Would you please take your copy of the scriptures this evening? Turn with me, please, to the book of Colossians. The book of Colossians. Now, again, I suppose like last week, this is a wee book that can be maybe more difficult to find. Well, if you can find Galatians, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians is in there as well. Now, if you're hitting Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus, you've gone too far. So just do a U-turn and just come back again. Colossians. And we're in chapter 3, and we're going to commence our reading at the verse number 1, and the verse number 1 will be our text. So, Colossians 3, 1. If ye 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. Verse three of Colossians three. 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. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, So anyone who would try to say that fornication and uncleanness and inordinate affection is okay and God's happy with it, clearly, clearly is not speaking the truth nor representing God's Word. So anyway, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. Fornication and uncleanness Inordinate affections, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. So these sins evoke the wrath of God. Let's be clear in that. Verse 7. In the witch ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now, so there's a change, there's a conversion has happened. But now ye also put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man, with his deeds. So there is the sense of conversion, of putting off old sinful habits, old sinful lifestyles, clearly presented in God's Word. Verse 10, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. Where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision, nor on circumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond, or free, but Christ is all and in all. Put on, therefore." So you can see the putting on, the putting off. There's things you have to put off, God says, and there's things you have to put on, verse 12. as the elect of God's holy and beloved bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things, put on charity. And remember we preached on charity a few weeks ago, on love. The Lord says, above all things, put charity on. So verse 14, and above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Not fears and troubles, but the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful. That's a key to enjoying peace. Be thankful for what God has given you. Verse 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Now, we'll finish our reading there, but the following verses really speak about Christian living in, well, the whole chapter's about how Christians should live, but the following verses deal with very specific situations. Verse 18 deals with wives. How do Christian wives live? Verse 19, Christian husbands. Verse 20, what about children? Verse 21, fathers. Verse 22, servants. Chapter four, verse one, masters. So there are specific examples given here on how a Christian should live. But anyway, our text this evening will be verse one of this chapter. Colossians three, and the verse number one. If ye 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. These verses clearly demonstrate and speak of a particular mindset, a particular behavior that we ought to exhibit. We are being directed to think in a certain way. Make no mistake about that. There is nothing wrong with being told how we should think. I know that's very much offensive and or day and generation. We want to be autonomous. We want to do our own thing, make our own decisions, to think what we want to think and do what we want to do. Well, the Word of God makes it very clear there is a right way to think and a wrong way to think. And indeed, verse 1 and 2 here show us the best way to think. Other ways are wrong. Essentially, we've been told to think upon heavenly things. Now, we've all heard the statement, perhaps derogatory, mocking someone. The phrase may be used, that individual is too heavenly-minded to be of any earthly use. And what's usually meant by that is there is an individual under perhaps rather dreamy about eternal matters, and they're not real, and they're not engaged in the things of God and the work of God. They're not laboring. They're not actually doing what God's Word says, perhaps. And sometimes we describe people like that as being too heavenly-minded to be of any earthly use. Well, actually, the Bible makes it very clear that we ought to be as heavenly-minded as possible. There is nobody—nobody—who is genuinely to heavenly minded. Because we're being told right throughout the scripture, the more heavenly minded we actually are, the more useful we will be to our fellow men. And that's a fact. So tonight we're looking at seeking and setting your heart on things above. Seeking and setting your heart on things above. And really what I want to do tonight is consider and apply this verse, first of all, to the believer, and then to the unbeliever. I'm always conscious this is only dealt with to Christians, but it very much applies to the unsaved as well. Firstly, let me consider this from a Christian perspective. Now, if you're not saved, I can assure you, I want you to listen on, for there's much for you to consider as well. Dear believer, this is primarily written to Christians. You can see that from verse 1. Look what verse 1 says. It's a reference to those who are saved and born again. That may sound like strange language to you, risen with Christ. What does that mean? Well, if you go to the previous chapter, this verse is building on what the previous chapter said. So if you go to chapter 2 and the verse 12, it says there, being buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye 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 lusts and your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses? And verse 20 as well, wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments or the elements of the world, why, as through living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances? And so something's been taught that we are dead in trespasses and in sins, but through Christ, we are risen to life. We have life eternal. Eternal life begins now. From the moment you're saved, life is given to you, and you continue to live forevermore. It's a gist of salvation, the gift of life that God offers to men. And so, dear believer, we are risen with Christ. We're not dead in our sins anymore. We are alive and alert to our sin. We know that we need Christ. We can see spiritual realities. When