Colossians 3:4
When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Many Israelites died by the bites of snakes in the wilderness. God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole so anyone bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and recover. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15)
Paul said not only Christ achieved victory on the cross, the people of God also.
“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:11-12)
Through baptism we have been buried with Christ, and we have been raised with Christ. Then as a person who is raised with Christ, how shall we live our lives? Why do we have to set our minds on things above, not on the earthly things?
First, because there is Jesus Christ in above. (Colossians 3:1) I had a bracelet with ‘WWJD’ on it. What Would Jesus Do? Before speaking or doing anything, let’s think first what would Jesus do at the moment.
Second, there is the eternal life in above. (Colossians 3:3) When I prepared an old man’s funeral service, his grand-daughter who was seven years old told me with tears in her eyes, “Pastor, I would not say goodbye to my grand-father but say to him, ‘See you later.’”
Third, there is a glory in above. (Colossians 3:4) Paul says that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
In this Lenten season, let’s set our heart on things above.
Prayer: God of above, help us to look up and see you.
Rev. Jonathan Lee
Korean United Methodist Church of San Diego
South District
