Risen To What?

Temple Baptist Church - 7-17-2013

 

Colossians 3:1-4

 

Introduction:

A. The Bible never ceases to amaze me. God can say so much in so little space concerning spiritual truth and does so in verses 3-4.

B. Verse 1 says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

1. “Risen with Christ” speaks of having a real salvation experience: one that transforms the natural (dead) man into a spiritual (living) one. It is not a religious experience but rather a spiritual transformation that brings about an eternal change. Risen means “to rouse up” or to “rise from the ruins or nonexistence” and “with” means together with Christ.

2. “Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth” refers to eternal things, not temporal ones. There is nothing wrong with temporal things as long as they do not become our heart’s treasure but foolish men too often trade the eternal which cannot be lost for the temporal which cannot remain.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

C. I want to simply break these last two verses down into a simple sermon outline showing the results of coming to Christ.

1. Our Promise – “ye are dead, and your life is”

a. Salvation is universal - Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

b. Salvation is assured - Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

c. Salvation is immediate - 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

d. Salvation is effective - 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

e. Salvation is complete - Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

2. Our Position – “hid with Christ in God”

a. Safe from enemies - John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

b. Safe from failure - Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

c. Safe from sin - 1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

3. Our Possession – “Christ, who is our life”

a. Christ gives us life - 1 John 5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (12) He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

b. Christ is our life - Acts 17:27-28 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (28) For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

4. Our Prospect – “when Christ … shall appear”

a. His Promise - John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

b. His Person - 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

5. Our Place – “with Him in glory”

a. With Him - Revelation 22:3-5 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

b. In glory - Revelation 21:2-4 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.