INGEN ONLINE

APRIL 9, 2021
THEME: ROOTED (1st Topic)

Title: BE DEEPLY ROOTED IN CHRIST

Main Verse:
Colossians 2:6-7

As you have therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk with Him, rooted and built up in Him
and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Greetings:

Whats up, mga ka-InGEN!? This is your Ate Ivy and tonight I am very excited to share with you our very first
topic from our new theme: ROOTED! We were just done with our topics for the theme CONNECTED and we
will transition tonight to ROOTED because siring pa ngani niyo Kuya Liam, IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE
CONNECTED, WE HAVE TO BE ROOTED!

Introduction:

Let me start with a story about our mango tree…

Last 2013 when Yolanda hits Tacloban, I saw our mango tree in front of our window, natumba talaga hiya. In
my mind, I said, “Ahw, waray na, dire na ine mabubuhi na mangga kay natumba na.”(This tree will die because
it has already fallen) but years passed by, the mango tree itself proved me wrong. Yes, natumba hiya, but you
know what happened? It lived and grew new leaves and now nagbubunga pa. I realized the mango tree has
grown its roots so deep that Yolanda did not uproot Him. The tree was so built up that even the strongest
typhoon recorded, though it made it fall, but its roots made it for it to stand again and amazingly still produce its
fruits.

Tonight, I strongly believe that it is God’s desire for us in our Christian life to be like the mango tree that was
deeply rooted, that no matter what storm may come into our lives, even the strongest one, like the mango we
will stand again and be fruitful because we are rooted in Him.

That is why our topic tonight is entitled: BE DEEPLY ROOTED IN CHRIST

Be deeply rooted in whom, in other people, in this world? NO!

Be deeply rooted in Christ!

Why? Because we can be connected with Christ but not rooted…

We can claim that we have received Christ but actually not rooted in Him.

Take for example the PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

Let us read in Matthew 13:18-23

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the
kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.
This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the
word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When
trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the
thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth
choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the
word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what
was sown.”

There are those who heard about Christ but the evil one came and snatches away what was sown in the heart.

There are those who heard the word and at once received it with joy but since they have no root, they last only a
short time, trouble and persecution came because of the word thus caused their quick falling away.

There are those who heard the word but the worries and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, thus
became unfruitful.

But the last seed in the parable fell on a good soil, the one who heard the word and understood it, the one who
received Christ with all his heart, continued in his walk with God, became rooted and thus produced fruits.

It is my prayer that all of us here right now are like the last seed in the parable that feel on good soil, one who
heard the word and understood it, became rooted and thus bearing fruits.
Let me summarize that in this…

Those who GENUINELY RECEIVES JESUS = WALKS WITH HIM = ROOTED = FRUITFUL

Tonight, again we will be focusing on the word ROOTED…

Our main verse for this topic is taken in…

Colossians 2:6-7, it says..

As you have therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk with Him, rooted and built up in Him
and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

These verses were Paul’s encouragement to the believers in Colossae for them to stand firm in their faith. Paul
said, “As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk with Him, rooted and built up in Him…”

I’ll say it again, “…walk with Him, rooted and built up in Him…”

For us believers who have already connected to Jesus Christ, Paul is encouraging us to continually walk or
connect with Him, to be rooted and built up in HIM.

But let us ask ourselves with these questions first. Let us have a heart check this time…
Am I continually walking or connecting with Jesus?

Where are my roots right now?

Am I still rooted in Him?

Is my identity still rooted in Him or have I allowed myself already to be swayed by the thinking that my identity
is based on the likes and reactions I receive in social media?

My dear brothers and sisters, with the advancement of technology some people have already based their identity
on the comments, likes and reactions of other people through these social media platforms: facebook, instagram,
tiktok and many more. I hope and pray mga ka-InGEN that we will not go with this pattern of this world, let
your identity be rooted in Him. You are loved, you are appreciated, you are precious in Him. There is no need
to flaunt your body just to gain likes and reactions, there is no need to do so much effort in taking good videos
or pictures for tiktok and facebook just to be appreciated that even your time for studies is already affected. Let
you roots in this matter be anchored in Christ.

For us who are still looking for our “The One”, where are our roots?

Is it still rooted in Him?

Or are we already consumed with all the dramas that, “Why Lord I don’t have my The One yet? Kapatid, wait
upon the Lord. This is the best season for us to invest our time to be deeply and firmly rooted in Him. Let us not
waste our time while waiting. Serve, be rooted while waiting.

