Journeying as Pilgrims: Hope in Our Eternal Home

Devotional

Day 1: The Origin of Pilgrimage

From the very beginning, humanity has been on a journey. Adam and Eve, after their disobedience, were driven out of the Garden of Eden, making them the first pilgrims. This act set a precedent for humanity's journey away from perfect communion with God. Throughout the Old Testament, this theme is echoed with figures like Abraham, who left his homeland in obedience to God's call, and the Israelites, who wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Even when they reached the Promised Land, their disobedience led to exile, reinforcing their status as sojourners in a foreign land. This journey is not just physical but deeply spiritual, symbolizing humanity's quest to return to a perfect relationship with God. [28:05]

Genesis 3:23-24 (ESV): "Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life."

Reflection: Think about a time when you felt like a stranger or out of place. How did that experience shape your relationship with God and your understanding of your spiritual journey?

Day 2: Jesus as the Ultimate Pilgrim

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, embodied the pilgrim spirit throughout His life and ministry. He had no place to lay His head and was often rejected by His own people. His life was marked by a sense of not belonging to this world, emphasizing that His kingdom is not of this world. Jesus' journey was one of ultimate sacrifice, leading to the cross where He provided a way for humanity to be reconciled with God. As His followers, we are reminded that we too are pilgrims, journeying towards a heavenly kingdom. Our lives should reflect this transient nature, always looking forward to our eternal home with God. [50:17]

Matthew 8:20 (ESV): "And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.'"

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself trying to make this world your permanent home? How can you shift your focus to living as a pilgrim, with your eyes set on the heavenly kingdom?

Day 3: The Pilgrimage of the Disciples

The early disciples, including Paul, faced relentless persecution and were often driven out of cities. Their experiences highlight the transient nature of their mission and their ultimate reliance on God. This pilgrimage was not just physical but also spiritual, as they spread the gospel and established the early church. Their journey was marked by trials and tribulations, yet they remained steadfast in their faith, knowing that their true home was with God. As modern-day Christians, we can draw inspiration from their perseverance and dedication to the mission, understanding that our journey, too, is both physical and spiritual. [52:19]

Acts 14:22 (ESV): "Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge or trial you have faced. How did it impact your faith, and how can you use that experience to strengthen your reliance on God?

Day 4: The Promise of a New Eden

The book of Revelation offers a vision of hope with the promise of a new heaven and a new earth. This restored Eden, with the tree of life and the river of life, symbolizes the return to a perfect communion with God. It serves as the ultimate destination for all pilgrims, where they will find eternal rest and reign with God forever. This vision provides comfort and encouragement, reminding us that our journey, no matter how difficult, has a glorious end. As we navigate the challenges of this world, we can hold onto the promise of a restored Eden, where we will dwell in perfect harmony with our Creator. [56:09]

Revelation 21:1-2 (ESV): "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Reflection: How does the promise of a new heaven and a new earth influence your daily life and decisions? What steps can you take today to live with this eternal perspective in mind?

Day 5: Living as Modern Pilgrims

As modern-day Christians, we are part of a long line of pilgrims. This world is not our home, and we should live with the awareness that we are journeying towards an eternal home with God. This perspective should shape our daily lives, influencing how we interact with the world and reminding us of our ultimate destination. Our actions, decisions, and relationships should reflect our status as pilgrims, always pointing towards the hope we have in Christ. By living with this mindset, we can navigate the challenges of this world with grace and purpose, knowing that our true home awaits us. [58:15]

Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV): "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city."

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself daily that this world is not your home? How can you live in a way that reflects your journey towards an eternal home with God?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good evening, everyone. Tonight, we delved into the theme of being pilgrims in this world, a concept deeply rooted in Scripture. We began by exploring the biblical theology of pilgrimage, tracing its origins from Genesis through Revelation. The journey started with Adam and Eve, who were driven out of the Garden of Eden, making them the first pilgrims. This theme continued with figures like Enoch, Abraham, and the Israelites, who were often sojourners in foreign lands. Even when the Israelites reached the Promised Land, their disobedience led to their exile, reinforcing their status as pilgrims.

We then moved to the New Testament, where Jesus Himself was a pilgrim, having no place to lay His head. His disciples, too, faced persecution and were often driven out of cities, embodying the pilgrim spirit. The book of Revelation paints a vivid picture of Christians being persecuted, yet it also offers hope with the vision of a new heaven and a new earth, a restored Eden where believers will finally find their eternal home.

