TOPIC: A FOCUSED LIFE
Text: Colossians 3:1-4
“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. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Introduction:
(ILL. The Failure of a Faulty Focus – A woman bought a parrot to keep her company but returned it the next day. "This bird doesn’t talk," she told the owner. "Does he have a mirror in his cage?" he asked. "Parrots love mirrors. They see their reflection and start a conversation." The woman bought a mirror and left. The next day she returned; the bird still wasn’t talking. "How about a ladder? Parrots love ladders. A happy parrot is a talkative parrot." The woman bought a ladder and left. But the next day, she was back. "Does your parrot have a swing? No? Well, that’s the problem. Once he starts swinging, he’ll talk up a storm." The woman reluctantly bought a swing and left. When she walked into the store the next day, her countenance had changed. "The parrot died," she said. The pet storeowner was shocked. "I’m so sorry. Tell me, did he ever say a word?" he asked. "Yes, right before he died," the woman replied. "In a weak voice, he asked me, ’Don’t they sell any food at that pet store?’") Many of us are like this lady who had a faulty focus and needed to be refocus.
For example, we have all heard that Jesus is coming back. That should be the best news we will ever hear, but for many Christians, it is just a story. A story from a book that is more like fantasy than reality. A story they hear, but do not really believe. And because they do not believe it, they have missed the power they could otherwise have in Christ. I think the reason we are like that is because we have a problem with eyesight.. As humans, we are nearsighted. We focus on today because that is all we see. We live for today because today is here. And we forget about our eternities. Eternity is this vague thing that many of us do not understand, and none of us can see, so we put it on the back shelves of our minds, intending to get into it later. But the elusive “later” never arrives. Jesus is tarrying. He is delaying His return so that we might have every chance to get ready; to help and encourage others; and to build His kingdom. And we think we have all kinds of time. But, in reality – do we have all kinds of time? Turn with me to MATTHEW 24:42 says, “Therefore, keep watch – because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” The Bible is telling us that instead of living like the Second Coming will eventually happen ‘some day’, we should be living like it could happen today or tomorrow. The problem is the focus in our life. Many binoculars look to be fine, especially if they are a brand new pair. But the outside isn’t what matters with binoculars; it is the inside that counts. It could be out of focus, so no matter how good they appear to be, until they are put back in focus they are useless. Tonight, all of our lives have focus, most of the time our focus is where it should be, but from time to time we can get out of focus and need to have adjustments made in our lives. Today we will do some focus adjustment. What do we need in order to have a focus in our life as we continue our journey in this world?
Let’s read Colossians 3:1-4. From this text we can see principles to have a focused life:
A. THE FOUNDATION OF A FOCUSED LIFE
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ….”
Many people today founded their life to many foundations that this world offers such as: religion, doing good things, going to church regularly, etc. and yet no total commitment to Christ. But all of these are just like the man on Matthew 7:24-27, who builds his house on sands and after the storms came the house was destroyed. And that is the reason why many lives are being destroyed because the foundation of their life is placed on the standard of this world. From our text Paul clearly states the strong foundation of a focused life was Jesus who died for all of us on the cross, was buried and raised from the dead after three days. Jesus Christ is our strong foundation, our total commitment and adoration to Him, our passion to Him. Also what Paul said here his raising from the dead, his resurrection. Without the resurrection from the dead our faith is useless and our life is doomed and hopeless. Christ resurrection is the very reason why we need to have a focused life.
