I've entitled this message, Strangers
and Pilgrims. What do you and I know of being
a stranger and a pilgrim in this world? Now, the text says in
verse 14 of Hebrews chapter 11, for they that say such things. Well, what did they say? That's
what they confessed. They confessed. And there's always
something public about a confession. You can't confess privately.
There's something public about this. The people that were around
them were made to have some understanding of the fact that they were strangers
and pilgrims in this world. Like Abraham, verse 9, by faith
he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, a foreign
country, a place that was not his home. Now, if I am a believer,
I can say with such conviction, this world is not my home. I'm simply passing through. The
Lord said, my kingdom is not of this world. Isn't that beautiful? The Lord said concerning every
one of his people, they are not of the world, even as I am not
of the world. He said to his unbelieving brethren,
the world cannot hate you, but me, it hateth, the world, it
hateth. Because I testify of it that
the works thereof are evil. I want to read a passage in John
15, you can turn there if you want. John chapter 15 verse 18,
this is right before the Lord is leaving his disciples. This
is part of that last message. And he says to them in verse
18, if the world hate you, you know that it hated me before
it hated you. If you were of the world, the
world would love his own. But because you're not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hateth you. Remember the word that I said
unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they've
persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they've not
kept my saying, or if they have kept my saying, they will keep
yours also. But all these things will they
do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that
sent me. If I had not come and spoken
unto them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak, no
covering for their sin. He that hateth me, hateth my
father also. If I had not done among them
the works which none other man did, they had not had sin, but
now they have both seen and hated. both me and my father. But this cometh to pass, that
the word might be fulfilled that's written in their law. They hated
me without a cause. You remember the words of James?
Whosoever, therefore, shall be a friend of the world. is an enemy of God. Now, two ways to take that. Whosoever
is a friend of the world, God counts his enemy. You see, this world we live in
is hostile toward God, has no love for Christ or his gospel. I think of John's Words, love
not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all
that's of the world, the lust of the flesh, the cravings of
fallen sinful nature, the lust of the eyes, being more concerned
about what men see than what God sees, the desire for popularity,
and the pride of life, self-righteousness, pride, the lust for power and
esteem. It's not of the Father, but of
the world. And the world passes away and
the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth
forever. Now I want to be a stranger and
a pilgrim in this world. And I don't want to be identified
with the philosophy of this world. I don't want to be identified
with the religion of this world. I don't want to be identified
with the values of this world. Now, when I make that statement,
am I saying we need to get into a monastery and just stay away
from the world? No, the Lord says you're the
light of the world. And we love the men of this world and we
want them to come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ
and we want to be an example to them in every way we can. And this is not talking about
some kind of I'm not worldly, like for an extreme example,
Amish, you know, they dress in such a way to tell everybody
they're not of the world. Or a Roman Catholic Pope with
all this garb, I'm not of the world. That's as worldly as it
gets to try to conduct yourself in that way. And I'm not talking
about not being able to enjoy the things of this world. You
know, re-ecclesiastes about enjoying the things of this world, and
there are very many simple things I enjoy, and I have no problem
with it. Right now, I thought about asking
Lynn whether I ought to say this, and I thought no, because she'll
tell me no, but the Reds are in the pennant race. Two weeks,
three weeks of the season left. I haven't had that for 10 years.
I've been a Reds fan since 1968. I became a diehard Reds fan,
and I'm enjoying seeing the pennant race right now. I hope they win.
I'll be in a bad mood if they don't, but the point is, you can enjoy it. That's my pleasure. Somebody else, you got some other
pleasure, someone says, that guy's really shallow. Well, you are
too, in some other area. I have no doubt about it. So
that's not talking about, when it's talking about not being
worldly, it's not trying to show everybody how I don't identify
with the world, I look different, I act different. That's not what
that's talking about. That's talking about this world
that is hostile toward God and His Christ. This world that hates
God. This world that hates the salvation
of God. This world that has no desire
to be saved by the grace of God. This world that has no esteem
for the glory of God. I do not want to be identified
in any way with this world. And by the grace of God, I'm
going to be a stranger and a pilgrim in this world. I love what Paul said in Galatians
6.14. He said, God forbid that I should
glory. that I should take credit in,
anything save the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By which, or by whom rather,
by whom? The world in light of the cross
of Christ, this world, this world system, the world's values, the
world's agenda is a crucified thing in the I see it as no more
value than something dead and crucified. And I, the world views
me the same way from what I see of the cross of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, the text says that they
that declare plainly such things, they do so because they're seeking
a better country. That's why. There's something
infinitely better than this. And that is why they are seeking
this country. They see the world for what it
is, God's enemy, and they have no desire to be a part of it.
