Wholesome Living (Colossians 2:10). Message based on Theme for 2015 for SSMC, by Rev Dr Ng Swee Ming on 4 Jan 2015

1. GOD’s WORD to SSMC
over the years
1988 - 2015

2. 1988 - 1989 : Haggai 2:9
'The glory of this present
house will be greater than
the glory of the former
house,' says the LORD
Almighty. 'And in this place I
will grant peace,' declares
the LORD Almighty.
Haggai 2:9

3. 1990 - 1991 : Isa 56:7
“... for my house will be
called a house of prayer for
all nations.” Isa 56:7

4. 2010 : Daniel 9:19
O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O
Lord, hear and act! For your sake,
O my God, do not delay, because
your city (church) and your people
bear your Name. Daniel 9:19

5. 2011 : John 7:38 NKJV
He who believes in Me, as
the Scripture has said,
out of his heart will flow
rivers of living water.
John 7:38

6. 2012 : Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer,
being watchful and thankful.
Col 4:2

7. 2013 : 1 Cor 11:1 (NKJV)
“Imitate me,
just as I also imitate Christ”
1 Cor 11:1

8. 2014 : 2 Cor 5:14-15
For Christ's love compels us,...
that those who live should no
longer live for themselves but
for him...
2 Cor 5:14-15

12. "Participation is a big deal. We believe the
more people participating in these sets of
activities, with higher levels of frequency, it
will produce disciples of Christ." This has been
Willow's philosophy of ministry in a nutshell.
The church creates programs/activities. People
participate in these activities. The outcome is
spiritual maturity...that's how we do it in
churches. We measure levels of participation."
the research revealed that "Increasing
levels of participation in these sets of
activities DOES NOT predict whether
someone's becoming more of a disciple of
Christ. It DOES NOT predict whether they
love God more or they love people more."

15. Moving forward ...
Isaiah 43:19
SEE, I AM DOING A
NEW THING!...
2 Samuel 5:20
JEHOVAH PERAZIM
– the Lord of
Breakthroughs

16. 2015 : Col 1:10
“...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,...” Col 1:10

17. Year of Breakthroughs -
WHOLESOME LIVING
Trilogy Sermon Series :
1.LIVING WORTHILY
- AS A DISCIPLE
Col 1:10 “...that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may
please him in every way...”

18. LIVING WORTHILY as a DISCIPLE
GREAT COMMISSION Matt 28:18-20
18b "All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me.
19 Therefore go and MAKE DISCIPLES of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age."

19. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
Q: WHY must we LIVE WORTHILY as DISCIPLES ?
1.GOD THINKS SO
God thinks you are worthy...
God knows you are worthy...
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave
his one and only Son, that whoever believes in
him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us
in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.

20. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
2. GOD SAYS SO ... In His Word
Eph 4:1 “...to live a life worthy of the calling
you have received...”
Phil 1:27 (HCSB) “... live your life in a manner
worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
1 Thess 2:12 “encouraging, comforting and
urging you to live lives worthy of God, who
calls you into his kingdom and glory.”
God commands us to ‘Live Worthily’

21. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
3. GOD JUDGES SO
Christian – ‘belonging to Christ’
Disciple – ‘learner’ or ‘follower’
The ‘world’ do not see Christ ...but see Christians
cannot see Christ ...but can see Christians
the ‘world’ knows ‘the Church’ ...
knows ‘Christians’...
sees... hears ... talk to ....
Seeing Christians ... Seeing ‘the Church’...
• What will the ‘world’ think about Christ ?
• How will the ‘world’ think about Christ ?

22. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
3. GOD JUDGES SO
Q: Are ‘we’ honoring His Name ?
Q: Are ‘we’ taking God’s Name in vain ?
Q: Are ‘we’ breaking the 3rd Commandment ?
Q: Are ‘we’ living worthily to please Him ?
Ref 2 Cor 5:9-10
So we make it our goal to please him...
for we must all appear before the judgment
seat of Christ, that each one may receive what
is due him for the things done while in the
body, whether good or bad.

23. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
WHY must we Live Worthily
as a Disciple -
1. GOD Thinks So
2. God Says So
3. God Judges So

24. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
HOW to Live Worthily as DISCIPLES ?
Col 1:10 that you may live a life worthy of the Lord
and may please him in every way...
The secret is ....
Wanting to PLEASE Him
Wanting to PLEASE Him in EVERY WAY
Q: How can we PLEASE Him ?
Q: HOW can I PLEASE the one I LOVE ?

25. LOVE RELATIONSHIPs...
SHARING

26. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
HOW to Live Worthily as DISCIPLES ?
Col 1:10 that you may live a life worthy of the Lord
and may please him in every way...
The secret is ....
Wanting to PLEASE Him
Wanting to PLEASE Him in EVERY WAY
Q: How can we PLEASE Him ?
A: by being in Relationship with Him...
Talking to Him...
Listening to Him...
Finding Out All About Him...
Just Being with Him...

27. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
HOW to Live Worthily as DISCIPLES ?
Ref - Rom 12:1-2
1. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's
mercy, to OFFER YOUR BODIES AS LIVING
SACRIFICES, HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD — this
is your spiritual act of worship.
2. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this
world, but be TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING
OF YOUR MIND. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God's will is — his good,
pleasing and perfect will.
A Sacrifice
A Renewal

28. FAMILY

29. FAMILY
Luke 10:41-42
"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you
are worried and upset about many things,
BUT ONLY ONE THING IS NEEDED.
Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not
be taken away from her."

30. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
Q: Do You Think You Are Worthy ?
• God is Holy
• God calls us to be Holy (1 Pet 1:16)
• “Holy” = moral purity - the ‘DOING’
= ‘set apart’, ‘dedicated to God’
(Ref Heb 8:10) - the ‘BEING’
Biblical Holiness –
First is our RELATIONSHIP with God
Called to be ‘set apart’
Called to ABIDE IN CHRIST

31. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
Q: Do You Think You Are Worthy ?
Q: Do You Think You Can Ever Live Worthily ?
A: We on our own can NEVER be Worthy
A: We on our own will NEVER live worthily
It’s all about our RELATIONSHIP with Christ
It’s all about abiding in Christ
The secret is in the ROOTS** ...
Ref Col 2:6-7 So then, just as you
received Christ Jesus as Lord,
continue to live in him, rooted
and built up in him, strengthened
in the faith as you were taught,

32. LIVING WORTHILY - AS A DISCIPLE
For BREAKTHROUGHs to occur in our Church ....
It must first happen in families
For BREAKTHROUGHs to happen in Families,
It must first happen in individual lives
For BREAKTHROUGHs to happen in individual lives
 Our RELATIONSHIP with Christ must be solid...
 Our ROOTEDNESS in Christ ...
 REMOVE & REPLACE Principle ...

33. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
God’s knows we cannot do it ...
So God also is working ...
Phil 2:12-13
“... continue to work out your salvation with
fear and trembling, for IT IS GOD WHO
WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT
ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE.”

34. LIVING WORTHILY as a Disciple
Living Worthily as a Disciple –
WHY ?
1. GOD Thinks So
2. God Says So
3. God Judges So
HOW ?
1. Relationship with Christ
2. Rootedness in Christ
3. Remove & Replace Principle

36. CONCLUSION:
Heb 13:20-21
20 May the God of peace, who through the
blood of the eternal covenant brought
back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that
great Shepherd of the sheep,
21 equip you with everything good for
doing his will, and may he work in us
what is pleasing to him, through Jesus
Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.