Newsletter 2015/8/2

Lord’s Day Message: To Pursue

¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. ¹⁶ Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. (Phil. 3:12~16)

Message Outline:

A.The main burdens

1. The Christian living is not only to have grace and enjoyment from the Lord, but also to have motivation and to pursue the Lord
2. What make Christians lost:

• Thinking I have attained and lost the fresh feeling of the spiritual things
• The church life becoming routine
• Losing the goal or leading for the going on of the church life
• Gradually losing the ownership of the church life

B. The “pressing on/pursuing” in the book of Philippians

1. How to press on

• For the attitude: Not thinking that I have attained or perfect (This does not mean humbleness, but a positive desire)
• Having the definite goal: To lay hold of what Christ Jesus has laid hold of me
• Knowing our hope: To gain the prize of the upward call of God

2.   The further remarks

• For God, to press on is His will that He certainly will reveal to us
• For us, this is a living according to our measure

C.  What we should pursue in the church life (Next Step)

1. To seek out what the Lord wants to lay hold of us. What does the Lord want me to do? (the testimony of Paul’s salvation, Acts 22:10)
2. Exercise ourselves to bear the cross to follow the Lord (Matt. 16:24)
3. Challenge ourselves – do I love the Lord more than what is in my hand? (John 21:15)
4. To remind each other and to encourage each other in love (Eph. 4:16)

Next Topics: John 21

Church Meetings/Time/Place

Home Meeting: 3/8 Mon., 7:30pm, (Dinner @ 7:00pm) Richard & Flora’s

Young Professions Meeting: 4/8 Tue. 7:30pm, cancelled

Sisters Meeting: 5/8 Wed. 10am, Anne’s

Prayer Meeting: 5/8 Wed. 7:30pm, Meeting Hall

Pursuing of Words: 7/8 Fri., 8:00pm, Richard Chen’s

Young People Meeting/Pursuing for Adults：1/8 Sat. 7:30pm, Bill & Christine’s

Announcements:

1. We welcome all the new ones who are joining us today and hope that you can leave your information for us to contact you in the future.
2. We had 14 brothers and sisters to preach the gospel yesterday in Chatswood. We pray that God will bless each one we have contacted. The church will plan to go out preaching the gospel every month and hope many brothers and sisters will keep the spirit fervent to bring the gospel to more people.

<Reminder>

1. Please take the Bible Reading Supplement for your daily Bible reading.
2. Please come on time for the meeting. During the meeting, please turn off your mobile phone or put the volume on silence.
3. When you prepare the love feast for Lord’s Day lunch, please do not prepare any food containing nuts as someone may have food allergy. After the love feast, please remember to bring back your plates.

Intercession:

1. Pray that the Lord will keep us fervent in spirit to preach the gospel and to serve the Lord so that the church may receive more blessings. Especially may the Lord bless the gospel friends among us (including our young people and family members), that they can receive salvation and become a member in God’s family.
2. Pray for those who are newly baptized. May the Lord lead them to grow and be built in the church life so they may become a blessing and testimony for the church.
3. Pray for those young people in year twelve. May the Lord give them wisdom and grace in their preparation for exams.
4. Pray for the brothers and sisters who are weak in body or spirit. May the Lord care for them and give them grace. Also pray for some relatives of our brothers and sisters (Jack, Susan, Brett) that the Lord may heal and care for them.
5. Brother Thomas, Sister Lena and Brother Yulin Wang will attend the training in Cleveland in August. May the Lord bless their pursuing and fellowship with the saints.

Serving Today: (Aug. 2)

1. Sharing:  Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread:  Shanwon Chow & Raymond Young
3. Serving Bread and Cup:  Sean Dong, Patrick Li & Richard Cui
4. Pianist:  Nelson Chen
5. Cleaning:  Sam & Hannah Family, Tian & Fiona Jiang, Patrick & Lily Family, BaoLin Lei

Serving Next Week: (Aug. 9)

1. Sharing:  Richard Chen
2. Breaking the Bread:  Richard Chen & Olsen Yu
3. Serving Bread and Cup:  Olsen Yu, Benchu Guo & Jason Wang
4. Pianist:  Hannah Cui
5. Cleaning:  Sam & Hannah Family, Tian & Fiona Jiang, Patrick & Lily Family, BaoLin Lei