right so there in Hebrews chapter 11 the first thing I want to point out tonight
is that we have a calling on our lives to be strangers and to be pilgrims as
Christians a lot of things we got to fulfill a lot of things we have to do a
lot of roles that we have to play but one of them is that of a stranger and
that of a pilgrim and you're there in Hebrews chapter 11 but I'll read to you
real quick from 1st Peter chapter 2 where Peter wrote and said dearly
beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from filthy fleshly
lusts which war against the soul so when Peter was addressing them he
beseeched them that they would abstain from these sins and he beseeched them as
strangers and as pilgrims and that's how we need to see ourselves tonight we need
to look at our lives as Christians and understand that we've been called to be
pilgrims in this world and you see it there again in Hebrews chapter 11 verse
13 where Paul writes these all died in faith not having received the promises
but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and
confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth so all these great
saints of old that we just read about that did all these great things through
faith they also did these things with the understanding that the promises were
far off that they were seeking a land a city to come they were not looking to
settle in on earth and thinking that this is all that they have to look
forward to they were able to look forward and because of that they were
able to confess they said they proclaimed especially to us when we read
their stories and read how they lived their lives and read what type of people
they were what manner of men they were that is their confession and that
confession that they make is that they were strangers that confession is that
they were pilgrims on the earth they were just passing through they weren't
looking to settle down that's us tonight that's what we are we are pilgrims as
Christians whether we like that or not that's a fact we're just gonna pass
through this world and right on into the next and I want to preach to us tonight
about the expectations of a pilgrim the expectations of a pilgrim see because
that is our calling there are certain expectations that have been placed upon
us there is just a certain frame of mind that we ought to have there's a way that
we ought to look at life there's a way we ought to approach life of course I'm
not gonna be able to cover all that you know that would literally take a
lifetime right to address all the issues of life but the Bible does address them
and really I just want to deal tonight with the fact that we need to make sure
that this is our mentality that we are considering ourselves strangers that we
are considering ourselves pilgrims that we're not getting too comfortable with
things in this world and understand that there is a calling upon our life and
because of that there is an expectation if you're gonna be a pilgrim you just
there's there's certain things that just come with the territory and we're gonna
look at the example of Abraham I think he's a great example of that but just as
an introduction here we have to understand first of all that our
spiritual pilgrimage cannot be inhibited by the sin by sin and flesh well it can
be rather it shouldn't be we should not allow our sin and the flesh to prevent
us from living our lives as pilgrims you see there in Hebrews chapter 12 you want
to flip over there keep something Hebrews chapter 11 I'm gonna you know I
try not to let the too much of the behind the scenes what goes on and do a
sermon come out but it's just so I can kind of forewarn you I have a color
coding system that I use to tell them to turn here and bookmark this and that
doesn't do me any good when the printer comes out black and white so I'm gonna
try and keep you where you should stay in Hebrews 11 all night I know that much
and I'll try to make sense of the rest of it but if you could just keep up with
me we'll get through this tonight and I believe we'll get a blessing out of it
but it says in Hebrews chapter 12 wherefore seeing we also are compassed
about by so great a cloud of witnesses now who is that everybody we just read
about Hebrews 11 that's our great cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every
weight and a sin which we do so eat which does so easily beset us and let us
run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author
and finish of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross so he's saying here look we need to lay aside the weights and the sins
that beset us that are gonna prevent us from running the race from getting to
the finish line and finishing well it's a type of pilgrimage and we can't allow
the sin and our flesh to get in the way and if we're gonna be pilgrims in this
world we have to understand that we need to look past the present and this is
very important and I think that's what made everything possible for Abraham
that's why he was able to do all the things that he did is because he looked
beyond the present says in Hebrews 11 verse 13 these all died in faith not
having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of
them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth why is it that these people like Abraham and others that were so
willing to take upon you know the the the role of a stranger the role of the
pilgrim why is it that they were so ready to embrace them as it says there
it's because they saw these things afar off they understood what was to come and
they died in faith what they did is they look past the present and that's what we
need to do tonight that's the expectation of a pilgrim and we have to
understand tonight that our spiritual pilgrimage requires sacrifices to be
made there's going to be sacrifices that we have to make if we're going to
embrace that role as a stranger if we're going to embrace that role as a pilgrim
and say that's me I'm going to live up to this calling then there's going to
be sacrifices that we have to make it's just it's just the nature of the beast
it just comes with the territory it says in verse 8 there Hebrews 11 by faith
Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after
