(Hosea 11:1-11; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21)
The old, bearded Man in the clouds may be what comes to mind when you
hear these words. God, up there; Jesus up there; they each sit on a throne. Our
imaginations are tainted with centuries of artwork and legends. And what
Middle-Eastern people imagined two thousand years ago would not be quite what
we do. We must get behind the words and images, to the meaning. The Kingdom of
the Heavens, and the Earth, are two realities that touch, that even overlap, in
our experience. Bringing them together is the work of our God. This is the
story we tell.
So, the author of Colossians tells it his own way, in today’s chapter,
with lots of encouragement about this life. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are
on earth, might seem like being heavenly minded but no earthly good. We
know better. We know this must be about both – being ‘heavenly minded’ and ‘earthly good.’ The real question
may be: can you be earthly good – live a good life – without being heavenly
minded, religious, spiritual, Christian?
A month ago I took a two-day course in map reading, navigation and
compass use. Our instructor (from Pugwash, Greg Nix) had the ten of us learn
and put into practice some basic skills so we could use the basic tools to get
around in a landscape. Many of you must know some of the proper techniques: how
to take a bearing and stay walking in a straight line; how to use some
landmarks and your map to work out where you are. And so on. Often, keeping
your head up, looking around and afar, is important. You can’t be just watching
the ground in front of you.
Easy for me to lose track of my track! I am always looking at all the
plants right around me – the ferns, the orchids and other wildflowers, the
grasses and sedges, the shrubs, the trees. Also the lichens and mushrooms and
birds. Pretty soon I have not much idea how far I travelled and where I ended
up.
It is a matter of keeping perspective, of pausing to see the big
picture. As it is in hiking and hunting, so it is in the path our personal
lives take. There is a ‘big picture’ to be aware of and to guide our steps. Set
your minds on things ‘above’ so you can
live better on the earth.
3 for you have died, and your life
is hidden with Christ in God, says Colossians 3... 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be
revealed with him in glory. For you have died. This is, of course, what our
full immersion baptism celebrates. We lay down, dead, and rise up, alive like
never before. What an evocative phrase: “your life is hidden with Christ in
God.” There are so many ways to express a new beginning in life.
And a ‘new life’ can begin with many chapters at many times, thank God.
I think of friends I know – new and long-time, who remember and celebrate: so
many years sober, so many years since they quit smoking, so many years since
they go out of jail. Other folks rejoice in one year cancer free, or five
years, or twenty. And there are those who always recall that time when they
came back to the Church, to the faith, to Christ.
A new chapter in our life begins with the death of some old things. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is
earthly: says this page in the Bible. What things about you have been “put
to death?” Your list may well be different from my list. My personality and
problems need different improvement from yours.
This part of the Colossians chapter is really a classic bit of writing
from that age. It is called the ‘two ways’ form, really because it contrasts
two ways of going – the bad and the good. We see this in other New Testament
letters. It starts with a strong introductory statement: “Put to death, therefore,
whatever in you is earthly.” Then it speaks of ways to live or ways not to
live. In this case we read: sexual
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). Thirdly,
the cosmic consequences are told. 6 On
account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.
The author gets back to the list of wrongs and adds to it. Our list
today may be similar, but it will not be the identical. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that
life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice,
slander, and abusive language from your mouth.
It is suggested here that there is a setting
your mind on things that are above, which helps us achieve these
improvements. Our spiritual practices are for the sake of our ordinary
conversations and relationships. Our prayers are for the sake of our actions.
Our Bible is for the sake of our personal betterment.
As the centuries go by, each generation of humans struggles to discover
how to get rid of anger, nasty talk, immoral desires, greed, and so on. We have
many techniques; we also need to be inspired. Sometimes, the beauty of language
itself will help us. Such as this clothing talk: take this off to put that on.
9 Do not lie to one another,
seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have
clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge
according to the image of its creator.
I hear there are some costumes in a room downstairs. I hear some of you
have been the wearers, on stage, of those outfits. I hear there has been great
laughter, and great power, in those fanciful moments. As it should be.
There are many ways to ‘strip off the old self’ and get in touch with
where God will transform us. Doing some drama or some comedy are great methods.
How about jumping?
A great photographer of the 20th century was Philippe
Halsman. One thing he did was ask people to jump, and he took their photos. He
wrote:
"Starting in the
early 1950s I asked every famous or important person I photographed to jump for
me. I was motivated by a genuine
curiosity. After all, life has taught us
to control and disguise our facial expressions, but it has not taught us to
control our jumps. I wanted to see
famous people reveal in a jump their ambition or their lack of it, their
self-importance or their insecurity, and many other traits." (“Philippe Halsman’s Jump Book,” 1959—
reissued by Abrams, 1986).
Something different of the real Jeff, or the real You, comes out, when
we jump, when we sing, when we paint, when we tell a story. Some of the old can
come off and get replaced with some of the new in you. In this we must look for
the work of God.
I want to glimpse something deeper in you, when you do something a bit
different. When you see and discover something new. When you face a new pain or
problem. When you receive an unexpected gift. The simple, earthly things we do
can be for our ‘heavenly’ good. And this does not mean our ‘life after death.’
This is about our deeper selves: the human spirit – alive and growing here and
now.
I think, by now, I have wandered all over the map, claiming to be
walking through Colossians 3. Perhaps, I have neglected to follow the compass
of scripture or the North Pole, Jesus. I hope we can appreciate how our Guiding
Sprit has many ways to take us into new land – in our lives – that is greater
than our lives before. May it be Jesus who is our Way through the wilderness
towards renewal. Colossians 3:11 says:+ In
that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, enslaved and free, but Christ is all and in all!
From our grandchildren Sharon and I have learned the movie, Frozen 2, and what Kristoff sings. Could
we sing it to Jesus?
Now I know you're my
true north,
'cause I am lost in
the woods
Up is down, day is
night, when you're not there
Oh, you're my only
landmark,
so I'm lost in the
woods
Wondering if you
still care.
Our Guide, and our Outfitter for this journey, is Christ Jesus. Can we
put it that way, to our world? And so we find our way to be transformed.
Connected, we get recreated. Minds with the Heavenly One, we are more earthly
good.
Let me finish up with part of Colossians 3 we did not read today, but
this was read here back on December 26th, by Ed. This time, I’ll
read from Eugene Peterson’s adaptation, The Message:
12 So, chosen by God for this new
life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion,
kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with
second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as
the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s
your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep
you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off
and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of
Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your
lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing
your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions,
whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father
every step of the way.
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