Title Hebrews 11:8-16 Toward home
Contents Main text - Hebrews 11:8-16
Title - "Toward the Homeland"
Contents
This is a story from a long time ago. A strange puppy appeared in a village in the woods of Scotland, and it was very dirty. After wandering on the road for a long time, the dog was tired of starvation. But there was a name tag on the dog's neck. When I looked at the name tag, it was "Bobs," and underneath it was written in small print, "I belong to the king of this country." It was the king's dog. It was soon reported to the police and returned to the king. The King's Buddha was on vacation in Edinburgh Castle and lost the puppy. The puppy returned to the royal palace and lived happily ever after.
Guys, what is the important lesson of this story? This is the role of the name tag. It was because of the name tag that the puppy was able to live again. Name tags are important to us too. There is nothing to be afraid of as long as you are sure of your name tag as a Christian, that you belong to Christ, the King of the universe. Think about it. What would the king have accepted a puppy for? Is the dog doing a good thing for the king? Is it because the dog is good at security? The only reason the king accepted the puppy was because it belonged to him. The king accepted it because the dog was his own.
Hebrews 11 is the “faith chapter”. Faith teaches people how to live and what they hoped for and expected. Verse 38 says, “The world is not worthy of those who believe.” That's right. All of you who have been with us here are people of faith that the world cannot control. Gentlemen, people of faith belong to God and are God's people. What are the baptisms and sacraments offered today? As we celebrate this rite, we confirm where we belong.
1. History of faith, a point of contact with God
The text tells the story of Abraham and Sarah. When Abraham and Sarah were called, they went without knowing where they were going. Although he was old and fertile, his womb was opened by believing in the word of God and his descendants became as numerous as the stars in the kingdom of heaven and the sand of the sea. What was the reason they could live like that? In verse 16, they longed for a better homeland. Those who have faith are not satisfied with today's life, but live a life that moves forward and develops toward a better hometown.
At the special early morning prayer meeting, we talked about 12 spies. What is the difference between ten and two, Joshua and Caleb? They saw and returned from the same situation and situation. What did the 10 unbelievers do? They were cowardly and negative. So I stumbled, failed, and frustrated.
However, Joshua and Caleb were bold. advanced. occupied the land of Canaan. It was because of faith. Because of their belief in God's existence, God's love, and God's power, they were able to report positively and positively and move forward toward a better world. So, trust is important.
Do you have the faith that pleases God? Those of us who do God's work need that faith.
Why does God accept us? good deeds? loyalty? Prayer? love of neighbor? Of course, these are also important in our relationship with God. But more important and fundamental than that is that our members belong to us. In Judges 43:1, God says: "Do not be afraid. I have redeemed you, and I have called you by name; you are mine." He said, "You are mine." You said you love me and I love you.
In this way, God constantly cares for and guides His people. How, then, can sinful human beings become God's own people? John 1:12 says, "To those who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." That's right. As long as you believe in Jesus, you become a child of God and become God's property. If you have faith, you belong to God, and if you have faith, you are a child of God, the evidence that you belong to God.
A man visited a pottery factory and marveled at two nice vases in a glass box. I asked the potter owner how much he would sell it for. The owner said, "Even if I give the whole world, I won't sell it." "Why?" he asked. He was a drunkard and a gambler a few years ago. It was a life possessed by the devil. But one day, at the invitation of a friend, he attended a church revival meeting and was on his way back to receive grace. I accidentally found a pile of dirt in a pile of garbage, took it and kneaded it to make a vase. Soil that was wasted useless became a beautiful vase. That evening he had this thought. “Just as I made a vase out of bad clay, God will be able to make a new man out of me!” From then on, he lived a life of dedication, completely surrendering himself to God. God eventually turned him into a beautiful vase and gave him a new life, and he used him as a good worker in heaven. From that time on, the vase became a symbol of God's grace that saved him.
2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Guys, what will God see when he sees us? Characters? money? knowledge? The only thing God sees is the name tag God has given you. All he needs is a name tag with Jesus Christ on it, and God forgives him, accepts him, and welcomes him. With Jesus Christ, God gives His love, power, and everything. God gives the name tag of Jesus Christ to those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. This name tag of Jesus Christ is the proof that we have become the saved children of God and the people of the kingdom of heaven.
2. Sacrament - A ceremony to confirm a life connected with God
Now we will soon receive the bread, cup, and sacrament from the Lord. What is the sacrament? Before the sufferings of the cross, the Lord Jesus took the bread and cup, blessed it, and gave it to the disciples. "This is my body and blood, which is given for you, take, eat, and remember me" What does it mean? It is to confirm that Christ Himself has come into us. God sees us and knows that we are immediately His because of that name tag, Jesus Christ.
Now, through the sacrament, we know that we are God's. It is knowing that you are a child of God who goes to your hometown and for the kingdom of God. Through the sacrament, we confirm that we become children of God and that we are one body with Christ. We become Christ's people by entering into us the blood and flesh of Christ. Guys, can we part again the bread we ate? Is there anyone who can filter the wine we drink from our blood again? Likewise, the world cannot share the oneness of Christ with us.
The Apostle Paul confessed (Romans 8:35), "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or a sword?" Neither things present nor things to come, neither powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The sacrament we receive today is a ceremony to confirm God's love that cannot be broken by anything in the world, and it is a ceremony to eat spiritual food and start anew toward a better homeland with the new strength the Lord gives us.
The poet Lee Hae-in confesses this: “Lord, though your life has been shattered by such a thorough life of sharing, let us reflect in front of you from time to time how busy our days are for possessions. Don't let us become slaves to selfishness and greed. Let us always remember that all we have is borrowed from you."
As we partake of the body of Christ through the Eucharist, we live the life of Christ's love as our own, moving toward a better home each day. Thus, the homeland, the kingdom of God, will be established in us. May you all become heroes of a better homeland with Jesus Christ.