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Rowland Wheatley

Desiring an heavenly country

Hebrews 11:16
Rowland Wheatley • July, 5 2026 • Video & Audio
1,037 Sermons
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Rowland Wheatley
Rowland Wheatley • July, 5 2026
1,037 sermons
But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)

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This service was taken on Lord's Day afternoon at Milward House Pilgrim Home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
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The sermon considers Hebrews 11, focusing on the marks of faith common to all of the biblical figures who died trusting in God's promises without seeing their fulfilment. These marks are set out in Hebrews 11:13-16.

The preacher emphasizes that believers are called to embrace these divine promises and live as strangers and pilgrims on earth, seeking a heavenly country rather than worldly attachments.

The preacher highlights the solemn reality of backsliding while encouraging steadfastness through God's preserving grace.

Central to this message is the assurance that God is not ashamed to be called the God of those who long for their eternal home. Ultimately, the text calls listeners to fix their hope on Christ and prepare to die in faith, confident in the city God has prepared for them.
What does the Bible say about desiring a heavenly country?

The Bible encourages believers to desire a heavenly country, as seen in Hebrews 11:16, where God is not ashamed to be called their God for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:16 states that those who have died in faith desire a better country, which is a heavenly one. This desire reflects a profound hope in God's promises, illustrating that believers are to be strangers and pilgrims on this earth, constantly looking forward to their eternal home with God. This longing for a heavenly country is rooted in the assurance of God's preparation of a place for His people, demonstrating His commitment to their ultimate salvation and communion with Him.

Hebrews 11:16

How do we know God's promises are true?

God's promises are validated through faith and the fulfillment of His word, as demonstrated by the faithful witnesses in Hebrews 11 who embraced and were persuaded by these promises.

The truth of God's promises is evident through the narratives of those in Hebrews 11, who lived by faith and were assured of His plans even without seeing them fulfilled in their lifetimes. They saw the promises from afar and embraced them, which serves as a testament to the reliability of God's word. Throughout Scripture, promises such as the coming of Christ (Genesis 3:15) stand as proof of God's faithfulness, reaffirming that those who trust in Him will not be disappointed.

Genesis 3:15, Hebrews 11:13-16

Why is being a stranger and pilgrim important for Christians?

Being a stranger and pilgrim emphasizes the transient nature of life on earth for Christians, encouraging them to focus on their heavenly home and the promises of God.

The identification of believers as strangers and pilgrims serves a vital purpose in understanding their relationship with the world. Hebrews 11:13-14 points out that those who seek a better country declare plainly that they do not belong to this world. This perspective fosters a sense of detachment from worldly pursuits and invites Christians to live with a hopeful expectation of their eternal home. By recognizing that their true citizenship is in heaven, believers are encouraged to resist the temptations of the world and to walk faithfully in accordance with God's will.

Hebrews 11:13-14

What does it mean that God is not ashamed to be called our God?

This signifies God's pride and commitment to His people; it highlights the relationship He has with believers who seek Him and desire a heavenly home.

The statement that God is not ashamed to be called our God, as found in Hebrews 11:16, underscores the special relationship between God and His people. It indicates that those who earnestly seek God and long for His promises are honored by God Himself. This intimate relationship affirms the transformation that occurs in believers’ lives, where they become part of God's family and partake in His redemptive plan. Furthermore, it emphasizes the concept of being a prepared people for a prepared place, showcasing God’s eternal commitment to His followers.

Hebrews 11:16

Sermon Transcript

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Our reading is from Hebrews chapter 11, which is on the second page of the Hemsheids. We just read the first 16 verses. Hebrews chapter 11 from verse 1. Our faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. for by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found because God had translated him, for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God. that without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

By faith knower, being warned of God, of things not seen as yet, move with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of His house. by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise As in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, he heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He hath prepared for them a city." And there we'll leave the reading. A list of those in Hebrews, of those that walked and then died by faith.

I just want to, as you've been thinking of Scotland over this last week, just to think of one of the Lord's servants, and you may have even covered him and spoke of him this last week, John Knox, born 1514, died when he was 58 in 1572. fiery Scottish minister, principal founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

He escaped imprisonment and European exile. He returned in 1559 to lead the Scottish Reformation, successfully establishing Protestantism and fiercely opposing the Catholic Queen, Mary Queen of Scots. And so we would remember in relation to Scotland how important that man was, his faith and how God used him to form churches that are still continuing today. Scotland has got some very good churches and denominations. Knoxie went and studied under John Calvin, so he's strongly Calvinistic.

I want to, this afternoon, think of this last verse, verse 16, and really summed up in desiring a heavenly country. I put that on the front of the sheet. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.

These verses from verse 13 to 16 provide really a summary that is common to all those that died in faith. You can read of what Noah did and evidence his faith by building an ark of Abraham leaving the place where he lived and going out into where he knew not but following the Lord, and the various other ones. But something they all had in common was what is described in these four verses from verse 13 to 16. Of course that begins with these all died in faith.

And that would be a wonderful thing if that will be true of us, that we died in faith trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, leaning upon His righteousness, His blood, His death, that is all our trust. These that died in faith, they looked forward to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They didn't see it literally, but they saw it by faith, and they believed, and they trusted, and they were saved. If you and I get to heaven, then this must be true of us, we die in faith, in trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.