B. THE FORMATION OF A FOCUSED LIFE
There is a pattern principle in our text that Paul shows that will able to help us to have a focused life:
“…set your hearts on things above. Set your minds on things above…where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” From this text Paul is telling as to be:
1. Be Wise - There is a song that goes; “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” Paul commands us to set our heart and our minds to the things above for us to realize that this is not our real home we are just passing through. We are here for a very short stay and then we will be on our way to our final destination; eternity. And that has to do with the biggest problem Christians have. We are here for a very short time, yet we act like this is all there is. We look at our present life as all there is because the physical is all we know. Many of us go through life looking at our Christian life as a side dish, or a hobby, as we take care of our worldly priorities. (ILL. The Twenty Third Channel – The TV is my shepherd ; my spiritual growth shall want. It maketh me to sit down and do nothing for His name’s sake, because it requireth all my leisure time. It keepeth me from doing my duty as Christian because it presenteh so many good shows I must see. It restoreth my knowledge of the things of the world and keepeth me from the study of God’s Word. It leadeth me in the paths of failing to attend church and being useless in the kingdom of God. Ye, though I live to be hundred, I shall keep viewing my TV as long as it will work, for it is my closest companion. It presenteh entertainment before me and keepeth me from doing important things with my family. It fills my head with ideas which differ from those in the Word of God. Surely no good thing will come of my life, because of so many wasted hours, and I shall dwell in my remorse and bitter memories forever.) God expects everything in our lives to be centered on Jesus Christ. That includes every relationship you have. And that includes your total commitment. God will not reward a ‘casual Christian’, because they have not made a total commitment to submit their lives to Him. It is a human trait to be superficial. Very few people, including Christians, have ever spent any real time at all thinking about “how” they life. For instance, if someone were to ask you to explain how you know you are a Christian, how would you answer them? Most people would say something like –• I go to church regularly • I read my Bible fairly regularly • I try to live a good life. How much better of a witness it would be to answer like – • I believe the blood of Jesus allowed for my salvation • I have chosen to follow Jesus in my life • I have faith that Jesus is the ONLY Redeemer. We don’t answer that way most of the time, because we apply our faith where it is easy and convenient to do so. Why do we do that? Because we want to be faithful, but we also want to enjoy what this world offers us. When we see a Christian who is living out their faith in a “sold out” way, we join the world in criticizing them as being a fanatic, or belonging to “one of those other church denominations”. When a Christian lives their life as if Jesus could return today, we consider them an embarrassment to other Christians. In EPHESIANS 5:15-17, we read, “Be very careful then, how you live – not as unwise, but as wise – making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Make the most of every opportunity. - - Do you do that? Because the days are evil. - Do you actually consider the days in your lives evil? Therefore, do not be foolish. - - Would God rate the way you live as “foolish”? Understand what the Lord’s will is. Romans 12:2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - (ILL. “To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge, to find the will of God is the greatest discovery, and to do the will of God is the greatest achievement.”) Do you search for God by calling out to Him? Or, do you spend your life claiming to be Christian yet not doing many of the things Christ has called you to do – wanting God to reward us but doing nothing that would make Him want to? God calls us to live wisely that is why He wants you to set your hearts and your minds on things above, and He expects you to be serious about doing so. That means you are to put Jesus as the center & head of your life.
2. Be Focused - Have you ever driven a long distance with small children in the car? How do you focus on driving safely when every five minutes you hear, “Are we there yet?” After awhile, this commotion makes it hard to focus properly on the trip. How do you respond when you get unfocused like that? How many of you would have said something like, “We’re closer now than we were the last time you asked?” Or, the classic response, “Don’t make me stop this car!” No matter how you would respond, it is the children who keep the most focus on a long trip. And their focus is always and fully on the destination. That is not a bad principle to keep in our lives, either. Without a focus, we don’t really have a destination, do we? And without a destination, we don’t really have any way of measuring where we are in life. “Are we there yet” becomes a mantra that we cannot answer without a focus and destination. At this time of year, we focus on the birth of our Lord. Without His birth, we would have no focus. And Paul told us that we must keep our focus on His resurrection that Jesus has been raised from the dead, for without that, we would have no destination, and everything will be useless. Philippians 3:12, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Like Paul as Christians, we must keep our focus always to Jesus and to what He took hold of us. (ILL. C.S. Lewis wrote a book entitled, “The Screwtape Letters”. In this book, he told of a high-ranking demon teaching a less experienced demon in the best way to keep humans from having an effective relationship with the Lord. He says that all the old methods don’t work anymore. He tells of how they used torture; then they threw them in dungeons; but all these did was make humans mad, and when humans got mad, you couldn’t do a thing with them. He went on to say that they quit all that stuff right after the McCarthy hearings. He says there is a whole new approach to keeping people away from God now. He says to pour on the good life. Give them an income that covers way more than just the basics, and give them campers, two cars, and a job that lets them have a lot of time off. He said when you do that to a good solid Christian family, you can then just sit back and before long they will crack like a nut. He said they will start telling everyone just how much God has blessed them, and while they are