卫理之声 第 1 页
卫理之声 第 2 页 Dear readers, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesian 1:2) T h e M e t h o d i s t N e w s m a g a z i n e i s u s u a l l y published in digital and printed paper editions. We plan to publish three issues this year, as we need to consider the editorial work of the incoming 30th anniversary special issue publication. This is the second issue in your hand, and the final issue is scheduled to be printed in October. For the digital version, we usually put the link online before the physical magazine is published. We will post the link in the pastor's WhatsApp group in each district, and then the pastors will distribute the link to their respective church social media groups. The editorial board wished to apologise as we still have not yet solved the technical issue of downloading the digital version, However, the value of the paper collection is bound to be higher than digital collection, so we encourage you to subscribe through your pastor. In this issue, we are glad to interview Rev. Lai Liong Chan, who has recently been consecrated as the first bishop of Chinese Methodist Church New Zealand. The interview opens a window to let us understand his vision and goals for the CMCNZ, their Annual Conference and spiritual challenges. We also focused on an interview with Melbourne’s Glory Methodist Church MIC, Rev Elijah Chew, regarding their project to purchase of a new church, which he detailed about their fundraising projects and plans. We hope brothers and sisters would be able to recognize the significance of this ministry and subsequently support it wholeheartedly, investing in the vision of expanding the kingdom of God in Australia in unity, through your financial supports and prayers. Lastly, we encourage everyone to read the rest of the contents in detail and we pray that you will be edified. The ministry of the pen (keyboard) is worth commemorating, and your reading reaffirms the work of the Methodist News. Until the next issue. Your servant, Ps Johnny Hii Contents 2024 June | CMCA Methodist News 254 Issue Editorial Board Chief Editor ：Pastor Johnny Hii Executive Editor ：Rev Jian Hua, Yu， Pastor Vincent Ling Reviewers ： Bishop Milton Nee Art Editor ： Doreen Hii Proofreader ：Rev Esther Yu；Johnny Hii Committee ： Rev Sean Kong, Ps Yee She Lee, Richard Leong, How Sing Sii Printing ： Borneo Printing Co. Sibu Malaysia Publication ： Chinese Methodist Church in Australia Message from the Editor Message from the Editor....................... 29 Message from Bishop The Eight Elements of Steadfast Praying........ 30-31 The Interview An interview with Rev Elijah Chew, purchasing a new church building for Glory Methodist Church in 2024................ 32-35 An interview with CMCNZ First Bishop, Rev. Lai Liong Chan ........................................... 36-38 District Activities 2023 Trinity Methodist Church Women Fellowship outing (at Mt Macedon)... 39-40 World Religions Know Each Other (4) – Judaism....................... 41-46 Christian Poem A world without tears......................................... 47 Pastor's note “Are you the one who is to come?”.................. 48-51
卫理之声 第 3 页 My beloved brothers and sisters, who were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ, peace to you all. As your bishop, I hereby listed the eight elements of steadfast Prayer as follows. I hope that your prayers will be enriched and got in line with God's heart. Hebrews 12: 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. Be thankful for the Lord's church in prayer. Thanksgiving is the primary content of prayer. For the salvation of the Lord Jesus on the cross has made for us an unshakable kingdom. Be thankful for those who serve God in your steadfast prayer. We are grateful to the pastors ,brothers and sisters who serve God at all levels of the church with godliness and reverence. Steadfast prayer (1) Give thanks for the inheritance of the Episcopal Church through the ages. Steadfast Prayer (2) We offer our thanksgiving prayers to our Lord for He has risen up the Chinese Methodist Church in Australia for the past 30 years. Steadfast prayer (3) We are thankful and pray for the pastors and delegates of the Annual Conference/districts/local churches/ preaching centres and those who serve in different board of ministry. 2 Corinthians 2:'10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, A steadfast prayer needs to pray for the unity of the Church. The scriptures speak of forgiveness among believers. We forgive our brothers and sisters because Christ has already forgiven us. Forgiveness in the Church, with each members lives a forgiving life, builds a Church of love and unity. A steadfast prayer guards against Satan's destruction of the Church. One of Satan's schemes to destroy the church is to destroy the peace among believers. The Eight Elements of Steadfast Praying Bishop Milton Nee Message from Bishop
卫理之声 第 4 页 Steadfast Prayer (4) Pray for our brothers and sisters to live a life of love for one another. Steadfast prayer (5) Pray for being vigilant and beware of the tricks of Satan to destroy the Church. Acts 16:10 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.11 So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. A steadfast prayer needs to pray for the vision of evangelism and mission. The book of Acts shows us that Paul's missionary journey was led by the Lord through his vigilant prayer and under the vision of the Holy Spirit. Steadfast prayer (6) Pray for the vision of outreaches and missions in our churches. Steadfast Prayer (7) Pray for the training of short-term mission/evangelistic teams and their evangelistic and missionary ministries. Watch Prayer (8) Pray that the Lord will raise up short-term and long-term missionary prayers among us. The content of the above eight items is intended to help you practice steadfast prayer every day for the sake of the advancement of the gospel.
