3.1-
Scripture Reading: Colossians 3:1-4
Text: Colossians 3:1-11
Introduction: In our fast-paced daily life, how easy it is to get caught up in the “things of earth” so that eternal values become blurred and almost forgotten.
In 1918, Helen Howarth Lemmel, the author and composer of “turn your eyes upon Jesus”, was given a tract by a missionary friend. As she read it, Helen’s attention was focused on this line: “So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face, and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.” She related:
Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus of the hymn with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but none the less dictated by the Holy Spirit.
Since that day, Helen Lemmel’s hymn has been translated into many languages and used by God to challenge believers around the world with the necessity of living devoted lives for His glory.
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! Thru death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conq’rors 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! Chorus: 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.
Central Idea: While believers are free from the rituals of man’s religions, we are to live out a Godly lifestyle.
Main Transition: This morning we put the second half together from Paul’s argument last week. We are not be succumbed by the pleasures of self-made religions. However, we are called to something, while we are not to be self-abasing we should be humble and pure before the Lord. Therefore, Paul challenges us to do something about it. First, Be heavenly minded
I. Be heavenly minded (3:1-4)
A. Why is the therefore, therefore? (1)
1. We need to really to review of chapter 2 Knowing that all wisdom is in Christ (2:1-5), Paul urged the Colossian Christians to continue in Him (2:6-7), not to be deceived by vain philosophies (2:8-10).
2. Since believers are identified with Christ with Christ, they are not to live under self-made religious laws (2:11-17), for that would only rob them of their rewards (2:18-19). They have died with Christ and hence need not submit to the legalistic rules (2:20-23)
3. This all builds to where we are at in our study and indeed continues through the rest of the book.
B. Focus on Christ (1-2)
1. After having explained what it is that Christ has done for us on the Cross, that we were dead in our transgressions and that we were raised with Christ (2:12-13) Paul now returns to that line of argument, if you have been raised with Christ…
2. We are to be focused not on the traditions and practices of men, but on God.
a. Do you remember clear back to Christmas time?
b. We looked at heaven and the blessings and benefits of being saved by the blood of Christ. Do you remember John’s reaction to seeing heaven? He was totally taken by the presence of God.
c. As a believer you are not stuck in the world’s standard. You must begin to think as one who is going to spend eternity with God. What Paul is saying here is that life in this world in this world will be better if it is lived by a power beyond this world, the power of the resurrected, ascended, glorified Christ.
C. A new position in Christ (3-4)
1. There is a marvelous change that takes place the moment your trust in Christ as Savior.
2. The old rotten crust dies and you are set free from its evil and fleshly ambitions.
3. You are then hidden in Christ, while you are not yet glorified you are safe and concealed. What a promise for the believer that flies in the face of those that believe you have to earn the right to go to heaven. When you trust in Christ you are invisible in Christ and secure in His power.
4. Paul then encourages us to look forward, he has already challenged us to look to heaven, now we are to look to the future glorification of the saints of God. When Christ returns to take the church with Him, we will be given glorified bodies, as Christ’s body was glorified in the resurrection. (1 John 3:2)
Transition: In order for us to understand how to live godly as believers we need to be focused on heaven, in focusing on heaven we become preoccupied with the One who reigns there. We then begin to become moldable and we become softer to the workings of God in our lives, then we are useful before Him. It is now that Go can begin to work within us as we should be pure before God.
II. Be pure before God (5-8)
A. Watch your actions (5-6)
1. The way that Paul writes this command impresses us to respond immediately, change now, don’t wait
2. Of course God has already accomplished this through His Son, but as believers we are to realize this and to act accordingly in response to it.
3. This list of sins flows from our sinful natures and is present within each of us.
4. It is the result of the these sins that the wrath of God is being prepared, the wording used refers to the truth that the wrath of God is already being played out. It will of course culminate in His future and complete dealing with sin.
B. Out with the old in with new (7-8a)
1. Paul’s picture moves from dead and living to putting clothes on and off
2. Those things that we did while in the “old” self are worthless and evil before God.
3. These we are to put aside, literally this means to take off and put aside, It means that we are take off the “old” self like a dirty shirt and cast it aside.
