Cosmic Expatriots

Peter Sample

What Christ Offers • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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Philippi was an interesting colony. It wasn’t always part of Rome. In 42 B.C. Roman soldiers were ordered by Anthony to live there after conquest. Eight years later, Octavian forced some people from Italy to settle in Philippi. It seems as if Rome was concerned that left to itself, Philippi would become rebellious to its new master. Well, you can imagine that the Italians who were forced to live in Philippi were not to happy. So, Rome gave these citizens what is called the “Italic right”. The Italians, though living in Philippi and not Italy, were treated as if their land were part of Italian soil. In other words, they were still citizens of Rome and enjoyed all the rights of that citizenship.

To these citizen/foreigners, Paul writes:

Philippians 3:17–21 NIV

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

They uniquely knew what it means to be citizens of one place while living in another.

As I think about Philippi and the Roman citizens that lived there, I think of . This chapter speaks of Old Testament saints and what they were living for.

Hebrews 11:13–16 NIV

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

All of Israel were looking for a city that would not be destroyed, that they could be a citizen of. They were living on this earth, but they refused to consider themselves a citizen of this earth. They recognized that even the most firmly established early cities are only encampments, compared to the kingdom that is to come.

All of Israel were looking for a city that would not be destroyed, that they could be a citizen of

Citizens. A citizen is a legally recognized subject of a particular political system. You don’t have to live in the place of your citizenship. With this status, come certain rights and responsibilities. In Christ we have a citizenship. Let’s look at what this means for our rights and responsibilities.

Even the most firmly established early cities are only encampments

The Bible Knowledge Commentary The Historic Occasion

Philippi was a Roman colony (Acts 16:12). After the Battle of Philippi in 42 B.C. some Roman soldiers were ordered by Anthony to live there. Then in 30 B.C. Octavian forced some people in Italy to give up their homes and settle in Philippi and elsewhere. These Philippian residents were given special privileges including the “Italic right.” This meant that the colonists, in return for their displacement, were treated as if their land were part of Italian soil. So the residents were citizens of Rome, their “mother city,” and enjoyed the full rights of Roman citizenship, including exemption from taxes. So Paul’s words (Phil. 1:27) “conduct yourselves” (lit., “live as citizens”) and “our citizenship is in heaven” (3:20) had special meaning to the Christians at Philippi.

1A. Rights of Citizenship

Every culture gives a certain amount of rights to their citizens, no matter how dictatorial the government is. There are benefits to being a citizen. We are privileged to live in the United States. We have more rights than most other nations in the world. What is neat about these rights is that I can go into any American consulate around the world and can receive those rights.

During one of my travels to Germany, I was able to visit the consulate in Germany. I found the experience unique. One moment, I was a foreigner in the land of Germany. The next moment, I was an American citizen on American soil, and all the rights of being an American citizen was mine.

Paul knew about rights. As a citizen in Rome, living most of his life around non-citizens, he uniquely felt the privileges of his status. In his missionary travels, he would forego using his citizenship for the sake of the Gospel. But, sometimes, he would use his citizenship. This use is what landed him in a prison in Rome the first time. A Roman citizen could choose before his trial whether to be tried in the place of offense or in Rome. Paul chose to be tried in Rome, away from a society that was trying to kill him.

Paul who knew so much about citizenship, tells his readers that our citizenship is in Heaven.

Apart from Christ, our citizenship is this world, in mortality. When we die, we are subject to an eternal state of conscious death, separated from God. This is due to our state as sinners. Sin separates us from God. Sin signs our citizenship papers.

When we turn from our sin and trust in Christ, our citizenship changes. We immigrate from this world to the Heavenly Kingdom.

Ephesians 2:19 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

This is the kingdom that Jesus described as following:

Matthew 13:44 NIV

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Matthew 13:44–46 NIV

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

This citizenship is ours the moment we place our faith in Christ. We might be living in a different land, but we have citizenship in Heaven, looking forward to the day that we can move back home. As citizens of Heaven, we have some amazing rights.

Ephesians 2:19 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

I can only list six of them right now, but the New Testament is full of rights that are ours as citizens of Heaven. Due to time constraints, so that I don’t cut into dinner again, I am going to being hopping from verse to verse. Write down the references if you want to look them up later.

1B. Eternal Life

The right that most people immediately think of is eternal life.

John 5:24 NIV

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Before as citizens of this world, we were subject to eternal death. In Christ, we have the opposite. We have life now, and we will have the fullest of life, even after our physical death. Christ will usher us into his kingdom, in all perfection. And, we get to live with him forever on a perfected earth in our physical bodies with all our loved ones who have died in Christ, running, dancing, and shouting.

