Claiming our Riches in Christ: The Book of Colossians
03/16/2003 - Living Heaven's Life on Earth
One of the things I love about serving at Valley View is having a front row seat and watching the transformation that is happening in people's lives all over our church community. I was talking to a man this week who's been a believer just about a year now and I asked him what God has changed in his life. And without taking a breath he said, "Everything! God is changing everything in my life and in my job and in my marriage. In fact, I can't remember the last time my wife and I had an argument. And that's a major change for me."
I was talking to another man who's been part our church community for maybe eighteen months, clearly started coming to Valley View as a pure seeker with lots of questions. But somewhere along the line his questions got answered and Jesus began to make sense to him and he crossed the line of faith. And he was telling me last week that some of the things he's saying to people now just take him by surprise. He can't believe the things that are coming out of his mouth.
He was with his neighbor not long ago, who claims to be an atheist, and he started telling him about his spiritual journey and at one point he said, "And now I've accepted Christ." He didn't know where those words came from. He had never said them before. It was like an out of body experience. And then he told his neighbor, "You've got to come to my church sometime. It's like no other church you've ever been too. When I miss going to my church on a Sunday I feel like I'm missing a party. And I don't want to miss a party." His neighbor said, "That must be some church!"
Jennifer was talking to a gal from Valley View last week whose been coming here less than a year and with a big smile she said, "I've never been happier in my life. I've never experienced real community before and I'm loving it!"
A few weeks ago Tim told us stories of teenagers whose lives are being changed dramatically through Young Life along with their parents. It's a blast to have a front row seat and watch what God is doing in people's lives. But it's not about Valley View. And it's not about Young Life . It's God doing his wonderful work of spiritual transformation, rescuing and redeeming and making rich those who are putting their faith in Christ. And they stumble for words to describe it!
This morning we continue our series in Colossians called Claiming our Riches in Christ. Scott and Tim did an extraordinary job teaching us what it means to be rooted in Christ and made alive in Christ. And today we're going to see what it means to be transformed into the image of Christ by living heaven's life on earth. Turn in your Bible to Colossians 3:1-11.
Colossians 3:1-4, 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 life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
In this passage, Paul says we have died with Christ, been raised with Christ and one day will appear with Christ in glory. What in the world does that mean? I haven't died with Christ. I'm still alive. I've got a heartbeat and a pulse. I wasn't on the cross with Jesus. I haven't been resurrected either. I still live in this mortal body. What's Paul getting at?
Let me try to explain something I don't fully understand, but something I fully believe because God says it. When Jesus Christ was born into this world he had a mortal, corruptible body. It was a body that grew and developed and went through puberty and aged and got tired and hungry and felt pain. It was the human body that died on the cross.
And three days later, at his resurrection, it was the body that was raised to life. But when it came back from the dead it was no longer a corruptible, mortal body. It was a brand new, glorified body, outfitted for heaven and prepared for eternity. And during the 40 days between Jesus' resurrection and his ascension to heaven, Jesus lived the life of heaven here on earth. His body could do miraculous things like pass through walls and disappear and reappear in other places in an instant. He was living his heavenly life on earth.
We live our life on this earth in our corruptible, mortal body, just like Jesus did up until his resurrection. But when we trust Christ as our Savior our address changes. We become members of a new kingdom, citizens of heaven, we don't belong here anymore. And while we don't have the glorified body to live there yet, we do have heaven's life living inside us. We've been created to live in that place and are just waiting for the body that will allow us to do that.
In some mystical, supernatural way, we have died with Christ and have been raised with him. In God's eyes, when Christ died on the cross, we died to the power of sin in our lives and when he was raised to life we were raised to live a new, empowered life in him. In fact, because God isn't locked into time and space like we are, he already sees us seated on his right hand with Christ in the heavenlies. That's all wrapped up in what it means to be "in Christ." Those are the riches that are ours to claim.
Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 2:4-7, But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
One day we're all going to get that heavenly body that we're trying to get now with fad diets, cosmetic surgery and workouts at the gym. It will be a beautiful body equipped to breath the celestial air of heaven. But until that time comes we have heaven's life living inside us. And until then we're to set our hearts and minds on things above where our real home is. That's where we're headed. That's where we really belong.
It's interesting that in verse 3 Paul uses the phrase your life is now hidden with Christ in God. That's a shot at the Gnostics who were saying that all wisdom and knowledge is hidden in their teachers and in their special writings called Apocrypha or hidden books. Paul is saying, "No. All wisdom and knowledge is hidden in Christ and we are hidden in him."
