CAN YOU BE SO CAN YOU BE SO HEAVENLY HEAVENLY

MINDED THAT MINDED THAT YOU’RE NO YOU’RE NO

EARTHLY GOOD?EARTHLY GOOD?

This statement is sometimes used This statement is sometimes used for people . . .for people . . .

1. Who are involved in a cult or a 1. Who are involved in a cult or a very Fundamentalist Christian very Fundamentalist Christian who is attempting to prove that who is attempting to prove that he has all the right answers all he has all the right answers all the time.the time.

This statement is sometimes used This statement is sometimes used for people . . .for people . . .

2. Who can quote the Bible for 2. Who can quote the Bible for just about everything but who just about everything but who live inconsistent lives to back it live inconsistent lives to back it up.up.

But is that what this is saying?But is that what this is saying?

Colossians 1:1-4Colossians 1:1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.appear with him in glory.

Colossians 1:5-8Colossians 1:5-8

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.language from your lips.

But is that what this is saying?But is that what this is saying?

It’s a matter of focusIt’s a matter of focus

EternalEternal life in heaven! life in heaven!

I. What Does It Mean to Focus? I. What Does It Mean to Focus? - v1-2- v1-2

A. It means putting effort into A. It means putting effort into focusing on the Lord & the focusing on the Lord & the benefitsbenefits He provides. He provides.

I. What Does It Mean to Focus?I. What Does It Mean to Focus?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set Set your mindsyour minds on things above, not on earthly on things above, not on earthly things. – v1-2things. – v1-2

1. 1. Set your minds Set your minds ((φρονέωφρονέω) = to ) = to think, exercise your mind.think, exercise your mind.

I. What Does It Mean to Focus?I. What Does It Mean to Focus?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your heartsset your hearts on things above, where on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – v1-2things. – v1-2

2. 2. Set your hearts Set your hearts ((ζητέωζητέω) = to ) = to look look for passionately, for passionately, earnestly earnestly covet.covet.

I. What Does It Mean to Focus?I. What Does It Mean to Focus?

B. It means focusing on His B. It means focusing on His authorityauthority..

I. What Does It Mean to Focus?I. What Does It Mean to Focus?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the Christ is seated at the right hand of Godright hand of God. Set . Set your minds on things above, not on earthly your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – v1-2things. – v1-2

1. 1. Right hand of God Right hand of God ((δεξι τδεξι τooϋ ϋ θεώθεώ) = chief advisor. Lord ) = chief advisor. Lord

Jesus Jesus is the CEO of heaven!is the CEO of heaven!

I. What Does It Mean to Focus?I. What Does It Mean to Focus?

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the Christ is seated at the right hand of Godright hand of God. Set . Set your minds on things above, not on earthly your minds on things above, not on earthly things. – v1-2things. – v1-2

2. Focusing means being quick to 2. Focusing means being quick to obeyobey everything you know to everything you know to

be be God’s will!God’s will!

I. What Does It Mean to Focus?I. What Does It Mean to Focus?

I. What Does It Mean to Focus? I. What Does It Mean to Focus? - v1-2- v1-2

II. How Do You Focus? II. How Do You Focus? - v3-8- v3-8

A. In order to live for Christ you have A. In order to live for Christ you have to to diedie to your old life. to your old life.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

A. In order to live for Christ you have A. In order to live for Christ you have to die to your old life.to die to your old life.

Galatians 6:14 - May Ι never boast except in the Galatians 6:14 - May Ι never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which which the world has been crucified to methe world has been crucified to me, , and and I to the worldI to the world..

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

Romans 6:3-8 - Or don't you know that all of us who Romans 6:3-8 - Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore his death? We were therefore buried with him buried with him through baptism into deaththrough baptism into death in order that, just as in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, the Father, we too may live a new lifewe too may live a new life. If we have . If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that For we know that our old self was crucified with him our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away withso that the body of sin might be done away with, that , that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.with him.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

For you died, and your life is now For you died, and your life is now hidden with hidden with Christ in GodChrist in God. – v3. – v3

Hidden with Christ in God Hidden with Christ in God ((κέκρυπται κέκρυπται σύν σύν τώτώ

ΧριστosΧριστos έν τώ έν τώ θεώθεώ) =) =

God is a file God is a file cabinetcabinet - -Lord Jesus is a file Lord Jesus is a file folderfolder - -

you are the you are the documentdocument inside! inside!