receive for inheritance obeyed he'd never been there before he didn't know
where he was going he just went he obeyed and he went out not knowing
whether he went by faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange
country said I'm not from here this isn't where I where I grew up this isn't
the place of my nativity but that's where I'll go if that's where God wants
me why because I'm a pilgrim I'm just passing through dwelling in
tabernacles that's a tent folks you know we complain sometimes don't we we got it
so hard the AC goes out a drain backs up you know an appliance quits Abraham
spent his whole life in a tent in a land he didn't even know he had to learn the
lay of the land so he he dealt in tabernacles and with the it says there
verse 9 by faith he sojourned a land of promises in a strange country dwelling
in tabernacles of Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise for
he looked for a city there that is again that looking past the present that
seeing things afar if he looked for a city which hath foundations whose
builder and maker is God that sounds like a good place to put up residence
and that's where we're headed you say what's the end of this pilgrimage where
are we gonna where where are we gonna stop and not be strangers anymore where
are we gonna finally put down our roots in the New Jerusalem in a city whose
builder and maker is God so I want to look tonight at the expectations of a
pilgrim and I want to look at the life of Abraham just briefly just a few
things out of his life and examine it and try to make application to our own
selves tonight that we also are pilgrims and as I said before one of the main
things a pilgrim has to understand is that sacrifices are going to have to be
made you think about the pilgrims that you know came over on the Mayflower you
think about the pilgrims that went out and settled the West and all of that and
so on and so forth I'm sure that wasn't comfortable sitting in a boat for three
or four however many months it was it's been a while since I read about it or
however many months it took in a back of some buckboard wagon bouncing around
behind some smelly animal and who knows what gonna chase you down and try to
kill you I mean it was uncomfortable right but they were pilgrims they had
somewhere they had to be and they did it for worldly things and we're gonna we
are pursuing a heavenly pilgrimage we're on our way to the New Jerusalem and we
shouldn't let it surprise us if things might get a little uncomfortable there's
expectations put on a pilgrim number one pilgrims have to forsake places they
have to forsake familiar places go over to Genesis chapter 11 again keep
something in Hebrews 11 I think we're coming back that's what that gray block
and later my note says Hebrews chapter 11 you're going to Genesis chapter 11
the expectations of a pilgrim one thing that's expected of a pilgrim is that
they're going to forsake familiar places says in verse 27 now these are the
generations of Tyra Tyra begat Abram Nahor and Haran and Haran begat Lot and
Haran died before his father Tyra in the land of his nativity in Ur of the
Chaldees so we could see this is the origin of Abram before he became what's
called Abraham he was a Chaldean he grew up in the Ur of the Chaldees and Abram
and Nahor took them wives in the name of Abram's wife was Sarai the name of
Nahor's wife Milcah the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the
father of Iscah but Sarai was barren she had no child and Tyra took Abram his son
and Lot the son of Haran his son's son and Sarai his daughter-in-law his son's
Abraham's wife and they went forth from the Ur of the Chaldees to go into the
land of Canaan and they came into Haran and dwelt there and the days of Tyra
were 205 years and Tyra died in Haran now of course you got to understand the
backstory here is that as we're gonna see here in a minute that the Lord had
already told Abram to go and Tyra said well I'll go with you and we'll bring my
nephew Lot we'll bring your wives and we'll all go together the first thing I
want to point out is that if we're gonna be pilgrims we have to forsake familiar
places you just might have to relocate to be on the will of God you might have
to relocate to be in the will of God that's the truth I mean I know that's
the truth for my family maybe I'm preaching us tonight because I've been
thinking about these things so much how many you know we're moving down here and
I we've been talking and I'm thinking back to how many times I've moved just
to be in a good church you know I never God never came to me and said Corbin
Corbin going to the Promised Land because this ain't the Promised Land
just kidding I love Arizona you didn't tell me to go the Pacific Northwest I'm
just kidding that's it that's a debate right but I did have to move I had to
pack up the family I'm driving down here today she's got everything in the back
of our Dodge Caravan my whole world's in that van all my earthly possessions are
still sitting a house and boxes waiting to get moved and I just think about the
first time we moved we moved out here eight years ago and similar situation
except we're all in a Toyota Camry and everything I had was in the trunk and
that's all I had no we'd shipped a few boxes ahead of us but we basically had
clothes we didn't have furniture you didn't have anything but we wanted to be
in the will of God I'm not saying that to lift myself up or think be hyper
spiritual I just wanted to be in the will of God that's all and I know plenty
of people and I've met plenty people over the years that have done the exact
same thing that I said you know it's more important to me to be in a good
church and if that means I have to cross a state or several states if I have to
go thousands of miles that's what I'm gonna do I'm gonna obey I'm gonna be a
pilgrim I'm gonna leave familiar places I'm gonna forsake it I'm gonna leave it
all behind to be in the will of God and if you're gonna be a pilgrim tonight it
just might be that you have to do that now fortunately for all you got a good
church you got a great church you know you don't have to do that but you know
things change what if you decide to relocate and look you know there's
