Newsletter 2017/6/4

Lord’s Day Message: Introduction on Genesis

• Reading the Bible by coming to the Lord to receive life (John 5:39-40)

³⁹ You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39-40)

1. Read with a seeking heart through prayer
2. Read daily and with others to build up companionship
3. For new believers, don’t linger on your questions. Keep reading and bring questions to some experienced brothers
4. For more mature saints, read with prayer to seek more enlightenment

 

• Introduction of Genesis

1. Main focus: God and man

a.   Genesis helps us to know who God is and what His will is: He is the creator of all creatures, He has a special plan for human beings, and He has prepared salvation for them

b.   Genesis also helps us to know our source, fall, and hope: we are created in God’s image, yet we sin by disobedience and with corruption. However, we can be saved by following God’s calling through faith

2. Content

a.  Prologue (1:1-2:3)

• God’s creation: God is the source of all things.
• The unique purpose of man’s existing – in God’s image & after His likeness

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Gen 1:26)

b.   The creation and fall of man (2:4-11)

• A beautiful beginning: Adam and Eve in Eden

And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen 2:9)

• Man’s continuous falls: Eve and Adam, Cane, Noah’s age and Babel
• The flood of God’s judgment and the ark of God’s salvation

¹³ And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. … ¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹ And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. (Gen. 6:13, 18-19)

c.   God’s calling on His chosen people and their living before God (12-50)

• Abraham: God’s calling, his following in faith and being justified twice

¹ Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen. 12:1-3)

• Isaac: receiving the inheritance
• Jacob: transformation from a natural man to God’s prince (Israel)
• Joseph: sanctification and reigning

Message Next Week: Genesis 1-5

Church Meetings/Time/Place

Home Meeting/Chinese Speaking Young People:

4/6 Sun. 7:30pm, Patrick & Lily’s

5/6 Mon., 7:30pm,  Richard & Flora’s, (Dinner @ 7pm)

Pursuing of Uni Students: 6/6 Tue. 7:30pm, Yulin’s

(7:00 dinner)

Sisters Meeting: 7/6 Wed. 10:00am, Lili’s

Prayer Meeting: 7/6 Wed. 7:45pm,

Meeting Hall (combined)

Pursuing of Words: 9/6 Fri. 8:00 pm, David’s

Young People Meeting/Home meeting for Adults：

10/6 Sat. 7:30pm, Bill & Christine’s

Announcements:

1. We welcome all the new ones who are joining us today. May God bless you and lead you into this family of God.
2. From this week we will enter Genesis for the Lord’s Day message. We will cover 5 chapters every week and we do expect all the brothers and sister to read the Bible together and have a spiritual pursuing or fellowship together. For this purpose we have prepared a form for all brothers and sisters to fill out so that our Bible reading can be reminded and encouraged.
3. On July 9-15 there is a Chinese speaking conference in Cleveland, USA. If any brothers and sisters are interested, please register with Brother Yulin Wang by today.
4. From August 1 to 14 we have 9 young brothers and sisters from US to visit us. They will preach gospel with our university students and there will be an English speaking gospel meeting on August.

<Reminder>

1. For brothers and sisters please bring your own Bible and hymn book for the Lord’s Day meeting.
2. 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 loud in the kitchen.
3. Please keep the play field and rooms tidy and put all equipments in place after use.
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. Pray for the new believers (4 brothers: Vincent Tai, YuMing Liang, Zylen Liang and Frank Wang, and 4 sisters: Vanessa Lu, Li Zhou, XiaChun Li & YuRong Liu). May the Lord establish them in the church life and bless their growth in life.
3. Pray for those year 12 young people who are preparing HSC. May the Lord give them wisdom and abundant grace.
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.

 

Serving This Week: (June 4)

1. Message: Raymond Young & Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread: Raymond Young & Thomas Wu
3. Serving Bread and Cup: Sean Dong, Sam Li, Richard Cui & Chuan Ma
4. Cleaning: Raymond & Lucy Family, Thomas & Lena, Joyce & Chris, Joe & Lili Family, Michael & Mandy Family, Margaret Yang
5. Kitchen: Shuxian & WeiQiong
6. Children: Supervisor – Christine & Tina

Singing – Christine & Fiona

Teachers – David, Chris & Leonie

 

Serving Next Week: (June 11)

1. Message: Richard Chen & Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread: Shanwon Chow & Patrick
3. Serving Bread and Cup: Patrick Li, Benchu Guo, Jason Wang & Richard Cui
4. Cleaning: Sam & Hannah Family, Tina & Fiona Jiang, Patrick & Lily Family, Baolin Lei
5. Kitchen: TBA
6. Children: Supervisor – TBA

Singing – Angela & Sarah

Teachers – Sarah, Jono & Grace