Keep your Bibles open to with me Colossians 3, will you?
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I am mindful that we have persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who risk their lives to gather for worship weekly. Of course, there is no substitute for gathering together in person. Let’s gather in person as soon as possible – we need to be in the Lord’s House on the Lord’s Day.
Today, I want to speak to you about finding a path forward in this time of great turmoil. The title of my message is, “Finding Heaven When You’re Walking through Hell.”
One of the most famous quotes in presidential history was Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” The problem with that quote is it is simply untrue. As long as there are spiders, rattlesnakes, murderers, and terrorists and criminals on the loose, there is plenty of room for fear. There are real and powerful threats to your well-being today. As the news media highlights continually in our day, we have real threats to our safety and security. There is rioting in the streets of many of our largest cities spread throughout our nation. We have witnessed a handful of shameful officers not worthy of the uniform that threaten the George Floyd’s of our day. Let’s pray together for people of the uniform – our police force as a California officer was ambushed and killed just yesterday. Let’s pray for their safety but also their discretion in how they use their authority. Protestors painted defund the police along the streets of our nation’s capital, just one block from the White House.
How do we find a path forward in this time of turmoil? We have a global pandemic that affects your lungs and has suffocated more than 100,000 Americans. Plus, there is a global slow-down of the economy that threatens the existence of day labors for their next meal. Yet, against all these very real threats to your life, there is something higher, larger, and unseen. There are higher realities, unseen realities that make every one of these threats tolerable, if you are a believer.
Colossians 3 pulls back the curtain on these unbelievable rich realities. I want to bring this powerful reality home to you in the moments to come. I want you to feel the unshakable, mind-blowing spiritual realities that are in Jesus Christ.
1. See a Different Way
Look with me at verse 3: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). If you’re going to navigate these tumultuous times, you need to see your life in a different way – a much different way. You need to see your life as one who is wrapped up in the life of Jesus. When He died, you died. When He rose, you rose. When He comes, you’re right there with Him, attached to His hip as if it were.
Five times in four verses Paul refers to Jesus Christ: “with Christ” (Colossians 1:1a),
“where Christ” (Colossians 1:1c),
“with Christ” (Colossians 1:3),
“when Christ” (Colossians 1:4a),
and “with Him” (Colossians 1:4b).
You need to see your life in a different way. You need to see your life wrapped up in His life. By the way, how do you see yourself? What IS your identity? What’s the first thing you’d say about yourself when you introduce yourself?
A mother finds her identity in her children – “I’m a Stay at Home Mom.”
A young professional finds her identity in her medical career - – “I’m a Nurse.”
An academic finds his identity in his degrees - – “I’m a Professor.”.
An abuse victim finds his identity in his struggle– “I’m a Victim.”
But you ultimate identity is you are hidden in Christ: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
1.2 Roy Halladay
Roy Halladay was an exceptional pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies, a dominant pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was 8-time All-Star as well as a 2-time Cy Young winner, retiring in 2013. Nicknamed “Doc” Halladay, he retired from baseball after the 2013 season and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 in just his first year of eligibility. But he also secretly struggled with an addiction to prescription drugs for much of his career. He didn’t want anyone to know about his struggles. He left rehab early, Brandy said, because he had been recognized and someone had snuck a phone into the facility. Doc was nervous about word of his stint in rehab leaking out. His widow, Brandy reports that Doc actually lost 3 inches of his height in order to continue pitching. These addictions played a part when Halladay died in a plane crash in 2017. His autopsy revealing he had several substances in his system as he piloted his aircraft. “I think he felt like he needed to hide his mistakes because he didn’t want anyone to think he wasn’t as good as they thought he was,” Halladay’s sister said of the famer baseball pitcher.
What’s your identity? Is your identity your profession or your perfection? How do you portray yourself to others? For the believe in Christ: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
When He died, you die. When He was buried, you were too: When He rose, you rose. Every real believer has this experience: “having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).
Have you personally embraced Christ by faith? When He comes back again, you’re right there alongside Him. Don’t be a Roy Halladay – you don’t have to be perfect to be accepted. Don’t make your identity your profession or your perfection. Make Christ your identity – wrap your life around Jesus Christ.
1.3 Disconnected to Jesus
How should you think of your relationship with Christ? Don’t think of your relationship with Him as a truck and trailer linked together. A truck is linked to the trailer for a short time but you disconnect the trailer when you don’t need it. The trailer stays united to the truck as long the trailer benefits you. Too many people think of a relationship with Christ as you’re united only when it benefits you. If you think Christ isn’t helpful at the moment, you disconnect from Him … thinking you’ll reconnect when you need Him.
1.4 Past, Present, and Future
Again, think of your life as wrapped up in Him. Consider your life, His life and His life, your life. Hide yourself in Him: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
Casey Kasem was the radio host of American Top 40 on Sunday afternoons when I was a kid. Casey would end the show with these words, “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.” Well, I’m not sure how this can be done – you might kill yourself stretching! What Casey didn’t say, believer must look back while looking ahead at the same time.
Let me tell you how: Jesus’ death and resurrection is YOUR PAST. Your present is wrapped up in Jesus. Your future is hidden, safe, and secure in Christ. You have been raised with Christ in the past (Colossians 3:1). You are hidden with Christ in the present (Colossians 3:3). And you will be revealed with Christ in the future (Colossians 3:4).
If you’re going to be secure in a time of great insecurity, you need to be rooted, invested, and wrapped up in Christ.
1. See a Different Way
2. Adopt a Different Mindset
To move through tumultuous times with purpose, you need to adopt a new mindset. God commands you to adopt this new mindset, a new disposition: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).
