Hebrews 11:8-10

Good evening. This evening's devotion comes from Hebrews chapter 11, verses 8 through 10. Verse 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. By faith, he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." As we look through these verses this evening, I want to think about how faith produces obedience, how faith produced obedience in Abraham, and how faith should produce obedience in us. So a little bit of background. The story it's referencing, the author of Hebrews is referencing here is from Genesis 11 and 12. Genesis 12.1 says, Now the Lord said to Abram, go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And God continues in the next verses to make several promises to Abraham, one of which is the promise to make him a great nation. Now Abraham here was called to leave everything, not knowing where he was going, but he believed that God would fulfill all of his promises. And he also, by leaving everything that he owned, his home and his inheritance, he demonstrated that he understood the value of God. And he demonstrated that value by leaving those things, not knowing where he was going. So I have three points this evening. One, faith produces obedience, even when you don't know where you're going. That's from verse eight. Two, faith produces obedience, even when you haven't received yet what was promised. That's from verse nine. And number three, faith produces obedience when we understand our true inheritance, verse 10. So number one, faith produces obedience even when you don't know where you're going. Verse eight again, 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. Now we know from earlier in Hebrews 11, faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. So when we think about Abraham demonstrating faith here, that's what he's doing. He has assurance of things hoped for. He didn't make excuses here. He didn't talk about his age or how much pain it would be to leave all those things. He put his trust in God. He obeyed God's command in faith, not knowing where he was going. So I ask you, if God asked you to leave everything behind, if he commanded you to leave everything behind, right now, are you willing to? Even if you don't know what the physical outcome in this life will be. Like Abraham, if you were called to leave your home behind, would you be willing to do that? Or your life savings, or your job, or your family? And as a result of leaving those things behind, are you willing to face uncertainty and be unsure of where you're going to go? Keith also asked this Sunday, are you willing to give yourself over to your enemies and to turn the other cheek? Or rather, do you treasure your own reputation, your own estimation of yourself so much that you'd value those things higher than obedience to God? Now, God may not ask these things of you, but if he does, what a great opportunity to follow and obey him and to worship him in the same way that Abraham did. Now, what if God doesn't ask you to leave your wealth or your security or your home behind? He has commanded all of us to leave our sin behind. Now, Abraham left all those things behind not knowing where he was going. We leave our sin behind knowing that we have shelter and refuge in Christ. And how powerful is that and what a blessing is that, that we do know that we can run to Jesus. Number two from verse nine, faith produces obedience, even when you haven't yet received what was promised. Verse nine says, by faith, he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. Now remember from Genesis 12, God had promised Abraham that he would make him a great nation. But this state we find Abraham here in the promised land is living in a tent as a foreigner. but critically by faith, as the author of Hebrews tells us. Abraham here has only received a taste of what was promised to him. He has his sons and he has a tent. He's not a great nation yet. And he even died before the fulfillment of all of these promises, before the full fulfillment of those promises. But even then, he had faith that continually produced obedience. This faith Abraham displayed stands in contrast to a dangerous tendency to expect some kind of instant gratification from God, or to expect him to operate the way we think he ought to. But instead, Abraham trusted God, knowing that God is faithful to keep his promises, and that God had a better plan than what Abraham had for his own life. So each of us should also place our trust in God in a similar manner that does not question God. Number three, from verse 10, faith produces obedience when we understand our true inheritance. Verse 10, for he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Abraham's hope was not in his earthly inheritance. He demonstrated that earlier, like we talked about, by leaving everything behind and following God. He left his inheritance behind. His faith wasn't in cities of man, like the cities in Ur where he came from, or the city that Cain built in Genesis 4 or in Babel, but in the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. He looked forward to the promised land that he did get to go to, but he also looked forward to his true home. His hope was not in some kind of inheritance, even on earth in the physical promised land. His hope, was in Christ. He looked forward to Christ. Knowing that Christ would bring about the full fulfillment of all of God's promises and the fulfillment of God's promise of a foundation that has or a city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. Abraham's reward was not an earthly treasure. But where is your true inheritance? We heard from Keith on Sunday that if you're following Christ and loving your enemies, you're demonstrating that you have received the reward of being children of God. We are heirs of an inheritance that is from God. And we look forward even as Abraham looked forward. But what a blessing that Jesus has come and made himself known to us. And that God has proved himself trustworthy time and again that he fulfills his promises. And what a blessing that God has made himself known through Christ in that way. So having received these blessings and understanding our true inheritance, you have been equipped to live in a way that shows, that demonstrates where your true inheritance lies. So let us use these great gifts that God has given us to bring him glory with confidence that we will receive our true inheritance. Let us have faith that is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. and pray that faith produces a joyful obedience in each of us, even when we don't know where God has taken us, and even while we're still anticipating the fulfillment of God's promises. Let's pray. Father, I pray that you would strengthen each of us in our faith, and so strengthen this church. We strive towards obedience to you in all circumstances, and so I pray that you would give us a faith that produces obedience in us. that we may more fully glorify you through our faith and obedience. We ask that you would help us to be ready to surrender all things to you, be they our riches or our pride or even our sins, and that we would turn to you instead. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.