Brunei Sermon Live a life worthy of the Lord
22nd May, 2011
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
Posted By Teresa Han
Colossians 1: 3-14
Main Idea: the process of spiritual growth
Objectives:
a. To teach the congregation of the process of spiritual growth
b. To challenge the church members to be transformed in their lives.
c. To teach them to live a life worthy of the Lord.
A. Introduction
- Those of you who have been baptized in the last 10 years, pls indicate by putting up your hands? 20 years?
- After you are baptized, have you been serving Jesus? What have you done for Jesus?
- May be some of us ask this question in your heart: Why is that after you are baptized; you still need to grow spiritually; serve God; you need to be transformed in your lives; you need to do evangelism and missions both locally and overseas; do social concerns; attend Sunday service; tithing; prayers?
- I am already saved, I just wait to go to heaven. I have my passport to go heaven, why do I still have to go through all those troubles? Have you asked like this? The answer is found in the bible passage today.
- Apostle Paul in this morning’s passage, he said a prayer that showed us how our spiritual life should grow. You must go through that process and there is no short cut.
- Let us read what Apostle Paul exhorted the Colossians in verses 9 and 10 together, “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. 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, …”
- Why Apostle Paul prayed like this? This had very much to do with the problems and challenges faced by the Colossian Christians at that time in the first century.
B. Background & Explanation of the Text
- At that time the Colossian Christians faced the heretic Gnosticism teaching. Believers of Gnosticism believed that the material, the body of human beings, and all that could be seen were evil. God who cannot be seen is good and spiritual. Human beings can only be in contact with God using our thinking power.
- This produces 2 kinds of thinking. One thinking is our mind power is more powerful than the body. People who subscribe to this thinking end up practicing self-denial exercises such as withdrawing from sex, not eating, not resting, not enjoying life, and not live a normal life. A believer will isolate himself from others, not married and not even take bath, etc.
- Another thinking is this: Since our body is evil, people will take the liberty to enjoy himself, he takes the liberty to get drunk, overeat, practice free sex, to be greedy, etc, because whatever they do, it will not affect their inner spirit, inner life.
- Apostle Paul knew the Colossian Christians were misled. He addressed Epaphras as dear fellow servant, faithful minister of Christ in verse 7. Epaphras must have shared the problems of the Colossian Christians with Apostle Paul.
- We know they communicated because in verse 8, Paul said, “and who also told us of your love in the spirit.”
- In order to lead the Colossian Christians out of Gnosticism influence, Apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians kept emphasizing Jesus is the gospel of word becomes flesh. God is unseen; He becomes a human being in the person of Jesus. Since God lives in a body, so, the body is not evil anymore. Also, Jesus has the power to save us from the power of darkness, leading us to the kingdom of God, saved and our sins are forgiven. This is very much emphasized in verses 13 and 14.
- In order to help the Colossian Christians not to go astray, and they really believed what Jesus had done on His life and on the cross, Apostle Paul taught them how to grow spiritually and correctly.
- Apostle Paul taught the Colossian Christians and all of us a cycle of 5 steps of spiritual growth.
C. Application and Actions
- Firstly, you need to ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will as Apostle said in verse 9b. You must know the word of God for you, His will for you. You must read the word of God for it tells you His will for you. Can you give me a few examples of God’s will for you according to the bible?
- Secondly, God fills you with knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding in verse 9c. Now, yes, God fills you with His will but according to verse 9c today, He also gives you spiritual wisdom and understanding. It means through the help of the Holy Spirit God helps you to understand His word. It means God, through the Spirit of Jesus helps you to understand a word, a phrase, a sentence or a passage of he bible. This year, as I read Exodus 36 to 38, I was amazed by the promises that God made to Hebrew people in providing the expertise and all the metal and material needed to make the tabernacle, the ark, the lamp stand, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering, etc. God spoke to me powerfully and I understood His message even though these technical chapters are on how to make those instruments of worship. I received the powerful message that if I am doing God’s will, God will provide all the manpower and resources needed to do His will.
- I also read from Leviticus chapters 1 to 5 recently, God is very particular about every sin you committed. For the Hebrew people, for every sin committed, they need to do a sacrifice of an animal or birds or flour.
