Mar 16, 2018 Words of Grace – New Minds
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:2
“Get your head in the game.” If you attend a ball game this spring, you are likely to hear the coach say this to the kids standing in outfield counting the airplanes flying overhead. The problem is the kids might not really like baseball or softball or any other kind of ball. They simply might not have minds for the game. But bless the coaches for trying. They are doing their best with the best of intentions.
Our heavenly Father has a different way. Instead of standing on the sidelines telling us to get our heads in the game, he does the work of grace to give us new minds. This refers to our union with Christ. The gospel message we read in the book of Colossians is that, in Christ, we have died with him to sin at the cross, were buried with him, and have been raised with him from the tomb to walk in newness of life. We are now new selves in Christ.
God has given us new minds. The work of the Holy Spirit is to reorient us to new things. What are these new things? They are the things above where Christ is. They are his grace and glory.
The throne of God, where Christ is seated at his right hand, is called the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). And the scene Revelation presents of the throne of God is one of glory (Revelation 4, 7:9-12). Grace and glory are with Christ now as he is in heaven. Grace and glory are where we set our new minds, even as we live on earth.
We are living in this life, doing our jobs, paying our bills, and tending to other responsibilities and opportunities. We are in the game. At the same time, we are in Christ. We have new minds. We set them on Christ, and on his grace and glory. Our heavenly Father is encouraging us to keep looking up, where his Son and our Savior is. He is telling us to set our minds there, because that is where our lives are.
We live in constant thought, processing how to bring his grace and glory into every endeavor of our lives. We live with the eager expectation of Christ’s grace and glory being revealed in our lives now and our future with him.
This is a mindset. This mindset is not an old mind trying to work up interest in Christ, like a kid who really doesn’t like sports trying to get his or her head in the game. It is the new mind, given to us by God, seeking the grace and glory of Christ.
This weekend, read Colossians 3 again. Set your mind on these things and pray for our worship together on Sunday.
-Scott