卫理之声 第 5 页 The Interview 1) Why does GMC want to purchase a new church building? What does it mean to people of the church? Glory Methodist church was formally established in 2015, however, buying a church for our own used is already part of the church planting plan dated back in 2012. Glory Methodist Church was planted in 2012 in the city of Knox, it was called Knox Preaching Point. Our purpose is to become the light to the City of Knox, where we feel belong and be part of the community, and we want to continue expanding the work of church mission and gospel. This project to buy a new church building has three meanings: First, we want to expand and extend the kingdom of God. We are currently located about 35-40 minutes away from city. This eastern part of Melbourne is lacking Chinese speaking church, at the same time there are increasing Chinese community moving into this area. We hope to bring gospel to these residents. Second, we want to participate and partner with God to do His work on this earth. It is the grace and privilege of every Christian when we can participate and build a church. We want to see the glory of God. We want to experience how God makes a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Third, we hope that both our Chinese and English congregation could come together to build a strong church to serve our God in the city of Knox. When we do have our own place, we will be more effectively serving God and serving our local community. We also hope to see our second generation experiences the power of God and His presence through the process of acquiring a new church building. 2) Can you describe your plan for buying a church and your fundraising strategy? For example, how do you evaluate and choose the right property and its location ? Where is the new church located? What are some of the factors you're An interview with Rev Elijah Chew, purchasing a new church building for Glory Methodist Church in 2024 Rev Elijah Chew Glory MC
卫理之声 第 6 页 considering? Please also share with us about the composition and functioning of the church’s fund-raising Committee and your role and responsibilities as the minister in charge. a. We have been seeking a location in accordance with our church’s mission. We are looking at 10km as the radius for a strategic location of our church building. b. We hope to find a place to accommodate at least 200 seated congregation, with enough classrooms, offices, and rooms for our ministries. The goal is for both Chinese and English congregations to worship concurrently. c. We hope to have enough space and time (all times and days) to be used for all ministries, including a community program for our Christian Social concern. 3) What was the biggest challenge when buying a church building? How do you respond to these challenges? Our biggest challenge is our faith in God. We pray unceasingly, brothers and sisters working in unity, and strongly trust the leadership of God, His plan, His work, and the completion of His work. We learn to rely on Him, give our best, and put our faith on His Word when facing the challenge of the building project as Matthew 6:33 said, ‘Seek ye Kingdom and His righteousness, all these things shall be added unto you.’ We also put our faith on other Chinese Methodist Churches, because many churches have their own experience of buying their churches and experienced the mighty provision of God. So we know that we are not alone and all brothers and sisters will support this work of God through your fervent prayers, giving, companionship, and encouragement! 4) Can you share with me how does GMC manage the task of fundraising and the raised fund? What are the difficulties that you have faced? When GMC has successfully purchased the new church building , are there any other plans that you want to achieve? For instance, do you have plans to purchase other facilities? There are a few areas to consider in our financial management: • Church building Committee meets to provide plan, direction and decision making for the building project. • Then church building committee will present the fund-raising project to Local church executive committee for final approval. • The building project process is as follows: o Glory Methodist Church encourages our own members and brothers and sisters in Christ to pledge for the building o We have constructed an online platform for donation so that it is easier for brothers and sisters in Christ to give and share with others.（https://chuffed.org/project/
卫理之声 第 7 页 glory-methodist-church-serving-knoxmelbourne） o We will visit churches in Melbourne to share our vision of the building project to inform our needs and supports, we will also raise funds through food sales, local church sharing and individual visitation. o We will visit all other CMCA local churches in all districts for fund raising. o As part of our plan, we will travel overseas to seek support in prayers and donation. o All the funds collected will be deposited into our church account. The church will acknowledge the funds in our weekly bulletin. • Our present and future challenges are as follows: o Apart from the Church building project, pastors and LCEC members still need to continue their usual tasks in different ministries. We pray that we will have strength, peace and joy to do His work. o How can Glory Methodist Church share our church building project effectively with all brothers and sisters in Australia? o The funds required which amount to $3.2 million is definitely huge, so we need a giant faith to trust in God, and whenever we feel weak in our faith and vision, we pray and ask God to strengthen us. o Even after all funds are paid off, we still
卫理之声 第 8 页 need to work on the building renovation plan which requires the council approval, to make this building as the place of worship and ministry. This will take time, therefore we need to place our faith and hope in God to bring a positive outcome to all these projects. 5)What is the vision of Glory Methodist Church for your local community? What is your goal and expectation for this purchasing plan of a new church building? How do you value the success and influence of this plan? Now, our main goal for Glory Methodist Church is to be able to pay off the building cost. I believe that the only success is God’s success where we see brothers and sisters work together in the ministry and mission of God. As we serve our God and community, building the disciples of Jesus, and the leaders for God’s kingdom, the church will grow with the Holy Spirit. We hope to purchase the property in the shortest amount of time, of course in accordance to in His time, the I believe, all things will be beautiful. We hope to see Glory methodist church becomes God’s holy vessel to live out the Gospel, and to spread the good news to our community.
