Newsletter 2018/2/4

Lord’s Day Message: Matt. 23

¹ Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ² “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, ³ so practice and observe whatever they tell you–but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. ⁴ They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. ⁵ They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, ⁶ and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues ⁷ and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. ⁸ But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. ¹⁰ Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. ¹¹ The greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

¹³ “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. …

¹⁵ Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? ¹⁸ And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁹ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. ²² And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. ²⁴ You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!

²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.

²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, ³⁰ saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. ³³ You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? ³⁴ Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, ³⁵ so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

³⁷ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! ³⁸ See, your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹ For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”

Questions for Discussion

1. The Lord Jesus rebukes and judges Pharisees severely in this chapter. Please pick up one point in His reproach and share what the Pharisees did wrong, what the correction is from the Lord Jesus as well as the warning you have received from it.
2. From verses 37-39, what is in the heart of the Lord Jesus when he rebuked Pharisees? Did you receive any reproach in His light? If yes, how do these words help you?

Message Next Week: Sharing and Testimonies of US Visiting

Bible Reading Schedule: Num. 31-36

Church Meetings/Time/Place

Home Meetings

Chinese Speaking Young People: 29/1 Mon. 7:00pm, Richard Cui’s  (w/ dinner)

@ Kingsgrove: 30/1 Tue. 10:30am, Shanwon Chow’s

@ Chatswood:  1/2 Thu. 8:00pm, Pan Ming’s

Pursuing of Uni Students:

30/1 Tue. 7:00pm, Yulin’s (w/ dinner)

Sisters Meeting: 31/1 Wed. 10:00am, Hannah Dong’s

Prayer Meeting: 31/1 Wed. 7:45pm,

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

Pursuing of Words: 2/2 Fri. 8:00 pm, David Tan’s

High School Meeting: 2/2 Fri. 7:30 pm, Yulin’s

Saturday Meeting：3/2 Sat. 7:30pm,

Home Meeting: Joe & Lili’s

Gospel Group: Olsen & Likun’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. There will be a baptism lesson after lunch. We welcome all those who are willing to be baptized into the Lord to join.
3. The Lord’s Day meeting next week will be a combined meeting. After 9am we also welcome all saints and friends to come to have breakfast together. The brothers and sisters who visited the US and attended the church conference will share what they have gained during the trip.
4. There will be a gospel meeting on Feb. 18 for the Chinese New Year. It will have a gospel message with some hymns and testimonies. We will also have BBQ and dumpling for the lunch. If any brother or sister have suggestions, please fellowship with Brother Yulin Wang.
5. The Collaroy conference will be held on April 13-15, from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. This conference will include the young people activities as usual, however, the main message will be for every brother and sister. Please set aside this period of time so your whole family can join together.

<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 (7 brothers: Vincent Tai, YuMing Liang, Zylen Liang, Frank Wang, Stephen, William and Yuan Liu as well as 11 sisters: Vanessa Lu, Li Zhou, XiaChun Li, YuRong Liu, Lili Chen, Jenny Zhu, Yun-Yue Lin, Li-Qin Wu, Yun Zhu, Joies, and Ariel Chen. May the Lord establish them in the church life and bless their growth in life.
3. 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: (Feb. 4)

1. Message: Yulin
2. Breaking the Bread: Yulin Wang & Sam Li
3. Serving Bread and Cup: Sam LI, Jason Wang, Richard Cui & Ash Li
4. Cleaning: Brett & Linda Family, Sean & Wei Qiong Family, Peter Zhang & Jessie Family, Joseph Tai & Lisa Tao Family, Bill & Christine Family
5. Kitchen: Lisa Wei & Lydia
6. Children: Supervisor – Hengxin

Singing – Sarah

Teachers – Elsa & Holly

Serving Next Week: (Feb. 11)

1. Message: Saints who visited US
2. Breaking the Bread: Raymond & Thomas
3. Serving Bread and Cup: Sean Dong, Benchu Guo, Jason Wang & Chuan Ma
4. Cleaning: Raymond & Lucy Family, Thomas & Lena, Joyce & Chris, Ming Pan & Megan, Michael & Mandy Family, Margaret Yang
5. Kitchen: Pauline & Lisa T
6. Children: Supervisor – David

Singing – Esther & John

Teachers – Esther & Mandy