During this year's Lent, 17 pastors from five churches in Guangzhou, which is in the Guangdong Province of South China, take turns to share spiritual reflections online.
The 40-day spiritual retreat program titled "Conquer Yourself and Practice Piety" starts from February 22 to April 2, during which 17 pastors from Shifu Church, Fangcun Church, the Church of Our Savior, Chini Church, and Ci'en Church preach around the book of Matthew.
On February 22, Ash Wednesday, Rev. Chen Chan from Shifu Church read Matthew 1:1–17 and then told Christians to remember Christ's suffering and get rid of their selfish wants by reading the Bible, praying, fasting, practicing self-control, thinking about themselves, and turning away from their sins. Pastor Chen also talked about the forty-day spiritual meditation scriptures. These were chosen from the Three-Year Lectionary, which is a three-year cycle of readings in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod's Christian Worship hymnal.
Rev. Wu Zhongwu from the Church of Our Savior said on the second day that the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. Based on Matthew 1:18–25, Wu urged Christians to submit to God, just as Joseph did when he obeyed Him to marry Mary with her pregnancy, though he realized he would face scorn, disdain, and rejection. He also did not sleep with Mary after he married her.
On the third day, Rev. Zhao Lidao from Fangcun Church said King Herod intended to kill Jesus because he felt threatened and mentally unstable after three wise men asked him where the newborn Jewish king was, citing Matthew 2:1–12. When Joseph and Mary were led by God to Egypt, he slaughtered all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem. The people at that time were afraid to accept the newborn king as their ruler but recognized Herod as their king.
According to Matthew 3:1-10, Rev. Ye Hailian of Ci'en Church on Xinhua Street shared on February 25 that John lived a simple life in the wilderness preaching repentance while eating locusts and wild honey. Locusts were a source of protein in barren areas where the land could not produce crops. Pastor Ye emphasized that people must repent by forsaking their worldly pursuits and instead focus on building their internal lives and establishing behavior patterns inwardly instead of through external material pursuits.
On the fifth day, Rev. He Shengdian of Shifu Church shared on Matthew 4:1-11, referring to the fact that before beginning His ministry, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The devil told Jesus that he could turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger, that he could safely jump off the highest point of the temple, and that if he worshipped the devil, he could rule the whole world. The pastor stated Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16, and 6:13 to reject the temptations of the devil, that finally left Him. The pastor declared that Jesus’ three temptations were what the people of Israel experienced and failed at in the wilderness. They complained about the lack of food; Aaron and Miriam were jealous of Moses; and they worshiped the golden calf. Jesus didn't beat the devil's temptations with miracles and power, but with God's word. This shows that Christians can stand up to the devil by knowing and following the Bible.
On February 27th, Rev. Zhu Yanli of the Church of our Savior said Jesus proclaimed eight beatitudes on the Mount. The Lord specifically said that being persecuted for the sake of the Lord was a blessing. So Christians should rejoice because the persecution strengthened their relationship with God and allowed them to inherit the earth and the kingdom of God. The persecuted could be comforted and satisfied like the prophets in the Bible. The people who built these godly characters in the Sermon on the Mount were blessed.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
由广州教会十甫堂、芳村堂、救主堂、赤坭堂、慈恩堂，五个堂的十七位牧者同工一起联动以《马太福音》为中心，在线上举办为期40天的预苦期灵修分享。
2月22日，预苦期灵修默想第一天，由十甫堂陈婵牧师分享。首先带领大家读了马太福音1章1-17节的经文。希望信徒藉此节期透过读经、祈祷、禁食、克己、节制和悔罪多做自省放下私欲，纪念基督的受难。陈牧师介绍了四十天的灵修默想经文的选取，是按照教会三代经课，以马太福音为中心。
2月23日，第二天，由广州基督教会救主堂吴忠武进行分享。主题经文马太福音1章18-25节。
首先，吴牧师介绍道，马太表示耶稣的出生是要应验先知以赛亚书7章14节中，上帝在旧约时代藉着先知所发出的预言。
接着，吴牧师提醒我们要顺服。约瑟意识到马利亚怀孕这件事将会面临众人的白眼、鄙视、排斥等。并且约瑟迎娶马利亚后并没有与她同房。
2月24日第三天，由广州芳村堂赵立道牧师分享。经文马太福音2章1-12节。
这段经文告诉我们几个博士去问希律王那生下来做犹太人之王的在哪里。希律王大概是感到王位受到威胁而心理不安，得知新生王的降生第一想到的就是要杀害他。后来约瑟马利亚受到神的指引去到埃及。希律找不到了，竟丧心病狂到把伯利恒城两岁以里的孩子都杀害了。因为他拒绝这一位新生的王来做王，而当时的百姓也害怕希律，都承认他是王，不敢接受新生的王为他们的王。
2月25日第四天，由广州基督教新华慈恩堂叶海莲牧师分享。经文马太福音3章1-10节。
