The Faith of Abraham and the Promise of Place

Order of Service

• Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:8-22
• Sermon
• Closing Prayer

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Sermon Title: The Faith of Abraham and the Promise of Place

Scripture: Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16

I. The Context: Faith and Endurance in Hebrews

A. The writer of Hebrews exhorts his readers — tempted to abandon the gospel for external works — that they have need of enduring faith in God's promises B. Prior examples (Abel, Enoch, Noah) demonstrate that justifying faith always produces works, never the reverse C. Abraham is introduced as the premier figure of faith — the father of all who believe

• Galatians 3:29: those who belong to Christ are Abraham's offspring according to promise
• Paul: "Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham"

II. God's Gracious Call to Abraham — Genesis 12:1-7

A. Abram was a pagan from Ur of the Chaldeans — an idol worshiper with no merit before God B. God came to him in grace, entirely undeserved, with a promise of land, blessing, and worldwide impact C. The brevity of the narrative underscores Abraham's active, obedient faith: "So Abram went"

• Hebrews 11:8: "By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." D. Abraham's justifying faith (Genesis 15; Romans 4): "Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness"
• Justifying faith is never alone — it produces obedience

III. The Manner of Abraham's Life in the Promised Land — Hebrews 11:9-10

A. Abraham lived in the land of promise as a foreigner, dwelling in tents alongside Isaac and Jacob

• Abraham lived to 175; he knew Jacob and Esau for approximately 15 years B. From the outset (Genesis 12:7), God told Abraham the land would go to his offspring — Abraham himself would never possess it C. Abraham was surrounded by established cities with foundations, yet he did not attempt to seize them
• Negative contrast: Esau, who could not look forward and sold his birthright for a bowl of stew D. Abraham's faith was always forward-looking — a hundred years of living in the land without possessing it E. Hebrews 11:10: "He was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God"
• The earthly cities had foundations; Abraham looked past them to a better, heavenly city

IV. The Deeper Meaning of the Promised Land — Hebrews 11:13-16

A. "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar" B. The land of Canaan was never an end in itself — it was an Old Testament shadow pointing to a place with God

• The concept of a land for God's people originates in paradise (O. Palmer Robertson)
• Adam and Eve expelled from the garden; man was made for fellowship with God
• The tabernacle, temple, and land are all shadowy forms of access back to God's presence C. Romans 4:13: Abraham is heir not merely of the land but of the world — the whole cosmos is the scope of consummation D. Romans 8: all creation groans, awaiting the revealing of the sons of God at Christ's second coming E. Revelation 21:1-3: the ultimate fulfillment — the new heaven and new earth, the holy city, and God dwelling with his people
• "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man"

V. Application: The Already–Not Yet Life of Faith

A. Like Abraham living in tents as a foreigner, believers today are strangers and exiles on the earth B. We already enjoy fellowship with God by his Spirit dwelling in us, but the full consummation is yet to come C. The pastoral exhortation of Hebrews: have need of endurance — keep looking forward, do not stop believing

• Contrast: those whose eyes are fixed only on the things of this world (like Esau and his bowl of stew) D. We are called, like Abraham, to follow God's leading without knowing all that obedience will cost us
• Christ, the offspring of Abraham, obeyed knowing the full cost — his obedience surpasses and fulfills Abraham's E. The call: desire a better country — the heavenly homeland God has prepared — and hold fast to the promise of Christ