I love the song, I'm just a poor wayfaring pilgrim while traveling
through this world of woe. But there's no sickness, Toils
or danger in that bright land to which I go. Traveling. Not setting my roots here. Like
when they took the Passover, how were they to do so? In a
traveling posture. They were to do so with their
staff in their hand and their shoes on their feet, ready to
go in a traveling posture because this world is not our home. We are strangers and we are pilgrims. Now look what he says in verse
15. Now 14, for they that say such
things, that this world, they're nothing but strangers and pilgrims
in this world, they declare plainly by that, that they seek a country,
someplace that's not of this world. And truly, verse 15, If
they had been mindful of that country from whence they came
out, they might have had opportunities to have returned. Truly, if they'd
been mindful of this place called the world that they were strangers
and pilgrims in, if that's what was really important to them,
they could have gone back. You know, the Lord said, will
you also go away? Is that what you want? Will you
also go away? You can go back if you want,
if that's what you desire, this world. If they'd been mindful
of it, if it was important to them, they could have gone back.
But I love what Peter said, Lord, to whom shall we go? It's not
like there's an option. It's not like we have a choice.
Thou has the words of eternal life. And we believe and are
sure that thou art that Christ, the son of the living God. Now here's the reason that they
left, verse 16, but now here's why they walk as strangers in
pilgrims. Now they desire a better. country. You'll notice countries
in italics supplied there by the translators, but I like it
better without that. They desire better. You see, beyond the best is always
the better. This is the best. No, it's not. No, it's not. Beyond the best
is always the better. You see, there's some things
these people who are walking as strangers and pilgrims here
have experienced that the world has not experienced. And that's
what makes them this way. Look in Hebrews chapter four
for just a moment. I'm sorry, Hebrews chapter six. For it is impossible. For those who were, and here's
what every believer in his own person has experienced. It is
impossible for those who were once enlightened. You've been enlightened. You
were in the dark and God gave you light concerning who he is,
who you are. You've been enlightened. and
have tasted of the heavenly gift. This is something you've tasted.
This is something you've experienced. You've tasted the heavenly gift.
Salvation by grace. What a gift. You've tasted of
having his righteousness as his gift to you. You've tasted this. And were made partakers of the
Holy Ghost. You've been born of God. You've
been born again. You have a nature that these
people don't have, so they can't understand or see what it is
you find so glorious. You've been a partaker, a sharer
of the Holy Ghost, being born of the Spirit. And next he says,
you've tasted the good word of God. This tastes better than anything
this world has to offer. And every believer knows that.
You've tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the
world to come. That's true of every believer. Now, is there anything in this
world that can compare to that? You see, it's impossible for
these things, these people to fall away. It's impossible. And
he goes on to say, to renew them again, to repent if you did,
he's speaking hypothetically, Christ would have to die all
over and that's not gonna happen. No, these people have experienced
something that causes them to be a stranger and a pilgrim in
this world. This temporary sojourn through
this place we call the world. Now, the word better is found
12 times in the book of Hebrews. As a matter of fact, when we
started preaching through this, it had been a year ago or so,
the first message was Christ is better. And I looked at all
those words. That's one of the keys to understanding
this book. Christ is better. Without all contradiction, the
less is blessed of the better. Christ, the better, blesses us,
the less. Christ is better than the angels
being made so much better than the angels as he hath by an inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than they. We read of him being
the surety of a better covenant. Oh, what a better covenant where
he takes full responsibility for our salvation. You tell me
that's not better than something conditioned upon your obedience
or some work you needed to perform in order for it to work. This
is the better covenant, the better testament, a better country,
a better, better promises. Oh, all the promises of God in
him are yay and amen. A better sacrifice. It actually
puts away sin. A better and more enduring substance,
heaven, a better country, a better resurrection to be raised in
the perfect likeness of Christ. Oh, this is better. This is better. It's better than anything in
this world. The reason they were pilgrims
passing through is they saw something indeed better. And the reason
they saw it was because of revelation. The reason somebody else didn't
see it, God didn't reveal it to them. I think of that passage
of scripture where the Lord said, these are the words of the Lord.
He said, I thank thee, O Father. Lord of heaven and earth, because
you have hid these things, these better things, these things of
salvation, you. God did this. Somebody said,
why? Well, the Lord's going to tell
us in a moment. But he said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from
the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes even so father
for so it seemed good in thy sight and you know what if it
seems good in his sight it seems good in our sight too doesn't
it he so altogether glorious revealing the better gospel we're
seeking that which is heavenly that which has as its origin
heaven and uh what leads to heaven. Now, I wish I could describe
heaven. I can't. There's been books written about
it. And I think you've missed it. I know who's going to be in heaven.
