Citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20)
Pastor Tan Thai · May 1, 2011
This sermon compares earthly nations with the Kingdom of Heaven, based on Philippians 3:20. Drawing from the Tower of Babel and the Roman citizenship of Philippians, the pastor leads the congregation to understand the profound meaning of being 'citizens of heaven.'
The sermon opens with a broad overview of the world's 196 nations, over 5,000 ethnic groups, and nearly 7,000 languages. The pastor traces the origin of this division to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, when humanity's pride drove them to build a name for themselves, and God scattered them across the earth with different languages.
The second section surveys the tragic consequences of humanity's fragmentation into many peoples: war, racial discrimination, genocide, and slavery. The pastor cites specific figures — 6 million Jews killed by Nazi Germany, 1 million Rwandans massacred in 100 days, and millions more under Stalin and Mao — concluding that a 'unified world' remains an illusion as long as sin dwells in humanity.
The pastor then parallels the journey of Vietnamese refugees seeking a new homeland with the faith of Abraham, who left Haran for an unknown land, waiting for 'a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God' (Hebrews 11:8–10). Both stories reflect humanity's deep longing for a place of safety, freedom, and future hope.
The sermon explains the historical significance of Philippi — a privileged city within the Roman Empire whose residents enjoyed full Roman citizenship, including legal rights, tax exemption, and protection from torture and crucifixion. Understanding the weight of that citizenship, the Philippian believers could fully grasp Paul's declaration: 'But our citizenship is in heaven' (Philippians 3:20).
The closing section describes the characteristics of Heaven: it is the city God himself built according to his promise to Abraham, the place Jesus promised to prepare for his people (John 14:1), where there will be no more death, mourning, or pain (Revelation 21:4), and where people from every nation are gathered to receive a new name from the Lord (Revelation 2:17; 19:12). The sermon ends with an introduction to an upcoming series on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7, which will explore the conditions, character, and responsibilities of citizens of Heaven.