plenty of good churches people can go find another good you could find another
good church in this town I'm sure of it you could go find another church in
another state but here's the thing if you're gonna relocate and go somewhere
you know jobs take people places circumstances you know whatever you know
for some other reason we need to move we better make sure that we put church on
the top of that list job come you know that the the company comes and says hey
we got an opportunity in this town it's a real desirable location if you want to
go there we'll pay you will pay your way there we'll help you move we'll get
you over there before we do that before we take that raise in that relocation we
better ask ourselves is there a good church in that town maybe they're gonna
raise my family under the preaching the Word of God because if not I don't care
you can't put a price on that it's not worth it I wouldn't go we may have to
relocate to be in the will of God or maybe we just have to stay put to be in
the will of God but we have to allow God to determine where we're gonna be
and that's what we see with uh with Abram here right he has a calling of God
upon his life to go out of his strange familiar land into a strange land that
he didn't even know anything about and he went you know Jesus tells us the same
thing he turned to his disciples in Matthew 16 and said if any man come
after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me there's a
denial of self there and we'll see here in a little bit later it can get pretty
extreme you know there's there's a there can be some serious sacrifices that we
have to be willing to make and again we think about relocating out you know
having to move somewhere it pales in comparison to the Saints of old when you
think about it I mean think about what Abraham's doing he's in it he's got a
tent there's no u-haul behind him he's not gonna be put up in a hotel for a few
days and you know he didn't even have a particular place he was gonna go we'll
just walk through that land that's what God's plan was I'm just gonna have you
walk through the land the land of promise so you can see what I'm gonna
give to somebody else well you're not gonna get it your seeds gonna get it but
you can go ahead take a nice long look at it just walk through it Abraham oh I
got to move to another state I got to move 30 minutes closer to the church oh
I don't know if I could do that Abraham that great cloud of witnesses just
looking down going don't tell him that don't get up there you're gonna walk up
to Abraham I moved 2,000 miles to be in faith forward Baptist Church he'd laugh
at me say so what buddy but that's part of being a pilgrim isn't it that's part
of the expectation of a pilgrim we should be able to just uproot and go
where we need to go to be in the will of God and if we think it's tough well
let's just think about Abraham and what he did the Bible says I'll just read you
from Hebrews if you want to flip over there in verse 8 it says by faith
Abraham when he was called to go out to a place which he should after he see for
inheritance obeyed and went out not knowing whether he went dwelling in
tabernacles it says so you see first of all pilgrims need to be prepared to
forsake places not only that pilgrims need to be ready to forsake people and
this one's a little bit harder isn't it some places are easy to forsake right
someplace it's easy to just say see ya leave that place in the rearview mirror
I love northern Michigan it was pretty but there's nothing else much going on
there and you can only look at the sights for so long you know you see
enough sunsets it's okay there's other things to life gotta earn a living and
when the economy stinks you know it's easy to leave places like that in the
dust leaving places you know maybe it's just the nostalgia you know pulling out
of the driveway for the last time you know all the things we think about when
we move and leave a place behind however forsaking people is a little bit harder
isn't it but then again maybe not some people are also easier than others but
you know by and large I think that it is difficult for people to do and I
think that was the case with Abraham it says in Genesis chapter 12 if you want
to go there in Genesis chapter 12 and verse 1 it says now the Lord had said
unto Abram get thee out of thy country so this is following chapter 11 obviously
where we just read that that he left with Tyra his father and Lot his cousin
and his wife and their wives and now in Hebrews 12 it's referring us back after
the death of Tyra right and Tara's died his dad has died and now it's telling us
what happened why Tara took Abraham in them because he wanted to go with them
but the Lord had he didn't tell him now he had already told him Abram get thee
out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house so was
Abraham obeying God when he went to leave and Tara said well I'll go with
you in fact I'll lead the charge and when Lot came alongside was he really
obeying God no it wasn't because God had specifically said away from my kindred
and away from my father's house and then we read about the fact in the previous
chapter that Tara was with him in Hanan and that's where he died so he failed in
this area and you know I'm not saying that to you know cast shade on Abram or
anything like that I think this is just you know show this what's so great about
the Bible it's relatable right we can relate to Abram in this area maybe we
need to leave some familial some some familiar people behind maybe to forsake
some people in our lives it's not always easy to do I think Abram struggled with
that right he did not fully obey until what until his father died God had to
take him out of the picture and it shows us that Abraham you know that that's a
close familial relationship isn't it you know it's not making out it doesn't we
don't or anything what Tara is a bad guy or something like that you know he's
he's Abraham said yeah come along dad why not and sometimes it's hard to
sever those relationships isn't it but that's what a pilgrim has to be ready to
do now look I'm not saying if you haven't done that you need to go do that
