A Stranger in a Strange Land - 5/25/08am

Moses
Exodus 1:1-14 -Israelites living in captivity, not own land
From the beginning, Moses was in a strange land. He did not begin life in a homeland, but rather, a stranger in captivity.
Exodus 2:1-10 -Moses taken into Pharaoh’s household
We see that not only was he born while his people were in captivity, but that he was taken as a stranger into a strange family.
Exodus 2:11-22 -Left Egypt for Midian
Once again , we see Moses leaving for a strange land.
Exodus 4:18-20 -Moses returns to Egypt
In the account, Moses is treated poorly by both Pharaoh and the other Israelites (Exodus 5:19-21). After the plagues and after leaving Egypt, we know that Moses received the Law at Mt. Sinai. We know that God provided for the people, and that the people failed in their faith when they spied out Canaan. As a result, they wandered for forty years.
Deuteronomy 34:1-8 -Moses dies without ever coming home
Moses never made it home, he lived his entire life as a stranger in a strange land.
Hebrews 11:24-29 -By faith, Moses looked ahead to his reward
Hebrews 11:13-16 -These people looked for a heavenly home
Consider that Moses was never at home. His entire life was spent in strange lands, and he died seeing, but never making it to, the promised land where his home was.

Our Home
Philippians 3:20-21 -Our citizenship is in heaven
II Corinthians 5:1-10 -Away from God while in the body, longing for our heavenly dwelling
I Peter 1:1 -
I Peter 1:17 -As aliens and strangers in the world
I Peter 2:9-12 -
Are we living as strangers here on earth? It is something that will be uncomfortable, to be sure. There are aspects of it that we often don’t like to think about or try to brush over.
-As strangers, do we feel uncomfortable around the things of this world? Does it make us uncomfortable to be around worldliness in speech, entertainment, and such things? (Jeremiah 6:13-15)
-Are we actually separate from those around us? Are we actually strangers? Or are we trying to blend in? (II Corinthians 6:14-18)
-As strangers, do we try to live at peace with others, even though we are different? (Romans 12:18)
-As strangers, are we seeking our home? Or have we decided that where we are is good enough? (Matthew 13:44)