SET YOUR HEARTS ON THINGS ABOVE!
Rev. Bernt P. Tweit
Epistle Lesson; Romans 13:1-10
Gospel Lesson; Matthew 18:15-20
Sermon Text; Colossians 3:1-4
I think that it is fitting for us, today, as we rally together for another church and school year, to sit at the feet of Jesus and to consider the words of our text, and set our hearts on things above, not on earthly things.
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above,
not on earthly things.
For you died,
and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears,
then you also will appear with him in glory."
Colossians 3:1-4
I also think it is fitting that as we look at the front of the church, above the alter, where we see our theme for this year.
Set Your Hearts on Things Above!
If we follow the directions of those words, our eyes will look up to see the cross, which is the focal point of our sanctuary. As we look at the cross, we should be reminded of everything that Jesus has won for us. And that should keep us heavenly minded! These words, which serve as the theme for our church and school this year, prepare us for the life to come. These words prepare us to know that this life is not all there is. The best is yet to come! And so today we 'Set our Hearts on Things Above.’
Set your hearts on things above,
because everything here is temporary.
We really need to look no farther than the book of Ecclesiastes to see how temporary this life is. The author writes,
"Meaningless, meaningless!
Everything is meaningless"
Ecclesiastes 1:2
Human accomplishments are meaningless, Wisdom is meaningless, and pleasure is meaningless, because all these things are temporary.
But how often don’t we spend all of our time pursuing or focusing on what is meaningless? Our focus is on our next appointment, the kids’ next game, our next purchase, our physical bodies, and on our material possessions. We have it backwards. And this is why Paul gives us this command,
"Set your hearts on things above."
Now, don’t get me wrong. We shouldn’t walk around with our head in the clouds. We should pay attention to what we are doing now. We should watch the road, when we drive. We should listen to the person who is talking to us. We should pay attention in the classroom. Yet all of these things should be done from the perspective of heavenly thinking.
Every time we are tempted to compromise our faith to make things more comfortable, we must remind ourselves the impact of our action could extend into eternity. Every time we are tempted to choose immediate pleasure over preparing for heaven, we must remember the impact of our action could extend into eternity.
A man once asked Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."
Jesus replied, "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
And he told him this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
"Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."’
"But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:13, 15-21
The man, who asked Jesus the question, was greedy. Greed is setting our hearts on what is temporary. Every sin against God is really greed.
We too are greedy. Living according to the way we want, instead of living according to the way God has commanded, is greed. Greed is the result of substituting what I want, for what God wants.
Lasting happiness can’t be found in anything this world has to offer. It is not in the new car, the faster computer, a new spouse, or winning the lottery. Jesus’ words from Matthew should be filed away in our memories.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and
where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do not destroy, and
where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:19-21
The danger in setting our hearts on something that is temporary, leads to the judgment of hell. Therefore…
Set your hearts on things above,
because Christ’s victory means eternity.
We should set our hearts on things above, because it reminds us that the victory is won. The more we look at Him, the more we are reminded,
"If God is for us,
who can be against us?"
Christ, seated at the right hand of God, reminds us "nothing shall separate us from the love of God." He has overpowered all the foes.
In today’s text Paul tells us, "Set your hearts on things above." We need to think about Heaven and the resurrection. God hasn’t brought us to heaven just yet, but He has done something just as good. God had Jesus live in our shoes, die our death on the cross, and then go to Heaven. Through faith in Jesus, we too have Heaven. We are hidden with Christ. Our sins are forgiven. We were buried with Christ in baptism. We are raised with Christ to eternity!
Setting our hearts on things above is learning to see all and do all, with the perspective of eternity. Do you know someone who has learned to set his or her heart on what is above? Have you seen someone who faced death without fear, but with joyful anticipation? Do you know someone who faced conflict, with peace? If so, then you probably know a living example of one who has learned to ‘set their heart on things above."
Today I am going to close with an example of one such person.
Martha was the oldest member of her congregation, and the most faithful. One day she asked the Pastor if he could stop by. She had something she wanted to say. As they faced each other in her small living room, the Pastor learned the reason for their meeting. Martha shared the news that her doctor had just discovered a previously undetected tumor. "He says I probably have six months to live." Martha’s words were certainly serious, yet there was a definite calm about her. "The Lord has been good to me. I have lived a long life. I am ready to go. You know that, Pastor."
"I know," the Pastor said.
"Today I want to talk about my funeral. I have been thinking about it, and there are things that I want you to know." The two talked for a long time. They talked about Martha’s favorite hymns, and her favorite passages of Scripture.
When it seemed that they had covered just about everything, Martha paused, looked up at the Pastor and said, "One more thing. When they bury me, I want my Bible in one hand and a fork in the other."
"A fork?" The Pastor was sure he had heard everything, but this caught him by surprise. "Why do you want to be buried with a fork?"
She said, "At church, when we would get together for meals, the hostess would come by to collect the dirty dishes. I can still hear the words, now. ‘You can keep your fork.’ When they told me I could keep my fork, I knew the best was yet to come! I want people to ask at my funeral, ‘Why the fork?’ "Pastor, I want you to tell them that I kept my fork, because the best is yet to come."
Martha understood what it meant to ‘set her heart on things above’. She was thinking about Heaven.
As you go into the week ahead, no matter what you face, we don’t need to be greedy because,
"God
will meet
all your needs
according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Set your hearts on things above.
Amen.
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