I say see them, I don't mean physically with your eye, but we have an understanding of heaven, of hell, of Christ. of faith, of repentance, of confession, of sins, and of hope in the gospel. We're lively. We're risen. So, if we are risen from death onto life, we ought to live like someone who is alive. Now, when somebody's dead, what are they surrounded by? Earth. Physically, when someone's dead, they're buried, and you're surrounded by clay, and you're lying in the dirt. Now, if you and I are risen, to stick with the analogy, if we have been raised from the death of sin, we ought not to still be obsessed with earth and with clay and be surrounded by worldly things. No, we have been raised above it. And so we shouldn't be fixated on living for earthly things. We ought to be living for that which is above. that which is eternal, not temporal. Now, being a Christian, you will understand when God raises you from the dead, when that happens, everything changes. You change totally. Your morals change. Your method of life changes. Your mind is completely transformed and you do begin to think upon heavenly things more than earthly. Your goals change, your ambitions change. You don't live for money and entertainment and possessions. No, you live for that which is above. Hendrickson, a very Able preacher and commentator on this text said that the entire life has changed. That is your mind, your heart, and your will. And that's another way of putting what I just said there. That's correct. Everything changes. Now, if you are a believer, if you are risen with Christ, well, the verse now goes on to describe how we ought to think, how we ought to behave. Verse 1, if ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things. which are above." The word seek there means relentlessly pursuing. It means continually seeking. Not just a wee one-off glib perusal, no, relentlessly pursuing. This idea of seeking that which is above isn't something you only do on Sundays. It's not something you only do midweek, rather it's for every day, when you rise up in the morning, when you do your commute to work, when you go to school, when you're doing the housework, if you're doing your shopping, even if you're watching TV, listening to the radio, whatever you're doing, we're seeking things above. So it's not Can I say this? The word seeking, pursuing, relentlessly, it doesn't mean you're just inquiring. For example, You may phone somebody, and you may say, you know, I'm just inquiring. I'm just curious about something, and I'm wondering, do you provide this service? It's not that you actually want the service. You're just wondering if they provide it, and you're just asking questions. That's not what the word seek means here. The word seek doesn't mean just interested in finding out more information. No, it is a desire to obtain something. You want to get it. Not just talk about it. And that's the problem with both believers and unbelievers at times. We're happy talking about living for Christ and being saved and the gospel and all of these things. Happy to discuss it. But the word seek means that we're putting everything to the side with an ambition to lay hold upon and to possess something. Like the woman who sought for and was seeking for her coin that she lost. She swept until she found it. Now, the verse says that we are to seek those things which are above. Now, I would be fairly confident that everyone knows this verse and you're familiar with it, but have you ever seriously thought what is meant by things? What things are we supposed to be seeking? You see, sometimes we can read verses like this, and we know, we have a general understanding of it, and we go away satisfied, and we know that we should seek things that are above, but truthfully, we don't really know exactly what it is we're seeking. What are those things? I mean, you'll agree with me. It's hard to set your heart. It's hard to love something that you don't even know what it is. You couldn't love somebody if you never met them. And if you knew nothing about them, how could you love them? So what are these things that we are to seek and to set our hearts upon? Well, to be truthful, the more commentators and people I read on this subject, the more diverse the thoughts are and what these things may refer to. So as numerous as the commentators are the ideas and views of what is meant here, some would say this is referring simply to heaven. It's a reference to heaven. Seek heaven, that eternal reward, the great prize that's offered to the believer. And you know, it certainly is true that the people on earth who are the most happy will be those who are continually seeking heaven. That's just their goal. They're not seeking riches, not seeking fame. They're seeking heaven. That is very true, and we ought to do so. I read of a young boy just this week. And he walked into his parents' home, into the kitchen, to be precise, and he was smiling from ear to ear. And his father said to him, you know, well, why are you so happy? Why are you so cheerful? And the young boy turned around and he said, well, I've only got 16 more days until I graduate from school and I'm through with school. He wasn't a big lover of school, obviously. And the goal was there. The finishing line was in sight. And he was smiling and he was thankful. And he went on the joy of knowing that the goal, that the finish line was just around the corner. That's true with the child of God. If heaven is our goal, we can walk through this weary world of sin and fallen nature with the goal, the finish lines before us. And soon we're going to pass the finish line and enter in the great prize which Christ has for us. So those, you will agree, those who keep their mind on heaven will have a different perspective on life Their relationships and their possessions aren't really that big of a deal. They might be concerned about how rich or how grand their home and possessions are. They're just focused on the finish line. That would certainly produce great happiness. That's a good way to think. Is that what the verse is saying? Well, yes and no. I think there's more to it. Other people would say, when thinking about these things, that it refers to heavenly virtues that's given to us. It may refer to kindness, loveliness, meekness, the spirit of God and the spirit of charity, the heart and the mind filled with loving, Lovingness and meekness, undoubtedly, would be a right way to think. But is that what the verse is thinking about? Well, I think there's more to it than that. Some other people would