Recalibrating Our Minds (Colossians 3:1-4) | Special Weekend Video Sermon | Pastor Mike Fabarez

[Music] well we're back again and it's hard to believe that it's been over 50 days that her disruption took place but we are plowing through this there's a light at the end of the tunnel thankfully as we anticipated and we're excited to be announcing some news hopefully within the next week or so where we can get some detailed information out as to our reopening reassembling plan but church is not stopped because our time together has not stopped electronically and our time and the word is not stopped and I trust that you make these weekend worship videos and teaching videos part of your schedule that this is part of the programming of church for you as you sit with your family or you spend time with those closest to you hopefully you have a chance just to sit and say this is our church time is our time to connect with our church pastor with the Word of God and I trust that today is another day that I hope not only helps you to long for us to reassemble but helps you to long for the ultimate of us rejoining with Christ that's the whole hope the Christian life we're gonna talk a little bit about that today I've been prayerfully discussing the needs of our church I don't like to preach non-sequential texts but in this time I found it to be most helpful to think about the needs of our church and then to focus on preaching passages throughout this multi week situation where we can address some of those needs more directly so that's we're gonna do today and I want to preach a sermon to you today as best we can sitting in a chair from Colossians chapter 3 so if you're taking notes Colossians chapter 3 the first four verses so Colossians three one through four and I've entitled the message let's see what did I call it recalibrating our minds recalibrating our minds so there's a little mental tune-up for us and that's the goal now instead of addressing a lot of the specifics of the detail of what we're going through I want to step back and say okay let's think as Christians here for a little bit just about our with God so five points today been made at a habit to give you the forecast of how many points so we're gonna go through five things which really are five questions I want to know how you're doing how you're doing spiritually and these five questions we were sitting down in your living room talking about your spiritual life I would know a ton I would know really everything I need to know about how you're doing right now in the midst of this craziness just by hearing your answers to these five questions so before we get into those I want to take time to pray and lead you in prayer join our minds together right now to ask God for a few things here that I think are critical during this phase as we move toward the plan to reassemble and as we look forward to getting back here unfortunately in a phased way but I I hope that there's some things we could join our hearts together with right now in together and really see some spiritual progress even in our praying so pray with me a little bit of time for us just to talk to God together so pray with me please God we are weary and tired of this I know I am and I just ask you to minister to our hearts in this time as we digitally together walk through these four super important verses I think of how these verses have ministered to me through the years I think early on in my Christian life how just attracted to this passage I was and what a refreshing thing it was for me to recalibrate my mind and even the midst of this pandemic to stop this week and have this passage really refresh me in terms of where we need to be retuning refocusing recalibrating my thoughts about you and so I pray that would do that for many people that for those that are listening and engaging in this study with me that they would be refreshed spiritually refreshed and even sharpened honed and when you sharpen something these parts that have to be nicked off and things that need to be reshaped and to make that tool effective and God we would like to be effective citizens in your kingdom we'd like to be useful messengers for your gospel we would like to be helpful in the body of Christ we know that means we need to have a clear mind we need to think rightly about things that are important to you so that shapingg god I pray would take place as we encounter your word which itself makes this metaphor here God you know is a sharp two-edged sword it's like assorted it changes us it sculpts us it it shapes us so let the word of God the sword of God's Word let it let it reshape our hearts and our minds today so God we think of that verse that's over my shoulder as I teach through 2nd Peter that we don't to be conformed to the world we want to be transformed by the renewing of our mind that's why we spend time in the word every day and in the mornings praying together thinking about our one another Commandments and reading the Bible and we want this weekend timed as we sit with your word we want to want to have our minds transformed we don't want to be like the world we can't dare to be like the world we can't get bogged down in the things of the world we need a perspective that comes from you so that let us respond to these questions in our own hearts and minds with honesty and sincerity we pray the prayer of Psalm 139 that you would search us and try us and know us see if there's any wicked way in us lead us in the way everlasting we want to be on the right path we want to walk in step with your spirit we want to keep the truth of your word in our lives and we know that starts with our minds being rightly conformed to your truth so give us a good study here today and let this be a rich time in your word as we think through these five questions in Jesus name Amen all right I really do hope that you can look at this text and these questions with an honest sincere objective dispassionate kind of look at your own life and so I invite you to take your Bibles if you haven't already turn to Colossians chapter 3 I've got five questions - from the first verse and then every verse thereafter we'll round this out with five things to ask us allow the word to