“If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” The scripture says “If you have been raised”, but there is no question about it, we have been raised with Christ.
The scripture says “if”, to get you to think about who you are in Christ, a new creation washed clean by the waters of Holy Baptism. If you have been raised to new life of the water and the Spirit in Christ- then old ways of living, old ways of thinking do not make sense anymore.
“What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils from beneath the sun? For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity. The old ways of the flesh do not add up to much: sorrow, vexation, restlessness.
If you have been raised with Christ, how to live is clear. It does not matter how appealing the things of the world might be. Although sometimes if you get your sights fixed on something long enough its hard to take your eyes off what you want. Of course, you could always just temporarily forget that you have been raised with Christ.
If you forget for just a little season, why then you could get in all of the earthly pursuits that seem so important to you. Maybe there is something new that you can do this year that you have not done before that will make you feel happy? The things above where Christ is, you can always seek those at another time. But some opportunities in this world are time sensitive- here today, gone tomorrow.
You can covet things that are highly prized by others. If you set your sight on what you can achieve and work hard enough, then you can get many of the things you covet. You can be proud of what you accomplish. And if you see that you are doing well getting a hold of things you want, then you can even tear down one of your barns and build a bigger barn. That way you can store up so many more things, and you can see which things you enjoy having, and see which things give you meaning and purpose. And then you can tell yourself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years, relax, eat, drink, be merry.”
But what would be the wisdom in all that? What does Jesus say in response? These might be good words to write on paper and then tape to your checkbook or credit card if you feel you are spending too much. “But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?”
So is the one who lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God. Jesus warned of this importance of seeking the things that are above, where he is seated, at the right hand of God. By the power of the Holy Spirit, St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians about things which are we are drawn to, five things that are of earthly value that are sin- sexual impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry.
Worshipping idols, true idolatry is to want things so much that you struggle to see anything else, that which you want becomes your god. And so Jesus warned, be on guard against all covetousness. We should be on guard against wanting a bigger house, or wanting more money saved up, more clothes, more movies and video games. A bigger budget for travel or entertainment of others. There is always more that you could use.
A church may covet a building renovation or newer things throughout the building. There are always more things you could use to keep up with the demands of the time.
Why did Jesus tell the parable of the rich fool to begin with? In Luke chapter 12 we hear Jesus teaching his disciples and interacting with the crowds who had gathered together to hear Jesus. Someone in the crowd calls out to Jesus. A man is going through a dispute with his brother over an inheritance.
Apparently this dispute has become the most important thing in his life. It is more important than seeking the kingdom of God, more important than greeting Jesus with words of reverence such as Lord have mercy or Hosanna to the Son of David, or asking Jesus about oneness with the Father.
More important than all of these things to the man was conveying to Jesus this message: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Tell my brother to give me what is owed and what is mine!
Have you ever seen family members quarrel over an inheritance? This piece of jewelry is mine, it was promised to me a long time ago. Everyone knows that great Aunt Shelly wanted me to have this after her passing. I have heard many people going through conflicts and feuds over disagreements over how property and money and possessions are to be managed, sold and divided. These are not circumstances where people are setting their hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
There is a better way. When people are in the thick of fighting for material things, it is not always easy to point this out- but there is a better way. It is a way where the truth of God’s Word reigns as the one absolute, and no promises or living will or common sense about what is right can compare to the truth of God’s Word.
When it comes to a dispute over an inheritance, nobody is right- because the dispute itself betrays far too much care over the things of this world.
There is a better way for us and a joyful way. The Lord sets aside for us a joyful work to be done on earth as in heaven. We are to care for one another first of all, and to care for the gifts we have been given as stewards of God. There is a way to live that the scriptures give to us where to live is to be in Christ and we see that all that we have is a gift from God.
“When Christ who is your life appears, then you will appear with him in glory. Christ is our life, not our possessions.
To be rich toward God is to live in thanksgiving for all the Lord has given us. A few verses past our reading in Colossians, St. Paul writes: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
There is a way to live where we see that everything is a gift from the Lord and we are grateful for all we have. Whatever we do, we can do in the name of Jesus. This is the same conclusion King Solomon was led to in our reading from Ecclesiastes: “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat and who can have enjoyment?”
People with about the same number of gifts in life as you have can be very down on themselves and what they have in life. Instead of seeing gifts give not them by a loving God, they see what they do not have, or they see what they have as a reflection of what they are capable of earning and achieving in life.
Without seeing the hand of God in your life, you will indeed look at your life’s work and wonder, who will come along after you and mess it up.
We are called to live a far more blessed way. The Lord blesses us to experience hard work as an opportunity not to advance ourselves, but to serve others. Our labors are a form of worship, as we act as stewards for all of the gifts and abilities God has given us.
The warning Jesus gives about coveting is indeed sobering for us, and we do well to listen to this warning. But we must not lose sight that Jesus also gives us a way to live where our labors are not futile and self serving,
He leads us to abide in Him and to live rich toward God. We are rich toward God in seeking the kingdom and all that goes with our life of worship. And even our daily labors becomes part of our response of praise for the salvation Jesus has won for us.
In the gospel of Matthew He makes a promise about the rewards for our work: “Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”