Finding Your Focus

Larry Siegle
08/18/24 - Sun AM

Link to sermon video: Finding Your Focus - L Siegle

Finding Your Focus

(Colossians 3:1, 2)

Thesis:  Learning where the focus of every believer belongs.

INTRODUCTION

1.    The title of this message is Finding Your Focus

2.    When you are diagnosed with “diabetes” in any form, the doctors administer an “eye exam” to make sure your vision

        has not been negatively affected by problems with blood sugar.

        a.     Several weeks ago I had gone for a regular appointment and they decided to do the annual diabetes check of the

               eyes.

        b.    They had me go into a pitch black, dark room and sit there for about 20 minutes…

               1)    They brought in an instrument and had took photos of my eyes--the flash blinded me for about ten minutes.

               2)    It is good to make sure our sense of vision is not obstructed, blurry, or somehow lacks the ability to focus

                       properly.

        c.     Spiritually, it is important that we examine and maintain our sense of the ability to focus properly.

               1)    Focus is defined as “the center of interest or activity…having or producing clear visual definition”

3.    During the earthly ministry of Jesus, people would often bring to him those with physical infirmities (Mark 8:22-26)

        a.     Bethsaida was a town just NE of the Sea of Galilee, the hometown of Peter, Andrew, and Phillip.

        b.    The name “Bethsaida” means, ‘house of the fishermen’ or ‘house of hunter’

        c.     Some people brought a blind man to Jesus for healing--interesting fact is that Jesus used ‘spit’ to heal him and laid

                his hand on him---but it took a second time of laying his hands on him because the first time his vision was still

               blurry.

        d.    From a spiritual perspective, there are times when our vision is partially restored and that full and complete 

               clarity takes place over time.

4.    People wonder, “why go you go to Bible class or church and study the same book over and over?”

        a.     How many times have we studied something for decades and then suddenly we begin to have a sense of clarity

               that was not there previously?

        b.    As we grow and mature as believers and our sensitivity to the Scriptures and to the nature of God grows, passages

               that never made sense to us before seem to become more clear to us.

               1)    I read the whole book of Proverbs once each month--approximately 31 days in a month, and 31 chapters in

                       Proverbs.

               2)    Every month various verses speak to the circumstances and situations of my life---differently than the

                       previous month---Why?

               3)    Like the person who stands in the current of a river stream, we are never in the same place in life we

                       were previously.

5.    God wants to sharpen our focus and to remember the depth of the blessings of what it truly means to be “in Christ”

COLOSSIANS IS THE LETTER OF WHAT COMPLETENESS “IN CHRIST” REALLY MEANS

1.    The Roman empire was a place of cultural and religious diversity with a multiplicity of concepts, ideas, and

        philosophies that were common during this time.

2.    Today in the religious world there are literally hundreds, perhaps thousands of concepts, ideas, and philosophies

        about who Christ is, what Christ accomplished, and how “genuine Christianity” is defined--

        a.     The ice cream place, Baskin-Robbins has nearly 8,000 locations--known for its “31 different flavors”

        b.    The same is true as it pertains to religious practice where so very many “flavors” exist today.

        c.     The purpose of Paul in writing this letter to the Colossians was to specify what it means to have a true, genuine

               relationship with God through Christ and the benefit of what that means.

3.    America has been the land of religious “freedom” for people to worship God according to their own concepts, ideas,

        and perspectives--whereas the Bible presents a more narrow focus as to the person and work of Christ.

4.    How many times have we had someone say, “OH, you are the church who teaches THAT!”--meant in a very negative

        way….

        a.     Patience and love toward others is often a key element in overcoming the misconceptions of who we are and

               what we may believe and teach about a particular doctrinal issue.

        b.    When the gospel is presented in a kind and loving manner it can begin to build bridges instead of walls that

               separate us--before and without the need to substitute truth on the altar of compromise.

THE FOCUS OF THE GOSPEL IS ALWAYS WITHIN THE “CENTRALITY” OF CHRIST

1.    The focus of the gospel is on what Christ has done and how believers participate from what has been accomplished in

        redemptive history:

        a.     Believers have been (past tense) “raised up” (3:1)--“resurrection life”

               1)    Once “dead” but now “raised up” (Eph. 2:4-6).

               2)    identification with “His death” and “resurrection” (Rom. 6:3-5)

               3)    The very “debt of sin” was cancelled by participation in baptism into Christ (Col. 2:11-15)

        b.    Believers become “dead to sin” and “alive to God” (Rom. 6:11).

2.    The focus of the gospel is on the world “above” rather than the world “below” (3:2)

        a.     Jesus contrasted the world above from the world below (John 3:31; 8:23).

               1)    Jesus came into the world below (Gal. 4:4) to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21), as the “lamb of

                       God” who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

               2)    He was declared the victorious Son of God through His “resurrection out from the dead” (Rom. 1:4)

               3)    At His ascension He leaves the world below to return to the world above to sit at the right hand of the Father

                       and to “rule in the midst of His enemies” (Acts 2:29-36; Psa. 110:1).

               4)    Some “standing there” would not “taste death” until they saw the victory of God’s Kingdom (Matt. 16:27, 28)

3.    The contrast between the world below and the world above was centered on the transition between the Old and New

        Covenants taking place in the first century--this is where the Colossians were being encouraged to keep in central

        focus---a transformation of the ages (3:2, 3)

4.    The Kingdom of Christ was “no part of the world” (John 18:36).

        a.     All rule power and authority has been given to Him (Matt. 28:18; John 17:2)

        b.    In heaven and earth everything has been brought into subjection to Him (I Pet. 3:22).

        c.     The very power of “death” was “abolished” (rendered ineffective) through His reign (II Tim. 1:10)

        d.    Salvation rests “in Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 2:10)

THE FOCUS OF THE GOSPEL AND FULFILLMENT IS WE HAVE IT ALL IN JESUS!

1.    The basis of the “hope” of the gospel pointed forward to bringing believers into a “new” reality (3:10, 11).

        a.     In Christ the “old things are gone and new things have come (II Cor. 5:17).

        b.    Those once “dead in sins and trespasses” are transformed into the “righteousness of God in Christ” (II Cor. 5:21)

        c.     The things of life in this realm no longer have our focus, but rather our focus as believers is on who Christ is and

               all that Christ has done.

2.    Because of the focus and centrality of Christ believers have all the “fullness of God” and Christ who is “all in all” (Eph.

        3:17-19)

        a.     All things have been put under His feet (Eph. 1:20-23)

        b.    Because of the centrality of our focus on Christ--He is our “all in all” (3:11).

3.    The religious world has not yet come to see what Christ is on the throne, ruling and reigning

        a.     God has accomplished salvation once and for all time and it is available to “whoever believes” (Rom. 1:16).

CONCLUSION

1.    The direction in which each of us sets our focus and life direction becomes the manifested reality of who we are and

        what we become.

2.    God has equipped us with “every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3).

3.    God has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (II Pet. 1:3).

4.    In Christ we are now “partakers of the divine nature” (II Pet. 1:4).

5.    Those who are Christians must focus on the person and work of Christ because we have it ALL in Him.