Citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20)
If you’ve watched the news or followed the stories of immigrants being deported, you can see that some people are looking for a place of safety and belonging in our country. Some of these immigrants are criminals beyond illegal migration. We are glad to see them go. They are causing all kinds of problems in society with gangs and human trafficking. But many were simply desperate to enter a country where they could be free. They are looking for a home that is free of oppression and corruption. Many families are losing all that they have worked for and being sent back to the country they came from. Perhaps it's justice for people who illegally entered to be sent back, but it's not a happy situation. It's tragic when we put ourselves in their shoes.
I don't want to debate that situation or linger on that topic for too long. I'm not even going to tell you what I really think about it, but I want us to use that picture to help us in our study this morning. This struggle of migrants reflect a deeper reality for believers. As followers of Christ, we live in a world where we are present, but we do not ultimately belong. Our citizenship is not of this earth; our true home is in the kingdom of heaven. The Bible tells us that as Christ's church, the assembly of the saved, our citizenship isn’t rooted in any earthly nation. Our true home, our true identity, is in the kingdom of heaven. What does that mean for how we live here and now? How should being a citizen of heaven change our priorities, our decisions, and the way we interact with the world around us?
That’s what we’re going to talk about today. First, we are going to see where we belong. Second, we are going to see what that means for the church. Third, we are going to look at what citizens do.
1. Where Do You Belong? The Crisis of Identity
Everyone is looking for a sense of belonging. People define themselves by their job, their family, their political views, or their nationality. Some chase after financial success or social status, hoping it will give them security and purpose. But these things, as good as they may be, can never fully provide what is needed. They are temporary, shifting, and uncertain. If we put our ultimate trust in them, we’ll always end up feeling lost when they let us down.
Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” That one statement reshapes everything. If our citizenship is in heaven, that means our loyalty, our values, and our identity are unlike anything we see in the world around us.
Think about how people live when they belong to a particular nation. Citizens obey the laws of their country, speak its language, and embrace its culture. If they move abroad, they still carry that national identity with them. In the same way, if we are truly citizens of heaven, we live by the laws and values of God’s kingdom, not the shifting priorities of this world.
C.S. Lewis once said, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." If we feel unsettled here, if we look around and think, "This world is not as it should be," that’s because we were made for something greater. We were made for God’s kingdom.
Consequently, we should be living as if our true home is in heaven. Our priorities and decisions ought to suggest that our hope is not tied to the kingdoms of this world.
2. The Church: Heaven’s Embassy on Earth
If our citizenship is in heaven, where do we go to be reminded of who we are? Where do we learn the ways of the kingdom? That’s where the church comes in.
Think about what an embassy does. If you’re in a foreign country and you run into trouble, where do you go? You go to your nation’s embassy. That’s where you find protection, guidance, and connection to your homeland. That’s exactly what this church building is supposed to be—a place where we come together as kingdom citizens to maintain our identity in the world. We could do this anywhere. In other countries it's happening in fields or in people's homes. The church is the people, and the people provide the connection to the kingdom of heaven.
Last year, Jenna and I watched a movie called Not Without My Daughter. It is based on a true story and stars Sally Field as Betty Mahmoody, an American woman married to an Iranian doctor. She and her daughter traveled to Iran under the impression it was a short visit, only to realize she was trapped. Her husband, who had once been kind, became controlling and abusive, forcing her to conform to Islamic customs and stripping her of her freedom.
Despite the fear and oppression, she never forgot her true home. She longed to return to the United States where she was free. In one pivotal scene, she reaches an American embassy and is given an opportunity to escape—but she refuses to leave without her daughter. That determination drives the rest of the story. Eventually, after great risk and sacrifice, she reaches another embassy in a different country, securing her and her daughter's safe return to America.
This story illustrates the longing of a citizen for their true homeland, much like our spiritual longing for the kingdom of heaven. Betty Mahmoody’s desperation to return to her home is the kind of urgency we should have in seeking God’s kingdom. Just as she was willing to leave everything behind to regain her freedom, we must be willing to let go of worldly attachments to embrace our true citizenship in Christ. And our church family is our embassy. We come here for guidance and encouragement, but we go back out into the world to bring people with us.