卫理之声 第 9 页 1) Tell us about your background and past ministry experience, how did they influence you to become a pastor and eventually as a Bishop? I am from Sarikei, Sarawak, Malaysia. Since young, I have considered myself a Christian. In high school, I clearly understood the doctrine of being born again and saved. At 22, I dedicated myself to studying theology at Singapore Bible College. After graduating in May 1994, through the introduction of Rev Siew, I came to New Zealand in July of the same year. I have been pastoring at Auckland Chinese Methodist Church for nearly 30 years now. There is nothing to boast about in being a pastor; it is entirely by the grace of God's calling. I strive to obey and remain faithful to the Lord's call, dedicating myself to fulfilling the responsibilities and mission entrusted to me. As for becoming a bishop, this was something I did not expect. Given the responsibility bestowed upon me, I joyfully and willingly submit, endeavoring to fulfill the entrusted duties to the best of my ability. My sole desire is for this humble vessel of mine to be shaped by God's hand into a blessing for many. 2) What do you think are the biggest challenges for the CMCNZ and local churches of New Zealand? New Zealand is the most progressive country in the Western Christian world. The entire society is rapidly secularizing, with the number of Christians continually declining, while those with no religious affiliation or adherents of other religions and cults are growing quickly. Additionally, people tend to embrace absurd doctrines, exhibit loose morals, and pursue materialism and pleasure. In such an environment, the greatest challenge for the church is twofold. On one hand, it must help believers hold fast to their faith, follow the Lord faithfully, and live lives worthy of the grace they have received, while also passing on this faith to the next generation. On the other hand, it must find ways to evangelize to the people of this era and lead them to the Lord. Therefore, not being ashamed of the gospel is the church's greatest challenge at present. An interview with CMCNZ First Bishop, Rev. Lai Liong Chan Auckland Chinese Methodist Church (NZ) The Interview Bishop Chan
卫理之声 第 10 页 How do you plan to address these challenges? Paul’s approach to the challenges of his time should also be our approach to these challenges: “He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28 NIV). Despite the changing times, human needs persist unchanged, with the lost requiring the gospel and believers needing to be equipped by God's word. Therefore, returning to the pastoral call means we must strengthen our teaching of God's word and equip believers with it. We need to believe that only God's word meets the needs of the human heart, and only God's word can truly satisfy and transform the heart. In facing the current challenges, we must faithfully preach the gospel handed down by the apostles and comprehensively teach God's word. By equipping believers with God's word, they can become blameless and pure children of God in this warped and crooked generation. 3)What are your specific ideas or plans for the vision and direction of the Chinese Methodist church? Precisely because of the challenges mentioned above, the church must focus on what it is meant to do, which is to fulfill the Great Commission given by the Lord Jesus. First, we must “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” While the content of the gospel does not change, the methods of evangelism should be adjusted according to contemporary circumstances. Therefore, whether the time is favorable or not, we must promote evangelistic activities in the church, using different methods to reach different people. Secondly, we must obey Jesus' command to “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The church should promote teaching ministries, using adult Sunday school to educate believers in the Bible, theology, apologetics, and ministry training. This equips believers with the knowledge of their faith. Additionally, discipleship training should help believers live out their faith, applying God's word in their daily lives, leading to transformed lives and spiritual growth and maturity. 4) What are your thoughts on the spiritual life and faith practices of the church? For example, how to promote the spiritual growth of your church members? Spiritual life and practice can be understood on two levels: the personal level and the community level. On the personal level, we often emphasize spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading and prayer. On the community level, participation in the church is essential. Through communal living, we learn from, care for, and watch over one another, growing through mutual accountability. This is precisely the role of discipleship training
卫理之声 第 11 页 groups. To promote the spiritual growth of church members, in addition to emphasizing and promoting personal spiritual disciplines, we must also fully promote discipleship training groups within the church. Intentionally engage each member into a cell group, fostering impactful relationships among believers where they share, pray, hold each other accountable, and mutually shape one another, ultimately resulting in transformed lives. Therefore, from the church’s perspective, it has the responsibility and duty to intentionally set up a growth process for each member, starting from when they are non-believers to conversion; then from conversion to growth and maturity, ultimately achieving the goal of becoming spiritual parents who can reproduce life and lead others to grow. 5) How do you see the balance between our Church's traditional values and modern challenges? How will you maintain the