The church started to celebrate Passion Week 2022 from Palm Sunday, April 10 to April 17, Easter Sunday. From April 11 to 16, a church in China's southern-coastal Guangdong Province hosted a sermon series during the whole period.
On April 11, Holy Monday, Rev. Wu Lijuan of Guangzhou Zion Church broadcasted live a sermon titled "Cleansing the Temple". Citing Mark 11:15-17, the pastor shared on "Jesus cleansed the visible temple in Jerusalem" and "cleansed the temple of heart".
After entering the Holy City, Jesus did two important things. One was to curse the fig tree and the other was to cleanse the temple, which were closely related. Because the belief at that time only had the appearance of religious rites but not the essence of worship, just like a fig tree which only had leaves but no fruits.
Why was Jesus so angry? Rev. Wu shared that the temple was originally a holy house where the people of God gathered to worship Him. Passover commemorated the historic moment when God led the Israelites out of Egypt. However, the Jews turned the holy temple into a marketplace for buying and selling animals, which completely deprived the temple of its holiness. Therefore, Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and stopped the trading. "Through Jesus' ‘cleansing’, it also allows us to contemplate whether there is something in us that is not in line with God's will," the pastor added.
Purifying the visible temple also reminded believers to sanctify their spiritual temple.
On April 12, Holy Tuesday, Rev. Wu’s sermon was themed "Being a Faithful Servant of God". Based on Matthew 24:45-51, she shared on "being faithful" and "being wise".
The pastor said that being faithful to God meant that we remained the same before and behind God. Everything we did should be for the glory of God and to be faithful with what He had entrusted to us, but not to show off ourselves or to save our own “face”. Rev. Wu mentioned a few points, such as nurturing Christians, educating the children, and taking care of ourselves. All of these were being faithful to God for the sake of the gospel. Being loyal to God was not to expect any reward, for God himself was worthy of our love.
In addition to being faithful, Jesus reminded us to be wise. Because the master had put us in charge of the servants in his household to provide spiritual food at the proper time. The pastor advised, “Although we can’t meet face to face now, we can spend time memorizing God’s words instead of online chatting or swiping TikTok when we feel bored. By sharing what you have learned with those around you, those who listen and who share will both benefit.“
On April 15, Rev. Yang Yongchun preached an virtual sermon on Good Friday, citing Matthew 27:45-46.
"Today is the day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus. On this day more than 2,000 years ago, the Lord Jesus faced a long trial and extremely cruel punishment, whipping, torture, ridicule, and insult. Being exhausted, he carried a heavy cross to Golgotha."
When Jesus Christ was crucified, he suffered the most extreme physical pain and was forsaken by God the Father. The reason why Jesus suffered, shed blood and sacrificed was to bear our sins and pains, so that we could be freed from the bondage of sins and chosen by God to live in Him precisely because of what Jesus had paid for us on the cross.
"Now that Jesus has died for me, who am I living for now? What is the purpose of hustling every day? Is it really meaningful to work hard in Christ?" Rev. Yang asked.
On April 16, the seventh day of the Holy Week, Pastor Guo Jinfeng shared a sermon with the title Practice of Observing Sabbath, citing Matthew 27:57-66.
Guo stated that two important events happened on Holy Sabbath were the burial of Jesus and the guard at the tomb. He introduced that the key figures and even the disciples of Jesus Christ did not believe in His resurrection. Today we are different from the Jews of that time since we have a biblical record of what happened. "Today do we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His last words on the cross?"
Guo mentioned two things that believers should believe. The first was what had happened 2000 years ago. The second was whether we would have eternal life. If we chose to believe, then we chose to do what pleased God. For this reason, the pastor reminded us that "every day of our current life should be a preparation day, during which we should be full of confidence to welcome Christ's resurrection".
On April 17, the church hosted three online services to commemorate the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Rev. Yang Yongchun led the third service in the evening with the title The Power of Resurrection. Based on Matthew 28:1-9, he shared about that the power of Christ's resurrection gave people a living hope, love, redemption and eternal life.
"That Jesus was risen from the dead tells us that there will never be despair in Jesus Christ. Even when human beings see it as hopeless, the resurrected Lord still gives people hope of victory in the darkness of death." Rev. Yang shared that Jesus has not only been risen but also was walking with each of His children who believed in him.
