New Mind: Colossians 3.1-4 (ESV)

 

We are indeed a new creation.  Everything has been and is being made new.  New can be a good thing.  In Colossians chapter 3 the people of Colossae have been marginalized like they’re second class believers.  Paul tells them they too are children of God.  Paul writes about God’s design, what it means to be a new creation, to have the Holy Spirit of God inside you.  God’s design for us is to be made new. 

Maybe you tried something new recently?  It’s exciting.  I tried a new kind of cookie on Christmas.  It was a red velvet cake cookie.  I took a bite and then I ate the whole thing! 

Exciting can also be challenging. God has designed us to have a new way of thinking.  Those of you who grew up in church, when you came to Christ not much changed.  Those of you who were not in church before you came to Christ it was a huge change for you.  This is a practical section of Scripture.  Paul is telling us how to live the Christian life.  He begins with new thinking:

You can choose what you think.  This might be a surprise to us.

                    ¹If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,

The idea here is that we can choose what we think.  “Seek” is a key word, a command; we are told to do this.  If the Bible tells us to do something it means we are capable of doing it.  It is possible.  We are to seek the things from above and change how we think.  We do not have to think the same way.  We change how we think.  The truth is we don’t have to think about whatever comes into our minds.  A major life transformation happens when we realize we can control our thoughts!  We all form thinking habits.

I was with my parents last week.  Mom asked me to bring her a drink.  I chose the Mickey Mouse cup and brought her a drink and she said, “No, that’s dad’s cup.”  Hers was the Minnie Mouse cup.  Does it really matter?  I had to switch it.  We all know that’s not necessary, but that’s their way of thinking.  It’s a habit they formed.  Some things can become concrete in our minds.  In Christ, God gives us the capacity to renew our minds and change how we think.  Freedom in Christ means we can form a new habit.

Jesus confronted a man in John 3, Nicodemus.  He was a well-educated man, a top member of society.  He came to Jesus at night.  Jesus told him he has to be born again.  Nicodemus didn’t understand.  He was confused.  He was thinking in earthly terms and not in spiritual terms.  Nicodemus changes the way he thinks.  Paul is saying what we have in Christ is a new way of thinking.  Paul shows us Kingdom thinking. 

Think Kingdom thoughts.

Paul shows us where Kingdom thoughts are and where Jesus is:

            where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ²Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 

Jesus is at the right hand of the Father.  This is a position of power. Power is important to us.  It’s what we’re hearing about all over the news as a new term of congress starts this afternoon.  If you want to have good spiritual health, know that power is established on the throne of God.  Power has been determined and Jesus is at the right hand of the Father.  In Scripture we read, “In Christ” or “with Christ.”  Our thoughts are where Christ is.

Kids, if you want pizza for dinner tonight you need a strategy.  Who has the power over dinner?  You need to know who that person is.  It’s probably mom!  Mom has the power over dinner.  You need to know where the power is.  If you want to know how things change in the universe, our lives need to be centered around this power.  Set your mind on what matters.  When we focus on places that aren’t of ultimate importance, the temporary, your heart will be broken and your mind will not be solid.

“Seek” from verse 1 refers to the heart and “set” from verse 2 refers to the mind.  This involves all of our will, all of our desires.  We need to set them all where they need to be, like a Kingdom filter.  We can ask ourselves, “Will this matter for eternity?”  “Is this worth getting upset over?”

Let’s say you set a goal to learn to play an instrument, or if you play an instrument you make a goal to play a new piece of music.  You set it as a priority and you focus on it.  This is the time of year when we set goals.  This is a filter so we are mentally healthy, spiritually healthy.  Jesus is at the right hand of the Father. We have to retool our brains so we think on Heaven.  To “set” our minds is an ongoing thing, maybe even daily, or multiple times per day. 

A few weeks ago I wanted to see the Christmas star, the 2 planets aligned.  I went into my front yard and I couldn’t see it.  I oriented myself and still couldn’t see it.  It was too low in the sky from where I was standing so I took a walk up the street and I could see it when I got to higher ground.  Sometimes we have to reset and go higher to get the Kingdom perspective.  Looking to where Christ is seated is a new vision.

There is more to you than most people can see.

Have you ever played ice breaker games?  Like one where you tell a group of strangers something unique about yourself?  We have reasons for ice breakers.  As believers there’s things happening inside of us.
                    ³For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

Paul’s talking about what we gave up, our old self.  Take a pause in the truth of this text.  The last thing we need is another list of things to do.  Christianity isn’t about a set of rules.  There’s a freedom in this passage, where Christ sets us free.  You died in Christ and here’s the benefit: you don’t have to think like the rest of the world.  You can live differently.  You’re a child of the King.  Most people cannot see it in themselves but God is making you more and more like Jesus every day.  There’s more to you than most people can see.  The most substantial part of you is actually hidden.  Who you are is hidden, not fully revealed.  This can be frustrating. 

You were made for more than you can even imagine.

You are in Christ.  You are with Christ.  What we know about Jesus is from His life here on earth.  This is not who Jesus is fully.  Jesus will reign forever.
                    ⁴When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 The hope Paul gives to the Colossian believers is that Christ is returning.  They have a future that is greater than what they see in the present.  This feels foreign to us.  There’s something bigger happening.  It’s a spirituality that’s greater than what we know.  Jesus Christ is returning and the world will be transformed.  Sin will be defeated!  We will be the people God has made us to be.  Who we are will be fully revealed, so let’s go ahead and start living that way.  You don’t have to live like the rest of the world.  We have a great hope and a great future.  Who we are will be fully revealed.  You don’t have to live like the rest of the world. 

Yesterday I saw there’s a 50% chance of snow on Friday.  This morning it wasn’t there in the forecast anymore.  What if you knew 100% it would snow on Friday?  We’d be excited!  We’d prepare with hot chocolate; we’d get out our gloves.  Paul says he knows they’re in difficult times and he’s 100% certain you were made for eternity.  You were made for Christ, for what God is still ushering in.  God will establish a new Heaven and a new earth.  Things are not what they are supposed to be.  Set your hopes and dreams on Christ and you will not be disappointed.  I can think differently; I can change where I put my hope and dreams.

Sermon by Dr. Scotty Carpenter.  Sermon Notes are taken, transcribed and posted by Jeni Martin Johnson.

Children’s Sermon by Janet Smith

It’s the time of year when we think about resolutions.  A resolution is something a person plans to do, like a goal or a project.  I’ve been making plans and thinking about Bible School and Bible Drill and as I did I looked back at my 2020 calendar.  There’s lots of Xs and lines crossing out events that were canceled.  I wonder what this year will be like.  What are plans we can make that cannot be changed?  I can plan to know God more closely.  Our walk with God can be primary for us.  God has plans for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” 

What gives us the most good is to walk with God.  Read your Bible, pray, learn and memorize Scripture together.  Choose a verse every month or week.  We can resolve to do these things.  We learn God’s plan for us as we walk with Him.  Focus on God.  Let’s make this our New Year’s resolution.