- Can you give me some examples of the word of God which you understand and remember? Only when you know, understand, then, you can use it, apply in your life. I understand the concepts of making of disciples of all nations. So, I reach out to people regardless of races, skin colors, languages and religions. I reach out to Ibans in Bahasa Malaysia. Last Sunday I preached in BM to Tudan Methodist Church members who are Ibans. I prayed and counseled for 15 of them one by one for about 2 hours. On Thursday, I joined Rev Chan Jing Mei, the lady pastor in charge of the Church in visiting 5 Ibans. It is all because the bible says nations, not nation, not just the Chinese. I understand and remember, and so I can do it. Do you know your bible well? Do you have the discipline to read it? Do you attend seminars to equip yourself with the word of God to serve Him?
- As you read the bible, you need to ask yourself these questions: what has the word of God to do with my life? I can apply to which area of my life? Finance? Family? Work and career? Nurturing children? Ministry in Church? Missions and evangelism? Social concerns?
- I believe that every passage that you read in the bible, there is God’s message for you. I always write down the message after I got it. I have a spiritual journal to do it. You can read a passage and write down the verse, or word or phrase which God speaks to you. Write a sentence or two to say how you apply it in your life.
- Thirdly, the next step of the spiritual cycle is to live a life worthy of the Lord (verse 10). The sermon title is taken from this verse. Why this verse? This is because in our spiritual growth journey/ process, ultimately, it requires you, believers and all of us as Disciples of Christ, to be transformed in our lives. This is very much related to actions. Apostle Paul taught in this prayer for the Colossian Christians that after you know the word of God, understand it, you need to apply it. You need to apply it in your life. There must be actions in your life based on the word of God. Therefore, he said in verse 10, “…live a life worthy of the Lord…” God’s word is so good, so meaningful, so full of inspirations, but if you do not have any action to practice it, everything still remain zero. Especially your life transformation will remain zero.
- Furthermore, your actions must be worthy of Christ. How? When you made a decision, is it according to your conscience? What about others? A lot of Christians when they made a decision they never ask Jesus whether He is Okay with it or not. We Christians, when we make a decision, or take an action, we must get Yes from 3 persons (your conscience, others who are affected or not affected and most important of all, Jesus). Do that you will become a strong and matured Disciple of Jesus.
- In the name of Jesus I tell you, in your daily life, when you are full of care and love towards others, you are full of Christ’s testimonies in your life, you do what you promise, you are consistent in your word and action, when you invite people to come to attend church special program, they will come.
- A lot of Christians or disciples of Jesus do not grow because they cannot breach the gap between step 2 and step 3. That is after they understood the word, they never apply it. Are you one of those? After today, which part of God’s word are you applying? No application of God’s word, no life transformation, no life testimonies to show to people. As a result, people cannot see how good Christianity or Jesus is to their life.
- Fourthly, our spiritual life must reach a stage or step where we can do what Apostle says in 10b and c, “ …may please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, …” This is very much related to step 3 where we need to live a life worthy of Jesus. After you apply what you learn about God’s word, your life is worthy of Christ, you will surely bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness goodness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5: 22, 23). You will surely make disciples of all nations. You will surely do mission in the name of Jesus.
- Fifthly, we will reach a stage like what Apostle Paul said in verse 10 d, “… growing in the knowledge of God.” Our spiritual growth will reach a stage or step, where we will know, understand and experience God in a deeper manner. We will have an intimate relationship with Jesus. We can experience God because He is the Holy Spirit, He lives in our hearts, and He empowers us to overcome our flesh and lusts. Otherwise, Apostle Paul will not be able to say in verses 11, 12 “being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.”
- With all humility and I want to boast about what Jesus has done in life, I want to say to you how I experience Jesus and God, almighty. When I am able to love my wife, my 4 children, I experience Jesus in a personal manner. When I am able to forgive someone like a church leader, my wife, someone I do not like, I experience Jesus in my life. When I am able to care for an Iban like lay my hands on him or her, I experience Jesus and I find Him so real in my life.
- So, what is the secret of experiencing God? Can you tell me? It can happen to all Christians, provide you …. You obey Jesus; you practice the word of God. Is it a secret to know? I hope it is not a secret to you.
D. Conclusion
- There is life in God’s word. Applying God’s word in your life is the right thing to do; it is the right attitude towards God’s word.
- Otherwise, no matter how much bible reading, prayer, Sunday Schools, bible studies, seminars, fellowships, church activities, will be just social activities.
AGM Honor Your Parents
8th May, 2011.
Parents’ Sunday
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
Posted By Teresa Han
Ephesians 6: 1-4
Main Idea: Honoring parents is God’s command.
Objective: a. To teach the congregation to obey the age old command of God, to honor our parents.
b. To teach parents not to exasperate our children.
c. To bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord.