look at the word things, and they would suggest, well, actually, it refers to chapter one, where there is a list of things. If you go to chapter one in the verse nine, And look at the list of things that are mentioned here. The apostle desires that the people would possess some of these gifts that he prays for. Verse 9, for this cause, he says, verse 9 of chapter 1, for this cause, we also, since the day we heard it, heard of their salvation, do not cease to pray for you." So they're praying for the Colossian people. "...and to desire that ye might be," here's the first thing, "...filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." There's Well, that's really to do with the intellect. You'll find that trilogy often in the Bible—wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. And what are those three things? Well, my personal view would be this, that knowledge is the accumulation of facts. That's knowledge. You know the facts. Understanding, then, is, well, as the word simply means, to understand them. You see, you could memorize, well, I don't know, let's say some piece of legal document. You could memorize a page of legal documentation and have all the facts in your head but not understand any of it. We can often memorize verses or chapters of God's Word. We have a knowledge of them, but don't actually understand what it means. And so knowledge is the accumulation of facts. Understanding is being able to take in what's actually said and have a grasp of it. And wisdom is the ability to put into action what you have learned about and understand. It's the execution of something. For example, you can have an educated fool, someone who has lots of knowledge, but when it comes to putting knowledge into practical use, they're very foolish. And so the apostle Paul prays that the Colossian believers would have knowledge, wisdom, and understanding. But go to verse 10. Here's more things that he prays for. Verse 10, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. So here's a godly walk. and pleasing the Lord, and being fruitful." Verse 11, here's more things. Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience, and having longsuffering, and joyfulness, and giving thanks unto the Father. And there's a list here that goes on of various things. And some people say, well, you know, maybe that's the things that are in view. What are the things, then? Well, go back to our text, chapter 3, verse 1, and I think, by way of principle, when you're interpreting the Word of God, when something is general, you should never be specific. And this verse is speaking in general of things which are heavenly. And so, therefore, I have to conclude that things refers to anything which is heavenly and godly. It refers to heaven itself. It refers to fellowship with Christ. It refers to virtues that come from above. It refers to the heavenly prize and the kingdom of God. It refers to all of those things. That's why It's ambiguous. It takes it all in. And if we are to live with a view of all of those things, of a heavenly home and a prize above and virtuous characteristics that can come to us and a putting away of sin, surely, surely that's what the Christians should keep their heart and their mind upon, seeking those things in general. that come from Christ, that come from above, those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. He's the one dispensing and giving. He possesses them all, and He gives them out. That's what we should have our eyes upon, not on things of the world. Now, again, I want to be practical with this verse, dear believer, because This verse does not teach that we ought to forsake our duties and our responsibilities. I would not say to you, go home and forget about caring for friends and loved ones. Don't go home begrudgingly saying, oh, I wish I didn't have to work. I wish I didn't have to care for that person because if I didn't have those responsibilities and duties, I could spend all day reading and all day praying and all day praising. I think you're being foolish there. That would be foolish. I don't think you would spend all day praising and reading and praying because you're far too sinful for that. Let's be honest, you're fallen. What this verse is saying, it's not saying that we are to forsake our duties and our responsibilities. In fact, the opposite is true. When someone is focusing on things above, what it means is they will be enabled to do all their duties and responsibilities in the most Christ-like, productive fashion. Remember that verse in Matthew 6, 33, Seek first the kingdom of God and all of these things shall be added on to you. And note the priority that's in that verse. It doesn't say seek only. but seek first. There are other things, duties and responsibilities that you have to do, but if you put the heavenly things first, your relationship with the Lord growing in grace, the prize in heaven that is before you, if that's the way you approach life, you will do your duties and responsibilities with joy and with diligence and with a Christ-like spirit and a Christ-like approach. This verse is incredibly productive. Now, the next question really we have to deal with is accomplishing this. What's the methodology of really thinking and seeking and setting your heart upon things above? How do you really do that? Well, the answer actually is in the chapter. Did you read it in verse 16? Here is how you seek and set your affection on things above and not things below. Verse 16 says, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. So there's two things there. Let the word of God dwell in you richly. Be filled with the scriptures. Fill your head. Fill your mind. Really fill yourself with God's word. Maybe you struggle to read the Bible. I would encourage you, take the passages that you feel you do have a grasp of and get into them. Read books of the Bible. Read Colossians and circle things. Memorize verses. You must do this. If you've never done it before, start doing it now. Memorize verses. Underline verses. Highlight verses. Use your book. for what it is. It is truth, and truth that is meant to fill your heart and draw you to Christ. And the more you read the book and let it dwell in you, not in a little way, but richly, abundantly, you will automatically begin to seek things that are above. You see, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. dwell upon the word of God. The next thing here mentioned in verse 16 is worship. It says in verse 16, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Here is another way to seek and set