A Stranger Here

1 Peter 1:1–4 HCSB

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ. May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

A stranger, sojourner; not simply one who is passing through, but a foreigner who has settled down, however briefly, next to or among the native people.

Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

Foreigners usually have different customs and values than those who are from the land/area/country they’re living in.

My experience in the military, a foreigner to other countries.

Foreigners, this is what we are, or were, in relation to our Creator. We were foreigners to His Nation, Israel.

Ephesians 2:11–13 HCSB

11 So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. 12 At that time you were without the Messiah, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of the Messiah.

Ephesians 2:17–19 HCSB

17 When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,

God called Avram to live in a different land area, among a different people who had different customs, who were devoted to multiple different gods.

Difference of worship and devotion practices.

It was easier for Avaram and his tribe to make the changes God wanted Him to, away from their familiar cultural and religious/spiritual influences.

This is why holiness/separation/distinction of lifestyle and devotional expressions are so important.

Genesis 12:1–7 HCSB

1 The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the site of Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.

The world after the rebellion and fall of lucifer.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 HCSB

3 But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Lucifer is the “god of this age”.

Age signifies a time period.

So right now lucifer, because Adam and Eve submitted to his direction instead of God’s, which plunged all their future descendents into a degraded state (sin), he now has say so over the whole world, minus those faithful to God.

Luke 4:5–8 HCSB

5 So he took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 The Devil said to Him, “I will give You their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. 7 If You, then, will worship me, all will be Yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”

Satan, aka Lucifer, has been allowed to rule because God plays by the rules He Himself put into place.

Revelation 12:9 HCSB

9 So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 13:1–3 HCSB

1 And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. He had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded, but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.

Lucifer dictates the values of this age, he and his rebellious fallen angels are the one who are behind all the evil that is going on in our world; world government, world religion, lawlessness, sexual wickedness, spiritual wickedness, etc.

This is lucifer’s world, this is his order! This world runs the way he wants it to, overall.

But God is in control in that IF He wanted to, He could stop it all right now.

BUT! He wants us to clearly see how life turns out in the condition of degradation that we’re in, the state of sin, the state of error.

We get with who we want to, have children who will grow up in single parent households, who lack the proper nurturing and productive home environment because we choose to do things our own way.

Jesus sacrificed for us, but we won’t do the same for Him when He is the One Who has provided The Empowerment to live above our degraded sinful nature and desires.

If we’re new to this, that’s one thing, but if we’ve “been in this” for a while, there are some things we should have under control.

1 John 2:15–17 HCSB

15 Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. 16 For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.

Natural developmental milestones.

Developmental disabilities.

What can we say if we’re developmentally delayed?

Developmental delays can occur due to parental neglect.

But what about when we refuse to work with those Jesus is trying to work with us through to help us mature, to develop both the fruit of the Spirit and in demonstrating the gifts of The Spirit?

Romans 12:1–2 HCSB

1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 8:28 HCSB

28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

Time is winding down, you are running out of time.

You are not promised the rest of this day!

Jesus has been reaching, He has been warning, He has been pleading, but what happens when your portioned time in this age and order runs out?

Are you a stranger here? Or are you blending in and embracing the values and culture of this age and order?