Setting Our Minds On Things Above. Colossians 3:2

Stand with me and hold up your Bible and repeat after me.

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I can do what it says I can do.

I am going to learn how to be what it says I can be.

Today I will learn more of the word of God.

The indestructible, never ending, living word Of God.

I will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

In Jesus Name

Amen?

Before you sit down, say good morning to your brothers and sisters.

"Setting Our Minds on Things Above"

Turn in your Bibles to Colossians 3:2 and say, "Amen" when you are there.

– "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

The Power of Focus

I want to start with a story:

A tightrope walker once performed a daring feat over Niagara Falls. A crowd gathered as he walked across a thin rope with nothing but air beneath him. The wind howled, the water raged, but his focus never wavered. After making it across, he asked the crowd, “Do you believe I can do it again?” They cheered, “Yes!”

Then he took a wheelbarrow and said, “Who believes I can push this across?” The crowd roared in agreement.

Then he asked, “Who will get in the wheelbarrow?” Suddenly, silence fell.

This story reminds us that belief isn’t just about agreeing with something—it’s about where we place our trust and focus. Many of us say we trust God, but our minds are still consumed with earthly concerns. Paul challenges us in Colossians 3:2 to shift our focus from the temporary to the eternal—from the unstable things of this world to the unshakable promises of God.

1. The Call to a Higher Perspective

Paul was writing to the Colossians at a time when false teachings and worldly distractions threatened the church.

His message? Fix your focus on Christ.

The world constantly pulls us in different directions—worries, finances, social status, fear of the future.

But as believers, our citizenship is not here (Philippians 3:20). Our thoughts and affections should be aligned with heaven’s priorities.

The Eagle Among Chickens

A farmer once found an eagle chick and raised it among chickens. It scratched the dirt, pecked for food, and never realized it was created to soar. One day, someone placed it on a fence post and encouraged it to fly. The eagle flapped its wings but returned to the ground. It wasn’t until it lifted its eyes to the sky and saw another eagle soaring that it realized what it was meant for.

Many believers are living like chickens when God designed them to soar! If we set our minds on earthly things, we will never rise to our full potential in Christ. But when we lift our gaze to God’s purpose, everything changes.

2. The Danger of Earthly Distractions

Jesus told Martha in Luke 10:41-42, "You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed."

Like Martha, we often let worries, ambitions, and earthly desires steal our peace.

We chase success, money, approval, and comfort, yet still feel empty.

Reality Check: Everything we focus on outside of Christ is temporary. The house, the car, the career—none of it will last in eternity.

The Man Who Lost Everything

I once heard the testimony of a successful businessman. He had wealth, influence, and power, but one day, he lost everything in a financial crash. With tears in his eyes, he said, "I spent my life building something that was gone overnight. I should have spent more time building my relationship with God."

Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up treasures in heaven." What are you investing in—things that fade or things that last forever?

3. How to Set Your Mind on Things Above

So how do we shift our focus?

A. Daily Devotion: Spending Time in God’s Word

Psalm 119:105 – "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

Just as we feed our bodies daily, we must feed our spirits with God’s truth.

B. Worship: Shifting Our Perspective Through Praise

Worship isn’t just singing; it’s a weapon against distraction and discouragement.

When Paul and Silas were in prison, they worshiped, and the prison doors opened (Acts 16:25-26). Worship lifts our eyes off our problems and onto God’s power!

C. Service: Living for Eternal Impact

When we serve others, we set our hearts on things above.

Whether through missions, giving, or sharing the Gospel, every act of obedience has eternal significance.

Missionary Jim Elliot famously said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." He gave his life reaching an unreached tribe, and though he died, his work led to the tribe’s salvation. His mind was set on things above, not on earthly fears.