Living by things Above

Good morning church.

A video that the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want he makes me lie down in Green Pastures. What are you doing?

Lord we take up our cross every day for you. Thank you for the cross is where it begins. In the beginning and the end Lord Alpha and Omega. It's all about you guys. I just want you to be real with me. You are the air. I breathe you are the air I breathe through. I think it's great. When you Praise You Lord. She says just it sometimes feels like you're putting on a show.

Oh Jesus, please. Forgive me for putting on a show and being fake. Okay, I forgive you just say what you would normally say. No, I mean like, you know, if we were talking and say what you would say.

Okay. Drew tell us a joke what I mean like you were before. Thou Art holy Lord, that's not a joke. No, I didn't mean that they're doing

Just like we always do live for me live in me. When you live in me. You'll understand who you are and what you're living for. I just want something a little bit deeper. but this is all you want.

Now my own here we go. How much did you guys miss? Okay. Start over. Good morning. My name is Pat Heston.

Anyway Colossians chapter 3 talks about us being alive in Christ and left the series that were in right now. And so you're very able to do so, would you please stand and we will read this I will read this verse and it'll be on the screen above you can follow along Colossians chapter 3 verses 1 through 4. Since then you have been raised with Christ set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God set your minds on things above not on Earthly things for you died. And your life is now hidden with Christ in God when Christ who is your life appears then you will also appear with him in glory. This is the word of the Lord meme ABC So we're not making any assumptions when everybody knows about the book of Colossians. Let me just give you a real quick once-over context really I guess Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul Paul is one of the first Christians and the author of most of the New Testament and in this particular text. He's writing a letter we call them the books of the Bible but this particular one is actually a letter. He's writing to a group of Christians and colicy and he's writing to them to encourage their faith. And so that in turn they can be in a predicament and an example to other Christians around them. The threat to the community that that we find in in this particular Texas letter that were in that were reading the threat that they are facing is that they might choose to because of some convincing arguments go back to their old way of living this old sort of Reliance on works that they would have to earn their way earn their salvation earn their connectedness to God and Impala is really worried about that. So he brings that to their attention the other thing that they're there there's this concern about an end. We see the sort of thing Even in our own communities in our own culture culture today is this idea and not just that they would go back to because there's this longing or they're they're just stumbling the way through that but that there is there people around them that are very convincing whether it be because they're kind of slick talking people or whether or not they're just really good. Debaters but that they would pick up part every single point of of their Newfound Theology and understanding about who got is anybody ever been around somebody that every time you bring up some theological point or at bring up some argument that all they do is they just pick every single point apart and videos have somebody in their life like that if you're sitting next to be very very careful, right, but that's the threat that's the concern that that Paul has that somebody because of convincing argument might leave them away. I'm either to the old wear Light of Life or just leave them away in convincing them as something completely and utterly different point-by-point picking their face apart. Here's something that I think is fascinating about Paul and we see this not just here but we see other places in which Paul writes and other letters that he writes whenever there is facing of Alternatives philosophy. The alternative theologies about who Jesus is Paul doesn't freak out. He doesn't tell them to run the guy out of town. He doesn't tell him to go run and hide he doesn't tell them to bury their heads in the sand and sand either Paul doesn't panic. What pole does instead is he remains confident that because of a disciplined life and a life that holds firm firmly to to their their new-found faith in Jesus that the colossian Believers will remain true to the true that they have found in Jesus Christ. And here's why because in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So in other words, if you are truly seeking truth, if you are truly being disciplined, you will recognize when someone is trying to deceive you because of the holy spirit's work in our lives. We're able to pick out when something, you know, that that sends when you're talking to somebody and it just doesn't feel right like something about what they said sound right for the same time. It doesn't feel right what Paul says confidently is because of their firm faith in Jesus and they're disciplined life that he isn't worried that he wasn't as worried. Because if you're disciplined if you're faithful if you're really seeking the truth in you're going to you're going to find it. He's not worried about that because if you're seeking truth, you're going to find it in Jesus. Now, let's be very careful as we read and go through this message because at first blush as you read that scripture, it does seem a little pain but I would argue with you that it is far from tame and I would encourage you this morning to read as well as we read and if you listen to to do so with some humility because I think that it has the potential to create some major Rifts in the body of Christ and I want to remind us that rest within the body of Christ this idea of a lack of unity of mention several times throughout scripture in in in Jesus wants us to have nothing to do with this idea of of the lack of unity didn't want to have anything a part of that so few moments with some humility and Grace Impulse chapter in Colossians chapter 2 verses 6 through 9 Paul says and I'm going to paraphrase this you can read it for yourself later. I'm going to read it again in just a little bit but what he saying is you've been given a new life. A new life because Jesus was raised in the body because of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. There are all kinds of present-day implications on living in the here and the now in other words. Jesus didn't die and was raised for the sake of heaven, but he died and was raised for Here and Now what that means is that Jesus has something for you and for me and Jesus impact Our Lives now. today It's not just an impact in the far-off reaches of of Heaven.

