Title The Glorious Traveler 1:1-2
The Glorious Traveler 1:1-2
Saints! Do you have any experience of living away from home? Men usually leave their homes for military service. I am separated from my beloved family and have to spend 3 years in the military It is very difficult to spend every day in a series of hard training and repeated life. That is why most soldiers look forward to the day they will be discharged.
When I was assigned to the unit after training, the senior sergeant looked at me and asked, "When are you going to be discharged?" I accidentally told the discharge date I was thinking about, and I was like, "Do you think that day will come?" When I thought about it, I didn't think that day would come. Because the month I spent at the training camp was a very long time, but thinking about 3 years later, it was so far-fetched.
Anyway, during the three years since then, I have experienced so many things. Sometimes it was physically tiring, and sometimes it was hard to bear mentally. However, there is one thing that I still cannot forget about all of my military life. It was 'the day I was discharged'.
Because I received military training at the university, I received the benefit of shortening my service by 105 days. That is why, among those who enlisted like me, very few were discharged with me. There were three people in our entire division. However, on the day we were discharged, the military band congratulated the three of us. So, amidst the fanfare, I reported my discharge. Also, I left the unit I loved in the warm applause of many soldiers. It was truly an unforgettable and glorious day for me.
Dear saints!
The Apostle Peter says that our lives are 'a stranger's life', where we leave our hometown for a while and live in another country. But no one wants to live forever as a stranger. At any time, he has the desire to put an end to his traveler's life and return to his hometown.
If the traveler has a hometown to return to, and if he has someone to welcome him, the journey will not be tiring even if it takes a lot of effort. Even if the road is long, it will not be far away. On the contrary, the steps of that journey can be made lighter.
Although the Apostle Peter refers to all of us as 'pilgrims', we are not strangers wandering around aimlessly. Although we live as strangers, we are 'glorious strangers' who walk the road with joy. Then, why are we glorious strangers?
First, because he is a stranger whom Heavenly Father knows in advance (verse 2).
It's really nice to meet someone you know in an unfamiliar place. I met a very nice person in Ansan. When I was in the military, he was a senior right above me. As far as I know, his hometown was Boseong, Jeollanam-do. So I never even thought of meeting him. But in the winter of the year we moved to this place, we met by chance on the bus. You don't know how much I enjoyed it. So it's been a while, but we had a great time.
Everyone! It's nice to meet people we know in a strange place for a while, but there are people who know us in our traveler's life. However, he is not the only one who knows us, but he is the one who goes along the path of our traveler life. The word 'to know beforehand' in today's text also means 'to accompany'.
When I was a seminary student, I took a train from Yeongdeungpo Station to go to Daegu. But that day, no one was riding next to me. So I was riding the train alone, and when the train arrived at Suwon Station, an old woman sat down next to me. I had a conversation with my grandmother to avoid the boring trip and also to evangelize. But the old woman got off from 'Cheonan'. And then no one sat next to me. When I passed 'Cheonan' and arrived at 'Jochiwon', a college student sat down next to me. About ten minutes later, I spoke to him. The student said he was going to his house in Yeongdong.
As time passed, the student also landed at his destination. And I took the train to 'Gumi' by myself. And when I arrived at 'Gumi', an old woman sat down next to me. After listening to the old woman's story, I got off at my destination, 'Daegu Station'.
Saints!
The same is the case with the traveler's life path we walk. Each person has a different stop to get off. When you get to that stop, you get off separately. No one can go with you to the end of the journey. When you arrive at the stop where you need to get off, you must stop what you are doing and get off.
But there is someone who accompanies us forever. That person is God. Even if our traveler's road is rough, there are steep valleys, and there are rivers in our way, he will accompany me to the end.
A certain artist painted a picture about the love of God. However, the picture had human footprints in the background of white snow. At first there were four footprints. Then, after a while, two footprints were drawn, and two of them disappeared somewhere. The person who was appreciating the painting asked the artist. "Why did the two footprints disappear from this picture? , How does this picture relate to God's love?"
Then the painter answered. "Yes, I have always wanted to live a life that walks with God. So God has always been by my side and walking along the path of my life with me. But when I am tired and unable to walk that path, God He carried me on my back and walked the way."
Saints!
At some point in our lives, don't we sometimes feel that we are the only ones in this world? Even though I have a husband I love, a wife I love, and a child I love, don't I ever feel like I'm all alone in the end? What could be more sad than this time?
