Blueprint for Discipleship Part 4 of Sermon Series on Colossians by Rev Dr Ng Swee Ming on 28 June 2015

2. Q: What is the largest living thing in the world?
Height : 275 ft,
Girth : 25 ft,
Vol. : 52,513 cu ft
Est. age : 2,700yrs

3. Giant Sequoia
311’

6. THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS

7. Colossians
I. Chp 1 : DOCTRINE
CHRIST'S SUPREMACY & SUFFICIENCY DECLARED
1. 1:1-8 Lessons in Discipleship 1
1st : FAITH in Christ
2nd : LOVE for the brethren
3rd : HOPE in heaven
2. 1:9-14 Lessons in Discipleship II
Importance of Prayer
 Building Deep in Christ
 Sub-Structure
 Structure
 Superstructure

8. sermon series on Colossians
3. Col 1:15-23
The SUPREMACY & SUFFICIENCY of CHRIST
v15-17 The Supremacy of Christ in CREATION
v18-20 The Sufficiency of Christ in Re-CREATION
Conclusion :
 v21 Our Past Alienation
 v22 Our Present Reconciliation
 v23 Our Future Glorification

9. Col 1:24-29
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill
up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's
afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25 I have become its servant by the commission God
gave me to present to you the word of God in its
fullness—
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and
generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the
Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching
everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present
everyone perfect in Christ.
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy,
which so powerfully works in me.

10. Col 1:24-29
 God had a PLAN from eternity ….
a blueprint for His Church…
 God’s PLAN involves ‘people’ …
 All People – both Jews & Gentiles …
 also called Saints …
or Disciples …
 God’s BLUEPRINT FOR DISCIPLESHIP…

11. Col 1:26-29 Blueprint for Discipleship
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages
and generations, but is now disclosed to the
saints.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among
the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching
everyone with all wisdom, so that we may
present everyone perfect in Christ.
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy,
which so powerfully works in me.

12. Blueprint for Discipleship
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden
for ages and generations, but is now
disclosed to the saints.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among
the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Q: Who is the ‘them’ in v27 ?
Q: Who are ‘the saints’ ?
Q: What is this ‘MYSTERY’ ?

13. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
It’s the reason - why we disciple people…
- why we practice discipleship…
God must choose to reveal ….
Otherwise we will never / cannot know …
What then is this ‘MYSTERY’ ?
Last Christmas, 2014…
‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’
 Looking back : Christ Came…
 Now : Have Hope because Christ Came…
 Looking forward : to God’s Glory
because Christ came & dwell within us …

14. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
 ‘CHRIST IN YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY’
 Ref v27 AMP
“which is Christ within (you) and among you,
the Hope of (realizing the) glory.”
The mystery is about …
God’s dwelling place
 not a physical building
 BUT a COMMUNITY where God’s Glory resides

15. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
Q: What is this ‘Glory’ ?
Ref : John 17:22
‘I have given them the glory that you gave me, …’
‘that they may be one as we are one…’
to be like the TRINITY
dwelling in UNITY

16. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
Q: When did this happen ?
Ref John 17:5
‘And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with
the glory I had with you before the world began.’
before the world began ….
before creation…
before time …
Q: What was God doing before creation / time ?
* God’s eternal purpose & existent

17. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
Our Understanding of God ….
Ref Deut 6:4 “Hear, O Israel:
The Lord our God,
the Lord is one….”
Our God is ONE ….
Monotheistic Religions ….
Islam, Judaism & Christianity
The difference …
One God in three Persons …
Triune God
* ‘God is Love’…

18. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
Our God is a Triune God - TRINITY
Ref John 14:10 ‘I am in the Father, and that the
Father is in me…’
‘Mutual indwelling’
Living in Unity, Love, Acceptance, Honor,
Serving, Submitting, Encouraging….
Practicing all the “‘good’ one another's ”
Living in a LOVING COMMUNITY
This is GOD’S GLORY
*Three Volunteers…

19. Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’
God wanted to share this GLORY …
with His highest order of creation – man
Gen 1:26 "Let us make man in our image, in our
likeness,
* Another Three Volunteers
God made man in His image to share this GLORY …
God came to dwell in them, with them and among
them …
this is GOD’s COMMUNITY …
this is DISCIPLESHIP …
But because of sin….
this glory / relationship with God is lost…

20. God’s GloryThis is the MYSTERY…
Christ within you & among you …
that’s God’s Hope = our Hope …
that’s God’s Glory = our Glory …
God’s Hope/Glory is seen & experienced when…
his people are in COMMUNITY…
living in ‘UNITY’ &
practicing the ‘ONE-ANOTHER’ lifestyle….
Ref John 17:23
“I in them and you in me…
May they be brought to complete unity…
to let the world know that you sent me…”
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘why’

21. Blueprint for Discipleship
: ‘Why’ to ‘How’
Early New Testament Church ….
Acts 2:44-47 “All the believers were together and
had everything in common… they gave to
anyone as he had need. Every day they
continued to meet together… broke bread in
their homes and ate together with glad and
sincere hearts, praising God ...”
Acts 5:42 “Day after day, in the temple courts and
from house to house, they never stopped
teaching and proclaiming the good news that
Jesus is the Christ.”
The Church started as a COMMUNITY…

22. God’s Glory
The Church started as a COMMUNITY of
men and women centering on the
living Christ.
Then the church moved to Greece,
where it became a PHILOSOPHY.
Then it moved to Rome,
where it became an INSTITUTION.
Next it moved to Europe
where it became a TRADITION, and…
Finally it moved to America
where it became an ENTERPRISE.
It is said of the Church …
Blueprint for Discipleship : ‘Why to How’