get us to ask these questions so let me read it for you first this is obviously Paul's letter to the Colossians and he starts with this word if if then you've been raised up with Christ and he said so much of course even about that concept of being raised up with Christ and having died with Christ and a judicial sense a theological sense and so the if is more than more like a sense but it still stated as an if and that's important for us to catch we want to ask this question of ourselves what it really forces us in the reading of the text to answer that question are we raised up with Christ so if then you have been raised up with Christ then seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God there's that picture of the Majesty on high the the regal son seated next to the father with all authority and Dominion and power having done his work unlike the high priests of the Old Testament who could never sit down here's Christ sitting down he's done with his work he's not always sacrificing to ceremonially atone for the sins of the people he's done his work he sacrificed himself as Hebrews says to clear us of the dead of our sin verse 2 and set your minds on the things that are above on things that are above not on the things not on things that are on earth for you've died and your life is hidden with Christ in God need to understand that phrase when Christ who is your life appears then you also will appear with him in glory so let me read that again without any breaks Colossians 3:1 if then you've 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've 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 we need this first we need this passage we need these questions and I want to as I stated as I read it with that first word in our Inga texts if for us to ask that question and it's a good question to ask I mean have we been raised with Christ I put it this way are you certain of your regeneration if you're taking notes jot that down are you certain of your regeneration and I want to word it that way regeneration because that's the big word I mean that's a big theologically important word and it's a word that put it this way it separates the men from the boys in terms of alliance with Christ in other words remember back in the day there was a time when people talked to maybe they still do about well you're a Christian no good you're not you know Buddhist or a Mormon that's a a Muslim or whatever you might be and that's the category that they think of if you're a Christian you're not those other religions but then they would ask you well you're not one of those born-again Christians are you regeneration means born again right re generation canasa to be born when we talk about the doctrine of regeneration we're talk about someone who's been born again and of course that all comes from John chapter 3 let me read that for you jesus said truly truly I say to you whenever he says that repeats that phrase to the Greek word Amen amen amen for sure this is so important this is true it's right truly truly I say to you making a very strong point unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God so when someone talks about are you a Christian are you a born-again Christian that's like they all and that's the people that are you know fanatical about it this is the Jesus freaks these are the people that you know care most about God well that's the only kind of Christian there is right there's there's not varsity Christianity and freshman Christianity there's only there's only this kind of Christianity the kind that changes who we are from the inside out John 3 of course is that debate or discussion I should say dialogue between Nicodemus the Pharisee and Jesus and he chides him that isn't know these things that you have to be born again and the idea is who you are in the inside of who you are it's not right he's really alluding to with this concept of being born of water and spirit that the changing of our lives it refreshes and and cleanses everything on the inside it's the picture from Ezekiel of being washed in water it's not baptism is not the ritual of baptism or the ordinance of baptism this has to do with the idea of the cleansing of regeneration of the heart that you have inside of you no longer being stained with sin as matter of fact that Ezekiel passage goes even further like Jeremiah to talk about the fact that our hearts need to be changed it speaks to the fact that our heart was like stone it was dead before God but now it's alive and that picture of being having a heart of flesh it's such an interior description of a new life and that's the question we need to ask ourselves in the midst of all of this and just as a person living if there had never been covin 19 pandemic this the question is is always relevant and it's one we should always stop to ask ourselves are we sure that we are God's child are we born again turn your Bibles to Ephesians and I just want to walk through this real quick there's no better passage I think to kind of detail the change of regeneration in terms of what it looks like who we were who we are and how that happens so let's look at the first 10 verses if we've got time here to walk through these 10 verses to think about this question I want to say to you as you read these passages with me is is this true of you is this happen to you can you see the difference between the then before Christ and then the now and then the way you got there that's basically the testimonial outline as a matter of fact when we go through partners we take people through the discipleship manual here the church we have them write out their testimony and we talk about those three things we put them in this order what was your life like before what happened you know in your life that change that that regeneration that perspective as a human being from your perspective what happened and then what has come since then and so this passage lays out this way canonically and the text is about the then and then the now and then how it happens so those elements should be a part of everyone's like everyone needs a testimony right a story of what happened to them the then part the what happened and then the now part that ought to be very conscious