right not every relationship has to be severed but we see in Abraham's that
instance and sometimes they do sometimes that is something that has to
happen and not only that he parts company with lot in Genesis chapter 13
we know the story in verse 14 and Lord said unto Abraham after that lot was
separated from him lift up now thine eyes and look from the place where out
thou northward and southward and eastward for all the land which thou
sees to thee will I give it so when did God come back and make that promise to
him after a lot was gone dad had to go very close familial bond and then lot
had to go that last tie to an old life had to go it's easier to forsake places
probably than people and I think that's what we see with Abram I don't know what
Irv the Chaldees was like but it seemed like Abraham didn't have any problem
going but he had a hard time leaving those people behind and brought them
with them you say well why would I ever have to sever ties with people or at the
very least maybe limit our interaction with them right because we have no
common ground with the unsafe we really don't I mean I know we have ground as
far as the the things of this life but that's really it and that's all the
common ground you ever gonna have with an unsafe person I mean we can go talk
to them about our jobs and what's going on the news and everything else that
goes on in the world we have that I understand that but go talk to an
unsafe guy and tell me you know I'm a pilgrim I'm a stranger in this world
they're gonna look at you kind of like okay I mean you come in here and tell
us that though you come up to me and say I'm a pilgrim I'm say amen brother me
too I get that we get that we understand what the Bible says they unsaved they
don't get that we have really no I guess I should say spiritual common
ground with them the Bible says and if you want to go over to 1st Peter chapter
4 against keep something in Genesis we're gonna come back to chapter 12 but
go over to 1st Peter chapter 4 it says in 2nd Corinthians 6 be not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers doesn't say you know stay away from them at all
costs it just says don't be yoked with them we don't want to be sharing yokes
with the unbeliever for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness
and what communion hath light with darkness that's how far the the believer
is from the unbeliever as far as light is from darkness there's no common
ground there or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel look at 1st
Peter chapter 4 says in verse 1 for as much then as Christ hath suffered for us
in the flesh arm yourselves likewise with the same mind for that he that hath
suffered in the flesh hath seeth from sin that he should no longer live the
rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God and
look the unsaved sometimes keep something there they have their lusts
look at the language there he says that he should know live the rest of his time
to the lusts of men not the lust of himself now I believe you could apply it
that way certainly but he's saying the lust of men what other people want from
you what other people expect from you what the unsaved are gonna say well why
don't you do this and why can't you do this and you need to be here for this
and so on and so forth and sometimes we just have to draw a line and say I'm
sorry I can't do that I can't cross that line because of what the Word of God
says and they'll scratch their head and they'll wonder and they'll make their
comments but that's just the way it is and it's a lot easier isn't it to just
keep our mouth shut just go along right along with it isn't it because it's a
lot harder to forsake people than it is to forsake places but that is the
expectation of a pilgrim that's what lot or excuse me Abram had to learn the hard
way that if you want God's promise and God's blessing and God's provision he
had to take some people out didn't he had to get some people out of the way
some old familiar bonds he says that he should no longer live the rest of his
time in the flesh to the lust of men but to the will of God the will of God takes
priority and that's where are we that's where we draw the line we might have to
sever relationships when that person wants us to do some put them and what
they want for us above the will of God and we can't let that happen it says in
verse 3 for the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will
of Gentiles look you've already had enough of that you've already had enough
of that the past the time past of your our life have may suffice us to have
wrought the will of Gentiles when we walked in lasciviousness lust excess of
wines reveling spank winnings and abominable idolatries he's saying look
you you folks did all that you did all that you what do you want to waste
another minute of your life on these things for it's sufficient but what's
the reaction of the people that we don't run with anymore what's the reaction that
people would say well I'm sorry I don't go to that bar anymore I don't I don't
participate in that anymore I'm sorry I'm a Christian now I'm saved I'm a
pilgrim I can't go with you to that place I can't participate in that
activity are they kind and understanding oh well I get that that
makes sense no they say can you tone it out a little bit what's the big deal
well first four that's what it says we're in they think it's strange that
you run not with them to the same excess of riot they say what do you mean
Christian what do you mean you don't do that anymore come on I know the old you
that's what they want and look the call of a pilgrim is that we cannot spend the
time of this our life in this flesh to the will of men but to the will of God
I'm sorry I can't I've got a calling on my life they think it's strange but it's
interesting here and it ends there in verse four speaking evil of you right
I remember I first got saved and ran into the old friends oh too holy now
huh that's what they'd say and I remember someone it was actually that
guy's mom it was a bit of an influence on me when I first got saved and she
said you know he said that about you and you know what I told him I said well he
is too holy for you I didn't say she said it or too righteous oh you're too
