Friday Fellowship at Church Meeting Hall - Part II

The first question was a classic study case. We may cover it more in the future study of John 3. Here is my thought of related to these two questions.

God has its superior wisdom. 罗马书 Romans 8:28 万有都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处，就是按祂旨意被召的人。

Chinese suffered a lot in the history. In my generation, we know a little bit about the terrible and horrible things in the Culture revolutionary. However, one thing on the other side the Culture revolutionary is that most religious beliefs were taken away. Most of young generation becomes agnostic, nonbeliever. So we do not have the religious attachment like Jewish people. So the openness to Bible is obvious among Chinese students and scholars. China was open to western world about 30 years ago, so many of them come to US to have opportunities to know Bible.

The Lord is the path, He prepared the path to know Him. 帖撒罗尼迦前书 3: 11 愿我们的神与父自己，和我们的主耶稣，修直我们到你们那里去的路.

In recent economic recession many students have difficulties to find a job, so some of them gradually realize they cannot depend on their knowledge, abilities, and hardworking to achieve their needs. I believe that the God is managing all the situations, hints or reveals His desire to all of us go through situations, and to use people around the situation. His purpose is 叫爱神的人得益处. Many incidents seem normal or random, but we need to be alert to what happened to us. He uses the situation to reveal us that we should depend on Him instead of ourselves.

A lot of things we really do not have answers. When I look up the beautiful sky, I am amazed. But I almost know nothing about the stars. God sets the boundaries for the moment, we do not know a lot of things. But one thing I know He exists, and He is the living one that we can depend on, experience and enjoy. In 使徒行传 第十七章, we know God sets our limits, reveals His desire: want us to seek Him, and He is near to us, literally inside us if we open Him.

17:26 祂从1一本造出万族的人，住在全地面上，并且2预先定准他们的时期，和居住的疆界，
17:27 要叫他们寻求神，或者可以揣摩而得，其实祂1离我们各人不远；

In Chinese culture, we want to be responsible, work hard to achieve many things. We are determined 定意 to be successful, try our best 奔跑 for our job, our house, etc. However, in everybody’s life, there are times that we feel we are so little, so weak, and could not control many situations. In my opinion, it is the time God reveals to us that He is really one we should depend on. And He is dependable because He is 怜悯的神. Even for us to have Him, it also is His mercy. (在于神的怜悯)

罗马书 九14～18
9:15 因为祂对摩西说，“我要向谁施怜悯，就向谁施怜悯；要对谁动怜恤，就对谁动怜恤。”
9:16 这样看来，这不在于那定意的，也不在于那奔跑的，只在于那施怜悯的神。

Since most of the gospel friend has strong science background. The science scope and spiritual scope were mentioned in the meeting. I would like to add a few words here. Many people are amazed the advancing of science and technology, so it is natural to think the science knowledge is the resolution of human problems. Actually what we know is very limited, probably only a very tiny bit of God’s creation. While we pursuit the knowledge in the colleges, we should know we just explore a very small part of His creation. He is actual one we need to know.
If you visit University of Texas in Austin, there is a statement on one building:
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (你们必认识真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。) You may appreciate you have chance to study in the temple of science. But do you know where this sentence comes from? It is from Bible, John 8:32! Jesus said He is the truth, and know Him we are truly free (John 8:36 所以神的儿子若叫你们自由，你们就真自由了).

If you visit University of California at Berkeley, on the main entrance gate, you may notice the UC motto, Fiat Lux. It is the Latin word, in English, it means Let there be the light which comes from Genesis (创世记1:3 神说，要有光). May the Lord enlightens our hearts, He is the one we should really gain, pursuit. As mentioned in the Proverbs 箴言 9:10 敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端，认识至圣者便是聪明。

No matter how long you stay in the US, take very opportunity to know Him. And in my heart, I prayed for these students and visiting scholars to be 好土 the good earth: 但那撒在好土里的，就是人听了道，接受了，并且结实，有的三十倍，有的六十倍，有的一百倍。

马可福音 第四章: 撒种的比喻

4:1	耶 稣又在海边施 教；有大批群众聚集到祂那里，祂只得上船坐下；船在海里，群众都朝着海站在岸上。
4:2	祂 就用比喻教训他们许多事，在教训之间，对他们说，
4:3	你 们要听！看哪，那撒 种的出去撒 种。
4:4	撒 的时候，有的落在路旁，飞鸟来吃尽了。
4:5	又 有的落在土浅石头地上，土既不深，立刻发苗；
4:6	日 头一出来，就晒焦了，又因没有根，便枯干了。
4:7	还 有的落在荆棘里，荆棘长起来，把它全然挤住了，就不结实。
4:8	但 有的落在好土里，就发苗长大，并且结实，有的结三十倍，有的六十倍，有的一百倍。
4:9	祂 又说，有耳可听的，就应当听。
4:10	当耶稣独自的时候，祂周围的人，和十二个门徒，就将这些比喻问祂。
4:11	耶稣对他们说，神 国的奥秘，只给你们知道，但对外人，凡事就用 比喻，
4:12	叫他们看是看见，却看不透，听是听见，却不领悟；恐怕他们回转过来，就得赦免。
4:13	耶稣又对他们说，你们不晓 得这比喻么？这样怎能明 白一切的比喻？
4:14	那撒种者所撒的，乃是道。
4:15	那撒在路旁的，就是人听了道，撒但立刻来，把撒在他们里面的道夺了去。
4:16	那撒在石头地上的，照样也是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受，
4:17	但他们里面没有根，不过是暂时的；及至为道遭遇患难或逼迫，就立刻绊跌了。
4:18	还有那撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道，
4:19	后来有今世的思虑、钱财的迷惑、以及其他的贪欲，进来把道全然挤住了，道就不能结实。
4:20	但那撒在好土里的，就是人听了道，接受了，并且结实，有的三十倍，有的六十倍，有的一百倍。

Note: This post and the previous one were written by brother Jerry Dong.