Heaven Pt 3: Citizens of Heaven & Strangers on Earth
CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
Pr Edi Giudetti
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizenswith the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Strangers In A Strange Land
There are those who have had the opportunity to visit other nations and lands, those who might also have had opportunity to travel in Australia from the south to the far north of the country or to the center, there are those still who have traveled to the third world and experienced the culture, the people, the way and manner of life.
Tourists we call them. They don’t live there, it is not their home, they are sojourners passing through but perhaps staying a while. Some of us have done this, some of us have indeed travelled, some locally some far away. We have been there as visitors.
Depending on how different the culture is, we were seen by those who live there as strangers, people who simply don’t belong, people who have come and who one day will go. Foreigners, who might come bearing gifts or taking home memorials of the place they have visited. Some visitors bring ideas to the nations, different and even strange ways and notions. Ideas that, to some are foolish and to others worth believing as true.
Marco Polo was a venetian sailor who traveled the known world. From Venice to Jerusalem, through Turkey and Persia (Iran), he took his travels to the Caspian sea and sailed through the Straits of Hormuz, he had taken his journey through the Hindu Kush and onto the Silk Road of China, attended the court of the Kublai Kahn, the great grandson of Genghis Kahn, and presented a letter from the Pope, an idea, a request.
He then had sailed as far south as Sumatra (Malasia), then on to India until finally making his way back home.
In each land he was a stranger. To each land he left gifts and taken treasure, but in no place was he home, in no place was he considered a Local, in every place a stranger. Visiting places like this is interesting and educational, sight-seeing is what we usually do, but making it your home however has very different consequences. Consequences that require change, not so much change in wardrobe or whereabouts, but change in ways.
To live happily in a foreign land, either the foreigner will need to become like the residents, or the residents like the foreigner, or a compromise between those two ends. To some it would be like walking a tightrope trying to maintain your own way but living like the locals.
You will never feel at home as a stranger in a strange land where the way of the people is foreign to your own.
But how do you know that you are a Stranger in a Strange land? What’s more, how have you become a stranger in the land in which you were born?
Moses was born in Egypt and at the age of 40 years he came out of Egypt and dwelt in a foreign land called Midian for yet another 40 years. While there he had a son named Gershom. He named him this name recognizing that he had been a stranger in a strange land (Exo 2:22)
Moses and the people forsook the land of Egypt to enter the land of promise. Until they found it they were always going to be Strangers in a Strange land even though they were born there. God had called them out and they were a separated people. Interestingly, even though they were born in Egypt, they were always seen as strangers.
They tell me that you need to be in Sunbury at least 20 years before you are seen as a local. Israel were in Egypt 400 years and always seen as Strangers by the Locals.
You and I were born in this world, we ran the course of this world until the Lord had separated us from the ways of this world and now even we are seen as strangers by the locals.
Turn to
1 Peter 4:3–6
3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
Not unlike Moses and the people before they were called out of Egypt, we lived like those we grew up with, we had our “Conversation” and ran according to the course of this world, but something happened that changed all that….
Turn to
Ephesians 2:1–3
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
What changed? We were given “life”, Quickened from being dead in trespasses and sins. This “life” Changed us, it made us strangers in the world and to the world. This was our home, this was how we lived in this home, we lived JUST LIKE THE LOCALS, who the passage tells us live according to the …..spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: That is, the prince of this world.
These are those who will not inherit the kingdom of God, they are strangers to heaven. None who are opposed to God can dwell with God, it’s that simple. All we did was believe the Gospel, we have become strangers to this world BUT Citizens of heaven.
We are washed clean and justified by Christ and that is the ONLY Reason we have this hope. WE WERE JUST LIKE THE LOCALS, but no more.
Turn to
1 Corinthians 6:9–11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Notice the PAST Tense of description of you and I who were once LIKENED to the Locals; And such were some of you
What has changed?
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
You are NOW strangers in a strange land, but you were not always this way. There was a time you were Strangers to God.
