Living Your Earthly Life In Ligt of Your Eternal Life

It would break up my all my plans...

Henry Allen Ironside was a Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author who pastored Moody Church in Chicago from 1929 to 1948.

He once told story of a time when he was in Stockton California. He said,

“I was preaching about the coming of Jesus. As I was in prayer I was conscious of a woman getting up and going out, for in those days the skirts would swish whenever a lady walked. It seemed to me that this lady must have gone out in a hurry. When I finished my prayer and went to greet the friends at the door, I found a woman pacing back and forth in the lobby. The moment I came, she said to me, “How would you dare to pray like that—“Come Lord Jesus?” I don’t want him to come. It would break in on all my plans...”

If I were H. A Ironside, I might be tempted to ask the woman, ‘What plans?” I’m sure she would say something to the effect of, “My plans to get married and have children. I have plans to get my degree and land my dream job. I have plans to travel the world and eat exotic food. I have plans to live a full life enjoying my grandchildren well into my 80’s. If Jesus comes now, he will ruin all my plans.”

This lady reminds me that we make plans for our life based on our priorities. Our priorities are organized by what we value most in life. As a pagan man, I based my priorities on what the world valued; health, wealth, prosperity with a smudge of hedonism with a pinch of American decency. My priorities were wordly. God never entered the picture.

As a Christian, Jesus changed my heart and what I valued. He shifted my priorities from worldliness towards heaven, where he sits at God’s right hand. This happens to every Christian, which is why we find the woman’s comments odd.

We find it just as odd when we see the church live out what the woman said. I don’t think any self-respecting Christian would ever articulate with their words that they don’t want Jesus to come back, but I do think many in the church say that very thing with the way they prioritize their life.

For example, we can’t make it to church for the next four weeks because my children have baseball or softball or soccer tournaments. I can’t commit to that bible study or a DNA group because I have a fitness class or golf group those nights. I don’t open my bible at home because I would rather watch news or Netflix. I don’t pray for the salvation of my friends and family because I don’t feel the need to do that. I don’t share the gospel with anyone because I would rather talk about sports or politics.

A problem the church faces in our culture is prioritizing life according to what matters to God. We live in comfort all the time. We are entertained twenty-four seven with our phones, computers, T.V.s and video games. We eat what we want when we want most of the time. We have an abundance of clothes to wear for every season. When we feel sick or uncomfortable, we have medicine and marijuana to make us feel better. Unless death crashes into your life suddenly, you rarely take time to think about your eternity, much less the eternity of your neighbor, and yet, eternity is where you will spend the rest of your life after death.

Everyone I’ve ever spoken to who was on their death bed, regardless of how old they were, said something along the lines, “Wow, life happened so fast. Death came so quickly.” The bible says

Hebrews 9:27 ESV

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Once you have died, your eternity is all you have left. How you live your life on earth will impact where you will spend your eternity and how you will live in eternity.

So, God calls you to consider the life span of your life not in earthly years, 73-75 years on average, but in light of eternity. How does He help you do that?

Th Word of God this morning, through the writing of Paul to the Colossian church, is going to show you how

Christ’s resurrection enables you to live your earthly life in light of your eternal life.

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he is trying to combat false teaching that belittles the sufficiency and supremacy of Jesus. The Colossians Hersey, as it is known, advocated the worshiping of Angels and observing legalistic traditions, circumcision, and dietary laws. Paul warns in chapter 2

Colossians 2:8 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

He further says

Colossians 2:23 ESV

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

It boils down to a Jesus+ heresy teaching that Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension are not enough for you to have enteral life. To have your best life now you need to prioritize your life around strict dietary laws, asceticism, which is depriving your body of pleasure for spiritual enlightenment, and seeking special insight, not from the scriptures but through some other spiritual force. it’s heretical legalism.

To combat heresy, Paul gives a magnificient picture of the resurrected Jesus. Andreas J. Köstenberger notes Jesus as the supreme Lord of the universe, head of the church, and the only one through whom forgiveness of found.

Chapters 1-2 are filled with a high christological theology. Again, Köstenberger is helpful when he says,

“Colossians provides one of the Bible’s fullest expressions of the deity and supremacy of Christ. This is most evident in the magnificent hymn of praise (1:15–20) that sets forth Christ as the image of the invisible God, the Creator and sustainer of the universe, and the head of his body, the church. In Christ are all the “treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (2:3), because in him “the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily” (2:9). The supremacy of Christ also has implication for believers’ salvation (2:10, 13, 20; 3:1, 11–12, 17) and conduct (3:5–4:6).”

