We Are Pilgrims

The article stated, “I'm sure we all felt bad over the tragic death of Christina Onassis at the age of 38…” Her stepsister Henrietta Gelber commented: "She lacked a sense of achievement; what she was striving for was just to be a normal human being with normal family relationships, which was virtually impossible in her situation. She had houses all over the world, but she never really had a home."

In some ways, we Christians are like Christina. That is, she never found her place in this world, and no matter how hard we try as Christians, neither do we.

There is a song that was written years ago, that had these words, “This world is not my home anymore.”

Since the moment we accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, and became born-again, we never have felt at home in this world anymore.

Illus: A young man in high school was very popular. He received the Lord in his heart in the tenth grade. He faithfully served the Lord, but eventually he began to backslide. He started hanging out with the old crowd he used to hang out with. But this time he didn’t feel comfortable with them. When they would take the Lord’s name in vain, he would cringe. After several weeks of trying to find his place among them, he realized that since he had become born-again, this NEW CREATURE did not have a thing in common with them, and he started faithfully serving the Lord again.

Let me show you why the Bible states that we are just PILGRIMS. Let’s look at-

I. THE REALIZATION OF THE PILGRIM

As Christians, it is a very serious mistake to start to think that this world is our home. A PILGRIM IS A TEMPORARY RESIDENT. We are just pilgrims passing through.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO SOMEONE’S HOME, AND FELT COMPLETELY OUT OF PLACE?

Illus: You may go to some homes, and they eat chicken with a fork. Who ever came up with that dumb idea? You eat chicken with your hands.

When we go some place where they eat like this, we who know how to eat chicken, feel out of place.

Illus: Many times, This is exactly how we Christians feel in this SIN-LOVING, SICK society. When Christians hear people like Larry King on his CNN television talk show, we feel completely out of place. We soon realize:

• THEY DO NOT THINK THE WAY WE THINK

• THEY DO NOT HAVE THE DESIRES WE HAVE

• THEY DO NOT DRESS THE WAY WE DRESS

• THEY DO NOT TALK THE WAY WE TALK

As Christians, we have almost nothing in common with these folks. Why? Because the Bible says we are PILGRIMS in this life. This world is not our home, we are just passing through.

WHAT IS A PILGRIM?

Webster’s 1928 Dictionary definition of PILGRIM:

1. A wanderer; a traveler

2. In Scripture, one that has only a temporary residence on earth

As long as we live in this world, we are not at home here.

Look at 2 Cor. 5:6-8 “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

As we read this verse of scripture, we know exactly how the apostle Paul felt. We are LIVING HERE, BUT LOOKING OVER THERE!

Many Christians have come to REALIZE that we are PILGRIMS PASSING THROUGH.

If we aren’t careful as Christians, we can easily forget this, and soon began to live our lives thinking this world is our home. BUT IT IS NOT! We are PILGRIMS, STRANGERS, ALIENS, PASSING THROUGH.

Peter recognized that. He said in 1 Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you AS STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

A PILGRIM IS A TEMPORARY RESIDENT.

WE have looked at THE REALIZATION OF THE PILGRIM, but let us also look at -

II. THE REMEMBRANCE OF THE PILGRIM

We are on the enemy’s turf, and we had better not forget that! Since we REALIZE that, why should we expect good treatment at the hands of the enemy?

Illus: Years ago, in Columbia, South Carolina, they had a place called the “MILL HILL”. This was a community where people who worked in the cotton mill lived. They were branded as “Lint Heads.” The more this community was picked on, the closer they became as a community. And if you wanted a good whipping, all you had to do was invade their community, (territory) and you would wish you had never done such a foolish thing.

As Christians, we need to always REMEMBER, we are on the devil’s turf.