A HOME YET TO COME!
Introduction: On his eightieth birthday, John Quincy Adams was strolling along a Boston street. A friend asked him, "How is John Quincy Adams today?" The former president replied graciously, "Thank you; John Quincy Adams is well, sir, quite well, I thank you. But the house in which he lives at present is becoming dilapidated. It is tottering upon the foundations.
Time and the seasons have nearly destroyed it. Its roof is pretty well worn out, its walls are shattered, and it trembles with every wind. The old tenement is becoming almost uninhabitable, and I think John Quincy Adams will have to move out of it soon, but he himself is quite well, sir." That is the attitude we need to have so that when they call home comes, we may say: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
Whether you are the United States president or a man or woman living in the streets, there will come a day where you will have to vacate your earthly home/tent (your body). When that happens, where would you go? Would you have a home in eternity or become homeless?
In April last year in Hebrews, we began our study with a message titled, "Has God Spoken to Us? After thirty-three messages, has God stopped speaking? No! He continues to speak. Hopefully, we are paying attention to and hearing a thing or two and mending our ways accordingly. Today we will complete our journey in Hebrews with some concluding themes.
In any letter, the concluding or the third part of the note is significant, as it often specifies what action you want the recipient to take. Chapter thirteen is the third part of the letter to the Hebrews, where the author gives his audience final reminders, warnings, and action points. He shares his prayer requests while pointing them to an eternal Home that is Yet to Come. In the end, he leaves them with a practical benediction, which is one of the most beautiful in Scripture.
I. JESUS IS OUR SPIRITUAL ALTAR
Vs. 10-13, "We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle have no right to eat. Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. So also, Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So, let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore."
In the Levitical practices, an altar is a significant place. In the Bible, there are over 400 references to altars. It is a place of sacrifice and a point of connection between God and people. The altar, the offerer, and the sacrifice are closely related. With specific offerings, the individual further identifies with the altar and the sacrifice by eating some of the sacrifices.
The Apostle Paul refers to this relationship to an altar while giving instructions to the Corinthians regarding eating meat offered to idols and the Lord's Supper (I Cor 10:18-21). In our passage, the author refers to the Day of Atonement, where the high priest brings the sacrificial animals' blood in a bowl and keeps it on the altar representing Israel's sins.
The bodies of the animals were burnt outside the tent. Similarly, Jesus became our spiritual altar and the sacrificial lamb that was offered on behalf of our sins. Keeping with the Levitical custom and Roman crucifixion requirements, Jesus was crucified and buried outside Jerusalem city's walls to avoid contracting ritual impurity caused by contact with graves. (Lev 24:14; Nu 15:35 – 36; Dt 17:5). What does it mean that we have an altar today?
Matthew Henry notes, "The Christian Church has its altar. Not a material alter but a personal one, and that is Christ Jesus; he is both our altar and our sacrifice. This altar provides a feast for true believers. The Lord's supper is the feast of the gospel Passover. Those who adhere to the Levitical dispensation or return to it again exclude themselves from this altar's privileges."
The Levitical traditions no longer bind the followers of Christ; therefore, let's not be pressured into celebrating specific Jewish festivals like the Passover or Seder. However, it is worth understanding and reflecting on the significance of the Passover.
How did the early Jewish Christians, who were many of the audience of the letter of Hebrews, understand Vs. 13, "So, let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore"? "Outside the camp" may imply enduring expulsion from their Jewish community, if need be, to follow the God of Abraham wholeheartedly. What does that mean for Christians of today?
Jesus bore our disgrace upon himself when he suffered and died on the cross to purchase our salvation. "Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne." Romans 12:2
We Christians bear the name of Jesus Christ. Our true identity is in Him. Therefore, let's take the name of Christ on us humbly and responsibly and represent Him well. When we obey His commandments, we may suffer much and even death. When that happens, let us rejoice and be glad because we are identifying with Him. (Mark 13:13; John 15:18–20)
Here is a powerful example of the early apostles how they bore disgrace for Christ. The apostles performed many miracles and healed many; as a result, many believed in Jesus. That did not go well with the high priest, his officials, and the Sadducees. They put the apostles in prison, flogged them, and let them go with a warning never again to speak in the name of Jesus.
The apostles responded positively to this unwelcomed treatment, Acts 5:41, "The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus." God is looking for faithful followers who are willing to bear disgrace for His namesake. Can God find such people among us today? What made the OT prophets, the heroes of faith, the apostles, and the believers worldwide endure such hardship and disgrace?
II. A HOME YET TO COME
Vs. 14, "For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come." In other versions, it reads, "we are looking forward to an enduring city to come. I prefer "this translation of a home to a city" in this verse. Let me explain why? Home is a magical word that resonates with us. Even those who have come from broken homes or homes that no longer exist seek to build or make a home for themselves somewhere. That is human longing.
For the first time when I left my home in 1985, I remember going to a massive city in India to join YWAM. For a lad who grew up in the countryside, going to a city was overwhelming. I felt homesick, missed my mom, dad, brother, sisters, and all that was familiar.
On a Saturday, I watched the Wizard of Oz, where the young Dorothy with her dog Toto was transported into a magical world. Though she made new friends, explored various adventures, she wanted to go back home, where she was loved, felt safe, and lived happily.
She didn't realize she all along had the power just right within her to return home until the kind white witch reminded her. "Click your heels together three times and say 'There's no place like home,' and you'll be there." When I heard those words, "there is no place like home, I so badly wanted to go back home that night. What made Dorothy get back home?
It was not the Ruby Slippers, but OBD: her obedience to follow instructions, her belief, and determination to get back home. Though it was a fantasy movie, it conveys a lot of truth. Dorothy's journey can be compared to the journey that many of us take to find something that will fill our hearts and make us truly feel at home. Nothing can fulfill that longing to be home.
There is so much homelessness these days globally, but there is an even more significant problem, spiritual homelessness. Many are wandering without a spiritual home. It all began with the fall of Adam and Eve. When they were with God, they were home, loved, and secure.
But their sin broke that intimate relationship with God. Since that time, men and women became spiritual wanderers, longing to return to home with God. The further and longer you are away from God, the farther you are away from home. You will remain restless and live-in constant fear and anxiety. You don’t have to live that way; you can come back home with God.
Jesus came into this world to take us back to our loving heavenly Father and guide us to our heavenly home once again. It was said of him when he came into the world, “the word became flesh and dwelt among us.” A literal translation is, “He tabernacled among us.”
Once again, the presence of God dwelt among us for a while on the earth. All those who believe in and closely follow Jesus are, in one way, already returned home to be with God. Jesus promised that God would live with those who love and follow His instructions. “My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.” John 14:23.
Do you know how big of a promise this is? If you love Jesus and follow his commands, the triune God will come and live with you in your heart. Where God is, there is love, no fear, no threats, no anxiety. One day Jesus will come back and take us all to our eternal home.
John 14:1-3, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you so that you will always be with me where I am.”
The book of Hebrews' audiences was encouraged to look forward to a permanent home that is yet to come. So, are we! The early persecuted Christians had one word for this longing, Maranatha, an Aramaic word that means “come, O Lord.” It became the standard greeting of the oppressed believers, replacing the Jewish greeting shalom (“peace”) Amen!