traditional roots of the Methodist church while keeping up with the times? First, we need to discern what constitutes the traditional values of the church. In my view, there are elements that can change and those that cannot. The aspects that cannot change are the gospel, faith and doctrines handed down by the apostles. Regardless of how times change, this message must remain unaltered. Additionally, the church's mission to nurture believers through the teaching of the Bible is unchangeable, as it is the core mission of the church. However, some traditions, though valuable and beneficial, are not absolute truths and need to adapt with the times. For example, the hymns sung during worship (traditional hymns), the order of worship, the choir performances during services, or the organisational structure of the church and methods of evangelism—these traditions have helped many people and have been effective, which is why they have been preserved through history. Yet, with the passage of time and cultural shifts, we must have the wisdom, courage, and even sometimes make sacrifices to make adjustments to these traditions in order to reach people of today’s world. 卫理之声 第 11 页
卫理之声 第 12 页 After much planning and prayers , God granted us our wish to see the beauty of God’s creation , fellowship and bonding and to rejuvenate our spiritual health through spiritual food from Local Preacher, Amie Chew. At around 10:30am, We gathered at Sister Dora ‘S house , a grand total of 12 sisters going in 2 cars . Every one packed only an overnight bag and some food. We were all so excited. Thank God Roslyn and Dora are still able to drive far. Macedon, here we come. We stopped at Saigon Yamen at Gisbourne for lunch and also bought some groceries at Aldi for the next 2 days. Thanks to Sister Poh Huong ‘s good understanding of direction, we arrived at the Grange Hill Airbnb around 3 pm. The accommodation is very interesting and unique with beautiful views of hanging rock and the surrounds. After a quick rest, we headed to Hanging Rock. It was the first time for some. A few fit ones reached the top and were blessed with the best views. Majority of us were satisfied with the views after we climbed maybe slightly more than half way. We rested and took memorable photos and headed back. God really blessed us with different gifts and talents. First night ‘s dinner was prepared by our sister Ping, who shared her culinary skills with a homemade noodles dish, yummy and enough for all . We laughed and chatted while setting up the table and cleaning up after. Grange Hill Airbnb is so big and has different levels, beautiful views facing Hanging Rock and different sitting arrears to enjoy. After a long day we were all paired up and snored through the night. The next morning, we were greeted by this beautiful and colourful parrot perching on the window overlooking the beautiful morning clear views of hanging rock. The weather was just perfect. After a quick breakfast, we decided to visit the Forest Glade Garden. As it was spring, we were greeted by so many beautiful flowers in bloom and each display its own unique charm and beauty. Living in Victoria, our garden state is indeed a special blessing. As usual we paraded around the flowers and “Click! Click! “, photos galore - filled with 2023 Trinity Methodist Church Women Fellowship outing (at Mt Macedon) Irene Ting Trinity MC District Activities
卫理之声 第 13 页 laughers and sisterhood spirit. We had a wonderful relaxing morning at the garden. We had lunch at Noodles Dynasty at Woodend. Thereafter we looked around Woodend and decided to see the Trentham Waterfall. The view was quite rewarding. After that, we decided to visit a local friend, Catherine who lives at Romsey. We were warmly welcomed into her country home, and she served us hot drinks and cakes. We roamed around her house, fascinated by her patchwork hanging on her wall and rocking horses crafted by her late father. We also checked out her vegetable patch and her flower garden. Returning to Grange Hill, another sister of ours, Selina, suggested the idea of a “make your own sushi night “. So, we helped her prepare all the ingredients and set the table which was a beautiful sight. We enjoyed the dinner so much and we had fun making our own sushi. LP Amie Chew prepared spiritual food for us all as well for the 2 nights . We studied about Mary and Martha and start identifying ourselves with either one. We concluded that both are important but spending time with Jesus is the most important and we must cherish the moments of stillness with the Lord. We played an icebreaker game and had a good laugh and we brought home a Bible verse to memorise and remember. Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord whose trust is the lord . He is like a tree planted by water , that sends out its roots by the stream , and does not fear when heat comes , for its leaves remain green, and it’s not anxious in the year of drought , for it does not cease to bear fruit . “ We are reminded to be like trees planted by the water, deeply rooted in faith and unafraid of life’s heat . The last day of our trip came too quickly. We packed and after a quick breakfast, we drove to Romswoods Peony Farm, immersing ourselves amongst the blooming peonies and captured beautiful photos to keep for memory sake . Final lunch at Saigon Yamen again but some bought Fish and chips a few doors down the street and it was so delicious. We had a smooth drive home and home sweet home. We had a wonderful time but we also missed our own beds. Thank God for watching over us the whole trip and blessed us with so much joy and fed us with both physical and spiritual food. We all look forward to our next Women Fellowship outing in 2024.
