Title: The Road to Hometown
Text: Hebrews 11:13-16
the way home
In verse 16, the ‘better home’ is in heaven, Hallelujah! Displaced people who have lost their homeland are often considered unhappy, but the truly unfortunate are the “spiritual displaced people, who have lost a better home” in heaven. Why? Even if you live in the homeland of this land, there will come a day when you will have to leave. But only the spiritual home in heaven, once entered, never leaves.
Therefore, it is even more pitiful for the displaced people who have lost their heavenly hometown. How about the Seongsan family? Are you ready to enter the homeland of your soul? If so, I hope you know that you have a happy life and be grateful. However, if any of you have not yet discovered the hometown of your soul, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will surely discover the hometown of your soul through the Word at this time.
1. People of faith with a better homeland
Let's talk about people of faith who have a better hometown. Hebrews 11 is called the “faith chapter”. Here, many ancestors of faith appear. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc... These are the people who have entered the eternal home of the kingdom of heaven. These are the people who lived by faith looking for a better hometown in heaven and entered the eternal hometown, heaven. However, many people deny the existence of heaven and live indifferently. This attitude is too irresponsible for one's soul. The moment you cross the threshold of death, the afterlife is just split between heaven and hell. People often mistakenly believe that there is nothing they have not experienced. There are only a few things in the universe that we have personally experienced. I hope in the name of the Lord that you will have a better hometown, heaven by faith, and testify of the gospel of the kingdom to your family and neighbors during this Lunar New Year holiday.
2. The only way to a better home is through Jesus Christ
Let me tell you about Jesus Christ, who is the only way to a better home. There are many paths from earth to home. But there is only one way to the heavenly homeland, Jesus Christ. Verse 13 of the text testifies that the patriarchs of the Old Testament also entered the kingdom of heaven through that road. “…I did not receive the promise, but I saw them from a distance and welcomed them…” The essence of that promise is Jesus Christ. The patriarchs of faith, including Abraham, were saved and entered the kingdom of heaven by believing in Jesus, who was seen faintly from afar. The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and many go in by it, and the gate is narrow and stray that leads to life, and few find it.” Therefore, no matter how difficult it is, I bless you in the name of the Lord that you will enter a better hometown, heaven, only through faith in Jesus.
3. A traveler longing for a better hometown
The life of a traveler longing for a better hometown, which can be taken at any time, but God requires us to live in this world for a certain period of time means that there is still a mission remaining, and that is our life span. In the meantime, we are walking the journey of life. The destination is, of course, heaven. So, our earthly life is a life of sojourners toward heaven.
① A traveler heading towards his hometown
The life model shown by the patriarchs of faith is the life of a stranger. Acts 7:5 says, “But he did not give him land as an inheritance here...” Hebrews 11:5 says, “By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign land, and heirs the same promise He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, whom he had received with them.” What is the meaning of living in tents? Hebrews 11:10 says, “For he was looking for a city with a foundation, which God had planned and built.” What God really wanted to give to Abraham and his descendants was not the land of Canaan or the wealth of this world, but the eternal city that God Himself designed and built, Heaven. Hallelujah!
Verses 13-14, “All these men died of faith and did not receive the promise, but seeing them from afar and welcoming them, and bearing witness on the earth that they were foreigners and sojourners; for they speak these things, showing that they are seekers of their homeland.” However, their hearts toward heaven were special. Verse 16 says, “They now long for a better homeland, which is in heaven…” The word for 'desire' here is 'orego' in the Greek, 'stretching out (to get)' 'desire'. It means 'to do'. That is, because we aspire to heaven, we do not put our hearts in the world, but in heaven. Hallelujah!
② Things to keep in mind while traveling
i) Holy life: A pilgrim who has his hometown in heaven should live a holy life. The Greek word for 'holy' here is 'hagios', which means 'separate', 'separate', or 'different'. So, a traveler who longs for a better homeland must live differently from the rest of the world. In Matthew 5:13-16, you are the salt and light of the world. Hallelujah!
ii) A simple life: The life of a traveler, a traveler, should be as light as possible. If you have a lot of luggage, the pleasure of traveling is halved. If you cling to worldly possessions too much, you will suffer from the worries of the world, and your way to heaven will be hindered. Lot's wife longed for the city of Sodom, so she looked back and became a pillar of salt.
iii) A life of perseverance: A stranger communicates with a foreigner. Foreigners were no better than slaves because their status was not guaranteed. Therefore, living as a foreigner means living with patience while enduring discomfort and ridicule. Since the saints are the people of heaven, they are foreigners in this world. Therefore, you should not expect to be treated here and to live comfortably here.
iv) Life at its best: You should take advantage of the opportunities along the way. In Matthew 6:19-21, “...but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.... For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” It says to lay up treasures in heaven. Hallelujah!
Dear Seongsan Family! With the Lunar New Year holidays approaching, people's hearts are already heading home. But for those of faith, a better home awaits. A better home is not by sea, by land, or by heaven, but by the only way, Jesus Christ. Therefore, believers who long for a better hometown must live the life of a stranger.