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

B. Dying to the old life means B. Dying to the old life means putting to death putting to death attitudesattitudes asso- asso-ciated with the old life.ciated with the old life.

Put to deathPut to death, therefore, whatever belongs to , therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. – v5is idolatry. – v5

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

B. Dying to the old life means B. Dying to the old life means putting to death putting to death attitudesattitudes asso- asso-ciated with the old life.ciated with the old life.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: your earthly nature: sexual immoralitysexual immorality, , impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. – v5is idolatry. – v5

1. 1. Sexual immorality Sexual immorality ((πορνείαπορνεία) ) = = fornication.fornication.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

B. Dying to the old life means B. Dying to the old life means putting to death putting to death attitudesattitudes asso- asso-ciated with the old life.ciated with the old life.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurityimpurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which , lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. – v5is idolatry. – v5

2. 2. Impurity Impurity ((ἀκᾰθαρσίαἀκᾰθαρσία) = ) = unclean, unclean, unclean thoughts.unclean thoughts.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

B. Dying to the old life means B. Dying to the old life means putting to death putting to death attitudesattitudes asso- asso-ciated with the old life.ciated with the old life.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, impurity, lustlust, evil desires and greed, which , evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. – v5is idolatry. – v5

3. 3. Lust Lust ((πάθοςπάθος) = affection for, a ) = affection for, a passion for something impure.passion for something impure.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

B. Dying to the old life means putting B. Dying to the old life means putting to death to death attitudesattitudes asso-ciated with asso-ciated with the old life.the old life.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, lust, evil desiresevil desires and greed, which is idolatry. – and greed, which is idolatry. – v5v5

4. 4. Evil desires Evil desires ((ἐπιθυμίαν κακήνἐπιθυμίαν κακήν) ) = a = a longing for something longing for something

forbidden.forbidden.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

B. Dying to the old life means B. Dying to the old life means putting to death putting to death attitudesattitudes asso- asso-ciated with the old life.ciated with the old life.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and impurity, lust, evil desires and greedgreed, which , which is idolatry. – v5is idolatry. – v5

5. 5. Greed Greed ((πλεονεξίανπλεονεξίαν) = cove-) = cove-tousness, desire to have tousness, desire to have more.more.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

C. Forsake the C. Forsake the actionsactions associated associated with these life attitudes.with these life attitudes.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. – v8and filthy language from your lips. – v8

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

C. Forsake the C. Forsake the actionsactions associated associated with these life attitudes.with these life attitudes.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: things as these: angeranger, rage, malice, slander, , rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. – v8and filthy language from your lips. – v8

1. 1. Anger Anger ((ὀργήὀργή) = desires that ) = desires that excite the mind, unrestrained excite the mind, unrestrained undisciplined.undisciplined.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

C. Forsake the C. Forsake the actionsactions associated associated with these life attitudes.with these life attitudes.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, things as these: anger, ragerage, malice, slander, , malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. – v8and filthy language from your lips. – v8

2. 2. Rage Rage ((θῡμόςθῡμός) = an anger that ) = an anger that boils.boils.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

C. Forsake the C. Forsake the actionsactions associated associated with these life attitudes.with these life attitudes.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, things as these: anger, rage, malicemalice, slander, , slander, and filthy language from your lips. – v8and filthy language from your lips. – v8

3. 3. Malice Malice ((κᾰκίακᾰκία) = a desire to ) = a desire to injure, a vicious character.injure, a vicious character.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

C. Forsake the C. Forsake the actionsactions associated associated with these life attitudes.with these life attitudes.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, things as these: anger, rage, malice, slanderslander, , and filthy language from your lips. – v8and filthy language from your lips. – v8

4. 4. Slander Slander ((βλασφημίαβλασφημία) = ) = “blasphemy”, speech that is “blasphemy”, speech that is intended to injure someone.intended to injure someone.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

C. Forsake the C. Forsake the actionsactions associated associated with these life attitudes.with these life attitudes.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and and filthy languagefilthy language from your lips. – v8 from your lips. – v8

5. 5. Filthy language Filthy language ((αἰσχρολογίααἰσχρολογία) = ) = obscenity, foul mouthed.obscenity, foul mouthed.

II. How Do You Focus?II. How Do You Focus?

Why focus on the Lord &Why focus on the Lord &His benefits?His benefits?

Everything in this life is Everything in this life is temporarytemporary..Everything in heaven is Everything in heaven is permanentpermanent!!

Focus on that which is from above!Focus on that which is from above!