Colossians 3- Seeking things above

Colossions 3:1-4
Read Text and Pray
INTRO- God- burning bush, Isaiah 6
God self centered?- I love you, this is best
CHRIST IS GOD
Colossians 1:15-20!- Christ is God
Christ is superior over all human inventions, traditions and philosophies. Man made religions and practices are futile, Christ is sufficient enough.
(The all-sufficient Christ). Logos, magnify Christ
Christ is the particular on which all things turn. Science, Philosophy, art, theology, medicine, engineering, Mathematics.
Context
“Paul wrote this letter in AD 60 to counteract false teaching. The teachers were advocating strict rules on the church about eating and drinking and worship of angels.
The right way to live is to focus on heavenly things rather than earthly things. The things of earth are a vapor and the things of heaven are eternal. The things of earth are a lie and the things of heaven are truth. We are to leave or lives of sin behind us and focus on things of God.
Notice in the passage
Above, raised, above. – mainly seek heavenly, things, God himself.
1. IDENTITY
V1- If then you have been raised with Christ
Since (No doubt) we have been raised with Christ we seek things that are above because we are sojourners in this world and not bound to it.
Before Christians can reach this world they must first leave it.
Galatians 1:4- who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from this evil age.
Christians are from another kingdom (John 18:36) and have overcome through faith in Christ. (1John 5:4-5). Although we exist here physically, spiritually we belong to Christ in heaven. We are aliens and strangers on earth, 1 Peter 2:11).
Galatians 2:20- I have been crucified with Chrsit, and it is no longer I that lives but Chrsit living in me, and the life I now live in live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.
WE do not cage an animal the new is to kill it, we do not hide our sin, the way is to crucify it, we do not pluck the leaves, but uproot.
We are to make a clean break with this world’s order.
We have been put to death in Chrsit as well as buried and resurrected, we have entered into a new dimension.
Eternal life begins now, John 10:10. And this new life will affect everything we do.
Mant Christians think they need something more than Christ to live a Christian life falling into legalism and false teaching.
Paul is reminding them who they are. They are no longer to partake in this world but identify with the things of Christ.
Coming to church is different than being the church, legalism is identification with the old life and holiness is to identify with the new.
All of these characteristics the old life
v. 12- 10


Seek (Keep seeking) the things which are above.
Taking things away so we don’t satisfy ourselves here.
“Saturday Dec 18 1740- “Spent much time in prayer in the woods, seemed raised above the things of this world.”
Hebrew 11:8- “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to a place where he was to receive his inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise as in the foreign land living in tents with Isaac and Jocob heirs ith him to the same promise.
“For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations whose designer and builder is God. !!!!
Keep seeking heavenly things, were Christ is seated.
Today we have the opposite, the denial of angels, or anything spiritual. We believe in heaven and hell we believe in the trinity a spirit of God who himself is a spirit and has not a body like men (Childrens chatacism). Another realm.
Matthew 6:33- Seek first the kingdom and its righteousness and all these things will be added to you.
STOP _ APPLY-
This is not mysticism, but your preoccupation with heaven will govern your earthly Reponses. We view life through his eyes so we don’t partake in vanity but in the things of God.
Tenderness, kindness, meekness, patience, wisdom, forgiveness, purity and love
Heaven and earth are contrary to one another, and the prevalence of our affection to one will weaken or affection to the other. Matthew Henry

V1- Where Christ is seated at the right hand of God

2. MENTALITY
V2. Set your MINDS on things above and not on things of earth. – Mentality
Romans 12- And be not conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds. That you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Colossions 3:5- Earth
Colossians 3:12- Heaven
Loving Chrsit will get you in the text more and being in the word will teach you truth from falsehoods.
Mother with newborn child-occupy yourself with Jesus
V3. For you have died (past tence) and your life is hidden with Christ in God
At salvation we have become new creations
2 Corinthians 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in chrsit he is a new creation, the old has gone and behold the new has come.
Since the wages of sin is death we must die, but we die in Christ and even if sin still effects us it can no longer ever condemn us, we are to live as free men.
What does hidden with Christ in God mean?
1. We have escaped sinful nature and taken on Jesus a divine nature. We have a new mind and spirit, we are not the same we are changing.

2. The world does not recognize us., it cannot grasp the things of the spirit.

a. 1 Corinthians 2:14- a natural man does not accept the things of the spirit of God. They are foolishness to him and they do not understand them because they are spiritually appraised.
3. The church in colossi had no time for false and vain teachings, they had an all sufficiency found in chrsit.
4. Believers are secure.
Peter 1:4- an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading held up in heaven for you.
John 10:28- no one shall snatch us out of his hand, the father draws them in
Romans 8:31-39
Our identity is Chrsit, our mentality is that of Christ and our security is Christ.
Psalm 91:1- He who dwells in the shelter of the most high will abide in the shadow of the almighty. I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress my God in whom I trust.
Psalm 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. Security
3. DESTINY
v. 4 When Christ OUR LIFE is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Revelation 19:11-16
This description shows us he is accompanied with his saints.
Those who belong to God will be revealed (2 Timothy 2:19)
1 John 3:2- We know that when he appears we shall be likfe him for we shall see him just as he is.
The return of Christ is the hopr for the missionary, the martyr the preacher.
OUR LIFE-
Phil 1:21- For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
For some of us he is here to say hard things and rebuke us and for some he can hold us in his arms as a gentle sheperd.
He is our all in all, we need to live lives centered on Chrsit, seeking things above,
Jesus, not this present world is the center of the believers universe.
OUR IDENTITY IS CHRSIT< OUR MENTALITY IS CHRIST AND OUR DESTINY IS CHRIST>
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!