卫理之声 第 14 页 Christianity and Judaism are two major religions that have ancient roots and shared foundational concepts but also have distinct differences. Both religions are monotheistic and believe in a single, all-powerful God, but they differ in their beliefs about the nature of God, religious texts, laws, practices, and the role of Jesus Christ. This article will provide a detailed comparison of the basic concepts in Judaism and the major differences from biblical Christianity. One of the most fundamental differences between biblical Christianity and Judaism is their perception of Jesus Christ. For Christians, Jesus is considered the Son of God and the Messiah who came to deliver humanity from sin and grant eternal life. Jesus is central to Christian theology, and his crucifixion and resurrection play a significant role in the redemption of believers. However, in Judaism, Jesus is not viewed as the Messiah, and many Jews consider him a false prophet. For Jews, the Messiah is still expected to come to established peace on earth without any divine attributes. Another distinction between the two religions lies in their understanding of the sacred texts. Judaism recognizes the Torah, which consists of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, referred to as the Old Testament in Christianity, including the laws given to Moses. Additionally, Judaism acknowledges the Talmud, which is a compilation of rabbinic teachings and commentaries on the Torah. In contrast, Christians accept the Old Testament as part of their scripture but also follows the teachings of the New Testament, which discuss the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as the establishment of the early Christianity community. The concept of the afterlife also differs between Christianity and Judaism. In Judaism, there is a belief in an afterlife, although the specific details are not clarified. Christianity, accept Jesus Christ as their savior will gain eternal life and go to heaven, while those reject Jesus Christ will be condemned to eternal damnation in hell. Jewish tradition focuses more on the importance of leading a religious life on earth rather than speculating about the possible conditions of the afterlife. Know Each Other (4) – Judaism LP Xu XiaoShen Faith MC World Religions
卫理之声 第 15 页 Furthermore, Judaism emphasizes the concept of Sheol, a neutral place where souls go after death, rather than heaven or hell. The religious practices and rituals in Christianity and Judaism also diverge. Christianity emphasizes faith in Jesus Christ and the grace of God as the means of salvation. Christians believe that through faith, repentance, and acceptance of Jesus as their Lord and savior, they can attain salvation. Although rituals like baptism and the Eucharist (also known as communion or the Lord’s Supper) are significant in Christianity, they are not considered to be the source of salvation but acts of devotion. Judaism, on the other hand, places great importance on observing religious laws and commandments. Dietary laws, daily prayers, the Sabbath, circumcision, and various rituals are central to Jewish practice. These practices aim to foster a deep sense of connection to the divine and adherences to God’s commandments. In terms of ethics and morality, Christianity and Judaism share several foundational principles. Both religions emphasize the importance of treating others with kindness, justice, and compassion. The Ten Commandments, which shared by both religions, outline fundamental moral principles such as not stealing, not killing, and not bearing false witness. Despite these similarities, there are notable differences in ethical teachings as well. Judaism places a strong emphasis on the concept of Tikun Olam, which means repairing the world through acts of charity and social justice. Christianity, while also valuing acts of charity and compassion, highlights the importance of faith in Jesus Christ as the ultimate source of salvation and righteousness. In conclusion, while Christianity and Judaism share certain basic concepts such as belief in one God and recognition of the importance of ethical behavior, they also have distinct differences. The role of Jesus Christ, the religious texts, the practices and rituals, and the understanding of the afterlife vary between the two religions. Understanding these differences is essential for fostering dialogue and mutual respect among followers of Judaism and Christianity. Comparison of basic concepts of Christianity and Judaism Basic concepts Christianity Judaism Adherents Adherents of Christianity are called Christians Adherents of Judaism are called Jews. Current adherents Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with approximately 2.5 billion adherents. Judaism has an estimated 14-18 million adherents worldwide, making it the 11th largest religion.
