Lord’s Day Message: Basic Lessons for Christians (13) – The family life of Christians (2) – Parents and Children
- Family of faith
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2Tim.1:5)
- Parents
- Children are a heritage from God
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. (Psm.127:3)
- How to raise up children
a. In your prayer, give them to God’s hand
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) (Luk.2:22-23)
b. Teach them God’s words
18 “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth. (Deu.11:18-21)
c. Share with them your experience of salvation
20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.’ (Deu.6:20-25)
- Discipline them, yet do not discourage them
Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death. (Prov.19:18)
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Eph.6:4)
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. (Col.3:21)
- Learn from the example of God’s discipline upon us
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. (Heb.12:5-10)
- Be their pattern
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it (2Tim.3:14)
- Children
- Honor and obey your parents
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. (Exo.20:12)
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” (Eph.6:1-3)
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Col.3:20)
- Jesus as the example
48 … And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. … (Luk.2:48-51)
- Receive parents’ discipline
A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. (Prov.15:5)
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Heb.12:11)
Message Next Week: Basic Lessons for Christians (14) – Apply our faith In our work or study
Church Meetings/Time/Place
Home Meeting: 22/8 Mon., 7:30pm, (7:00 dinner)
Richard & Flora’s
Pursuing of Uni Students: 23/8 Tue. 7:30pm, Yulin’s
Sisters Meeting: 24/8 Wed. 10:00am, Anne’s
Prayer Meeting: 24/8 Wed. 7:30pm, Meeting Hall
Pursuing of Words: 26/8 Fri., 8:00pm, David’s
Young People Meeting/Home meeting for Adults：
27/8 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.
- Today Brother Michael Qiu will be baptized into Christ. After the Lord’s Day meeting may we all gather together to witness and pray for him.
- 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.
After lunch on 18/9 Lord’s Day we will have the annual clean up of the hall. We hope many brothers and sisters can participate. For the assignment of cleaning work, please register and fellowship with Brother Richard Cui and Sam Li.
- The church would like to encourage the young people (with their parents too) to attend the conference in Cleveland in the end of this year. If you are interested to go, please contact Brother Yulin Wang or Thomas Wu.
<Reminder>
- Brothers and sisters, please come on time and bring your own bible to 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/talk too laud 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.
Intercession:
- May the Lord bless the gospel friends among us that they can know how precious the Lord is and are willing to believe in Him.
- 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 new believers (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 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: (Aug. 21)
- Message: Patrick Li & Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: Yulin Wang & Richard Cui
- Serving Bread and Cup: Olsen Yu, Jason Wang, Patrick Li & Chuan Ma
- Cleaning: Jason & Susan Family, Andy & Anne Family, Richard Huang Family, Benchu Guo Family & Yulin Family
- Kitchen: Lily & Mandy
- Children: Supervisor – Christine, Singing – Sarah/Vasya, Teachers – Angela/Tina
Serving Next Week: (Aug. 28)
- Message: Thomas Wu & Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: David Tan & Patrick Li
- Serving Bread and Cup: Sam Li, Jason Wang, Sean Dong & Richard Cui
- Cleaning: Brett & Linda Family, Sean Dong & Wei Qiong Family, Lisa Tao Family, Bill & Christine Family
- Kitchen: Julie & DD
- Children: Supervisor – Terri, Singing – Jono/Pris, Teachers – Chris/David
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