Sermon: A Pilgrim’s Mindset

Good evening.

My name is Dave Hinckley. I am an elder here at University Reformed Church. If you don't know me, I'm also on staff here as the children and youth ministry director. As always it is a joy to be asked to share God's word with you. We are going to be in the book of Colossians Paul's epistle to the Colossians and we are going to be in chapter 3 this evening.

We're going to spend our time there starting in verse 1. But before we get to that text, I want to spend some time introducing and before we start all together. I'd like to pray for us. So please would you pray with me?

Father we ask that your word would dwell in US richly this evening. And by your spirit that you would work in our hearts. Lord we ask with expectation for you to grow in our hearts the capacity. To experience the depth and the breadth and the height and the width of the love that you have for us in Christ. We want to know you more and we ask that you would use this time to grow in us our understanding of your word and grow

in us our joy for what you have accomplished on our behalf. And in the incredible realities that are true of us by faith in Christ. where it is in his name that we ask amen Okay. What does it mean to live by faith? The righteous we are told shall live by faith. Faith Hebrews 11 tells us is the Assurance of things hoped for in the conviction of Things Not Seen. as we walk through the Christian Life that is the life between the two advents

of Christ. I would argue that the active life of Faith begins in the mind. Certain things are true of us as Believers in Christ. Certain things are true that we do not yet fully experience, and we will not fully experience until eternity. And so a faith lived out. means embracing these truths and living into them. Paul I think describes this reality as he writes this letter to the church at colossi He seems to have two purposes in mind with

this letter with the whole letter. He wants the church. First to know who Christ is and second. He wants them to know who they are in Christ. Chapter 1 of Colossians has a glorious explanation of who Christ is he is the image of the invisible God by him. All things were created in him all things hold together and by his blood all things have been reconciled to God. He's not possible to speak of Jesus and higher terms than

Paul does in Colossians chapter 1. And who he is who Jesus is is intimately tied to what he has done what he has accomplished on our behalf. Once Paul has explained who Christ is and what he's done Paul turns to tell his readers who they are and what they should do. I'm going to read to you from the end of chapter one Paul's description of who Believers are in Christ. This is the description of who we are in Christ. and you

Who were once alienated and hostile in mind doing evil Deeds he has now reconciled in his body of Flesh by his death in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. An important thing that I want you to notice is the connection between these two truths. Who Christ is exalted Sovereign Victorious and who you are? reconciled and presented this is important because the latter depends on the former.

You have been reconciled you will be presented. Holy and blameless because Christ in whom the fullness of God dwells bodily has accomplished your reconciliation. Who you are Christian? Flows out of who he is and what he has done. He has accomplished things in the Heavenly realm on your behalf. And so certain things are true about you.

What is true about you according to the Epistle of the Colossians just as an overview? In Christ Paul says in this letter you are filled up. He says you are circumcised. He says you are dead. He says you are buried. He says you are raised. He says you are Made Alive. He says you are forgiven. In Christ, you are all these things. I'm sure that missed some please. Tell me after the service if you find more. Colossians then the whole book follows a

very regular and logical pattern for Paul. This is how Paul understands these things this whole thing. This is true of Christ. This is what Christ has done. and now This is true of you. And so this is what you should do. This is Paul's regular logic in his Epistles. If we do not read him carefully. We will read the commands that he gives. About how Christians should live as a list of qualifications. Or list of merits that we must accomplish to

be accepted by God. This is never what he said. He says since you have been raised live like a raised person. Since you have been set free live like a free person. Since you have died live like a dead person. Okay, we'll get there. What does that mean? He talks about that in our text tonight. Paul's logic about how we should live as Christians is not based in our Merit. It is not that if you aren't good enough, you will not be forgiven or brought

to heaven. Our Salvation is not earned by us. Paul's logic about how we should live as Christians is based in who we actually are. Whether or not we feel it whether or not we know it who we as Christians are. I want to argue that this is the day-to-day mental life of the Christian. This is the battle that we all fight on the inside and it is the Battle of faith. It is a battle that is fought through prayer and through

the preaching of the word often it is you who's doing the preaching to yourself? I know what is true of me and Christ and today. I'm going to live like it. Today I will live dead to that sin today. I will live raised to that good work the life of Faith the inner life of faith. what it means to live my faith is to say Lord I know what is true. And I know him whose Resurrection has proved. What is true? And so I will choose to live into

that reality today. Give me the power Lord to live into that reality today. All this is what I want you to be thinking about as we read through these this first part of Colossians chapter 3. We're going to take it in three sections. So first we'll start in Colossians 3 verses 1 through 4.

if then You have been raised with Christ seek, the things that are above where Christ is. Seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above not on the things that are on Earth. For you have died. And your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears then you also will appear with him in glory.