A. Introduction
- Why is it that Methodist Churches in Sarawak and Sabah every year dedicates one Sunday to do Parents’ Sunday? Can you answer please? Is it because it is an appropriate program as so many others are doing it, so, we must not be left out? We do it for our children and ourselves to show that we are important?
- The most important biblical reason for the church (not from the commercial point of view) is it is a one of the Ten Commandments we need to obey.
- The church needs to make sure that we as disciples of Jesus we must teach ourselves to honor parents. It is stated in the Old Testament and it is repeated in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke, by Jesus). That will teach us on the importance of the commandment.
- Jesus affirmed the law (commandment to honor parents), He fulfilled the law, as He Himself had said. And now Apostle Paul reinforced it for the teaching of the universal church.
- Let us now take a close look at Ephesians 6: 1-4 to study the command to honor your parents.
B. Explanation of Ephesians 6: 1-4
- Before the passage today, Apostle Paul wrote a great passage on husband and wife relationship, Ephesians 5: 22-33, emphasizing very much on husband, love your wife and , wife, submit to your husband, very much in the context of Ephesians 5: 21, which says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
- Based on that principle, Apostle Paul urged the husband to love his wife and his wife to submit to her wife. Now, using the same principle, he is now urging children to honor our parents. Therefore, to honor parents is to fear God; to revere Christ. Is this good news in Christ? Honoring parents is honoring God in the person of Christ. Honoring God is a very spiritual act.
- When Apostle Paul addressed the children in verse 1, he referred to children who were responsible members of the congregation in Ephesus then. This is an imperative absolute obedience, it must be done in the context of one’s submission to Christ, as the command said, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord.” And this is part of Christian discipleship.
- The motivation for such obedience was because it was right, Apostle Paul appealed to a general sense of what was fitting and right in the Graeco-Roman ethics.
- To support his exhortation for children to obey parents he quoted the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” From the Old Testament (Exodus 20: 12). Honoring one’s parents in the Old Testament reflected one’s relationship with Yahweh. In the Old Testament, honoring one’s parents means obeying them; dishonoring them means disobeying them.
- Take note, in the Old Testament, for children living with parents; it meant obeying father and mother. For adults who left home, it involved a respectful attitude and care for them in their old age. I want advise all of us to do the same.
- Apostle Paul in the context of the Ephesian Christian community, he taught them that obeying parents, honoring parents, were their Christian commitment ‘in the Lord’. It is an example of submission that arouse out of a godly fear of Christ (5:21).
- This submission is a distinguishing mark of those who are filled by the Holy Spirit, which he taught the Ephesians in 5: 18, which says, “… be filled with the Spirit.”
- In exhorting the Ephesian Christians to honor their parents and of course all us today, he quoted from Exodus 20: 12 the second part, where it promised the Hebrews of long life in the Promised Land. But here, Apostle Paul said in verse 3, “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
- Today, based on Apostle Paul’s teaching, we Christians believe that honoring parents will give you long life on earth. My observation is it is generally very true, assuming everything else is equal.
- Next, probably to balance up the situation at that time, where in Hellenistic Judaism culture, severe cruel inhuman punishment could be given to children who disobeyed their parents. Probably this could happen to parents who abused their authority and went overboard and punished their children harshly.
- That might be one of the important reasons for Apostle Paul to say in verse 4, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
- Negatively, Apostle Paul exhorted the fathers and of course all of us parents today, not to provoke our children to anger. Now, it was and it is one very important concern of the Apostle for the Ephesian Christians as prolonged anger could be used by Satan to achieve its end in chapter 4 verses 26 and 27, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
- After reminding the fathers not to provoke their children to anger, Apostle Paul complemented the negative by a positive urge to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. This is basically to teach and discipline their children in the fear of the Lord. What Apostle Paul wanted to drive home was for parents, fathers, all the more to teach and discipline their children to obey Jesus most important of all, not only to obey and honor parents. That is why he said in the training and instruction of the Lord. He wanted Christian parents to be different from the non-Christian in that they need to be educators who led their children to be loyal to Christ as the Lord of their life.
C. Relationship of the passage with your life
- Do you see that the passage today is relevant to your life?
- Do you see the importance of the command to honor your parents in your life as Apostle taught? I pray that you do.
- Do you see why you must control your anger in front of your children when you nurture and educate them in the Lord?
- You see the point why you must teach and discipline your children to obey Jesus as the Lord and master of their lives?
