Christ, Our Refuge

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Sermon Outline

Have you ever needed a safe place to hide?

1. 1. 1. 1. We live in a world where countless people are in need of security from many forms of violence.
         2. Our passage today is about the cities of refuge and it is important to understand something about the ANE culture to understand what this passage is saying directly to us, before we extrapolate applications to other areas of life.
            1. ANE cultures viewed life as precious, but also from an honor shame perspective
            2. Cleansing the land (Gen 4:10)
         3. What is a City of Refuge?

Who is safe within the city of refugee

1. 1. 1. 1. The city was for the Levites obviously.
         2. Anyone who had accidentally taken another’s life (Josh 20:3, 9)

The Process

1. 1. 1. 1. The accused presented their case to the elders who judged it and either granted entrance or refused it. (Josh 20:6)
         2. If one was innocent 2 conditions needed to be met–
            1. a genuine accident happened, and
            2. i.e. no prior hatred of the person who died, (Josh 20:5)
         3. They stayed in the city until the high priest died.
         4. The Asylum seeker was given a place to live (Josh 20:4)

Applying the Cities of Refuge ideas to the present time

1. 1. 1. 1. Domestic violence situations need a place to flee to and be safe
         2. Violent neighborhoods, or even violent countries need a place to flee to in order to find security.
         3. Joshua 20 “introducesthe idea of interposition…”
         4. International Asylum Seekers

Christ is our ultimate refuge

1. 1. 1. 1. The psalms call the Lord our refuge many times, 43 in fact (Ps 2:12, 5:11, 9:9, 57:1)
         2. John Baptist chastises the pharisees (Mt 3:7)
         3. We flee to Christ from the wrath of the Devil
         4. Where the city of refuge required one to cover territory in order to be safe, Christ is infinitely nearer than any city, with a simple cry we can come into the cover of Christ (Jn 6:37)
         5. Where the city of refuge was a temporary shelter, Christ is our permanent shelter so that sin, death, devil no longer have a claim on those in Christ (Heb 7:24-25, 1Cor 15:55-57)
         6. Where the city of refuge was to provide a home to the asylum seeker, Christ not only gives us a home, but welcomes us into the family of God. (Mt 12:50, Jn 15:15, 14:2-3, Eph 5:29)
         7. So in every way, we are better off in Christ than the ancient Jew seeking refuge.