卫理之声 第 16 页 Sacred text T h e s a c r e d t e x t o f Christianity is the Bible, which includes the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament. The sacred text of Judaism i s t h e Ta n a k h , w h i c h consists of the Torah (first five books of the Hebrew Bible), Nevi'im (prophets), and Ketuvim (writings). In addition to the Tanakh, Judaism also reveres the Talmud, a compilation of Jewish laws, customs, and traditions. Other written authority In Christianity, additional w r i t t e n a u t h o r i t i e s include the writings of early Church fathers and theologians, as well as various denominational creeds and confessions Apart from the Tanakh and Talmud, there are no other significant written authorities in Judaism. Religious law Christianity does not have a unified religious law. Instead, it often adheres to moral principles found in the Bible and interprets them through the teachings of Jesus Christ J u d a i s m f o l l o w s a comprehensive religious law known as Halakha, derived from the Torah and Talmud Clergy Christianity has various clergy roles, including priests, ministers, pastors, and bishops, depending on the denomination Judaism has rabbis who serve as spiritual leaders, teachers, and interpreters of Jewish law. House of worship C h r i s t i a n s t y p i c a l l y w o r s h i p i n c h u r c h e s , which vary in architectural styles but generally serve as places for community gatherings, worship, and sermons The primary house of worship in Judaism is a s y n a g o g u e , w h e r e c o m m u n a l p r a y e r s , readings from the Torah, and teaching occur
卫理之声 第 17 页 Main day of worship Christians primarily gather for worship on Sundays, as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ The main day of worship in Judaism is the Sabbath, which begins at sunset on Friday and ends on Saturday evening Comparison of Major Beliefs/Doctrines of Christianity and Judaism Belief Biblical Perspective Jewish Perspective God One God in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit O n e G o d , b u t n o acknowledgment of the Trinity Holy Book The 66 books of the Bible are the authoritative works of Christianity The 39 books of the Old Testament are considered revelation from God, especially the Torah (first 5 books), the New Testament is rejected Sin All people have sinned and every person is born with origin sin (except Jesus) All people have sinned. However, many Jews do not believe in the concept of original sin (humans are born with a sinful nature) Jesus Christ God’s perfect’s son, holy, resurrected, divine (second person of the Trinity), yet also fully human, God’s Messiah Views vary, thought all would claim that Jesus is not the Son of God or the Messiah sent by God. Some view him as a good teacher, others as a heretical teacher, and still others as a legend Salvation Obtained only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by human effort. J u d a i s m a d m i t s t h e existence of sin and the necessity for atonement, but has not developed a system of salvation t e a c h i n g a s f o u n d i n Christianity. Atonement is accomplished by sacrifices, penitence, good deeds, and a little of God’s grace.
卫理之声 第 18 页 Afterlife At death, all people will enter heaven or hell based on whether they have salvation in Jesus Christ. The Bible does not support the view that God awards heaven to people who have done good deeds. A holy God requires a perfect sacrifice for our sins, a sacrifice that only Christ could provide God will reward the good and punish the wicked Practical ways to share Gospel with Jewish people It is important to note that Biblical Christianity is built upon the historical backdrop of the Jewish Scriptures. The historical and cultural influence of Judaism has made a significant impact on our planet. However, it would be completely inaccurate to say that there are no major differences between biblical Christianity and Judaism. Since all six areas are foundational in Christianity, we can see that Judaism’s distinctions are a big deal to biblical Christianity. While Christians want to share our Gospel with Jewish people, we have to present the evidence for Christ’s claims, point out the predictions spelled out by the Jewish prophets in the Hebrew Bible (i.e., the Old Testament), and show genuine love for those who follow Judaism.