23. God’s Glory
v28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching
everyone with all wisdom, so that we may
present everyone perfect in Christ….
v28 ESV Him we proclaim, warning everyone and
teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may
present everyone mature in Christ….
Proclaim Christ …
Warning EVERYONE …
Teaching EVERYONE …
Presenting EVERYONE …
perfect / mature / complete in Christ …
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘HOW’

24. Jesus’ Model of Discipleship :
COMMUNITY of TWELVE…
SMALLER inner group of THREE…
Sometimes ONE-on-ONE…
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘HOW’

25. Survey by Dr. Carl Horton, Fuller Theological
Seminary on the DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERS ….
The research showed that :
 Big meetings pulpit preaching or teaching…
 Formal classes & courses…
 Discipleship in small groups…
 Discipleship & mentoring one-on-one…
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘HOW’
0 %
0 %
10 %
90 %

28. God’s Glory
Matt 28:18-20 Great Commission
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to me.
Therefore GO and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations,…”
God’s People are COMMANDED to GO ….
and MAKE DISCIPLES…
Disciples are made, not born …
Making Disciples involves work, hard work ...
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘HOW’

29. God’s Glory
Matt 28:18-20 Great Commission
“baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
Baptism : outward act….
to immerse, submerge, overwhelm …
in the name of the TRINITY….
Baptized into a Community, a Church Family…
Discipleship happens in Community…
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘HOW’

30. God’s GloryMatt 28:18-20
v20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you.
after Baptism : teach = DISCIPLE
goal of discipling : obedience
the “Commandments” …
Q: How many commandments are there ?
 Jewish :
 Old Testament :
 Greatest Commandments :
 New Commandment :
Blueprint for Discipleship
– the ‘HOW’
613
10
2 (Matt 22:36-40)
1 (John 13:34)

31. God’s GloryGod’s Blueprint for Discipleship
to have communities …
loving community - like the Trinity
– in ‘Unity’ & enjoying the ‘Glory’
to practice & enjoy “one-another” …
Matt 28:20 “… And surely I am with you always, to the
very end of the age."
Col 1:29 “To this end I labor, struggling with all his
energy, which so powerfully works in me.”
Only possible because of …
God’s presence …
God’s empowerment …
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘HOW’

32. Col 1:26-29 Blueprint for Discipleship
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages
and generations, but is now disclosed to the
saints.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among
the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching
everyone with all wisdom, so that we may
present everyone perfect in Christ.
29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy,
which so powerfully works in me.

33. Col 1:24
v24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill
up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to
Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is
the church.
Cost to Discipleship : SUFFERING
Ref: Luke 9:23
1 Peter 2:21, 4:12-13
Heb 11
Quote : “When Christ calls a man,
he bids him come and die.”
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘WHAT’

34. Col 1:24
v24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill
up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to
Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is
the church.
Sufficiency of Christ’s Sacrifice : Heb 9:28, 1 Peter 3:18
‘lacking’ : Gk ‘husterema’
Ref Phil 2:25-30 Epaphroditus …
V30 “because for the work of Christ he came close to
death, not regarding his life, to supply what was
LACKING in your service toward me.”
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘WHAT’

35. Col 1:25
v25 I have become its servant by the commission
God gave me to present to you the word of
God in its fullness—
Servant : Steward, Minister …
Disciples of Christ are COMMISSIONed …
• To serve
• To be servants
Blueprint for Discipleship – the ‘WHO’

36. Q: What is the largest living thing in the world?
Height : 275 ft,
Girth : 25 ft,
Vol. : 52,513 cu ft
Est. age : 2,700yrs

38. Q: How deep on an average
are the roots of a Giant
Sequoia tree ?
1. 3 feet
2. 10 feet
3. 30 feet
4. 100 feet
5. 300 feet

39. Eccl 4:10
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one
to help him up!

40. APPLICATION :
Christians = Disciples
Disciples in Community
Commanded to MAKE DISCIPLES …
Are we ‘Making Disciples’ ?
Ps Eddy Leo, Abbalove Ministry
Indonesia spoke at LEAD2015 Conf …
Goal of Discipling 12 individuals
over a lifetime starting with our own
children …
Intentional Discipling …

41. Q: Are you a Christian ?
Q: Are you a Disciple ?
Q: Are you in a
“Community” ?
SSMC - Discipleship Group?
DGs is where you will
experience …
“One-Anotherness” ….
Learning & growing
together …
Reaching out … touching
lives … • Love one another
• Be devoted to one another
• Honor one another
APPLICATION : Blueprint for Discipleship

42. APPLICATION : Blueprint for Discipleship
If you are new to SSMC ….
If you are worshipping with us regularly ….
Invite you to join one of our Discipleship Groups :
PJ, KL & Shah Alam
2 daytime midweek groups & hoping to start
another one …
1 Sun weekend group …
Rest meet on midweek nights most Fridays ….
Age-wise : 3 young adults, 1 seniors, rest mixed …
DG Sunday 2nd August 2015…

43. APPLICATION : Blueprint for Discipleship
If you want to be a Christian / Disciple ….
Be a good Disciple of Jesus Christ …
Know WHY … the mystery …
Know HOW … in community …
Know WHAT … cost to consider …
Know WHO … as a servant …
Take up the challenge of Discipling 12 persons in
your lifetime starting with your children….
Do It In A Loving COMMUNITY.