Easter told us that as long as we were willing to come to Jesus to repent, we could be forgiven and saved by Him, which brought us no hatred or punishment, but peace of mind and eternal life. We also needed to love those around us, to forgive those who had been or were offending us.
Yang declared that the first patriarchs Adam and Eve sinned, for which the chains of sins and the judgment in death closely followed our lives. The difficult situations, wars, jealousy and disputes we faced today were all caused by people's sins which would result in death. Death was not just end of life, but also referred to the separation of man from the Lord of eternal peace. The pastor said, "The real victory is not over one specific sin, but Jesus has freed us from curse of sin and death. In him, we can rely on the protection of His grace so that we no longer live under the curse of sin or death."
This day, we are living under the shroud of the COVID-19 pandemic, which people fear. Yet, the power of Christ's resurrection would be the ultimate support for people's lives. Despite death that everyone would finally face, it would not a painful and hopeless end for Christians. "The end of our flesh is a new beginning. It is a door that opens not to the terrible judgment and infernal torment, but to the heavenly home that Jesus has already prepared for us."
- Translated by Shuya Wang
4月10日起，教会进入2022年受难周期，从4月11日至4月16日，广州锡安堂每晚进行主题分享。
4月11日，权柄日。广州锡安堂伍丽娟牧师通过直播平台，以《洁净圣殿》为题，引用马可福音11章15-17节的经文，从“耶稣洁净耶路撒冷有形圣殿”和“洁净圣灵的殿”这两点展开分享。
耶稣荣进圣城后做了两件重要的事情，一个是咒诅无花果树，一个是洁净圣殿，这两件事有着密切联系。因为当时的信仰只有宗教礼仪的外貌而没有敬拜的实质。就好像无花果树只有叶子而没有果子一般。
耶稣为什么会这么生气？伍牧师分享，圣殿本是神的百姓聚集敬拜神的地方，是圣洁的。逾越节是纪念上帝带领以色列百姓出埃及的历史性时刻，犹太人却将圣殿变成了买卖的市场，使圣殿完全失去了圣洁。因此耶稣推翻了兑换银钱的桌子，将买卖的交易打断了。“通过耶稣‘洁净’这一动作，也让我们来思想我们里面是否也有不符合上帝心意的地方。”
借着洁净看得见的圣殿也教导人将心灵的圣殿分别为圣。
4月12日，伍丽娟牧师以《做主忠仆》为题，引用马太福音24章45-51节经文，从“忠心”和“有见识”两点展开教诲日分享。
牧师讲到，向着神的忠心就是我们在神前和神后，是一个样子的。而我们所做的一切事情都应是为了神的利益，不是为了彰显自己，也不是为了自己的面子，而是忠于神所托付的。这里伍牧师提到了几点，如牧养好羊群，教育好儿女，照顾好自己的身体等，这一切都是向神忠心，也是为了福音的缘故。 而我们向着神的忠心并不是为了得回报，乃是因为神本身就是值得我们去爱的。
除了忠心之外，主耶稣还提醒我们要成为有见识的人。因为仆人是被主人所派，要管理家里的人，还要按时分粮，也需要来到神的面前按时得粮。”牧师劝勉，“虽然我们现在不能面对面聚会，但我们可以借着网上聊天，无聊时刷抖音的时间去储备神的话语。将自己所得的分享给身边的人，这样听的和分享的都会彼此造就。
4月15日广州锡安堂举办了线上受难日崇拜聚会。杨永纯牧师为受难日聚会证道分享。引用主题经文马太福音27章45-46节。
今天是纪念耶稣受难的日子。在两千多年前的这一天，主耶稣面临了长时间的审判和无比残酷的刑罚、鞭打、折磨、嘲笑和侮辱，在筋疲力尽时还要背着沉重十字架走向各各他山。
当耶稣基督被钉在十字架上时，遭受了身体上最极端的痛苦和天父上帝的离弃。耶稣之所以受苦受尽折磨流血牺牲乃是要承担我们的罪孽，背负我们的痛苦。我们可以脱离罪的捆所，被神拣选，活在祂里面，这一切恰恰是因为耶稣已经在十字架上为我们负上的赎价。