your heart on things that are above. Sing of the Lord. Praise God so actively when you're worshiping God and you're singing about His grace and His goodness and the gifts that He's given to you and the work of God, the advancement of God's kingdom. The more you sing about those things, the more it will affect your heart and you will again automatically be setting your heart on things above. Remember the hymn that we just sung there together, 599. And it says there in verse number four, sorry, verse number three, you remember songs of heaven which you sang with childish voice. Do you love the hymns that they taught you or are songs of earth your choice? So someone who's taken up with the songs of this world will desire the things of the world. If you're singing about riches, if you're singing about love and relationships, if you're singing about personal fame and success, now begin to dazzle your eyes for those things. But if you sing of things above, you'll be drawn and attracted to them. Furthermore, as you do so, verse 16 says, you'll actually admonish others. As you sing, you will admonish other people. And you know, I think the gist of this verse is, when someone's reading the Word that's dwelling in them richly, and they're singing psalms and hymns, and you can't be around someone like that without being stirred in your own heart. I'm sure we all know people When we look at them, we can see them growing in grace. And when you're in their company, you can just see how they have grown and developed. And what does that make you feel in your heart? That you want to grow too. That you want to develop. That you want to mature. That's the idea of the verse here. As we grow, as we seek and set our hearts on things above, we'll bring other people with us. We don't have time to go to it, but remember Hebrews 10, verses 24 and 25 that we looked at some weeks ago, where we're told there to provoke one another to good works, forsaking not the gathering of yourselves together. And that ties in with this verse, when we're singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and we're rubbing shoulders with each other, and I see you going on, and you hopefully see me going on. We're encouraging each other, and it is good to go on with God. It is. That's all important. That's part of God's mechanism for maturing his people. Now, That's to the believer. I want to address the unbeliever. We have spent the vast majority of our time on the believer, but let me at least, in conclusion then, talk about the unbeliever. And I think the best way to do so is just to go to Mark's gospel, chapter 10. Let's go to Mark 10, that will suffice. Mark 10. And here you have a man who set his heart on things of earth. and not on things above, the complete opposite to what Christ exhorted. Matthew 10, sorry, Mark 10, and the verse 17. And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running and kneeled to him and asked him, good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. Now, sometimes we're confused about that verse. What would that verse mean? Jesus said unto him, why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. And what Christ is really saying is this. Why are you calling me good? If there's only one person who's good and that's God, are you calling me God? That's what's being said here, all right? So he's drawing out of this man what he's saying exactly. Anyway, verse 19. Thou knowest the commandments. Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness, defraud, not honor thy father and thy mother. And he answered and said unto them, said unto him, Master, all these things have I observed from my youth up then. Jesus beholding him loved him and said unto him, One thing thou likest, go thy way, sell whatsoever. Thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come, take up your cross and follow me." And he was sad. He was sad at that saying. and went away grieved. Why? Because or for he had great possessions. He didn't want to sell his stuff. He wanted his earthly possessions more than he wanted Christ. That's the opposite to what we have in Colossians 3.1. This man is setting and seeking things of the earth. instead of things that are above. So this was the rich, young ruler. And clearly, it is evident. He decided that day that what the world has to offer is greater than what Christ has to offer. His riches, what that he had, is more valuable than what Christ could give. Now, dear own believer, you are doing the exact same thing as you continue to live without accepting Christ as your Savior. You are saying, Lord, this Christian stuff sounds good, and it's good for somebody else. I'm just not committed enough to sell all my goods, give to the poor. and follow you. That doesn't mean that everyone has to sell your every possession. The idea conveyed in this text is that God was putting his finger on this man's sin. The one thing that prevented this man coming to Christ was his love of worldly things. And you might say tonight, well, you know what? There are worldly things I'm not willing to give up to be a Christian. I'm not willing to give up that relationship. I'm not willing to give up my lifestyle. I'm not willing to give up whatever it is that you love more than Christ. And you're saying that what the world has to offer is greater than what Christ can give me. I want you to think that through because you know full well that's not true. What Christ gives is eternal life and therefore thinking on things that are above is for your betterment. There is no doubt, you pursue Christ, pursue heaven and the prize above because that rich young ruler, that's who that was. If he died without Christ, he will regret that decision because he came to the very Savior and that day said no. I trust you'll not say no, but you will set your heart on the things above. and on Christ and His throne. Amen. Lord, we look forward indeed to that great day when all sin is removed and faith gives way to sight, and we stand with Him face to face. What will it be when Jesus, my Redeemer, I shall see? Lord, help us indeed, yes, to fulfill our responsibilities here on earth, to be wise, to be cautious with every aspect of our health, with our wealth, with our relationships, with our careers, to be diligent and do all things well, but seek first, first, and set our hearts upon the things of God and things above. Lord, be with us now tonight, and may not one leave this room without ultimately setting their love and their affections upon Thee. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen and amen.