like a bowtie in the middle there's that encounter with Christ and and on other either side these are different the symmetrical in the sense that I was this way and then on this side now I'm this way and they stand in stark contrast with each other that's the picture alright let's read a little bit of this Ephesians chapter 2 verse 1 and you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked that's the idea of having no relationship with God it's like the heart of stone there's no connections no vibrancy there's no real connection to God if you have God in your life it's in your head it's not who you are from the interior of your person you're the same old person you were but you may have had information about God but you were dead to God dead because of your trespasses in your sins those things separated you from God isaiah 59:2 in which you once walked verse 2 you lived that way you followed the course of this world you did what people did in the world but they expected of you and you followed this is the eerie part the Prince of the power of the air right the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience now there's something at work in Christians and then there's something in in non-christians and that's a stark contrast the polarization the dichotomy of the two groups that exist you're either a child of God as John says in first John or your child of the devil as hard as that is for us to kind of hear there's nobody in between you know I think your your aunt or your cousin anything other pretty good person they're not Christian but or they're Christian a name but they're not born again they're not interior they're not changing the interior of their lives but the Bible's very clear you can only have one kind of Christianity and the kind of Christianity you have stands in contrast to this this is the only other option the Prince of the power the yeah that's the spirit that's in work at work in the sons of disobedience that's what characterizes their life among whom we all once lived now Paul was a Pharisee Paul was someone conforming to a lot of external standards of of morality but he says we're all there we all lived in the passions of our flesh we did what we felt was right right we were our own gods in so many ways even though we adhere to certain things that we want to adhere to systems and you know constructs and and and and traditions but he says we were all there he closed himself in this carrying out the desires of the body and the mind and we were by nature naturally children of Wrath we were going to incur God's judgment like the rest of mankind you did matter if you're a religious person if you're not born again if you don't have a new interior life then you're not a Christian the the difference now verse four the change but God being rich in mercy he's kind to sinners like us because of the great love with which he loved us a purpose to do good to us to change our status right that that's that's a commitment to our well-being even when we were dead in our trespasses even though it was as bad as it was he made us alive together with Christ that picture of who we are is like that Old Testament prophecy of the heart that now is going to have a responsiveness to God it's not just here it's not just thinking about God I'm just trying to shape my thoughts about God it's having a interior life that's changed it's having a Christianity as I often say from the inside out that exudes from my interior that now my life is different still struggle obviously that the flesh is always fighting there's a waging of war we've talked about but something's changed on the inside God has reached out and changed who we are and it's by grace he made that clear just even in verse 4 this is God that's doing these things and changing us and has that in he has the encounter with us by grace you've been saved that means you didn't earn it you were raised up with him and and he seated us with him in the heavenly places so here's the picture of the resurrection and this judicial kind of connection to Jesus and now as he was raised from the dead we're raised from that dead position before God we're raised up and seated him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus which is really a unpacking of what we're studying here in our passage in Colossians so that verse 7 in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus that's the future focus of the Christian life as we'll get to in our passage for my grace you've been saved now here's how it all happens right through faith I now have a real trust pistou o or pista s' the down here in Greek is the idea of putting my confidence in my reliance on something not believing it in my mind just as a fact but going beyond that and putting my confidence and trust into Christ and this is not of your own doing you don't earn it it's the gift of God you you can't you can't achieve it it's got to be given to you it's not as a not a not a result of works right could mean a clearer than that so that no one may boast no one can say look what I did I I accomplished this by living a good life for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works now we're back to this change life what does it look like God's got a series of good things for us to accomplish with God which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them so there's the contrast if you look at the would call it a key astok arrangement of that idea of we walked in this sinful rebellion against God right we walked in the course of this world following it doing what the rest of the world does and then God changes us so that we walk in this prescribed set of good works that he's laid out for us I don't I just want to ask you to consider the certainty of that in your life is that where you are do you know for certain that you your life has been changed of course could open up a whole long discussion on the gospel because we need to know the gospel we need to understand that we have a sin problem that Christ has come to solve that sin problem that he lived the life that we were not able to live that Christ suffered the penal judicial payment for the sin that I committed before God and that through that transaction of