Truth or Trash?
#267, Truth or Trash?, Sunday 01-28-2007
~ Text: Colossians 3:1-11
~ Theme: Go after God’s treasure instead of the world’s trash.
Introduction:
1. I saw a man rummaging through a dumpster …
A. Had he convinced himself that this was all he could do?
B. Is there a better way?
2. Do we, as believers, live far below our privileges?
A. Is mere survival the goal?
B. What is our mindset? What do we believe about ourselves and life?
3. The believers at Colosse were “being dumped on.”
A. What were they going to do with the trash?
B. Paul wrote to help them deal with truth and trash.
Theme: Go after God’s treasure instead of the world’s trash.
How do we do this? ~ Inward renewal of heart and mind with truth.
Text: Colossians 3:1-11 (focus on verses 1-4)
How do we experience renewal in a world of decay?
1. Consider your great standing. (verse 1) (think about it)
A. The biggest changes.
1) The biggest physical change: birth.
2) The biggest spiritual change: rebirth.
a) After physical birth we learn how to fit into the world.
b) After spiritual birth we are on a quest to answer “who am I as a believer in this world?”
B. You have been raised with Christ.
1) By faith, His resurrection becomes your resurrection.
a) You were once dead to God because of sin.
b) Jesus called you forth, “Lazarus, come out.”
2) You have been raised with Christ.
a) You’re not in the dark cave of decay and decomposition.
b) You have victory over darkness.
C. “Your life in now hidden with Christ in God” (verse 3b)
1) God replaced your rags with the white linen of Christ.
2) He is our life. (verse 4)
a) “Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” 1 Corinthians 1:30
b) “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3 (to get to treasure, you often have to dig around trash)
2. Consider your great challenge. (verses 1-2) Paul follows the resurrection statement with two commands.
A. Seek the things above: Set your mind on things above.
1) Make Christ your pursuit and passion.
2) Make Christ and His Word your meditation.
a) Passion and meditation fuel each other. What I desire I think about; what I think about I desire.
b) Dream big.
B. Don’t set your mind on earthly things.
1) This doesn’t mean we don’t think about God’s creation.
a) Jesus said, “Consider the lilies”
2) Earthly things are earthly nature things.
a) (verse 5) “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry”
3) The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
C. It’s a daily battle.
1) It’s a battle of transformation, metamorphosis, breaking our of the cocoon of captivity.
2) Remind yourself, “I am alive in Christ.”
3) Remind yourself, “I am dead in Christ to sin.”
4) When tempted remind yourself that that’s not who you are.
D. Your body is God’s temple, not the devil’s trash can.
1) Don’t throw trash in.
2) Don’t let others throw trash in.
3) Don’t let Satan throw trash in. (lies, lies, lies)
a) He will lie to you about sin.
3. Consider your great future. (verse 4)
A. You are not a piece of trash.
1) “It doesn’t matter what I do.”
2) “I’m just going to the dirt in the ground.”
B. When Christ appears you will be with Him.
1) “We are not physical beings going thru a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings gong thru a physical experience.”
2) “When He appears, we shall be like Him. For we shall see him as He is.” 1 John 3:2
C. Don’t ever give up.
1) The only failure is to quit.
2) There’s too much at stake.
Conclusion:
Take out the trash. In heaven we won’t ever have to deal with trash.