WE ARE STRANGERS ON EARTH
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
Notice that Paul writes of the gentiles of the Ephesian church, which also includes you and I, are no more strangers and foreigners, this confirms all that we learned from the earlier texts noted in this sermon. We were indeed once strangers and foreigners …of the household of God
We were indeed once identified with the fornicators,… idolaters, … adulterers, … effeminate, … abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 … thieves, …. covetous, … drunkards, …revilers, …and extortioners,
But no longer
We once lived according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
But no longer
We were indeed once “Dead in trespasses and sins”.
There was indeed once a time when we wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
There was never a time our friends, the Locals, though it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, Because we did run with the same excess of riot, no need for them to have ever spoken evil of you:
And It would have indeed been required of us to give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.
We were once a Local!
But no longer
We are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
A Citizen of heaven!
Perhaps you know this, perhaps you have been able to see and to feel it, something is wrong, something is different, something has changed, the world seems to be such a foreign place, a different county and we search for a better one.
We live here but it just feels like here is not home. We have our daily lives committed to this place, we follow its laws, we abide by its precepts While we are in this tabernacle. So naturally we might ask, if we are Citizens of heaven, what are we doing here? We are remaining here for a time, we dwell here for a while, we are sojourners and also ambassadors. (I’ll come to shortly)
First Sojourners
Turn to
1 Peter 1:17
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
Focus first on the fact that the passage speaks of our time here as a time of sojourning, a temporary time of dwelling, remaining. To sojourn is defined as “to stay or reside temporarily”[1] (Collins English Dictionary).
Do you think God meant to use that word?
Turn forward to
1 Peter 2:11
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
There seems to be a consistency here, Peter writes to believers but even more incredible is that he, as a Jew, writes to the Jewish believers that are “scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,”
There is no concern by him respecting the fact that they have been scattered about the eastern world due to the persecution of the Church in this letter, this gives evidence that no matter where they find themselves, for as long as they are in this world they are yet “Strangers and pilgrims”; And how does he tell them to live therefore?
Look at verse 12
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. 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
Beloved, I don’t know about you but every time the ordinance of man gets weirder I feel more and more like a stranger! Yet as a pilgrim I am to submit myself to the law of the land “FOR THE LORDS SAKE”. Beloved we are plainly charged to have our 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.
The evil dictates of Governors and kings are for the punishment of evil doers and yet somehow also for the praise of them that do well.
Beloved, Peter was NOT suggesting in this passage that the government is HOLY, but only that they are sent by God for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
This is not a sermon about obeying government, but it is worth noting that we obey government because we are first obeying God, the only place that crosses the line is the same place for which Peter was crucified upside down, for the sake of the Gospel and the ordinances of God.
It was a Godless government in the time of Peter and it was a Godless government in the time of Paul. Both died under their respective reigns and yet both teach to be faithful to Government as the underling of God orchestrating HIS judgment upon the wicked.
We are to live by faith knowing that there is a better promise we are to receive, and like the prophets of old, we too are strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Turn to
Hebrews 11:13
13 These 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.
14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
This is what we desire, this is why we groan and travail with all creation in pain together until now, because we are “Strangers on the Earth”. We long for the “better country, that is, an heavenly”.
We look about us and we see how this world operates and we often run risk of arguing with governors and rulers thinking somehow this is OUR HOME, BUT this is NOT OUR HOME, this place belongs to the LOCALS.
Little wonder so many argue with us about things we think normal. No wonder they look at us as if we come from another world…WE DO!
We are Children of the Living God and do the works of God and will continue to do his works having our 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.
Why is this so?
Turn to
Phil 3:20
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
That is why.
Our manner of life is heaven-bound, it is where our Lord will change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.
This is where our manner of life is to reflect.
Beloved, we are ambassadors of a heavenly government, we represent a place that is true, good, honest and holy. As STRANGERS ON EARTH we have therefore our conversation, our manner of life, reflecting that heavenly nation. Just as when our sporting teams travel abroad are criticized by their leaders when they behave badly overseas, so too us.
Paul wrote;
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:20–21
We are Citizens of Heaven and when we poorly reflect that Godly government, we cannot expect praise. But when we do, then, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
About Home!
Turn to
Daniel 12:1–3
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
There is a time soon coming, after the time of trouble during the reign of the final Kingdom on earth, when some shall awake to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt. Hollywood has its stars imprinted in clay, but Heaven has its stars light up the night.