But here’s the problem: Too many Christians treat gathering with the church as optional. They see it as an event to attend, not as a vital part of their identity. But the truth is, you can’t live as a citizen of heaven if you cut yourself off from the very place God designed to equip you for that life.
In the movie, another American woman was also trapped in Iran and befriended Betty. However, over time, she lost hope of ever returning to the United States. Instead of seeking escape, she resigned herself to her situation and conformed to the oppressive culture around her. In her despair, she even betrayed Betty, no longer believing that freedom was possible.
Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:19-20, “You are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” The church is a building, it’s a community where citizens of God’s kingdom come together to be strengthened, trained, and reminded of who we are. We don't belong here. We belong in another world, another realm.
We must remain engaged in the life of the church. Do you see it as your embassy, your training ground for kingdom living? Or is our gathering just another activity on your schedule?
3. What Do Kingdom Citizens Do?
If we are truly citizens of heaven, and the church is a community that trains and strengthens our fellow citizens, then the next question is: How do we live this out? What does it actually look like to be a kingdom citizen in everyday life?
First, we need to understand what this kingdom is and is not. This kingdom is unlike any kingdom of earth. Earthly kingdoms, like Rome, rise and fall. They are built on power, politics, and borders that can change overnight. They rely on force to maintain control, and their laws shift with time. But the kingdom of heaven is eternal, unshaken by world events. It is built on righteousness and truth, ruled by a perfect King who never changes. It's territory is not defined by borders, but by the hearts of those who submit to Christ. In earthly kingdoms, power is taken, but in God's kingdom, power is given through grace and service. This is the kingdom to which we belong.
Jesus gives us the answer in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Kingdom citizens prioritize the things of God above everything else. That doesn’t mean we ignore our responsibilities in the world, but it means that everything we do—our jobs, our relationships, our finances—is shaped by our allegiance to Christ and our longing for His Kingdom.
Here are four practical ways we live as kingdom citizens:
We prioritize the kingdom in our decisions. When we make choices about our time, our money, and our goals, we ask, "Does this align with God’s kingdom?" Colossians 3:1-2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Kingdom citizens make decisions with eternity in mind.
We love radically. The world is quick to judge, divide, and cancel. But kingdom citizens forgive when others seek revenge. We love our enemies when the world tells us to fight them. Colossians 3:12-14 reminds us to “put on compassionate hearts… bearing with one another.”
We shine as lights in a dark world. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others.” People should see something different in the way we live—something that points them to Jesus.
We live with unshakable hope. This world is broken, and we will face trials. But we endure because we know that God’s kingdom will never fail. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who remains steadfast under trial.” Kingdom citizens don’t despair when earthly kingdoms crumble—we trust in the eternal reign of Christ. Hebrews 12:28 reminds us that we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, calling us to offer God acceptable worship with reverence and awe.
So here’s the challenge: What will you do differently this week to live as a citizen of heaven? What changes need to happen in your life so that your priorities, your actions, and your mindset reflect the kingdom of God? How will you live with a spouse, children, other relatives, co-workers, or strangers? Will you think, speak, and act differently because you believe you are not like those in the world or will you act like everyone else?
Conclusion: The Invitation to Kingdom Citizenship
Nations will rise and fall, leaders will come and go, and everything we build here will eventually be gone. One day, every earthly kingdom will fade. But the kingdom of God will stand forever. The only citizenship that will matter in the end is the one we have in Christ.
He left His home in heaven, died on the cross, and made it possible for you to be citizens in His eternal home. So what will you do with that truth? Will you shun the opportunity? Will you continue to live as if this world is your home, or will you fully embrace your identity as a citizen of heaven?
It’s time to stop living divided lives. It’s time to stop trying to find hope in things that won’t last. It’s time to live as who we really are—citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. One day, we will experience this kingdom and this city in it's fullest sense, but we are citizens of heaven now! Live like it now.