首先叶牧师藉着这段经文提到施洗约翰在旷野传悔改的道，吃的是蝗虫和野蜜。蝗虫是出现在一些荒芜地区，土地无法生产的地方，人们靠着蝗虫增加身体的蛋白质，维持身体所需。按照现在的人来说，我们身体有需求可以用蛋白粉各种各样的营养粉来补充身体需求。叶牧师说百姓悔改时要脱离属世的追求。基督徒在这个世界上要预备的绝不是外在的物质生活，而是内在的生命和属灵的行为样式。
2月26日第五天，由广州基督教十甫堂何圣典牧师分享。经文马太福音4章1-11节。经文提到，耶稣正式传道前被圣灵引导旷野受魔鬼试探，这三个试探分别是让石头变成食物可以充饥，从圣殿顶跳下去仍然安全，和俯伏跪拜魔鬼得荣华。何牧师先后三次引用旧约申命记第八章3节，第六章16节、13节来回应并拒绝了魔鬼的试探，结果魔鬼试探离开了耶稣。何牧师分享到，耶稣面对魔鬼的三个试探正是以色列民在旷野失败的经历。他们在旷野埋怨没有食物，亚伦米利暗嫉妒摩西，和敬拜金牛犊。
耶稣并非以神迹威武击退去魔鬼，而是用上帝的话语，这表明信徒明白并遵守圣经就可以拒绝魔鬼的试探。
2月27日第六天，由广州基督教救主堂朱艳丽牧师分享经文马太福音5章1-12节。
耶稣向人宣告八种属灵的福气。耶稣在这里特别的告诉我们，若因主的缘故被苦待是福气，要欢喜，因能巩固最终与上帝之间的关系。使我们可以承受上帝所赐的地土和国度。并且能够与先贤一样得到安慰，和满足。耶稣他要教导我们天国子民应该拥有的和操练的品德和德行就是天国八福。
广州教会五堂联动 预苦期灵修默想线上分享6天
During this year's Lent, 17 pastors from five churches in Guangzhou, which is in the Guangdong Province of South China, take turns to share spiritual reflections online.
The 40-day spiritual retreat program titled "Conquer Yourself and Practice Piety" starts from February 22 to April 2, during which 17 pastors from Shifu Church, Fangcun Church, the Church of Our Savior, Chini Church, and Ci'en Church preach around the book of Matthew.
On February 22, Ash Wednesday, Rev. Chen Chan from Shifu Church read Matthew 1:1–17 and then told Christians to remember Christ's suffering and get rid of their selfish wants by reading the Bible, praying, fasting, practicing self-control, thinking about themselves, and turning away from their sins. Pastor Chen also talked about the forty-day spiritual meditation scriptures. These were chosen from the Three-Year Lectionary, which is a three-year cycle of readings in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod's Christian Worship hymnal.
Rev. Wu Zhongwu from the Church of Our Savior said on the second day that the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14. Based on Matthew 1:18–25, Wu urged Christians to submit to God, just as Joseph did when he obeyed Him to marry Mary with her pregnancy, though he realized he would face scorn, disdain, and rejection. He also did not sleep with Mary after he married her.
On the third day, Rev. Zhao Lidao from Fangcun Church said King Herod intended to kill Jesus because he felt threatened and mentally unstable after three wise men asked him where the newborn Jewish king was, citing Matthew 2:1–12. When Joseph and Mary were led by God to Egypt, he slaughtered all male infants under the age of two in Bethlehem. The people at that time were afraid to accept the newborn king as their ruler but recognized Herod as their king.
According to Matthew 3:1-10, Rev. Ye Hailian of Ci'en Church on Xinhua Street shared on February 25 that John lived a simple life in the wilderness preaching repentance while eating locusts and wild honey. Locusts were a source of protein in barren areas where the land could not produce crops. Pastor Ye emphasized that people must repent by forsaking their worldly pursuits and instead focus on building their internal lives and establishing behavior patterns inwardly instead of through external material pursuits.
On the fifth day, Rev. He Shengdian of Shifu Church shared on Matthew 4:1-11, referring to the fact that before beginning His ministry, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The devil told Jesus that he could turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger, that he could safely jump off the highest point of the temple, and that if he worshipped the devil, he could rule the whole world. The pastor stated Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:16, and 6:13 to reject the temptations of the devil, that finally left Him. The pastor declared that Jesus’ three temptations were what the people of Israel experienced and failed at in the wilderness. They complained about the lack of food; Aaron and Miriam were jealous of Moses; and they worshiped the golden calf. Jesus didn't beat the devil's temptations with miracles and power, but with God's word. This shows that Christians can stand up to the devil by knowing and following the Bible.
On February 27th, Rev. Zhu Yanli of the Church of our Savior said Jesus proclaimed eight beatitudes on the Mount. The Lord specifically said that being persecuted for the sake of the Lord was a blessing. So Christians should rejoice because the persecution strengthened their relationship with God and allowed them to inherit the earth and the kingdom of God. The persecuted could be comforted and satisfied like the prophets in the Bible. The people who built these godly characters in the Sermon on the Mount were blessed.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Spiritual Sharing Sessions Take Place During Lent
