We seek a city that is to come.

Direct you again to Hebrews chapter 13, and my text is verse 14. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. I have a sort of standard sermon in a way, because I've got a three-point sermon this evening. And I go straight in with the first point. And the first point is uncertainty. Uncertainty. For here have we no continuing. For here we have, have we no continuing.

Benjamin Franklin in 1789 famously said, in this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes. And life is, isn't it, so uncertain in all kinds of ways. whether it's regarding your health, or your job, your education, relationships, and so on and so on. There is so much uncertainty in life. In James chapter 4, from verse 13, we read, Go to now ye that say today, or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain, whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, is there, it's gone, isn't it, in a moment, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, if the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that.

And that's a good practice, isn't it, to do. It's right, isn't it, and sensible to make plans. I was mentioning this last week at Wythelsville, I was speaking about Nehemiah and how he was planning on the rebuilding of the walls, not realising that there was a young lady there who's a town planner. But it's sensible, isn't it, to plan. It's the right thing to do. They'll just do things off the cuff. No, it's right, isn't it, to plan?

But to add, if the Lord will, then we shall do this or that. God willing, this will happen or it may not be the will of God. That mention about tomorrow, you know not what shall be on the morrow. And we also read in Matthew 6 from verse 31, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink? Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

For after all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no fault for the morrow, for the morrow shall take fault for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. So we don't know what will happen tomorrow. We perhaps expect certain things to happen tomorrow or beyond tomorrow. But of course, we don't know for sure, do we, until they've happened.

There was a song which got into the charts in 1979. It got to number one with a Christian sort of song. Now, for that to happen today would be quite remarkable for a song to get into the pop charts at number one. But it was by Lina Martel. And a bit of it says, one day at a time, sweet Jesus, That's all I'm asking from you. Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Well, that I'm sure we ask the Lord for. Give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.

Yesterday's gone, sweet Jesus. Tomorrow may never be mine. Lord, help me today. Show me the way, one day at a time. It's quite remarkable that such a song got to number one, as it did for about three weeks in 1979. But there's sort of a sermon sort of in that, some thoughts there.

Indeed, yesterday's gone. can't change what happened yesterday. We don't know about tomorrow for sure, or even the rest of this day. But we're told, aren't we, in the scriptures, today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Today is a day of salvation.

And so it's in these uncertain times, then we need to be sure we're right with God through the Lord Jesus Christ in him only. Yes, we lived in a very uncertain world and it seems to be even more. But may we have that hope ourselves, that we have a certain hope the Lord Jesus Christ, that we know that we are saved by him, that we're sinners and that we know the forgiveness that the Lord has given to us and it cost him everything that we might have forgiveness and peace with God. So may there be a certainty there that we know where we stand with God, regardless of all the uncertainty that we see all around us and that we experience in our lives. We could go on and on talking about the uncertainty that there is in life, but may there be, we know the certainty that we are forgiven, that we are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit indeed has convicted us and converted us and that we are saved. Yes, if my life is required of me tonight, even, that I don't get to tomorrow, I know where I will be by the grace of God.

So, uncertainty. And then secondly is familiarity. The second word is familiarity. City. City. Now, by city, I don't mean any particular city. I was thinking about cities and towns and villages. And I was thinking now that Anne and I have moved, we've moved to a new town. And we were in one town. And so I've had two towns where I've lived, and I've also in the past lived in two cities. So I've had two cities and two towns.

We're not really talking about places like that, but really our homes. Sort of our homes, isn't it? That's where we kind of really kind of relax and where we are ourselves. And I'm sure that our home life speaks volumes about who we are. how we behave to others who are in our homes.

What if you've got a television, what you watch on television can sort of speak a lot about the kind of person you are. Yes, they like sport, or they like comedy, or they like the soaps, or they like cookery programs, or whatever it might be. There was a program years ago that was on the telly called Through the Keyhole, where celebrities opened up their homes. And really, what it was is that people went in and tried to work out who lived there. And there were various clues. I mean, there wasn't the obvious clue, like a photo of who they were, but there were clues as to who lived in that home. And so if people sort of come to our sort of physical homes, you know, what do they sort of see of us? And it's quite telling, isn't it?

