👆️ Colossians 3:1 | Things Above & The Right Hand

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📧 In today’s email…

• 👆️ Explained: Things above & the right hand

• 🧐 A practical step you can take today

• 🧠 A quote from Adam Clarke

• 📚️ Resources to help you connect further with Colossians 3:1

 🧠 Memorize

_{see if you know what words go in the blanks}

If then ___ ____ ____ ______ with ______, seek ___ ______ that ___ _____,

where Christ __, seated at the _____ ____ of God.

Colossians 3:1

The Right Hand & What Are ‘Things Above’? 👑 

Let’s look at the second part of our memory verse:

Things that are above 👆️ 

The word translated as ‘above’ is anō.

This is the word recorded when Jesus said:

And Paul uses it in the verse directly after our memory verse:

So what are ‘the things that are above’ Paul encourages the Colossians to ‘set their minds on’?

In short, to set our minds on ‘things above’ means to reorient our thinking and living to revolve around King Jesus, His kingdom, and the new identity we have in Him.

So we are to seek out things (music, news sources, relationships, habits and more) that make us more like Jesus and nudge us to focus on the Kingdom of God.

The Right Hand ✋ 

There’s a lot of meaning and significance packed into such a short phrase. Let’s break it down.

The Right Hand is a Position of Honor and Authority: 

• In ancient cultures, the right hand of a king or ruler was a place of honor, power, and authority.

• To be seated at the right hand of someone meant to share in their rule and to have a position of high status.

• Therefore, Jesus being at the right hand of the Father signifies His exalted status and supreme authority in the divine realm.

Intercession: 

• Jesus serves as an intercessor for humanity.

• He advocates on behalf of believers, presenting their needs and prayers to God the Father (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25)

Completion of His Work: 

• It also signifies the completion and acceptance of Jesus' redemptive work on earth — His life, death, and resurrection.

• Sitting down at the right hand implies that His sacrificial work is finished, and He is now glorified and reigning with the Father.

Messianic Fulfillment:

• This imagery fulfills Old Testament prophecies and Psalms, such as Psalm 110:1:

  • David says: "the Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'"

Eschatological Hope: 

• Jesus being at the right hand also carries a future dimension - it points to the expectation we have of Jesus’ ultimate return.

• His position at the right hand of the Father assures us of His eventual return to fully and completely establish God’s kingdom (Hebrews 10:12-13)

Apply & respond: A Simple Practice 🤔 

So Jesus being at the right hand of the Father means He:

• Fulfilled prophecy and completed the work the Father gave Him to do (past)

• Intercedes for us (present)

• Will rule completely when He returns (future)

Praise God for providing us with a rich history of faithfulness, strength in the present, and hope for the future! 🙏 

Practice 📖 

As you go about your day today, challenge yourself to take an eternal perspective into each situation:

• When you enter a meeting at work

• When you go to the grocery store and interact with the cashier

• When you play with your children or grandchildren

Remind yourself 🤔 

• Everyone you interact with is made in the image of God and was made for eternity

• Everyone you see is broken and in need of Jesus

• Every thought you think and tiny action you take has the opportunity to glorify God

💡 Bonus: Invite a friend or family member to take on this ‘eternal perspective ‘ challenge with you!

Wisdom 🧐 

“Love heavenly things; study them; let your hearts be entirely engrossed by them.

Now, that you are converted to God, act in reference to heavenly things as ye did formerly in reference to those of earth.”

Adam Clarke

Recommended Resources 🎙️ 

Here are a few resources to help you dig deeper into this week’s passage and topics:

• 🗞️ The Pour Over helps you keep up with the news while remaining focused on Christ (subscribe for free in 1-click)

• 📹️ Bible Project: Overview of Colossians (link)

• 📚️ Eternity is Now in Session by John Ortberg: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught about Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place (link)

• 📚️ In Light of Eternity by Randy Alcorn (link)

• 📚️ Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence (link)

• 🎵 Colossians 3:1-3 by Verses (Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music)

Answer key ✅ 

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,

where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Colossians 3:1