All right, turn with me if you
would now to Colossians chapter three. Colossians chapter three. Do you ever feel down? I like asking questions we all
know the answer to. Do you ever feel depressed? A
little bit depressed? Are you about like me? You can't
hardly make it through half a day. without becoming overwhelmed
by this world in some way, shape or form. Would you like to see the remedy
for it? I mean, this is the remedy for it. Colossians 3 verse 1
says, If you then be risen with Christ, Seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection
on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead
and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our
life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. What he is saying right there
is, is the earth starting to get to you? Is it starting to get to you? Well, then stop thinking about
the earth. and start thinking about things
above. Just make the decision. People
want to, in religion, they want to make their decision. Well,
here's a decision we can make. Just stop thinking about the
earth and start thinking about things above. This world so easily
tricks us It so easily deceives us into
thinking that it has a hold on us. But if you be risen with Christ,
do you know what Christ said? He said, I have already overcome
the world. I have already overcome this
world, everything about this world. If God has caused us to
know the truth, the truth has already made us free. Already
made us free. If we be risen with Christ, we
are not our own. We're bought with a price. Thank
God. We're not left in this world
alone. We're not on our own. We belong
to somebody. If we be risen with Christ, we
are a predestinated people. We are a predestinated people. A predetermined. Everything about
us. The steps of a good man. And
how can a man be good? Only in Christ. If you then be
risen with Christ. We are a predestinated people.
If we are risen with Christ, everything concerning us is finished. It's ordered. It's secure. This is the honest truth. Every
question already has an answer. Now, I don't know it yet. But
every question already has an answer. Every problem already has a solution
Everyone Every cause already has an appointed effect every
cause Has an appointed effect Every direction if you be risen
with Christ Every direction has an appointed in every single
one of them. I If we be risen with Christ,
everything is perfect. Everything is perfect. If you
be risen with Christ, one man said, if you knew what the Lord
knew, you wouldn't change one thing about your life. Everything
is perfect. It's perfect. It's just so beautiful,
orchestrated perfectly. All we have to do is stand still
and look up. That's all we have to do. Just
stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Now, every line in these four
verses is a message on its own. If anybody needs messages, every
line is a message on its own. Every line, I thought about titling
it, if you then be risen with Christ. And then I thought, no,
let's title it, seek those things which are above. No, how about
every line could be our title. These are wonderful things. All
of these are wonderful things to dwell on. We're gonna just
go down through them. Verse one says, if you then be
risen with Christ, we could go on to say there is nothing else
to worry about. Nothing else. All things are
in His controlling hand. All things. Whether we realize
that or not. Whether we remember that or not. How often do we forget that?
How often do we forget that? All things are in His controlling
hand. Nothing is outside of His hand.
Nothing. Nothing. And if we be risen with
Christ, everything in His hand is for our good. Everything. Look back at chapter 2 verse
6. As you have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up
in Him, and established in the faith as you have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware, lest any man spoil you
through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of man, after
the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him
dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are
complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and
power, in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without
hands, in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ." What that means is Christ was cut off for us. God cut off His own Son for us. And verse 12 says, we were buried
with him in baptism, wherein also you are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from
the dead. And you being dead in your sins
and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together
with him, risen with him, new life with him. having forgiven
you all trespasses, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out
of the way, nailing it to his cross. And having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them, the margin says, in himself. He accomplished every bit of
that in himself. If you be risen with Christ,
it means you are dead to this world and everything in it. Now, we still experience the
presence of this world and everything in it. We still experience all
of this around us, but our God came to redeem us from this present
evil world. And he did not say it's almost
finished. He said it's finished. It is
finished. Go with me over to John 17. John 17 verse 12 says, our Lord
said, while I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy
name. Those that thou gavest me, I
have kept, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition
that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee, and these
things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled
in themselves. I have given them thy word. And
the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest
take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them
from the evil. They are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world. Sanctify them, set them apart. Father, would you set them apart?