Our homes. It's very easy, isn't it, to perhaps put on our Sunday best and perhaps in public to sort of behave in a different sort of way. But what are we like at home? Perhaps our homes really show what we are really like. And may there be, as I've said before, often a consistency in our lives. that whether we're at home, whether we're at school, whether in the workplace, whether in the street or at chapel and church or wherever we are, may there be a consistency about us. May it be evident that we are different, that we are the Lords. So it's important, isn't it, how we behave ourselves always. But of course, we don't want to become too familiar with this world. We read of the Lord.

John 18, 36, Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight. that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now is my kingdom not from hence. So our Lord came into this world, but of course his kingdom was not of this world. Didn't come, didn't he? Didn't take to do war and battle with the Romans or with the Roman army. And none of that with our Lord. No, it wasn't that kind of kingdom that he set up. He wasn't that sort of king.

And so in John 15 and verse 18, We read, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you, said the Lord. If you were of the world, the world would love his own. But because you're not of the world, but I've chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates of you. See, we have to be careful that we don't become too comfortable in this world. I mean, Satan loves that, doesn't he?

We're told that he prowls around as a roaring lion, walking about seeking whom he may devour in 1 Peter 5.8.

But if we're sort of comfortable with this world and what it offers, and you know, Satan doesn't bother us. He said, well, I don't need to worry about them. It's only if we're really seeking the Lord and serving the Lord and seeking to do what he would have us to do. That is when Satan, excuse me, That is when Satan will try and get to us. He won't worry about us if we're happily in the world, snug in the world, and conforming to the world's standards. But if we are seeking to honour God, serve God, then, well, the devil doesn't like that.

And what about, you know, what is really our heart? Where is our heart? Where your heart, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also, Luke 12, 34. And we also read in James 4 again, verse 4, ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God, who therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. So may we know help to love God, to serve him, and not to love this world. There are things of the world that we enjoy, but there shouldn't really be that overriding love for the world and certainly not for those things that are totally against God's word and that is totally unchristian. So we live in an uncertain world and may we be saved from familiarity but we're in the world but we're not of it as it often says and the third word is priority priority but we seek one to come for here we have no continuing city but we seek one to to come. The first question in the Shorter Catechism states, what is the chief end or aim of man? A man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. And that's it. What is our priority?

What is our concern? Is our concern about our souls and where we will spend eternity and also for others as well, not just ourselves, but may there be that concern for others as well. It's not, you know, if we are concerned ourselves and then that should reflect in the fact that we're concerned about others too. We don't want them to go to hell. We want them also to know the Lord and to know eternal life too, and peace with God, which can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And in Philippians 3, there's quite a few verses there. I'll just read from verse 4 of Philippians 3. Paul was saying here, though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." I'd say, yeah, well, there's a lot of things there that he can really glory in.

Nowhere to glory in God, not in those things. Then what goes on to say, but what things were gained to me, those I count loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but done. that I may win Christ.

See, his priority is the Lord Jesus Christ, not these other things that were of his old life. No, it's Christ. His priority is Christ and everything else is done. Refuse. Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss for the ecstasy of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and who count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, be made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend, that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, as I say in that song, yesterday's gone, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. So Paul's priority really is Christ and seeking to serve him, having the righteousness of Christ, and with the end in view that he will be in glory one day. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded. And if anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Verse 20 of that chapter in Philippians 3, For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that we may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. priority to serve the Lord and then, as the Catechism says, to enjoy Him forever, to have a new body, a glorious body. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body.

And so isn't it with those who are in Christ, we know that a place has been prepared for us in glory, as John 14 says, in my father's house are many mansions. And Hebrews 11, just before, this chapter I read, verse 16 there, it speaks about desiring a better country, that is, and heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. And it's better than any city or town or village or whatever that we live here upon earth.

So we see, don't we, with Paul, his desire to serve the Lord, counting all the things before he was saved as dung. And may that be so with us, that we What matters is that we know the Lord, that we're saved, that we're forgiven, and that we're here to glorify God. That's why we're here, that we might then enjoy him forever, and that we want others to know the Lord as well. We don't just want to keep it to ourselves, but we say, look, I know the Lord. I know forgiveness. I've had a tough time, but the Lord has been good. The Lord hasn't let me down. He never will. He's never let me down. He'll never let me down in the future because he's an unchanging and he's a faithful God. We can be sure of that.

