On August 2, Beijing Fengtai Church held its first in-person gathering after it was closed months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following local health requirements, they held three services on Sunday morning and one in the evening.
In two services, Pastor Liu Haibo shared the message of "Seeing Good Days” with the congregation, based on 1 Peter 3:8-12.
The pastor shared that when Peter wrote his two epistles, the Christians had encountered a sudden catastrophe, not a natural disaster, but accusation and persecution from Emperor Nero. Under such circumstances, Peter wrote these two letters to encourage the believers. He shared that the suffering they were enduring would eventually be transformed into glory, because Christ had suffered for us, and he was finally glorified.
Interpreting "Whoever would love life and see good days," Liu asked if a Christian could see good days when suffering so much. The real blessing is not peace, well-being, health, or living free from disaster, but a living hope to live as strangers beyond the circumstances.
Although we cannot change our environment, with suffering in front of us, we believe that the Lord still sits as King despite the flood. In a harsh environment, Christians still can see the good days in the middle of a catastrophe.
If we want to enjoy good fortune, we should do our duty. As we worship peacefully today, believing that God is protecting us, we must wear masks and maintain social distancing.
Peter said that we could experience the blessings and grace of God and maintain a good relationship with others in the church.
Be one with believers. It was also what Jesus prayed for his disciples at that time, hoping that believers would be one in spirit. In the pandemic, we find that our lives are so fragile that we don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, however, we still want a satisfactory result of arguing about everything in the world. The key point of our lives is to lift up Christ, live out Christ, preach Christ, and give witness to Christ with one accord.
Be sympathetic to each other. We should be more considerate of others, and stand in the shoes of others when we consider problems. Compassion is one of the characteristics of a Christian, and God is also compassionate to us. He was crucified for us because he sympathized for our weakness. In the church, we must rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.
Love as brothers. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34) “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. ”(1 John 3:15) God is love and has given the life of love to us. We must live out love and express our love to brothers and sisters. Even though the brothers and sisters are not so cute and have many imperfections and inadequacy, we still have to love them with the love of Jesus. This is Jesus’ command to us.
Be compassionate and humble. The humility of Jesus is an example for us to follow. In real life, it is difficult for us to be humble. Christians should reflect in this sudden pandemic: What is man? A small invisible virus can disrupt the entire world. We humans really can't. We need to be truly humble before God to admit our weakness. So we should rely on God, seek God, and look to God.
Next, Peter said what we couldn’t do: "Don't repay evil with evil, or insult with insult." David experienced so many grievances, sufferings, and persecution, but every time he experienced the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord was with him. Even though we have grievances, difficulties, and weaknesses at this moment, we are powerless in the face of the environment, and we don't know where to go, the only thing we need to know is that the Lord's eyes are on the righteous, and the Lord's ears are attentive to our prayers. He may take care of us and protect us.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
丰台堂复堂主日崇拜信息：得享美福
8月2日，北京基督教丰台堂在长达几个月的关闭后，迎来疫情以来的第一次实体聚会。按照防疫要求，主日上午安排三场聚会，晚上一场聚会。
刘海波牧师在其中两场聚会中，与弟兄姐妹们分享了“得享美福”这一主题信息。（经文：彼前3：8-12）
他分享彼得书信的写作背景，当时基督徒遭遇一场突如其来的大灾难，不是自然灾害，而是对信仰的逼迫。当时的尼禄皇帝陷害、诬告和逼迫基督徒。在这样的情况下，彼得写下彼得前后书，鼓励当时的信徒：我们今生所受的苦难最后一定会转化为荣耀，因为基督为我们受苦，基督最后也得了荣耀。
“人若爱生命，愿享美福”，基督徒遭遇这么大的灾难，怎么能享受美福呢？真正的福气并非平安、顺利、健康、无灾，乃是超越环境，有活泼的盼望，度今生在世寄居的日子。
尽管我们所处的环境是没法改变的，苦难就摆在我们面前，但是我们相信洪水中耶和华仍然坐着为王。基督徒要做的就是超越环境，在恶劣的环境之中，在大灾难之中仍然能够得享美福。
我们要得享美福，不可忘记我们要尽人的本分。就像我们今天平安地敬拜，相信神的恩手在保守我们，但是我们要尽上人的本分，比如我们要戴好口罩，保持社交距离等。
彼得说要在教会美好的相处中就能够经历上帝所赐的美福和恩典。
与信徒合一。也是当时耶稣为门徒们所祈祷的，希望信徒在灵里能够合而为一。这次的疫情让我们反思，当我们为人世间的一切争执时，当我们想要一个自己满意的答案时，却发现我们的生命如此脆弱，甚至不知道明天将发生什么。生命的重点是要同心合意地高举基督、活出基督、传扬基督、见证基督。