redemption I am now counted as worthy before god that's what all other religions just fail to have really they don't have it it's talking today about more Islam with someone the idea of there's no mechanism of redemption redemption is all induced by my own works and God's mercy and we need that second person of the Godhead to be that Redeemer for us and so I want to make sure that you are sure I want you to ask the question of yourself have I been raised with Christ and that means do I have this now new status before God that has been unpacked here in Ephesians chapter 2 and if so right then we're in a good spot to be able to read the rest of this okay if that's true then we can do this middle of verse 1 back to Colossians 3 if then you've been raised up with Christ right then you ought to do this you ought to seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God so question number one are you certain of your regeneration the big word are you born again from the inside out number two right the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God of course this is all spatial analogies God you know which direction is he that that's not the point the point is that he is not here on this world not personally right in his toenails and eyelashes and elbows are somewhere else the Spirit of God is here so God is here and in that sense Christ is with us even to the end of the age but he's not in this world he's not the Prince of the power of the air now right with it the enemy is so we live as as as aliens expatriates we're not this is not our home and that idea should lead us to the question if we're supposed to keep our minds and set our are our lives on the things that are above right seek the things that are Bubb with our own heart that's interior heart that's been changed well then I need to ask the question is Christ really my most important priority number two is Christ your most important priority and you can think about all the things that can capture people's attention and the things that they work so hard for the things that they really want to achieve I'm not talking about the fact that you don't go to your work or have things in your family you want to accomplish but I'm saying what do you really live for ultimately in eternity it's not about your kids it's not about your marriage it's not about your hobbies it's certainly not about your jobs right even my job is not not about these things it's about the things that we can do in the context of family and jobs that is going to result in something that glorifies Christ that Christ would want us to accomplish so in that sense the question is am i seeking those things that's a whole heart kind of calling am I really prioritizing Christ and because it says the things that are above where Christ is course Christ is the object but everything that goes with that I could really ask the question this way is Christ your most is Christ and Christianity your most important priority right and by that I mean everything that Christ taught everything that Christ is about is that really our priority a couple of passages to jot down from Matthew chapter 6 Matthew 6 when Jesus taught us to pray he said pray then like this our Father who is in heaven again there's that picture he's not here right and I understand the omnipresence of God I understand the connection that we have with this the Spirit of God the third person who got it but there's something there right our Father who is in heaven Hallowed be your name holy be your name your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven this idea of praying for the coming Kingdom praying for God to appear which is what verse 4 of Colossians 3 says we want that as our prayer if I'm ever gonna seek the things that are but I got to be praying for the things above how do we praying for that that Kingdom that's rule that administration of Christ having things the way that he wants them I want that I want to pray for that I want to think about that I want to think about the other nosov it right the fact that he's there and is going to bring that there to here and it starts with that well if my mind is going to be and my heart is going to be and my life is going to be prioritizing those things I got to pray that way and then I got to seek it matter of fact you might have turned there or looked it up but at the end of that chapter Matthew chapter 6 verse 33 after talking about the distinction the people in the world going after all kinds of things more than that in a minute he says but you right but but seekers that implied you but y'all seek first the kingdom of God okay that needs to be your ultimate priority which again is about the king its Christ right where Christ is he's their seat at the right now the Father he is the one to whom all authority and all of our attention and all of our focus should be ultimately and all things that go with this the all the things that go with it and and so that's encapsulated in the phrase seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness I want to live that out now I want the will of God to be done through me on earth as it is in heaven right and then all these other things they'll be taken care of will be added to you the other things in the passage or what am I going to eat what am I gonna wear I'm gonna have enough money to do this or that so the obedience to this passage to answer the question yes Christ is my most important priority is never going to be the case if your prayer life stinks if you are not praying for the future coming Kingdom if you don't recognize the superior priority of those things the things that are eternal that old line that is often used and perhaps it was Gemelli that said it about you know he's no fool right to lose what he cannot keep to gain what he can't lose that's the idea that Kingdom what would a profit a man jesus said if you gain the whole world but forfeited his soul the soul the spirit the interior of someone who goes to the next realm if you got everything here what does that matter just based on the temporal nature of it the whole book of ecclesiastes he's trying to ask that question what what good would that be it would be vanity vanity right all would be vanity it