Displaced and placed people
“ ‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself…’ ” Leviticus 19:33-34, (NIV)
Many of the Old Testament’s most well known characters were, at some time in their lives, strangers and foreigners living in a land that was not their own. Abraham had to buy land from the Hittites in order to bury Sarah, his wife, and described himself as “… a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.” (Genesis 23:4). God also told Abraham that his descendants would live as ‘outsiders: ‘Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.” (Genesis 15:13). Moses, having killed an Egyptian, fled to Midian where he said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.” (Exodus 2:22). And King David prayed, “Hear my prayer, Lord… I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.” (Psalm 39:12).
The New Testament records that as a young child Jesus had to flee to Egypt with his parents:
‘… an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” ’ (Matthew 2:13). Many years later Jesus said to his followers, “Remember what I told you: ‘… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also…’ ” (John 15:20).
The book of Acts describes the Jerusalem Church scattering as a result of persecution (Acts 8:1 KJV). Because they were Jews, Aquila and Priscilla were part of an expulsion from Rome (Acts 18:2 MSG).
Christians are described as strangers and pilgrims in this world (1 Peter 2:11 KJV), yet
despite persecution it is a joy to understand that through Christ and the Spirit Christians are able to come into the presence of the Father, therefore Christians are not foreigners and strangers before God and it follows they are not displaced people either (Ephesians 2: 6,18). As a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body (1 Corinthians 12:18). And God has given us a place beside Christ in heaven: ‘…God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…’ (Ephesians 2: 6).
The title of this study is ‘Displaced and placed people’ which is also the theme of Grace Communion International’s next International Life Club, the details of which are as follows:
The International Life Club is having a theme of Displaced and Placed People on the 11th of May beginning at 17.00 BST. The zoom meeting will focus on five Life Clubs, hosted by five GCI congregations, which are all in Refugee Camps: Lusenda, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Kakuma, Kenya; Dzaleka, Malawi; Maratane, Mozambique and Tongogara, Zimbabwe. The link is on the Church website at www.gracecom.church All are welcome.
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, thank You for Your never-ending love for us. Thank You that through Christ we are fellow citizens with Your people and in Your household. Please help us to follow the example of the Good Samaritan and to love all others as our native-born. In the name of our Saviour Christ Jesus we pray. Amen.
Study by Geoff Sole
Geoff Sole attends the Watford congregation of Grace Communion International, and is co-ordinator of the International Life Club
Local congregation:
Watford
Knutsford Primary Academy,
Balmoral Road,
Watford, Herts.
WD24 7ER
Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am.
Local congregational contact:
George Henderson
Email: watford@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church