July 3, 2022 Text: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
Dear Friends in Christ,
When soldiers in Vietnam had 30 days or less to serve in that country, they were called short-timers. It was a tradition that once a soldier reached that status he made himself a short-timer stick. He would carve this stick with notches which would indicate how many days he had left before returning home. This way they were showing tangible evidence that they yearned to go back to their own country, which they often referred to as God’s country.
Today’s Epistle teaches us that all Christians are really short-timers in this earthly country. But we are short-timers who know that . . .
“GOD’S COUNTRY IS OUR FATHERLAND”
Hebrews is written to persecuted Christians who are spiritually weary. They haven’t faced martyrdom, but they are in danger of losing hope in God’s promises and even falling away from the faith. To revive their faith, the writer of Hebrews proclaims Christ as God’s final Word. To further explain what their faith looks like we have chapter 11. It gives definitions of faith from the Old Testament. The focus of our text is Abraham.
Abraham was a short-timer. He was an alien and a stranger. He lived in tents and very rarely had a permanent home. His life was always changing, always on the move. We too are short-timers. Our life is transitory. What is meant by that?
It means that we can make all the plans and choices we want but we are not ultimately in control. Haven’t you had an illness or injury that disrupted your life? Weather events can throw changes our way. Maybe you’ve been set to move somewhere and make a job change and what looked good at the moment isn’t quite as bright as it used to be. Like a boxer we bob and weave to try to get out the way of the punches to the gut that life brings our way.
Our text says Abraham, “went out, not knowing where he was going.” One of the greatest faithful followers of the Lord, not knowing where he was going? Who was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write this? This Bible we believe in is not an earthly nirvana of good times for God’s people. They struggled. We struggle. That had times they didn’t know where God was leading them. We have times where we think the same thing. Lord, where do you want me to go?
What Abraham and these others had was a strong belief in what God was doing. How else could Abraham go all the way to the point of plunging a knife into Isaac? Faith. Faith in the assurance of things hoped for. Faith in creation and the Creator. Faith in the Word of God. Faith that life here is temporary. We are a short-timer on this earth.
God’s country is our fatherland. God Himself has built a country for us through the life and sacrificial death of his Son. Only there will the foundation be without defect. The perfect Son lived the perfect life to die our death.
We are not natural citizens of God’s country. By nature sin excludes us from God’s country. We can wander aimlessly seeking the false shelters provided by the devil and the world. But God the Father through His Son Jesus has made us His own. Through Holy Baptism we are made citizens.
Interestingly enough what we find in the Greek word for fatherland in our text is different than the way we think of it. A fatherland is usually the place where one was born, but our fatherland is where we are going.
We are citizens of God’s country through faith. Right now we can’t see what we hope for, but it is real and it has substance. We don’t base our certainty of future blessings on subjective feelings. We base it on a demonstration of God’s faithfulness through His Word. Haven’t you seen this in your life? In our ups and downs, God’s presence is always level. He knows you. He looks forward to greeting you in your fatherland. He rejoices when the fulfillment of our citizenship takes place but until then he tasks you with work in his Kingdom. An American soldier in Vietnam was a full citizen of the United States. But he wouldn’t experience that full citizenship until he returned home. Letters and cards upped the ante and the anticipation of going home. God Word and promises do the same for us.
Imagine a frigid winter’s night. Snow and wind. Two men are walking down the street. One is wandering because he has no home to go to. He is looking for whatever shelter he can find. He’s lost. The 2nd man is walking in the same storm, but he has pep in his step and a tune on his lips. He sees the lights of his home – warmth and family and a good meal await. He represents the Christian. We are weary Christians traversing these streets of life. Yet we see God’s country in our future. We see our fatherland and eternity with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That is our home. Prepared by God for you and me through our Savior Jesus Christ. Welcome.
Amen.