Scripture: Leviticus
19:33-34
The midnight ride of Paul Revere: “The aliens are coming! The aliens
are coming!”
Don’t mistreat
the alien; Do good by the alien; God acts this way toward you alien
Exodus 22:21
“Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were
aliens in Egypt.”
Power Point - THE
UNIQUE JOURNEY OF GOD’S PEOPLE
1876 BC
Joseph's father and brothers settled in Egypt
c1600 BC
The Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians
1526 BC
Moses was born
THE EXODUS
1446 BC The
Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt
1444 BC
Spies were sent into Canaan
1406 BC
Moses died and Joshua became leader.
Repeat Exodus
22:21
“Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were
aliens in Egypt.”
The Good
Samaritan – Kid’s drama last week
Leviticus
19:33-34
“When an alien lives with you in your land,
do not mistreat him. The alien living
with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for
you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”
Do
you know what it is like to be an alien? Maybe you moved to a new neighborhood
and new school when you were in the 4th grade. Or a new job after 15
years in the same place. You are an
introvert and married into a family of extroverts and Thanksgiving is like
another world. You have rarely gone to
church and decided you should try it and you feel like an alien. My first
Sunday in Sunday School. How should we treat the alien? We should be like super heroes of welcoming –
and not just to the people who are like us or the people we think we will like:
VIDEO: IronHead (The slightly Selective Superhero)
Matt 5:38-48 (the Message)
"Here's
another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.'
Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at
all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you
into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and
make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the
occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
43 You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,'
and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm
telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the
worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer,
for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This
is what God does. He gives his best — the sun to warm and the rain to nourish —
to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is
love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say
hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner
does that.
48 In a word, what I'm
saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your
God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God
lives toward you.”
Jesus
is for ALL people: John 19:20-21 Many
of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near
the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek.
What
are we to do then? Matthew
28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age.”
I was a
foreigner to Jesus! I was in sin and living in a different country than him.
Joshua and Caleb
and 10 others were sent out to explore the promised land – 10 said giants in
the land – Joshua and Caleb said there is milk and honey & Giant Grapes.
Numbers 14:26-35
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I
have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, 'As
surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard
you say: In this desert your bodies will fall — every one of you twenty years
old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not
one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home,
except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31
As for your children that you said would be taken
as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But you —
your bodies will fall in this desert. Your children will be shepherds here for
forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies
lies in the desert. 34 For forty
years — one year for each of the forty days you explored the land — you will
suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' I, the
Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked
community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in
this desert; here they will die."
[Don’t stay on your
journey – intersect others and show them the way]
Exodus
22:21 “Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him,
for you were aliens in Egypt.”
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