Sermon Tone Analysis

Lesson 18: The Focus of Our Faith

Colossians 3:1-4

An Equation: IF - THEN

Wee have an IF - THEN Equation here.

God makes it quite simple for all of us.

Man complicates things, religion distorts.

Cults add and subtract at will - but God tell is straight and simple.

The first two chapters we see Paul addressing the Judaizers, those who put burdens and requirements upon new Believers - trying to get them to serve the Law, making it part of salvation.

Paul spend the first half of the book disputing these things.

Now, at the second half of the book, we see Him changing the focus - off of error and back on truth - which is back on Christ.

Do you belong to Christ?

The Lord asks this question here - it is something that distinguishes you from this world.

If you are a believer, saved, only your way to heaven, these thins are for you to impiment in your life.

I. Seek

The thing of heaven

A. Seek means desire

The word “Seek”, is the word, “Zeteo”, which means to desire.

We who are risen with Christ, should have a burning desire for the things of God.

Illus: There are some today who profess to know the Lord, but you have to beg them:

• To come to church

• To pray

• To read their Bible

• To witness for Christ

Listen, something is wrong here!

When we desire something, we do not have to be PUMPED and PRIMED.

It comes natural!

Illus: Suppose you love strawberry ice cream, and you walk by the table, and see some delicious strawberry ice cream.

Automatically, your taste buds would get cranked up, and you would start DESIRING it.

We who are risen with Christ, have a natural DESIRE for the things of God.

We spend our lives SEEKING THE THINGS OF GOD!

So we are to seek or desire what?

B. Things in heaven

C. The place where Christ is

“…where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

That is a wonderful place.

God refers to us that there, when our affections are there that there is a certain help to us.

It is where Christ sits, it is where the power of God is wielded from.

1.

On the Right Hand is the place of power

2. On the Right Hand is the place of friendship

3. On the right hand is the place of authority

Exodus 48:17-19 Mannaseh & Ephraim

4. On the right hand is the place of promise

5. On the right hand is the place of blessing

And it is much more than that - lets keep seeking those things above, more than that, let’s do what is says next:

II.

Set

God says we are to,“SET OUR AFFECTION

The word “set”, is the word which means “to exercise the mind.”

The reason a lot of folks do not exercise, is because it requires discipline.

The reason we do not learn a language or instrument is because we don’t want to put in the time to practice it.

So we are not set something or placing something simply, we are setting our minds to do something, we are exercising the mind - we to be careful and regarding something

The affection has to be set where

A. Mind the things above

We, who are RISEN WITH CHRIST, discipline our minds to think in the direction of Christ.

Did you know that you can be happily married today, but if you allow yourself to watch the “Slop operas” on television, you soon will start having wrong desires, and become discontented in your marriage?

Illus: The way to keep that from happening, is to discipline your mind, and set your affection on your spouse only.

B.

Not on things down here

The same thing can happen to us spiritually.

The way we keep from committing spiritual adultery, is by keeping our minds on the THINGS ABOVE, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of the Father.

Once we build our lives on Christ, we are to ever be cutting the strings of our affection for the things of the world.

One morning a farmer told his wife that he was going out to pluck the ripen fruits from his field.

He got off to an early start so he could warm up the truck.

He needed more petrol, so he went to the store to get it.

On the way to the store he noticed the pigs weren’t fed.

So he proceeded to the corn crib, where he found some sacks of feed.

Beside the sacks were potatoes that were sprouting.

Then when he started for the potato pit, he passed the wood pile and remembered that his wife wanted wood in the house.

As he picked up a few sticks, an ailing chicken passed by.

He dropped the wood and picked up the chicken.

When noon arrived, the frustrated farmer had not even gotten to the truck, let alone to the field.

By now, it is very hot.

Some ripen fruits have dropped.

Have you ever intended to do something you knew was very important, but found yourself in a similar situation - distracted by many other seemingly important tasks, which kept you from accomplishing your main objective?

III.

Stay

There are a lot of verses of the Word of God that infer for us to “Stay.”

A. Stay Dead

I have found this to be true often, but man

B. Stay Hidden

We are with Him and we are Hidden there.

That is a sweet hidden place.

It is a place that is hidden from the pressures, expectations, and troubles of life.

It is a wonderful place because it is where He is.

I like what this next verse tells us:

IV.

Show-Up

Listen, He will show up one day - and we will show up in the air with Him.

What a wonderful day that will be.

What an exciting joyful time it will be.

He will appear then we will meet Him and ever be with Him.

V. Status

in our generation with various social media outlets, everyone is trying to let their status be known.

They need to show who they are and what they like to be called, Facebook of this last year has a place for your preferred pronoun.

We also are know by who we Like or what follow.

By the way, that is quite telling.

Sometime back, a young Christian adult lady I know got engaged to someone I had never heard of, she put the announcement of sorts of facebook - and I clicked on the guy and you can see what they like or followed within a click and he was following all of these women that looked like strippers, honestly.

What are you known for, what is your status - Here is what every believer ought to seek to be known for - this simple Phrase - Christ Who Is Our Life!

Lesson 18: The Focus of Our Faith

Colossians 3:1-4