Throughout the Bible, God's people are depicted as sojourners, strangers, and pilgrims, never fully at home in this world. This theme culminates in Revelation, where the new Jerusalem descends, and the tree of life and the river of life are restored, symbolizing the return to a perfect communion with God. As Christians, we are part of this long line of pilgrims, journeying through this world with the hope of an eternal home with God.

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Key Takeaways

1. day Christians, we are part of a long line of pilgrims. This world is not our home, and we should live with the awareness that we are journeying towards an eternal home with God. This perspective should shape our daily lives, influencing how we interact with the world and reminding us of our ultimate destination. [58:15]
### [58:15]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:25] - Introduction to the Theme
[20:04] - Pilgrims and Ambassadors
[22:08] - Feeling Out of Place
[25:07] - Concept of Pilgrimage in Scripture
[28:05] - Adam and Eve: The First Pilgrims
[30:56] - Abraham and the Israelites
[35:24] - The Temple as a Reminder of Eden
[38:07] - Conditional Promises and Exile
[43:01] - Hezekiah's Foolishness
[48:25] - The Israelites' Continued Pilgrimage
[50:17] - Jesus: The Pilgrim King
[52:19] - The Disciples' Pilgrimage
[56:09] - Revelation: The New Eden
[58:15] - Modern Pilgrims
[60:06] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the significance of Adam and Eve being driven out of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:24? How did this event mark the beginning of humanity's pilgrimage? [28:05]
How does Hebrews 11:8-10 describe Abraham's journey and his faith as a pilgrim? What was he looking forward to?
In Revelation 21:1-4, what are the key features of the new heaven and new earth? How does this vision provide hope for believers?

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of being a pilgrim, as seen in the lives of Adam and Eve, Abraham, and the Israelites, shape our understanding of our own spiritual journey? [28:05]
What does it mean for Jesus to be described as the "ultimate pilgrim" who had no place to lay His head? How does this impact our view of discipleship and following Him? [50:17]
How does the promise of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation 21:1-4 influence the way we live our lives today? What does it mean to live with an eternal perspective?

Application Questions

Reflecting on the idea that "this world is not our home," how can you cultivate a mindset of being a pilgrim in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of your eternal home with God? [22:08]
Jesus lived as a pilgrim, often rejected and without a permanent home. How can you find comfort and purpose in your own experiences of feeling out of place or rejected? [50:17]
The early disciples faced persecution and were often driven out of cities. How can you draw strength from their example when you face challenges or opposition in your faith journey? [52:19]
The vision of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation 21:1-4 offers hope and a future promise. How can this vision shape your priorities and decisions today? What changes might you need to make to align more closely with this eternal perspective?
As modern-day pilgrims, we are called to live with the awareness that we are journeying towards an eternal home with God. How does this perspective influence your interactions with others and your engagement with the world? [58:15]
Think about a time when you felt out of place or like a stranger in a situation. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from that experience? How can you apply those lessons to your spiritual journey as a pilgrim?
How can you support and encourage others in your small group or community who may be struggling with the feeling of being out of place or facing persecution for their faith? What practical actions can you take to build a supportive and hopeful community?

