“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you,” a speaker in a Zhejiang Church shared in last Sunday’s service.
Elder Peng from Hangzhou Yuhang Church compared a “sleeper” to a dead person who should wake up just as someone rising from the dead.
“The desire of humans is unquenchable, like drinking the sea. The more you drink the more thirsty you will become,” he urged the congregation. Elder Peng also said, “Our time is full of sin and pain and will be destroyed.”
“The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber (Romans 13:11),” he added.
He explained that even God’s children who lived in sin would have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.
Although people like fantasy and draw pictures of a beautiful future, Elder Peng shared that the pandemic broke many dreams.
Some Christians might think that they will end up like Larazus after enjoying this world’s splendor and wealth.
However, that was an empty dream.
The law in the Scripture commands rich people to help the poor.
Sleepy Christians should wake up from their dreams and then obey God’s will to put away evil things.
Because it is hard for some to avoid difficulties and obstacles in life, they attempt to free themselves by committing suicide.
The World Food Programme claimed that there would be an insufficient food supply for more than 100 million people if the situation doesn’t improve.
He cited 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 that we should pray amidst the pandemic and food crises. God will look upon us when we turn to him.
Speaking of Proverbs 6:9-11, he said that sluggishness was poverty as people who liked to sleep always had excuses.
A portion of believers refused to attend the church or preach the gospel.
Peng admonished them that spiritual poverty would come along with disasters if they continued to be sleepy and lazy. On the contrary, Christians should pursue God more and fulfill their duties by using the talents God had given them.
- Translated by Karen Luo
浙江余杭堂主日信息：
睡着的人当醒过来
浙江杭州余杭堂近日的主日礼拜中，彭长老以《 睡着的人当醒过来 》为主题分享了人当从美梦、噩梦以及懒惰当中醒来。
“你这睡着的人，当醒过来，从死里复活，基督就要光照你了。”
（以弗所书 5：14）
彭长老将人的睡着类比死去，认为人应该醒来，如同从死亡中复活，从自己的罪恶中醒来，从对物质的欲望中醒来。
他说：“人的欲望就像喝海水一样，会越喝越渴。”
他劝勉会众：我们当下的时代，是罪恶的时代，是痛苦的时代，是即将毁灭的时代，人需要悔改，需要醒悟。
即便是神的儿女，如果仍然活在罪中，于神的国，是没有份的。
“现今就是该趁早睡醒的时候了。”
（罗马书 13：
11）
从美梦中醒来
人们喜欢幻想，勾画出美好的未来，希望得着享受。
然而彭长老却劝慰说，最近的一场疫情，让多少美梦成空。
而一些基督徒也心中想着，在世享受荣华，死后做拿撒路。
那是在做美梦，需要从中醒来。
圣经中是有律法的，规定有钱人应帮助那些贫穷的人。
让我们从美梦中醒来，遵循神的旨意远离罪恶，不再思想在世的福禄，当为永恒着想，为神着想。
从噩梦中醒来
人生难免遇到困难坎坷，有的人便会觉得自己已经无路可走，想要在死亡中寻求解脱。
联合国粮食署声称今年有可能会有巨大的粮食供给不足，形势若不好转，会有一亿多人面对粮食危机。
疫情在世界范围传播，造成大量的人员死亡，等等，这些都是噩梦，彭长老列举经文，“我若使天闭塞不下雨，或使蝗虫吃这地的出产，或使瘟疫流行在我民中，这称为我名下的子民，若是自卑、祷告，寻求我的面，转离他们的恶行，我必从天上垂听，赦免他们的罪，医治他们的地。
我必睁眼看、侧耳听在此处所献的祷告。”
(历代志下 7:13-15)当我们祷告、回转神的时候，神就会知悉这些，我们就能从噩梦中醒来，得到安慰和帮助。
从懒惰中醒来
“懒惰人哪，你要睡到几时呢？
你何时睡醒呢？
再睡片时，打盹片时，抱着手躺卧片时，你的贫穷就必如强盗速来，你的缺乏仿佛拿兵器的人来到。”
（箴言 6:9-11）结合经文彭长老讲道说，懒惰就是贫穷，就像爱睡觉的人，总会有推脱的借口。
在信徒当中，也有一部分人，推脱聚会，推脱去传福音，总是在等待。
彭长老告诫这些人，在懒惰中沉睡，灵里的贫穷终会到来，一并来的还有灾难。
“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you,” a speaker in a Zhejiang Church shared in last Sunday’s service.
Elder Peng from Hangzhou Yuhang Church compared a “sleeper” to a dead person who should wake up just as someone rising from the dead.
“The desire of humans is unquenchable, like drinking the sea. The more you drink the more thirsty you will become,” he urged the congregation. Elder Peng also said, “Our time is full of sin and pain and will be destroyed.”
“The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber (Romans 13:11),” he added.
He explained that even God’s children who lived in sin would have no inheritance in the kingdom of God.
Although people like fantasy and draw pictures of a beautiful future, Elder Peng shared that the pandemic broke many dreams.
Some Christians might think that they will end up like Larazus after enjoying this world’s splendor and wealth.
However, that was an empty dream.
The law in the Scripture commands rich people to help the poor.
Sleepy Christians should wake up from their dreams and then obey God’s will to put away evil things.
Because it is hard for some to avoid difficulties and obstacles in life, they attempt to free themselves by committing suicide.
The World Food Programme claimed that there would be an insufficient food supply for more than 100 million people if the situation doesn’t improve.
He cited 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 that we should pray amidst the pandemic and food crises. God will look upon us when we turn to him.
Speaking of Proverbs 6:9-11, he said that sluggishness was poverty as people who liked to sleep always had excuses.
A portion of believers refused to attend the church or preach the gospel.
Peng admonished them that spiritual poverty would come along with disasters if they continued to be sleepy and lazy. On the contrary, Christians should pursue God more and fulfill their duties by using the talents God had given them.
- Translated by Karen Luo
Zhejiang Church’s Sunday Message: Wake up, Sleeper
