“My Building”
Purpose for a New Year - #4 of 4
Jerry Watts
Col. 3:1-4
(NOTE: I am indebted to Dr. Gene Mimms, Dr. Thom Rainer, & Dr Rick Warren for their writings that assisted greatly with this series of messages)
• We began, what has been for me – a journey – four messages to discover, understand, develop, and live our lives (personally & collectively) according to God’s purpose/mission/vision for us. We’ve talked about how to start it, the myths related to ‘purpose living & church growth’, & the foundation for achieving this; so tonight, let’s conclude our ‘structure’ the idea “my building.” Your building is YOUR LIFE. It is what you are to do, how you are to function, & how you are to live. The Bible teaches us the ‘how-to’ live with, on, & for a purpose. Let’s read our text.
• We have before mentioned ‘confusion.’ A man decided to commit suicide. Saturating his body with gasoline, he put a rope around his neck, tied it to a tree limb that jutted out over a river. He put a pistol to his temple. He then set a match to his body, jumped from the tree and pulled the trigger on the pistol. Missing his temple, the bullet hit the rope and cut it and he fell in the water below which immediately put out the flames. As he climbed back up the bank of the river, gasping, he said, "Wow! If I hadn't have been a good swimmer I'd have drowned!" Clyde Murdock, submitted by Robert Strand, Grand Junction, Colorado.+
• Thomas Carlyle “The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder, a waif, a nothing, a no man”. Whether individually or collectively, it is dangerous to live without a purpose. This type of living can lead to depression (and depression is epidemic today. Solomon suggest that without a purpose, “What’s the use? You’re chasing the wind & reaping the whirlwind.”
• In God’s design of building the church, everyone has a purpose, a part to plan, & a divine design to live. 1 Cor 12 tells us we are in the body which means “we are in this together” in this. We are called to be a part in the building of God’s Kingdom. Let’s Colossians 3 teach us.
• Verse 1 begins with this conditional statement: “If you have been raised with Christ.” How was Christ raise? On the cross, from the grave, & into heaven. This speaks of our salvation.
• This tells us that before you can be or even have a desire to live out & complete God’s divine purpose of reaching, teaching, discipling, telling, sharing & showing – you must KNOW CHRIST. When the Bible speaks of a man KNOWING his wife, it is relating to intimate, personal, spiritual, & even a sexual connection. The most personal & intimate connection known to mankind is the ‘one-flesh’ of the sexual relationship. Knowing Christ is a personal & intimated connection to Christ which transcends even our understanding. It matters not how long you have walked with God, there is always more to learn, understand, see, know, & to grow. Knowing Christ is more than being saved from hell to Heaven, it is communing with God and abiding in Christ.
• Without this relationship – there is little else that could be said to help us (you). However, with this – there is so much more. That is the foundation – so now you’re ready to build. Our texts offers us at least 3 practical & helpful thoughts as to how we should build our lives.
1) SET YOUR HEARTS – We can call this the ‘floor joist’ of our lives. What you do with your heart is your beginning spot. It is true, that ‘with the heart you believe’ which is why we have come to use the term, “Invite Jesus in your heart.” Certainly, that phrase is not in the Bible, but we know that Jesus taking up residence in our heart is a ‘result’ of our believing in Jesus. Once we trust Christ and are saved, we must ‘set our hearts.’ We know about ‘setting things.’ We “set” our clocks, our radio, our TV, & our schedule. When we set our clocks (alarm), we must seek out the time at which we need a reminder or wake-up call & we make sure it happens. Our Bible tells us that “after we are saved, we should ‘seek’ the things which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.’ The word ‘seek’ means to search out in order to find, to meditate, reason, inquire, aim at, or strive after. It’s the word use when Jesus said, “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God.” Wherever your heart is, your focus is. To give us a ‘handle’ on this truth, consider three thoughts;
a) Direction – Seek the things which are “above.” Jesus prayed, “Your work be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” When we ‘seek’ what it above, our focus is not on the temporary or things below rather, on the divine. The ploy of Satan is to get us to make our MISS your target, which I would submit is Throne of Grace. Scripture says, “Looking unto Jesus” which is a hard life’s lesson. Too often our seeking involves things of earth because our hearts are set on human frequency. To build our lives according to Him, we must set our hearts on “HIS” frequency, toward Him.
b) Protection – If we are saved & secure why are we concerned with ‘protection.’ Here’s why: The human heart is tender, easy to penetrate, & is wicked. This is one reasons why the writer of Proverbs (4:23) says to “Guard your heart” & Paul writes to Ephesus, “Put on the breastplate of righteousness.” Psalms 119:11 speaks plainly, “I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” If we don’t protect our hearts with truth, our heart can be pierced with the lies of this world. Satan wants to discredit, debilitate, and destroy you. Paul tells us to ‘put thing down, put them away, put them to death, & even rid yourselves.’ Protection.
c) Affection – The only way to turn your face to Christ is to turn your back to the world. James tells us that to be a ‘friend of this world is to be an enemy of God.’ Jesus says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” I have a deep conviction that until the 21st century American believer falls in love with the “Lover of their Soul” that very little will change. When you fell in love (if you believe term) with your mate – your life begin to change. Everything you did was pointed toward that relationship. Jesus says in John 14, “If you love me, you will do what I say.”