And what he has done for me, you know, he can do for you too, that you can know forgiveness, peace with God and you can know help in times of trial. And I'm sure there are many people that lift our hearts when we know that they've been through it in life and yet they are so happy and that they are so contented and they've had a tough time in life And yet they're blessing God, they're praising God. They're rejoicing in the Lord. And that is quite a powerful witness, isn't it? For those who are like that. I'm sure that it does us heart good, does our hearts good to meet and converse with such people as that. And I know of people who aren't Christians either, who are like that, and they don't have the joy of the Lord. And yet they seem to be very contented in their life, but they're not even saved and pray that yet they may come to know the Lord.

Philippines again, chapter one, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. You know, that's a bonus to die then. Well, it's wonderful to live for Christ and to know the joy of the Lord and to serve him and to glorify him now. but then to die is gained, to enjoy him forever, to be in that mansion. And as Paul said of our own ministrate, Betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. And yet, he realized that it was still right for him to live then for Christ, and that indeed things would be far better when he died.

And 2 Corinthians 5, verse 1, For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God and house not made with hands eternal in the heavens, For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.

If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened. Not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. So may it be that in this world, while we're alive, that our priority is to serve the Lord, to know him better. And that's a wonderful thing, isn't it? Despite all that might be happening in life. But we know then, well, it's going to get even better when we leave this world. whenever that may be. We don't know, of course, as we don't know about tomorrow.

But may we be certain, may we know that we are the Lord's, may we be so taken up with the Lord. And may our lives be evident whether, as I say, wherever we are, whoever we're with, that we are different, that we are the Lord's and that we have the joy of the Lord in our hearts and that we have confidence, not in ourselves, but in our great God and in our wonderful Saviour, the Lord Jesus, the one who gave up everything to save his people. Yes, a great cost to himself, but it's a free gift for us, isn't it? I'm sure we like giving gifts. But the best gift surely is the gift of knowing the Lord and knowing forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

So what is our priority and What do we think concerning eternity? Where will we spend eternity? I remember our late sister, Audrey Duncan, often saying about a sermon that she heard from our late brother, Roy Partridge, speaking about where will you spend eternity? And that kind of, she never got it out of her mind, that particular sermon that he gave. And that's good for us to think about. Where will we spend eternity? And if we are the Lords, then we need not fear the grave. All will be far better indeed. But may we know him now and may we be so taken up with the Lord in our lives. So the Lord has to help. It has to be a work of God, doesn't it? It can't be something we generate ourselves. It has to be a work of God. May the love of God constrain us each one.

Amen. Let's turn to hymns of worship for our final hymn number 30. Number 30. Son of my soul, thou saviour dear, it is not night if thou be near. O may no earth-born cloud arise to hide thee from thy servant's eyes. Hymns of worship number 30, tune 353.

O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, O my soul, ♪ Thou made a hill called cloud arise ♪ ♪ To hide thee from thy servant's eyes ♪ ♪ In the soft trails of night we sleep ♪ ♪ Thy weary dailies sleep ♪ ♪ If my last portals fit to rest ♪ ♪ Forever on thy saviour's breast ♪ ♪ Abide with me from old till year ♪ ♪ For without thee ♪ I cannot live. Abide with me where night is nigh, for without thee I dare not die.

♪ Lifts up, O wandering child of thine ♪ ♪ As per today the Christ divine ♪ ♪ And all the gracious work begun ♪ ♪ Is in them, O light divine ♪ ♪ Watch by the spring, enrich the pool ♪ ♪ With blessings from thy boundless love ♪ ♪ Be ev'ry foe a scepter not ♪ ♪ Like in the slumber's pure heart ♪ ♪ And bless us when we weep ♪ ♪ And through the power of heaven we take ♪ ♪ Till in the ocean of Thy love ♪ ♪ We lose ourselves in Thy love ♪ Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory, in the church, by Christ Jesus, for at all ages, world without end. Amen.

We seek a city that is to come.

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We seek a city that is to come.

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