卫理之声 第 19 页 Make friends with them. Let your friendship serve as the foundation for your witness to them. Demonstrate that you really care about the person and affirm the fact that you know they are Jewish people and you appreciate their Jewishness. Declare up front that you are a follower of Jesus. Ask them questions. Everyone likes to be asked their opinion. Questions about Israel, their Jewish holidays or even a Bible question from the Old Testament are a good place to start. Share your personal testimony about the reality of God in your life is a powerful witness. Many Jewish people think that you were born a Christian in the same way that they were born Jewish. Hearing how you became a follower of Jesus, how God answers your prayers can provide your Jewish friends to jealousy (Romans 11:11) Use scripture to answer questions and encourage your Jewish friends to read the New Testament. Most Jewish people have never read the New Testament and most Jewish people have come to faith in Christ as a result of reading the New Testament. Ask them for a decision and follow up persistently. Keep praying and seek to introduce your friends to Jewish Christians. Be diligent to follow up any decision and contact Jews for Jesus for help with the new Jewish believer. 卫理之声 第 19 页
卫理之声 第 20 页 Father, I look at this broken world, this world of tears. Are You the bipolar God? God of love and God of justice? You say that You are compassionate and gracious - slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet you punish not only the guilty but their children and their children. You say that You are compassionate and gracious? But then I remember where the fault lies. Not with You, our faithful groom, but with us, Your faithless bride. We deserve only punishment, yet You offer undeserved grace. Rend our hearts, You say, and You will relent. No, You are not the bipolar God. You are the God of love, and in Your love You execute justice. You are the God of love, and in Your love You want none to perish. You are the God of love, and in Your love You offer restoration. You are the God of love, and in Your love You offer hope. Father, thank You for the hope of a world, a world without tears. Amen. A world without tears by Richard Leong CMCA Theological Student Gospel MC Christian Poem
卫理之声 第 21 页 18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” (Lk 7:18–20) John the Baptist had heard reports about Jesus. He heard of miraculous healings, exorcisms and even resurrections performed by “He who comes after” John (John 1:27). But in the above passage, John — an amazing man of God as he was — is confused about who Jesus really is. And so he sends disciples to ask Jesus, in essence, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Promised King from the line of David who is to rule forever? Are you really that ‘Forever King’, or shall we look for another?’ Now, there is a reason why John the Baptist is asking this question. Because, right now, where is John? He is in prison: Luke 3:19-20 ESV But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him [John] for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, [20] added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. So, in prison, John hears reports of Jesus cleansing lepers, casting out demons, and raising a son of a widow (7:11-17) — all these acts of mercy — and John is puzzled, because in his understanding, he thought that Jesus, in fulfilling His role as God’s Anointed King, would bring in the “unquenchable fire” of God’s judgment against the wicked: Luke 3:16-17 ESV John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [17] His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” In relation to this, listen to this one Rev Sean Kong Sherwood MC Pastor's note “Are you the one who is to come?”
卫理之声 第 22 页 commentary about the Jewish expectation of the Messiah during the intertestamental period: “Isaiah 11 is of special interest in the Dead Sea Scrolls. [One document within the Scrolls] applies portions of Isaiah 11:2–5 to the awaited Messiah, while [another document], a major commentary on the book of Isaiah, interprets Isaiah 10:34–11:5 as a prophecy of the coming Messiah, called the “Branch of David,” who will destroy Israel’s enemies, the Romans (called the “Kittim”). [Another document] quotes Isaiah 10:34–11:1 and interprets it as a reference to the coming Messiah, called the “Branch of David” and “leader of the community” (i.e., the leader of the Qumran community). It is said that he will put to death the “king of the Kittim,” or the Roman emperor”. That’s what John and many of the Jews were expecting: The Messiah will destroy “Kittim” — which the Jews interpreted as Rome — and He will slaughter the “King of Kittim”, that is, Caesar. And not only kill, but the Messiah will throw these enemies of Israel into the eternal fires of hell. That is, the Messiah will bring in the FINAL Judgment — not only for Rome, but also for those in Israel who were not truly repentant. John really believed the End of the End was near! — which is why he preached so fiercely as he did. But John, in prison, heard reports, not of “unquenchable fire”, or judgment, or the overthrow of Rome — but Jesus just… showing lots of mercy to folks! Him showing mercy to a ROMAN centurion (an enemy!) (7:1-10), forgiving tax collectors and prostitutes, and women caught in adultery — people of that sort. So John, I’m sure, was rather embarrassed. He had preached so confidently, “The chaff the Messiah will unquenchable fire”. But where is the fire?? It was just the sweet, sweet rain of mercy coming from God, through Jesus. ‘So what happens to the integrity of my message, then?? People are going to think that I was telling them fibs!’, John would’ve thought. Moreover, John would’ve thought, ‘Hang on a minute… Jesus is healing lepers and paralytics, curing people of their INCURABLE diseases. And He’s raising DEAD people to life — and I’m still stuck in prison??’ Because John believed that Jesus would, very soon, punish pagan powers, and rescue Israel from their oppressors, he thought that he wouldn’t be in prison for long. ‘I’m getting out of here in no time’, John would’ve assumed. But days became weeks. Weeks became months. No sign of being released. No answers to prayers for deliverance. Rather, an eerie feeling that things are going to take a turn for the worse — and they did. John would NEVER be released from prison,
