Aliens

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Aliens

1. Abraham the alien.
   1. Abraham was a man of faith (Rom 4:3).
   2. Abraham is the prototypical man of faith in the Bible.
      1. Prototypical – Of the nature of or serving as a prototype; prototypal.
      2. Prototype – 1. a. The first or primary type of anything; the original (thing or person) of which another is a copy, imitation, representation, or derivative, or to which it conforms or is required to conform; a pattern, model, standard, exemplar, archetype.
      3. Abraham was strong in faith, who against hope believed in hope (Rom 4:16-21).
      4. Abraham’s faith was imputed for righteousness (Rom 4:22).
      5. We are exhorted to walk in faith as Abraham did and our faith will be imputed for righteousness as was his (Rom 4:23-25).
   3. The first act of faith that Abraham performed was to leave his family and his homeland of Ur of the Chaldees to go into a foreign country at the command of God (Gen 12:1-4).
      1. Imagine the faith that must have taken.
      2. Abraham was called alone (Isa 51:2).
      3. Abraham didn’t know where he was going (Heb 11:8).
      4. He didn’t know the God who called him because he was an idolater (Jos 24:2).
   4. When Abraham left Ur and sojourned in the land of promise, he became an alien.
      1. Alien – n. 1. a. A person belonging to another family, race, or nation; a stranger, a foreigner.
      2. Abraham was a stranger (Heb 11:13).
      3. Stranger – 1. a. One who belongs to another country, a foreigner; chiefly (now exclusively), one who resides in or comes to a country to which he is a foreigner; an alien.
   5. Although God promised Abraham the land of Canaan for a possession (Gen 13:15), Abraham never got one square inch of it for an inheritance while he lived there (Act 7:4-5).
      1. Rather than owning the land and settling on it, Abraham instead sojourned in the land (Heb 11:9).
      2. Sojourn – 1.intr. To make a temporary stay in a place; to remain or reside for a time.
      3. Abraham confessed that he was a pilgrim on the earth (Heb 11:13).
      4. Pilgrim – 1. One who travels from place to place; a person on a journey; a wayfarer, a traveller; a wanderer; a sojourner.
      5. Instead of building a permanent house to live in, Abraham and his family dwelt in tabernacles (Heb 11:9).
   6. Tabernacle – 1. A temporary dwelling; generally movable, constructed of branches, boards, or canvas; a hut, tent, booth.
   7. Temporary – 1. a. Lasting for a limited time; existing or valid for a time (only); not permanent; transient; made to supply a passing need.
      1. Abraham was not interested in building a city to live in that would only endure for a short while during his sojourning because he was looking for a city that had permanent foundations (Heb 11:10).
   8. Foundation – 1. The action of founding or building upon a firm substructure; the state or fact of being founded. 2. fig. The action of establishing, instituting, or constituting on a permanent basis.
   9. Permanent – 1. a. Continuing or designed to continue indefinitely without change; abiding, lasting, enduring; persistent. Opposed to temporary.

• They were not seeking an earthly city or country, but rather an heavenly one that God has prepared (Heb 11:14-16).