For those who are earning, where are your roots?

Or are we already feed up with the thinking of building our career to the point of neglecting our time with God,
wanting to earn so much that we have already fixed our eyes in building our own empire rather than building
God’s kingdom.

Every time we encounter trials, problems, sufferings and persecutions… where are our roots?
Are we dependent on our own strength or on other people?

My dear brothers and sisters, I may not know where your roots are but one thing I know God wants our roots to
be anchored in not in anything in this world but in Him alone…

Let us pray…

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for tonight. Thank you because you have allowed us to know JESUS, your precious son,
that only by His name we can be saved. Father, help us tonight as we study your word. Help us to have that
desire to be rooted in you. If our roots right now are not anchored in you, help us to realign ourselves to you.
Lead us, guide us and talk to us Lord in a very personal way. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen!
Colossians 2:6-7, it says..

As you have therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk with Him, rooted and built up in Him
and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Paul knows that along the way in our Christian walk, people, influences, circumstances will indeed our
challenge our relationship and faith in God that is why he said, SO WALK WITH HIM…
And I also believe that we will not be rooted if we will not walk with God. Walk with Him once a month and
spend the rest of our days in the world? No, I believe Paul is saying, as you have received Jesus Christ the Lord
walk with Him DAILY. That is why our first point for us to be rooted is…

I. WALK WITH GOD DAILY

How do we walk with God daily?

A. WALK WITH GOD by READING HIS WORD

We cannot be deeply rooted in Christ if we will neglect his word. In this world, there are so many voices we
hear. There are so many beliefs and philosophies that might deceive us and lead us away from the truth. That is
why it is very important to be anchored in the word of God so that we will not be easily swayed with false
teachings and false beliefs in this world.

Testimony:
I remember one time, a Filipina and a Korean approached inviting me to their Church and convincing me to
believe that if there is God the Father, there is God the mother. The logic seems believable yet because I read
my Bible and I know and I am convinced that is no God the mother and only God the Father, I was able to
reject the wrong belief.
2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness
so that the servant of God may be thoroughly be equipped for every good work.

“INJECT THE WORD TO NEGLECT THE WORLD” BE ROOTED IN HIS WORD

That no matter what false teaching and belief is presented in you, you will not fall into its trap and walk way in
your faith in JESUS.

Alongside in reading His Word we also need to….

B. WALK WITH GOD IN PRAYERS

Just like any other relationship, communication is very important. Without an honest and open communication,
a relationship is bound to stop or cease. Same as with our relationship with God, we draw closer to Him and our
relationship with Him grows stronger every time we devote ourselves in prayer.
Why Pray?
We pray because prayer is our means of communication with God.
Prayer doesn’t need an app so we can communicate with Him, it doesn’t need load, a good internet connection
or data so we can connect with God. Prayer directly connects us to God. If we connect daily with God in prayer,
we position ourselves in a deeper relationship with Him allowing us to be more rooted in Him.

Who do you run to when you encounter a problem?

Who do call first every time you need help?
To whom do you share first if you receive a victory or something good happened to you?
Who do you share your deepest secrets, desire and emotions?
Who do you cry to when times get tough?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says…

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you.

In good times and bad times, we are commanded to pray without ceasing for this is the will of God for us….

Too be rooted… PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

God should be our favorite person and we communicate with Him in prayers. But God also command us to
interact with other believers for us to received encouragement and prayers from others. That is why our next
subpoint is…

C. WALK WITH GOD by INTERACTING WITH OTHER BELIEVERS

We are made to socialize. We are made to belong in a community and God has placed people in our lives to
journey with us on our Christian walk. At times, we may be tempted to say, “I don’t need other people, as long
as I have God I will be okay.” Let us not fall in this trap, we need others. For in fellowships, we pray together,
we become more motivated, encouraged, we share testimonies of God’s faithfulness, we carry each other’s
burden, we give help and at the same time, we receive help from others.

