Pilgrims & Strangers

Pilgrims in this Land

Introductory thoughts and questions:

https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-10-pilgrim-life-1-peter-211-12

How do we think about our time on this earth?

What is our mindset concerning the cares of this life because there are many?

What is the difference between a pilgrim and a citizen?

Are we truly living as pilgrims?

What does it look like to live as a Pilgrim?

What are some characteristics of pilgrims?

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Text

1 Peter 2:1–12 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 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.

Introduction

Peter is writing to a group of people who are living through extreme circumstances. In the first century the Roman emperor Nero was on a mission to destroy Christians and stamp out the faith that had grown out of the teachings of Christ and his miraculous resurrection. The church was dispersed and scattered and the Holy Spirit used Peter to pen a letter of encouragement and exhortation.

Peter when addressing his readers calls them “strangers and pilgrims”. Much of the time we do not think of ourselves as pilgrims we think of ourselves as citizens and this is especially true of Americans.

I. Our Identity

A. By Birth

vs 2 “…as newborn babes..”

1 Peter 2:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 2:9–10 KJV 1900

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Our Christian life begins with a new birth - 2 Cor 5:17 - Jn 3:3

Once this takes place it separates us into a different segment of the worlds population

B. By Belief

vs 11 “I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims...”

i. Our Belief makes us Strangers - a stranger is one who does not belong he is out of place and not in step with the surroundings. There is such a strong urge in man to fit in and to be accepted. We have natural instincts that cause us to long for acceptance and to gain the approval of others. But as Christians we have set out compass on True North and our lives are not dictated by the same set of philosophy that permeates the world around us, we are indeed strangers.

Illustration: Like a man who takes a journey to another land and feels out of place and uncomfortable the Christian should never really feel at home in this world. We do not belong and we are not of this world. We are strange in the eyes of many who observe our lives because they do not live with the same indwelling Spirit of God.

ii. Our belief makes us Pilgrims - The pilgrim is just passing through and has his eyes on a different land and a different destination. Peter is reminding these believers that they are different in their position but they are also different in their disposition. Strangers is what we are, Pilgrim is how we live. We are to approach life with the focus on another world. The pilgrim does not set his roots down and establish himself he makes temporary provision for the here and now all while keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the eventual destination of home and for the believer that home is an eternal communion with God in a place that is incomprehensible.

Illustration: The Homing Instinct of a Dove - A dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Dove has a unique ability to find its home. The moment we trusted Christ as Savior the Spirit of God came to dwell in out hearts and is drawing us in an ever increasing intensity toward home. He is drawing us to Christ. The most miserable people are the Christians who are resisting the Spirit of God and his leading in this way.

II. Our Influence

Peter tells us that we are to have an identity that is wrapped up in our citizenship in heaven but he goes on to tell us that this identity affects how we interact and influence those around us that don’t know Christ.

A. Our influence involves our Conversation -

“our conversation honest”

B. Our influence involves our Critique -

“speak evil against you”

C. Our influence involves our Coronation -

“glorify God in the day of visitation”

Phillips Commentary one the last section of this passage:

"They shall... glorify God in the day of visitation." The word translated "visitation" comes from episkopē, which can refer to the office of a "bishop," or an "overseer." The word can also mean "visitation" as so translated here. It is used thus in various passages in the Septuagint. God is the Divine Overseer. He watches over the interests of His own and is both able and willing to intervene on their behalf.

There is possibly an echo here of the Lord’s own words when He wept over the future destruction of Jerusalem because it failed to recognize the time of its visitation (Luke 1:67, 78; 19:44).

God visits people and nations, and such a visitation can be either in grace or in judgment. We cannot be sure which kind of visitation Peter has in mind here. Perhaps he anticipates the Lord visiting unbelievers in mercy - the godly lives of believers being used by Him as a factor in their conversion. Or perhaps he envisions the Lord visiting His enemies in judgment and using the good lives of His people as an added item in their indictment. Either way, those who are visited will be forced to acknowledge the goodness of God’s people and thus bring glory to God.

God often visits this earth. He visited it time and time again in the days of Abraham, often dropping in on His friend with a fresh promise or news of a momentous nature. He visited Jacob at the Jabbok, Moses at the burning bush, and Hagar at the well. News that God had been visiting His people turned poor Naomi’s feet homeward at last. He visited the three Hebrew believers in the furnace of fire and Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road. He visited this earth for some thirty-three years when Jesus lived down here. And He will visit the world again at the end of the age. God visits us, sometimes in grace, sometimes in wrath! Either way, His visitations must never be ignored.

Conclusion

God is preparing a place for us but he is also preparing us for a place. We are strangers and pilgrims in this world and we must keep our eyes on heaven and our eternal home where we will spend an eternity with Christ. We are so often distracted and pulled into the cares of this life.

Our Identity - is with Christ through the new birth and by belief as we keep our eyes on him as strangers and pilgrims

Our Influence - Those around us are witnessing and critiquing our life and will one day observe a great “visitation”

Are we truly living as Strangers & Pilgrims?