Your New Focus
Colossians 3 - The New You (Winter 2020) • Sermon • Submitted
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· 2 viewsTitle - Your New Focus Message #19 You and I need to focus our life today on where we’re headed for eternity with Christ and begin preparing for that time right now.
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Preaching Point: You and I need to focus our life today on where we’re headed for eternity with Christ and begin preparing for that time right now.
Intro
Intro
I played competitive basketball for 20+ years of my life
Biggest accomplishment spring of my Senior Year of HS.
All those early mornings and late evening brutal workouts paid off
My biggest basketball goal of getting a college scholarship was accomplished and it was signed and sealed
At that time I was officially a part of the Long Island University Men’s Basketball team.
Although I was still in Dallas, Texas, from that day on the way I practiced, lifted weights, my lifestyle was based on what was going to prepare me for college basketball in NY my soon to be new home.
The only thing that separated me and my future teammates was me being transported to NY
If you are a true Christian then your heavenly scholarship has also been signed and sealed, and the only thing separating you from Christ is being transported to heaven at the end of this life.
RTL
Knowing that we’re that close, you and I need to focus our life today on where we’re headed for eternity with Christ and begin preparing for that time right now.
If you don’t, you will be consumed by the world.
Think about it in November 2020 you have been impacted by more distractions than ever before… Politics, COVID, social media, job, financial security, family issues
We need a solution to battle that, and Paul starts are Col. Study off right out of the gates
Arguably the most clear and practical solutions in all of Scripture.
Turn to Colossians 3
Running Start - Colossians 2 (summary) - If with Christ you have died to the world, then also with him you have been raised… Gets us into 3:1 raised with Christ
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
3 If then you have been raised with Christ...
Explain - “Since” and primarily Christians…
As a whole was considered Christians... some that were not with Christ
some may have knew it and some may have thought but were not
Just as I imagine here.
Can’t go anywhere unless we get this one thing clear
Are you sure you are right with Christ?
Many want to rush through this, but within this is most important question in our life, it deserves more attention.
If we don’t get this right the rest of this message and this series becomes a bunch of nice to consider things if it convenient as opposed to your whole mission of life because you are truly with Christ.
Point #1 – Ensure You Are Truly With Christ (v. 1a)
Point #1 – Ensure You Are Truly With Christ (v. 1a)
Titus 1:16 · (Empty talkers, deceivers) 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works…
Rich young ruler – I’ve done all of those things but not willing to give up everything
As a sports fan it’s good to be in SoCal this year - Dodgers/Lakers
You got all the championship apparel to look the part, and you may emotionally feel like it at times. (bad news)
You’re not truly with them, you’re not on the roster
You didn’t sweat in the pre season, bumped and bruised during the season therefore you don’t get the ring. You and me both are fans.
Christianity has many fans – On the outskirts, close enough to feel some emotional highs and lows, but in the end you know you’re not truly on the heavenly roster.
You think like I did for much of my life, I got time, or I’ll figure it out when the time is right.
You can give your life to Christ today
Don’t be too prideful or worry about others, best to get it right while you can
Being truly in Christ will bring clarity for us to the rest of Paul’s message
seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God (right hand man – equal – highest honor). 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Matthew 16:21-23
English Standard Version Chapter 16
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
How serious Jesus is about setting mind on things above!!!
When I signed the scholarship, things that mattered in HS weren’t as important anymore.
Sure there were some classes that I had to finish up in HS, and I would still workout with my HS teammates
But my focus was no longer like every other high schooler around me at that point,
I needed to prepare for my soon to be destination and aim toward the things that would be pleasing to my future basketball coach and team.
We as Christians need to aim to please our new coach and life leader Jesus Christ
Point #2 – Aim to Please Christ (vv. 1b–2)
Point #2 – Aim to Please Christ (vv. 1b–2)
Philippians. 3:14 - 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call (invitation) of God in Christ Jesus.
If you’re aiming to please self you can never seek the things that are above, because you’re here
How? - Aiming to please Christ starts by knowing what pleases him.
Telling your kids clean up the living room.
They do a bunch of other things… That’s not going to be pleasing to you based on your expectations
Doing other things for Christ (studying, fellowshipping, serving) can be good, but I need the one great thing done
God’s given us a great commission - Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples
Advancing his truth and Gospel
Get amongst non-believers and speak truth to them
Mike Jacobs - closest to Christ on a missions trip 10 years ago
Aim to please Christ by keeping clear sight of the destination
Many of you took vacation during COVID
· Hard to pack - Want to pack everything
· Sort between what you want and what’s will make a difference for that trip
Only pack the things that will matter for the trip, same thing with our daily life, need to be able to distinguish the difference between earthly and eternal
Earthly distractions will absolutely seem productive and that you have to do it - job
How much are you willing to go to extremes lifestyle and schedule changes to please Christ?
Not just the convenient (cupholder coins) - Things that are easy
Following Christ comes at a cost
Everyone has a reason why they can’t, just a matter of how important he is and if your sole aim is to please him.
Back out 30k foot view (get your mind where you’re going to be – (heavenly perspective)
Prioritize things that make an impact many years from now
British missionary CT Studd Poem
Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,’twill soon be past,
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Slower with decisions
Seek the right things - Not our normal, first thing that comes to mind.
Like being on a diet, when you’re really hungry, bad food comes first.
Takes prayer, diligence, counsel. Asking am I aiming to please Christ
Proverbs 3:5-6 - 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths
Paul’s not saying to the Colossians change everything external in your life
Same environment but a change to your ultimate end goal
There could be major benefit, (mission field)
· One thing about going to college that I quickly learned was that my HS accolades no longer mattered, they did nothing for me the second I signed.
· Paul’s telling the Colossians no need to look back to old you look forward knowing you’re in Christ
3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Past, Present, Future
Death at salvation (past tense)
Gal. 2:20 - 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.
2 Cor. 5:17 - 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Old you is Dead! Dead to what:
Dead to being hell bound
Dead to fearing death
Dead to hopelessly longing for something better
Dead to the blindness of sin
Alive to a perfect final destination in eternity, because your life is with Christ, and we belong to him
Point #3 – Remember Who You Belong to (vv. 3-4)
Point #3 – Remember Who You Belong to (vv. 3-4)
Family Reunions - You don’t earn a name.
· 1 John 3:2 - 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
· Right now/ presently we are hidden with Christ
Our full relationship now is internally is with Christ, meaning externally you can’t fully see the connection,
but there will come a day (future) when he returns and our relationship with him will be on full display and the world that was once blind will see it
When he appears he’s coming as the Mighty warrior Jesus that’s coming back - Rev. 19:11-16 describes it:
He judges and makes war
Eyes like a flame of fire
From his mouth comes a sharp sword to strike down nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.
That’s who Christians belong to, that’s whom we will be with
Right now that’s who we belong to at all times! Always on the clock
Salary vs. hourly - thought it was cool being salary
Tried to say I’m off the clock. no, no, no
Salary job just means you’re always on
We’re always on and remembering who you belong to with Christ
Conclusion
Conclusion
Days after I signed Newspaper articles
Summit HS Forward set to attend LIU.
The only thing in between was being transported to NY
The only thing that is between us and Heaven today is transportation by death of the physical body
Phil. 3:20 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ
All the waiting eventually came to an end, that first day on campus finally came, so too will that day if you’re a Christian, where we will appear with him in glory.
Until then we need to focus everything in our life today on where we’re headed for eternity with Christ and begin preparing for that time right now.