How To Survive When You Didn't Win Immunity (Part 1 Of 2)

How To Survive When You Didn’t Win Immunity (Pt. 1)

Col. 3.1-2

May 22, 2005

Chester, Illinois Chester FBC Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A George Whitefield was witnessing to a man and asked him, "What do you believe?" I believe what my church believes. "What does your church believe?" My church believes what I believe. "What does you & your church believe?" We believe the same thing.

a We are not saved by having faith in faith; we are saved by having faith in Christ and that faith is seen in our commitment to Christ.

b In Paul’s time, pagan worshipers would go the temple, bow @ an idol, offer a sacrifice, and then go right back to their same old life of sin.

(No change, renewal, conversion.)

When a person came into a saving relationship w/ Jesus, they were to change.

What they believed was to influence their behavior.

Survivor’s can make it w/ immunity. Believers make it by setting their hearts & minds on things above.

B Today, we’ll begin a two week look at "How To Survive When You Didn’t Win Immunity."

a 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Col 3:1-2 (NIV)

1 Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Think only about the things in heaven, not the things on earth. Col 3:1-2 (NCV)

b Paul instructed that a Christian’s belief should have influenced his/her behavior. (ETS)

C What we believe has a very definite connection with how we behave. (ESS)

a I want to give you some tools that can help you live out your faith in Jesus. (Objective)

b What tools are you currently using to allow your beliefs to shape your behaviors? (Probing Question)

T.S.: Let’s look at how two tools Paul gave to the Church of Colossae can help us keep Jesus in our daily lives.

I The first tool Paul gave the church of Colossae to help them keep Jesus in their daily lives was . . . A State of The Heart.

Since you were raised from the dead with Christ, aim at what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God

A Paul told the clumsy Colossaean Christian where to aim(set) their heart.

a "Right hand of God"

*Ps. 110.1; Acts 2. 32-36 (Print on screen, cite as ref. on listening guide)

*In Paul’s day, a person of high rank would put a person to their right, it was significant. This person at the right was given equal power, honor, and was recognized by the high ranking person as an equal.

*John 1.1 (Print in guide) (Jesus is as much as God as the Father/Holy Spt.)

*If the Christian at Colossae was aiming at Jesus, they were on target!!

b Their (Colossaeian believers) loyalties, allegiances, interests were to be on Jesus. Why? He was in a place of supremacy & control.

B Church, two questions: 1) Where is Jesus today? (At the right hand of God.) 2) What are we supposed to be doing? (Setting our hearts on things above.)

a Above? Does that mean angels, astrological chart, stars, yoga, transcendental meditation?

No way! You want to set your heart on things above, it doesn’t get any higher/heavenly than Jesus!

b NASB, NIV, KJV uses set/seek over aim. (Present Imperative in the Greek) which means it is an never ending, perpetual, repetitive action.

Keep seeking after Jesus!!!

*What if I sin today? Keep seeking Jesus.

*What if I mess up? Blow up? Keep seeking Jesus.

*Preacher, being a Christian is too tough. I’m going to back to the way I use to be. Look at v.1 again. You’ve been raised better than to give up!

*Saying "Yes" to Jesus is not a one time thing, it’s a 24/7 thing.

If your not aiming for Jesus’ seat, then your aiming for the wrong seat!

*Preacher, I’m still trying to find myself. Eph. 2.6 (If you find Jesus, you’ll find yourself.)

C The late Senator Hubert Humphrey was making a comment during a Senate committee hearing, he said, "You must remember that in politics, how you stand depends on where you sit."

a He was referring, of course, to the political party seating arrangement in the Senate, but I hear him talking about something else, to my position in Christ.

b How I stand–and walk–depends on where I sit; and I am seated with Christ at the right side of God!!! (Eph. 2.6)

T.S.: How do we "seek those things above"? The tool is found in the next verse.