Stranger in a Strange Land in the Midst of Strangers

This past Sunday, I attended church at Grace Bible Church in College Station at the Southwood Campus. The entire service was really good, I drew a lot out of all of it. However, here we will focus on one portion of the message.

Blake Jennings gave the message on being in the world, not of the world. The text was John 17:11-18.

11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

This reminded me of one of my favorite songs, which I have shared before, Leon Russel's Stranger in a Strange Land. This looked like a good opportunity to once again share the song!


For one portion of the sermon, Blake focused on verse 16, saying that this world is not our home. We are strangers here.

This world, in the beginning, was created as our home. We see that in Genesis 1. However, because of human's choosing to sin, the devil was allowed to take control of this world. Jesus calls the devil the prince of this world in John 14:30.

For the time being, this world is not our home. We are made to be with God, which means that as long as the world is broken with sin, we are designed to be with God in his house. Jesus tells us this in John 14: 2,3: 

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Jesus tells us two important things in these verses. One, we have a place in God's house prepared for us. Two, he is coming back.

Until the time of his return, we are strangers in a strange land. We are to follow His authority in how we live our life, not the authority of society. I will live my life differently than many. I will not look like everyone else. I will live for God in preparation for His return. I will be a stranger in this strange land.