“耶稣为我死，我现在每天活着是为谁而活？每日辛辛苦苦忙忙碌碌的事情是为了什么？奔波劳碌在基督里到底是不是真的有意义？”杨牧师劝勉到。
4月16日，广州锡安堂进行受难周第七天分享。郭金峰宣教师以《安息的操练》为题，引用马太福音27章57-66节经文，展开安息日分享。
郭教师分享了在安息日这一天发生的两个重要事件，埋葬和守墓。介绍了在这其中的关键人物乃至耶稣基督的门徒，他们都是不相信耶稣基督的复活的。今天的我们与那个时代的犹太人不同的是，我们有圣经记载了所发生的事件。“今天的我们是否相信耶稣基督的复活，是否相信主受难时留下的遗言？”
郭教师在这里提到两种信徒应该有的信心：是不是的信心和会不会的信心。第一个就是已经发生的事情我们是否相信？第二个以永生为例：会不会有永生？如果选择相信会，那我们就会选择做上帝喜悦的事情。为此郭教师提醒我们，“当下活着的每一天都当成为预备日，充满信心迎接基督的复活”。
4月17日，广州锡安堂举办了线上纪念主基督复活主日三场礼拜。晚上第三场崇拜，由杨永纯牧师以《复活的大能》为题，引用主题经文马太福音28章1-9节经文，从“基督复活的大能是赐人希望的大能”，赐人爱的大能”和赐人救赎与永生的大能”三点来展开分享。
“耶稣如此的复活告诉我们每个人，在耶稣基督里面永远没有绝望，就算是在人看为绝望，没有希望时，但是这位复活的主，仍旧在死亡黑暗中给予人得胜的希望。”杨牧师分享，耶稣不仅复活了并且正在与我们每位信他的儿女同在同行。
复活节要告诉我们只要我们愿意来到耶稣面前悔改，我们就能得到耶稣的赦免和饶恕，带给我们的不是仇恨与刑法，而是得到心灵的平安，永生的平安。我们也要去爱我们身边的人，同样也去饶恕那些曾经或现在得罪我们的人。
始祖亚当和夏娃犯罪，罪的锁链与死的审判就紧紧跟随人的生活，今日所面对的艰难的环境和战争，嫉妒纷争无不是因为人的罪导致的。而罪的结局就是死。死不仅仅只是肉体的死亡与结束。更是指人与永恒平安之主的隔绝。牧师提醒，“真正的得胜，不是具体的罪，而是耶稣已经得胜了整个罪与罪的的咒诅，我们在他的里面可以靠着恩典的遮盖，使我们不再活在罪的咒诅中，死亡的咒诅中。”
现今我们生活在疫情病毒的笼罩之下，人们有面对疫情的恐惧。而基督复活的大能才是每个人生命最终的依靠。尽管人都要面对死亡的结局，但基督徒面对这个并不是痛苦绝望的结局。“肉体的结束是新的开始，是一扇门，打开的不是可怕的审判和地狱的痛苦，而是去到耶稣早已为我们预备的天家。”
广州锡安堂受难周系列分享
The church started to celebrate Passion Week 2022 from Palm Sunday, April 10 to April 17, Easter Sunday. From April 11 to 16, a church in China's southern-coastal Guangdong Province hosted a sermon series during the whole period.
On April 11, Holy Monday, Rev. Wu Lijuan of Guangzhou Zion Church broadcasted live a sermon titled "Cleansing the Temple". Citing Mark 11:15-17, the pastor shared on "Jesus cleansed the visible temple in Jerusalem" and "cleansed the temple of heart".
After entering the Holy City, Jesus did two important things. One was to curse the fig tree and the other was to cleanse the temple, which were closely related. Because the belief at that time only had the appearance of religious rites but not the essence of worship, just like a fig tree which only had leaves but no fruits.
Why was Jesus so angry? Rev. Wu shared that the temple was originally a holy house where the people of God gathered to worship Him. Passover commemorated the historic moment when God led the Israelites out of Egypt. However, the Jews turned the holy temple into a marketplace for buying and selling animals, which completely deprived the temple of its holiness. Therefore, Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and stopped the trading. "Through Jesus' ‘cleansing’, it also allows us to contemplate whether there is something in us that is not in line with God's will," the pastor added.
