The Proper Focus

Intro

Has anyone ever had a set of optics go bad on them?

Maybe some binoculars, a rifle scope, or maybe just your glasses get pretty scratched or weak.

It becomes very difficult to accomplish your goal when the lens you are trying to look through is broken or out of focus.

When it comes to our lives, there are so many different lenses to look through that lead us down many different paths.

I am not so far removed that I don’t remember the feelings of both excitement and dread of what I am I going to do with my life after this.

There seem to be many different options out there.

The educational lens tells you to go to college, get more education, get a better job.

The fiscal lens tells you, get a job so you can pay for an education.

There is another lens that says to join the armed forces and serve for a time.

Then for believers there is a biblical lens that hopefully says, whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.

There of course are many other things grabbing for your attention at that time and continuing on into adulthood.

There is only one lens though that leads to the truth, that lens is the Bible. Scripture. God’s holy Word.

As we have been looking at the letter to the Colossians, Paul has been writing of these things that our focus should be on and the things that attempt to draw our focus away.

Paul’s focus has been that the false teachers are promoting ideas that draw attention away Christ and onto a person’s own self.

These things may have an appearance of wisdom but in reality they have no value.

As we move in to chapter 3 of Colossians, this proper focus is the intent.

This section is an appeal to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord.

The only way to live in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord is to live and walk with the proper focus.

The proper focus in the life of the believer is a life that is focused on Christ.

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.

Seek the things above. V.1

Colossians 3:1 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.

Chapter 3 begins If then you have been raised with Christ.

We begin by first picking this phrase apart a little bit.

We do this to specifically learn more about Paul’s understanding of what it means to live in a relationship with Jesus.

What it means to truly be saved.

Therefore if you have been raised with Christ. The Anointed One, The Messiah.

The idea is that, if it is true that you have placed your faith in Christ, you have been raised with Him.

If you believe in Christ you have emerged into a new state of being.

No longer one of inactivity but now one of being awake.

You then have been raised, specifically to life.

The sense of the word here is one of waking up and arising as if out of bed.

Believers have been wakened from a state of sleepiness to a state of action.

This action has taken place and it has specifically happened with regard to Christ.

It is because of this action, that the believer is to be focused on Jesus.

The verse continues Seek the things that are above.

This focus is specific heavenly thinking.

These things that are being spoken of are literally things that are positioned above another.

Things that pertain to a goal that is upward.

Heavenly, good, righteous things.

And that the language here is quite strong.

Paul writes an imperative here, You do this.

You must seek these things, look for them, strive for them, aim at them.

What are these things you ask?

The things of God, the things of Christ.

The things that would be pleasing in the sight of the Lord for that is where Jesus is seated, at the right hand of the Father.

Asking the question, in doing this, am I loving the Lord or am I placing myself before Him.

Asking the question, in doing this, am I loving my neighbor as myself or taking advantage of my neighbor for my own gain.

Asking the question, in my actions, in my thoughts, am I striving toward a goal which is upward, a goal that is Christ.

Who remembers the wwjd bracelets?

That can be a serious question for us to ask.

We know that

Set your mind on things above. V.1

We are not trying to possess the things above in a sense of controlling them but rather are to be orienting ourselves totally to heavenly realities.

We are not striving for heavenly status, it has been freely given through our faith in Jesus.

Rather we are to make that heavenly status the guideposts, or the guard rails for all of our our thinking actions.

The life of the believer is focused on Christ.

Set your mind on things above. V.2

This continues to be shown in verse 2

Colossians 3:2 ESV

2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

This continuation is part further description and also shows a contrast of what is not to be sought after.

The same word is used here for above. Seek those things that are upward, heavenly, good, righteous.

The ideas is that you must be intent on the things that are above.

We are to concentrate on them.

Direct our attention and our thought to righteous, heavenly, good things.

When we use the phrase I set my mind to it, what are we saying?

I intend to do it. I intend to complete the task.

Paul is saying

Believers, set your mind to holiness.

Believers, set your mind to righteousness.

Believers, set your minds to thing things above.

Do this because of your relationship with Jesus.

Do this because you were raised with Him.

You have placed your faith in Jesus, now trust Him, seek Him, follow Him.

This is in essence a repetition of the phrase in verse one. Repetition is a significant sign that something is important. Something here needs to be paid attention to.

There is increased specificity here though as well. Seek in verse one is kind of a general term.

He now states to be specific and intentional to think on these things and how they should apply to and direct your life.

The Bible is not just a book to make us feel good.

Has anyone heard the BIBLE acronym?

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

There are a couple of bands that have made songs with that in the lyrics that are rather catchy tunes.

The point though is not only a mental or intellectual one, but a fundamental orientation of our will.

The real point of the verse comes in the second half of verse 2.

not on things that are on earth.

Do all of this so as to not be focused on the earthly things.

It is likely that the false teachers that Paul is writing to refute had done this.