The Colossians heresy was a legalistic form of worldliness; call it religious worldliness. The end result is no different than pagan worldliness, denying the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus in your life. Seeing the resurrected Christ not only combats heresy, but it empowers you prioritize your life in God honoring way. After two chapters of theology, Paul gets to the imperatives of living in light of the resurrected Jesus in chapter 3.

Paul says,

Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

How does Christ’s resurrection enable you to live in light of eternity now?

Paul says, “If you have been raised with Christ.” He uses a past tense verb speaking to an event that has already happened. This is a clue to a mystery that happens at your conversion. Upon your faith in Him, you die with in his crucifixion and re raised with him in His resurrection.

Colossians 2:20 ESV

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—

You have died with Him in his crucifixion, meaning, by faith in His atoning work on the cross, you are untied with Christ in his death. The cross frees you from the power of sin through forgiveness and Christ has set you free from the evil powers of this world. You dont need to bind yourslef to legalism or ascetiism to enjoy God. he says in verse 23,

Colossians 2:23 ESV

These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

There is no value in prioritizing your life around wordly religion.

Chapter 3:1, Paul continues with the mystery of your conversion through the lens of resurrection by saying, “If you have been raised with Christ.” The cross speaks to death, resurrection speaks to life.

By faith you are made alive in Christ. You are resurrected. Paul speaks to the truth in Ephesians ( which was written with Colossians)

he says

Ephesians 2:4–6 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

The awe-factor of Ephesians 2:2-6, is the reality that our spiritual death has been swallowed up by Christ’s resurrection.

We have been made alive together with the risen Christ. Furthermore, Paul says that we are untied with Christ in the heavens and that the same power that raised him fro the dead now lives in us (Ephesians 1:19-20). What is the resurrection power? Its the power to riase you to life when Jesu comes back, and to live in the newness of life now!

Romans 6:4 ESV

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Jesus’s resurrection enables you to live in the power of His Spirit in the newness of life, prioritizing your life around His kingdom. At your conversion you died to your flesh and were raised in His life. You now have His Spirit living inside of you.

Bryan Chapel best sums up the implications of living in the resurrection power now.

Ephesians His Divine Power: His Means (2:5–7)

The resurrection power of God in us indicates not only that we are a forgiven people, but also that we are an empowered people since Christ lives in us. The sin that assaulted us yesterday can be met and overcome by the risen power of God in us. Tomorrow does not have to be like yesterday for those who are in Christ Jesus. This power over tomorrow is not limited, however, merely to our ability to make progress over sin as time passes. We are not merely made alive, but also have the status of the Risen One to whom we are united by faith. Our Savior has given us power over sin, and made us right with God.

When Jesus rose from the dead, he guaranteed your resurrection in the future. But he also guaranteed the power for you to live in light of that future today. When he ascended into heaven, he poured out his Spirit on all who have been born again, those who confess and repent of their sins, and put their trust in His saving work on the cross and his resurrection and ascension. If you believe that Jesus is your Savior, then you are born again, and have been raised with Christ!

The power of His resurrection is what enables you to set your mind and your heart on his kingdom. It is His Spirit that enables you to prioritize your earthly life now toward your enteral life.

Pay attention to the word “if.” If you are raised with Christ. Paul is inviting you to consider the implications of being raised with Christ. If you do not prioritize your life toward God’s kingdom, you would be wise to ask yourself, “Am I raised with Christ?”

In 1969, in a Christianity Today piece, Lon Woodruem described the typical American 27 year old.

“A United Press survey found that the “typical American” is a twenty-seven-year-old who does not read one book a year. He is materialistic, satisfied with small pleasures, bored with theological disputations. Although he may attend church twenty-seven times a year, he is not interested in the supernatural. He is concerned with neither heaven nor hell. In fact, he has no interest whatever in immortality. His principal interests are football, hunting, fishing, and car-tinkering.”

I don’t think much has changed. Just change hunting, fishing, and car-tinkering to video games, Netflix, and YouTube and you have the same person. This may be said of the culture, but it must never be said of the church. We are raised with Christ and empowered to prioritize our lives in a way that joyfully advances the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus in the Church, Community, and Home.

Two Imperatives & One Hope

Because you are raised with Christ, set your heart on heaven Colossians 3:1

Colossians 3:1 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Where is Christ now? He has risen and ascended. He is sitting at the right hand of the Father. This is good news. God accepted his sacrifice for your sin. You are forgiven and made righteous. Paul says in

Romans 4:25 ESV

who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Justification means you are made right with God. Jesus’ resurrection played a role in ensuring you are righteous in God’ sight. Also, because Jesus ascended into heaven, he was able to pour out His Spirit on His people. Jesus lives inside of you, empowering you to seek the things that are above.

