wrong, but I'm looking for a better place, I'm looking for a better city, that's what they were looking for too, a better country, a better city, heaven is a place, one commentator said, it should be evident therefore, that what they really looked to, was a better country, he's talking about Abraham, and Isaac, and these others, a heavenly one, this is the true reason, why they showed no remorse, at Abraham's leaving Mesopotamia, the eternal values, involve the promises of God, made them willing to regard, their earthly experience, as a pilgrimage, and kept them from despair, even when it is evident, that death would overtake them, before fulfillment came, longing for home, but the real part of heaven, isn't the place, it's who's in heaven, and here, if I have one part, that I've been looking forward to, of my own sermon, it's this part here, who's the who of heaven, God is not ashamed, verse 16, do you see it, to be called their God, now let's just become really, what do people do, when they sit on stools, let's become authentic, let's become authentic, I didn't need that one, if you knew what I thought, and did a lot of times, you'd be ashamed of me, now I hope you're proud, that I'm your pastor, maybe you say, oh God's used me in your life, and I'd be blessed for that, but I've done a lot of shameful things, I still do, if I got to know you really well, and I got to know those dark secrets, would you be ashamed for me, to know them, I think you would, yet the Lord God Almighty, knows everything, that you've ever said or done, and he is not ashamed of you, I love to introduce people, to my brother and sister, because they're really neat people, and I'm proud to be their brother, I'm happy, I'm proud to have my kids, I'm proud to be their dad, when they do something well, I'm thinking, you know what, they reflect well on me, I'm proud of them, what's the opposite of pride, shame, here God is so faithful, and you think about, what this high priest had done, in terms of cleansing, and no longer remembering sins, justification, and sanctification, and future glorification, the text says, God isn't ashamed to be called their God, that is amazing, no matter what you've done, or said this week Christian, God's not ashamed to be called your God, now think about this honor shame culture, that these Easterners lived in, that's amazing, God isn't ashamed, he should be ashamed of me, my sin is shameful, but the Lord has paid for it, what's the opposite of shame, I think pleasure, no wonder when the father said of the son, at the transfiguration, at the baptism, this is my beloved son, in whom I'm what, ashamed, no, in whom I'm what, well pleased, I'm proud of this son, he knows they've been tempted, he knows they haven't always done the right thing, he knows they've been less than faithful, and he says, because you're, to speak theologically, you're united with Christ, I don't see you, I see Christ, and when I see Christ, I don't see shame, I see honor, I'm not ashamed of you, that's fascinating to me, that's wonderful to me, I mean, how often do you hear preachers, give their congregation, messages like this, because if you do, you might just run off, and do crazy things, but I'm going to do it anyway, because God's not ashamed of you, listen to Zephaniah 3 .17, you ought to memorize this verse, Zephaniah 3 .17, yes, Zephaniah is in the Bible, you're going to want to read it, the Lord your God is in your midst, okay, what should you be thinking, you don't want to know Lord, you don't want to be in the midst, because I'm unholy, and you're holy, this isn't a good recipe, ask Isaiah, a mighty one who will save, and then the next line blows me away, he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will quiet you by his love, he will exalt over you with loud singing, now how can that be, knowing that sin is real, and we confess our sins, but we also have another confession, Jesus Christ has cleansed me from every sin, and I no longer am an enemy, I am a son, and my sonship stems from the Lord Jesus, and my righteousness stems from his righteousness, and I stand before God cleansed, and because of that I want to live a holy life, that's for certain, but God is not ashamed, that is amazing, he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will quiet you by his love, he's so unashamed of you, he's made heaven for you, that's the point, now we sing it I think today, or we sing it regularly, Jude 24 and 25, the doxology, now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory, with what, great joy, now you could say, you know what, are you going to have joy when you get to heaven, yes, but I don't think that's the only joy that's going to be in heaven, not just angels rejoicing when sinners believe, but this is joy of the father, because he doesn't see us in our sins anymore, those things have been dealt with, remember chapter 8 of the new covenant, I will remember your sins, what, no more, your righteousness is in heaven, we need to learn regularly to say, Jesus lived for me, and Jesus died for me, and of course has been raised to honor the father, to be proud of people like us, not to be ashamed, if I was Jesus I'd be ashamed of me, but he's not, look back at chapter 2, the same language is there, could it be any better for Christians, is this a good way to see through trials, yes, this is amazing, Hebrews chapter 2, for it was fitting, verse 10, that he, remember this is the God of chapter 1, Jesus, this eternal God, it was fitting, it was