Sermon Tone Analysis

Hinges

(insert a picture of a hinge here; saved as hinges on computer already)

What do hinges do?

They hold one thing together with another.

Here in our passage tonight we have a hinge section that is attaching the doctrine section of chapters 1-2 to the application or practical section of chapters 3-4.

Hinges in the O.T. shadows of the N.T. Realities and fulfillment

Hinges of life before Christ and life in Christ who is our life

Hinges are important, and our passage today hinges around baptism

Our life hinges in our baptism, Paul tells us that our life is hidden in Christ and that happens in baptism.

(Col2:12-13)

It is by death we are added to the body, linked, hinged together with Christ, death by water (Rom6:3-4)

Interesting fact I read that in the early church often the baptismal were made in the form of a tomb to represent true death, to make the baptism that much more graphic.

Our relationship with Christ that hinges on our baptism and it is what we are looking at today.

Who we are because of our life hidden in Christ.

It is vital we understand just as it was vital for them.

False teachers were:

Attacking the supremacy/sufficiency of Christ

They were claiming special revelation, spiritual enlightenment was needed

More rules, regulations on top of grace by faith was needed.

So before moving on, just a few verses to remind us what Paul has already told them, and in turn us 1:21, 22, 2:11-12, 14, 20)

Who we were

Who we are (1:22

How we were (2:11-12)

Who we are

What He did (2:14)

How we were

So that (2:20)

What He

So that (you know the application)

You do not submit to the ways of this world, but to the ways of Christ who is your all in all!

I. Who are we in Christ

Knowing who we helps us to know that Christ is our life

Who we are, we are raised up with Christ (v.1)

Past tense, this has already happen, but it has present application.

This is the the raised up we find in 1Cor15 that we have our hope set on.

This is the raised up from baptism to a life hidden in Christ now.

Our identity is found in Christ

Ro

While sinners, because Christ could relate to us having been tempted in all things, he was God’s perfect sacrifice and He died for us.

He was God’s substitution for us

Raised up with Him as mentioned in (2:12) we have identity with Him.

Raised up by the power of Holy Spirit , our sins forgiven (2:13)

Because we were raised up; we are dead to sin (Rom6:2); so we are dead and alive at the same time.

Who we are, dead in Christ and hidden with Christ in God (v.3)

Paul’s exhortation here in our passage today are based in a past reality, a present truth and a future expectation.

We are dead in Christ (2:20); we are dead to sin (Rom6:2) which means the powers of darkness that rule this world have no power over us.

A glance back shows us when we were hidden (in baptism); a glimpse now shows us we are hidden in Christ, we will get to the gaze ahead shortly.

The present reality of the resurrection, of Christ’s; of ours should produce in us a new motivation, leading to what we set our hearts and our minds to.

Where the false teachers were demoting Jesus; Paul preached the reality of the exalted Jesus seated at the right hand of God.

II.

Our new motivation in Christ

Knowing who we are in Christ, dead but alive, hidden in Christ, leads us to new ways, new motivation, new thinking (Col3:2; Php4:8)

Our new motivation because of who we are brings about a new mind.

Paul exhorts the believers to set their minds on the same things their heart is set on, the things above.

Ph

May we have the mindset of eternity, a perspective of our eternal life and not bogged down by the temporal things of this world.

May our heavenly outlook capture our imagination, our emotions, our thoughts, our feelings, ideas and our actions, all the while being a shining light into the darkness of this world now.

But how do we seek the things above?

Set your affection (KJV)

Think about (NLT)

Keep your mind fixed (GNT)

Perspective gives us outlook and outlook brings about outcome.

Having the perspective of who we are in Christ it is gives us the outlook of what we have in Christ and giving us the hope of the outcome we have because of Christ.

A biblical example of having the right mindset is Joshua and Caleb who endured 40 years in the wilderness because of the unbelief of others, but they had the mindset on Canaan, and the promise that God had given, and if God gave the promise, God was able to deliver.

Our mindset needs to know, the promise given is a promise to be received.

Know where you stand, starts with understanding where you are sitting (Eph2:6)

Humbert Humphrey once said “ you must remember how you stand depends on where you sit” (expand on this; when you know where you sit you can stand against anything because you are hidden in Christ).

III.

Know where you are now!

Knowing who we are, gives us the perspective and outlook on which we set our minds on and that brings us to the present position of where we are now (Col3:3)

This short exhortation brings about; past reality, a present truth and a future expectation.

Glance back: We died; died to sin (Rom6:2)

Glimpse now: We are hidden with Christ with God (Col3:3; also used 1Jn3:1-2, Jn10:28-29; 1Jn1:7)

We know we died in baptism; we know we were hidden in baptism.

You are in Christ and He is in you, you are hidden, meaning there are things we still do not know, we do not understand but we need to believe and walk by faith in.

We can also know that the world does not understand us, for the things of the spirit are of foolishness to the world.

May we remember (1Jn3:1-2)

We don’t know what we will be, but we know it will be good and it will be like Him! (expand on this)

Look at this promise we have; A promise fulfilled in Christ Jesus!

Our security is in our faith; our security is in where we sit and where we stand.

We should rest assured as we walk in the light He will continue to cleanse us (1Jn1:7)

From the past: who we are, dead, but alive

To the present: the security, assurance of what we have in Christ

Now to the future: What is yet to come to the believer (v.4)

IV.

Christ is our life!

Eternal life is Christ and Christ in us; in turn Christ is our life!

Someone once said “Life is what you are alive to.” - to a child maybe they come alive when you speak of ice cream on a hot day or going to the pool; to a teenager maybe it is mention of allowance or being allowed to use the car.

To Paul, and to us, or at least it should be the same perspective and outlook.

Now we know Christ is seated in the heavenlies (3:1; Eph1:3) but one day He is going to return for us and our future hope will be a present reality (1The4:13-18)

Look again at what (v.4) says about when Christ is revealed

When He is revealed we will be revealed with Him in glory!

According to Paul we have already been glorified (Rom8:30)

Your glory now is hidden in Christ but will be revealed with Christ one day.

In view of our identification with Christ and all we have looked at it is easier to set our minds on the things above (3:2) isn’t it!

Barclay says “Some day the verdicts of eternity will reverse the verdicts of time.”

In our time now, we may suffer, we may have worry, anxiety, we may face trials and tribulations, and we know we have to face death, but one day our present sufferings will be replaced by the heavenly glory!

For the believer, life isn’t merely activity, nor is it details; life isn’t acquisition or accomplishment.

Life is Christ!

May He be the focus of our aspirations and the reason for our existence.