Cornerstone Baptist Church November 18, 2007
Clint Meade
Colossians 3:1-4
My brother has a great big motor home. Many times this summer he has driven it by our house on his way to a local racetrack while blowing the horn profusely.
The motor home has allowed people to put all the conveniences of home on wheels. A camper no longer needs to contend with sleeping in a sleeping bag, cooking over a fire, or hauling water from a stream.
People can park a fully equipped home in the midst of a few pine trees and hook up to a water line, a sewer line, and electricity. Some motor homes even have a satellite dish attached on top. No more bother with dirt; no more smoke from the fire; no more drudgery of walking to the stream. Now it is possible to go camping and never have to go outside.
People buy a motor home with the hope of seeing new places and getting out into the world. Yet they deck it out with the same furnishings they have in their living room. Thus nothing really changes. We may drive to a new place and set ourselves in new surroundings, but the newness goes unnoticed because we’ve only carried along our old setting…..our old habits…our old way of thinking.
The adventure of new life in Christ begins when the comfortable patterns of the old life are left behind.
With such thoughts in mind, I’d like to look at a couple of things in light of our Scripture text this morning.
FIRST, CONSIDER OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES:
WE ARE CALLED TO SEEK THE THINGS OF HEAVEN.
Col. 3:1
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Did you notice that?.....we have been raised with Christ!
It is a fact that God has raised us with Christ.
We talked a little about that in my last sermon.
Paul wrote, in Ephes. 2:4-6
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Indeed, we’ve been raised up with Christ.
The Bible clearly states that it’s a done deal!
Think back to Col. 2:20…..
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules
Now, Verse 1 in our text today says we’ve been “Raised with Christ”.
It is an undeniable fact of the Christian life that the Christian is risen with Christ.
These are our current circumstances: we are united with Christ.
We are justified by Christ.
Romans 6:4-5 says
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
[5] If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
WE SHOULD BE LIVING A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST….
We shouldn’t be bringing along all our old stuff like the guy in the motor home.
When we come to Christ we give Him our broken-ness and in its place, He gives us His new life.
The Christian life is all about living the new life that Christ has given us.
Christians should be saying “so long” to their former way of life as they begin their new life ….a life that is patterned on the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ is infallible, unalterable, and eternal.
Our new life is in Him…we have appropriated it by faith in Him alone.
God wants each of us to lay hold of these truths by that same faith.
Nothing is earned in god’s sight…it is always by grace.
WE’VE GOT A CALLING TO SET OUR AFFECTION ON THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE---WHERE CHRIST IS.
Verse 1 continues…..“set your hearts on things above”.
Pursue those things….look for them….want them…strive to obtain them.
In other words, make the things of heaven part of our lives right now.
Our focus needs to be on our ascended and glorified Savior.
There are a lot of other distractions, so it takes a big effort from us to concentrate on Him.
As Christians, we have some personal responsibility….
Our lives should demonstrate the reality of our salvation in Jesus.
The command is simple….“set your hearts on things above”…..set your heart on heavenly things.
How do we go about doing that?
Those who are lost live their lives concentrating on things which they can smell, taste, see and feel.
It is a life that is all about material things.
Sadly, they don’t realize that there is more to life than that.
If we’re going to be spiritually minded people, it can only happen if we set our hearts on the things above.
You see, our minds are naturally inclined toward the things of the earth.
That’s the natural inclination of our old nature.
In Matthew 6:31-32, Jesus spoke of the yearnings that consume the thinking of the unsaved man…..
So do not worry, saying, ’What shall we eat?’ or ’What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
In verse 33, He went on to say…..
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The Lord wants us to have hearts that are concerned with spiritual matters.
“How can I love Jesus more?”……how can I know Him better….how can I serve Him better…how can I become more Christ-like?”
Sadly, many of God’s people are thinking, and behaving like non-Christians.
God doesn’t want that for His children.
He wants every one of us to be thinking and living and walking in the Spirit.
When Jesus is the center of our lives, life takes on a greater purpose, ….it becomes worth living.
The Bible contains the thoughts of Christ.
We must read it if we are to “set our hearts on things above.”
We must do our part.
As we do, the counselor and comforter that Jesus has given us in His Holy Spirit will give us understanding.
God will always do His part.
Col. 3:1 continues
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Jesus is not in a grave somewhere…..He is seated at the right hand of God!....He is alive.
The right hand denotes a position of power and authority.
When we are in Jesus, we share His destiny.
Consequently, we have the right to seek heavenly things because of Him.
WE’VE GOT A CALLING TO SET OUR THINKING ON THINGS ABOVE
Col. 3:2
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Think on the things of Heaven.