Because of who we are "in Christ" we're to set our hearts and minds on things above. Our hearts represent our emotions and our minds represent our thoughts. Paul wants us to develop a heavenly perspective on life that will shape the things we think about and mold the things we really love. Our new identity in Christ is meant to give us a new attitude about God, about ourselves, about our purpose in life, what's really important, about death and the hereafter, about the major issues of life. We're always going to have minor issues swirling around our lives. Everyday brings a new set of those. But God wants us to be settled and rock solid certain about the major issues of life.
How do we know if we've really set our heart and mind on things above? Let me give you a little three question pop quiz. Let's come down out of the heavenlies now and get real practical. Question #1, what do you think about when you don't have to think about anything? What do you day dream about? When your driving in your car alone does your mind ever drift to Christ and who he is and what's he done for you and what it will be like to see him face to face?
A song Jennifer and I are really enjoying right now is called Imagine by Amy Grant. And in it she sings, "I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk by your side. I can only imagine what my eyes will see when your face is looking at me. Surrounded by your glory what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still? Imagine, I can only imagine. I can only imagine all creation bowed down, the whole universe saying your name out loud. I can only imagine all our broken lives resurrected in the healing light. Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine, I can only imagine. Surrounded by forgiveness what will my heart feel? Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah will I be able to speak at all?"
What do think about when you don't have to think about anything? Question #2, how do you spend your time? Do you spend it all on your job, on your house, on your kids, on your hobbies, on yourself? There's nothing wrong with those things. But if our hearts and minds are set on Christ we want to spend time with him and on the things he values.
Do you set aside time to be alone with God and be reminded how much he loves you and how valued you are, anytime to unload your burdens on him? Do you spend anytime serving other people with the wonderful gifts that God has given you? And we all have spiritual gifts. There's so much joy to be had in serving others. Do you spend anytime in community with other believers to encourage them and to be encouraged by them? We all need encouragement in our walk with Christ. That's what Eight Great Dates is all about, spending time as a married couple building into your most important community on earth and that's each other.
How do you spend your time? In the rhythm of your week to you make time to set your heart and mind on things above. Sundays at Valley View are a great start. That's what we're all making time for right now. But don't let it be the only time in the rhythm of your week or you're going to forfeit a lot of joy in your walk with Christ.
Questions #3, how do you spend your money? How do you use the resources that God owns and has entrusted to you to manage for him? That's the way to look at your paycheck and at your stuff. God owns everything we have and has given us the privilege and the responsibility to manage it wisely and in ways that will advance his work. In the Old Testament, God required a tithe, 10% of an Israelites income, for the ongoing work of the Temple and the priesthood. In the New Testament, God removes the percentage and says instead give generously to my work and I will open the windows of heaven and pour blessings all over your life.
Have you experienced the blessings that come when we honor God with our resources? Making regular investments into God's work here on earth is a big part of setting our hearts and minds on things above. Often our wallets are the last thing that gets converted to Christ. But they need to be. Set your hearts and minds on things above where your home really is and not on earthly things.
Now in verses 5-9, Paul tells those of us who've died with Christ positionally to put to death experientially those things that represent the old way of living. This is how our new life gets lived out on a daily basis. Just like a dead person can't be seduced or tempted anymore by lust and greed, so we're to count ourselves dead to those temptations. Are those temptations real? Absolutely. Do we need to respond to them? No.
Look at verses 5-9, 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 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
The Greeks Paul was addressing were the most cultured and sophisticated people in the world at that time. They excelled in philosophy and art and music and architecture. But they were totally and hopelessly immoral because the gods they followed were immoral. And they wanted to be like their gods who spent all their time drinking and partying and womanizing.
But now that they know Christ and heaven's life lives in them, Paul urges them to think like Christ and to act like Christ and to live like Christ, the one true God. Imitate him. Get rid of the things in our experience that don't match our position. Sexual sin, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed to posses people sexually Paul calls idolatry.
Why does Paul call sexual sin idolatry? Isn't idolatry bowing down to statues and idols? Sometimes that's the form it takes. But mostly it's about bowing down to ourselves. When we sin sexually we kick God off the throne of our life and put ourselves in charge of an area where God has clearly spoken. Sexual sin is all about me and what I want, with whom I want it, and when I want it, and not at all about what God wants for me. And that's idolatry. That's the worship of self. And there's only room for one person on the throne of my life, either me or Christ.
As men we can easily make an idol out of sex. That's what drives the pornography market in all its forms. Sex can become an addiction stronger than any drug on the street and create a prison that's almost impossible to escape. And women can make an idol out of intimacy. That's what drives the market for romance novels, soap operas and chick flicks, that yearning to be somebody's queen. And that expectation can leave a woman feeling relationally frustrated and sexually unfulfilled.