righteous to do to hang out with us anymore well yeah actually so it's not
my righteousness the righteousness of Christ it's the calling you put on my
life to be different to be separated to not be unequally yoked with the
unbeliever I don't have I'm light I don't have any part with darkness you
know I believe I'm not an infidel I'm sorry we don't have the spiritual common
ground anymore there's nothing there the only common ground we can have is
sin so yeah I am more anxious yeah I am on the straight and narrow and you can
join me you're more than welcome to come over to my side but I'm not going back
there because of the expectations that are put on me as a pilgrim and you know
it's not easy when we go through that it does get easier it turns into old hat
you can't remember a time when it wasn't that way but look at verse 5 it
says they think it's strange verse 4 sorry we're in they think it's strange
that you run out to the same X's right speaking of you who now who's the who
there who is them the people that speak evil of us the people that say it's
really weird that you don't do the things you know you used to do with us
why don't you still run to say me that's the who in verse 5 right and what is it
about the who in verse 5 that we have to keep mine that they shall give an
account to him and that's God that is ready to judge the quick and the dead
the quick is alive that's us we are alive in Christ right and the dead those
are the unsaved the people that want us to go back to that old life and those
old familiar people but we have to understand that they're gonna be judged
they're gonna give an account just as much as we are the Bible says and he
would go over to Luke 14 have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness but rather reprove them have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness there's no fruit in it there's no fruit and running to the same access
of right there's no fruit there's no fruit in those things in which we are
now ashamed we're saved we don't even want to think about the past and if we
haven't developed the past to keep it that way we don't have fellowship with
the unfruitful works of darkness in fact rather we are to reprove them and you
know recently this just you know came to mind I was writing this is the fact that
you know my my dad we've been gone for 20 years finally comes back stateside
he's back up in the Dakotas and I'm glad he is I'm glad he's there and I want to
go see him take the family up there and show him his grandkids so on and so
forth text me and says hey we're having a
Russell reunion first of its kind thinking I'm gonna send you some dates
all right send me some dates I'll think of an excuse sure enough he sent the
dates you know in July the dates it was three days I'm thinking good night how
long do you got to see these people for you know isn't that what Facebook's for
I get it and I thought I was like you know it would be nice it'd be nice to go
back to where I was born again take the kids up there and have mean all their
cousins and all my cousins and their aunts and their uncles that they don't
know and people I haven't seen in decades and meet their grandfather and
so on and so forth and who do you know he's not doing so well but then I
thought they're not Christians we're not gonna get together and sing some
hymns this isn't a soul-winning marathon I'm gonna be going to they're all you
know I know enough about him no there's a lot of divorce and adultery and all
the things that go on in the world and they're just gonna get together and get
drunk and you know what the truth is I could probably go up there and I stay
sober and put up with it and show my face and talk to people until they're
you know too drunk to talk to you I guess I don't know I could do that but
then I thought is that really what I want my kids to see they're gonna drag
my kids up there and have them I'm getting up preaching you shouldn't drink
you shouldn't be drunk and then next thing I know I'm hauling them up there
and and I'm being friendly with a bunch of people that are doing the things I
tell them not to do well dad's nice to them he's okay with them and they're
drunks and must because they're family well hey I'm family so if I get drunk if
I grow up and become a drunk dad will still be nice to me I just I don't want
to put that in their head you know well why is it so important that we have to
you know forsake certain people or limit or sever certain relationships in our
life well how about this for the sake of your children for the sake of your
children look I have no doubt in my mind I could go up there put a smile on my
face and and maybe even have a good time and get to see some people and come
back and be just as dry as when I left but I'm not gonna put my kids through
that I don't want to put that in their heads for the sake of my kids I'm not
gonna do it that's the that's the the expectation of a pilgrim be ready to
forsake the familiar place to be in the will of God already be ready forsake
familiar people to be in the will of God look at Luke chapter 14 and say you're
a little extreme brother Corbin you're a little extreme with this whole
separation thing okay well let's just see what Jesus thinks okay it says in
verse 26 if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and
children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my
disciple I mean there's no there what relationship isn't mentioned here well
he didn't mention the postman all right look when you're saying when he's saying
kids wife yourself nobody's off limits right and he's not advocating that we go
around and hate them right but he's saying that we have to be ready to lose
that we have to be ready to put that on the altar and sacrifice even these
relationships to if that's what it's going to take to follow Christ now look
that's probably never gonna need a case for us but it was a case for a of them
wasn't it he had to look at his dad and and and lot and say this is decision and
he failed you know that's in the scripture he didn't do it God said get
thee away from my father's house and from that kindred that was what was
proposed to him and he said I don't know I don't I don't know they know why
