Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Reading

Introduction (3:1a)

We are starting this evening on a new series that I’ve entitled “The Daily, Practical Christian Life.”

In this series, we will be looking together at Colossians 3:1-4:6.

This is really a study on the Gospel application to life.

In other words, when the Gospel transforms someone, it really ought to transform.

The Gospel brings about real, practical change in the daily life of a believer.

At least, that ought to be the case.

But very often I find that Christians struggle to actually apply the Gospel to daily life.

There’s a disconnect between what we hear on a Sunday, and what we profess to believe, and the actual manner of life that we live.

I’m not going to delve into all the possible reasons for that… there are a number of reasons… but at least one of those is that the preaching doesn’t make the connection between doctrine and practice.

That’s one of the reasons that I’m delving into Colossians 3:1 without preaching through Colossians 1-2.

Because what often happens with expository preaching is that we take so long to get thorugh the foundational doctrines (which is what Colossians 1-2 outlines) that by the time we hit the practical, we’ve begun to lose sight of those doctrines.

My approach then is not to abandon the foundational doctrines, but to bring them to bear through our look at this chapter.

As we’re preaching through chapter 3, we’ll constantly be looking back to chapters 1 and 2 to remind ourselves of the basis and foundation for our transformation.

Further to this, I do hope to make this a very practical study.

In other words, my hope and aim is to bring real practical examples and scenarios and use those to apply the truths to our lives.

My call to each one listening is to approach this study with a deep sense of urgent need to apply the Gospel to life, and to help and encourage others to do the same.

As we do this study, pray that the Lord would truly work these trutsh deep into our hearts such that our hearts are radically transformed, and we can live to the glory and praise of Jesus Christ.

As we begin then, I would like to do so by pointing out the important truth that the practical application of Scripture is most certainly founded upon glorious doctrinal truths.

In Colossians 3:1a we see this immediatley…

Colossians 3:1 (NIV84)

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ....

"Since then..."

Paul introduces this section with a direct link to the former.

All that he says in the next two chapters - particularly what we will be looking at... flows out of the Gospel realities and truths that have been established in chapters 1-2.

What is important to see here is that there are most certain implications that flow out of the Gospel.

The Gospel will never leave any one of us as we are.

The Gospel reaches us in the blackness of darkness, but it transfers us into a kingdom of light.

This is the reality of every believer.

None of us seated here, no person listening to this message, can claim to have grasped hold of the Gospel truths, and responded to the truth of the Gospel, without there being a radical change in their life and conduct.

It simply cannot be!!

That doesn’t mean that we have attained perfection immediately.

Rather it means that there is real positive change that is evidenced over time by the bearing of real, lasting spiritual fruit.

“You have been raised with Christ..."

Here Paul in a sense summarises the Gospel hope that belongs to the Christian.

The Gospel hope is a living hope.

The Gospel hope is that which makes those who were dead in sin and unrighteousness to become alive in Christ.

They have been raised with Christ.

There is life in them.

Just as Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on the third day, having conquered death, so the Christian has been made alive.

The spiritual death that once held sway over him has been stripped of its power, and the Christian rises forth to walk in the power of the Spirit.

Implications

Now, all that will follow in this study that we are doing through Colossians 3 is predicated upon, is founded upon the necessary requirement of rebirth.

If you have not been raised with Christ, the stipulations, the requirements, the truths, the implications, the applications, the exhortations of Colossians 3 will have no bearing on you.

In other words, you will not be able to carry them out, try as you may if you have not been born again, raised with Jesus Christ.

And most certainly, you will not be able to carry them out in a god-glorifying manner.

Indeed, these exhortations are given because God believes that they are at least in some measure to be strived towards, and at least in some measure to be attainable.

Not perfectly... certainly not perfectly.

But there is at least some measure in which proper, significant progress forward should be found in the redeemed of God.

With that in mind, let us consider firstly…

1.

The Call (3:1b-2)

Colossians 3:1 (NIV84)

1 ....set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your heart

Notice that Paul directs his attention at the heart of his readers.

The heart is the place where the desires of a person reside.

Speaks of the core of a person... who are they and what motivates and drives them.

These verses speak of the heart being the seat of the affections, desire, and the very being of a person.

In light of this glorious Gospel, and the radical truths associated therewith, Christians are called upon to have their hearts set in a particular place.

The word used here means to “seek after.”

It means to diligently seek after something…

Thus what Paul is saying here is that a Christian’s affections and desires are to be directed in a particular way.

Where to?

On things above

Paul immediatley directs his readers to set their hearts on the things above.

HE is calling them to actively and continually seek the things that are above.

Keep in mind that Paul has already elaborated and outlined that our hope is one that is fixed in glory.

The "above" that is referred to here speaks about the dwelling place of God.

It speaks about the dwelling place of Christ our Lord.

Since you have been redeemed through this glorious Gospel, the affections of your heart ought to be set and firmly established and grounded in one place - that which is above, that which is to come.

However, we need to understand clearly what is being said here.

One the commentators that I read was helpful here:

Paul is not saying so much that believers should seek to possess “the things above” as that they are to seek to orient themselves totally to these heavenly realities.

We are not to strive for a “heavenly” status, since that has already been freely given us in Christ.

Rather, we are to make that heavenly status the guidepost for all our thinking and acting.

And, by using the present tense, Paul indicates that believers should be constantly occupied in striving for this orientation

In other words, setting our hearts on things above means that in our daily Christian walk in the here and now, we are living in such a manner that we are seeking to live out the heavenly realities that are true of us positionally.

Let us think a little further, then, on...

The things above...

We need to pause there and ask ourselves if our own hearts affections are deeply rooted in that which is above?!

Are our hearts captivated by the deep desire and longing to live as true citizens of our heavenly home?!

It is not enough to say here, "I want to go to heaven."

That's not the point.

The point of Paul is that our hearts must be captivated by God through Christ such that having come to know of His glorious character, we desire and eagerly anticipate being in His presence, which manifests itself in how we live right now.

Further to this, what Paul means through this is that we are to be setting our minds upon, and living daily in light of all the promises that God has given to His people...

It is the setting of one's heart upon the spiritual blessings that are to be found in Christ through obedience to Him.

In other words, it is not merely a future oriented perspective.

Rather it is a perspective that looks to the present state, and longs for the kingdom rule of Christ in the heart, even now.

Where Christ is seated

Why set our hearts here?

Because Christ is seated there.

In other words, this is the place that our redeemer king has gone ahead of us to prepare a place.

No longer are our hearts to be captivated by the things of this world and this life, but we look forward to what our Lord has prepared for us in eternity.

Christ is the forerunner, and we are looking to Him, pursuing Him, and making it our life's goal and ambition to please Him, because He has done great things for His people, and He is worthy.

At the right hand

Notice that Paul includes the fact that Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

This is the position of prominence and power in the heavens, at the right hand of God Himself.

In this thought, Paul is referring back to Psalm 110:1.

Thus Paul has in his mind the authority and power of the risen and ascended Saviour.