Purifying the visible temple also reminded believers to sanctify their spiritual temple.
On April 12, Holy Tuesday, Rev. Wu’s sermon was themed "Being a Faithful Servant of God". Based on Matthew 24:45-51, she shared on "being faithful" and "being wise".
The pastor said that being faithful to God meant that we remained the same before and behind God. Everything we did should be for the glory of God and to be faithful with what He had entrusted to us, but not to show off ourselves or to save our own “face”. Rev. Wu mentioned a few points, such as nurturing Christians, educating the children, and taking care of ourselves. All of these were being faithful to God for the sake of the gospel. Being loyal to God was not to expect any reward, for God himself was worthy of our love.
In addition to being faithful, Jesus reminded us to be wise. Because the master had put us in charge of the servants in his household to provide spiritual food at the proper time. The pastor advised, “Although we can’t meet face to face now, we can spend time memorizing God’s words instead of online chatting or swiping TikTok when we feel bored. By sharing what you have learned with those around you, those who listen and who share will both benefit.“
On April 15, Rev. Yang Yongchun preached an virtual sermon on Good Friday, citing Matthew 27:45-46.
"Today is the day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus. On this day more than 2,000 years ago, the Lord Jesus faced a long trial and extremely cruel punishment, whipping, torture, ridicule, and insult. Being exhausted, he carried a heavy cross to Golgotha."
When Jesus Christ was crucified, he suffered the most extreme physical pain and was forsaken by God the Father. The reason why Jesus suffered, shed blood and sacrificed was to bear our sins and pains, so that we could be freed from the bondage of sins and chosen by God to live in Him precisely because of what Jesus had paid for us on the cross.
"Now that Jesus has died for me, who am I living for now? What is the purpose of hustling every day? Is it really meaningful to work hard in Christ?" Rev. Yang asked.
On April 16, the seventh day of the Holy Week, Pastor Guo Jinfeng shared a sermon with the title Practice of Observing Sabbath, citing Matthew 27:57-66.
Guo stated that two important events happened on Holy Sabbath were the burial of Jesus and the guard at the tomb. He introduced that the key figures and even the disciples of Jesus Christ did not believe in His resurrection. Today we are different from the Jews of that time since we have a biblical record of what happened. "Today do we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His last words on the cross?"
Guo mentioned two things that believers should believe. The first was what had happened 2000 years ago. The second was whether we would have eternal life. If we chose to believe, then we chose to do what pleased God. For this reason, the pastor reminded us that "every day of our current life should be a preparation day, during which we should be full of confidence to welcome Christ's resurrection".
On April 17, the church hosted three online services to commemorate the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Rev. Yang Yongchun led the third service in the evening with the title The Power of Resurrection. Based on Matthew 28:1-9, he shared about that the power of Christ's resurrection gave people a living hope, love, redemption and eternal life.
"That Jesus was risen from the dead tells us that there will never be despair in Jesus Christ. Even when human beings see it as hopeless, the resurrected Lord still gives people hope of victory in the darkness of death." Rev. Yang shared that Jesus has not only been risen but also was walking with each of His children who believed in him.
Easter told us that as long as we were willing to come to Jesus to repent, we could be forgiven and saved by Him, which brought us no hatred or punishment, but peace of mind and eternal life. We also needed to love those around us, to forgive those who had been or were offending us.
Yang declared that the first patriarchs Adam and Eve sinned, for which the chains of sins and the judgment in death closely followed our lives. The difficult situations, wars, jealousy and disputes we faced today were all caused by people's sins which would result in death. Death was not just end of life, but also referred to the separation of man from the Lord of eternal peace. The pastor said, "The real victory is not over one specific sin, but Jesus has freed us from curse of sin and death. In him, we can rely on the protection of His grace so that we no longer live under the curse of sin or death."
This day, we are living under the shroud of the COVID-19 pandemic, which people fear. Yet, the power of Christ's resurrection would be the ultimate support for people's lives. Despite death that everyone would finally face, it would not a painful and hopeless end for Christians. "The end of our flesh is a new beginning. It is a door that opens not to the terrible judgment and infernal torment, but to the heavenly home that Jesus has already prepared for us."
- Translated by Shuya Wang
Holy Week Sermon Series Given in Guangdong Church
