Thank you for stopping by and taking to time to watch, listen, or read this week’s message, Areas of Focus.
I hope you find encouragement in your faith in Jesus, and maybe even learn something new along the way 🙂
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Recap
Today, we are returning to our look at the letter written to the church in Colossae. Before the weeks leading up to Christmas, we had looked at the first two chapters of the book of Colossians. As a recap of those two chapters, here are the things we discussed…
In Christ, we are, and can become, holy and faithful (1.2) and can live a life of faith and love (1.3-5). Because of Jesus, we are filled with all we need (1.9-11) and will bear fruit and grow (1.6-8).
This can happen because Jesus is…
- The Image of the Invisible God (1.15a)
- The Creator of All Things (1.16)
- The One who Holds All Things Together (1.17b)
- The Supreme Authority in All Things (1.18d)
- Filled with God the Father (1.19)
- Reconciling All Things to Himself (1.20)
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Because of all that Jesus is and all that He has accomplished, by faith we are restored to God (1.21-22a) and are now holy, perfect, and blameless in His sight (1.22b-23a)
Since we are positionally made right with God through Jesus, we should not be afraid to take risks for the gospel message (1.24). We are to become a servant for the message (1.25-26), understanding its meaning (1.27-29) and its goal of bringing others into a relationship with Him (2.1-4). To this end we are to become disciplined with the message of the gospel (2.5).
The only way to become a disciplined servant of the gospel is through the work of Christ alone. Only in Christ can we keep growing (2.6-7), for it is only in Him that we can trust (2.8-10). We cannot grow on our own, in our own abilities. We grow only as Jesus works within us and as we remember that work which He has accomplished (2.11-15).
Growing in faith is all about Jesus. It does not come through religious expectations (2.16-17), personal experiences (2.18-19), or rules and regulations (2.20-23). Growth comes from Christ alone.
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With all that we have uncovered up to this point, we are now going to consider some of the areas we are to focus on as followers of Christ. Paul continues in Colossians 3.1-11
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
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According to Paul’s words, he encourages us to focus on a few areas, including…
1. Set your hearts on things above. 1
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
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What are some of the things for which our hearts long? A better job? A bigger house? Grand vacations? The luxuries of life?
There is nothing wrong with longing after these things in and of themselves. The problem arises when these are the only, or main things of which our hearts truly long. When our hearts are disconnected from the things of God, the things of heaven, we miss out on the bigger picture of what a life of faith looks like.
Think about the One who gave His life for us. Through faith, Jesus is the One who now lives in us. This One who lives in us is seated at the right hand of God. Because of this, we now have access to God as well.
Our everything, our entire being, can be found in Jesus. Our hearts can be easily swayed by the things of this world, and Jesus knows these desires of our hearts, the earthly and heavenly desires. However, we must be intentional to remain focused on Him and the things above.
2. Set your minds on things above. 2-4
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
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Along with the longing of our hearts, we need to consider those things that dominate our thoughts throughout each day. For many, their thoughts are on financial matters all the time. For others, there is the constant concern for family and friends. Some may worry over what others think of them, which can cause stress and strain on the overthinker.
Again, there is nothing necessarily wrong with thinking about these things. However, if these thoughts are distracting us from the things of God, the things of heaven, our minds are in the wrong place.
Paul spoke to the importance of the right mindset in some of the other letters he wrote. He explained that if we are in Christ, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. So, if Christ lives in us, then we have the mind of Christ. In other words, we are to let Christ take over our minds.
Our thoughts are not to be burdened by the things of the earth. Instead, we must be intentional by setting our minds on things above.
3. Put to death earthly passions. 5-7
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
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The passions of this earth can distract us from the things of God. The passions that Paul lists here, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, which is idolatry, are just a few of the things that can seep into our lives. Even though this list is small, it encompasses much of life as we know it.
If we are in Christ, though, we are to put these passions to death, because we now live a new life. We are no longer bound by the things of the world. In fact, our lives are no longer to be lived just for ourselves or our families. Our lives are now to be lived for Jesus, and Him alone.
The passions of this life are to become less, and our life for Christ is to become our focus. Like John the Baptist said about himself and Jesus, “He must become greater, I must become less.” Again, this will take intentionality to accomplish, and not by our own power. Only through the work of Jesus can we put to death the passions of this world.
4. Put to death earthly attitudes. 8-9a
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other
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Along with earthly passions, Paul encourages us to put to death the earthly attitudes as well. The definitions of the attitudes listed are…
- Anger: a strong feeling of displeasure and belligerence aroused by a wrong; wrath; ire.
- Rage: angry fury; violent anger.
- Malice: desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness.
- Slander: a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report.
- Filthy language: any statements that are unwholesome or inappropriate.
- Lying: any spoken untruth, no matter how trivial it may be.
How do we rid ourselves of these things? We can’t! It is only by the power and grace of God that we can overcome these attitudes. However, we do have daily help in this matter because Jesus now resides in us. It is only by Him and through Him that any changes can come in our lives.
That is why it is so important to keep our hearts and minds focused on things above. It is only then that we will be able to overcome the passions and attitudes of this world.
5. Put on the new self. 9b-11
since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
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It is imperative for us to remember that, in Christ, we are a new creation, a new species of people. That is why Paul can say that because of Jesus, there is no longer Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free.
Christ is in us, and we, collectively, have become the Church. Then, with the Spirit residing within us, we are being renewed in our knowledge of Him each and every day.
Yes, we still place labels on others, even in the church, but it should not be. We are children of God, brothers and sisters with Jesus. The labels that man has placed upon one another no longer has any bearing. We have received a new self and we are to intentionally put it on and live for God and the things above.
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As we live out our days, let us always keep our focus on things above and allow the Spirit to use us to be the witness of the greatness of our God through our actions.
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Have a Great Day!