How Do We Live In This World?

Over my 36 years of Pastoral Ministry, my preaching has been fully ‘Christ centered’ and after that, I have preached hundreds of Messages about Abraham, Israel and the Apostle Paul. Today I’m going to combine all 3 in the one Message called, How Do We Live In This World, like Abraham, Israel and the Apostle Paul?

1/ How Do We Live In This World, like Abraham?

Abraham is the great patriarch of Israel through whom, God said, Genesis 12: 3b ‘All the families (nations) on earth will be blessed’.

Romans 4: 11, 16

We live in this World like Abraham by living as a sojourner.

A sojourner is a person who is living a life ‘on the move’ as a temporary resident in a foreign Land.

Right from the start, God called Abraham to the life of a sojourner, a temporary resident in a foreign Land, Genesis 12: 1 ‘The Lord had said to Abra(ha)m, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.’

Genesis 12: 4-9; Genesis 12: 10 (Egypt); Genesis 13: 1 (Negev Desert); Genesis 13: 12 (Canaan); Genesis 13: 18 (Hebron); Genesis 20: 1; Genesis 21: 14, 31-34 (Negev, Gerar, Beersheba, Philistia); Genesis 22: 2 (The Land of Moriah ((Mt. Moriah Jerusalem))); Genesis 22: 19 (Beersheba); Genesis 23: 1-25: 7 (Hebron) where Abraham died and was buried.

Abraham always considered himself to be a sojourner, a temporary resident in a foreign Land, and at the end of his life he said, Genesis 23: 4, ‘Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you.’

Abraham considered himself to be a sojourner because he knew this world was not his forever home; he was looking forward to his forever home in Heaven, as it says in Hebrews 11: 10 ‘Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.’

So, how do we live in this World like Abraham?

We live as sojourners, knowing that this world is not our forever home, 1 Peter 1: 3-4 ‘All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in Heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.’

1 Peter 1: 17b ‘you must live in reverent fear of Him (God) during your time here as temporary residents.’

2/ How Do We Live In This World, like Israel?

Israel is the Jewish nation that descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the Lord changed Jacob’s name to, Genesis 35: 10 ‘Israel’.

The reason God created Israel was that through them, Genesis 12: 3b ‘All the families (nations) on earth will be blessed’.

This promise was repeated by the prophets, Isaiah 19: 24 ‘Israel will be...a blessing in the midst of the earth.’

Zechariah 8: 13 ‘Among the other nations, Judah and Israel became symbols of a cursed nation. But no longer! Now I will rescue you and make you both a symbol and a source of blessing.’

God’s intention to use Israel as a blessing to the nations is repeated in the New Testament, by the Apostle Paul, Romans 11: 12 ‘Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it.’

We live in this World like Israel by living as an exile.

An exile is a person who has been expelled from their own homeland and forced to live in another Land.

Israel was expelled from their homeland by conquering armies and forced to live in the Assyrian (2 kings 15: 29, 734-724 BC) and Babylonian Empires (2 kings 24: 1-4 607-586 BC) as exiles.

The Jewish exiles taken by the Assyrians were not allowed to return to their homeland but the Jewish exiles in Babylon were allowed to return to Judah and Jerusalem after 70 years of exile, in 537 B.C. The return under the direction of Ezra led to a revival among the Jewish people and the rebuilding of the temple.

However, while in exile for 70 years, God told the Jewish people they must, Jeremiah 29: 5-7 ‘Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.’

Israel was to continue to be a blessing to the nations while in exile!

How can we ever forget the great example given to us of what it means to live as an exile as Daniel?

- the Chief of King Nebuchadnezzar's staff had Daniel 1: 9 ‘respect and affection for Daniel.’

- It said of King Nebuchadnezzar that, Daniel 1: 19 ‘no one impressed him as much as Daniel’

- Daniel was appointed to serve the King, Daniel 1: 21 ‘Daniel remained in the royal service’

- When Daniel was threatened it said that, Daniel 2: 14 ‘Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion.’

- Daniel service was rewarded by the King, Daniel 2: 48 ‘Then the king appointed Daniel to a high position and gave him many valuable gifts. He made Daniel ruler over the whole province of Babylon, as well as chief over all his wise men.’

- Under a new King, Daniel was honored and promoted, Daniel 5: 29 ‘Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.’

Daniel 6: 2 ‘to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests’

Daniel 6: 3 ‘Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.’

- Because of the way Daniel lived while in exile, God was glorified; the new King decreed this, Daniel 6: 26 ‘I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and He will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His rule will never end.’

- And because of the way Daniel lived while in exile, God blessed him, Daniel 6:28 ‘Daniel prospered’.

- And at the end of his ministry, the Lord said to Daniel, Daniel 10: 11 ‘Daniel, you are very precious to God,’

Daniel was a blessing to the nations while in exile!

So, how do we live in this World like Israel?

We live as exiles, being a blessing to our ‘host’ nation.

Hebrews 11: 13b talks about the faithful who ‘confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.’ NASB

1 Peter 2: 12 ‘Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world.’

1 Peter 2: 13-16

3/ How Do We Live In This World, like the Apostle Paul?

The Apostle Paul was the greatest Christian who has ever lived and was called by God to, Acts 9: 15b ‘take My message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.’

We live in this World like the Apostle Paul by living as dual citizens.

A dual citizen is a person who has citizenship in 2 countries.

Citizenship gives us rights and privileges that come with belonging to a country which in-turn produces a sense of loyalty to that country.

The Apostle Paul claimed his rights and privileges several times as a Roman citizen because he belonged to a Province of the Roman Empire

Acts 16: 37-39; Acts 22: 24-29; Acts 25: 10-11, 25

However, the Apostle Paul had greater rights and privileges, and a higher sense of loyalty due to his citizenship in Heaven, Philippians 3: 20 ‘But we are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior.’

So, how do we live in this World like the Apostle Paul?

We live as dual citizens, enjoying the rights and privileges of belonging to our country and offering it our loyalty; but at the same time, we live as citizens of Heaven which provides us with greater rights and privileges and therefore, we offer Heaven our highest loyalty.

Dear friends, we must remember this; our highest loyalty is to Heaven, Colossians 3: 1-4 ‘Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of Heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of Heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory', and, Hebrews 13: 14 ‘For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to home yet to come.’