May 5, 2019
Morning Service

Our journey through the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord has brought us through a range of emotions.  There have been many highs and lows, but now we have to find that level ground that we can begin to walk the daily path that Jesus is calling us to.   Last week we focused in on the fact the Jesus has made all things new for us and we need to be living in the “Newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).  Our motivation needs to be the realization or even the revelation of how much Jesus loves us and how He has given His all for us.  He simply asks us to exhibit our love for Him by living a life of obedience by following His commands.  This morning and continuing into this evenings service, I want to look at some practical ways that Paul lays out for us to live out our “New” life for Christ that is driven by our love for Him.  In doing these things we don’t earn our salvation, but we demonstrate our love and gratitude to our Savior through our obedience to His commands.

Col 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  (2)  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  (3)  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  (4)  When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

 

Paul explains to us that since we have accepted the invitation to follow Jesus (raised with Christ) we are to seek after the things of God in our daily lives.  Seek is an action word and it is defined as an attempt or desire to obtain or achieve something.  Seeking means we are actively pursuing putting the priorities of heaven into our everyday life; placing priority to the things God wants in our lives.  It means thinking and acting on a whole different level.  We are looking at the eternal not the temporal.  You may have heard the saying that “he is so heavenly minded that he is no earthly good.”  (Farmer story).  Paul tells us to “Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth.”  He spells that out for us in the Philippian letter.

Php. 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

        Our words and actions follow closely to what things are on our mind.  We are to focus our thoughts onto the things he describes right here.  Meditate (think deeply or ponder) on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtue and anything praiseworthy.  When we are meditating on these things there is no room for impure or unholy thoughts or no room for stress and worries.  This helps us to be looking for God in every situation we encounter as well as in every person who crosses our path.  So many times it is the things that are wrong in our life that we focus on, but Paul encourages us to make the opposite true.  We should start every day with a list of things that we are grateful for; good things that God through His grace has given us.  As the day takes its course, be looking for things that have the positive qualities that Paul describes here and acknowledge them.  If you see someone living out these qualities tell them.  At the end of the day make another list of how you saw God displayed throughout that day and praise Him for it.  This is the “New” positive perspective that we are to adopt along our walk with God.  We have to “Seek” to do this because the flesh side of us cries out to dwell in the dark and negative aspects of our world.  That is why the newscasts are all full of bad news and have so little good; people seem to love to dwell on the negative side of life.  Our view needs to be that God is still on the throne and in control and His Will is being done.

            Examine the things that you are allowing into your mind.  Do the things you are watching, listening to and reading possess the attributes Paul stressed to the Philippians?  Do you need to replace some of those things with a good dosage reading scripture and Christian music?  The old saying is true for our mind as well as our stomach; “you are what you eat.”  As you look at these things in your life ask God to help you to focus your mind through the Holy Spirit on what is good and pure only and remove all the negative thoughts.  It is a perspective that you have to work at to attain.  As we return to Colossians Paul now gets more specific and personal about not only our thoughts, but also our actions and emotions.

 

Col 3:5-9 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  (6)  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, (7) in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.  (8)  But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  (9)  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

            Paul commands us to cut this list of things out of our lives just as we cut a diseased limb off of a tree.  Cut out sexual impurity, lust, shameful desires, greed, anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander and dirty language.  It is a conscience, daily decision to remove any of these things from our thoughts and lives by using the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.  God will not bless disobedience in our lives if we are practicing these things so we need to work to get them out.  Get alone somewhere and go through this list in a prayerful, humble, and truthful attitude and ask God to show you the areas that you need to work on.  We are to “take off” these things that were such a big part of our “old” life and “put on” the things Paul lists next.

Col 3:10-14 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, (11) where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.  (12)  Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; (13) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  (14)  But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

            These are the things that are in our life that please God and we should be “putting them on” as part of our “new” way of life.  Once we have our mind set on the things pure and true it is only natural that our lives and actions then should begin to follow.  We are to be living out mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  We are to be forgiving to one another and above all else love one another.  I think we have heard that love part a few times before.  As committed followers of Christ these positive attributes should be on display in our lives.  Pray over this list as well and see what areas we have to work on.  Remember we are doing this out of love for our Savior who gave His all for us and we want to give our all for Him.  At first we have to choose (seek) to be this way, but as we grow in Christ it becomes more natural of who we really are.  Our lives begin to imitate the life of Jesus as we allow the power of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.  It is then that we are walking in the “newness of life” and “seeking those things which are above.”

 

Heavenly Father thank You for loving us and please allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to produce these fruits that reflect You.