praising God for all these things, they are hooking the camper up and getting ready to skip church while they go away for the weekend. Or maybe he will turn on his big screen TV and do nothing at all except watch the boob tube, instead of getting up and doing anything for the Lord or for church. Lewis went on to write that if the demons keep pouring on the good life every week, pretty soon the Christians will be so busy they have no more time for God.) Do you know what the sad part about all this is? It works. It works very well. Actually now Jesus was taken out in Christmas. The devil doesn’t care if you go to church every week. In fact, he wants you to. He wants you to go to church all the time, and he wants you to be so busy you have no time to worship the Lord, to have the passion for God. He wants you to live the superficial life by not being accountable to anyone, or being part of a small group; the life where the only focus you have is on the moment at hand. He desperately wants you to be a “casual Christian”. God wants us to live our life focused on the things above, on our Savior, Jesus Christ. And make no mistake about this; He fully expects us to live a life that is totally sold out for Jesus. We must have faith to keep our focus on our destination. Sometimes, I think we don’t fully understand what it means to have faith. For that reason, I sometimes believe we don’t understand what it means to have true focus, either. We have had the good life so long; we have all but forgotten what it means to work at anything. This might explain what it would mean to have true focus. (ILL. The U.S. Marine Corps conducts a secret sniper program in Quantico, Virginia. It is aptly called ‘Sniper Camp’. The school admits 25 men every eight weeks where they are expected to work hard for 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Very few men pass this course. It is an incredibly tough thing to go through! To graduate, each person goes on a mock mission into a specific area. After they get imbedded in that area, the instructors go to that area and try to find them. If they do find him, the person fails the course. It takes a great amount of focus to keep from being found. To get in range of his target, a sniper moves very slowly. It is not uncommon for a sniper to move along at the rate of one inch per hour. Sometimes, the sniper will lie absolutely still for one or two days without moving at all, despite the insect bites, the cold weather, and the fear of such things as snakes. Without that total focus on their destination, they would never graduate.) If you think about it, we expect that same kind of intense focus on everyone who does well in our society. We demand that committed focus from doctors, judges, athletes, and even preachers. But do you realize that there is somebody who expects that same type of focus from you? The moment we declare our self a Christian, God starts expecting that intense focus from you on His Son and on His purpose. And you know what? God deserves that type of dedication from each one of us. The very sad part of it is that most of us never have that kind of focus because we don’t think it is really necessary. What the average Christian does is get really comfortable and then - stops. They remain at that point and make up all kinds of things to justify why they don’t give any more to the Lord. They focus on their desires; their comfort level, and their need: All to the exclusion of the needs and desires of Jesus.
C. THE FUTURE OF A FOCUSED LIFE
“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
(ILL. Christ As Live In – When Queen Victoria reigned in England; she occasionally would visit some of the humble cottages of her subjects. One time she entered the home of a widow and stayed to enjoy a brief period of Christian fellowship. Later on, the poor woman was taunted by her worldly neighbors. “Granny,” they said, “who’s the most honored guest you’ve ever entertained in your home?” They expected her to say it was Jesus, for despite their constant ridicule of her Christian witness, they recognized her deep spirituality. But to their surprise she answered, “The most honored guest I’ve entertained is Her Majesty the Queen.” “Did you say the Queen? Ah, we caught you this time! How about this Jesus you’re always talking about? Isn’t He your most honored guest?” Her answer was definite and scriptural, “NO, indeed! He’s not a guest. He LIVES HERE”! Her hecklers were put to silence.)
An old Christmas song goes something like this: "Santa Claus is coming to town. He’s making a list, checking it twice – He’s gonna find out who’s naughty and nice, Santa Claus is coming to town.” I never did like that song! When I was younger, I heard that song and it made me afraid of Santa. I mean, if he knew everything, then he knew how I bothered my brothers and sister and how I didn’t always do as my parents told me. And, if he knew all that, he couldn’t help but be mad at me and that would mean I wouldn’t get any presents. I think that must be how many people view Jesus. They think that because they have been so bad, they are already destined to go to hell. And the devil loves it when people believe that lie. I say it is a lie, because everyone has the chance to do a U-turn. We all have a “do-over” coming.
God promise a bright and certain future for those who let the life that Christ seen in their life. A life that will one day appear with Christ in glory. A life that is focused unto Him and His purpose in his life. (ILL. He knows – He knows, He loves, He cares, / nothing this truth can dim, / He does the very best for those, / who leave the choice with Him.)
Conclusion:
(ILL. Steering By Higher Compass – Before the days of modern navigational aids a traveler made the Atlantic crossing in a boat equipped with two compasses. One was fixed to the deck where the man at the wheel could see it. The other compass was fastened up on one of the masts, and often a sailor would be seen climbing up to inspect it. The passenger asked the captain, “Why do you have two compasses?” “This is an iron vessel,” replied the captain, “and the compass on the deck is often affected by its surroundings. Such is not the case with the compass at the masthead; that one is above the influence. We steer by the compass above.” Do we also as Christian? That is why Paul said, “Set your mind and heart on the things above.”.)
How is your focus? Is it blurred and seems not clear? Then, you need to get back to your focus in your life, by setting your heart, your mind to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith, by being wise and focused so that you will have a right focused in your life. Hebrews 12:1-2, “1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
