Colossians 3:1-4 - At the center of our citizenship

This question “Where are you from” can give us so many fascinating details into a person’s life.

We had a nurse, Max, who was taking care of Hilary in AOC.

We got to know and love Max during her time there.

From Morocco, moved to Washington DC where he was a fashion consultant for celebrities. Met his wife and moved to Cincy.

Got bored with the fashion industry, became a project manager that oversaw the renovation of the Cincinnati orchestra.

Got bored with that: “I don’t want to retire. I’ll go be a nurse.”

Where are you from?

As far as Paul’s concerned, they have two addresses.

In Colossae (1:2): A Small town in the Roman Empire (Modern: Turkey)

In Christ (1:2): The King who died on the cross to reconcile them to God and incorporate them into His Kingdom.

There’s a geographical location

There’s a person

Big Idea: Jesus is at the center of our citizenship

Stand to read

Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

1 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. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Leader: This is God’s Word.

Everyone: Thanks be to God.

Context

Paul had just reminded them of their old lives.

They were being pulled back into a way of life that

Religion and mysticism.

Now, Paul is laying the theological ground work in what it mean to be “in Christ.”

When we believe the gospel of Jesus invites us into His heart.

It isn’t when we live up to a standard of religion.

It’s when we trust in Him, and He welcomes us into a perfect union with Him.

When we trust in Jesus for salvation, God makes us one with Him.

We get to live with the risen Christ indwelling our hearts by the Spirit.

If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit lives within you.

There is never a moment that you don’t have God with you.

When we are accepted by Christ, we are adopted into the family and become part of God’s heavenly kingdom.

since are part of God‘s kingdom, we always have the presence of the King.

Big Idea Q: If Jesus is at the center of our citizenship, then how do we live as citizens of heaven now?

Remember when you learned how to drive/who taught you?

I shook the wheel unrealistically because that’s what I saw in the cartoons.

I really learned to drive in the academy because that’s where I learned to drive fast.

They make you wear helmets, there’s a drill instructor in the front seat with your buddies in the back.

There’s so much pressure because at the end of the week you’ve got to do the whole track hauling butt, and it’s not a straight track.

“Don’t look at where you are. Look at where you’re going.”

You don’t want to look at where you are. Where you are isn’t where you’re going to be.

You want to keep your eyes forward into what’s coming!

What Lt. Ringer was trying to do was get my eyes up

We often forget to look at Jesus when we claim to follow Him.

We usually look at how we’re doing at it right now.

“I didn’t read my Bible this morning.

I haven’t prayed today/ I don’t like praying out loud.

I don’t feel comfortable sharing my faith.”

We beat ourselves down into being a “less than Christian.”

If you compare yourselves with other believers, you’re going to convince yourself you’re not ready to follow Jesus.

If you look at where you’re at right now, you’ll talk yourself out of following Jesus.

Paul: “Get your eyes off you and onto Jesus”

Get your eyes up!

If you are a Christian, fix your eyes on Jesus!

If you want to follow Jesus, fix your eyes on Jesus!

You will not get to where you are not looking.

We must seek the things that are above, where Jesus is!

Church,

We look to Jesus

When we look to Jesus, we don’t try to find satisfaction in material things, rather we look to the sovereign reign of King Jesus over the universe as He fills us with His power!

When we look to Jesus, He gives us His character, His joy, His presence.

We’re not just seeking to go to heaven, but the One who is there!

His emphasis is “Where Christ is!” (v. 1)

Your whole life changes when you set your affections on Jesus and not just what Jesus has to offer you.

When we start coming to Jesus as a self-help model, we’ll often feel like imposters.

Imposter syndrome

I feel like a complete fake. I don’t deserve to be here. I’m such a hypocrite.

There are some days that I feel like a total phony.

I didn’t read my Bible

I hadn’t prayed.

I got in an argument with my Bride.

I’m not the model Christian.

We experience imposter syndrome the most when we stop looking at Jesus and we start looking at ourselves.

When we look to Jesus as our loving Redeemer and our Savior, this changes dramatically.

“If you have been raised with Christ,” You’re not who you used to be. You’ve been made new by Jesus.

Of course you look like a phony compared to the old you.

The old you is dead.

There is a new life in Christ.

Jesus died to take your old life away.

Colossians 3:3 ESV

3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Explanation

What does it mean in saying “you have died?”

At one time we were dead in sin, now we are dead to sin.

When Jesus went to the cross, He took your old self with Him.

He took your sinfulness and your shame and He killed it on the cross.

Your old life is over.

When Jesus died, our old lives died.

Now that Jesus was raised from the dead, we are raised “in Him.”

At one time we were dead in sin.

When we trust in Jesus, we are in Christ.

The source of our lives now is in Him.

When Jesus died on the cross,

His fullness passed over into our emptiness

His righteousness into our sinfulness

His life into our death.

Gospel presentation

You have been given a new identity.

The eternal Son of God became a man and died for your sins so that you could be given a new life in Him.

When Jesus died, your sin was paid for!

He poured out His blood for your forgiveness.

Then God raised Him from the dead to give you new life!

Your old life is over.

When Jesus died, our old lives died.

Now that Jesus was raised from the dead, we are raised “in Him.”

At one time we were dead in sin.

When we trust in Jesus, we are in Christ.

The source of our lives now is in Him.

Your new identity is not in who you were, but in who Jesus is.

Behavior follows identity/Outer life flows from inner life

Your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Your former self no longer exist when you become a Christian.

WE physically exist here, our life is with Christ.

How you live flows from who you are.

We can live in a way worthy of our heavenly identity as sons and daughters of God.

We live with new identities and a promise.

Colossians 3:4 ESV

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Our lives are already hidden with Christ, in God.

Now, we eagerly await to coming of the Lord Jesus, who will raise us by His power and restore everything.

He will take away all the brokenness of the world—He will make all things new!

Everything wrong will be made right, and we will be with Him in a glorious perfection!

This is a wonderful promise of the future that we live in!

Jesus promised that nothing will separate us from Him!

When our lives are hidden with Christ in God, we will not be lost!

John 10:27–28 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

No one could ever take us from Jesus’s hand! He will not let us go!

Church,

Our citizenship is secure in Christ

For those who trust in Jesus for salvation, even though you stumble and fall, Jesus will not let you go.

As we wait for the promise of Jesus’s return, we live secured in our citizenship.

We fix our eyes on the King of heaven, who rules and reigns over all things, knowing that He will not fail or let us go.

If you’re not a Christian, you can have assurance of eternal life today.

Turn from your sins and trust in Jesus.

He will give you a new heart, new affections, and a new citizenship in Him.

Jesus died on the cross so that you could be forgiven

God raised Him to life so that you can have a new life in God’s kingdom.

Start following Jesus today.

Last week we got to celebrate Nadine’s baptism.

Her aunt Dawn brought her to church after an awful situation.

When she started coming to Graceland, she introduced herself to me as Nadine although her first name is Jenna.

She associated her old way of life in terms of addictions with her first name.

She told me, “That isn’t me anymore.”

Her citizenship is no longer in trouble, or in jail.

Her citizenship is now in Christ.

When Jesus saved her, that was 100% true of her.

She now has a new identity in Christ.

When we get our eyes off ourselves and on to Jesus,

He gives us a new identity. He gives us a new citizenship.

He won’t let us go.

Each of us have a next step to take toward Jesus.

Take the Next Step

Identify what is distracting you from Jesus

What is causing you to take your eyes off Jesus?

Invite someone to join God’s kingdom with you.

If you’re not sure how to share your faith, just simply invite them to church.

If you get them here, I promise they will hear the gospel.