Jesus said
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:43
Isaiah gave us a picture of that which is to come;
Turn to;
Isaiah 65:17–19
17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth:
And the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create:
For, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people:
And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
A New Heaven and a new earth, we are told is to come. But more than this, the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
The Bible speaks of the NEW City of Jerusalem also as coming down from heaven.
Keep your finger here and turn to;
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
It is incomprehensible, and yet again and again we are told of a New Heaven and Earth and this will be eternal, it shall remain for ever;
Turn back to Isaiah, and go to;
Isaiah 66:22
22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make,
Shall remain before me, saith the Lord,
So shall your seed and your name remain.
So there is in us this desire and this longing, this is the Better Country that we look for, this is that new creation to which the entire creation also groans and travails.
Turn to Romans
Romans 8:18–23
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Can you see that Paul identifies the yearning that we, like Paul, yearn for. Paul speaks of our suffering unworthy of comparison to what will be revealed. He speaks of all creation also waiting for our own manifestation, that is, the redemption of our bodies.
Beloved there is so much here, but let me state that the fall of man affected much, much more than man himself. The entire nature of creation fell into decay.
Interesting, science also bears witness to this. They speak of the exponential decay curve, how that somehow the universe was once in PERFECT ORDER and but now moves from ORDER TO DISORDER, through what is known as the Law of Entropy, which is the Second Law of Thermo Dynamics, that is; Disordered states increase in time and is irreversible without effort to return it to order.
God will create a New Heaven and a New Earth, and all of creation, including ourselves, groan and travail in greater disorder until that time comes.
Verse 23, we …. groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
2 Peter 3:13
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
CLOSE
Now that we know and understand that we are indeed “Strangers and Pilgrims on the earth” and are indeed “Citizens of heaven”, what are we to consider while we live in the ‘here and now’?
Yes, we see the world changing, we see things coming about just as the Bible teaches it would, but how are we now to live as “Strangers and Pilgrims”?
Are we to live as the locals live, are we to have the locals live as we live or are we to walk a tightrope between the two?
Turn to
Mark 16:15–16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
This is our work.
We know that there is an end for man and we know why Christ came and why he died, we know the good news.
Meanwhile,
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:19–21
Why?
Turn to
1 Corinthians 3:12–15
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Turn back to our original text
Ephesians 2:13–22
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizenswith the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
This again is the Gospel of Christ.
You and I were far off, we were strangers and foreigners to God and to his saints, to his household, his dwelling place, heaven. But now we are Citizens, brought nigh by the blood of Christ.
It is Jesus Christ that had broken down that middle wall of partition between us and God, he made peace through the shedding of his blood that abolished the ordinances, the commandments and judgements that were written against us due to our sin, he paid the price and it is finished.
He had slain that great enemy, which is death. Now death is swallowed up in victory as the eternal enmity between us and God has been settled.
Gods wrath is pacified, quenched, propitiated and no longer are we strangers to him….but we are indeed strangers to this world.
We are sojourners, pilgrims…not quite tourists, but the point is we are no longer locals and yet, we speak to the multitude that Jesus Christ had died for about a more excellent way.
We speak of hope through the Gospel to all who will believe.
We speak of the Love of God takes away the sin of the world through faith in Christ.
We speak to those who have never heard the Gospel.
We speak to those who have heard the Gospel time and again but are still at enmity with God, still strangers to him, still foreigners of heaven still Locals of this world that is against them.
I think of those today in lands of great oppression with governments that are opposed to the people, governments that take away all possessions and assets, governments that oppress freedom and kill or imprison its subjects, its locals, and I wonder if ANY of them would remain if they had as simple a way out of that prison country as you do hearing the Gospel today?
Imagine you are in a room as a citizen of the most oppressive regime in history and before you is an open door with no guard and no person preventing you from simply walking out to become a citizen of a better country, a free country, but instead you choose to stay.
Imagine if all your family has already left that slave country and bid you every day to come out of her…but you wont.
This is the gospel presented to those who choose to remain locals.
Admit you’re a sinner
Believe the Gospel
Call on the Lord to save you
[1] https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Sojourners
0 Comments