The term sexual immorality is a broad word that means any kind of sexual relationship outside the commitment of marriage. God is not saying, "Put sex to death. But put sexual immorality to death." Sex is a wonderful thing that God created for us to enjoy in marriage. God's not trying to take something good away from us. He's not trying to steal our joy. On the contrary, he's trying to protect us. He wants to make sure that something good and wonderful stays good and wonderful and gives us all the joy he intended.
I often tell couples in pre-marital counseling that sex is like fire, inside a fireplace it's bright and warm, exciting and life giving. But that same fire, outside the fireplace, is destructive and devastating. In can burn a life to the ground. And it has for a lot of people.
Sex in marriage is a beautiful picture of the community and the oneness that exists in the Trinity and the union and oneness that Christ has with his church. But when we violate God's command for sexual purity we take that beautiful picture and rip it up and in doing that we can't avoid experiencing God's wrath to some degree, which is often the emotional pain that comes with fractured relationships where sex has been misused. We can't rip up God's picture without consequence.
Can we be forgiven of sexual sin and lust and evil desires and greed? Absolutely. They were all paid for on the cross. And God loves to forgive our sexual mistakes and offer us a fresh start in that area of our lives. But they will always leave wounds and scars and lesions on our hearts so Paul says, put them to death. You used to walk in these ways in the life you once lived, but now it's time to get rid of these things along with 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
In verses 8 and 9, Paul says get rid of, take off your old self with its practices. He uses a Greek word that conveys the image of taking off old, dirty clothes, the clothes we wore before we knew Christ. Put off anger and rage. Anger and rage are at the root of malice and slander and filthy language and lying. Those are the ways our anger is expressed. Our words are a dead give away to the condition of our hearts. Jesus said so in Matthew 12:34, Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
The Greek word for anger here describes that long lasting, slow burning, smoldering anger that refuses to go out. Rage, on the other hand, is that explosive temper that flares up and then suddenly dies. The Greeks compared rage to a fire in a bed of straw the blazed quickly and then went out. Rage may flare out quickly, but smoldering anger can be in us for years unless we deal with it.
Someone has said, "You never bury an emotion dead. Emotions are always buried alive." And they will rise again. The way to deal with smoldering anger is not to fly off the handle and rage all over people. Nor is it to withdraw and punish people with the silent treatment. It's not to deny that it's there or to stuff it down deep into our hearts. The way to deal with anger is to express it in healthy, appropriate ways like getting with the person who's made us angry and telling to them how we feel. Not by saying "you" did this or "you" did that. But with "I" statements like, "I felt angry when you said this. Or I feel anger when you do that. Let's talk about it, because I don't want to stay angry with you. And I need your help to deal with it."
Don't let your life be poisoned with unresolved anger. Take it to God first, then to the person or the situation that's caused the anger. How we deal with our anger has a lot to do with how abundant our life will be. There are a lot of wives who are angry at their husbands and a lot of husbands who are angry at their wives. Don't let unresolved anger ruin your marriage. Deal with it in healthy ways. Get help if you need to from friends or a counselor. It's not easy, but it's worth every ounce of effort.
Finally in verses 10-11 Paul tells us to put on new clothes. Look at verses 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 Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Spiritual transformation is a two-step process. It involves putting off the old and putting on the new and this needs to be done every day of our lives. We need to think and believe in a new way. It's not just about putting off old habits and attitudes and behaviors. That's part of it. But it's also about seeing ourselves differently, setting our minds and hearts on things above, being renewed in our thinking and understanding of what's true about us. We're created in the image of God and Christ's power is enough for anyone, no matter what their background, to live this new kind of life.
Verse 11 almost seems out of place. Why does Paul all of sudden start talking about Greeks and Jews, circumcised, uncircumcised, barbarians and Scythians, slaves and free in the context of a passage on spiritual transformation? Because he wants us to know that every one of us can change. Every one can be transformed by Christ who is all and in all. No matter who we are or where we're from or what we did or what our family was like or our sexual history or our education or our background or socio-economic situation we can all be transformed by Christ. His power knows no limits. And his power is released as we put off the old self and put on the new self. Are you doing that? Are you living heaven's life on earth?
For almost 1,400 years the astronomer Ptolemy said the earth was the center of universe. And everybody believed him. Until Copernicus came along and proved that it wasn't. "The sun," he said, "is the center of the universe." And that changed everybody's perspective. What's the center of your universe? Is it the earth and the things of the earth? Or is it the Son of God and heaven and the things above? Let's set our hearts and minds on things above and put off the old self and put on the new self and be transformed into the image of Christ. Let's live heaven's life on earth.