During the Holy Week, the faculty and students of Guangdong Union Theological Seminary participated in foot-washing and communion services, and they walked the Stations of the Cross, commemorating the suffering of the Lord Jesus.
Jointly with Guangzhou Union Church, the seminary hosted the foot-washing and communion service on its playground on Maundy Thursday. President Rev. Xu Jieping delivered a sermon titled "Love One Another," encouraging all teachers, students, and believers to obey the new commandment involving loving one another and following the Lord’s example, said the school.
After the sermon, a foot-washing ceremony was held as part of Maundy Thursday, where all attendees imitated Jesus' example by washing one another's feet with prayers, followed by the communion service.
The next day, the school conducted a morning worship service at Union Church, with a sermon titled "Grace of the Cross" from a student named Qiu Raoping. Afterward, the faculty and students walked the Way of the Cross around the campus, meditating on the suffering of the Lord Jesus.
On Thursday, the Holy Light Church in Nanjing, Jiangsu, preached on the biblical teaching of “A Kernerl of Wheat” to commemorate the Passion Week.
Following a nearly fifty-minute prayer session, Senior Pastor Wu Jiangang began his sermon on John 12:20–33, pointing to the self-sacrifice of the Savior Jesus by drawing a parallel with the natural law of sowing a grain of wheat. Later certain scenes of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection from the movie "The Passion of the Christ" were played in the hymn video "You are My Eternal Savior." Rev. Wu remarked, "We are not looking at a distant figure but our savior, the God in heaven."
Pastor Wu then explained how the bronze snake in the Old Testament story was the only thing keeping the sinful Israelites alive. By listing all the heartbreaking evils nowadays, such as child trafficking, bullying, corruption, and perversion of the law, etc., Wu claimed that confession and repentance are the redemption for each sinner. Recognizing that some believers attend church for healing, companionship, or spiritual solace, he still anticipated that the congregations would eventually confess their sins, repent, and embrace Jesus as their savior.
Pastor Wu proceeded by stressing the need to live a life of imitating Jesus’ self-sacrifice once one becomes a Christian. He knew that various Christians still enjoyed their pre-conversion lives and were unwilling to live a self-denying life because they were unable to let go of their pride. He noted that such Christians had no spiritual influence, asserting that only by living humbly and following Jesus can Christians inspire others to believe in him.
Pastor Wu quoted the story of Abraham and Lot to illustrate two different states of life. When the two had to part company for their abundant flocks, Abraham let Lot choose the land first, leaving the rest for himself. The nephew, however, selfishly chose a place with well-watered and near-city land. Abraham accepted the remaining mountainous land without complaint. Wu exhorted everyone to follow a life of humility and self-sacrifice like Abraham and Jesus.
- Translated by Abigail Wu and Poppy Chan
在受难周，广东协和神学院师生参加濯足礼和走十架苦路，纪念主耶稣的受难。
据广东协和神学院，3月28日晚上，广东协和神学院与协和堂共同在神学院操场举行了受难周濯足礼、圣餐崇拜。院长许洁平牧师以《彼此相爱》为题讲道，勉励全体师生与信徒要听从“彼此相爱”的新命令，效法主的样式。在圣道礼结束后，举行团契日濯足礼，全院师生与协和堂信徒效法耶稣彼此洗脚、彼此祷告；随后，举行圣餐礼。
第二日，全院师生在协和堂举行受难日晨更默想崇拜，邱饶平同学以《十架恩典》为题带领灵修；之后全院师生以“走十架苦路”的灵修方式环绕学院缓步，默想主耶稣的受难。
南京基督教圣光堂在本周四的团契日分享了跟受难周相关的“一粒麦子”的真理。
近五十分钟的祷告结束后，主任牧师吴建刚开始以约翰福音12章20—33节为经文证道，藉由一粒麦子种下去的自然规律提到救主耶稣的舍己。在赞美诗《你是我永远的救主》的视频中，再现了电影《耶稣受难记》中耶稣受难和复活的部分场景。吴牧师说：“这不是在看与我们无关的人，他是我们
