Wednesday, July 10, 2013

WEEK 4 - New Role: Follow Jesus to Complete God's Whole Saving Plan (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)




Today's Reading: Matthew 3:13-17

**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.


Please click this link to Matthew 3:13-17

N.T. Wright's version:

Then Jesus arrived at the Jordan from Galilee, and came to John to be baptized by him.
John tried to stop him.
'I ought to be baptized by you,' he said, 'And are you going to come to me?'
'This is how it's got to be right now,' said Jesus. 'This is the right way for us to complete God's whole saving plan.'
So John consented, and Jesus was baptized.  All at once, as he came up out of the water, suddenly the heavens were opened, and he saw God's spirit coming down like a dove and landing on him.
Then there came a voice out of the heavens.
'This is my son, my beloved one,' said the voice. 'I am delighted with him.'



Bible Study
     
     With our willingness to follow the good example of John's lifestyle, God is going to give us a new role. With Jesus baptism, this new role is being revealed. 

     Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):
     Those who in repentance and faith follow Jesus through baptism and along the road he will now lead us will find, if we listen, that the same voice from heaven speaks to us as well.  As we learn to put aside our own plans and submit to his, we may be granted moments of vision, glimpses of his greater reality. And at the centre of that sudden sight we will find our loving father, affirming us as his children, equipping us, too, with his spirit so that our lives may be swept clean and made ready for use.
             N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.22.

     Have you entered into this loving intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father? Are you in the process of being equipped by the Father to follow Jesus' lead each day to complete God's whole saving plan?

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"



Spiritual Journal

     The topic I received from Jesus today is : 
     New Role : Follow Jesus to complete God's whole saving plan
     
     What I received from Jesus today is his Great Commission:
     "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."        Matthew 28:18-20

     What Jesus commanded us and His apostles was what He did in that three years of His Messianic ministry. That was his role and He did it well.

     The Great Commission was the last word He said on earth. He is telling you and me what we need to do is just to follow what He did. That is so simple, right?

     Most Christians think that this is an impossible job. Yes, it really is an impossible job. Because this is not only our jobs but Jesus will work with us to complete this God-size plan. We do not have the authority to do that and we need to know it very clearly. The authority has been given to Jesus Christ, not us. Whenever we are willing to let Jesus lead us as our Lord and King, we can exercise that authority.

    I came to Regina yesterday having my overseeing ministry to St. Jude Apostolic Anglican Church. I was in the hotel business centre last night trying to print my boarding pass to Toronto but both computers were out of order. They sent in a staff, Jordan, to help me. We chatted a little bit and by the leading of the Holy Spirit I found out that he and his wife are in deep distress because they came over to Canada from Philippines just a month ago and it is very difficult for them to adapt. He and his wife are both Christians going to a Baptist church very near here. I prayed for him in that business centre and that was like heaven for a moment. Jesus sent me as His messenger to bless him and his wife in a way they could not expect. Yes, God calls us to follow Jesus' lead to complete His saving plan in His very special time. That is our new role. And, that is such a glorious role! 

Dear Lord Jesus,
Lead us to follow your lead to be willing to take this new role and do it well. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 



Questions for group leaders

Topic: New Role: Follow Jesus to Complete God's Whole Saving Plan

      新角色: 與主同工


1. What kind of new role is this passage talking about? Do you think you have already taken up this new role? 


2. Have you entered into this loving intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father? How do you know you are in this relationship?

3. Are you in the process of being equipped by the Father to follow Jesus' lead each day to complete God's whole saving plan? Any example?

4. What have you got from Jesus in today's session?


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Chinese praise song - 我的心你要稱頌耶和華 Praise the Lord, O My Soul


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Discipler123(Daily Devotion, with English and Cantonese podcast)

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(One year New Testament): 

Daily Devotion on Fire(3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

Break.Build(40 days daily devotion- First Baby Step for new Christians, with English and Cantonese podcast): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study, with English and Cantonese podcast): 
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