Strangers In A Strange Land

Strangers in a strange land

Psalm 146:9

The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

Hebrews 11:8-13

8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

1 Peter 2:11-12

11Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

12Having 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.

Or, in more contemporary words, there is a song by Switchfoot, (The Beautiful Letdown) that says:

In a world full of bitter pain and bitter doubt,

I was trying so hard to fit in

Until I found out, that I don’t belong here

Isn’t it great that we are not part of this world? That we are in the world, but not of the world? That we don’t fight for victory, but that we fight from the victory that Jesus won?

However, in this battle there are casualties. There are those who build their “houses” on the shifting sands of this world.

Matthew 7

4Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

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Two types

Those who aren’t saved

They just don’t know…

John 1:5, 9-11

5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Exodus 5:1-2

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

2And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

We must be a lighthouse in this dark world. A city on a hill that cannot be hidden – from the good or the bad.

Matthew 5

14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Lighthouses/shoal markers/airport runway beacons are all similar

- don’t have a choice in who they attracts/warns – could be good or bad

- can be a source of comfort for those who lost their way

- warn newcomers of danger

- familiar landmark to those who know the area

It is good to attract other Christians who are looking for a “home”. It is also good to attract non-Christians who should be looking for a “home”.

Philippians 2

15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;