接着，吴牧师引用旧约中犯罪的以色列百姓靠仰望铜蛇得救告诉大家，耶稣被挂在十字架上，就吸引万人来归向他。吴牧师先是列举了当今社会中的种种令人痛心的罪恶：拐卖儿童、仗势欺人、贪赃枉法等，然后说，认罪悔改是每个罪人的唯一出路。他知道有些信徒是因为患病、想要交友、想找心灵寄托等原因走进了教会，他没有否定这些，但是盼望每一个来到教会的人最终都可以认罪悔改，接受耶稣作自己的救主。
吴牧师继续说，成为基督徒后，要效法耶稣舍己的生活。他知道许多基督徒仍然在生活中体恤老我、放不下面子、不愿意过舍己的生活；他指出，这样的基督徒没有属灵影响力。只有当基督徒效法耶稣过谦卑的生活时，才能吸引身边的人归信耶稣。
吴牧师引用了亚伯拉罕和罗得的故事给大家展示两种不同的生命状态。当亚伯拉罕和罗得的羊多到需要分开的时候，亚伯拉罕让罗得先挑选土地，剩下的就是他的。作为侄子的罗得自私地挑选了土地肥沃、靠近繁华城市的地方；亚伯拉罕毫无怨言地接受了剩下的山地。吴牧师盼望大家都可以过像亚伯拉罕、耶稣一样谦卑舍己的生活。
广东协和神学院举行濯足礼圣餐崇拜
During the Holy Week, the faculty and students of Guangdong Union Theological Seminary participated in foot-washing and communion services, and they walked the Stations of the Cross, commemorating the suffering of the Lord Jesus.
Jointly with Guangzhou Union Church, the seminary hosted the foot-washing and communion service on its playground on Maundy Thursday. President Rev. Xu Jieping delivered a sermon titled "Love One Another," encouraging all teachers, students, and believers to obey the new commandment involving loving one another and following the Lord’s example, said the school.
After the sermon, a foot-washing ceremony was held as part of Maundy Thursday, where all attendees imitated Jesus' example by washing one another's feet with prayers, followed by the communion service.
The next day, the school conducted a morning worship service at Union Church, with a sermon titled "Grace of the Cross" from a student named Qiu Raoping. Afterward, the faculty and students walked the Way of the Cross around the campus, meditating on the suffering of the Lord Jesus.
On Thursday, the Holy Light Church in Nanjing, Jiangsu, preached on the biblical teaching of “A Kernerl of Wheat” to commemorate the Passion Week.
Following a nearly fifty-minute prayer session, Senior Pastor Wu Jiangang began his sermon on John 12:20–33, pointing to the self-sacrifice of the Savior Jesus by drawing a parallel with the natural law of sowing a grain of wheat. Later certain scenes of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection from the movie "The Passion of the Christ" were played in the hymn video "You are My Eternal Savior." Rev. Wu remarked, "We are not looking at a distant figure but our savior, the God in heaven."
Pastor Wu then explained how the bronze snake in the Old Testament story was the only thing keeping the sinful Israelites alive. By listing all the heartbreaking evils nowadays, such as child trafficking, bullying, corruption, and perversion of the law, etc., Wu claimed that confession and repentance are the redemption for each sinner. Recognizing that some believers attend church for healing, companionship, or spiritual solace, he still anticipated that the congregations would eventually confess their sins, repent, and embrace Jesus as their savior.
Pastor Wu proceeded by stressing the need to live a life of imitating Jesus’ self-sacrifice once one becomes a Christian. He knew that various Christians still enjoyed their pre-conversion lives and were unwilling to live a self-denying life because they were unable to let go of their pride. He noted that such Christians had no spiritual influence, asserting that only by living humbly and following Jesus can Christians inspire others to believe in him.
Pastor Wu quoted the story of Abraham and Lot to illustrate two different states of life. When the two had to part company for their abundant flocks, Abraham let Lot choose the land first, leaving the rest for himself. The nephew, however, selfishly chose a place with well-watered and near-city land. Abraham accepted the remaining mountainous land without complaint. Wu exhorted everyone to follow a life of humility and self-sacrifice like Abraham and Jesus.
- Translated by Abigail Wu and Poppy Chan
Observing Holy Week: Foot Washing, Communion, Preaching