2B. Freedom from Sin

I would say that this is my favorite right, but I can’t really pick a favorite out of all these.

Romans 6:6–7 NIV

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

We talked about this two months ago. In Christ, we are not ruled by sin anymore. We don’t have to sin, though we willingly choose to. In Christ, we have victory over sin. We can say “Sin, you are dead to me!” That addiction that is holding onto us: we can break it’s chains, through Christ.

3B. Power of the Holy Spirit

Everyone who has turned from their sin and trusted Christ is given the Holy Spirit, to strengthen them, to convict them, to guide them, to remind them.

Acts 1:8 NIV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Ephesians 1:13 NIV

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Not only does the Holy Spirit give us help for this live, but it is the seal on our citizenship papers, guaranteeing what is to come. We don’t have to buy insurance for eternity. Our state is guaranteed!

4B. Direct Access to God

Previously, and in most every other religion, one needed to go through another individual in order to talk to God. A case in point: Jews going through their priest, with their sacrifice, in order to talk with God.

However, because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can talk directly with God.

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Hebrews 4:14–16 NIV

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We can approach God’s throne with boldness, in prayer, at any time. We don’t need to bring a sacrifice. We don’t need to ask someone else to pray for us, because we can’t. This is part of what some people call the personal relationship we have with God.

5B. Perfect Standing before God

When we talked about Justification, we found out that our state before God is declared righteous. This is because of Christ’s sacrifice. We did not earn this state of righteousness: it is a gift. We cannot change this state of righteousness: it is based on Christ’s work, not ours.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Cor

Not only can we not change this state, but no one and no thing can change this. No matter what anyone or any being or any feeling says: we are declared righteous before God for all of eternity.

6B. Renewed Body

The final right is one that we won’t realize until the end of time, whether it is the end of our short existence or the end of the world as we know it, whichever comes first. But, in the last day, our physical body will be changed.

Philippians 3:20–21 NIV

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Our bodies will not be mortal bodies anymore, subject to decay.

Lewis Sperry Chafer says it this way:

Systematic Theology IV. A Renewed Body

In describing this stupendous change, the Apostle declares (1 Cor. 15:42–57) that this body of corruption will put on incorruption, this body of mortality will put on immortality, this body of “dishonour” will put on glory, this body of weakness will put on inconceivable power, this body which is “natural”—adapted to the soul—will become a spiritual body—adapted to the spirit.

I could keep going on and on about the rights we have as citizens of Heaven, but I won’t. I will say this, anyone who doesn’t want to join in the Kingdom of God is missing out in the greatest citizenship perks in the world.

2A. Responsibilities of Citizenship

Like any citizenship, not only are there rights, but there are also responsibilities.

Here in the United States, we have responsibilities: to obey the laws, to vote, to serve on the jury, to serve in the military when called on, etc. Well, as citizens of Heaven, we have responsibilities as well.

1B. Our Focus

Paul writes:

Philippians 3:17–20 NIV

In this passage, Paul is throwing up a contrast between the enemies of the Kingdom of Heaven (which here he refers to as the enemies of the cross of Christ) and the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The main contrast that Paul shows is that of focus. The enemies of the cross of Christ have their focus on earthly things, following their stomach, that is their desires.

Those who are citizens in Heaven have their focus on Christ. “We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

It is so easy for us to lose focus. We see everything that is happening in the world. We see the pain. We see the brokenness. We see governments that aren’t doing what they are supposed to be doing. We see families falling apart. We see blatant sin in people close to us. We see ways that we can fix things. But, we also see tiredness and fear in our lives. We see a desire for rest, peace, comfort, escape. I could go on and on. We see things that crowd into our focus, both outside us and inside us. But all these things take our focus off of Christ, off of following Him.

Paul writes in

Ephesians 2:19 NIV

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

I think of a baseball player. He steps up to bat. The crowd is screaming, some for him, and some against him. The opposing team is heckling: hey batter, batter, batter. The batter has a choice: he can listen to all of the commotion, or he can tune it out and focus on the pitcher: the next play. The successful batter tunes everything out and focuses.

As citizens of Heaven, we are called to tune everything out and focus on Christ. Now, I have to be careful. In Paul’s theology, we have a dual citizenship. We are ultimately citizens of Heaven, but we have duties here as citizens of whatever country we live in. By focusing on Christ, this doesn’t mean that we stop fulfilling our responsibilities as citizens of the US. No, but it does mean that we filter all of these earthly affairs through our focus on Christ.

As we follow Him, He will lead us through our affairs in this life in a way fitting a citizen of Heaven.

This doesn’t mean that we are not citizens of the United States (Dual citizenship?)

