Now once again we'll turn our
attention to the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians chapter 3 and
this evening we'll meditate on verses 2, 3 and 4. So the Epistle of Paul to the
Colossians chapter 3 and reading verses 2, 3 and 4. Set your affections on things
above. not on things on the earth. For
ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. These verses of course follow
on from the first verse which we meditated on last week which
reads, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Well, these words are very gracious
and very important to all of us, and what wonderful direction
it is to be able to desire that we should set our affection on
things above. and not on things on the earth. Of course, naturally, we are
of the earth. We are earthy. And naturally,
we do set our heart and our attention upon the poor things of this
world. But what a blessing then, to
hear such words as this, directed by the Lord, that he might indeed
set our affections on things above not on things on the earth
that means very clearly on spiritual blessings on heavenly blessings
on those things which are eternal and not those things which are
on the earth which fade and will perish but to realise there is
a glory to come when the apostle wrote to the Romans in the 8th
chapter and the 6th verse he says this For to be calmly minded
is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. And again, by nature, we are
calmly minded. What a blessing it is if the
grace of Spirit has given us that new life and that desire
to be spiritually minded. We might say to be heavenly minded. to indeed set our hearts and
affections upon things above. Heavenly minded. What a blessing
that is. Because, as the Apostle says,
spiritually minded is life and peace. It's not natural life,
it's eternal life. And it's not natural peace, It's
eternal peace. What a wonderful blessing then
if the Lord brings us to that position to be found looking
to Him and desiring that our affection should be on things
above and that we desire truly to be spiritually minded and
to enjoy that spiritual life and peace, the peace of God in
believing. It's a wonderful blessing when
the Lord gives us peace because we can, by his grace, believe. on his great mercy and love to
unworthy sinners and truly come and rejoice in it. So the apostle
goes on to say, when Christ, who is our life, sorry, third
verse, for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Of course the Apostle was speaking
here to the Jewish people principally and directing them that for ye
are dead to the ceremonial law. That which of course they've
been so occupied with and so concerned to keep. But it may
seem strange to us but we must remember that of course it wasn't
very many years since they'd been wholly taken up with this
ceremonial law, and now to realise it was no longer. It was now
history, and now everything that it set before God's ancient people
had been fulfilled in the coming of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus
Christ. And so to understand this great
truth, for ye are dead, And your life, that new life, is head
with Christ in God. To be united to Christ. What a great blessing that is. And what a wonderful favour it
is. And what a wonderful mercy it
is. To have this spiritual understanding
that our life God-given life is hidden with Christ, united
to Christ, the blessed Saviour, the blessed Saviour of sinners,
and truly to indeed rejoice in Him. And the Apostle wrote to
the Galatians, and in the 6th chapter and the 14th verse, he
says, but God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and
I unto the world. Well, it's a great blessing for
us if we indeed glory only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
realising that our hope is centred upon what occurred at Calvary
all those years ago. For you are dead and your life
is hid with Christ in God. And as the apostle wrote to the
Philippians, he said, for me to live is Christ. and to die
is gain. Many people think if they die
they're going to lose all the things that they worked for.
How true that is. But what a blessing it is if
we have the glorious gift of eternal life and therefore to
live spiritually, to be spiritually alive on this earth. is to live
eternally with Christ forever. Well, it's an amazing and wonderful
prospect, surely, for the Church of God. And what a blessing it
is, then, if we are found looking forward to that inheritance,
which is incorruptible and undefiled. You know, we may remember on
Lord's Day morning, we read 11th chapter of the Hebrews, which
speaks some very wonderful truths. In just a couple of references
there, the Apostle made when he said, for they that say such
things, remember what Moses said, choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God than to enjoy the treasures of sin for
a season. For they that say such things
declare plainly that they seek a country. Verse 16, but now
they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly. Wherefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared
for them a city. That's a wonderful truth, isn't
it? It's a wonderful prospect to
the Church of God. And to realise, therefore, that
God, the Almighty God, is not ashamed for us to call him our
God and to believe he hath prepared for us a city, indeed, a mansion,
as the Lord Jesus said. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to repair a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that
where I am there, ye may be also. Apostle goes on. When Christ, who is our life,
shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Well, what a blessing this is,
if indeed Christ is our life. Indeed, for me to live is Christ,
as I've said, and to die is gain. What a blessing, therefore, if
Christ is our life. And we live this earth, live
on this earth, looking forward to that day when we shall leave
this earth. a day when we should be united
to the Lord, whether by death or whether when the Lord appears
in his glory. It will be a wonderful time. Then should he also appear with
him in glory. when the Apostle wrote to the
Thessalonians he tells us in the 1st chapter of the 2nd epistle
and the 1st chapter 10th verse when he shall come to be glorified
in his saints what a statement that is when he shall come to
be glorified in his saints, because his saints will indeed be glorified,
because his saints will indeed be praising him for his wonderful
love and for his great grace, when he shall come to be glorified
in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe. because
our testimony among you was believed in that day. Well, there'll be
no doubting then to the church of God, because they will then
be found forever with the Lord. We read together. that beautiful
17th chapter in John really because of the 24th verse which tells
us this Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with
me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given
me for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. And we can believe that what
the Lord Jesus said is indeed true, gloriously true, that as
the Lord says, I will that they also whom thou hast given me
be with me where I am. And we can be sure, therefore,
that by the grace of God, all of the living church of God,
all those who ever have been and ever will be called by his
grace, shall be with him. where he is eternally. Well, can we not praise and bless
God for such a great and glorious truth? And so here we have this
statement. When Christ who is our life,
and what a blessing if he is our life, and may he be our life. May it be a very real truth that
we can rejoice in. When Christ who is our life,
shall appear, and he will, he will appear. He'll either appear
to us to receive us into glory when we pass out of time when
we die, or when he returns. And every eye shall see him,
returns in all his majesty as the King of kings and Lord of
lords, the great judge of the whole earth. When Christ, who
is our God, who is our life-father, shall appear, then shall ye also
appear with him in glory. That means what it says. All
the whole Church of God, without doubt, shall appear with him in glory. Well, may the Lord encourage
us, and bless us, and recognize that the Word of God is so true. And perhaps it's finally what
the Apostle Peter said in that wonderful first epistle in the
first chapter. He says this, Whom having not
seen, ye love. In whom though now ye see him
not, yet believing, Ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory. What a wonderful favour it is,
perhaps just to get a little touch sometimes of this joy unspeakable,
as we have a little view of glory that the Lord has prepared for
all his people and to be united together with him for evermore. Amen.