So the question then that we have for Paul is how do I respond to this new gift in Jesus? Respond to this idea that I am a new person in Christ in Colossians chapter 2 verse 6 & 7 I'll read it for you. Now it says this so then just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord continue to live your lives in him rooted and built up in him strengthened in faith, as you were taught and I love this part overflowing with thankfulness. Does anybody in the house and need to be overflowing with thankfulness? Maybe it is not feeling like I'm just not feeling very thankful. I'm the only one with my hand up shame on all of you. I know this is a lie. Idea of we need to be overflowing with thankfulness in that God wants to wants to do that for us as we have some really profound yet succinct advice for Christian Living. Some of the best advice I think in all of scripture. In fact, I made it the key concept for this morning. If you have a sermon outline or following long get ready to write this in here's the key concept this to sink and profound. Thanks for Christian Living continue to live your life.

I thought for sure I get some wild out of that. Not really. I mean, what's my life Great Britain pack that a little bit Continue to live your life.

You know what that means?

It means that Jesus tells me how to live. Not you.

Jesus tells you how to live not the person next to you. Children your parents tell you what to do okay with that, but what I'm saying is vital to the Christian life, but living my life and him means that I am first called to a life of obedience to Christ. It does not mean that I shape my face to look like yours or yours to look like mine. Paul says continue to live your life just live it and him develop a deep relationship with Jesus be strengthened in what you were taught about Jesus his grace his sacrifice his power that is at work with nunb and I love this again be overflowing with thankfulness. You see what pulse celebrates in the lives of the colossian Christian. Remember what it was he he he applauds them for discipline and their firm faith in Jesus. This is critical because their discipline and first from faithfulness in Jesus is what is what is going to get them through some really really difficult and challenging times. It's their discipline and from faithfulness in Jesus. That's going to help them relax.

Live their lives in Christ to be overflowing with thankfulness to relax. That discipline in that firm faithfulness is what is going to keep them rooted in Christ another way of putting that it's going to keep them grounded. It's going to keep them settled until when they hear things that seem almost too good to be true when they hear things from somebody who picks up part every single theological point that they might make when they hear people say things that this seems so right but feels just a little bit wrong. They're they're not going to be swayed by there going to be settled and they're going to be grounded in their fate because of their discipline and they're from faithfulness to Christ. They're not going to be easily swayed that discipline and faithfulness will help them grow in their Walk With Jesus and they'll be strengthened to be strengthened is to be able to face any trial or hardship that comes our way whether it be cancer or financial crisis broken marriage is the loss of a child or death itself because of the body of the resurrection of Jesus we can get through it and here's what it also means. When Paul tells them to not be easily swayed by fine sounding arguments, he's talking about people who are hyper religious some of whom are pagans, but some of whom are well intending fellow Christians. This fellow Christians want to tell them and other people like them that if you don't follow Jesus the same way. If your Christianity doesn't look like mine, if you don't behave the way that I do then something is wrong with your face and you need to change your behavior. You need to change your attitude. You need to change the way you think to match that of your neighbor. That's a problem.

