Our text is Heb 11:8-16.  Heb 11:14 says, they seek a country.  Are you seeking a country?

Abraham was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance.  When you get saved and seek a country, you should follow what Abraham did.  

If you are going to seek a country, then you must:

Sojourn in this strange country, Heb 11:9.  Abraham is the heir of the world, Rom 4:13, and so is his seed, Jesus, Heb 1:2.  Furthermore, we are joint-heirs with Jesus if we suffer with him, Rom 8:17-23.  When you do suffer with Jesus, this world seems strange.

Indeed, while we are living here we confess, like Abraham, that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth, Heb 11:13.  That’s because we are strangers and pilgrims, 1 Pet 2:9-12.  We don’t inherit the promises yet, just like they didn’t, Heb 11:13.   But we will in due time.

In the meantime, we should try to get some “seed” (children of God, Rom 8:16) like Abraham and Sara did in Heb 11:11-12.  They did this by conception.  We do this by preaching the gospel and witnessing.

Not return to the country from whence you came out, Heb 11:15.  Recently, I read comments my siblings and cousins wrote about their memories of our ranching family heritage.  I choked up reading some of their stories and remarks to Anne.  They brought back so many former memories.

Like Abraham, though, if we had been mindful of that country from whence we came, we might have had opportunity to return.  Abraham refused to allow Eliezer to take Isaac back to the land from whence they came.  Similarly, we don’t want our children to go back to the worldly life from which we came.  Unfortunately, many Christians have returned to the country from which God called us out when he saved us.  And today they are backslidden, not seeking a country.

We sing, “This world is not my home I’m just passing through”.  Jesus said that we are in the world but not of the world.  Jesus has called us out of the world.  And when we are tempted by the world or the god of this world, we are reminded that “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world”.

Oh man, seek a country, not this one.

Desire a better country, Heb 11:16.  We are promised this better country, Jn 14:1-3.  People who believe the promises are persuaded of them and embrace them, Heb 11:13.  We talk of them, we love them, and we invest in our future country.

Our better country is an inheritance, Heb 11:8.  It has a city whose builder and maker is God, Heb 11:10, 16, and Rev 21.

It’s heavenly, Heb 11:16.  It’s a far away country, Heb 11:13 that can only be seen by faith afar off.  But it’s ours.  And no one can defile it like they have defiled this country.

Conclusion: are you rooting in down here or do you seek a better country?  If you are not saved, you will not be in this better country with us.  You should trust Jesus to save you today. If you are saved, I hope you are encouraged to seek a country and to not be discouraged by the country in which you currently sojourn.