THE "CALLED OUT" PEOPLE

I Peter 2: 11-12.

I. Aliens and exiles

A. Physical Israel was a nation called out of Egypt to be God's people

B. They were to come out and be separate- Exodus 6: 1-9;

Isaiah 52: 11-12; Hosea 14: 1-3; Malachi 4: 1-3; the theme throughout these OT passages is "Come ye out from among them, and be thou separate", as Paul said in II Corinthians 6: 17-7:1.

C. How can one recognize that he/she is an exile? In what ways are we strangers and exiles on this earth? For some advice please see Hebrews 11: 13-16 and the verses before which it refers to.

D. A Christian is not someone on earth trying to get to heaven; he is a new creation whose home is heaven, just going through a phase of earthly existence.

II. Special challenges of this exilic existence.

A. Identifying home. We sing "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up way up beyond the blue."

I John 2: 15-17. Matthew 6: 33

B. Living above the average. God is not looking for average, worldly people for roommates in heaven. How does God address his people?

I Peter 2: 4-5. Galatians 3: 26. We are God's children

C. But you can't be God's children and live like the Devil. See God's disappointment in Malachi 1: 6-9. A day of reconning is coming.

John 15: 1-9

III. A different walk

A. Things to leave behind as we "come out from among them, and be separate"--see Galatians 5: 16-21.

1. Which of these do I, as someone just passing through this earth, feel like I just have to have?

a. immorality? b. impurity?

c. licentiousness d. idolatry?

e. sorcery? f. enmity?

g. strife? essential? h. jealously?

i. anger? j. selfishness?

k. dissension? l. party spirit?

m. envy? n. drunkenness?

o. carousing? p. and the such like?

2. Even for this life only, how tragic is it if I miss those?

B. What to put on-- see Galatians 5: 22-24.

1. How can we put these on?

2. Can putting good in squeeze out the bad? Matthew 12: 43-45.

3. New thoughts. Colossians 3: 1-4; 12-17. Philippians 4: 8.

C. And refuse to be dragged back into the world. Romans 12: 1-2

Don't drag anyone else in either. Matthew 18: 5, 6.