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The truth is as Christians, we really, in a lot of ways should feel out of place. At least should feel out of place in this world. Because as scripture tells us, we ultimately are pilgrims. You know, I think we have failed to be pilgrims. I've felt this more and more in the last several decades. I think for many, many years, many decades, maybe even centuries for a lot of Christians, not all, but there was a sense in which you could kind of blend in with American culture. Couldn't you?" (29 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "I believe that God has us to feel, or we should feel in many ways out of place in our society. And, and although yes, it's good that American society had reflected Christian values. And I, I wish that it would reflect more and more Christian values rather than less and less. We understand that even if America had, had all the Christian values, we still wouldn't be at home. We would still be pilgrims." (24 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So a pilgrim is someone who's passing through the, the, where he is at is not his home. So another term, depending on what translation of the Bible you use, you may see something like sojourner is, is the same concept as, as pilgrim or even stranger, right? Stranger or sojourner or pilgrim. All those words are used in the Bible to refer to the same concept that we're not at home." (21 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The truth is, there is no home for humankind. Driven out of the garden, promised a land flowing with milk and honey, but the land is lost, persecuted in Israel, driven out of the garden, but of all Roman Empire, tormented, killed, and reviled over and over and over again. We see this theme throughout the Bible. God's people are sojourners. They're pilgrims. They're strangers. They're not at home, and there's no rest that can be found until Revelation chapter 21." (35 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If you've accepted Christ as your savior, you are destined for a new heaven and new earth. Whereas the garden of Eden has been lost, the new garden will be found. What this means then is that we are merely one in a line, a long line of succession. A nation of pilgrims journeying through this world. This world is not our home. We're just a passing through." (22 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "So Abraham, comes along. We're skipping over Noah. Sorry, Noah. You can, you can go see the ark in Kentucky, okay. But we're skipping over Noah. Abraham then comes into the scene. Abraham is in his home country. And then Genesis chapter 12. I hear some of you turning already. So Genesis chapter 12, we find Abraham and we're gonna look at a few verses here. You may obviously are familiar with this already, but notice what Genesis chapter 12, verse one. Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, get thee out of thy country. country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, and to a land that I will show thee, and I will make of thee a great nation, and he goes on to describe this, and then down in verse five, and Abram took Sarah his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came, so Abram goes, he gets out of his home country, country, who is Abraham, what is he, he's a pilgrim on a journey, and he actually comes into the land of Canaan, but even still as he's in the land of Canaan, notice that Abraham still is not home, and in Genesis chapter 23, a few more pages over, you don't necessarily have to turn there, because I'm going to go real quick here, okay, in Genesis chapter 23, verse 4, Abraham is describing himself in the land of Canaan, and notice how he describes himself, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you, give me a possession of bearing place with you, that I may bury that my dead out of my sight, so Abraham says, I'm actually a sojourner, but I thought you were in the land of Canaan, this is the land that I had promised, well, God is beginning to work out his promise, God actually tells Abraham that his descendants will be sojourners, pilgrims, in the land of Egypt, Genesis 15, 13, and he said unto Abraham, know of a certainty that thy seed shall be a stranger." (111 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So here's what he's going through and he's just, yeah, it's okay. And I would argue once again, we see his foolishness as many good things as he did. Right? To say, oh, well, it's not my, and by the way, could it have been a direct result of that mindset? Well, I don't care what happens as long as I can live it up to my heart. I can live it up now that Hezekiah has serious problems in the future. What's my point? My point is, as we look at God saying to the Israelites, if you don't obey me, you will receive these cursings. You'll be driven out of your land. And it can both be true that God is saying, I will do this. And ultimately, the reasons why God does that is the sinful choices of people. You can pick your sins, but you can't pick your consequences. And so we find that even there. So, of course, what happens? They had the land of Canaan, this land which is supposed to be reminding them of the Garden of Eden, even though it's not perfect. And they're driven out. Every single one of the Israelites is driven out of the land to the point where the nation of Israel is barren." (64 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So God then sends his son among his people. Does Jesus have a home? Maybe your mind is going to Bible passages. My mind immediately went to Matthew 8, verse 20. And Jesus said unto them, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head. Or simply put, foxes have holes, birds have nests, I don't have a home. Jesus is a sojourner. He's a pilgrim. The King of Kings has come, but he has no place to live. The Israelites, though, even though he didn't have a home, they accepted him, right? They said, oh, well, you don't have a home. That's okay. What did they do? Well, Luke 4, 24, Jesus says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. The country where he grew up, the land of Galilee, they didn't accept him. They rejected him. And ultimately, all the Jews rejected him to the point of nailing him to the cross. They mocked him as the King of the Jews, a king with no country. We could say he was the pilgrim king." (68 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "So then we get to the book of Revelation. And what do we find that happens throughout the book of Revelation? Well, Christians are relentlessly persecuted. Now, there's so much there, I'm not going to dig in too much, but I just want to note two things, two different passages here in the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 13, verse 7 through 10, describes the power that's given to the Antichrist, and his hatred of Christians. And what does he do? He ensures that they're pilgrims and sojourners. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given him over all kindreds and tongues and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity. He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. What does he do with them? He makes war with the saints. He seeks to overcome them." (60 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "What this means then is that we are merely one in a line, a long line of succession. A nation of pilgrims journeying through this world. This world is not our home. We're just a passing through. And when you read the words of scripture, you can know that just as Abraham was a sojourner, just as Isaac and Jacob, just as ultimately the people of Israel were sojourners, just as Jesus himself said foxes have holds, birds have nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his head, just as Paul and Peter and all the disciples were sojourners, were cast out and persecuted. Even in the midst of all that, they were pilgrims. And just today, we follow in a long line of pilgrims who can say, this world is not my home. I'm just a passing through. But what is the end result for us? going to heaven. I will be with God one day." (22 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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