Lord’s Day Message: Basic Lessons for Christians (10) – The Spirit in the Christian Living
It is the work of the Spirit that God can give us life and transform us. Therefore if we want to satisfy God’s desire in our living as a Christian, we must know the work of the Spirit and learn to obey His leading.
A. The Spirit – God the Spirit who is with us and dwells in us (Jhn.14:15-21; 1Cor.3:16; Jam.4:5)
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (Jn.14:15-17)
- The Helper can be also translated as the Comforter, the Counselor or the Advocate.
B. The work of the Spirit in the Christian living
- It is to our advantage (Jhn.16:7)
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (Jhn.16:7)
- It is to help us understand the spiritual things and bring us into the truth (1Cor.2:9-12; Jhn.16:7-8, 13)
9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”– 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. … 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1Cor.2:9-10, 12)
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (Jn.16:13)
- To make us repent as well as to renew, transform, and sanctify us (Jhn.16:7-8; Tit.3:5; 2Cor.3:18; Rom.15:16)
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: (Jhn.16: 8)
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2Cor.3:18)
- To help us overcome the law of sin and death (Rom.8:2, 13-14)
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Rom.8:2)
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Rom.8:13-14)
- To help us live out the divine attributes – the fruits of the Spirit (Gal.5:22-23; Rom.5:5; 14:17; 15:13; 2Tim.1:7)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Gal.5:22-23)
and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Rom.5:5)
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2Tim.1:7)
- To give us the power for testimony and the gifts of serving (Luk.24:49; Acts1:8; 1Cor.12:7-11)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts1:8)
C. Our responses to the Spirit
- To obey His leading and walk by Him (Rom.8:4-5, 14; Gal.5:16-18, 25)
4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. (Rom.8:4-5)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. … 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Gal.5:16-18, 25)
- To “exercise” our spirit – so that our spirit may follow His leading more easily (Eph.4:30; Rom.8:26)
- By prayer (Mat.26:40-41; Acts1:14)
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mat.26:41)
- By Bible reading and declaring (Jhn.14:26; 1Tim.4:13)
- By singing hymns
- By preaching the gospel
Message Next Week: The Christian living – The Personal Life
Church Meetings/Time/Place
Home Meeting: 25/7 Mon., 7:30pm, (7:00 dinner)
Richard & Flora’s
Pursuing of Uni Students: 26/7 Tue. 7:30pm, Yulin’s
Sisters Meeting: 27/7 Wed. 10:00am, Anne’s
Prayer Meeting: 27/7 Wed. 7:30pm, Meeting Hall
Pursuing of Words: 29/7 Fri., 8:00pm, David’s
Young People Meeting/Home meeting for Adults：
30/7 Sat. 7:30pm, Yulin & Jessica’s
Announcements:
- 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.
- On August 7, the church will have an English speaking gospel meeting that the hymns, testimonies and message will be prepared by young people and English speaking saints. Please support it in our prayer and invite our friends to come.
- The church will have a Spring Conference from October 1 to 3 (Sat. to Mon.) and will invite Brother Titus Chu to share the messages. Please remember this in our prayer. For practical serving, Brother Patrick Li will be the coordinator, but we hope many brothers and sisters can work with him.
- If any brother or sister is willing to serve the children service or Kitchen service, please contact Sister Jessica Chao.
<Reminder>
- Brothers and sisters, please bring your own bible to the meeting.
- Please come on time for the meeting. During the meeting, please turn off your mobile phone or put the volume on silence and not to walk around or to wonder in the kitchen.
- 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.
Please refrain from bringing uncooked food for the love feast so we may lighten the work for the serving ones in the kitchen.
Recently many more have been joining us for lunch, so we ask that everyone could help to prepare and bring more food.
After the love feast, please remember to bring back your plates.
Intercession:
- Pray for the Basic Lessons for Christians in the coming Lord’s Day meetings that every brother and sister can receive the life supply and grow stably in the Lord.
- Pray for the coming gospel meeting on August 7 that the Spirit may move among us to show how wonderful the Lord is! Pray for our invitation and each friend who comes can taste the grace of our Lord.
- Pray for those who are baptized this year (David Hu, Gerald Huang, Bangde Liu and Peter Zhang, 4 brothers and Li Li, Mandy Zhou, Leonie, Berry Fei, and Jessica Li, 5 sisters) May the Lord establish them in the church life and bless their growth in life.
- Pray for the brothers and sisters or their relatives (Richard Chen’s Father) who are weak in body or spirit. May the Lord care for them and give them sufficient grace. Pray especially for the health of Brothers HinSang Woon and Brother Shanwon Chow.
- Pray for those year 12 students among us. May the Lord give them wisdom to meet the needs of the exam and help them to know His presence as their encouragement and timely help.
Serving This Week: (July 24)
- Message: Benjamin Lim & Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: Yulin Wang & Chuan Ma
- Serving Bread and Cup: Sam Li, Sean Dong, Patrick Li & Richard Cui
- Cleaning: Richard & Flora Family, Lydia, Olsen & Likun Family, Pauline Zhang
- Kitchen: Likun & Cindy
- Children: Supervisor – Terri, Singing – Jono/Pris, Teachers – Elsa/Lian
Serving Next Week: (July 31)
- Message: Richard Chen & Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: David Tan & Patrick Li
- Serving Bread and Cup: Benchu Guo, Sam Li, Jason Wang & Chuan Ma
- Cleaning: Steven Wang Family, Sarah, Cindy, Joy, Lily, Richard & Lamee Family, Chuan Ma & Maggie Family
- Kitchen: Margaret & Qiong Wei
- Children: Supervisor – Hannah Meng, Singing – Chris/David, Teachers – Betty/Berry
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