because he didn't learn to hate them and I don't mean hate he's not talking about
hate like spiteful or malicious just saying I love God more and if you're
gonna compare my relationship to them to my relationship to God it ought to look
more like I hate them and that I love God and people even say things like that
when you start to live for Christ and you live separated you have standards
like do you hate us what do you mean you want to come to this reunion do you hate
us no I just love God but if that's the way it's gonna be perceived then so be
it and whosoever did not bear his cross he says in verse 27 may come after me
cannot be my disciple look we know we don't have to do these things for
salvation but if we want to get beyond just on our way to heaven and be a
disciple of Jesus Christ to be a follower of the Lamb this is what's
expected these are the expectations of a pilgrim and we have to understand this
we have we need to know this going into the Christian life that's why he says
it goes on in verse 28 this is all connected for which of you intending to
build the tower sitteth not down first and counteth the cost whether he has
sufficient to finish it lest happily after he hath laid the foundation and
is not able to finish it all that behold begin to mock him saying this man began
to build and was not able to finish look if you're gonna follow Jesus you better
be ready to just go all the way and count the cost and no relationship no
place is off limits when it comes to the Lord if he says I want that gone it's
gone because I'm following you and I love you more than anybody else
otherwise you know that's that's what you know things that I've heard oh oh
you're saved huh okay oh we're going to church now I give you a year you'll be
back I give you I'll give you a little while you're on some bandwagon this is
some kick they're on they'll be back and if we go back and if that's if they're
right about that what do they do mock I told you so right that's what they do
so we need to count the cost and understand this is the cost of
discipleship this is the expectation of those that are going to consider
themselves pilgrims in this world look at verse 33 like so likewise whosoever
he be of you that forsake if not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple
all that he hath nothing is off limits to God and look that doesn't mean God's
gonna ask you to forsake all that you have it just means that that ought to be
your attitude whatever God wants can have it wherever God wants me that's
where I'll be whatever relationship needs to be straightened out that's what
I'll do pilgrims forsake familiar places pilgrims are willing to forsake
familiar people and pilgrims are willing to forsake possessions Abraham became
rich didn't he go to Genesis chapter 12 Genesis chapter 12 where we were verse
14 Genesis chapter 12 verse 14 and it came to pass that when Abram was coming
to Egypt and the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair the prince
is also a Pharaoh saw her and commended her before Pharaoh and the woman was
taken into Pharaoh's house and we understand the back story here Abram had
told Sarai you know if you know he feared for his life say thou art my
sister right and he was lying and you know his worst fears came true as a
result in verse 16 the Bible says and he and treated Abram well for her sake and
he had sheep and oxen so this is where Abram comes into great wealth right but
it doesn't say he started out that way but he did get it he did have wealth
didn't he and oxen and asses and men servants and maid servants and she asses
and camels so he came into great wealth and we know how the story goes God came
comes and rebukes the Pharaoh and sends him away and and Pharaoh rebukes Abram
and Sarai and and they send them away and he takes all of his things with them
right I should have had you keep something to Luke I'm just gonna read
from there okay but look at that you know what that tells me is that when
Abram left Ur of the Chaldees he didn't have all these things why else would
Pharaoh give him all that I mean if it's this big rich guy he comes rolling into
town he's gonna say well you know I'll just take your sister to wife and you
know you already got enough he said well let me let me pay you back you know
and give you all this stuff it tells me that Abram when he forsook that land he
was willing to forsake his possessions as well when the least that he didn't
start out with any or maybe he left it all behind I don't know but that is
something we ought to be willing to do if God requires it of us requires us to
do so I should say looks at Luke 18 verse 21 I'll read to you and he said
all these things have I kept for my youth up of course this is the what the
rich young ruler right and he says you know what lack I yet I've kept all these
these these Commandments for my youth you know what do I got to go to heaven
you know the Commandments well I've kept all these Commandments for my youth up
the liar verse 22 now when Jesus had heard these things he said and yet thou
lackest one thing sell all that thou hast and distribute to the poor and thou
shall have treasure in heaven and come follow me the guy said right away sir
gladly Oh treasure in heaven that sounds great
no he didn't believe that that's why it says and he when he heard this he was
very sorrowful for he was very rich he didn't want to part with that stuff
treasure in heaven rather have it down here and look I don't know that any of
us has some great fortune to part with you know we might not be in that
position but we might be put in the position of maybe forsaking what we
could have going back again to the fact that sometimes we might be offered hey
take this job go to this part of the country we'll give you this much money
we might have to say I can't do that because I'll be out of the will of God
there's no good church there that can't raise my family there for the Lord so
maybe it's not a forsaking a wealth that we already have it might be more
realistically for us forsaking a wealth that we might be able to have one day or
maybe we're thinking about our future what am I gonna do in my life I'm gonna
