Lord’s Day Message: Matt. 21
1 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.'”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” …
12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, 16 and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?” …
18 In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. …
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.
33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.
Questions for Discussion
- When Jesus entered into Jerusalem by riding on a donkey, what was His status according to the words of a prophet? How does this status help you to understand His receiving the praises from people, His cleaning the temple and His curse on the fig tree without fruits?
- How can you have more praises and prayers before God? How can you bear more fruits for God? Please share your experiences or your desire.
Message Next Week: Mat. 22
Bible Reading Schedule: Mat.22, Num. 19-25
Church Meetings/Time/Place
Home Meetings
Chinese Speaking Young People: 22/1 Mon. 7:00pm, Richard Cui’s (w/ dinner)
@ Kingsgrove: 23/1 Tue. 10:30am, cancelled
@ Chatswood: 25/1 Thu. 8:00pm, Pan Ming’s
Pursuing of Uni Students:
23/1 Tue. 7:00pm, cancelled
Sisters Meeting: 24/1 Wed. 10:00am, Hannah Dong’s
Prayer Meeting: 24/1 Wed. 7:45pm,
Lydia’s (Chatswood),
David Tan’s (Warrawee)
Pursuing of Words: 26/1 Fri. 8:00 pm, David Tan’s
Saturday Meeting：27/1 Sat. 7:30pm,
Home Meeting: Patrick Li
High school: cancelled
Gospel Group: Olsen & Likun
Announcements:
- We welcome all the new ones who are joining us today. May God bless you and lead you into this family of God.
- There is a baptism for Sister Ariel Chen after the Lord’s Day meeting. Brothers and sisters, please come to support her in prayers and to witness.
- Brother Peter Zhang & Sister Jessie were married last night. May God fill them with His divine love and bless their home as a source of His grace.
- This afternoon some of our young people will go to Wisemans Ferry for the summer camp. The topic is “What is the Bible?” May God give them peace, joy and a bountiful supply of life.
- The combined meeting of February will delay to 11th and the brothers and sisters who visit US and attend the church conference will share what they have gained during the trip.
- There will be a gospel meeting on Feb. 18 for the Chinese New Year. It will mainly a gospel message with some hymns and testimonies. If any brother or sister has suggestions, please fellowship with Brother Yulin Wang.
<Reminder>
- For the brothers and sisters, please come on time and bring your own Bible and hymn book for the Lord’s Day 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 loud in the kitchen.
- Please keep the play field and rooms tidy and put all equipments in place after use.
- 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 new believers (7 brothers: Vincent Tai, YuMing Liang, Zylen Liang, Frank Wang, Stephen, William and Yuan Liu as well as 10 sisters: Vanessa Lu, Li Zhou, XiaChun Li, YuRong Liu, Lili Chen, Jenny Zhu, Yun-Yue Lin, Li-Qin Wu, Yun Zhu, and Joies. 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.
Serving This Week: (Jan. 21)
- Message: Yulin Wang
- Breaking the Bread: Richard Chen & Chuan Ma
- Serving Bread and Cup: Chuan Ma, Ash Li, Jason Wang & Richard Cui
- Cleaning: Jason & Susan Family, Andy & Anne Family, Zhang Tian & Li Hui, Benchu Guo Family, Yulin Family
- Kitchen: Susan & Mandy
- Children: Supervisor – Flora
Singing – Vasya & John
Teachers – Angela & Esther
Serving Next Week: (Jan. 28)
- Message: Patrick Li & David Tan
- Breaking the Bread: Shanwon Chow & Olsen Yu
- Serving Bread and Cup: Olsen Yu, Patrick Li, Peter Zhang & Jason Wang
- Cleaning: Brett & Linda Family, Sean & Wei Qiong Family, Peter Zhang & Jessie Family, Joseph Tai & Lisa Tao Family, Bill & Christine Family
- Kitchen: Margret & Wei Qiong
- Children: Supervisor – Hannah
Singing – Christine & Angela
Teachers – Chris & Jono
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