sorry i missed putting up last week's sermon. it's here now. :) though i must say, last week's sermon was a little short, or was it bcos i dozed off halfway? haha... anyway, will listen to the recorded sermon online to fill in the gaps. :P

Title: Created to become like Christ
Scripture: Eph 4:17-32 (MSG)
Speaker: Ps Lawrence Khong

The world is concerned about looking good. Beauty services, spa, etc. But do you know that God has a special beauty program for you? God has created us look beautiful because we're created to be like Jesus Christ. God has fashioned us to look beautiful from the inside. Beauty that will last for eternity.

We're created to look good for God's sake.
God's purpose:
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the tame animals, over all the earth, and over all the small crawling animals on the earth."

Rom 8:29 (MSG) God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.

So, we're to look like God the Son Jesus Christ. We can find a deep sense of purpose, dignity, freedom n fulfilment. In all of creations, only human beings are made in God's image - sense of dignity. Our spirit is immortal, outlive our body. Like God, we are spirit beings (our spirits are immortal and will outlast our bodies, and we are not to live only for the present) think, rational, solve problem, reason, relational - give and receive real love, moral discernment - know what is right and wrong and thus be accountable to God.

All ppl possess an image of God. That's why deep in our hearts we know that murder is sin, abortion is sin. There is an image of God in each of us. But this image has been distorted by sin when we choose to live our lives for ourselves instead of for the glory of God. That's what the Gospel is about, that Christ came to die on the cross for our sins, so that God can restore His image in us.

The full image of God is like Jesus Christ.
Heb 1:3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

God wants His children to reflect His image.
Eph 4:24 (MSG) and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.

Warning: You will never be God or a god. This is a lie from the devil.
Gen 3:5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

God wants you to take on His character.
Eph 4:22 (MSG) Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything--and I do mean everything--connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life--a God-fashioned life

Going for other's approval. Just to have a social circle? The world does look at outward appearance. But this is not the ultimate thing. There is a beauty that cannot stop growing - the beauty of the soul. It grows with age. Confidence is an inner beauty that comes not by looks. God's ultimate goal for our lives is not comfort, but character - something that we can keep in our souls.

This is what true freedom is all about. True freedom is not doing what you like, but it's doing what is right. It is about being able to forgive those who have hurt you badly and not to live in the pain, the hurt in the past. True freedom comes when you live more and more like Christ. The ability to become selfishless, not to things that are destructive to your life, to love your husband and wife. Anyone can say, I want to do what I like for the moment. But it takes character to be able to live like Christ.

Develop all these in our lives. These are real characters!
Matt 5:1-12
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Look like Jesus. Filled with confidence. Freedom from struggles.

How do you begin to see this in your life?
(1) Yield your life to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit want to tranform you, from the inside.
2 Cor 3:18 (NLT) And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.

You cannot do this on your own strength. Not of ordinary effort, but that of supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.
Phil 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

A new transformation:
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Three ways on how to yield to the Spirit:
Eph 4:22-24
-today I want to get rid of my old ways, my ideas of doing things.
-I want You to come in and transform my mind, and not believe what the world says to me. I reject any sense of inferiority, anger and bitterness. Help me to think good thoughts.
-Right now, I want to put on the new self.

(2) Accept God's dealing in your life.
through the Word, God's people and the circumstances. Connect to God and learn to trust God in the most difficult situation.

1 Thes 5:17 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ask: When this has happened, what do you want me to learn?

(3) Recognise this is a life-long process.
Gradual progressive phenomenon until the rest of your life.
Eph 4:13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

When you feel that nothing is happening in your life, God is continually moulding you. Or when you feel that your life is in a mess, know that God is doing a building process in you. Our life is often like a construction site. God is a great architect. "Be patient, God is not through with me yet."

Let Him shape you, let him mould you. God is more interested in what you are, that what you do. That's why we're human beings, not human doings.