make money and see how rich I can get
that's not gonna help you there's there's no treasure in heaven there and
he says we need to be willing to forsake all these things all of these
things and some people really struggle with that they have a real hard time
with that don't they like this young man here go over to I should have had you go
there if you didn't go there go to Luke 18 we're gonna look at this some more
the Bible says in Proverbs 23 labor not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom
wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not he's saying why why do you want
to be labor to be rich when it's not it's gonna rust and go away it's all
just gonna be moth eaten and somebody else is gonna inherit it and you're just
you can't take it with you wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not for
riches certainly make themselves wings don't they they fly away as an eagle
toward heaven amen to that that's true didn't it get a big old stimulus check
whoo I got all these plans for this month where'd it go oh oh that's right I
still have bills to pay a little bit here a little bit there it all goes away
easy come easy go as I say right now this doesn't sound very good I came here
to get edified all you're telling me is I got a might have to be ready just
forget everything leave everything behind leave my familiar sound
surroundings leave family several relationships be willing to just part
with riches not pursue some worldly career so and look there's nothing wrong
with with earning wealth I understand that that cannot be the the focal point
of our life and we talked about that last Thursday say this is a hard saying
I don't know if I am up for all that well consider the return consider the
return it says there in Luke 18 verse 28 Peter I mean he's sitting there watching
this whole interaction with the rich wrong ruler and this guy's got all this
money he's telling hey leave it all give it to the poor you'll have treasures in
heaven come follow me he goes away sad Peter's just a fisherman so I don't have
any great wealth to leave behind what am I gonna get he said then Peter said
lo we have left all and followed me I mean Peter was married Peter left his
wife probably had some kids already left his career and just follow Jesus why
because Jesus said follow me I said okay didn't think twice about it and now he
is watching this it's like a huge but there's a reward involved treasures in
heaven look Jesus I know I didn't live some leave some great wealth behind but
I had a nice boat those nets were cheap I could be earning a living right now I
got people to take care of lo we've left all and followed thee and he said in
them verily I saying to you there is no man that hath left house or parents or
brethren or wife or children for the kingdoms of God's sake who shall not
receive manifold more in this present time and in the world to come life
everlasting that's a pretty good return isn't it on your investment when you
say well wait a minute I've left some things and I haven't gotten many fold
more in this present time what do you mean well if we leave our house and we
leave our parents we leave our brethren or wife children leave all these things
behind Jesus says that we're gonna receive many fold more manifold more in
this present time well I know this is true for my family we left a we left a
house and we left family and we left all these things behind I didn't I mean
where's where is it for me I'm like beer what are we gonna get we left all you
know a lot of people in the room can say that right well I didn't I'm there
you know though I don't have a bunch of houses in my name I don't have a lot of
people that go by the last name wrestle I haven't I didn't get a bunch of blood
relatives but I did get a lot of spiritual relatives and I might not have
a bunch of houses but I know there's a lot of people my life right now that if
needed would open their house wide open to me in my family and say come on in
I'll take you in I mean that's it's I've never sat down accounted it but I'm
sure it's in the dozens if not the hundreds of people that would just throw
their doors wide open people that I call brother you know every week and look I
don't have any brothers physical brothers none right but I got a lot more
when I came out here and followed the will of God and said I'll forsake this
familiar place I'll forsake this these familiar people I'll forsake you know
whatever great fortune I was gonna earn in northern Michigan probably none you
know I'm willing to forsake all these things and I got many fold more in this
present life and on top of that I've got life everlasting sounds like a pretty
good return to me so we got to see and I'm gonna wrap it up here I know I'm
going a little long but there are certain expectations placed upon
pilgrims tonight and if we're gonna call ourselves pilgrims if we're gonna have
that mentality that this world is not our home we're just a passing through
that we need to understand that there's some expectations put upon us tonight
that we ought to be willing to forsake these things and just count them as dust
and leave them in the past and be where God wants us so I don't know I don't
know if it's worth it well consider this pilgrims are the ones who inherit the
promises go to Hebrews chapter 11 if you have something there still Hebrews
chapter 11 we read about Abram it's like yeah that's kind of rough I don't
know if I could do that a tabernacle go live in a tent for decades leave
everyone behind watch my dad die leave my only person I know that reminds me
where I came from a lot I don't know ask Abram if he thinks it's worth it ask him
if he thought it was worth it I guarantee you he say it would it was
Hebrews 11 verse 32 and what shall I say more for the time would fail me to tell
of Gideon and of Barak and Samson of Jephthah and of David and Samuel and of
the prophets who through faith subdued kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained
promises stop the mouths of lions quench the violence of fire escape the edge of
the sword out of weakness were made strong wax valiant and flight and fight
turned to flight the armies of the aliens women received their dead raised