2) SET YOUR MINDS – Verse 2 points to our minds. (READ) Notice that the “direction is the same.” We are still to be looking above. As individuals & as a church, we should always ‘look up’ first. Psalm 121 begins, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made the heaven and earth.” We set our hearts & minds on high.
• One of the things which seems to be forgotten today is Romans 12:2 which says in part, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the “renewing” of your mind. There are many terms in that verse which could make up an entire message, but for this one, the question is “why”, ‘why does the mind have to be transformed?’ Because it is “fallen.” In the Garden of Eden the human mind took tremendous hit – and has been flawed ever since. Paul reminds us to “Have the same mind as Christ does.” The only this happens? Transformation by the ‘renewing of your mind.’ At salvation, your mind is changed – but it needs reinforcing.
a) Read – In the 10th verse of Colossians 3 it begins, “Put on then” with a list of spiritual clothes. In other words, “Clothe yourself.” A warning for every one of us “watch what you read & see.” We have a way of becoming what we read. An Old saying is “You are what you think.” (I can counter that because if teenage boys were what they thought, they’d become teenage girls.) Make no mistake, what you read & see impacts your mind & heart. What is the last book you’ve read, the last Bible Study, or fiction book. One of the reason why people fall into sin is ignorance – they simply ‘don’t know’, but the next reason is ‘mental nakedness’ – not reading.
b) Reflect (this is a comparison to the moon which only reflects the sun) – When our minds, (attitude, actions, Attributes) are from God’s words because we have been raised & set on things such as compassion, Kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing, forgiving, loving, & unity, then peace & thankfulness are the reflection. We cannot reflect if we are not receiving and we cannot receive if we are not reading. Set you mind. One last thing:
c) Rejoice – Verses 16 & 17 implore us to ‘sing’. To the Philippians Paul said (from Prison), “Rejoice in the Lord always & I will say it again, REJOICE.” Joy is the 2nd attribute listed in the fruit of the spirit. Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” & with this mindset he was able to overcome terrific odds & complete his purpose of re-building the wall.
• Why is rejoicing so important? When we rejoice we expose to this world the “Peace of Christ (vs 15)’, the “Word of Christ (vs 16)”, and the “Worship of Christ (vs 17-18)” for the lost world to see. Christ has saved you! What a reason to rejoice by giving thanks in everything you do.
3) SET YOUR SIGHTS – This is the personal culmination of this verse. We have set our hearts is salvation, set our minds in reformation (being reformed), now we set our sights in proclamation. (Vs 3-4) Now, we conclude with personal & practical goals, purpose, & vision.
• This is your part, your target & your goal. This is like shooting a gun. If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time! I want to be brief but practical in what we set our sight on & how!
a) As a Member of the Family – We are a body, a community, & a family. The Bible is clear. There are no divinely appointed “lone rangers” among us. From Acts 2 & forward, the redeemed were all in local congregations. There were members, belonging, & working together for the Kingdom. We are called to ‘work together’ to be those outside of Christ to faith in Him. This church has some things we need to be about - & they may not be what we have done before.
b) As a Model of love - This is one of Paul’s clarion calls. Demonstrate love wherever you are. Put it on, walk in it, & model it for the lost world to see. Can the reason why so few want so little to do with our Lord Jesus be that we have not become like Him by showing love to them? No one is exempt. Many church members have trouble with their families because of this.
c) As a Minister of Grace – Two truths here: We must set our sights on being a Minister. Did you know that everywhere I go, people refer to be as a pastor? Did you know that almost everywhere our Pastoral Ministry team goes, they are known in the same way? In the same way, every member of this church should be seen as a “Minister of Christ?” What did Christ administer? Grace. We know that mercy is us NOT getting what we deserve & grace is us GETTING what we don’t deserve. This is what we should set our sight on dispensing.
• 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:” ESV. The greatest gift God has given you is grace.
d) As a Messenger of the Gospel – In Acts 20:24, Paul said to the leaders at Ephesus, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” Think about that last phrase, “Complete the task.” He has given us the task, which is a privilege, of sharing the good news with this world. We need to not set our sights on allowing someone or expecting someone else to do what God has assigned US to do. There is someone who might actually respond to an invitation to worship OR salvation if they heard it from YOU. Who is that?
e) As a Magnifier of His Name – One of the 17th century confession reminds us that the “Chief end of man is to Glorify God.” I use the word ‘magnify’ because to do this will be glory to God. Do you know what a magnifier does? It brings its object into view, visually, so that other can see, know, and understand. Psalm 34 says, “O magnify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.” When we magnify & exalt we offer the people what they need. It is still at the power name of Jesus that people are saved, hearts are healed, lives are changed, & eternity is settled. No other group on earth possesses the answer to earth’s problems.
• To build a life, church, & ministry, which will ultimately receive a “Well done” is to build it according to the divine plan. This includes, setting your heart above through salvation, setting your mind above through being reformed (or reformation), and through setting your sights above through the proclamation of the gospel. My fear is that we ‘say’ we do, but …..
• Years ago, I saw a production called “Heaven Gates & Hell’s Flames.” I was moved by a Family of 4 (Father-Son-Mother-Daughter) – who entered eternity headed different places. Their eternal destination was determined by their earthly purpose. This is true for us today.
