THE STRANGER IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY 2

THE STRANGER IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY 2

As believer and follower of Christ, you are that stranger in a foreign country. The foreign country is the world where Satan rules as prince having blindfolded the heart of men not to see the light of the truth. We who has been delivered from darkness to light, Christ who is the king of the great kingdom has sent us forth to establish his kingdom in the heart of men on earth, so that at his return we will be glad we did.

Heb 11v9-10 ‘ by faith he made his home in the promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose builder and maker is God’.

The above text will guide our discussion; I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead us Amen.

Now from the there are some points we will be discussing and I will like us to allow the Holy Spirit to guide our heart to understanding:

1.     We are stranger in this world: Abraham came to the Promised Land that flows with milk and honey, yet he sees himself as a pilgrim who will soon pass away. I peter 2v11 says ‘dear friends I urge you as strangers and exiles…’ As believers and followers of Christ we must understand that we are strangers in this world, though we are in the world we are not of the world. Oh yes even Abraham was living in tent. For we must know that our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a savior; the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we must admit that we are strangers in this world and so we are.

2.     Our material blessing is not our eternal reward: ‘By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger…’ Abraham was blessed by God in possession, the bible says God blessed him in every way but he was careful never to admit that was his lot forever. He was still looking forward to that city that last forever ‘whose builder and maker is God’.  That was the reason he live in tent. As pilgrims in this world we must appreciate the fact that our hope in Christ is beyond the earthly, our treasure is in heaven. ‘For we look not on the things seen but the unseen, for the things seen are temporal but the unseen are eternal.’2 cor 4v18.

3.     Never take hold of this world: ‘The world is passing away and the things in it’ 1 John 2v17. As strangers in this world, we must not take hold of this earthly life. Our father Abraham lived in tent even in the Promised Land. ‘ he lived in tent even as did Isaac and Jacob…’ which mean we must not be occupied with this passing life that we lose focus of the eternal kingdom, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, but must seek first His kingdom which is our foremost priority. Our Lord Jesus whom we are following His step, while He was on earth, had no place to lay his head. The Lord says ‘be careful or your heart will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. Luke 21v34. Though we are in the world we are not of the world.

4.     Heirs of same promised: ‘Isaac and Jacob who were heirs with him of the same promised’.  The scripture says ‘God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, that in the coming ages he might show the in comparable riches in Christ Jesus.

Eph 2v6-7. As believers we must come to understand that we are saved through the blood of Jesus and God in his infinite grace has made us to be in union with his son. We must confirm in His Image and lived in His likeness. ‘We know that when he appears we shall be like Him, for we shall see him just as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves just as He is pure. 1 john 3v2-3.

5.     Looking forward: As pilgrim and strangers we must look forward. ‘for he was looking forward. Heb 11v10. We must not set our heart on earthly but on things above for therein comes our eternal reward. We must look unto Jesus; the author and finisher of our faith. We must look upon Him who is the Joy that is set before us, amidst challenges sinful entanglement; hence there is no need to look back unto destruction; hence we must be focus on our calling so ‘ that at last we shall not be as those who shrink back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved’. As it is written ‘ I take no pleasure in the one who shrink back. Heb 10v38.