to life again and others were tortured not accepting deliverance that they
might obtain a better resurrection they did all those things just so they could
have a better resurrection and others had trials of cruel mockings and
scourgings yay moreover in bonds and imprisonment boy we like that first half
don't we stop the mouth of lions that'd be cool be cool to have all these things
inherit these promises just faith well it comes at a price there's the other
side there's the cruel mockings there's the scourgings there's the bonds
imprisonment there's verse 37 they were stoned they were sawn asunder they were
tempted they were slain with the sword they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented it doesn't sound like it's
worth it what's verse 38 say of whom the world was not worthy that was their
attitude you know what I'll go wander out in the deserts and the caves and
I'll be persecuted and afflicted because this world isn't worth my time
I'm not gonna settle into this they wandered in deserts and the mountains
and the dens in the caves of the earth all these having obtained a good report
through faith received not the promise but they still didn't receive the
promise they went through all that and they didn't get it Abraham went through
all that didn't get it God having provided some better thing for us that
they without us should not be made perfect they're still gonna get it it's
just on hold they would live their whole life went through all those things and
they still didn't get it they said then God's like well I'm glad you're here and
the promises are yours but we got to wait they got some more people coming
pilgrims have some expectations on them don't they they have some expectations
on them they should be willing to forsake these things places people
possessions and they get to inherit the promises right they get the riches in
heaven that's the great thing that they get there is rewarded it comes at a
price and we still say I don't know about all that pilgrim don't know if I
want to wear that hat I don't need that t-shirt I don't know if I could do that
that's kind of a tall order God well just consider one last thing Christ has
already done all those things he did all those things and he asked us to follow
his example he doesn't say go do that he says come do this because I already done
it walk the path that I walked didn't he forsake a home Bible says he made
himself of no reputation took upon him the form of a servant was made in the
likeness of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and
became obedient of the death even the death of a cross he forsook a home in
heaven in the beginning was the word and the word was with God who's the word
it's Jesus and where was Jesus in the beginning he was with God that was his
home I'm gonna leave northern Michigan I'm not leaving the glory of heaven look
I don't care where God anywhere I don't I don't care how good you got it
wherever you are right now and wherever God tells you to go how much of a
downgrade you might think it is you're never gonna experience a downgrade like
that you'll never even come close when the
word is leaving heaven and coming to earth he forsook fellowship with the
Father oh yeah he forsook a place sure but did he forsake people well he
forsook fellowship with the Father to some degree we know what he said on the
cross my God my God why hast thou forsaken me he said in John 17 I have
glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gave us to me to you
and now father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I
had with thee before the world was well yeah he forsook all that but he didn't
forsake any riches did he oh yes he did and where he forsook a place where they
just paved the streets with gold right for you know our great the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich the Bible says he was rich yet for
your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich he
said in John 14 and my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I
would have told you I go to prepare a place for you so God puts these
expectations on a pilgrim but it's not without him having done these things
himself and we say Lord it's hard he says I know I did it and I did it to a
much greater degree than you are even it's even possible for you to do you
know and you say well why why did he do that well that's the best part for us
for our sakes he became poor that through his poverty we might be made
rich he didn't come down to show off show how spiritual he was he did it to
come down here to show us an example and to make us rich for our benefit he did
all those things and if we live a life like a pilgrim you know what we're gonna
we're gonna probably benefit some other people you know I don't want to I want
to be careful how I say I don't want this to be taken the wrong way but what
if I didn't have that attitude eight years ago and if I said yeah I could
probably find another church that'll do here in northern Michigan we just settle
it and after all swear we grew up at least it's not Detroit right no offense
anyone from Detroit right would would be some people here maybe that you might
know that might not have been benefiting from that that would have lost some
benefit look I know if somebody else could come down here and do it but
there's not exactly a line forming for a pastorate so if we decide hey I'm
gonna live my life as a pilgrim for the sake of other people which is great we
need to do that and maybe it's not to be a preacher or whatever that you know we
can live a life of program we could profit people preaching the gospel or we
could profit our family so on and so forth I understand that if we're gonna
do that we say look I'm gonna live my life as a pilgrim I'm gonna do it for
other people just understand there's expectations that come with that there's
some things that you're gonna have to be willing to just part with not saying
that it's gonna happen you know we may never be asked to make any of these
sacrifices and certainly not the like to the extremes that Abraham was but when
we consider Jesus example and his motive we should at least say I'm willing I
will do it if needed let's go ahead and pray