Here is why and I'm going to read this in its entirety cuz I don't want anybody to throw up there sermon outline at me. In in second, I'm sorry in Colossians chapter 2 verses 16 through 23. It says it is. I think these are challenging words. Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or with regard to religious Festival a new moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a saddle of things that were to come the reality. However is found in crying do not let anyone who Delights in false humility and worship of angels disqualify you such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen they are puffed up with idle Notions by their unspiritual mind if you have your own Bible, you should underline that word on spiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head from whom the whole body supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews grows as God causes it to grow.

Here's what I know about following Jesus. We need each other. We need people in our lives to encourage us. The challenges to hold us accountable. We need people in our lives that we can openly wrestle with with our doubt and our questions about Jesus without them panicking and stuffing Us full of just answers. The challenge of the Christian Community is how do we hold each other up to being alive with Christ without creating many disciples of ourselves rather than Disciples of Jesus.

We will never have overflowing thankfulness. If we're afraid to make mistakes.

We will never be made perfect if we're afraid of our imperfections. We will never be rooted and strengthened in Christ if we are afraid of our weaknesses and we will never have an abundant life. If we're living Our Lives by someone else's rules.

There's a term in sports that goes like this. The ball has a way of finding you what it means is that if you're nervous or afraid of making a mistake, it seems like the ball is always hit your way or past in your direction when the ball hits is hit your way. You get the tight cheeks. When you get the tight cheeks you make mistakes. It's okay to laugh. I said tight cheeks.

the point don't get the spiritual tight cheeks. relax Live your life not someone else's or the life of someone else thinks that you ought to live. And here's why there's 20 in Colossians chapter Sue says because you died with Christ. That the old way of living was this idea of Measuring Up. whether that Measuring Up was to expectations of behavior, whether that Measuring Up was the law found in the Old Testament weather that measuring expectations of the person next to you. That's the old way of life is all about that new life. A new life in Christ because the reality is you will never measure up.

let the beauty of Christ is

When God looks at you. All the ways that you don't measure up. Doesn't see the dirt and filth of your sin. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, what he sees is

More than measures up. That's the beauty of this new life in Jesus Christ.

What pole is inviting us to? Is a framing of a new worldview? In Colossians chapter 2 verses 20 through 24. It says this since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why as though you still belong to this world? Do you submit to his rules do not handle do not taste do not touch these rules which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with used are based on merely human commands in teaching such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack Any value in restraining sensual Indulgence in Romans behavior modification doesn't make you more like Jesus. Did you catch that? Behavior modification does not make you more like Jesus infected Romans. He says that the only that the only way that that Let me rephrase that. He says that the only thing that that then for him the behavior modification the law the measuring up the only thing that that did for him was teach him how to send.

What Paul is inviting us to is not this behavior modification? Not this Measuring Up. What is inviting us into is a new worldview?

one of the things that we need to submit into our new worldview is this Christ died to do what we can't I think we all know this to be true as hard as we may try we can't fix ourselves. It is so rare. Even when we desperately want to even when we know that everything is on the line if we don't fix this or stop doing that or change this or do a better job I'm doing this other thing, even when it's something that we Face losing all together whether that something is we might if we don't change if we lose our jobs. Changes were going to lose our marriages. We don't change our friendships or homes. For some reason even when everything is on the line we struggle to make the correct changes to our Behavior which we struggle to modify the way we think we throw the modifier attitude and the way we live even when we think we're going to lose it all. Not your mind me quickly go to addiction. Like why does this person continue to do drugs when they know they're going to lose their job or why does this person continue to do this other thing when they know they're going to it's going to threaten their there. They're married, but it could be any number of different thing. It could be playful flirtation. Why does this person continue to flirt with that person when they know that it's risky. Why does that person continue to gossip in the office when they know eventually we're going to get caught in that could lose their job. Why does that person continues to indulge in materialism and greed when they know that eventually it's going to catch up to them and they could lose their home. When is this person continue to play video games when they should be doing their homework?