The imperative (command) is the word “seek.” With the word seek, you cannot help but think of Jesus’ words

Matthew 6:33 ESV

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Paul is not so much saying that we need to seek to posses the kingdom of God, as we have already been given the kingdom in Christ. He is saying that seeking the things above, as Douglas Moo points out, is to

“Make heaven’s reality the guidepost for all our thinking and acting.” Douglas Moo

We are to live in our live by our heavenly status on earth. We are citizens of heaven. We must seek the things of heaven while we are sojourning on earth. By using the present active imperative, this is something we are to do everyday, continuously.

Paul says, “Where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.” He’s pointing us to the resurrected Jesus as our motivation. Keep you eyes fixed the the supreme Lord of the universe, head of the church, and Savior of the world who is now reigning as King. Remember, seeing the true resurrected Jesus is what combats heresy. It’s also what helps you keep your life focused in the right direction.

I say set your hearts because the word Paul uses in the Greek carries the idea of your affections and desires. Some of you might have a translation that says, “set your affections on” or “set your hearts” on the things that are above.

Your heart is the well spring of life. What you desire is what you will worship. It is what you will spend giving your life too. Evaluate what you spend the most time and money on and you will see what competes with Christ for the throne of your heart. Paul says, set your heart on the resurrected Jesus. Make him the priority of your life, and then you will prioritize your earthly life toward your eternal life.

What doe you love most, Christian? The lady H.A. Ironside was speaking with obviously love her something more than Jesus. Her plans did not include Him. Do your plans for your life reflect a sincere love for Jesus?

Because you are raised with Christ, set your mind on heaven Colossians 3:2

Colossians 3:2 ESV

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

Paul doubles down in verse 2. This time he says set your thoughts on heaven, not on earth. When you fantasize about you future plans, your goals for your life, decisions you have to make that obligate your time and energy to work or play or your children, set your mind first and foremost on heaven, not on earth. Orient your life schedule and ambitions in light of your future resurrected eternity.

What do you think is most important in heaven right now? What do you think concerns heaven right now? Live your life in light of those things. Live your life under the authority and rule of Christ on earth as he is in heaven. Live in the kingdom he has begun with his resurrection. Take Paul’s lead when he says

Philippians 3:12–21 ESV

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. 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, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 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.

Paul is giving instructions for living today in light of eternity. Set your eyes on the prize, on the resurrected Jesus. Live today as a citizen of heaven. Citizens of heaven do not keep their minds on earthly things. they prioritize their thoughts on what matter most in heaven. Be warned, setting your heart and mind on heaven and not on earth will mess with your earthly plans.

H.A Ironside was candid with the lady in his response. He said to her

“How dare you!” I said, “My dear young woman, Jesus is coming whether you like it or not.” Oh, if you know Him and love Him, surely your heart says, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

He was not criticizing her desires for plans. Marriage is good. Having a job is good. exploring God’s creation is good. He was critical of the fact that her plans did not care about Jesus. Christian, when you seek to get married, prioritize God giving you a godly, Christ-honoring, bible saturated man or woman who will help you prioritize His kingdom. When you look for a job, prioritize the Great Commission and ministry. When you consider vacations, prioritize missions.

Henry Ironside pointed out to the woman that had her prioritizes been straight, had she set her heart and mind on heaven, she would not despair in Jesus’ return, but would in fact have hope.

Colossians 3:4 ESV

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

The power of being raised with Christ keeps your eyes and priorities looking forward to Jesus’s return. We look forward to his coming because it means an end to suffering of this world, and life in the new heavens and earth with a new glorious resurrected body made in the image of Christ.

The glory he speaks of is a final transformation into the image of Christ by means of his resurrection. Our lowly body will be transformed into a body like his glorious body.

When Jesus returns he will conqueror his enemies, and our greatest enemy, death, will be destroyed. Satan and all who follow him, that is all who set your heart and mind on the earthly things, will be thrown into the lake of fire forever.

Then Jesus will restore all of creation and we will live with him forever, in our new resurrected bodies fit for heaven. There will be no more tears, no more separation. There will be a river of life that flows through the New Jerusalem and people from every tribe and tongue will gather to drink. There will be celebration and worship. There will streets of gold to walk, even dance if we desire-because there will be beautiful music. We will eat food and rest by the quiet river of life. The whole earth will be ours to enjoy. What adventure awaits us. All because he rose from the dead and has given us the power to be raised with him. Come Lord Jesus, come.