The Bible commands you to form a new opinion of yourself and your future. Your mind has a thousand million distractions every single day.
TV, podcasts, and WIFI ALL offer you their opinions to change your mindset. The airwaves are filled with the distractions – telling you pay attention to this. Social media and the office gossip tell you to spend your brain cells on this subjects for this really matters. Against all this, you are going to need to take a side. Determine how you will live; determine your mindset. In fact, you are to seek, pursue, track and chase down the right mindset. Continually look to Christ throughout your life.
2.1 Look to Christ
Here’s your focus: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).
Jesus is said to have 3 positions in verse 1: Jesus is above, He is at the right hand of God, and Jesus is seated. This is where your focus should be when riots are threatening our cities. This is where your focus should be when your concerned if you have enough to eat today. Focus on Jesus, who is above; focus on the One who is at the right hand of God, and on Jesus who is seated.
2.1.1 Above
First, the Bible says you’re focus should be above: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). Now, “things that are above” is a shorthand way of referring to heaven. Almost everything you’re thinking about today is temporary. Awards are temporary; Emmy’s, Oscars, Employee of the Year will all vanish one day. Your wealth is temporary; it will vanish one day. Even America and the White House are temporary; it will vanish one day. The Bible says that the heavens above and our earth below will be destroyed by fire one day (2 Peter 3:7). So we keep our focus on what is above, what is fixed for eternity.
2.1.2 Right Hand
Christ is seated to the right of God the Father” “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).
To sit at the right hand is a seat of power. The right hand of God is the place of honor, dignity, and authority. What’s interesting to see is what Jesus is doing now that He is seated in His royal robes of power. The Bible says He is praying for you: “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). If you are in Christ, then Jesus Himself is praying for you. When your world feels like a snow globe shaken, Jesus is continually praying for you.
2.1.3 Seated
Keep your focus on this: Jesus is above, He is at the right hand of God, and Jesus is seated. Do you know number one quoted Old Testament Scripture in the New Testament? Any idea what one Old Testament verse Jesus and the New Testament writers quoted the most? “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Psalm 110:1). The Bible is speaking of the Ascension of Jesus Christ. No, Jesus doesn’t show up for a press conference in the Rose Garden, and no one thinks twice about His authority.
At the Ascension of Jesus, Jesus transfers from earth to heaven. Jesus took the elevator up toward heaven. At the Ascension of Jesus, Jesus sat at the right hand of God, the Father. At the Ascension Jesus sits – He is seated. Jesus sitting gives us confidence He has completed all the necessary work to save us.
“But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet” (Hebrews 10:12-13).
And older couple in Tampa Bay, Florida was watching their 33 year old son die of cancer. Just before the young man died, he told his parents, “Don’t worry about me. I’m just being transferred to Headquarters.” What gave this young man such confidence? Jesus Christ had performed all that was necessary for Him.
2.1.4 No Threat
By the way, if you enter my home and if I feel threatened by you, I will stand. If I seated as you enter and if you represent a threat to my well-being, I will stand to confront you. Jesus sits because there’s nothing that threatens Him. You and I can live with boldness and confidence because we know our King is on His throne.
2.2 Set Your Mind
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).
Note the word “set” in verse 2 with me. The tense of this verb in the original language means to continually seek. You and me have to continually seek, persistently seek. When our very lives are threaten, we must keep on seeking. In a world filled with a thousand million distracting thoughts, you are called to reject all these competing realities for one higher and unseen reality. Seize them. Gaze at them. Dig into this unseen reality. Taste them; Savor them; and Treasure them.
There is a persistence to this seeking, treasuring, and savoring. Many of you know the name of Lou Gehrig, the Yankee legend of yesteryear. Gehrig as an awkward rookie when Ty Cobb said of him, “Look at those piano legs—he’ll never last.” Gehrig went on to set an all-time record of 2,130 consecutive games, the “Iron Man” of baseball. Talk about persistence!
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). “Set your minds on things above” and keep it that way. Set the thermostat to this temperate and no one touch it!
See Christ above, at the Right Hand, and Seated on this day.
1. See a Different Way
2. Adopt A Different Mindset
3. Aspire for a Different Life
I want to challenge you to wrap your life around Jesus.
3.1 Truck and Trailer
How should you think of your relationship with Christ? Again, don’t think of your relationship with Him as a truck and trailer linked together. Don’t disconnect from Christ, thinking you need Him for Sundays only. Too many people think of a relationship with Christ as you’re united only when it benefits you. If you think Christ isn’t helpful at the moment, you disconnect from Him … thinking you’ll reconnect when you need Him. Don’t do that. Instead, immerse yourself in Jesus’ life.
When He died, you die. When He was buried, you were too: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
During the Nuremburg War Crime Trails, a witness surfaced who lived in a Jewish grave-yard for a while. It was the only place he could find that was safe from the gas chamber of the Nazi’s. While he was there in the cemetery, he wrote poetry. And one of his poems was about a Jewish mother refugee who gave birth to her child in Wilna, Poland. The young mother was forced to give birth inside a grave.
Has your old life before Christ died? Think of your life this way: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). If we took out the words, “Christ” and “gain” from that verse and left it blank, for many their lives would be like this: For me to live is money and to die is to leave it all behind. For me to live is fame and to die is to be quickly forgotten. For me to live is power or influence and to die is to lose both. For me to live is possessions and to die is depart with nothing in my hands.
“When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).
His hiddenness will come to end one day. And then your hiddenness will come to end that day. Christ is coming. He will appear.
“When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).
All the hiddenness of His presence and His power will be over. There will be no more protests and unjust deaths. No cops will be ambushed and no victims of injustice. It will be Christ and His glory for eons of eternity.