D. Applications and actions
- Those of you who are honoring your parents, keep it up. Remember you are fearing/revering Christ, by honoring your parents. Some of us may have problems with our parents, you may not in talking terms with them for the reasons best known to you, you are not honoring your parents. Do ask God for forgiveness and ask your parents for forgiveness for you have not honored them. All of us who are adults here, do take care your parents as your parents age, it is one of the best ways to honor your parents. By no means, we burn paper money to worship them during Ching Ming after they leave this world as an act of filial piety. We only worship Christ our Lord.
- The second point of application is this: do not provoke your children to be angry with you. Have you any of these wrong attitudes, words and actions? Excessive severe discipline, unreasonable harsh demands, unfairness among your children, constant nagging and condemnation, subjecting your children to humiliation, and all forms of gross insensitivity to your children’s needs and sensibilities. If you have been guilty in any of these, do humble yourself before Christ and your children and even ask them for forgiveness.
- The third point of application and action is this: train your children to be faithful to Jesus as their Lord of their lives. I believe all of us understand the importance of education for our children. But I think not all of us realize the importance of our children in fearing/revering Jesus. We may not be giving a good life example to our children in terms of fearing, trusting and loving Jesus. I pray for my children and pray with them for thanksgiving, and needs. I get them to thank God for our meals. I get them to say sorry to one another when there is a conflict. I get them to express gratitude to their mom for the meals my wife cook. I get them to say thank you when they receive things from others. I build up godly characters in their lives so that as they grow up, they will always keep close to Jesus and allow Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. What about you?
E. Conclusion
- The word of God today is so practical and yet it is very challenging. It is so because we know it and yet we are practicing it.
- In fact, you lose nothing by honoring your parents; by not provoking your children to be angry; by training your children to be faithful to Jesus as the Lord of their lives.
- On the other hand, eventually, you will have reasons to regret if you do not practice them. The worst is sins will come knocking at your door, we all suffer the consequences of disobeying Jesus’ word.
F. Small Group Discussion Questions
1. Discuss you bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord? That is how do you disciple them to revere Jesus as the master/ Lord of their lives so that they will never leave Jesus?
2. How do you avoid provoking your children to anger? (If they are angry until sunset, the devil can have a foothold in their lives to attack them and you)
Parents’ Sunday
Written By Rev Law Hui Seng
Posted By Teresa Han
Ephesians 6: 1-4
Main Idea: Honoring parents is God’s command.
Objective: a. To teach the congregation to obey the age old command of God, to honor our parents.
b. To teach parents not to exasperate our children.
c. To bring up our children in the training and instruction of the Lord.
A. Introduction
- Why is it that Methodist Churches in Sarawak and Sabah every year dedicates one Sunday to do Parents’ Sunday? Can you answer please? Is it because it is an appropriate program as so many others are doing it, so, we must not be left out? We do it for our children and ourselves to show that we are important?
- The most important biblical reason for the church (not from the commercial point of view) is it is a one of the Ten Commandments we need to obey.
- The church needs to make sure that we as disciples of Jesus we must teach ourselves to honor parents. It is stated in the Old Testament and it is repeated in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark and Luke, by Jesus). That will teach us on the importance of the commandment.
- Jesus affirmed the law (commandment to honor parents), He fulfilled the law, as He Himself had said. And now Apostle Paul reinforced it for the teaching of the universal church.
- Let us now take a close look at Ephesians 6: 1-4 to study the command to honor your parents.
B. Explanation of Ephesians 6: 1-4
- Before the passage today, Apostle Paul wrote a great passage on husband and wife relationship, Ephesians 5: 22-33, emphasizing very much on husband, love your wife and , wife, submit to your husband, very much in the context of Ephesians 5: 21, which says, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
- Based on that principle, Apostle Paul urged the husband to love his wife and his wife to submit to her wife. Now, using the same principle, he is now urging children to honor our parents. Therefore, to honor parents is to fear God; to revere Christ. Is this good news in Christ? Honoring parents is honoring God in the person of Christ. Honoring God is a very spiritual act.
- When Apostle Paul addressed the children in verse 1, he referred to children who were responsible members of the congregation in Ephesus then. This is an imperative absolute obedience, it must be done in the context of one’s submission to Christ, as the command said, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord.” And this is part of Christian discipleship.
- The motivation for such obedience was because it was right, Apostle Paul appealed to a general sense of what was fitting and right in the Graeco-Roman ethics.
- To support his exhortation for children to obey parents he quoted the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” From the Old Testament (Exodus 20: 12). Honoring one’s parents in the Old Testament reflected one’s relationship with Yahweh. In the Old Testament, honoring one’s parents means obeying them; dishonoring them means disobeying them.
- Take note, in the Old Testament, for children living with parents; it meant obeying father and mother. For adults who left home, it involved a respectful attitude and care for them in their old age. I want advise all of us to do the same.