Illustration: I think that parents of little children represent this principle at least physically very well. There is just something about wearing a shirt that is covered in baby puke that makes you want to take off the shirt and get rid of it.
4. Paul’s challenge to us is very revealing of our own nature. Can you say that you are wearing a clean spiritual shirt this morning? I now you got all cleaned up to come to church but, are your spiritual garments clean? Paul tells us that we can see if they are by the actions we live by.
C. Watch your mouth (8b)
1. Paul now lists another set of dirty laundry. For the believer it does not fit to be characterized
2. This list includes anger (a chronic attitude of smoldering hate), wrath, (outbursts of rage), malice (this is the underlying vise of anger and wrath, the emotions that build that lead to further actions), slander (evil speaking against others), and abusive speech (filthy and shameful language)
3. These all are to be removed from the believer’s mouth. Don’t allow the world to think that this is what it means to be a follower of Christ. Your actions they see, but your word’s will resonate with them. They hear you cuss and they will remember that, as they even know that it not fit for the follower of God.
Transition: So how does you spiritual wardrobe look this morning? While we are not subject to man’s guidelines we are held accountable for testimony and actions because we are blessed group of people. We have the choice to avoid these sinful behaviors, so do you? We have the responsibility to be pure before God. But we also have a responsibility to others.
III. Be honest among fellow believers (9-11)
A. Remove the old self (9)
1. Do not lie – This is inappropriate for a believer because of their standing with Christ. Truthfulness is essential in followers of Christ, who is “truth”
2. First, lying is of the old self which was unregenerated and evil. No good could come from the old self.
3. Second as believers that old self has been removed and we are no longer bound by its constricting restraint.
B. Put on the new self (10)
1. The believer is a new person, why should we go back to living the way we were before especially since we are being renewed by the true knowledge of our creator.
2. This concept of being renewed is a major theme in Paul’s ministry. (Romans 12:2; 2 Cor. 4:16; Ephesians 4:23) Paul’s life is a shining example of this transforming change.
3. So how do we renew our minds? As we continue to develop a deep and personal relationship with Christ we are being renewed in our minds, this means that we must be focused on heaven and our creator.
C. In Christ there are no distinctions (11)
1. There is a wonderful truth about Christ that the world refuses to acknowledged and in fact even tries to mimic.
2. In Christ there are no distinctions. This was missed by the heretics of Colossae. They believed that only Jews and those that acted like Jews would be given salvation.
3. God uses Paul to distinctively say no, Greek (all those who were not Jews were called Greeks), Jew, religious distinctions, circumcised or not, cultural distinctions, Barbarian (anyone not familiar with Greek customs), Scythian (Wild savage nomads), or economic distinctions, slave or free
4. All of these normal human distinctions are overruled by our union with Christ. This means that it doesn’t matter who you are what you have done, what groups you have belonged to in the past you are eligible for the grace of Christ, when you receive that truth then you as a believer are truly “created equal.”
Illustration: Norman Geisler says, “So it is to be expected that each believer- regardless of his nationality, former religion, culture, or economic standing – should do away with his former sinful practices and should live in accord with his “new” self.
Conclusion: As we have worked our way through this passage we should be especially tuned into the major changes that take place after a person admitting that they are a sinner in need of salvation turns to Christ and understands that He has paid the entire price of their debt and comes to know Him as Savior. Major things begin to change in their life. Those of us that have done that see tremendous examples of how the Lord is working in our lives. While we may not have to live by the principles of man-made religion, or Old Testament rituals, we do have an obligation to strive toward godliness. Remember the three BE’s, first to be heavenly minded, then to be pure before God, and finally to be honest among each other. Paul has commanded us to look upward, look ahead, and then look around. Make sure that you are working on all three, if you miss just one of the three your walk with Christ becomes weaker and weaker. So I ask you, “have you cleaned up you life to ensure that you are turning your eyes upon Jesus?
