Part 2 of Sermon Series on Colossians. Message by Rev Dr Ng Swee Ming on 15 mar 2015 @ SSMC

1. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS

3. Brief Intro to Book of Colossians
AUTHOR: Paul, the Apostle.
DATE: between A.D. 60-63 - Paul's
imprisonment at Rome (Acts 28:16, 30-31)
TO WHOM: believers @ Colossae (1:2)
BY WHOM: Tychicus & Onesimus (4:7-9)
PURPOSE: To combat wrong teachings in the
Colossae church esp regarding the Person &
Lorship of Christ - “Colossian Heresy”

4. Colossae
1. Colossae smallest of 3 cities in the Lycus
Valley – others Hierapolis & Laodicea.
2. About 100 miles from Ephesus

5.  Epaphras – personally travelled 1500 km to
consult Paul in Rome (4:12)
 Philem 23 “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ
Jesus, sends you greetings....”
 Paul had never visited Colossae (2:1)
 Most Probably founded by ?Epaphras (1:4-7; 4:12-
13) who is from Colossae...
possibly meeting in Philemon’s home, who lived in
Colossae (4:9 and Philemon 10)

6. Outline of Colossians
I. Chp 1 : DOCTRINE
Christ's Supremacy & Sufficiency DECLARED
II. Chp 2 : DANGER
Christ's Supremacy & Sufficiency DEFENDED
III. Chps 3-4 : DUTY
Christ's Supremacy & Sufficiency DISPLAYED

7. Colossians
I. Chp 1 : DOCTRINE
Christ's Supremacy & Sufficiency DECLARED
A. 1:1-8 Lessons in Discipleship 1
1st : FAITH in Christ
2nd : LOVE for the brethren
3rd : HOPE in heaven

8. Colossians
I. Chp 1 : DOCTRINE
Christ's Supremacy & Sufficiency DECLARED
A. 1:1-8 Lessons in Discipleship I
B. 1:9-14 Lessons in Discipleship II

9. Colossians 1:9-14
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we
have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill
you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual
wisdom and understanding.
10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way:
bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God,
11 being strengthened with all power according to his
glorious might so that you may have
great endurance and patience, and joyfully

10. Colossians 1:9-14
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has
qualified you to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the
kingdom of light.
13 For he has rescued us from the
dominion of darkness and brought us
into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
14 in whom we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins.

11. Lessons In Discipleship II Col 1:9-14
2014 Theme :
 Wholesome Living –
YEAR of BREAKTHROUGHs
Verse Col 1:10
“And we pray this in order that
you may live a life worthy of the
Lord and may please him in
every way: bearing fruit in every
good work, growing in the
knowledge of God,”

12. Lessons In Discipleship II Col 1:9-14
2014 Theme :
 Wholesome Living –
YEAR of BREAKTHROUGHs
Verse Col 1:10-12
i. Living WORTHILY As A DISCIPLE
ii. Living FRUITFULLY As A FAMILY
iii. Living POWERFULLY As A CHURCH

13. Lessons In Discipleship II
4th Lesson in Discipleship :
PRAYER
• Col 1:9 For this reason, since the day
we heard about you, we have not
stopped praying for you...
• Col 1:3 We always thank God, the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when
we pray for you, ...
Conclusion :
Paul PRAYED for the believers
in Colossae

14. Lessons In Discipleship II
4th Lesson in Discipleship :
PRAYER
Col 4:12
“Epaphras, who is one of you and a
servant of Christ Jesus, sends
greetings. He is always wrestling in
prayer for you, ...”
Epaphras PRAYED for the believers in
Colossae
Epaphras wrestled in PRAYER...

15. Lessons In Discipleship II
4th Lesson in Discipleship :
PRAYER
Paul PRAYED for the Colossians...
Epaphras also PRAYED for the
Colossians ...
Conclusion :
 PRAYING must be important
Q: Can PRAYER be the secret ...

16. Lessons In Discipleship II
Q: What did Paul pray for the Colossians ?
v9-14 Paul’s prayer points
Paul prayed for the Colossians ...
‘SUBSTRUCTURE’
‘STRUCTURE’
‘SUPERSTRUCTURE’
Q: What’s that ??
Borrowing from Edmund Chan ...

19. Painting, Window
panes, Photos,
Decorations, etc
Pillars, Beams,
Walls, Doors,
Windows etc
Foundation

21. Lessons In Discipleship II
a. “SUBSTRUCTURE” :
Col 1:9 For this reason, since the day we
heard about you, we have not stopped
praying for you and asking God to ...
Fill You With The Knowledge Of His
Will Through All Spiritual Wisdom And
Understanding....
 UNDERSTANDING God’s Will & Purpose...
 THOUGHTS & INTENTIONS of the heart &
mind ... (ref Heb 4:12 the word of God ...)
 True Self ...
 RELATIONSHIP with God...

22. Lessons In Discipleship II
a. “SUBSTRUCTURE” :
• Cannot be seen by man
• But God Sees ....
God Knows ....
• Very important part of our being ...
* Building - Supports the Structure &
Superstructure...
** Plant - Gives life & nourishment ...