Don’t look for the world’s understanding….the Bible says the things of this world will pass away. (1 John 2:15-17)
Together, Vs. 1 and 2 say….that our affection and our thinking are both to be set on things above.
Philip. 2:1-11
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, [2] then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. [3] Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. [4] Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
[5] Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
[6] Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
[7] but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
[8] And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death--
even death on a cross!
[9] Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
[10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
[11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
If we let our thoughts dwell on evil things, we are in danger of permitting sin and evil to get a foothold in our minds.
2 Cor. 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
H. A. Ironside told of a simple brother who had been greatly concerned after his conversion that by some sinful act or lack of faith he might in some way forfeit his salvation and lose the new life that had in grace been given to him. As he listened to the words, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”., his anxiety disappeared and he exclaimed with rapture, "Glory to God! Whoever heard of a man drowning with his head that high above water!"
That man’s words expressed a great truth.
Our Hearts and our Heads should be in Heaven….where nothing can ever separate the Christian from the risen Christ.
Philip. 3:17-20
Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. [18] For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Where are our hearts and minds this morning?
Are they on self…on material things…on worldly things…or on heavenly things?
God calls on His children to think about eternal things.
He wants us to be heavenly-minded.
After all, isn’t our citizenship in heaven.??
Isn’t that where we are going to spend eternity.??
OUR CALLING IS ALSO BASED ON OUR NEW POSITION
Col. 3:3
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
This explains why we must set our hearts and minds on "things above".
At the point of our salvation, God says that we died together with Christ.
Look also at Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Christians are identified with Jesus in His death.
Not only was HE crucified on Calvary, but the Bible says you and I were too!
Our death with Christ took place once and for all on the Cross of Calvary.
We died once for all to the world and we now live with Christ in God.
We are now positionally justified…..we have been restored to God’s favor on the basis of grace through faith.
We are dead to the things of the world
Hence, we are no longer children of Adam who are under the condemnation of the law.
If that is true of our position in Christ before God….shouldn’t it also be true of our behavior before the eyes of God?
Sin should not affect and influence us like it used to.
Romans 6:2-11 says:
…… We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? [3] Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
[5] If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. [6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- [7] because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
[8] Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. [9] For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. [10] The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
[11] In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Look at the last part of Col. 3:3
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
What a clear statement of our eternal security in Jesus!
Our life is not hidden from us…. Rather…. it is hidden for us.
Our life is now securely in Jesus.
God reserves eternal life and eternal blessings for us in heaven.
1 Peter 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, [4] and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, [5] who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
We do not become a Christian by what we do…. but by what we become through faith in Christ.
We are not secure in God by what we do… but by whose we are and what we are.
It is all a matter of God’s grace.
But let us remember: What we have now become in Christ should compel each of us to want to live a life that pleases God.
SO, WE HAVE CONSIDERED OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES
SECONDLY THEN, LET US CONSIDER OUR FORTUNATE FUTURE
IT IS A FUTURE WITH A GREAT REWARD!
Look at Col. 3:4
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
That is the promised destiny of the believer.
WE’VE GOT A CALLING THAT IS BASED IN THAT GLORIOUS HOPE.
Jesus is the One in whom we have life.
He is presently preparing a place for us:
Jesus said, in John 14:1-6
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. [2] In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life
John 11:25
…. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
Look again at Col. 3:4…"When Christ, who is your life, appears…."
When Jesus comes He will be made known, ….made plain to us.
We will see Him as He is.
He will reveal His true character.
God is presently moving toward that time.
Brothers and sisters, are you looking forward to Christ’s coming to take us to be with Him?
Shouldn’t we set our hearts…. and minds… and hopes upon the eternal world in which we will live?
Jesus is there, …our home is there, …our citizenship is there, … our wealth is there.
Our security is there.
What is there here to make us cling so desperately to a dying world full of dying people?
Shouldn’t we look forward to being there in Heaven too?
Why would a sailor cling to a sinking ship when his home is within sight?
Philip. 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
1 Thes. 4:14-17
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. [15] According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Won’t that be a wonderful reunion?!!
Col. 3:4
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
What a gospel we have! Surely it was never conceived in the mind of men.
It couldn’t have been, for it makes nothing of man but everything of Jesus.
May we dwell on it more and more as the days grow darker and the end draws near.
May we live in a daily expectation of Christ’s return to take us to be with Himself.
Right now, Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand, but one day soon He will come to take us home.
When Jesus is revealed in His glory, we will also be revealed in glory.!!!
THAT IS A FORTUNATE FUTURE INDEED!!!!!
