Newsletter 2017/10/29

Lord’s Day Message: Matthew 12

¹ At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. ² But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” ³ He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: ⁴ how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? ⁵ Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? ⁶ I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. ⁷ And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. ⁸ For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

⁹ He went on from there and entered their synagogue. ¹⁰ And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”–so that they might accuse him. ¹¹ He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? ¹² Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” ¹³ Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

¹⁸ “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; ²⁰ a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; ²¹ and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. ²⁹ Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. ³⁰ Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. ³² And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

³⁹ But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.

Questions for Discussion

1. Share how you understand the verse 7 “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice”.
2. In verses 38-42, the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign from Jesus. What was their attitude and how did Jesus answer? What did the Lord Jesus emphasis? Today many people also ask for outward evidence to prove the existing of God, so how can this passage help us to answer them?

Message Next Week: Special Topics: Our Church Life (Combined Meeting)

Bible Reading Schedule: Exo.26-30

Church Meetings/Time/Place

Meeting of Chinese Speaking Young People:

30/10 Mon. 7:30pm, Richard Cui’s  (7:00 dinner)

Pursuing of Uni Students:

31/10 Tue. 7:30pm, Yulin’s  (7:00 dinner)

Sisters Meeting: 1/11 Wed. 10:00am, Hannah’s

Prayer Meeting: 1/11 Wed. 7:45pm,

Lydia’s (Chatswood), David Tan’s (Warrawee)

Pursuing of Words: 3/11 Fri. 8:00 pm, David Tan’s

Saturday Home Meeting：4/11 Sat. 7:30pm,

Young People & Parents: Thomas & Lena’s

Gospel Group: cancelled

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. Next week we will have a combined meeting and breakfast will be provided after 9. We welcome all brothers and sisters and friends to enjoy breakfast and fellowship together.
3. There will be 5 brothers and sisters to be baptized on November: sister Li-Qin Wu, sister Yun Zhu, and brother Stephen to be baptized on 5/11, sister Joies and brother William to be baptized on 12/11. Please pray for them that the Lord can strengthen their faith and bless their steps.
4. The hymn singing gospel meeting will be moved to November 26 from December 3. We hope all the brothers and sisters can participate. Each group should choose a coordinator and give the name list and hymns to brother Yulin Wang by 12/11.

<Reminder>

1. For the brothers and sisters, please come on time and 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 7 sisters: Vanessa Lu, Li Zhou, XiaChun Li, YuRong Liu, Lili Chen, Jenny Zhu and Yun-Yue Lin). 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 in the process of HSC exams. 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: (Oct. 29)

1. Message: David Tan & Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread: Shanwon Chow & Olsen Yu
3. Serving Bread and Cup: Olsen Yu, Jason Wang, Patrick Li & Chuan Ma
4. Cleaning: Jason & Susan Family, Andy & Anne Family, Tina Zhang & Ash Li, Benchu Guo Family, Yulin & Jessica Family
5. Kitchen: Lili & Mandy
6. Children: Supervisor – Lily

Singing – Sarah & Vasya

Teachers – Chris & Jono

Serving Next Week: (Nov. 5)

1. Message: Thomas Wu & Yulin Wang
2. Breaking the Bread: Thomas Wu & Raymond Young
3. Serving Bread and Cup: Sam Li, Jason Wang, Richard Cui & Chuan Ma
4. Cleaning: Brett & Linda Family, Sean Dong & Wei Qiong Family, Jessie, Peter, Lisa Tao Family, Bill & Christine Family
5. Kitchen: Pauline & Lisa
6. Children: Supervisor – Flora

Singing – Esther & Holly

Teachers – Elsa & Holly

 

 

2017 Church Activities

1. Gospel Meeting with Hymns (Nov. 26)
2. Attending church conference in US (YP) (Dec.)
3. Reflections of God’s grace in 2017 (Dec. 31)