Newsletter 2015/12/27

Lord’s Day Message: 2 Peter 2 – The warning against the false teachers

• The characters of the false teachers (1-3a, 10-22)

1. Denying the Lord (1)
2. Following their sensuality (2, 10, 14, 18)
3. Being greedy and making merchandise of people (3, 14)
4. Despising and blaspheming authority (10)
5. Blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant and corrupting others (12)
6. Being unrighteous, luxury and reveling in their deceptions (13)
7. Like waterless springs and mists driven by a storm (17)
8. Boasting and promising others freedom but they themselves are slaves of corruption (18-19)
9. Being entangled in and overcome by the defilements of the world (20)
10. Turning back from the holy commandment (21)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.  (1)

They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. (19)

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. (20)

• The ending of the false teachers (1, 3b-9, 17)

1. Bringing upon themselves swift destruction (1, 3)
2. God will not spare them (4-9)
3. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved (17)

Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, (9)

• How to properly know God’s word? (1:19-21)

1. Pay attention to the prophecy of the Bible (19)
2. Let the morning star rise in our hearts (19)
3. Do not interpret it by the will of man, but focus on the moving of the Holy Spirit (1:19-21)

And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (1:19-21)

Next Topics: 2 Peter 3

Church Meetings/Time/Place

Home Meeting: 28/12 Mon., 7:30pm, cancelled

Young Professions Meeting: 29/12 Tue. cancelled

Prayer Meeting: 30/12 Wed. 7:30pm, Meeting Hall

Pursuing of Words: 1/1 Fri., 8:00pm, cancelled

Young People Meeting/Home meeting for Adults：2/1 Sat. 7:30pm, cancelled

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. After meeting please stay for lunch and enjoy the love feast together with us.
2. The home meetings this week are in general cancelled and will be back to normal next week. However, we would like to encourage the brothers and sisters to participate the last prayer meeting of this year on Wednesday. Let us give thanks to the Lord for this year and pray that He will give new mercy and grace to the church in the new yaer.
3. We thank the Lord for the successful surgery of Brother Hsin-Sang Woon and pray for his recovering.
4. On Feb. 7, 2016 (Chinese new year eve) the church plans to have a gospel meeting of hymns singing and hope the brothers and sisters can begin to prepare. In addition to the regular home meeting groups, we welcome many brothers and sisters can form a group by yourselves and choose a gospel hymn which you are touched for the Lord and all gospel friends.

<Reminder>

1. Brothers and sisters, please bring your own bible to the meeting. Please take the Bible Reading Supplement for your daily Bible reading after the meeting.
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 bless the gospel friends among us to receive His salvation. Also pray that the Lord will keep us fervent in spirit to have more learning in the work of the gospel.
2. Pray for the newly baptized Sister Yi-Nan Zhao and Sister Bi Han. May the Lord bless their spiritual growth in life. Also pray for David and Nicole who has stood up to receive the Lord on 13/12. May the Lord bless and lead them that they can be soon baptized into God’s family.
3. Please pray for 7 young brothers and sisters who attend the church conference in US. May all of then can receive the bountiful supply of the word of the Lord and growth in life.  Also pray for 6 young people (Nelson, Chris, Hannah, Christine, Cherie, and Winnie) that our Lord can bless them and lead them into the university which fits them for their growth.
4. Pray for the brothers and sisters or their relatives who are weak in body or spirit. May the Lord care for them and give them sufficient grace. Pray for the health of Brothers HinSang Woon and Shanwon Chow.

Serving This Week: (Dec. 27)

1. Sharing:  Richard Chen & Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread:  Shanwon Chow & Richard Cui
3. Serving Bread and Cup:  Sean Dong, Patrick Li & Richard Cui
4. Pianist:  Yvonne Shiu
5. Cleaning:  Brett & Linda Family, Sean Dong & Wei Qiong Family, Joseph & Lisa Family, Bill & Christine Family

Serving Next Week: (Jan. 3)

1. Sharing:  Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread:  David Tan & Thomas Wu
3. Serving Bread and Cup:  OlsenYu, Benchu Guo & Jason Wang
4. Pianist:  TBA
5. Cleaning:  Raymond & Lucy Family,  Thomas & Lena,  Joyce & Chris, Michael & Mandy Family,  Margaret Yang