We have a responsibility to focus on Him! How do we do this?

This doesn’t mean that we are not citizens of the United States (Dual citizenship?)

First, last week, I mentioned the need to spend more time with God than we do with every other thing. How are we doing with that? Paul says that we eagerly await a Savior. We long for his coming. But, we don’t have to wait until he comes to spend time with Him. If we long for his coming, why don’t we use that longing to drive us to him now! Have we spent enough time with him to actually know him. Or will we not recognize him when he comes?

Second, Paul tells us to keep our eyes on those who live as Christ.

Philippians 3:17 NIV

Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

Phil

We have a choice on who we allow to influence us. Some people will help us focus on the world. Some people will help us focus on Christ. If we find ourselves with the wrong focus and having a difficulty bringing our focus back to Christ, examine who we are spending time with, who are influencing us.

First responsibility: focus on Christ!

2B. Our Actions

The second responsibility is our actions. Every country desires that its citizens be good ambassadors for their country. When I traveled to other countries as a teen and as a college student, my trip leader admonished us to not be “typical Americans.” “Typical Americans” were loud, obnoxious, and rude when they traveled to other countries. Conversely, we were to act in a way that spoke well of the United States.

In the same way, if our focus is on Christ, we should be acting in a way that speaks well of the Kingdom of Heaven. This is a natural outcropping of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.

Earlier in this letter, Paul writes:

Philippians 1:27 NIV

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

This word conduct is literally: live as a citizen. We are to live in this world as a citizen of the next, and we are to live as this citizen in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. How are we doing?

Peter says it this way:

1 Peter 2:11 NIV

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

:11

Philippians 1:27 NIV

Sometimes, our desire to live as a citizen of Heaven will clash with the culture around, whether it is family, friends, people at school, government, societal expectations. In those moments, we have to make a choice: are we citizens of Heaven or of this world. Are we Christians first, or Americans, friends, family members, first. Who are we going to follow?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer had to make this choice. He was about my age in Germany when Hitler was growing in power. He had to make a choice: Was he a Christian first or a German. He couldn’t be both. Finally, he decided in contradiction to most of the Christians in Germany that he was a Christian first. He began to work actively against the Nazi regime. He was captured and died in a concentration camp.

He decided to not live for earthly values but for values that will outlast the earth.

Live for values that will outlast life on earth

1 Corinthians 15:53–58 NIV

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

First responsibility: Focus on Christ!

Second responsibility: Act like a citizen of Heaven!

3B. Our Hope

The third responsibility is to have hope.

Philippians 3:20–21 NIV

We are looking forward to an amazing in the future where all that is wrong will be made right. Our sinful flesh will be done away with. That will be a glorious day. So much hope because of that day! But we are not there yet.

We are surrounded by so much evil in this world. We hear about shootings in schools and in other public places. We hear about sexual abuse of children by people who are in positions of trust. We hear about kids and young adults being kidnapped and brutally murdered. Sometimes these stories are not about obscure people but about those that we know personally. We see kids in our community that are neglected. Seniors that are abused.

So much evil! It is easy to turn to the institutions around us: courts, government, education, even church, to provide hope in this world. These institutions can help, and we should reach out to them. We should vote. We should petition our government officials. We should hold people accountable. We should push for better education. We should get people into church. But, we should not put our hope in those institutions. They are all run by humans who are probably going to fail us. They are staffed by non-Christians who have the wrong focus.

So much evil in this world. It is easy to turn to the institutions around us, courts, government, education, even church, to provide hope in this world. Those institutions can help, but the only real hope that we have is Christ and the kingdom which is to come.

Our only real hope that we have is Christ and the kingdom which is to come. That is where we place our hope. I am so grateful that when we place our hope in Christ and what he is doing, we will never be disappointed.

When I was in upper high school, I struggled with depression bad. The verse which got me through was:

Romans 15:13 NIV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Because of our citizenship, we can have hope. Not only can we have hope, we can overflow with hope. This hope, as Paul points out through omission, is not because of humanity or because of a lessening of evil or a change in government or a better education or even of people repenting and turning to Christ. This hope is from a God who is defined by hope.

The world may crumble around. The world will basically implode from evilness someday. But, through it all, we can have hope, not because we trust in human institutions to change things, but because we are citizens of another world and we know the God of hope who is in control of all things.

First responsibility: Focus on Christ!

Second responsibility: Act like a citizen of Heaven!

Third responsibility: Hope in God alone.

As we live in this world of sin and pain, waiting for when we get to move home, as a Philippian, we can celebrate our citizenship as we do every month, through the Lord’s Supper. This act helps us with our focus, with our actions, and with our hope.

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