So What Are You Aiming For?

“So What are You Aiming For?” Text: Colossians 3:1-4

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

CS Lewis once said, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in,’ aim at earth and you will get neither.” Why has thinking and talking about heaven fallen off our radar screen? In Revelation 13:6Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. Listen again to what satan slanders: 1. God’s name 2. God’s church 3. God’s people in heaven. It must be maddening to know we’re now entitled to the beautiful home he was kicked out of! Gary Larson captured a common misconception of heaven in one of His ‘Far Side’ cartoons. In it a man with angel wings and a halo sits on a cloud, doing nothing. A caption reads: “Wish I’d brought a magazine.” Heaven won’t be boring, but it’s a placed filled with great jobs and perfect love!

Colossians 3: 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Hear this, the apostles, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on earth- precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven!

So what are you aiming at?

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 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

Heaven is pictured in the Bible as a garden, (Gen.1) a city (Rev. 21:16) and a home. (Jh.14) All 3 require skill, work and maintenance. Is that why we’re told we’ll serve God in heaven?

Service is active, not passive. Seems like heaven will involve lasting accomplishment, unhindered by decay and fatigue, enhanced by unlimited resources.

Turn to Luke 19:17-19. [The Bible says we’ll reign with Christ, exercising leadership, making important decisions]! Luke 19: 17-19 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ 19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’

That means we will set goals, devise plans and share ideas! Actually, our best workdays on earth are just a foretaste of the joy our work will bring us in heaven! Indeed our service to Christ now, will determine our position then!

Listen, jobs that depend on aspects of our fallen world probably won’t exist- such as dentist (decay), police officers (Crime), funeral directors (death), and many others.

But that doesn’t mean you will be unemployed!

What’s an interest or hobby now, may become our vacation then! Others however may continue with work similar to what they do now, whether it’s gardeners, engineers, builders, artists, animal trainers, teachers, musicians, scientists, crafts people, or hundreds of other vocations.

The difference is, we’ll work without the hindrances of toil, pain, corruption and sin!

Revelation 21: 4-5 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Col. 3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Some of us are trying to resurrect what Christ killed!

Vs. 3 For you died… Say, me dead (laugh) and hidden with Christ in God!

Author Victor Hugo spoke of anticipating his work in heaven: “I haven’t given utterance to the thousandth part of what lies within me. When I go to the grave I can say, ‘My day’s work is done.’ But I cannot say, ‘my life is done.’ My work will recommence the next morning. The tomb is not a blind alley; it is a thoroughfare. It closes upon the twilight, but it opens upon dawn.”

What’s your mind set on? Phil. 4:8 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Isa. 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Col. 3:4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.