Sermon Tone Analysis

*Col.

3:1-4 *

*Pilgrims Aren’t Popular*

* *

I have titled this message “Pilgrims Aren’t Popular.”

A pilgrim is a traveler in a foreign place.

In the past we have used the word “stranger.”

Normally today we just use that word for someone you don’t know; but it used to be that a “stranger” was someone who was new in town and didn’t belong in the area.

“He’s a stranger in these parts.”

No one likes to be a stranger.

Very few people like moving.

When you go to a new place, you feel like you stick out every where you go.

Everybody peeks out of their window when you move in.

You go to a new school and everyone knows each other, but you don’t know anyone.

You probably feel this way when you visit a church for the first time – you probably felt that way when you came here.

You know that you stick out; that people notice that you’re here for the first time; you feel very self-conscious.

Because you’re a stranger.

But the Bible says that all Christians should live like pilgrims; like strangers.*

*

 

Our text this morning in Colossians 3:1-4, and it tells us to *Live like this world isn’t our home – because it isn’t.*

That summarizes the message of Col. 3:1-4: *Live like this world isn’t your home – because it isn’t.

*Live like a pilgrim.*

*

 

*Why isn’t this world your home?*

 

1.

READ v.1 Live like this world isn’t your home because you have been raised up with Christ.

Surely we understand this now.

At salvation the Spirit dunked you into the body of Christ.

You were brought into union with Christ, and so when Christ died it was as if you died to your sin; when Christ rose from the dead, you went from death to life.

You have been raised up with Christ.

Why does that mean that I should live like this world isn’t my home?

Because Christ is now seated at the right hand of God.

And if I am in union with Christ, I am there too.

Really?

READ v.1 again.

Listen to Eph. 2:5-6 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions … raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

You are in union with Christ and He is there, so you are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

2.      Notice that he repeats this in v.3 “You have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Your life is there, hidden with Christ!

3.      Verse 4: This word /revealed/ means to make something clear, to uncover it.

It is used many times for Christ’s first coming, but it is also used in I Pet.

5:4; I John 2:28; I John 3:2 to refer to His second coming.

And that is what it refers to here.

You cannot see Him now, but someday He will be revealed for all to see.

But not only will He be revealed, but we will be revealed on that day.

· Rom.

8:18-19 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to (in?) us.

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.”

There is a great day coming when the sons of God (you!) are “revealed!”

· Why is that important?

This is the great “I told you so”! How can it be possible or believable that “your life is hidden with Christ in God”?

That you are seated with Christ in the heavenly places?

(Eph.

2:6).

How can you believe that you are in Christ and seated in the heavenly places with Him, when I can see you right here?

There’s a great day of revealing coming, when Christ will be seen on earth and you will be seen in Heaven.

This is the proof – there is proof coming that your life right now is hidden with Christ in God.

Now we believe it by faith because the Bible says it; but there is a day coming when the whole world will know it is true!

The whole world will see that all along you have had another home!

A better home!

You really were just a pilgrim here, and the whole world will see that!

 

*TRANSITION:* So, live like this isn’t your home – because it isn’t!!

You have been raised up with Christ, seated with Him in heavenly places, and that is your real home.

Because of this, you are supposed to live like this world isn’t your home – because it isn’t.

How do you do that?

*1.

**Keep seeking the things above*

· How do you seek the things above?

TURNTO Matt.

6:31-33 What is the kingdom referred to here?

Remember that the word kingdom is used many ways in Scripture.

It sometimes refers to the Jewish kingdom; sometimes to the millennial kingdom; sometimes to the kingdoms of the earth.

But other times it is used to refer to authority or rule; like we use the word “domain” sometimes.

The kingdom of God = His rule and authority in our hearts; that is why it parallels “His righteousness.”

His rule and His righteousness.

When Col. 3:1 says “keep seeking the things above,” it partly means just this – seek God’s rule in our hearts like He rules above - in Heaven.

TURNTO Matt.

6:9-10 “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!” Pray that God will have the same complete submission here on earth that He has from those in heaven.

“God I want my heart to be so submitted to you that your will is done in my life as it is in heaven.”

That is seeking things above.

Seek authority from above in your life down below.

· Here is another aspect that Jesus taught: John 5:44 You receive honor from one another, but “you don’t seek the honor that is from the one and only God.” Keep seeking things above partly means seek the approval from above; seek honor from above; not the honor and approval of men!

· So seek God’s rule in your life; God’s authority; God’s honor; God’s approval.

*2.

**Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

*

· “set your mind” means to think about; care for; be concerned about.

· Matt.

16:23 Jesus began to reveal that He would die, and Peter said: “God forbid it, Lord!

This shall never happen to you!” Jesus said: “Get behind Me, Satan!

You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

He told Peter, “you are not setting your mind – caring for – what matter to God.

Your mind is set on what matter to you.”

Set your mind on what matters to God.

Set your mind on what is eternally significant.

Set your mind on what has eternal value.

· don’t set your mind on “the things that are on the earth.”

· We saw in our opening meditation Matt.

6:19 don’t lay up treasures “on the earth.”

· It is this phrase, “on the earth” – “don’t set your mind on things on the earth” that brings us to Hebrews 11, and really our key text in addition to Colossians 3. TURNTO Heb.

11:13-16 “they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”

Notice the phrase that this shares with Colossians 3 – “on the earth.”

Great men of faith realize that they don’t belong here.

They confessed – they were glad to admit that they were “strangers and exiles on the earth.”

The King James Version that many of us grew up with says: “strangers and pilgrims.”

A pilgrim is “a traveler in a foreign place.”

These great men and women of faith new that they were pilgrims on this earth.

Heb.

11 goes on to say: “they are seeking a country of their own … they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.