would be useless Under the Sun to do all of that stuff and it's temporal and and all of my works and all of the stuff of this earth wouldn't make any sense because there's something eternal and that ought to be our focus so is Christ your most important priority and I just wanted to add this passage if I could have you turn there real quick Psalm 62 if I'm gonna think about developing that relationship with God and and having my focus be clear on him has the priority of my life which doesn't mean you have the admission area or Bible translator or a pastor right you understand this this is about me seeing that this is what really matters 100 years from now that's what matters then you do it with things like this Psalm 62 verse 5 you try and get to the place where you can have this be the the true statement of you for God alone o my soul right wait in silence I'm ready to say that's what quiet times are all about in the morning that's what prayer times are right just like I wait for you that you're the priority you're the thing for my hope is in him you're the old man o everything you have is gonna go away you're healthier relationship your money this world you won't be here anymore so my hope isn't him for he only look at the exclusivity of this is my rock and my salvation this is Psalm 62 6 my fortress I shall not be shaken on God rests my salvation and my glory my mighty rock my refuge is God I think that is a great depiction of kind of what we're doing when we get our minds calibrated in the mornings and we pray and we spend time and silence and quiet and we open his word and we read it that's just such a great line now look at verse 8 trust in him at all times o people know the psalmist looks out hey you need to pour out your heart before him God is a refuge to us or for us say 'la that great salem by the way that pod but some musical notation probably means there's some kind of interlude or a pause or what-have-you but the picture of pouring out our hearts of praying of being able to get to the place where I see that there's no other hope as ACF said the you know there's nothing on earth I desire right besides you right my heart my flesh may fail but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever what else do we really have if we don't have God and that needs to be the thing that our heart is seeking above all else so first one to question right are you certain of your regeneration and if you can answer yes we're sitting in your front room you say yeah pester Mike I'm certain of that and the number two I say well is Christ your most important priority really wouldn't matter what about your health your finances your relationship being so far off to a good start well then the contrast it's almost like a repeat here I think there's a distinction between just that whole life seeking the things that are above now it says set your minds on things above but I think that whole statement is there not just to be repetitive although repetitive is reinforcing but look at the bottom of verse two not on things that are on earth there's the real point of verse number two is you've got a contrast the things that you'll see in everyone else as they're focusing and chasing after all these things matter of fact that should take me back to that passage in Matthew chapter 6 verse 33 said seek first the kingdom of God and it starts with a contrastive conjunction but seek first why because here's what the verse says in front of it for the Gentiles seek after all these things that's a strong word they're pursuing it they're going hard after it but your heavenly Father knows you need them so there's stuff between now and my death that I need I'm going to need I need food for the weeks out I'm going to need some sleep tonight I'm gonna need some water to drink I'm gonna need friendships and connections I need all those things but God knows what I need what I need to do is to be passionate about the things of God and that means I'm going to make a decision about whether or not the things of this world are going to consume me and so I just put it this way the question is is your number three is your temporal life too much of your focus is your temporal life too much of your focus and I know people right now that are struggling with anxiety and they're struggling with fear and all the things and we've got new pressure points in our lives that may bring all that to the surface but the only reason I'm gonna fear and be anxious and have those problems is because my focus is all about this life and again too much of your focus and I know there's a certain amount of focus we got to give to our lives and that's why the contrast in Matthew 6:33 is seek first the kingdom this is the priority and all I'm saying is you got to think about that contrast and think okay what is it about my life is is there too much real concern about this I said today earlier on something that was on just that you know am I you know am i concerned about the issues that relate to our health and you know all the things that people as are freaking out about right now and I can honestly say I'm I'm not I don't fear that right now and and I think that's just the standard there's no extra credit for that that's the standard Christian concern or response to is concern the concern is on things that last beyond this life my focus should be the value should be and the things that are unseen in this world because those things are eternal the things that are seeing those things are temporal as Paul said to the Corinthians so we need to make sure we're not focusing too much on this life and that contrast in Matthew 6 if you're still there if you go up earlier in verse 24 he says you can only serve one master you only have one ultimate priority he says because you're gonna hate one hate the one and love the other or you're gonna be devoted to the one and despise the other you cannot serve both God and money and of course money will buy you a lot of things gonna even buy you a good health care and a lot of other things so it relates to so much in our lives matter of fact if you look at the footnote on that in your ESV it'll make it clear that the Greek word is Mammon which has to do with the stuff of life the