1. Like Abraham, we are aliens, strangers, foreigners, pilgrims, and sojourners on this earth.
   1. We are described as being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2:12).
      1. At that time we were citizens of this world, being “without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).
      2. Like other Gentiles, we were “alienated from the life of God” (Eph 4:18; Col 1:21).
      3. We were strangers and foreigners before we found our home (Eph 2:19).
      4. Foreigner – 1. a. A person born in a foreign country; one from abroad or of another nation; an alien.
      5. Now we are fellowcitizens with the saints in the household of God (Eph 2:19).
      6. Citizen – 1. An inhabitant of a city or (often) of a town; esp. one possessing civic rights and privileges, a burgess or freeman of a city.
      7. We are citizens of the kingdom of God (Luk 22:29; Heb 12:28) which is not of this world (Joh 18:36).
   2. Being citizens of a heavenly kingdom that is not of the world, we are strangers in this world (1Pe 1:1).
      1. Unfortunately were are not strangers to the fleshly lusts of this world (1Pe 2:11-12).
      2. In fact, the people of this world think it strange when we no longer live the way they do (1Pe 4:3-4).
      3. We are like Israel of old who were strangers in the land of Egypt until they made it into the promised land (Act 13:17).
   3. Just like Abraham who dwelt in tabernacles, we too dwell in tabernacles until we reach our final resting place.
      1. Our bodies are tabernacles that carry us through this life (2Co 5:1-4; 2Pe 1:13-14).
      2. There is no need to be concerned about acquiring a house on this earth when we have a mansion waiting for us in heaven (Joh 14:1-3).
   4. Like Abraham, we are sojourners and pilgrims in this world.
      1. We must pass the time here on earth as sojourners (1Pe 1:17).
      2. Sojourn – 1.intr. To make a temporary stay in a place; to remain or reside for a time.
      3. “This is my temporary home, it’s not where I belong

Windows and rooms that I’m passing through

This was just a stop on the way to where I’m going

I’m not afraid because I know

This is my temporary home”

– Temporary Home, Carrie Underwood

1. This has always been the lot of the godly (Psa 39:12).
2. As Abraham was, we are also pilgrims (1Pe 2:11).

5. Like Abraham, we are looking for a heavenly city and country (Heb 11:10,16).
   1. The reason for that is because heaven is our home (Phi 3:20).
   2. Conversation – 1. The action of living or having one’s being in a place or among persons. Also fig. of one’s spiritual being.
   3. Jesus has already raised us up and made us sit in heavenly places (Eph 2:6).
   4. Therefore we ought to seek those things which are above, just like Abraham (Col 3:1).
   5. We are citizens of a heavenly state, but are temporarily living in an earthly one.
   6. This is why preachers are called ambassadors (2Co 5:20; Eph 6:20).
   7. Ambassador – 1. a. An official messenger sent (singly, or as one of a party) by or to a sovereign or public body; an envoy, commissioner, or representative. esp. A minister of high rank sent by one sovereign or state on a mission to another.
   8. Preachers are sent by God, the sovereign ruler of heaven, to earth as official messengers and representatives to declare the His orders and commands to His citizens that are temporarily living in embassies in a foreign land.

• Our pilgrimage on this earth is short.
  1. Our life on this earth is so short it is called a vapour (Jam 4:14).
     1. Vapour – 1. Without article: Matter in the form of a steamy or imperceptible exhalation; esp. the form into which liquids are naturally converted by the action of a sufficient degree of heat. In mod. scientific use: cf. next sense.
     2. Imperceptible – Not perceptible; incapable of being perceived.
     3. Perceive – 1. trans. To apprehend with the mind; to become aware or conscious of; to observe, understand.
  2. It’s a wind (Job 7:7; Psa 78:39).
  3. It’s short (Job 14:1; Psa 89:47).
  4. It’s soon cut off and we fly away (Psa 90:10).
  5. Therefore we ought to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (Psa 90:12 c/w Eph 5:16).
  6. This is why it is so important to seek our Creator in the days of our youth (Ecc 12:1; Lam 3:26-27; Pro 8:17).
     1. This is done by taking heed unto God’s law (Psa 119:9).
     2. Parents, make sure you teach your children the holy scriptures so that they can be as Timothy who knew them from a child (2Ti 3:15).
  7. If you didn’t find God until you were old, then be wise in thy latter end (Pro 19:20).
     1. Serve God in your old age and show His strength unto this generation (Psa 71:9, 15-18).
     2. Don’t leave this world until you impart the truth to the next generation.
     3. Never stop bringing forth fruit, even in old age (Psa 92:13-14).
     4. God will be with us in old age (Isa 46:4).
  8. While we are aliens, strangers, pilgrims, and sojourners on this earth, let’s all strive to be able to say as Paul did at the end of his life when he said,

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8)  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2Ti 4:7-8).