This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11)
There would have been diverse feelings amongst the people.
My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.” (Jeremiah 24:6)
The Jews found themselves in a liminal space much as we do in Melbourne (as do people throughout the world).
Liminal = the space between
To get somewhere you first have to know where you are
Q. Where are we located right now? Let’s read our text to find out…
Text: Ephesians 1:19-20; 2:4-6
Ephesians 1:19-20, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
*and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms…”*
Ephesians 2:4-6, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
The third heaven is the Heavenly realms = the sphere of spiritual activities.
As a Christian, you live in this in-between place ~ “not here but not quite there.” We’re living a liminal life.
How can we live a liminal life? (The ABCs)
A - Accept you’ll never completely fit in
Q. Ever felt that you just don’t totally belong here on earth?
A. That’s because you don’t.
Because we live a liminal life…
B - Be “in” the world but not “of” it.
1 Corinthians 7:31, “those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” (engrossed = to use it all up)
Paul states this in the negative. When it comes to the world around you, don’t use it all up (not engrossed, don’t be consumed)
Jesus lived this kind of liminal life. He radically related to his world, and yet was deeply different from it. Jesus calls us to be just like him…
John 17:15-17, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them to live in accordance with the truth; your word is truth.”
As you journey through life, enjoy what this world has to offer but don’t be captivated by it ~ Be “in” the world but not “of” it.
(Cf. 1 John 2:15-17, Titus 2:14; 2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Romans 12:2)
C - Convince yourself that God has called you to a liminal life.
1 Peter 1:17, “live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.”
NAS: during the time of your stay [on earth]
“live out your time as foreigners” = living or travelling in a foreign land.
In the following chapter, Peter adds another word to describe our liminal life…
1 Peter 2:11, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles…”
Biblehub.com defines exiles as someone “passing through” but still with personal relationship with the people in that place. It’s a temporary but active connection.
Phil 3:20, “our citizenship is in heaven.”
Q. Are we representing heaven well?
The Church community is the Christian’s home away from home
The church is this amazing community of people who are citizens of heaven. When it comes to the church, the apostle Paul says, “you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…” (Ephesians 2:19)
Let’s have a high regard for Jesus’ church.
And let’s remember “The ABCs of living a liminal life”
- Accept you’ll never completely fit in
- Be “in” the world but not “of” it.
- Convince yourself that God has called you to live a liminal life.
Discussion Questions
A liminal space is “the space between.” Discuss some personal examples of a liminal space you’ve experienced or are experiencing.
Read and discuss Jeremiah 24:6. How does verse encourage you personally? How about for Bayside Church?
Have you ever felt that you just don’t totally belong here on earth? How does this message encourage you?
Discuss: “As you journey through life, enjoy what this world has to offer but don’t be captivated by it.” What do you enjoy about your world? What would you like to enjoy or put on your bucket list?
Read and discuss these verses of Scripture: 1 John 2:15-17, Titus 2:14; 2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Romans 12:2.
Share your experiences, if any, of living or traveling in a foreign land. What did you enjoy? What did you find challenging? How would you relate your experiences to the Christian life?
Paul teaches that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20) and that Christians are “Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Cor. 5:20). In other words, we represent heaven on earth as Jesus prayed we would, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Are we representing heaven well?
Discuss: The church is this amazing community of people who are citizens of heaven. When it comes to the church, the apostle Paul says, “you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household…” (Ephesians 2:19).