stuff that you have possessions it can be more than just money in the bank account and so you're gonna love this stuff here or you're gonna love the stuff that's gonna matter for eternity and I'm just trying to get us to think listen how do you do with the things of this world and I guess it should take us back up further in Matthew 6 by telling you what Jesus said and that is you've got to stop laying up treasures on on earth you just do not do it and it's not that you can't have some money in the banks not that you can't have you know a car with an air-conditioning or you know whatever manat about you having things that you need to utilize in this world it's about that laying up of those things it's about you saying this is my priority and too often the things of this world the Mammon of the world the money of the world the resources of the world the possessions of our lives they end up being things that capture us and he says don't do it he says cuz you can do it here make this your ultimate concern and your focus or you make your focus there and he says if you've got it there you got something permanent that can't be messed with can't be stolen can't be more less than anyway but things here can for where your treasure is there your heart will be also so this is all about us making sure we have a proper disconnection with the concerns of this life there's a lot of things that go wrong in our lives and I just don't want us to fret about those yeah I mean if you get a cut put a bandaid on it if you have a problem try and fix it if you've got a need coming up yeah I should probably save some money to deal with that need but these are not things that are consuming our hearts and our minds they just happen to be things we have to deal with Paul says who has everything before his conversion at least that the world thought a person should have and he says whatever I had gained I'm quoting now Philippians 3:7 he said I counted them as lost for the sake of Christ so in a real sense he's giving up all these earthly concerns he said I've counted everything Polo's because of the surpassing worth and value of knowing Christ Jesus my lord the focus of Christ and Christianity he says has become the thing that put everything in a distant second everything pales by comparison and my concern that I stay healthy sure but it pales by comparison should you be concerned that you you know have a decent retirement account well yeah I guess but it's there's nothing catastrophic about not having these things right God is going to put the treasure of Our Lives the focus of our lives becomes the the real feeding of our heart the fuel of our heart and if your heart is fueled on things that are eternal the other stuff it just it does not make us fret or be concerned the way that so many people seem to be right now matter of fact you wanted a stronger term Paul said this I quote this oft in Galatians chapter 6 verse 14 he said far be it for me to boast in anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ of course that's the epicenter of the gospel that he's preaching I mean it's all about Christ it's all about preparing for eternity so much of Christianity Today's tries to redefine Christianity be about the here and now it's about then and there and he says by which the cross of Christ the world has been crucified to me and I to the world and that's just a proper kind of disconnection from all the things that can wait us down where's your treasure where's your heart where's your concern is I put it in this question where's your focus how much of your focus is here how much of your focus is there I had some friends in the church they still here after many many years I've been their pastor and I remember they bought a house and I was big purchase for them and they were getting it ready and there was some lag time they had the old owners move out and they went and they rented an apartment I think we were in that very apartment complex if I remember correctly and so they lived in this apartment complex that we lived in and yet they had a house that was about three four miles away at the most and they got a lease a short-term lease for like three months or something and I I thought well that's a perfect example of the Christian life the only difference is they knew when they were moving out and we don't know when we're moving out but how they treated that apartment right is certainly the analogy of how we ought to treat the concerns of this life did they lock the door well sure they did but did they worry about beefing up the locks in their door and getting the ultimate now with that because they got a house it's being built or in that case it was already built but it was being remodeled or replenish or refurbished and you know that was their house they sunk all their money into that this was just a temporary place to live you know did they put a few things on the wall for those treatments of course they didn't they put a nail up and they hung some things up is it the kind of things that they wanted permanently on the hallway as their kids ran down the hall and grew up for the next 20 years no it's not what they wanted what they didn't really care so much about I just throw something on the wall it's okay doesn't matter did they you know arrange things in the house the way they want to well sure but they didn't freak out of a wasn't quite right you get my analogy they invested in their apartment to a very reasonable level but nothing freaked them out and then word down the way not knowing any idea when we're gonna get out of our apartment complex and trying to make it just perfect right and all I'm saying is there's so many Christians that seem to act like we're not moving out of this apartment you're moving out of this apartment if you are a Christian you're moving into a much better place God has prepared a place for you and what matters is that you focus on that and you realize that we are in a short-term place sometimes it feels like a really nice apartment and sometimes it feels like a mobile home but now that actually get you down because we know what's coming soon is the kingdom of God he says in verse number three back to Colossians 3 he said