卫理之声 第 23 页 ever, but ultimately die in prison by being beheaded by Herod. So what does all this mean for us? Well, maybe you are, right now, where John the Baptist is in our passage. Perhaps you are “imprisoned” these days, by a negative, painful circumstance in your life, ‘locked up’ (as it were) in an ongoing issue or a problem that just does not seem to go away, no matter how much your pray. But, like John, you hear reports from fellow Christians — joyful testimonies of healing, of freedom, of provision, of life from the dead. But instead of rejoicing with those brothers and sisters, and allowing those testimonies to point you to the identity and the glory of Christ, leading you to WORSHIP — you begin to think, ‘Yeah, but what about MY situation? What about MY healing, MY freedom, MY provision, ME being ‘risen’ from this ‘dead’ situation in my life??’ Well if we keep going down that rabbit hole of self pity-party, we are going to become sceptical of Jesus as John is in today’s passage: “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another (Messiah)”? So… hypothetically speaking: IF another so-called “Messiah” came along (some fellow who claimed to be a Messiah), who somehow took John out of prison, overthrew Rome, punished Herod and killed the Roman Emperor, would John have followed that (false) “Messiah” — that anti-Messiah / antichrist — instead of Jesus, the True Messiah? How about you? If another “Jesus”, another “Saviour” came long, who is able to change your life circumstances according to your deepest desires, and give you the “deliverance” / “rescue” that you have been yearning for, for all your life — would you forsake Jesus and go after that “Saviour” as your Lord? That is the question we must ask. As Jesus continues to say to John: Luke 7:22-23 ESV And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. [23] And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” Jesus’ point in v23 is: Will John (and will we) receive Jesus as He IS, or only as we want Him to be? We, like John, need to ask ourselves: Will I be “offended” by Jesus, because He shows favour, and signs & wonders, to OTHERS — revealing Himself through those signs to be the Lord of Mercy that He is — even though that mercy is not necessarily falling upon ME, at this time, or in the way that I want it to? Indeed, John the Baptist was not a false prophet. Jesus will, one Day — i.e. in His
卫理之声 第 24 页 SECOND coming — throw sinners into the unquenchable fires of hell. But in His FIRST coming, as it says in John 3:17, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him”. To put it another way: BEFORE pouring out the “unquenchable fire” upon sinners, Jesus first came to drink down the unquenchable fire for every sinner who would repent and put their trust in Him! That's what John needed to understand — that program of God’s salvation & judgment (or salvation before judgment, rather) — which was different to how John envisioned it. So will John be offended because God’s program is different to his, or will John submit to God’s program? And that is the same question that Jesus is posing to us through our passage: Will we submit to God’s program, and especially God’s TIMELINE of things? Or will we be offended by Jesus, because His timeline doesn’t line up with ours — and so we go look for other Saviours & idols besides Jesus — i.e. ones who will set us free from our “prisons” (whatever those may be) now? Look again at v22: “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. One Day, Jesus will bring in a world, where there is NO such thing as blindness, or paralysis, or leprosy, or deafness, or death of any kind. And that’s what Jesus was demonstrating through these temporary, miraculous signs — that that eternal Kingdom, in which there is no more evil, is coming soon. John, though he dies a shameful death in prison, will rise again, never to die again. John will get his head back, one Day. Herod and Herodias will be brought to justice, one Day — that is, the Day when Jesus returns — and so John, until then, needs to be patient, and “be faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10). So may we, too, be patient. May we, too — faithfully — wait, not just months or years or decades, but until THAT glorious Day. There may be problems in our lives that Jesus (like with Jonn) may not fix for us for the rest of our lives — while He has fixed the same exact problems for others within their lifetimes. And we may never know exactly why. Why did John the Baptist have to die in prison, while John the Apostle was never martyred and lived until 90 years old? We may never know. But what we do know is that the same power that delivers people from bad circumstances, also keeps & preserves others through bad circumstances — through hope in that Eternal Kingdom, through faith, by which they are “guarded for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5).
卫理之声 第 25 页
卫理之声 第 26 页