So I'm gonna suggest that there are three parts of this fight of Faith the first part. Is that we are to set our minds. What do we learn from verses 1 and 4 about ourselves? What what is true of us according to verses 1 through 4? We have been raised with Christ. We have died with Christ Our Lives are hidden with Christ in God Christ is our life and when he appears we will appear with him in glory. Now, what does it mean that we have died with Christ?

It means that there are certain parts of ourselves important parts. That we should consider dead. That we should pray that God would enable us to kill. That part of me that wants to pursue sin and self-interest that part of me that desires to be Sovereign that part of me that wants my own way and not God's way. my my wife and I used to keep a journal of funny things that our children would say when they were little and I thought of one this week as I Was preparing for

this sermon.

My son Sam once said this as a little guy it was a pancake morning. And there wasn't quite enough syrup for the family. We've all been there awful predicament. However, a little four year old Sam or so he had a good solution. He said this seems like a good opportunity. For the girls to have no syrup.

Now I didn't have to teach him that self. self-focus, right he was We are it is Who We Are innately. as a result of Adam's fall this level of self-interest is Who We Are

It's what part of what it means to live between the advents of Christ. We're stuck with this sinful nature until we receive our glorified bodies and our sinful nature wants all of the syrup. Paul here in verses 1 through 4 says Redeemed Christian You have to live what is true of you and not what your sinful nature wants. What is true of you is that you are united with Christ? And in that Union your old self is put to death

and a new redeemed self is raised. You now have the freedom that you did not have before. To do things that are truly for Christ and truly for others. Now does this Union mean that we will that our old sinful nature never speaks up again? Of course not it's still there. It's still tempted until we get to heaven. But what Paul wants us to do is live into the reality that is true of us in Christ. This is what I think is meant here by the

phrases set your mind on the things that are above and seek the things that are above are you defined by what you feel today or by what is true of you in Christ? The things that are above are the realities that Christ has accomplished and that God has granted you by virtue of your union with him. We are to remind ourselves. What is really true in the face of day-to-day Temptations and discouragement. We are to ask for the Lord's help.

Paul uses all sorts of medifier metaphors to describe this reality all over his his writing. He likes the death one in live as a Living Sacrifice. He says in Romans 12, what does that mean? A Living Sacrifice isn't a Sacrifice by Nature dead. Yes, you get it. He often uses the metaphor of slavery. You were a slave to sin, but you were bought with a price the price of Christ's blood so live like a free person. You see it's the same reality that we are being told

to fix our eyes upon day by day. Whatever suffering whatever discouragement whatever Temptation Comes Your Way remember above all things who you are in Christ?

What's more? Setting your mind on the things above. Can never happen prayerlessly. We are asking Lord Focus my mind upon you and upon who I am in relation to you. Help me to depend upon you in all situations. Help me to have the strength to set my mind upon. What is Heavenly? And it doesn't happen without time in the word. The only way we understand or know these Heavenly realities. is when we focus our attention upon God and

His word is revealed word. Set your mind on things above prayerfully and consider yourself clearly as who you are in Christ and really as his world word has revealed.

move on to the second section Of chapter 3 verses 5 through 11 the second part of your day-to-day inner fight of faith is to put away or put to death.

Verse 5 but to death therefore. What is Earthly in you? Sexual immorality impurity passion evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away anger wrath malice slander and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have

put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here is not Greek. And you circumcised and uncircumcised Barbarian scythian slave free but Christ is all and in all.

So here we have a list in case we didn't know. Of the things that we should put to death. It's not an exhaustive lift. But it is an inclusive list. What do I mean by that that is? Both you and I are on this list somewhere.

