Focus on the Prize

August 27, 2018 Monday Message:

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” Colossians 1:1 NLT

Paul is counseling the Colossian church about 3 ‘lives,’ or 3 different periods in their lives. We all experience these same 3 realities.

First is our ‘Before Jesus’ story. For many of us, this was not a good time in our lives. We needed a radical transformation; we needed to live our lives a better way.

So next comes the ‘After Jesus’ story, with Jesus choosing us for His kingdom, and us asking Jesus into our hearts and into our lives. We are now beneficiaries of the New Covenant, whereby Jesus has covered our sins, making it possible for us to see heaven from the inside. And as grateful Christians, we try to live our lives as Jesus instructed, but we don’t always get it right. Shortcomings…

Paul tells us to not worry too much about life on earth. Rather, look forward to a 3^rd reality: heaven itself, eternal life in the presence of the Father.

Paul uses the analogy of running a race. Don’t worry about how long the race is – don’t worry about how tired you’re getting, how out-of-breath you are – your legs are getting sore, your feet hurt. Don’t focus on any of that. Paul says to keep your eye on the prize. In a race, it might only be a trophy – it might only be an olive branch – but in the case of running the race of life alongside Jesus, the prize is eternity in the presence of the Father.

Keep your eye on the prize!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, Sept. 2, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Guest Worship Leader David Boeltl.