Moments in the life of a Pastor

Colossians 3:10-17

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.¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Paul has taught us about praise, prayer, the preeminence of Christ, God’s purpose and plan, proactively pursing Jesus, poisonous practices of piety, in chapter 3 Paul talks about living with Power through putting on. Paul moves from putting off to putting on. Today most Christians tend to get focused on the removal and forget about the replacing.  We are not called to strip of the old and do life naked but to replace the past with God’s power and presence. Paul calls us to put on the new nature, and be renewed as we learn to know our Creator and become like Him. The focus is not on rules or results but a relationship. Transformation involves trusting God, spending time with Him in a relationship. Paul’s proposal is to live for the Lord and as he talks about the new nature he starts with our:

1. POSITION Of the new life– Vs 12

It all starts with position.

ILLUSTRATION:

One day the commander of a great armies had his prize steed run away from him. An alert private immediately jumped on a horse and chased after the steed. When the private returned the horse the commander smiled at the private and said, “Thank you,…Captain!” The overjoyed private immediately took his old uniform to the quartermaster and exchanged it for that of a captain. He then ran back to the barracks, packed his bags, and moved into the officers’ quarters. In an instant, the commander-in-chief had changed his status from that of a lowly private to that of a commissioned officer. He never once doubted the commander’s words, instead, he believed what the general had said and acted accordingly. 

The commander Jesus Christ has, by a single act, forever changed your status before God, by His death and resurrection, He has transformed us from chaos to chosen children. Our responsibility is to act in a way that is consistent with our new status and that is what Colossians 3 is all about. Paul is urging us to exchange the old desires, attitudes, and actions that were characteristic of our former lives for those that are indicative of our new rank and standing. Today many Christians are trying to live up to a position instead of living out their position. 

1. Chosen of God

Special we don’t have to strive to arrive. So often we look at this passage and think if I we be a better Christian Christ would accept me. He already has.

• Holy – set apart from a sinful world and dedicated to God

God is the one who accomplished this true of us positionally now Paul calls us to live it practically to be different from the world. Just as the marriage ceremony sets apart a man and woman for each other exclusively, so salvation sets the believer apart exclusively for Jesus Christ. It would be a horrible thing if at the end of a wedding the bride ran off with another man. It is just as horrible if the Christian runs from God to love the world and the flesh

• Loved – objects of God’s matchless agape love

God’s love involves Him doing what is eternally best for us though not necessarily what we desire or what is easiest. This is His commitment to remain true to us, in all the circumstances of our life. God loves each of us just as we are and as we respond to His love we become who He has called us be. Because of our position as chosen, holy, loved children of God He calls us to put on our new uniform.

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. 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. ⁵ 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. 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.”

• Position determines what we Pursue

Paul says to “Set your sights” he is talking here about what we pursue, what we seek. This is about what our heart seeks and a need for a change in desires. Instead of pursuing results Paul says purse a relationship with Jesus. The focus isn’t on the place of heaven but on the person in heaven. Paul is not calling us to love and meditate on the things in heaven, but rather on the King in heaven, the qualities that characterize the life and rule of Christ.  If you want to hit the target you have to focus on what your shooting for. ILLUSTRATION if we focus on something right in front of us we end up with a short range focus, not only does it strained our eyes, but it blurs our view of anything beyond the end of our nose. But if we adjust our focus we get a bigger picture. We can shift our sight from near to far at will, the choice is ours.  We can succumb to selfish, earthbound thoughts, blurring our view of anything beyond the end of our noses, or we can gaze through this sinful scene and fix our attention on things above. Then, and only then, are we in a position to see what’s most important in life. Paul says to set our sights on reality, what is reality, Jesus is seated on the throne, we need to Focus on the finished work – seated. When we set our sights on the Savior we can stop striving.  This reminder of Jesus being seated at the right hand of God the Father is indicative of His provision, power, and position.

• Position determines how we Process 

The power of the Resurrection puts heaven in our hearts but it needs to be transmitted to our minds. There is eternal thinking and earthly thinking. The Colossians had accepted Christ but it lay dormant because they were engrossed with earthly things. Their earthly priorities were controlling their perspective and directing their lives. We can identify with them, our thoughts, energy, and time can be focused on our agenda of personal success and prosperity. This duality of direction, this split personality is what debilitates so many of us. St. Augustine said, “Christ is not valued at all unless He is valued above all.” When it comes to eternal thinking and earthly thinking, one is everything the other is empty, one is promise focused the other problem focused. Promises.

• Saved from sin – Died to this life and we have no obligation to live like we used to live.
• Safe in Christ – Hidden in Him.  
• Second coming of Christ 
• Share in His glory 

You can use and enjoy earthly things better when you’re not seeking your satisfaction from them but are seeking fulfillment from God. Taste, touch, and tabulate can never really satisfy. Position, popularity, and people don’t bring us security. 

CONCLUSION

If you will be honest with yourself, you will probably find like me that your desires revealed by your thoughts, are more focused on the things of this world than on the things of God. Don’t believe me look at your bank statement it records your priorities and preferences.