Anna Zhou

12/2/2023 Deeply Known Christ My Lord 

Acts 9:1-25;10:36; Matt 28:18; Is 42:1-4; Phil 2:9-11; Rev 17:14; 19:16

1. The Lord who Paul deeply knew on the way to Damascus

   ·  Christ was taken up into heaven and surpassed all; Christ who overcomes and conquers all, the ones who see Him fell to the ground. (3-4) 

    ·  The humble Jesus who suffers, though He is on the throne, but still being persecuted; The abundant Christ fills all in all, the mysterious and the Almighty. Christ rules over all, being called King of kings, Lord of lords. (4-5; Is 42:1-4; Phil 2:9-115; Matt 28:18; 1Tim 6:15; Rev 17:14; 19:16)

2. Experiences of the truly believed

    ·  Receive the Lord’s enlightenment. Met the Lord, heard His voice, and had deeply known Him. (3-5)

    ·  Received a new mission from Him. Lost interest in the world. (6-9)

    ·  Establish his relation of communion with the Lord through prayer. Be into the Lord through laying hand on and baptism. Have spiritual communion with members of the body. (11,17-19)

    ·  Spread the gospel and witness Him. Progressing in grace and increasing in spiritual strength. Persecuted for the Lord’s sake. (20. 22-25)

Responding Hymn based on 2 Tim 1:12

I know Whom I Have Believed https://www.xueshengshi.com/?p=2810

11/29/2023 Thanksgiving and Asking

Col 1:9-14; 3:16-17; Jude 20-21

1. Asking for more wisdom to know God better and endure long sufferings joyfully. Pray for us to increase in the knowledge of God. We continually ask God to fill us with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.  (9-10)

    ·  Ask for them to be strengthened with all might and joy. For being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience, (11)

2. Thanksgivings for being partakers of the inheritance, for being conveyed into the kingdom, for having redemption. (12-14)

Responding all the above to Paul’s prayer with two reminders: 

    ·  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the Lord Jesus’s name, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Col 3:16-17)

    ·  God-beloved, by building ourselves up in our most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep ourselves in God’s love as we wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us to eternal life. (Jude 20-21)

11/25/2023 Keep the Treasure of Faith

2 Tim1:5-14; 3:15

1. Rely on God to keep the treasure of faith

    ·  I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. Stirring up the gift, the spirit of power, of love, and a sound mind without timidity. (5-7)

2. The gospel proves that one’s being saved is not by the works of men but by the grace of God. Always according to the power of God. Relying on God who can keep us. Keep the treasure by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. (8-9,12,14)
3. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which can make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (3:14-16)

Notes: With an attitude of being taught; learn from who, singular: follow Lord Christ Jesus/Apostle Paul. Must pay attention to leading future generations and making sure they know the Holy Scriptures to have salvation wisdom from their childhood, and to have profound and lasting influence in their whole life.

11/24/2023 Set Our Hope on Christ’s Salvation Grace

1 Peter 1:10-13;Heb12:14

1. The revelation and manifestation of salvation: the prophets and those who have preached the gospel and the angels. (10-12)

    ·  Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care. (10)

    ·  Try to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. (11)

    ·  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but us when they spoke of the things that have now been told us by those who have. (12)

2. The attitudes that we are supposed to have a grateful heart toward salvation: pursue holiness and fear God. (13-17)

 ·  Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set our hope on the grace to be brought to us when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming. (13)

 ·  Pursue peace with all and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (Heb12:14)