A parent would say amen for sure.

What about bitterness or unresolved anger in our hearts? What about this is one that I have been most maybe concern over apathy. A lack of empathy for others lack of energy for Christ and you just don't care. The Bible calls me sent these things sins and they separate us from God UC Christ died to bridge the gap though to accept our punishment for all these and a host of other things that we don't have time to mention this morning in Christ his death and his bodily Resurrection. We have been made clean and pure we have been made blameless before God because when God judges and he will judge we don't like to talk about that but God will judge he's not just a benevolent loving God. He's also a god of righteousness and Judgment Day comes

I just know that if I'm trying to measure up in my life and trying to be good enough. my fault short

but if I remain faithful to Jesus.

Got to look at me. Go look at him. And I'm going to be more than enough because he is more than enough.

Jesus does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. That is he makes us acceptable to God. Is another framing of our worldview that needs to be brought to our Attention our Salvation is assured. so relax

our Salvation is assured. So relax. This isn't a plug for eternal security or that you can do you and not worry about it. And that's all going to work out in the end. So just live like a dog. What it does mean in this I think it's so cute. It means that you can have Assurance of Salvation that is not based solely on your behavior. Your good behavior will never get you right with God and it will never satisfy the Wrath of the righteous God who going to judge you and me.

One of the great problems of the church is that we talked about we talk about relationship with Jesus as if it's the most important thing, but we spend almost all of our time talking about behavior modification. you noticed that

we talk about relationship with God, but don't we spend most of our time on behavior modification trying to correct things that we think are displeasing to God trying to correct things or displeasing to other people.

I'm not the behavior isn't important because I I think it is but we focus so much of our attention on do's and don't we forget about the who?

When we think about the do's and don'ts when we worry about the mistakes, the ball finds us.

We get the spiritual tight cheeks when faced with hard decisions attitudes doubts questions. We missed the ball. We fall short of the best that Jesus has for us. relax Don't Focus so much on the do's and the don't focus on the who don't worry about making mistakes on your sin. Say you're sorry. Let God change what needs to be clean and move on with your life and live in it.

Let Jesus shape your life. Don't try to shape it yourself. You see the difference. Live in obedient life in Christ, but live it in the power and Grace of Jesus overflowing with thankfulness.

Is there anything we need to have a reframing of our worldview? Is we can't think above? then live below here's the deal. Our behavior is important but not for the reasons that sometimes we think that it is what Paul is saying it isn't that behavior is irrelevant, but that behavior reflects a worldview. So when our behavior is ports because we're not viewing things for the lenses of Christ. You see you must not only see Kevin, but you must also think heaven.

Before we move on just a clarification obedience isn't just what we do. We know this right? It's also about what we don't do. For those of you who are here for Easter Sunrise Service. You heard a sermon on the reality that Jesus wasn't just raised in the spirit that that Jesus was raised in the body and the importance of that since Jesus was raised in the body. That means that the physical world matter more specifically it means that the here and the now what happens in this world on this planet that we exist in it matters. You think Jesus isn't just the Jesus of Heaven. He has the Jesus of Earth. That's why we pray for God's will to be done on Earth just like it is in heaven. We can't do God's will on Earth. We can't bring about God's kingdom kingdom will on Earth if we're only thinking about Earthly things. We can't just see Kevin we have to think heaven. We have to have a worldview. In other words. We have to view our world our purpose our role within this world through the lenses the passion and the mentality of Jesus because he desires for his will to be done here on Earth as it is in heaven that the desire of his heart. But an Earthly Focus always stands in the way of heavenly obedience. And that's a hard truth. That's a bitter pill to swallow. Our purpose then is to do the will of the father. For the things that we do and the things that we choose not to do have nothing to do with whether or not the person next to you matter. No matter how important that person might be. It has nothing to do with that person thinks is right or wrong. It has everything to do with being faithful to Jesus and viewing our lives through the lenses of his will being done on Earth just like it is in heaven.