Through thy truth, thy word is truth. What did it take for God
to set sinners like us apart? What did it take? I'm going to
turn to a few scriptures. I realize we're going to turn
to a few. You can turn with me or you can listen to them. But
Hebrews 7 says, What did it take for God to set
sinners like us apart? He said sanctify, set them apart. Hebrews 7 verse 24 says, but
this man, Jesus Christ, because he continueth ever. I love this. He continues forever. He has an unchangeable priesthood. Nobody else has taken over. Every
priest had a successor. Nobody else has taken over. Verse
25 says, Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession
for them. For such an high priest became
us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens. What did it take for God to set
sinners like us apart, separate us? The one who was separate
from sinners had to join himself to us and join us to him in his
life, in his death, in his resurrection. He took what we deserved, gave
us what he deserved, That's what separated us. That's what set
all of God's people apart. Now, back in Colossians 3, verse
1 says, If you then be risen with Christ,
seek those things which are above. He said, seek those things. Seek those things. Seek means
to seek in order to find. Seek with a purpose. Seek with
a purpose. It means strive after. It means crave those things which
are above. Crave those things. Crave those
things. What things are above? Well, verse one says Christ is
above. It goes on to say where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God. If this world is getting
you down, I speak from experience. I was talking to a fellow pastor
and he wanted to know what I was working on. And I told him and
I said, if I could, I'd just title that a message for me.
But I said, I've already done that and I do that too often.
But this is a message for me. If everything becomes overwhelming.
If it all becomes overwhelming, everything starts getting you
down. Seek with a purpose a glimpse of Christ seated on his throne. I mean with a purpose. Go seeking. The Lord said if you seek with
all your heart, you'll find. If you want to see me, you'll
find me. You'll see me. Seek a glimpse,
crave and beg for a clear view of him on his throne. Lord, I
need to see you in all of your perfect control over me. Back in Philippians 3, it says
that he thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made
himself of no reputation. He took on the form of a servant.
And he humbled himself. And because of that, God the
Father has highly exalted him and given him a name above every
name. Seek those things above. Christ
is above. His name is above. God has given
him a name above every name, and at the hearing of that name,
every knee is going to bow, and every tongue is going to confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord. I cannot wait to physically be
in that company. I can't wait to physically bow
my knee, and along with every tongue around me, cry, Jesus
Christ is Lord. He is Lord. Just think on that. Just dwell on that. It'll make
the worries of this world get pretty small. It really will. What else is above? He said,
seek those things. We'll turn with me over to Hebrews
11. Hebrews 11 verse 9 says, by faith
he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country, dwelling
in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of
the same promise. And that's us. We're in a strange
country and we're dwelling in tabernacles with the close brethren
of light faith. Verse 10 says, for he looked
for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Every time we start to get down
and become overwhelmed by everything in this world, dwell on the new
earth. Dwell on this new city. Kingsport
is a wonderful city. I love this city. I love living
here. I don't ever want to move. But
dwell on this new city. Think about this new city. Christ
is above. His name is above. He has a city
above. He has an actual kingdom above. It's on a new earth. If you want
to, you can look at 2 Peter 3. It says in 2 Peter 3, verse 10, But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night in the which the heaven shall
pass away with a great noise and the element shall melt with
fervent heat. The earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up. This is all going to be burned
up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and
godliness? looking for and hasting unto
the coming of the day of God. And that's what we're doing.
Every time we meet, we are looking for and we are hasting the coming
of the day of God. wherein the heavens being on
fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat. Nevertheless, we, according to
his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness, not sin. Righteousness. Wherefore, beloved,
seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you
may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless in
account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation. Christ
is above, his beautiful kingdom is above, on his perfect earth
above. Ephesians 1 says all spiritual
gifts are above. James 1 says, every good and
perfect gift is from above. First Peter 1 says, our inheritance
is reserved above. It's waiting for us. If you then
be risen with Christ, crave those things above where Christ is
seated on his throne. All right, back in Colossians
3, verse 2 says, Set your affection on things above, not on things
on the earth. In order to crave with the heart
things above, the heart has to let go of the things of this
earth. It just has to, the Lord, and only the Lord can allow us
and cause us to do that. If our affection is truly going
to be there, The Lord has to enable us to let these things
go. Just let them fade away. Lord,
let it fade away. Let it just fade away. Turn with
me to this one. Go to Matthew six. Matthew 6 verse 24 says, No man
can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love
the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God in this world. Therefore, I say unto
you, take no thought for your life. What you shall eat or what you
shall drink. nor yet for your body what you
shall put on is not the life more than meat and the body than
raiment. Now he is about to acknowledge
that our father knows we have need of these things. He knows
we need these things. So he's not saying take no thought
for your job and take no thought for providing food for your children
and things like that. He's saying don't have anxiety
over these thoughts. Don't be distressed over these
thoughts. Verse 26, behold, the fowls of
the air, they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into
barns. Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much
better than they? Which of you, by taking thought,
can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not,
neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even
Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which
today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much
more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought
saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal
shall we be clothed? For after all these things do
the unbelievers seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth
that you have need of all these things, but seek ye first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things might be
added unto you." That's not what it says, is it? Seek ye first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness and there is a good chance That these
things that you need will end up working out after a period
of time Let's look let's look up for
just a minute, okay Let's just look up for just a minute. All
right the God who cannot lie The God who said, not one word
of mine shall fail. Shall is one of my favorite words
in the scripture. He said, seek ye first the kingdom
of God and his righteousness. And all these things shall be
added unto you. all of them. Everything you need. He said in verse 34, take therefore
no thought for the morrow. For the morrow shall take thought
for the things of itself. There's plenty of things to think
about tomorrow. Tomorrow. Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof. Just Look up if you then be risen
with Christ Seek those things which are above where Christ
sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affection on things
above not on things on the earth. John said it's passing away It's
just passing away back in Colossians 3 I'll be quick Colossians 3
verse 3 says For you are dead And your life is hid with Christ
in God. As far as this world is concerned,
we are dead. The riches, the honor, the fame,
the praise. Everything this world has to
offer, it is not going to give it to us. It's not going to give
it to us. We are dead to this world. But
verse 3 says our life, our new life, this true life, soon to
be experienced life, is hid with Christ in God. God has hid our
life with Christ in Him. You hide something for two main
reasons. Number one, you want it to be
kept a secret. You hide it because you want it to be a secret. Our
life is a secret with God. This world does not know it.