They had lost their focus on Christ and the things that glorified Him, and were now preoccupied with earthly things that only gave the appearance of changed hearts.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Heavenly Thinking (3:1–4)

the false teachers, because of their preoccupation with their visionary experiences, would have been the ones bragging about their focus on the “things above.”

What Paul is trying to make clear here is that things above are tied to Christ, enthroned above, and must reflect the values of the kingdom that He has begun and represents.

Anything else is, or anything less than this, is no more than worldly thinking.

The further describe Paul’s teaching I would like us to look to

Philippians 3:12–21 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

This section shows Paul’s heaven directed thinking.

We will never fully attain this but we must try because Jesus has made us His own.

We must strain forward to what lies ahead, toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God i Christ Jesus.

We must grow into maturity in thinking in this way.

Let us imitate Christ, keep our eyes on those who walk according to the example he gives.

But don’t place all of your hope and trust in them, because they are men and men can and often fall.

Worldliness and worldly focus is a danger to all who believe.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself.

The life of the true believer is focused on Christ.

Hidden with Christ. V.3

In verse 3 Paul now gives us some theological reasons for the commands that he has just given in verses 1 and 2.

Colossians 3:3 ESV

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

Do you remember the question I asked last week?

Have you died yet?

The Colossians of course had not died physically, otherwise why would Paul even be writing to them?

They have died spiritually.

Colossians 2:20 ESV

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—

Paul has and is continuing to show the spiritual security available to believers through the union that comes with Christ by faith.

Believers are united with Christ, in death, in burial, and in resurrection.

This gives hope for protection and forgiveness from evil forces.

Paul has book-ended his commands, his imperatives with deep theological truths.

You have been raised with Christ, and now you have died with Christ.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Heavenly Thinking (3:1–4)

Setting our hearts and minds on “the things above” and not on “earthly things” is both necessary and possible. It is necessary because our union with Christ means we no longer belong to the realm of this earth but to the heavenly realm; and it is possible because our union with Christ severs us from the tyranny of the powers of this world and provides us with all the power needed to live a new life

There is a sense of mystery that comes with the phrase and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

This draws us back to the mystery of the gospel.

Colossians 1:26 ESV

26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Heavenly Thinking (3:1–4)

hidden”/“revealed” motif is fundamental to the widespread Jewish apocalyptic worldview. According to this perspective, many things relating to God and his purposes exist in the present, but because they are in heaven, they are hidden from human sight.

This is where the idea of the kingdom of God being here, but not yet fully here comes in to our understanding.

We know that Christ’s kingdom was inaugurated by his death and resurrection, but it has not yet fully come as there is still evil in the world.

There is a little more in the word hidden for us though to that brings a sense of security for us.

The word carries the meaning of concealment. To be unknown by concealment, secrecy, or complexity.

To hide in a safe place. A notion of protection.

One place this idea is shown well is in the Psalms and specifically

Psalm 27:5 ESV

5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

God is working to keep those who believe in Him secure in that relationship.

This verb is also a perfect verb. It has taken place and continues. The ongoing result is safety in Christ.

As Paul stated in 1:5, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

Colossians 1:5 ESV

5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel,

This is all brought into focus when the believers life is focused on Christ.

Christ our life. V. 4

The end of verse 3 does one more thing for us.

It sets us up for the emphasis on the future revelation that is given in verse 4.

Colossians 3:4 ESV

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

Verse 4 affirms that things will one day change, even though our true status is veiled, and we may not look much different than those around us, there is hope.

That was the purpose of the the imperatives, that because of the reality of our position in Christ, we need to behave differently.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Heavenly Thinking (3:1–4)

The past experience of dying with him and being raised with him is the basis for our present status as people whose heavenly identity is real and secure, yet hidden, an identity that will be gloriously manifested in the future.

Our identification with Christ, now real but hidden, will one day be made known.

1 John 3:2 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

1 Jn

Christ is the believers life, we don’t know what exactly that looks like, and we won’t until He returns or we pass on to be with Him.

The only thing we have for certain is the ability to focus in on Jesus.

There is a great tension in Biblical understanding of the kingdom being here, but not yet fully here.

This is part of the mystery that we don’t understand.

We can speculate many different reasons for this but that is not the purpose.

The real purpose is that while we have the time, to proclaim the truth of the gospel that those that hear might believe.

This is why we live.

This is the purpose of the believer whose life is focused on Christ.

Conclusion

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon C. Living a Christocentric Life (3:1–4:1)

Paul shows how identification with Christ leads to a new way of life

This is a mindset that reflects our new identity in Christ.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Heavenly Thinking (3:1–4)

Believers “seek the things above” by deliberately and daily committing ourselves to the values of the heavenly kingdom and living out of those values.

What are those values, how to we go about living those out for the glory of God?

That is what we will look at as we continue in .

What is it that we must put off, and what is it we must put on in its place.

Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: Colossians and Philemon 1. Heavenly Thinking (3:1–4)

Believers “seek the things above” by deliberately and daily committing ourselves to the values of the heavenly kingdom and living out of those values.

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