Exile (Part 8)

This will Be Our Last Class on Exile

We’ve Traced the Theme Throughout the Bible

It Began with Adam and Eve and Culminated in the Exile of Judah in Babylon

Last Time We Focused on Jeremiah and His Instructions to the Jewish Exiles

They Were to Seek and Pray for the Welfare of Their Captors

Before We Enter the NT, We can Learn a Lot When We Look at Daniel

Daniel was One of the Exiles in Babylon

The First 6 Chapter of Daniel are Full of Him and His Friends…

Being Pressured to Conform to the Ways of the Babylonian World

They Conformed in Ways that Were Inconsequential

Things in Which They Wouldn’t have to Act Against Their Faith

They Became Leaders and Governors in Babylon and its Provinces

They Worked for the Good of Both Babylon and Persia

But Even at the Threat of Gruesome Death…

They Refused to Conform in Matters that Contradicted Their Faith

They Kept Their Allegiance to Their God

But They Also Sought the Shalom/Welfare of the Nation They Found Themselves in

Daniel and His Friends Provide Us the Perfect Example…

Of How to Live in Society Without Compromising Our Faith

We Often Find it Hard to Strike the Perfect Balance

The Temptation is to Either:

Compromise Our Faith to Make Life More Comfortable

Or to Distance Ourselves From Any Association with the World…

Which Leads to Disobeying the Original Command of…

Being God’s Image-Bearers in the World

Daniel and His Friends Show Us that…

It’s Possible to Live in Such a Way that Outsiders Like and Respect Us…

While, at the Same Time, Keeping Our Allegiance to God

And That’s Exactly What We See in Jesus

Luke 2:52 (NASB95)

52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Jesus was the Greatest Exile

Philippians 2:3–8 (NIV)

3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Jesus Chose the Life of a Lowly Exile

And He Did So on Our Behalf

Jesus was Often Criticized for Associating with Sinners

He was Seen Helping Both Roman Soldiers and Gentile Women

He Taught to Seek and Pray for the Welfare of One’s Enemies

He Commanded Taxes to Be Paid to Caesar/Rome

Jesus was the Perfect Balance

Total Allegiance to God

Complete Love for Others, Even Enemies

This is the Life of an Exile that He’s Called Us to

We Must Strive to Live Within the Balance of Romans 12 & 1 Cor. 5

Romans 12:1–2 (NASB95)

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

We Must Not Conform to the World, But Be Transformed

1 Corinthians 5:9–13 (NASB95)

9 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.

11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

We Must Be Transformed and Other Worldly

But that Doesn’t Mean that We Stop Associating with the World

How Else would We Bear God’s Image to Them?

We’ve Heard it a Millions Times:

We are to Be IN the World But Not OF the World

Philippians 3:20–21 (NASB95)

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

We are Exiles, Waiting for the Arrival of Jesus and Our True Home with Him

That Includes Our New Bodies that will Be Like His Glorified Body

Paul Even Describes Our Existence in Our Weak Bodies in Exilic Language

2 Corinthians 5:1–4 (NASB95)

1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Our Present Bodies are Described as a Tent (Temporary Housing)

Our Future Bodies are Described as a Building (Permanent Housing)

We are Living as Exiles in a World that is Not Our Home…

And in Tents that are Not Our Houses

But When Jesus Returns, He Promises to Give Us…

A Perfect Home and Permanent Houses/Bodies

In Every Way, We are Exiles Right Now

And in Every Way, We will Be at Home When He Returns

I Want to Bring this Series to a Close…

By Looking at One of the Most Practical Books of the NT…

As it Pertains to How We as Heavenly Exiles…

Should Live in and React to a World that is Not Our Home

Let’s Look at a Few Passages From 1 Peter

1 Peter 1:13–16 (NASB95)

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

There are Great Instructions for Christian Exiles Here:

Prepare Your Mind for Action

Literally “Gird Up the Loins of Your Mind”

The Only Way to Live as Faithful Exiles in this Age…

Is to Mentally Prepare Ourselves for Whatever May Come

Temptation, Trials, Persecution, Hardships of All Kinds

Keep Sober

Be in Control of Yourself

In a World that is Constantly Trying to Make Us Conform…

Self-Control is Crucial to Being a Faithful Exile

Fix Your Hope on the Gracious Return of Jesus

It’s Nearly Impossible to Remain Faithful…

When You’re Stranded in a Foreign Land…

If You have No Hope of Ever Being Home

Our King is Coming…

And We Need to Keep that as Our Confident Expectation

Don’t Be Conformed But Be Holy in All Your Behavior, Like God

Preparing Our Minds, Being Self-Controlled, and Fixing Our Hope on Jesus’ Return…

Is How We Become Holy in Our Behavior, Like Jesus

1 Peter 2:9–12 (NASB95)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

As Christians, We are God’s Chosen Nation of Priests

Our Purpose is to Proclaim the Greatness of God

Proclaiming His Greatness Begins with…

Practicing Good Behavior Among Gentiles

They May Slander Us, But if We Keep Doing What is Good…

They May Be Won Through Our Behavior…

And Begin Glorifying God as Well

The Life of an Exile is a Life of Being Hated…

Because of What We Believe and How We Live

But if We Refuse to Give in to the Pressure…

Those Who Believe Us to Be Evil…

Will Soon Realize the Very Opposite is True

1 Peter 2:13–17 (NASB95)

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Being an Exile Means that, More Often Than Not…

Our Rulers and Leaders will Not Believe or Live the Way We Do

But it is Our King’s Will that We Submit to and Honor Our Earthly Kings

We Know that We’re Not Truly Under Their Power

God is Our True King

But We are Not to Use that Freedom to Do Evil or Act Rebelliously

We are to Use that Freedom to Glorify God By Being Submissive

Being a Christian Exile Means Being Free…

But Choosing to Be Slaves in Order for God to Be Glorified

1 Peter 3:8–17 (NASB95)

8 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

10 For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 11 “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. 12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

One of the Most Natural Ways of Evangelism…

Is By Being Peaceful, Kind, and Humble…

Even When Others Don’t Treat Us the Same

This is Our Purpose

Most People Won’t Seek Your Harm if You Live this Way…

But Even if They Do, Be Ready to Tell Them Why You Live this Way

Tell Them the Reason for Your Hope with Gentleness and Respect

Jesus Came to Earth to Establish His Kingdom/Empire

He Didn’t Destroy All the Other Kingdoms/Empires

He Established His in the Midst of All the Others

And His Kingdom/Empire is Made Up of People From All the Other Kingdoms/Empires

So We are a New Community

Citizens of a New Kingdom

But We are Still Living as Exiles in the Midst of Worldly Kingdoms

We are to Behave According to Our True Citizenship

Be Transformed Instead of Conformed

And When King Jesus Returns, He will Destroy All the Other Kingdoms/Empires…

And Only His will Remain Forever