It does not see it. It does not understand it. It's
hid in the secret place of Christ. And the second reason you hide
something is to keep it safe. It's safe. We read a minute ago
in John 17. Our Lord said, Father, they'll never perish. I've kept
them all. None shall be lost. None. Safe. Verse three says you are
dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. The Apostle Paul
said, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in
the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me
and gave himself for me. Now this is, this is, this will
squash depression from the world right here. Verse 4 says, When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear
with him in glory. We can read that two ways. Number
one, when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also
appear with him in that place called glory. And the second
way is when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall
you also appear with him just as he is. just as he is you'll
appear in the same glory he appears in beloved it doth not yet appear
what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we're
going to be just like him just like him we'll see him as he
is go with me i won't read it all but go where we just were
for a scripture reading first corinthians 15 1 Corinthians 15 verse 39 said,
All flesh is not the same flesh. But there's one kind of flesh
of man, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of
birds. There's different type. God has created different types
of flesh. And he said in verse 42, So also
is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown. It goes into the
ground. Just like It's garden time. You plant seeds in the ground.
You cover them in the ground. It is sown in corruption. It goes into the ground in corruption. But it comes out of that ground
in incorruption. It's raised in incorruption.
It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is
raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It
is raised a spiritual body. There's a natural body and there's
a spiritual body. And Paul went on to say, we are
not all going to go into the ground, but we are all going
to be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. Verse
53, this corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal
must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,
death is swallowed up in victory. Oh, death, where is thy sting? I guarantee you every child of
God will say that as soon as he passes through. Well, oh,
death, where is thy sting? I was so afraid of you. O grave, where is thy victory? The grave does not hold God's
people. To be absent from the body is
to be present with the Lord. The sting of death is sin, and
the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved
brethren, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord. For as much as you know that your labor is not in
vain in the Lord. This message came through this
question. Do you ever feel depressed? Do
you ever feel down? We do, and the reason is because
nothing in this world can satisfy. That's the reason. Everything
cankers, everything rusts, everything rots, everything breaks. Nothing
in this world can satisfy. I want to close with this verse
of Scripture, one verse of Scripture. And if we will set our affection
on this, I believe we will overcome any depression, disappointment
that this world has to throw at us. Go with me to Psalm 17.
Psalm 17, verse 15. As for me, I will behold thy
face in righteousness. I'm going to behold your face. I'm going to see the glory of
God in the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I shall be satisfied
when I awake with thy likeness. David said, one of these days,
just like when I awake out of sleep, every morning when I wake
up, it takes me a fraction of a second to realize I was just
asleep. I have woken up. I am in my bed. What day is it? What time is
it? These are the things that happen
when I awake. And David said, just like when I wake out of
sleep, one of these days I'm going to wake up and I'm going
to realize all that's going to go through my mind. Where am
I? I'm going to realize I'm in your
likeness. One of these days, I'm just going
to wake up as simple and easy as just waking up is. It's not
even something that you do. It just happens to you. Just
wake up. And it's going to take me just
a little second, and I'm going to realize, I'm in your likeness. And he said, at that moment,
I'll be satisfied. I will be totally satisfied.
If you then be risen with Christ, think on these things. Think
on these things. It'll help. I promise it'll help. All right, let's all stand together.