SSMCSUNGAI WAY-SUBANGMETHODISTC H U R C H

it’s all about POWER ...

Speed of Light ?? 186,282 ml/sec 300,000,000 m/sec

All that POWER / ENERGY is INHERENTLY PRESENT....

We just need to find a way for the POWER / ENERYGY to be released...

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

1. LIVING WORTHILY as a DISCIPLEWHY ?GOD THINKS SO**GOD SAYS SOGOD JUDGES SO

HOW ?RELATIONSHIP with ChristROOTEDNESS in ChristREMOVE & REPLACE Principle

Year of Breakthroughs - Wholesome Living

2. LIVING FRUITFULLY as a FAMILYa. God Started the Family**b. God Blessed the Familyc. God Guides the Family

From Generation to Generation1st Generation : Joshua 24:15

Know God >>> Reality Of FaithConviction That Leads To Commitment

2nd Generation : Joshua 24:31Know About God >>> Routine Of FaithConvenience That Leads To Carelessness

3rd Generation : Judges 2:10Know Not God >>> Rejection Of FaithCompromise That Leads To Confusion

Year of Breakthroughs - Wholesome Living

Q: How many feel inadequate / ill-equipped / unable to LIVE WORTHILY as a DISCIPLE of Christ ?

Q: How many feel inadequate / ill-equipped / unable to LIVE FRUITFULLY as a FAMILY ?

On our own ... Welcome to the family ....

Year of Breakthroughs - Wholesome LivingPaul’s letter to the church @ Colossae ...prison epistle ... (+ Eph, Phil & Philemon)Col 1:10-12

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

12 giving thanks to the Father, ...”

3. LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHCol 1:11

NIV : “being strengthened with all poweraccording to his glorious might ...”

NKJV : “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power,...”

In just ONE VERSE...

3 X it’s mentioned

STRENGTH, POWER, MIGHT

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH

Col 1:11 : “being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might ...”“Strengthened” : Gk dunamoo“to make strong” making strong something or someone that is

inherently weak constant source of strength This is available to the church of Christfamilies in Christdisciples of Christ.

1. STRENGTHENED

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHEg Eph 6:10-1210 Finally, be STRONG in the Lord and in his

mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can

take your stand against the devil's schemes.12 For our struggle is not against flesh and

blood,....Eg 2 Tim 2:1

You then, my son, be STRONG in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH2. POWERCol 1:11 : “being strengthened with ALL POWER according to his glorious might ...”“POWER” Gk : dunamis“might, strength, force.”

Eg dynamite or dynamothe inherent ability that carries the potential to

perform or accomplish a task...the INHERENT POWER OF GOD that HE HAS MADE AVAILABLE TO US IN THE LORD JESUS.** Not just power BUT ALL POWER...

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH

Eg Acts 1:8

But you will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Eg 2 Tim 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of POWER, of love and of self-discipline.

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH

3. MIGHTCol 1:11 : “being strengthened with all power according to his GLORIOUS MIGHT ...”“MIGHT” : Gk - kratos,is used only of God in the New Testament. speaks of God’s manifested power ...power in action eg Creationpower that overcomes resistance eg sin,

death ...** Not only MIGHT but GLORIOUS MIGHT“GLORY” : Gk – Doxaoutward manifestations of God’s inward

character

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHEg Eph 1:18-2318 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be

enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19 and his incomparably great POWER (dunamoo) for us who believe. That POWER (kratos) is like the working of his mighty strength,

20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,

21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, ....

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH

Eg Eph 1:18-2318 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be

enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19 and his incomparably great POWER (dunamoo) for us who believe. That POWER (kratos) is like the working of his mighty strength,

20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, ....

It’s ALL ABOUT HIMWhat you & I cannot ... HE can ....

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHIf you had ALL POWER ...of creation ...of resurrection ...to calm the storms or floods ....

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCH

If you had ALL POWER ...of creation ...of resurrection ...to calm the storms or floods ....to cast out demons ...to heal all illness ...

What will you do ?? Healing miracles ...? Stop floods, famine ...? Remove poverty ...? Stop wars ...

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHCol 1:10-12

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 12 giving thanks to the Father, ...”

