The spiritual sojourner

Sojourner is a biblical word. It means a traveller who lives in a place temporarily, a foreigner, a resident alien. I choose the word “sojourner” to describe a disciple because the Christian life is like a journey.

The image of a journey is a powerful biblical metaphor for our life in this world. John Bunyan wrote a whole book, Pilgrim’s Progress, based on this idea. (Next to the Bible, it is probably my favourite book.) It drives home the point that while we have assurance of salvation by accepting Christ once for all, we need to keep going on this journey of life, no matter how difficult it is. It encourages us to “continue to work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

When it comes to being a sojourner, Abraham is one of the best examples from the Bible. Hebrews 11:8–10 describes him as a sojourner and makes three points about a spiritual sojourner.

First, a spiritual sojourner is drawn by God’s calling (v.8). God’s calling of salvation changes us and defines us. It is what caused us to leave our old life behind, just like Abraham left his homeland to begin his journey of faith. Further, in responding to God’s call, we have to let go of our own security and learn to depend on Him.

Second, the spiritual sojourner travels light and stays mobile (v.9). A disciple is not at home yet, and should not be tied down by worldly possessions. Genesis 12:9 says something about Abraham that seems mundane but is actually very meaningful. It simply says that Abraham journeyed on. The Hebrew verb here refers to pulling up the tent pegs. Because Abraham was not tied down to any one place, all he had to do was pull up his tent pegs, roll up the tents, pack his animals, and off he went.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:19–21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Third, a spiritual sojourner heads towards God’s destination (v.10). Abraham was looking forward to “the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” We too need to have God’s destination for us within our sight. It sets our course, gives us hope (because of the joy at the journey’s end), and motivates us to persevere.

The trouble with many of us is that we don’t think about God’s destination enough to be captivated by it. Hebrews 12:1–3 exhorts us, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Brothers and sisters, let’s keep on keeping on in our journey of faith.

Marcus Tso is a sessional instructor in theology and ethics at Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford. This is excerpted from the last in a series of sermons he preached in 2002, when associate pastor at South Vancouver Pacific Grace MB Church, called “The Marks of a True Disciple.” The series was based on the six points developed in the Description of a Growing Disciple.