you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God now commentators struggle sometimes that trying to figure out what Paul was getting at you're hidden in Christ but I really believe as I've studied this passage that this has to do with the concept of security right you've died your old life is gone and in terms of how God saw you before he doesn't see it that way anymore and your life is hidden with Christ in God God has in his relationship with you so as Paul said in Galatians clothed you in Christ that you are you're hidden in Christ it's like it's a cocoon it's like yours wrapped in Christ and so the father can't even look at you without looking at Christ so to speak right he can't see you he can't consider you apart from Christ your life is hidden with Christ in God the connection that you have that matters is your citizenship in heaven and what is coming in verse number four the fifth question I'm going to ask you is about that coming Kingdom but right now your your life is is wrapped in Christ and that there's a security in that and and I know if you answer the first question you know are you sure you're regenerate well yeah that that's great I know that I'd become a Christian well then I would say this is kind of a follow-up to that because of this concept being hidden I would ask it this way do you have a sense of your security in Christ and do you have that sense is there such an alliance that you sense even in your sanctification as you grow in Christ as you pour your heart out to God as you see him as your ultimate priority as you treasure them is your refuge and your rock and what matters and his kingdom those things you can't see now that that are the eternal things does that bring you that sense of security is there doubting in your life I mean you really got a wage war against outing if doubting is a part of your Christian life if you know that your regenerate if you've made Christ your priority if you really have ratcheted back your earthly focus that you're not all wrapped up and concerned about what the Gentiles run after chase after then I would say make sure there's no doubt you're chasing the doubt away to reuse that word to to vanquish that in your life that you say God I need to get rid of it because I trust your promises doubting unfortunately is so easily used by the enemy to discourage us and to derail us and to detour us and I would just say you've got to recognize there's something seriously wrong in our thinking and our theology when we keep getting haunted by doubt now I understand we're gonna be tempted in a lot of ways but I need you to face those temptations of wanting to doubt and to recognize my theology not right if I'm doubting to be hidden in Christ right that picture of being in that sense of wrapped in him hidden with Christ in God should leave me with none of that doubt in the Christian life I thought I'd have more time it always goes so fast but first first Peter chapter 1 talks about the guarantee of what's coming blessed be the God and father verse 3 first Peter one of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his Mercy's caused us to be born again to a Living Hope I just like that that's a vibrant it's real it's it's not dead it's it's it's ever-present it makes itself known through the resurrection of Christ from the dead so the past confirmation is Christ's physical bodily resurrection to enhance to an inheritance we have this now this is our hope to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled unfading all those things are super helpful to think about yeah I've got a house that's being built and I am in a temporary dwelling and I'm absolutely sure about that it's imperishable undefiled Sun fading it's the things that matter where thieves can't break in and steal it and rust can't destroy it and mods can't eat it up and then it says this last phrase of verse 4 kept in heaven for you it's kept there it's protected it's not going away it's it's guarded and some translations say it's reserved in heaven for you who by your power now if you're reading along with me that's notices for who by God's power are being guarded through faith through your trust for a salvation that's ready to be revealed in the last time it's ready to break out it's ready to happen it's gonna come and in this you rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary verse 6 says you've been grieved by various trials and some of us are have them now more than we've had in the past so that the tested genuineness of your faith I know I'm trusting him more precious than gold that perishes though it's tested by the fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ though you've not seen him right none of us have laid our eyes on the physical Christ you love him though you do not see him now you believe in him you trust in him and rejoice with a joy that's inexpressible and filled with glory obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls it's a great passage that's a good one to contemplate those verses right there 3 through 9 in 1st Peter 1 the joy that many of us lack in the midst of hard times the inability to be able to have that strong confident faith is be we are not taking this battle with doubting seriously if I were to promise you something and you were to just keep questioning whether or not that thing that I've said to you is true it's his insult to me and and it's an insult to God when we don't believe what he says he says if you confess your sins he's faithful and righteous to forgive your sins to cleanse you from all unrighteousness he's been very clear about the promises to those who put their faith in Him and we've got to believe those things so I want you to have that sense of security that your life is wrapped up with Christ and God it's not like you've signed a paper and you're hoping that you're gonna get in one day it's like you are so out of this world already in God's mind that you were hidden with Christ in God so do you have a sense of security in Christ yeah there's just so much there we could say but let me ask the last question to hasten on it's been long enough hadnít Colossians chapter 3 verse 4 when Christ who is your life appears when he arrives when he's shown as shows up