appropriate, that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, the God of the universe, it's fitting for him to do what, in bringing many sons to glory, it should make the founder of their salvation, perfect through suffering, because he's going to be our representative, and he's going to be our substitute, for he who sanctifies, this is language only used of God by the way, in the Old Testament, sanctification is used of God, so we should be thinking Jesus is God, and of course he is, and those who are sanctified, all have one source, that is why he is not ashamed, to call them brothers, God's not ashamed of father, and Jesus isn't ashamed to call you brother, now maybe some of you have a black sheep for a brother, you're ashamed of that brother, I always think it's so funny, because remember Jimmy Carter, had a brother that was kind of a black sheep brother, and remember Billy Carter, and the scandal Billy Gate, and Billy Beer, and I'd be thinking if I was Jimmy Carter, I can't believe I've got this brother, be awful, be ashamed of that brother, there's another brother, combination that I find quite fascinating too, Malik Obama, is the brother of, ex -president Barack Obama, and I don't know if Barack, Mr. President Obama, is ashamed of his brother, who has between 3 to 12 wives, we don't know exactly how many, Malik is a naturalized US citizen, current half brother, half brother by the way, and he's an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, now I don't know if you'd be ashamed, to have him as your brother, but I think President Obama, is ashamed to have him as a brother, Jesus isn't ashamed to call you brother, I know some people here, especially kind of reformed Baptist and stuff, they come up and they'll say, hey brother Mike, how you doing, hey brother, can you imagine, God is not ashamed, to call us brothers and sisters, listen to the Belgic confession, last judgment, it is very pleasant, and a great comfort to the righteous intellect, since their total redemption, will then be accomplished, then they will receive the fruits of their labor, and of the trouble they have suffered, their innocence will be recognized, openly by all, and they will see the terrible vengeance, that God will bring on the evil ones, who tyrannized oppressed, and tormented them in this world, the faithful and the elect, will be crowned with glory and honor, the son of God will confess their names, before God his father, and the holy and elect angels, all tears will be wiped from their eyes, and their cause, at present condemned as heretical, and evil by many judges, and civil officers, people persecuted on this earth, their cause will be acknowledged, as the cause of the son of God, by the son himself, can you imagine that last day, not ashamed, not ashamed now, not ashamed then, I just think that's so wonderful, to think, in this honor shame culture, of the old testament, where today, shame is focused on the individual, and there in the east, shame is focused on, public reputation, that Jesus, remember even with Jesus and the disciples, your disciples, remember, the false teachers would say, your disciples Jesus, because you would be friends with these disciples, it puts shame on you, maybe you're with your spouse, and your kids act up, what do you like to say, if you're not thinking properly, I know what I like to say, honey your kids are acting up, he knows everything, and he says I'm not ashamed of you, because you're seen in Christ Jesus, this great high priest, he bore our shame, that's the point, when the world considers you shameful, the son doesn't, when you think you're ashamed of yourself, and in our sins, we should be shamed up until repentance, but it does not change our status before God, we may be disciplined by the father, but the status does not change, Hebrews 11 is true to the day we die, as it is true today, God is not ashamed to be called their God, he's my God, God is not saying, don't call me that, until you get all your act together, no, call me that, as long as you're trusting in Jesus, the high priest, that's what's wrong with evangelicalism, get your act together, so that you can present yourself before God, and evangelicalism should be thinking, what the Bible teaches, and that is, we would desire to have our act together, but understanding that we don't, we still trust in the faithful one, Jesus, who has his act together, and God the father sees me, through the lens of Jesus's righteousness, and he says, I'm not ashamed of you, what kind of love is that, behold what manner of love, the father has given unto us, let's pray, father, thank you for our time in your word, we would acknowledge, that we were dead in trespasses and sins, we lived in the passions of the flesh, and then something happened, but God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love, with which you have loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, you made us alive together with Christ, thank you for grace, and father, we don't want to presume on that, and just live a life of luxury, and a life of licentiousness, father, help us to categorize things, that we stand before you, not ashamed because of Jesus, and because of that, we want to work out our salvation, with fear and trembling, but father, protect us from the awful air, that we're your children, based on what we've done, because if that was the case, there'd be no hope for any of us, because we'd have to perfectly obey, so we stand today, in the righteous robes of the high priest, who's been raised from the dead, Jesus the almighty.