But before we come there, what a blessing if we can come into this 16th verse and say that this is true of us each now, but now Put it in the present, we desire a better country, that is, and heavenly, wherefore God is not ashamed to be called our God, for he hath prepared for us a city. That is a blessed thing, if we can turn that to relate to us. Well, if that is the case, then there is a lead up to that. And I want to just look at those points that lead up to it. In verse 13, there are three points there, and it is their treatment of God's promises in Christ Jesus.

The promises that really run right through the Word of God, beginning at Genesis 3.15, the promise of the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, all the promises that Christ should come, Abraham saw my day, he rejoiced at it, our Lord said. And so these promises, we're told these things that they saw them are far off. I wonder how many of the promises of God we have seen in the Word of God, we've seen these promises, and not only seen them and said, well that is the promise of Christ, but been persuaded of them, and were persuaded of them that they were true, they were what God had provided to save a sinful people from their sins and to bring them to heaven.

And not only were they persuaded of them, They embraced them. They held them fast as to themselves. They wanted these promises. How many promises have we embraced and said, that is for me. God has given me this promise. He's given me this expectation. This is just what I want. This is what I hope for eternity. Without this there is no hope for my soul. I hold on to this promise." This is what is going before.

These three things. They saw the promises, they embraced them, they persuaded of them, and they embraced them. But that wasn't all. The other thing they did was confess that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. This is not our home, this is not our rest.

The world has its pursuits, it has its likes, it has its things, but God's people, they seek after the Lord, a peculiar people, a special people, a remnant according to the election of grace. God's people, chosen from out of the world, God's ancient people, Israel, were a little type of that. one nation amongst all the nations of the earth, that was God's people. They had his laws, they had his guidance, they had his promises, they had the land of Canaan given to them, and this is like God's people scattered through every nation of the world, and they are God's special redeemed people, those that he has loved with an everlasting love, drawn to himself. That is the church, the one true church on earth and that church on earth they say that there are strangers and pilgrims on the earth just like the children of Israel were they were strangers and pilgrims through the wilderness and they confessed that, they said that and the Lord said that they are not of the world even as I am not of the world they have a different end in view, a different hope in view Everything has become new for them. They are new creatures in Christ Jesus.

And I hope that is so with us. And we like to, especially on the Lord's Day, keep it as the Lord's Day, hallowed, special, as for His worship alone. That will mark us out distinct from the world. And as a Christian home, that should be your aim and desire. that that be on the Lord's Day. I know it's very difficult in the home, and every day may seem the same, but maybe we'll always mark the Lord's Day as being a precious day, a holy day, and come apart from the world and interaction with it and around the Word of God.

And it's confessed, it is stated that this is our desire and what we seek after. And so then there's a couple of things that are joined. With those that say such things, they are declaring something very plainly. They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. Verse 14. How plainly are we declaring that we are seeking a country that is a heavenly country, a country that is Abba. And then we have in verse 15, and truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

Every one of us has been converted, been changed. The world is still there. Our pursuits, our old life is still there. The Apostle Paul He could have gone back. He could have said, I'm not going to be a Christian anymore. I'm not going to follow Christ. The Pharisees are still there. My old religion is still there. But he says, I count all things but loss for Christ. He didn't want to go back. But there is a thing of backsliding. And of course, the world is there.

And no doubt, all of us know some that, and I do, and it comes right in our families too, where we have had those that have known the Lord, confessed the Lord, been baptized, been in the Church of God, and then they've cast it all away. They are just like the heathens, they've gone back, they're no more found in the ways of the Lord. It's most solemn, most searching, but the world was always there. They could always do that.

And we would, unless the grace of God is given, unless we are kept, we will go back. Paul Peter speaks of being kept by the power of God unto salvation. And we need to be kept, kept close to the Lord, kept walking in faith, kept spiritually minded, walk after the Spirit, you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, to be spiritually minded is life and peace, to be calmly minded is death. This is the path that We don't want to go back to that which is what the world follows after and the world's gods and the things that they love, but to cleave to the Lord and to be found in Him.

And so, may we have this real desire, and it be true of us that we desire a better country, that is, and heavenly. And to realize what is joined with this, A beautiful word, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He hath prepared for them a city, a prepared place for a prepared people, a people that are longing and looking to be in that heavenly home. And there's been many of you, many of those I've known over the years here, that have expressed it very, very strongly, and I hope some of you have.

I remember Rowan Bishop when he was in here only for about three months and I didn't know him, I asked him whether he was in for convalescent or permanent, he said well permanent and then his face changed and he looked up and this great big smile came over his face and he said but my home is above, that's where I'm going, that's where my home is and the thought that this was all his home well he had this beautiful hope and he really expressed it and you could see the delight in his face when he realised that God had given him this hope to look forward to and he was only here some three months and then the Lord did take him home so may we have that desiring a better country and the Lord bless us with this faith and to die in faith
Rowland Wheatley
About Rowland Wheatley
Pastor Rowland Wheatley was called to the Gospel Ministry in Melbourne, Australia in 1993. He returned to his native England and has been Pastor of The Strict Baptist Chapel, St David’s Bridge Cranbrook, England since 1998. He and his wife Hilary are blessed with two children, Esther and Tom. Esther and her husband Jacob are members of the Berean Bible Church Queensland, Australia. Tom is an elder at Emmanuel Church Salisbury, England. He and his wife Pauline have 4 children, Savannah, Flynn, Willow and Gus.
Broadcaster:
St David's Bridge Strict Baptist Chapel
Theology:
#Faith #Faith Alone #Eschatology
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