We need others to help us be rooted in Christ…

Hebrew 10: 24-25 says…

And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting
together (I’ll say is again, not giving up meeting together), as some are in the habit of doing, but
encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Testimony:
I remember a testimony of a very good friend of mine, her name is Sheena. According to her, “Going to
Church and serving the Lord has been a part of my life and I can’t do life without my Jesus. I was not spared to
experience drifting away from Jesus and from His Church. I tried to get out of my routine and this includes my
Church life. It came to a point wherein I choose to be with my worldly friends rather than with my Church
friends. As a young adult, I know I can overcome all these stuffs, I have Jesus but lo and behold I was caught
off track why? Because I allowed myself to be separated, isolated and tried to go in with life without my church
community this is also an after effect of being quarantined for so long. If you are one of those people who used
to be isolated, you are in a dangerous situation. I also allowed wrong associations in my life…”
To make the story short, God took her out from that situation and God placed a light into her dark heart. She
also received help from his leaders and allowed herself to received help. Admitting to herself that, she needs
help, she needs to be rescued and that she needs her church family. She was healed because she had a
community with her. In the end, she was encouraged, motivated and was able to bounced back. As she said, do
not try to live life on your own, you are not alone. You have Jesus and your community with you.

Again, we need others. Siring pa, “Wag kang magsolo kung pwede naman tayo”
God has given us our brothers and sisters but in the end let us be reminded that our dependence should solely
rely on God. When times get tough God will give us the right people to journey with us. Thus, this also brings
me to our last point…

II. BE ROOTED IN JESUS

JESUS! What a wonderful name. The name we adore and we worship. The name that is higher above all names,
the only name that saves.

We cannot fully and truly be rooted in God if we don’t personally know His son Jesus.
John 14:6
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one (I’ll say it again, NO ONE) comes to the Father
except through me.”

Testimony:
I am a former History Teacher and in my readings I have learned a lot of religions in the world specifically in
Asia. I am so amazed how vast and diverse beliefs are. There are religions that pray to million Gods. There are
religions with so many traditions with different beliefs and cultures performing different rituals. As I have
pondered about, most of the religions have one ultimate goal… to be saved and reach eternity.

We are blessed that we have found the one who can truly bring us to eternity and that is JESUS!
Acts 4:12 says…
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we
must be saved.”

Again, there is no other name under heaven that can save us… ONLY JESUS CAN SAVE US.

If we go back to our main passage is says…

Colossians 2:6-7

As you have therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk with Him, rooted and built up in Him…

We can learn in these passages that the first thing we need to do to be rooted is to receive Jesus Christ the Lord.
We cannot be rooted in Him if in the first place we have not received Him as our Lord and personal savior. If it
is your first time here in InGEN and have not received Christ, I encourage you to received Him with all of your
heart for only then we can be rooted in Him.
Sinner’s prayer:
For us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we had our first step on our way to be deeply
rooted. Paul encouraged us to walk with God so we can be rooted in Christ…

Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need and I want to receive your forgiveness. I accept Your death as the penalty
for my sin, and recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer to me because of Your great love, not
based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me Your child. By faith I receive You into my heart as the
Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for You, with You in control.
In Your precious name I pray, Amen

If you have prayed with me, we want to connect with you. Just send message to our FB page and we will
journey with you to be rooted with Christ.

My dear brothers and sisters, again, it is not enough to be connected, we need to be rooted. To be rooted, we
need to consistently walk with God.

Recap of Points:

Again let me review our points….

I. WALK WITH GOD DAILY

A. WALK WITH GOD BY READING HIS WORD

B. WALK WITH GOD IN PRAYERS
C. WALK WITH GOD by INTERACTING WITH OTHER BELIEVERS

II. BE ROOTED IN JESUS CHRIST

To be rooted is not a onetime event. Just like a seed, it needs to be in a good soil to grow, it has to get enough
nourishment until it gets to be firmly and deeply rooted, same thing with us. I may not know if you are still a
seed, you are plant already or you are already a tree with its root deeply rooted. Whatever our status, I pray that
we are all indeed anchored in Christ and that we will all continually walk with God to be even more deeply and
firmly rooted.
Lastly, be assured that if we are deeply rooted we will bear much fruit.
Siring pa, STRONG ROOTS = FRUITS.

God bless, mga ka-InGEN!

Let me end with prayer in Ephesians 3:16-21

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner
being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and
established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long
and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be
filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that
is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for
ever and ever! Amen.

Discussion Questions:

1. Self Evaluation: In a rate of 1- to 10, how rooted are you in Christ? Give a short explanation of your
rating.

2. What are the practical steps you are going to do be more rooted in Christ?

-end-