I don't mean that we're defined by these sins. I mean we can all pick one or more off this what is listed in verses 5 and 8. And this is part of what it means what verse 11 means? Here there is no Greek nor Jew Etc. Everyone is a like under sin and under the temptation to sin. That means brothers and sisters that we are all fighting this battle together, and I think we should be encouraged by that. This command is given to the person who was

raised in the church or is a pretty good person as well as the person who knows and regrets their old ways of open sin. This command is given to both the prodigal brother and to the older brother. Why am I belaboring this part? Because one of the things that this says is that as you look around the room. And maybe you think to yourself. Oh that's so-and-so never has any problems in their life is just so put together and why can't I be and etc,

etc. It's not true. We're all fighting the same battle. We are all fighting to set our mind on what is above there is no Jew or Greek with sin. That is there is no favored position. None of us get to say like the Pharisee at the temple. I thank you Lord that I am not like so and so we all must say like the tax collector have mercy on me a sinner. We are all totally at the mercy of the Lord. anyone that you are thinking

Has so much more than you in this this way or that way. This text says they are just as needy for God's grace As You Are? You are both in the same battle the battle to set your mind on what is above and to put to death the old self with its practices. Putting to death is also a mental fight a mental process bathed in prayer. I'm tempted to scream at this person in this moment, but I pray and I remember who I am really and I

fight to put away that desire because that desire belongs to the old self the one I am day to day putting to death. Listen Temptation. I am not a screamer. I may have been but I am not.

I'll tell you who I am though. I am United to Christ. I am different and so I will be different Lord, please. May it be so

all uses the put to death metaphor, but he also uses another metaphor put away. Think about that. Well, here's my old temptation to laziness and I'm going to fold it up. And I'm going to put it away right here in the trash can. And I'm not going to use it anymore because I'm someone else now.

Put away put to death put on the new self. I can't remember if I've told. This story from the pulpit. I know that the Dig kids have heard it. So. Sorry did kids you I only have a certain amount of stories? Imagine a young man who has a terrible. Who has terrible and neglectful parents? all kinds of abuse in the home and finally the child is taken from the home and place with his good and worthy grandfather. Who's kind and treats him

well? One day the grandfather takes the boy to the store and the boy gets caught shoplifting some candy. This kind of behavior was commonplace back at his old home as was the Wrath that he would receive if he got caught. The grandfather he does get caught the grandfather takes the child home in Silence with the child. Terrified. What is this this grandfather going to do? And the grandfather takes him into the kitchen stands the

child up onto the chair. Embraces him looks in his eyes and says you don't have to live like that anymore.

You don't. brothers and sisters That's the other part. Remember I said I was one part of verse 11 the other part of verse 11. it means and leads us to into the rest of the passage. It is true that you and I are alike and sin, but it is all so true that by sheer Grace God has redeemed us from our sin. We have been forgiven not just to not sin, but also forgiven to live as we were created to live. We must not just imagine or imagine that reconciliation

with God only means that we don't do the old bad things. We were made for more. That's the third part of our of our passage today the third part of our Day-to-day inner fight of faith is to put on. We have focused our mind and heart on Christ. We have put to death the old self and now we are putting on the new self Colossians. chapter 3 verses 12 through 17

Put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved. compassionate hearts kindness humility meekness and patience bearing with one another and if one has a complaint against another forgiving one another as the Lord has forgiven you. So you must also forgive. And above all these put on love which binds everything together in Perfect Harmony. And Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts to which indeed you were called

in one body and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly teaching and admonishing one another and all wisdom singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God and whatever you do in word or deed do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through him. Amen.

We have here a corresponding list to our previous list. Case we needed to be reminded of what it looks like to live as a new creation in Christ. Now I didn't restate the other list, but I want to restate this one. the new self whom we are to put on. Because we are so special to God and be loved by God that he has United us to his son by faith. this new self is kind. It is gentle. It's humble. It's meek. patient This new self he bears with his brothers

and sisters when things are hard for him for them. He forgives.

