Living as Exiles (1 Peter 1:1, 11-12)
This sermon explores the New Testament concept of Christians as "exiles" or "resident aliens" in the world. It unpacks what this unique identity means for how believers relate to society and find their true sense of belonging.
Christians are called to live as "resident aliens" in this world—engaged yet distinct—recognizing that this world is not their ultimate home. This requires both courage and compassion, powered by God's unconditional love and Christ's sacrifice.
Overview
This sermon explores what it means to live the Christian life with the resurrection power of Jesus, drawing insights from the epistles of Peter. It focuses on the core theme that Christians are "exiles" or "resident aliens" in this world, meaning they are deeply engaged in society but not fully assimilated into its values or culture. This identity shapes how believers navigate their daily lives.
First, the sermon establishes that living as an exile implies life is a pilgrimage. Since this world is not our ultimate home and cannot fulfill our deepest longings, dissatisfaction and struggle are natural experiences. Our true home, where all longings are met, is in God's presence, and recognizing this sets realistic expectations for the Christian life.
Secondly, the sermon provides a test to determine if one is truly living as an exile: being simultaneously offensive and attractive. Drawing from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and the example of early Christians, this means having the courage to uphold distinct Christian values that may challenge cultural norms, while also demonstrating compassion and good deeds that draw people to God. This balance requires both courage and compassion.
Finally, the sermon addresses the source of power to live such a life. This power comes from understanding God's unconditional love, where believers are chosen not because of their merit but solely by grace, as His "special possession." This deep assurance of love, rooted in Jesus Christ's ultimate exile and sacrifice on the cross, humbles us while simultaneously giving us courage and compassion to live distinctively for Him.
Key points
- Christians are called to live as "exiles" or "resident aliens" in the world, meaning they reside in a place where they are not full citizens.
- This identity implies Christians are neither withdrawn from society nor fully assimilated into its culture and values.
- Living as an exile means recognizing that this world is a pilgrimage and not our ultimate home, as our deepest longings can only be fulfilled in God's presence.
- The test of living as an exile is to be both offensive (courageous in upholding Christian beliefs) and attractive (compassionate through good deeds) at the same time.
- Early Christians exemplified this balance through radical forgiveness, generosity to all, cheerful endurance of suffering, and a high view of sex within marriage.
- The power to live courageously and compassionately comes from knowing God's unconditional love, where we are chosen by grace and considered His "special possession."
- This deep assurance of God's love is ultimately secured by Jesus Christ, who became the "ultimate exile" and suffered for us, inspiring us to endure "little deaths."
In Tim Keller's words
“Home is where things fit you.”
“If you're only offensive and not attractive, you're not really that probably means that you're just a self-righteous person who likes to tell other people what's wrong with them.”
“He should not die alone.”
Outline
- I. The Principle: Living as Exiles
- A. Definition of Exiles: Resident Aliens (parapidemoy)
- 1. Not tourists, but engaged residents.
- 2. Not fully assimilated citizens, but distinct.
- B. Implication 1: Life is a Pilgrimage
- 1. This world is not home; it does not fit our deepest longings.
- 2. The Bible's theme of God's people in exile (Abraham, Israel, humanity from Eden).
- 3. Ultimate home is in the presence and arms of God (Psalm 90).
- C. Implication 2: Relation to Society (neither withdraw nor identify)
- II. The Test: Are You Living as Exiles? (1 Peter 1:11-12)
- A. Simultaneously Offensive and Attractive
- B. Requires both Courage and Compassion
- C. Examples from Early Christians (living out the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:16)
- 1. Forgiveness (counter-cultural to shame and honor cultures).
- 2. Generosity to the poor (all races, based on the image of God).
- 3. Handling adversity and death with cheerfulness (belief in resurrection).
- 4. Belief that sex is only for marriage (high view of commitment).
- D. Cultural Nuances: Christianity is offensive and attractive in different ways in different cultures.
- E. Self-evaluation: Are you both attractive and offensive, or only one, or neither?
- III. The Power: How to Live as Exiles
- A. See God's Unconditional Love (1 Peter 1:9)
- 1. You are "chosen," not "choice" (Deuteronomy 7).
- 2. You are God's "special possession" (Exodus 19, most treasured possession).
- 3. This unconditional love humbles you (undeserved) and affirms you (can't be lost).
- B. See Christ's Sacrifice (1 Peter 1:2)
- 1. Jesus was the ultimate exile (homeless, crucified outside the gate).
- 2. Sprinkled with His shed blood, He received the exile we deserve.
- 3. Motivation: "He should not die alone" – we can face "little deaths."
- C. Dedication to Jesus brings foretastes of home and heals homesickness.
Scripture references
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
1 When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
Insights
This world is not designed to perfectly fit our deepest longings.
True home is found in the enduring presence and arms of God.
Knowing God's unconditional love empowers both courage and compassion.
Questions & answers
What does the sermon mean by Christians being "resident aliens"?
A "resident alien" refers to someone who lives in a country where they are not a citizen. For Christians, this means being fully engaged in society—working, befriending neighbors, participating—but not fully assimilating or identifying with its values, customs, or privileges, because their ultimate citizenship is elsewhere.
Why does the sermon say Christians will always experience dissatisfaction in this world?
The sermon argues that this world is not our true home; we are on a pilgrimage. Since our ultimate home, where all our deepest longings are fulfilled, is in the presence of God, we will naturally experience a degree of emptiness or dissatisfaction in a world marked by loss, evil, and incompleteness.
How can one tell if they are truly living as an exile?
The sermon proposes a test: you will be both offensive and attractive at the same time. This means you have the courage to stand for Christian truths that may be counter-cultural (offensive) and the compassion to live out good deeds that draw people to God (attractive).
What four areas did early Christians demonstrate this 'offensive and attractive' balance?
Early Christians were considered weird (offensive) yet compelling (attractive) for their practices of radical forgiveness, generosity to the poor regardless of race, cheerful endurance of suffering and death, and their belief that sex was only for marriage.
How does God's love provide the power to live as an exile?
The power comes from understanding God's unconditional love—that you are chosen not for your merit but by His grace, and are His "special possession." This profound, undeserved love simultaneously humbles and affirms you, providing both the compassion and courage needed.
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