12/27/11 SET YOUR HEARTS ON THINGS ABOVE

Colossians 3:1-11                                         Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Key Verse: 3:1                                               Kevin jesmer NIU UBF

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Dear Jesus. Good morning. Thank you for you many graces. Thank you that I could have time to recuperate from a cold and also have time to prepare the word of God. Please help me to prepare an inspiring New Year’s message. Please grant us all life changing Key Verses so that we may grow spiritually in 2012. I pray that 2012 may be a year filled with good fruit and great Christian fellowship. May we glorify the name of Jesus! I pray that my kids may really enjoy their winter Bible conferences. I pray that they may grow spiritually through them. Bless the leaders to teach clearly revealing the wisdom and the glory of God. Lord, please grant me your word deeply in my heart this blessed morning. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

1. Set your minds on things above (1-4).

Verses 1-4 reads, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
We have been raised with Christ. We have a new life in Christ. Our hope is to appear with him in glory. Paul exhorts us to set our hearts and minds on things above. To set our heart and mind is a matter of decision, not feeling. It is to set our life purpose and direction above, where Christ is, not on earth. This is the way to live with Christ, beginning with our heart’s desires (what we seek) and our minds (what we think).

I have been raised in Christ. Jesus my Lord reigns from on high. He is alive and dwells in heaven. He wants me to focus the eyes and ears of my heart on things above. Why? Does he demand my complete devotion, like the rulers of North Korea? No! It is because he loves me with a jealous love. He wants my whole heart. There can be nothing less in true love relationship. Jesus also knows that nothing in this world will ever satisfy my heart. He knows that I will be disappointed. A human brain has a huge capacity. We can use our brains to almost send people to Mars. We are on the verge of resurrected mammoths by cloning. We devise elaborate ways to gratify the cravings of our sinful nature. If I did not set my heart on things above, then I would be so unsatisfied. Reading a couple of newspapers a day, facebooking, sending e-mails and texts can only satisfy me so much. After awhile all of these things become empty in and of themselves. I need to focus on Jesus and the Kingdom of God. I need to focus on the truth of God and meditate on its meaning. I need to apply myself to the mission of God and expand the territory of the kingdom of God. I need to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. This is setting my hearts on things above. I pray that all my kids and all my Bible students may focus their hearts on things above.

2. Put to death your earthly nature (5-11).

Verses 5-11 read, “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”

Since our direction and thoughts are above with Christ, our lifestyle also must change. Paul says to put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature. He begins with the old way of life characterized by sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed. God’s wrath is coming because of these. But we must also rid ourselves of things that hurt our Christian community: anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying. Since we have taken off the old nature with its practices, let us put on the new self that is being renewed in the image of its Creator. This is universal to all who are in Christ with no exceptions.

I must put to death what is contrary to new self. I must put off the old self for the glory of God. I must put on new self to be like Jesus. I must let sinful desires rule my heart. I must not the elements of death take hold in me. I need to get rid of laziness, immorality, anger, judgmental spirits, despair and fatalism and depressed feelings take hold in my heart. These do no glorify Jesus. They do not attract people to Christ and the gospel. They are not producing the life that God wants for me. In fact they produce misery and heart ache and in the end, judgment. I pray that each day, I may put on the new self, becoming more and more like my savior Jesus. I pray that God may raise up 12 disciples among us who can put off the old self and put on the new self created to be like Jesus.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Christ in whom I have a new self. Help me set my heart and mind on things above, where Christ is, not on earthly things. May my lifestyle and community follow.

One Word: Seek and think of Christ who is above