- Apostle Paul in the context of the Ephesian Christian community, he taught them that obeying parents, honoring parents, were their Christian commitment ‘in the Lord’. It is an example of submission that arouse out of a godly fear of Christ (5:21).
- This submission is a distinguishing mark of those who are filled by the Holy Spirit, which he taught the Ephesians in 5: 18, which says, “… be filled with the Spirit.”
- In exhorting the Ephesian Christians to honor their parents and of course all us today, he quoted from Exodus 20: 12 the second part, where it promised the Hebrews of long life in the Promised Land. But here, Apostle Paul said in verse 3, “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
- Today, based on Apostle Paul’s teaching, we Christians believe that honoring parents will give you long life on earth. My observation is it is generally very true, assuming everything else is equal.
- Next, probably to balance up the situation at that time, where in Hellenistic Judaism culture, severe cruel inhuman punishment could be given to children who disobeyed their parents. Probably this could happen to parents who abused their authority and went overboard and punished their children harshly.
- That might be one of the important reasons for Apostle Paul to say in verse 4, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
- Negatively, Apostle Paul exhorted the fathers and of course all of us parents today, not to provoke our children to anger. Now, it was and it is one very important concern of the Apostle for the Ephesian Christians as prolonged anger could be used by Satan to achieve its end in chapter 4 verses 26 and 27, “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
- After reminding the fathers not to provoke their children to anger, Apostle Paul complemented the negative by a positive urge to bring up their children in the training and instruction of the Lord. This is basically to teach and discipline their children in the fear of the Lord. What Apostle Paul wanted to drive home was for parents, fathers, all the more to teach and discipline their children to obey Jesus most important of all, not only to obey and honor parents. That is why he said in the training and instruction of the Lord. He wanted Christian parents to be different from the non-Christian in that they need to be educators who led their children to be loyal to Christ as the Lord of their life.
C. Relationship of the passage with your life
- Do you see that the passage today is relevant to your life?
- Do you see the importance of the command to honor your parents in your life as Apostle taught? I pray that you do.
- Do you see why you must control your anger in front of your children when you nurture and educate them in the Lord?
- You see the point why you must teach and discipline your children to obey Jesus as the Lord and master of their lives?
D. Applications and actions
- Those of you who are honoring your parents, keep it up. Remember you are fearing/revering Christ, by honoring your parents. Some of us may have problems with our parents, you may not in talking terms with them for the reasons best known to you, you are not honoring your parents. Do ask God for forgiveness and ask your parents for forgiveness for you have not honored them. All of us who are adults here, do take care your parents as your parents age, it is one of the best ways to honor your parents. By no means, we burn paper money to worship them during Ching Ming after they leave this world as an act of filial piety. We only worship Christ our Lord.
- The second point of application is this: do not provoke your children to be angry with you. Have you any of these wrong attitudes, words and actions? Excessive severe discipline, unreasonable harsh demands, unfairness among your children, constant nagging and condemnation, subjecting your children to humiliation, and all forms of gross insensitivity to your children’s needs and sensibilities. If you have been guilty in any of these, do humble yourself before Christ and your children and even ask them for forgiveness.
- The third point of application and action is this: train your children to be faithful to Jesus as their Lord of their lives. I believe all of us understand the importance of education for our children. But I think not all of us realize the importance of our children in fearing/revering Jesus. We may not be giving a good life example to our children in terms of fearing, trusting and loving Jesus. I pray for my children and pray with them for thanksgiving, and needs. I get them to thank God for our meals. I get them to say sorry to one another when there is a conflict. I get them to express gratitude to their mom for the meals my wife cook. I get them to say thank you when they receive things from others. I build up godly characters in their lives so that as they grow up, they will always keep close to Jesus and allow Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. What about you?
E. Conclusion
- The word of God today is so practical and yet it is very challenging. It is so because we know it and yet we are practicing it.
- In fact, you lose nothing by honoring your parents; by not provoking your children to be angry; by training your children to be faithful to Jesus as the Lord of their lives.
- On the other hand, eventually, you will have reasons to regret if you do not practice them. The worst is sins will come knocking at your door, we all suffer the consequences of disobeying Jesus’ word.
F. Small Group Discussion Questions
1. Discuss you bring up your children in the training and instruction of the Lord? That is how do you disciple them to revere Jesus as the master/ Lord of their lives so that they will never leave Jesus?
2. How do you avoid provoking your children to anger? (If they are angry until sunset, the devil can have a foothold in their lives to attack them and you)
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