then you also will appear with him in glory that's a great text isn't it when he appears when he appears then I'm gonna appear with him in glory well let's say he appears next week I'm here right how am I gonna appear with him in glory well that's the whole point of this analogy that I am already judicially so much his that I'm in him I'm wrapped up and hidden in Christ now when he comes it's like BAM everything that I am legally judicially everything I am as a child God it just all gets to be seen for what it is first John 3 says right what we will be is not yet known right I'm a child of God I am but what we will be you haven't fully seen that yet but when he appears right then that then the reality is gonna get a gonna start the reality of who I really am the fact that I'm a child of God that I'm not just the refuse of the world is Paul said about Christians and how people view us I'm gonna be like him because I'm gonna see him as he is so I would just say this are you sincerely number 5 are you sincerely anticipating Christ's return do you have a sense that when he appears then you appear when he's here it's not like he's breaking into your earthly plans and you know even just the concept of rescuing you if Christ were to come back for his church tomorrow do you feel like yeah now my life is what it would it's been all about now the priority that Kingdom that I've been praying for to come now it all happens it's here it is the the happy hope to use the word of Titus chapter 2 the Blessed hope this is the grace of God has appeared to bring salvation for all people all kinds of people training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled upright godly lives in the present age the distinction right we're not of this world waiting for our Blessed hope that's the word happy that happy hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who gave himself to redeem us from all lawlessness and purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works we are already his possession we're already hidden with Christ in God and now when he appears everything's going to be what we'd hoped for the resolution of all of our hope I hope that's the case for you that you were sincerely anticipating Bertram not just because life got hard in the last couple of months not just because you lost your job and it'd be great if you could be with God not just because there's issues or problems or not just cuz it would be better to be with him but because you really this is all that you have seen yourself to be your self identification is that you are a child of God that you are his that you've been raised up with Christ I'd encourage you to sincerely anticipate the return of Christ five questions right are you certain of your regeneration if you've been raised with Christ are you seeing Christ and Christianity is your most important priority is Christ your most important priority right seek the things that are above where Christ is seated the writing of God is your temporal life too much of your focus right set your mind on the things above not on the things that are on the earth and then question four do you have a sense of your security in Christ that you're confident that really your life here that's not it you've died your life is hidden with Christ in God and then lastly are you sincerely anticipating Christ's return when Christ who is your life appears then you also live here with him in glory I think it was in Bible School when I saw this car pull into the parking lot and it had - bumper stickers on the back of the trunk on each side of the license plate and on the one side I don't think these bumper stickers by the way were meant to be read together but the one on this Christian guy's bumper it said it said Jesus is coming exclamation point oh there's a guy you know cares about praise for the coming kingdom this guy's looking forward to the return of Christ and I looked at his license plate he's from Wisconsin on the other side he had a bumper sticker and said escape to Wisconsin so I read these two bumper stickers together right jesus is coming escaped to Wisconsin and I thought I don't think he intended for me to see it that way right there's no escaping the return of Christ by being in Wisconsin I think Christ's second coming plan certainly include Wisconsin but it was interesting to see kind of that dichotomy right the idea of hey escape to Wisconsin I mean there's real life there's happiness there's Wisconsin so great oh but Christ is coming right you really got to pick your side of the bumper there and say I'm gonna live here or I'm going to live here I'm gonna see my life and my joy and everything in this thing whatever it is of this life might just be - be your state or your home it could be your job it could be a relationship it could be your kids could be your family life or you're gonna say no no no what I'm really all about is that Jesus is coming you know if that's the case all of this fits together if you've been raised with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God set your minds on the things that are above not on the things that are on the earth you've died your life is hidden with Christ in God when Christ who is your life appears then you also will appear with in glory let's recalibrate our minds on those verses today let's pray God help us all to think clearly about who we are in Christ and what you're bringing to us when your son is dispatched to get the church we look forward to that day may it be soon may our hearts be ready and excited to meet the Lord in the air and forever be with the Lord God let that be the reality of the real palpable desire of our heart every day let it grow stronger day after day in Jesus name Amen [Music]

Channel: Compass Bible Church

Views: 3,827

Rating: 4.9473686 out of 5

Keywords: compass bible church, compass church, compass aliso viejo, aliso viejo church, compass bible church aliso, expository preaching, expository preaching church, biblical christianity, evangelical christianity, compass church hill country, compass church Tustin, compass church Huntington Beach, compass church treasure valley

Id: s78EY5FFrZA

Length: 51min 49sec (3109 seconds)

Published: Sat May 09 2020