要彼此体恤。多多为对方考虑，对别人着想，多站在对方的处境中考虑问题。体恤是基督徒属灵生命的特质之一，神也是这样体恤我们，因为体恤我们的软弱而为我们被钉在十字架上。在教会生活中，我们要与喜乐的人同喜，与哀哭的人同哭。。
相爱如弟兄。彼此相爱，“我赐给你们一条新命令，乃是叫你们彼此相爱；我怎样爱你们，你们也要怎样相爱。”（约13：34）“我们因为爱弟兄，就晓得是已经出死入生了。没有爱心的，仍住在死中。凡恨他弟兄的，就是杀人的；你们晓得凡杀人的，没有永生存在他里面。” （约一3：14-15）神是爱，把爱的生命赐给了我们，我们要活出爱来。活出爱的表现就是要爱弟兄姐妹。纵然弟兄姐妹不那么可爱，有那么多不完美和不完全，但是我们仍要用耶稣的爱去爱，这是耶稣给我们的一个命令。
存慈怜谦卑的心。耶稣的谦卑是我们效法的榜样。现实生活中我们很难谦卑下来，这一次突如其来的疫情让基督徒更应该反思：人算什么呢？一个小小的看不见的病毒居然能够把整个世界都打乱。我们人真的是不能，我们需要真实谦卑在神的面前，承认自己的不能，要依靠神、寻求神、仰望神。
接下来，彼得说了不要做的，“不以恶报恶、以辱骂还辱骂”。大卫经历过那么多冤屈、苦难与逼迫，但是每一次经历死荫的幽谷，主都与他同在。纵然此刻我们也有冤屈，有难处，有软弱，面对大环境我们无能为力，也不知道何去何从，但我们唯一要知道的是，主的眼看顾义人，主的耳听我们的祈祷。祂会眷顾我们，保守我们。
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/portal/article/index/id/53206
On August 2, Beijing Fengtai Church held its first in-person gathering after it was closed months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Following local health requirements, they held three services on Sunday morning and one in the evening.
In two services, Pastor Liu Haibo shared the message of "Seeing Good Days” with the congregation, based on 1 Peter 3:8-12.
The pastor shared that when Peter wrote his two epistles, the Christians had encountered a sudden catastrophe, not a natural disaster, but accusation and persecution from Emperor Nero. Under such circumstances, Peter wrote these two letters to encourage the believers. He shared that the suffering they were enduring would eventually be transformed into glory, because Christ had suffered for us, and he was finally glorified.
Interpreting "Whoever would love life and see good days," Liu asked if a Christian could see good days when suffering so much. The real blessing is not peace, well-being, health, or living free from disaster, but a living hope to live as strangers beyond the circumstances.
Although we cannot change our environment, with suffering in front of us, we believe that the Lord still sits as King despite the flood. In a harsh environment, Christians still can see the good days in the middle of a catastrophe.
If we want to enjoy good fortune, we should do our duty. As we worship peacefully today, believing that God is protecting us, we must wear masks and maintain social distancing.
Peter said that we could experience the blessings and grace of God and maintain a good relationship with others in the church.
Be one with believers. It was also what Jesus prayed for his disciples at that time, hoping that believers would be one in spirit. In the pandemic, we find that our lives are so fragile that we don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, however, we still want a satisfactory result of arguing about everything in the world. The key point of our lives is to lift up Christ, live out Christ, preach Christ, and give witness to Christ with one accord.
Be sympathetic to each other. We should be more considerate of others, and stand in the shoes of others when we consider problems. Compassion is one of the characteristics of a Christian, and God is also compassionate to us. He was crucified for us because he sympathized for our weakness. In the church, we must rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.
Love as brothers. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34) “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. ”(1 John 3:15) God is love and has given the life of love to us. We must live out love and express our love to brothers and sisters. Even though the brothers and sisters are not so cute and have many imperfections and inadequacy, we still have to love them with the love of Jesus. This is Jesus’ command to us.
Be compassionate and humble. The humility of Jesus is an example for us to follow. In real life, it is difficult for us to be humble. Christians should reflect in this sudden pandemic: What is man? A small invisible virus can disrupt the entire world. We humans really can't. We need to be truly humble before God to admit our weakness. So we should rely on God, seek God, and look to God.
Next, Peter said what we couldn’t do: "Don't repay evil with evil, or insult with insult." David experienced so many grievances, sufferings, and persecution, but every time he experienced the valley of the shadow of death, the Lord was with him. Even though we have grievances, difficulties, and weaknesses at this moment, we are powerless in the face of the environment, and we don't know where to go, the only thing we need to know is that the Lord's eyes are on the righteous, and the Lord's ears are attentive to our prayers. He may take care of us and protect us.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Beijing Fengtai Church Reopens