24. Lessons In Discipleship II
a. “SUBSTRUCTURE” :
Question :
How is the substructure of your life ? Or ...
As a Disciple of Christ, how is your
relationship with God ?
 Is it good ?
 Is it current ‘up-to-date’ ?
 When was the last-time you had a
‘conversation’ with Him ?
 What is He telling you lately ?

25. Lessons In Discipleship II
b. “STRUCTURE” :
Col 1:10-12
live a life worthy of the Lord ...
please him in every way...
being strengthened with all power ...
great endurance, patience...
joyfully giving thanks...
Is Visible ...
Is Tangible ...
Inter-Dependent ...

26. Lessons In Discipleship II
b. “STRUCTURE” :
Col 1:10-12
Everyday LIFE being lived out ...
 LIFE lived in RELATIONSHIPS ...
In Family ...
In Community ...
In Society ...

27. Lessons In Discipleship II
“DISCIPLESHIP is RELATIONSHIP”

28. LessonsInDiscipleshipII b. “STRUCTURE” :
DISCIPLESHIP is RELATIONSHIP ...
RELATIONSHIP is TIME
 Family,
 Spouse, Children...
 Parents / Grandparents ...
 Extended Family ....
 Discipleship Group ...
 Church Family / Community ....
 Colleagues – where we work
 Neighbors – where we stay
 Friends – Classmates, Sports, Hobbies...
 Service Providers ...

29. LessonsInDiscipleshipII
b. “STRUCTURE” :
QUESTION : As A Disciple ...
How is your personal life ?
How is your family life ?
How is your relationship with ...
 your spouse ?
 your children ?
 your parents / grandparents ?
 your DG members ?
 your church family ?
 your relatives, colleagues, friends ?

30. LessonsInDiscipleshipII c. “SUPERSTRUCTURE” :
Col 1:10 “bearing fruit in every good
work, growing in the knowledge of
God,...”
Fruitfulness ...
Growth ...
The visible ...
The spectacular ...
The fame ...
The applause ...

31. LessonsInDiscipleshipII
c. “SUPERSTRUCTURE” :
Danger of only building the
superstructure....
It is nothing without ...
• Fruitfulness / Growth that lasts
(Ref John 15:1-8,16)
can only happen IF ...
Intact STRUCTURE &
Strong SUBSTRUCTURE...

32. Lessons In Discipleship II
c. “SUPERSTRUCTURE” :
John 15:4-8
Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
No branch can BEAR FRUIT by itself; it
must remain in the vine. Neither can you
BEAR FRUIT unless you remain in me.....
If a man remains in me and I in him, he
will BEAR MUCH FRUIT; apart from me
you can do nothing.
This is to my Father's glory, that you
BEAR MUCH FRUIT,...
showing yourselves to be my DISCIPLES.

33. LessonsInDiscipleshipII c. “SUPERSTRUCTURE” :
Paul commended the Colossians for
their Growth & Fruitfulness...
Question...
Are we Growing ?
Are we Bearing Fruit ?
If we are not growing ...
If we are no longer fruitful ...
May need to Re-examine
our Structures ....
our Substructures ....

34. LessonsInDiscipleshipII WHY did Paul PRAY what he prayed..
Col 1:12-14
12 who has qualified you to share in the
INHERITANCE of the SAINTS in the
KINGDOM OF LIGHT.
13 For he has RESCUED us from the
dominion of darkness and brought
us into the KINGDOM OF THE SON
he loves,
14 in whom we have REDEMPTION,
the FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

35. Lessons In Discipleship II
APPLICATION :
4th Lesson in Discipleship –
PRAYER
Epaphras prayed for his
‘disciples’ – the Colossians
Paul prayed for his ‘disciples’
disciples’ ...
his ‘disciple’ ....

36. LessonsInDiscipleshipII

37. FAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILY

38. FAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILYFAMILY

39. Church Staffs
& Families
My
Family
LT & Family

40. the outward, visible
accomplishments of
our life, work and
ministry...
our personal life,
time with God,
family, friends and
community...
who we really are, what we
do when no one sees, our
thoughts, feelings, our
relationship with God ...
Col 2:7 rooted and built up in HIM,

41. Quotes “When we take care of
the depth of our lives,
God will take care of the
breadth of our work and
ministry”
“Discipleship is
NOT OPTIONAL
but MUST BE
Intentional”

42. Discipling Is
Important
&
Necessary

43. Quotes
Every believer should both
be making disciples
and being discipled.

44. ‘Addicted to bottle feeds’SEREMBAN:
Farah Sauffiah Rahmat is a 14-
year-old ‘healthy’ teenager
who is addicted to bottle-
feeds. Like a young child she
needs to have regular milk
feeds – 15 bottles a day to be
exact.
A Form Two student in Sek
Men Tuanku Ampuan Durah,
.... Ref : 1 Cor 3: 1-2 ...
Heb 5:12-14

45. DISCIPLING the NEXT GENERATION

47. Take Home Points ...