Isaiah 23:7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

Over the past four days I have related to you this image of the Jesus Train, the Train to Glory, a vehicle of transportation to an end promised by God the Father to all who have placed their faith in Christ. If you can see this image, it is singular in nature. Being in Christ is everything but there is a duality that pulls at our awareness with a reality that is impossible to ignore.

Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

While we are on the salvation track, while we are on the Jesus Train, our journey is in this world with purpose. We cannot ignore that we are in the world and subject to all the pain, misery, attacks and deceptions of this world. We are in this world, just not of this world.

I’ve been on this journey for decades. Time says it has been a long journey, eternity says it is but a spec so small it is hard to recall. Sojourn means temporary dwelling, not meant to be permanent. Everything within us says settle down, take root, make a life, raise children, live and yet at the same time go with God.

I understand it is not easy to hold two opposing views at the same time. The truth is we are not just one thing. We are created after His image, our own trinity, and one of those parts dwells eternally. That part which is in Christ.

Acts 17:9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. NIV

The similarity of being held captive by sin is a bondage, much like being placed in jail as Jason was here. Someone has to pay to set them free. Now Christ has paid the price and has set you free from this bondage. You are now at Salvation Station, your ticket has been punched, all you have to do is get on board the Jesus Train and begin that journey.

Yesterday I mentioned that those of us who are on the train are rejoicing at your ticket purchase and longing to see you get on board. You hear the conductor call out “All aboard” and you are still rejoicing over being set free. You did not focus on the invitation to get on board. Salvation Station is your symbol of freedom and you haven’t explored those feelings of freedom and all that means to you. You see Salvation Station as a destination and not the departure point for your next great adventure.

Salvation Station was never created as a place to abide in Christ. Another Jesus Train will be along at some time but until then, this Salvation Station is not the source of the abundant life promised to you John 10:10. Salvation Station is located in the world for ease of access to sinners.

Are you tempted to go back out into the world to explore your new found freedom?

Romans 6:13-15 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Get on board. Your journey has yet to begin.