The comments in my study Bible as I research for this message read as follows. Earthly things must not be permitted to take precedence over the things of God his word his service his praise. This must be the basis from which we pursued our families and other important matters of daily life. Again, this world matters what we do in this world. matters, so if Jesus invites us to pray for the will of the father to be done on Earth as it is in heaven, then the way we view our purpose in this life must be within the context of our role in bringing God's kingdom to Earth and by the way, God has a plan for you. He has a role that he wants you to play and you can't retire from it. That is a non biblical concept.

Your job my job. My purpose. My role is not to merely occupy the space of this world until I get to heaven.

It's the help ring. God's will on earth like it is in heaven.

We have to be careful. If it be careful not to twist and shape ourselves into the mold and the fixing is of another person. Will it be a person next to you that you you cherish? Or whether it be the secular world around us that we don't want to offend. One of the authors of the commentary that I read said this the absolute worst way to respond to the challenge of secularism is to adopt a secular standard in language thought and way of life in other words, if you want to impact God's kingdom work on Earth as it is in heaven don't act like somebody who's not a follower of Jesus. Don't talk like somebody who's not a follower of Jesus don't think like somebody who's not a follower of Jesus. He goes on to say this if members of secular society turn to religion at all they do so because they are looking for something other than what that culture already provides.

They're looking for something different.

Says it's counterproductive to offer them religion in a secular mode that is carefully trimmed in order not to offend their secular sensibilities Christian should not a Christian should not shy away from the fact that our lives are centered on Divine things. We offer a different way of making sense of reality and a different way of living. If our priorities are on our own Earthly Pleasures rather than his Heavenly purpose than obedience to God is going to be pretty tough. It won't be attractive to us and it won't be attractive to anyone else.

number for you are different. Even if it doesn't show just yet. You are different. Even if it doesn't show just yet. You are hidden in Christ. The word says it means that we already have completeness in Jesus. Nothing else is required of us to earn our Salvation other than to believe in faith and receive his grace but make no mistake about it. We are different and God intends for it to be that way. We are different the problem arises when we try to shape our lives and look like others whether they are Christians or not rather than allowing Christ to shape Our Lives to be like him. There is a difference in you and in me the moment that we received Jesus as Lord and Savior life. It may not show it yet. But if we are sincere and love and embracing Jesus is Lord and savior of Our Lives then he begins a good work in us that he is faithful to complete.

No in Chapter 2 verses 19 the last part of the sentence said simply this grows as God causes it to grow. The real question for our lives today is not a question of our behavior in Christ. The real question for our lives today is if we have been made alive in Christ then are we living by things above?

You see when we are living by things above when we have a new worldview when we have a new way of viewing the things around us when we have lenses that see things through the life of Jesus. We will not only be different but slowly, but surely God will cause things in your life to grow. Here's the beauty of that. I don't have to force it. I don't have to push it it grows. As God causes it to grow. I have to be faithful.

I have to be disciplined. I have to be from

living by Don't touch don't taste don't handle puts all of the onus on us when Jesus Christ is already done all of the heavy lifting. This means that we're in process. It means that he is working on you. It means that he's working on me and that this new life of obedience does not depend on our own feeble more moral resolve that come from being united with Jesus every thought every aim every value every aspiration and striving should come from him.

Father I pray that as we transition into this time of receiving.

an opportunity could just be faithful. As we worship and declare through song your Praises. We have an opportunity to just say Jesus.

Maybe I've not been living by things above.

Maybe I've been focusing on things below. Maybe I've been focusing on things in this earth. Maybe I've been focusing on the things that are in the Pew right next to me and how I measure up or don't measure up. Father God I pray that we would relax. We would have confidence that you are more than capable of assuring our Salvation if we would just simply be faithful.

If we would just simply live by things above you are changing us. We are different you are doing things help us not to be so anxious and afraid of making a mistake of saying or doing the wrong thing that we forget. We will never measure up by our own behavior, but by the grace and sacrifice and power of Jesus Christ.