Friday Night Message: Spiritual Pioneers, Part II

Feb. 23, 2024

Good evening brethren,

A week ago we introduced the subject of Spiritual Pioneers. And the approach that I will be
utilizing is primarily based upon analogies. I will first describe an aspect of the settling of
the American frontier from a physical perspective, and then draw the spiritual analogy. So
let’s look at the settling of America from that perspective – by viewing the physical and
then coming to see the fairly obvious and clear parallels in the spiritual dimension.

So now, let’s ask the question … What was the most important factor that brought about
this phenomenon of westward migration? We will spend a fair amount of time tonight on
just this factor, and then introduce consider the personal traits and characteristics that
made for a successful pioneer over the next few weeks.
What factor, more than any other, led to this migration from the old world to the new
world?

• The Pioneering Spirit and the Promise of a Better Future

Remember the saying “Go west, young man, Go west!”? That is certainly what many in
Europe started doing in the 16th & 17th Century … coming to America, they had to sail
west across the Atlantic Ocean. And then many of those who initially settled the Atlantic
seaboard went west yet again, into the uncharted wilderness of North America.

In the old world, Europe, it seemed crowded and in places overpopulated. There was very
little land available to the common man. Governments were typically oppressive …
autocratic rather than democratic. Religious persecution was widespread. The old world
didn’t seem to offer much, including hope for a better tomorrow.

So many individuals were looking for a better life … seeking to better their circumstances,
wanting to increase the potential rewards of this physical life. The time was truly “ripe” for
the settling of the new world. America might offer gold and silver, abundant land,
considerable political freedom, a new beginning … the chance to start over, the chance for a
better life. The new world was full of promise.

But guess what? Long before anyone gave the admonition to “Go West, young man”, it was
actually God Himself who first encouraged the pioneering spirit.

Gen. 1:28 – Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the
earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over
every living thing that moves on the earth.

Furthermore, when God called Abram, who became the father of the faithful, He gave
Abram some wonderful promises:

Gen. 13:14-15 – And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him; Lift your
eyes now and look from the place where you are … northward, southward, eastward and
westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever .

So here God declares that Abram will inherit land, to the N, S, E and W …physical
blessings. But God also was promising spiritual blessings to him and his descendants as
well. Notice the word of God:

Gen. 12:3 – I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you
all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Here we have an indication of grace, implying spiritual salvation (much more clearly
spelled out in the NT book of Galatians).

Gal. 3:8-9 – And the Scripture, forseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,
preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you all the nations shall be
blessed. So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

Gal. :26-29 – For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as
were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you
are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Gal. 4:7 – Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ.

So here we have the promise of God’s spirit to the seed of Abraham, and thus we are heirs
of God.

The new world promised vast wealth, tremendous natural resources, huge tracts of
land. But it would take some concerted effort to tame and to exploit this vast untapped,
unsettled wilderness. And the new world was afar off … an ocean away, a whole new
hemisphere. And there were many risks in giving up their life in the old world.

Heb. 11:13 – These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them
afar off, were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims on the earth.

The promises were afar off, but the faithful were persuaded and convinced that it was
worth the risk.
When you were called by Jesus Christ into a new life, into a new world, into a new kingdom,
you too had to decide whether or not to pursue it. Was it worth the risk …did you “count
the cost”?

Please read Luke 14:28-33 -
Many sold all of their earthly possessions to embark on a dangerous voyage over unfamiliar
waters. Or those already in America traded everything they owned for a perilous journey
westward in a Conestoga wagon.
They were willing to risk it all, because the promised rewards were so great. It was
literally the opportunity of a lifetime … too good to pass up.

Matt. 13:45-46 – Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The pearl of great price is the KOG … we must be willing to give up everything else for it!

Rom. 8:18 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

The current trials and suffering do not compare to the future glory that will be
ours forevermore. So many decided to “leave it all behind”, and in a sense, embark on a
whole new life, a brand new existence, a re-birth, a fresh start. They were motivated by the
hope for a better future!

Gen. 12:1-2 – The Lord said to Abram; Get out of your country, from your family and from
your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless
you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.

Leave your native land (go west … Abram had to travel WEST, in order to go from Ur to
Canaan). Abram left his homeland, his family, many of his possessions, etc.

Heb. 11:8 – By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he
would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By
faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Abram faced the unknown, like so many pioneers in the American West
:9 – wandering in a strange, new land

The next thing that I would like for us to examine is this … What were the typical
characteristics or traits of a successful pioneer? What were some of the critical success
factors? We will consider this next Friday Night!

Have an inspiring Sabbath,
Fred