But we are not strangers traveling alone. Also, even if all the people who were with you on the journey get off at their stop, there are people who accompany you on the journey to the end. So our pilgrimage is not a lonely one.
Everyone! Do you think that your traveler's life path is hard and difficult right now? Is it dark and difficult? Do you have a desire to turn around and pour out your tears? Please look to God who walks the path of suffering with us. Please look to the God who never makes me walk the lonely road alone. We are not strangers who suffer from sorrow, loneliness, and pain, but 'glorious strangers' with God.
Second, because he is a stranger sanctified by the Holy Spirit (verse 2).
When people who have left their homes return to their hometowns, everyone wants to have a golden remembrance (??。?꾦꽀). When I go to my hometown, I wear ragged clothes, and when I wear clothes that I broke up with, I feel ashamed of the people of my hometown.
When we live abroad, even if we wear ragged clothes, we have clothes prepared in advance for our hometown.
Last year, I bought a winter suit at a department store during a sale. Then I bought two pairs of pants. Men usually wear trousers underneath than when they wear a suit on top, so after a while the color will change from top to bottom. So, with that in mind, I bought two pairs of pants. And I usually wear a suit along with the pants I usually wear. Then, on important days, I change into new pants that I prepared for them.
Saints!
Although we live our lives as strangers, God has set us apart from others. That is why we are called, ?쏽e are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession??(1 Peter 2:9).
Although we live as strangers, we are not ordinary strangers, but strangers sanctified by the Holy Spirit. If my father is a king, even if I live as a stranger for a while, I am a 'prince'. Even if I wear the clothes that I parted with a little now, I will eventually wear the clothes of a prince.
Dear saints!
Although we live as strangers on this land, we are not wandering strangers. Glorious strangers set apart to be holy. However, we who have been sanctified have work to do.
1 Peter 2:15 says, ?쏝ut as the Holy One who called you, be holy in all your conduct.??We can't live a stranger's life just like everyone else. must be distinguished.
Now that we're talking about the military, I'll just say one more thing. The unit I worked for was a unit that trained the worship service. We prepare all year round and train the reserve forces. The classification of people entering the reserve army training is very diverse. There are intellectuals among them, and there are those who have succeeded in business and hear the voice of 'the boss'. But when the training starts, it's all the same.
Once you put on the reservist clothes, you can lie down anywhere, and excuse yourself (?) anywhere. It's all the same. Intellectuals or not, bosses or just employees, they cannot be the same. Thoughts and actions are the same.
Everyone!
We are all just strangers through the world, but we are not the same strangers. Just because you wear the same clothes of your life doesn't mean that your way of life is the same. We are 'pilgrims sanctified by the Holy Spirit'. Therefore, you must live a separate life as a stranger.
The third is because they are strangers who have been saved through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ (verse 2).
The death of Jesus Christ made us no longer wandering aimlessly, but rather a stranger, step by step towards our homeland.
So we are strangers with a home to return to. Not long ago, some Mongolians who came to earn money from Mongolia were scammed and lost all their money and were left in Korea. They pitched a tent at Myeongdong Cathedral, talked about their situation, and begged for permission to return to their hometown.
If there is no home for the traveler to return to, and if there is no way to return to that homeland, will there be any more sighs? No, living abroad only adds to the misery.
Everyone!
The home we will ultimately return to is far better than the holiday season, the place we so desperately want to go.
This is the hometown where I want to run much faster than the hometown of the discharged soldier who left his hometown and finished his military service safely for three years and runs to his hometown at once. It is a place full of warmth and love much more than a mother's warm dinner prepared for her children returning home.
So Christians are not afraid of death. Because you must cross this 'bridge of death' to finally reach your hometown. If we cross the bridge at the entrance to the village, we will arrive at the hometown we so longed for.
Everyone! It is true that it is sad to see loved ones around us leave that path. But I am not afraid of that path. The apostle Paul also longed to leave his body one day soon and be with Christ (Philippians 1:23).
Not only that, but I may not be afraid when I leave the road. The walker's steps toward his hometown are only light. So, even before his death, Moody said, "If I had known that heaven was this good, I would have died every day."
Dear saints!
Do you realize that our life is a stranger's life? If so, will you be able to overcome any difficulties you may face in this traveler's life while looking at your hometown?
We are all glorious strangers. They are strangers foreknowled by God, those who are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and those who have been saved through the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will become all of you who walk this life of a stranger while hoping for the hometown you will return to someday.