“so that” ....What did PAUL say “the Power” is for ....

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHTo Paul, the ‘Power’ was to build ... inner CHRISTIAN CHARACTER of ... Endurance .... circumstances situations

Patience ... people relationships

Joy... amidst difficult situations

Thanksgiving... Always ...

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHGod made you ...God made me ...In accepting Christ ...we invite Jesus as Savior & Lord ...the Holy Spirit then indwells ...

Ref : 2 Cor 1:22 ‘seal of ownership’Eph 1:13 ‘seal, the promised Holy Spirit’

1 Cor 3:16 ‘God’s Spirit lives in you...’1 Cor 6:19 ‘Do you not know that your body is a

temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God ?’

Conclusion: We have the indwelling Holy Spirit

LIVING POWERFULLY as a CHURCHFACT 1 :

We Receive Christ ...We Receive the Holy Spirit...So we have the INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT

FACT 2: Ref Acts 1:8 “But you will receive POWER when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." HOLY SPIRIT = POWER

So ... God who ‘gave us’ the Holy Spirithave also given us the POWER ...POWER is inherent within us ...

Year of Breakthroughs - Wholesome Living

Q: How many still feel inadequate / ill-equipped / unable to LIVE WORTHILY as a DISCIPLE of Christ ?

Q: How many still feel inadequate / ill-equipped / unable to LIVE FRUITFULLY as a FAMILY ?

On our own ... we cannot

BUT with HIS STRENGTHHIS POWERHIS MIGHT...

“... we are more than conquerors through him...” Rom 8:37

Year of Breakthroughs - Wholesome Living

The Secret of BREAKTHROUGHS ...for ourselves ...for our families ...for our church ...there is no secret...God’s Answer / Solution ...

• already residing within us ... • God put Him there...• Indwelling Holy Spirit ...He is all we need ...our powerour strengthour might

So for 2015 ....APPLICATION...

Knowing the TRUTH

does not change lives.

Only TRUTH APPLIED

changes lives

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

In order for BREAKTHROUGHS to happenWe must first BREAK-WITH our sins, habits

We must allow GOD toBREAK-INto our lives, to be Lord & Master

Only when we BREAK-WITH our pastAnd God BREAK-Into our livesCan we BREAK-FORTH into God’s destiny

Year of Breakthroughs

So for 2015 ....APPLICATION... STOP DOING DG STOP EVANGELISING STOP ATTENDING

For DGs :

1. STOP DOING DGSTART SHARING LIFE Share your joys & victories ... Share your struggles and defeats ... Pray for one another Beyond that pray for others ... Look beyond your own DG... Inquire of the Lord ....

‘2. STOP “DOING EVANGELISM”

a. JUST START LOVING PEOPLE

Love your family membersLove your neighborsLove your colleaguesLove your enemies

b. START PRAYING for People daily

Personally :• Ask God for “Holy Happenings” in your life ...

• Family• Community• Work

• For those with families ...• Start Weekly Family Devotions• Make time to Talk about life issues...• Talk about what’s happening in the

country, the world ...• Take an interest in your children’s life :

friends, interest, studies ...

3. STOP ATTENDING ...START PARTICIPATING... Sunday Celebration... Prayer Gatherings... 24/7 Prayer for our Nation... Missions – Community, Local & International

3. STOP ATTENDING, START PARTICIPATING...

PLAN to Grow as a Disciple, a Family, a Church Alpha Classic – English & Chinese Alpha Youth Alpha Marriage Alpha Parenting – Youths & Teens Young Adult Ministry (ages 20-30yrs) Sunday Foundation Classes Visitation Ministry

• Weekly Home Visitation Thurs 10am-12.30pm

• Hospital Visitation

So for 2015 .... stop doing dg START SHARING LIFE

stop evangelising START LOVING PEOPLE

stop attending START PARTICIPATING

Year of Breakthroughs - Wholesome Living

In order for the Church to Live Powerfully...Families in the Church

must Live Fruitfully ...In order for

Families in the Church to Live Fruitfully ...Individual members must Live

WorthilyYou & I must Live Worthily

Conclusion

Acts 4:13

‘When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and ...

they took note that THESE MEN HAD BEEN WITH JESUS.’