Christ is. And everybody in him, every believer,
and I know who's not going to be in heaven. Everybody that
doesn't trust Christ. And I know something else that's
not gonna be in heaven, sin. No sin in heaven. All there will be perfectly conformed
to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ beholding His glory. Now, would that be heaven to
you? To simply behold His glory. Now there's an amazing statement,
and I don't know if I've ever said this the way it ought to
be said. As a matter of fact, I'm sure I haven't, and I no
doubt will fail in this attempt, but look in verse 16, but now
they desire a better country that is unheavenly, where for
God is not ashamed to be called their God. With regard to these people,
God is not ashamed. He can look at me, Todd Nybert,
and say, I'm not ashamed to be his God. Now Hebrews chapter
two, verse 11 says, both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified
are all of one. For the witch cause, he's not
ashamed to call them brethren. He's not ashamed to own any of
his people as his brothers. Now, how could that be? Well,
for one reason, I'm one with Christ. And if he's not ashamed
of Christ, he's not ashamed of me. If he's proud of Christ,
he's proud of me. 1 John 4, verse 17 says, as he
is, how is he? Oh, he's beautiful
to God. He's beautiful to his father.
His father looks at him with such approval. His father says,
this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. He loves him. He delights in him. He sees him
as altogether lovely, as perfectly holy, as perfectly pure. He's proud of his son. Oh, how proud the father is of
the son. How proud the Son is of the Father. How proud is the Father and Son
of the Spirit. How proud the Spirit is of the
Father and Son. Now, turn with me to Romans chapter
two for just a moment. Hold your finger there, turn
to Romans chapter two. Verse 29. But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly. Let's go up to verse 28. For
he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly. Somebody that was
born in Israel and could trace their bloodline all the way to
Abraham, which nobody could do, but if they could do that, he's
not a Jew. He's not a Jew. Neither is that
circumcision, circumcision, which is in the flesh, outward circumcision. That's not circumcision. Somebody
says, well, I was circumcised the eighth day, like Paul did
with the stock of Hebrew of the tribe of Benjamin. That's nothing. But he is a Jew, which is one
inwardly. And circumcision is that of the
heart. Now, what is a circumcised heart?
Well, Paul put it this way in Philippians 3, verse 3, we are
the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit. You can't worship God without
the Holy Spirit. And we rejoice in Christ Jesus. The only place we find confidence
is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the third thing is we have
no confidence in the flesh. None. I don't have any confidence
in my flesh. I don't have any confidence in
your flesh. No confidence in the flesh. Now that is a spiritually
circumcised person. Now let's go look in Romans chapter
2 verse 29. But he is a Jew. which is one
inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit,
not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God." Now,
do you hear what that says? If you're a Jew, men aren't going
to praise you, but God is. You have the praise, you have
the approval, you have the esteem of God Almighty. God's proud
of you. Isn't that an incredible concept?
But it's true. He's proud of his son. Anybody
got any problem with that? He's proud of His Son, and if
I'm in His Son, He's proud of me. My praise may not be of men,
but God is the one praising me and every one of His people. And anybody that the Lord praises,
they know it has absolutely nothing to do with anything praiseworthy
in them. It's holy, the praiseworthiness
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the complete salvation that's in
Him. Back to our text, Hebrews 11. But now they desire a better
country, better than anything this world has to offer. That
is in heavenly, and that's what makes them walk as strangers
and pilgrims here. I can't relate with the world.
The world's hostility toward my Lord. The world's hostility
toward the gospel. The maxims that are so anti-God. I walk as a stranger. and a pilgrim. And I want to confess that. I want people to see that. And
I don't mean seeing me as some kind of weirdo that just doesn't
fit in. He's just too odd for the world,
just weird. And there's no doubt there are believers like that,
too. We're a very diverse bunch. There's no doubt about that.
But this thing of not walking with the world doesn't mean trying
to look different from the world and the way we dress. No, that's
not what this is talking about at all. God is not ashamed to be their
God, for he hath prepared for them a city." Now, this world
is temporary. Everything that you own is going
to be burned up. Everything you are is going to
be burned up and forgotten, and there's going to be a new heaven,
and there's going to be a new earth, the city of God. It's spoken of throughout the
scriptures, Psalms, Hebrews, the city of God. That's where
my citizenship is, the city of God. Now, would you turn with
me to Revelation 21? We looked at this in Sunday school in the
last week or two, but it's such a beautiful passage of scripture.
This is the city that they're waiting for. And I saw, John says, you know,
he was by himself on the Isle of Patmos, banished. I'm sure he was lonely. I'm sure
he felt isolated. I mean, he was the only one there.
