Strangers and Pilgrims Where is our home Strangers

Strangers and Pilgrims Where is our home?

Strangers and Pilgrims • These are a couple of words that are familiar to us today but may have a little different meaning to us than how they are used in scriptures. • A “stranger” to us is someone we don’t know. • When we think of the word “pilgrim” we think of some of the 1 st European settlers of north America. • When the bible uses these words it is many times referring to someone who is temporarily in a country beside their own.

Strangers and Pilgrims • We may think of it as someone who is on a journey in a foreign country. • God’s people are often referred to as strangers or pilgrims in the Bible. • The Children of Israel were referred to as Strangers while they were Egypt • Ex 22: 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Strangers and Pilgrims • They were strangers in Egypt because it was a temporary place for them. It was not their permanent home. • Ge 15: 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; • 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Strangers and Pilgrims • They had a physical promised land they were looking forward to. The land of Canaan. • David even claimed to be stranger and sojourner. • Ps 39: 12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD, And give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner, as all my fathers were. • Unlike many of his “fathers” David had a permanent physical home.

Strangers and Pilgrims • He must have been looking for a different home. • He was looking for the same home Abraham was. • Heb 11: 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. • 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Strangers and Pilgrims • Heb 11: 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. • 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. • 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude-innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Heb 11: 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. • 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. • 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Heb 11: 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. • Both David and Abraham realized this earth was not their home. • They were looking for a permanent home with God in Heaven. • We should be looking for the same home.

Strangers and Pilgrims • 1 Pe 2: 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; • 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. • Peter wants them to live as someone who is just passing thru this life headed to somewhere better.

Strangers and Pilgrims • He also wants them to understand there are things here in this life that will keep them from the final destination. • Those “fleshly lusts” that war against the soul! • One thing every good traveler has is a good map • Our map or directions on how to get to our home in Heaven is the Word of God. • Abstaining from “fleshly lust” is one of the warning signs that we see along the road to our home.

Strangers and Pilgrims • There are many more warnings found in the scriptures. • 1 Pe 1: 13 ¶ Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; • 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; • 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

Strangers and Pilgrims • 1 Pe 1: 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy. " • 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; • Vs 13 tells us to “gird up the loins of our mind” • This is not a phrase we would use today. • Long flowing robes were the custom of that part of the world during the 1 st century and even now.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Anytime they would engage in a physical activity they would take and tuck these robes in so they wouldn’t get in their way. • The thought for us is we need to reign in our thoughts and prepare ourselves mentally to live the Christian life. • We need to rid ourselves of all the thoughts and cares and love of this world that distracts us from obeying God.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Vs 13 also tells us to “be sober” • We need to be able make rational judgments. • While this would include not being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs it is not limited to this. • It would include anything that would keep us from making good decisions when it comes to obeying God. • There are many things in this life we can “love” and cause us not to think clearly.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Vs 13 also tells us to rest our hope on the grace we will find in Christ. • The KJV translates it “hope to the end”. • We are not to give up our hope in the Grace of God. • As Strangers and Pilgrims we cannot afford to not finish our journey. • Mt 10: 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Vs 14 tells us to be “obedient children” • As a general rule the Parent knows what is best for the child. • God is our father and He always knows what is best for us. • We need to find out what our Father wants us to do and then do it, if we want to make it to our destination.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Vs 15 & 16 tells us we need to be “Holy” • Holy means to be pure and blameless • If we want to make it to our home in Heaven we must keep ourselves pure from sin. • We need to be like our Father. Vs 16 “Be ye holy; for I am holy” • Vs 17 tells us we will be judged by our work. • Our works must be in accordance with what the Father has commanded us to do.

Strangers and Pilgrims • As strangers and pilgrims here in this world God has work for us to do while we are here. • Ac 10: 34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. • 35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. • Ro 2: 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Then in vs 17 we are told “conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear” • While we are here on this earth we need to live in fear. • Fear of what? Thieves, robbers, and murderers? No! • Jesus tells us who we should fear. • Lu 12: 4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Lu 12: 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. • The worst that man can do to us is kill us. After that he has no more power over us. • The One we should fear is God! He has the power to affect our eternal abode. • We should fear Him from the standpoint of respect and awe.

Strangers and Pilgrims • This respect and awe that we have for God should cause us to want to obey Him, when we consider all that He has done for us. • We should also fear Him in the sense of shaking and trembling because we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth. • We know this is not our final destination and we will have to stand before Him on the day of judgment and answer for the things done in this body.

Strangers and Pilgrims • 2 Co 5: 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. • We should fear God because on that day of judgment He has the power to cast us into Hell if we have not been obedient unto Him in this life. • We must remember that we are in a temporary place headed for somewhere permanent.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Paul realized that point and tried to get it across to Christians at Corinth • 2 Co 4: 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; • 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Strangers and Pilgrims • Paul was looking for the same eternal home as Abraham and David. • The same home we have waiting for us if we are faithful children of God. • What a wonderful home that will be! • Re 21: 1 ¶ Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Strangers and Pilgrims • 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. • 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Strangers and Pilgrims • 4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. " • 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new. " And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful. "

Strangers and Pilgrims • 6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. • 7 "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. • How wonderful it is to know we have an escape from this old sin cursed world that is full of pain, sickness, sorrow and death.

Conclusion • Since all of this we see around us is temporary and we have an opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven then how should we live while we are here. • If we are thinking soberly or clearly the answer is plain. We will love God and keep His Commandments. • 1 Jo 5: 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Conclusion • 2 Pe 3: 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. • 11 ¶ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Conclusion • 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? • 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Conclusion • 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. • One day this journey will be over and we need to be prepared to meet our Lord!