Humbling knowing that he has been forgiven. And above all he demonstrates love. He allows the Peace of Christ to rule in his heart. He knows that he was called to live at peace with his brothers and sisters. He's thankful. He seeps himself in the word of God, and he teaches strengthens others with wisdom. He does everything in the name of the Lord Jesus while giving thanks to God the Father. I like him. I'd love him. I want to be him.

if you're anything with like me you look at this list you hear this list and you think I have a long way to go.

Even today I failed this list multiple times.

We will get lost here if our focus is on our high score according to this list. The point is less your score than it is your fight.

Your score is already minus 1 million. You're never going to be able to regain those points? But thanks be to God that Christ has redeemed that deficit and has credited to you infinity points. This is good news. What are you going to do about this good news is you live out your life in the already. Not yet. Are you just gonna lay back and say? Oh, I'm glad I don't have to do anything because I have infinity points. What kind of attitude is that?

Aren't you instead going to go to the one who accomplished it and say, thank you. Thank you. What do you want me to do?

Here's what he wants you to do. He wants you to fight this fight of faith. We see here that he wants you to set your mind on things above and start living out these truths. No, you're not going to do it perfectly, but you're going to fight for it. You're gonna pray for strength and help and look to the word and you're going to be shaped and molded through all these things into the image of your savior. One more thing.

Remember we said that the people around you are fighting the same fight. All of those same people need encouragement from you day to day and week to week. to put on the new self We are just as much in this part together as we were in the other parts together. Let us consider how to stir one another up to love and to Good Works not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day Drawing Near.

You are being renewed in knowledge after the image of your creator you believer are being crafted. Sculpted grown pruned by the holy spirit of God through the power of the word of God as you pray to him as you serve others in his name as you suffer as you wait.

As you fellowship with both the lovely and the difficult other believers. In fact, all things are being worked together for your good. How often do we forget that? How easily are we thrown off of that Heavenly reality? This is part of what it means to set your mind on the things above remembering that he who began a good work and you'll be faithful to complete it and you need the Community of Faith to help you set your mind on

the things that are above. We need to remind one another of these things.

to close believer in Christ Who are you?

Are you a nice person who was raised well? Are you a member of the smartest political party? Are you a successful business person? Are you a good parent? You are a dead person. Who has been raised? You are something that is new. You are to seek the things that are above by setting your mind upon them because you were dead. But now have been raised with Christ. Christ is your life. You were to put off your old sinful desires and put

on Christ like this. Faith in Christ is not some mysterious power that you get trained up and how to you how to use it like in Harry Potter or like in Star Wars faith is lived out and shown to be in you by what you do. The proof of faith is not in the absence of doubt. The proof of faith is not in the absence of sin. The proof of faith is not in the lack of fear. or in the intensity of your feelings The proof of faith is shown in the choices that

you make. in the face of fear in the midst of the everyday humdrum of life. The proof of faith is shown. What in what you do with your doubt and your sin?

I have doubts this week. And yet I still go to church and I still pursue the Lord in prayer and in his word. I sinned this week. And yet I confess that sin to the Lord and I turned away from it the best way that I could. Let me let me clarify certainly over time faith means that doubt and sin have decreased but they're never going to be totally gone until Glory.

And the reason that you were to put off and put on and the reason that you're to resist sin and pursue righteousness and the reason that you have for Hope and joy in the midst of hardship and uncertainty is because of what is true.

Because of what is true about him and what has been accomplished on your behalf. Because of what is now true of you. Let me close by. quoting to you from chapter 2 verses 9 through 14 for in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily and you have been filled in him. Who is the head of all Rule and Authority? In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the

circumcision of Christ having been buried with him in baptism. In which you were also raised with him through faith and the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead. and you who were dead? In your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh God Made Alive together with him having forgiven us all our trespasses by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands this he set aside nailing

it. the cross let's pray.

Father we want to fight this good fight. And we want you to be brought Glory. We want you to be shown worthy by how we fight. And the reason we want these things is because we love you. We are thankful to you for what you've done. We want Christ to be exalted. in how we live and how we love we want to be living sacrifices for him and we pray O Lord. All of this is possible impossible in our own strength and our own effort is fruitless if it's not empowered by

your spirit, so we ask that you would Grant to us the power to fight for you day by day in love for you and in love for your church. We ask all this Jesus name. amen