They dropped him off and sailed off, and there he was until he
died. the Isle of Patmos, but how the Lord revealed the gospel
to him at this time in the book of Revelation. And he said, I
saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away. They were no more. I think it's interesting. When
we talk about death, we say, well, they passed away. Well,
the old earth, it's passed away, dead, buried, gone, no longer
existent, and there was no more sea. And I have no doubt that,
you know, are you saying there's not gonna be an ocean in heaven?
I don't know. We read of the water of life that's there, the
crystal pure water and so on. What he's talking about is separation.
Separation here. He was on this little island
and everywhere He saw was a sea and he didn't see anybody else
and he thought I'm so separated I'm so Isolated and I'm sure
that got to him and get to me and get to you. He felt Isolated
he felt alone, but he said the time is coming when there will
be no more separation And I John saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven." That's where
she's from, heaven. "...prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband." I love this word prepared. The Lord's prepared
me for this. You remember on judgment day
when he says, come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world. This city was prepared
before time began, that's why it's so sure. And then the Lord
said in John chapter 14, in my father's house, are many mansions."
Now, that word means dwelling places. Don't get the idea of,
well, there's going to be 14 bedroom mansions in heaven for
people. I even heard a preacher actually
say his good works were sending building material up to heaven
for his mansion in glory. You know, I mean, dwelling places. And the Lord
said, I go and prepare a place for you. And He went to the cross
to prepare this place for His people that was prepared for
them from the foundation of the world and the Lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. And then we read of a people
prepared for the Lord. That's the work of God the Holy
Spirit, a people prepared for the Lord. And I saw a new heaven and a
new earth, and the first heaven and the first earth were passed
away. There was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as
a bride adorned for her husband." Now understand this, this city's
the bride of Christ. The city is not made of stones.
As a matter of fact, you get over there in Revelation 21 of
the foundations and so on, that's a description of the bride. That's
not talking about some kind of temple being rebuilt that's 140,000
feet high and all the different dimensions of it. That's talking
about the bride, the Lord Jesus Christ. and adorned for her husband. She has that fine linen, clean
and white, the righteousness of the saints adorned for her
husband, perfect through his comeliness. And I heard a great
voice out of heaven saying, behold, the tabernacle of God, Jesus
Christ is the tabernacle of God, and he's with men, and he will
dwell with them And they shall be his people, and God himself
shall be with them, and be their God, and God shall wipe away
all tears from their eyes. And there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain,
for the former things are passed away. Anything that will create
pain is no more. Verse five, and he that sat upon
the throne said, behold, I make all things new. And he's able
to do this. He is able to make me a new history. I think that's what's spoken
of more than anything else. You know, we can't change history.
I mean, when it's done, it's done. I mean, how many things
in your history do you wish never took place? But they're still
there. We can't change history. What happens? It's etched in
stone. But Christ says, behold, I make
all things new. And every believer is given a
new history. And it's nothing but perfection. I've always done that which is
pleasing to God. I've never done anything wrong.
I've always done that which was right. It's what the Bible calls
justification. Justified before God, a perfect
history. Behold, I make all things new. You see, that's what he did on
the cross. Your old history, he put it away. All the sin that
you have, sins you haven't committed yet, He put them away. They're
gone. When He said it is finished,
they were all blotted out. And I have a new, perfect history. Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write. Oh,
I love the way he says this. Write this down for everybody
to read it. And in Lexington, Kentucky in
2023, they're gonna be reading it then. It's written eternally
in the book. Write. It's done. There's nothing for you to do.
It's done. Don't think about the things
you need to do. Oh, I'm going to do better. Don't think that
way. It's done. There's nothing for
you to do. It is done. That's the words of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It is done. And he said unto me, it's done.
And he's able to do this because he said, I am alpha and omega,
the beginning and the end. And I will give unto him that
is a thirst. A thirst. How thirsty do you need to be?
Doesn't say. Just says a thirst. Are you a thirst? Blessed are
they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. I will give unto
him that's a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Now we're strangers, pilgrims,
sojourners in this world because we're looking for a better for
a heavenly. And that makes this world unattractive
to us. Let's pray. Lord, give us this confession, that we confess
in light of your gospel, in light of the glory of the cross of
thy son, in light of his beauty, in light of that city to which
we're going, enable us to walk as strangers and pilgrims here. And Lord, cause people to see
that and cause them to seeing this confession we make of being
strangers and pilgrims Would you open doors for them to ask
us the reason for the hope that's in us and enable us to answer
with meekness and fear the person, the life, the death,
and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In his name we pray,
amen.