July 15/16

From the Pastor’s Desk :Pastor Alex Poon

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

In the distant road, I see a figure of a person wearing bright neon yellow on the side of the road, I instinctively ease off my acceleration. I see a Ford F-150 parked at the side of the busy road, my right foot withdraws from the right-side pedal to hover over the left. My eyes shift to my speedometer, to triple check my speed. Because both these cues, when seen on the road, represent to me the subtle presence of a police speed trap.

I am familiar with the traffic regulations of the road… but it’s as soon as my eyes catch the image of a physical representative of the law, my knowledge becomes deeply practical. Suddenly, the knowledge I already possessed in the form of unconscious habit becomes ever so tangible.

The authority represented by a black and white police car brings to light familiar truths. Or to put it more generally, sometimes we need to see a visual cue, in order to recall what we habitually know.

In this same heart, God has created you and I – made in His image – to be visual cues amongst this earth as physical reminders of His will. The Apostle Peter said as much:

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. That you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.”

• 1 Peter 2:9

In God’s all-knowing ways, in His kindness, God elects priestly representatives – people with special roles who acted on His behalf. He formed a chosen people charged to be His hands and feet in the world. Representatives seen throughout all the earth. You are His visible ambassadors to this world, mirroring an invisible God.

You who follow Him, you are chosen as a royal priesthood, to proclaim how excellent He is. Where do you find such opportunity to do this?

One reason why we gather weekly is to perform priestly duties to one another. We don’t neglect to gather because we are called to exhort one another. We make effort to meet regularly not because of simple friendship or family ties – but we are given intentional opportunities to proclaim the greatness of God to our fellow image bearers. In unison, we sing familiar songs with verses and choruses that repeat God’s promises through melody. Listening attentively, share stories of how God’s presence can be felt in our lives even amidst our suffering. Vulnerably, we tell testimonies of how we have tasted the grace of our Holy God who forgives us in our sin. Together, we verbalize statements of truth that put into words the loving act of our sacrificial Lord Jesus Christ. We commit to being honest before each other as ones who acknowledge our deep need for a Savior. The knowledge that rests on our mind, and the experiences of daily life all sync in tune as the Spirit stirs us to connect the dots between life and faith. We do all this when we gather. Then we go into the communities and relationships outside the church doors to which we are called.

God made you in His image; bothered to put you on this earth so you would learn His excellencies, then proclaim them. God breathed life into you, so you would encounter His majesty, so that you would share His mesmerizing love with your curious neighbour.

The point is this: God made you in His image, and He gathered you up to make a local church body, to give you the opportunity to regularly look your brother and sister in the eye to make tangible truths already known. You are the visual cue that brings forth heightened awareness of unconscious habits. You are the image bearer who serves to call attention to the love of God made possible through Jesus.

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Alex Poon

2023.07.15/16

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

我看見在遠處的馬路旁有一個身穿螢光黃衣服的人影，我本能告訴我放慢車速。我看到一輛福特F-150型號的車輛停泊在繁忙的路邊，我的右腳從右側踏板上收回，懸停在左側踏板上。我的目光轉向錶版上的速度表，再次檢查我的車速。因為我認為，在馬路上看到這兩種線索代表警察在檢測馬路上行車的車速。

我熟悉馬路上的交通規則…但當我的眼睛看到法例的實體代表的圖像時，我一向擁有的認知甚至乎是已經成為潛意式的習慣，突然間變得如此真確地顯露出來。

黑白色的警車成為權威的代表，這是我們熟悉的事實，或者，有時我們需要看到視覺提示，才喚起我們習慣性知道的東西。

同一顆心，上帝按照祂的形象造了你和我，我們是祂在地上的視覺提醒。使徒彼得也說過：

「然而你們是蒙揀選的族類，是君尊的祭司，是聖潔的國民，是屬神的子民，為要叫你們宣揚那召你們出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。」(彼得前書2:9)

神以祂全知、全能的屬性，本著祂的慈愛，揀選祂的選民，這些選民擁有一個特殊的身份，就是要作祂在地上世界各地的見證。你們是祂派往這個世界看得見的大使，反映著一位看不見的上帝。

你們跟隨神的人，被揀選為君尊的祭司，來宣揚祂的榮美。您在哪裡找到這樣的機會來做到這一點？

我們每週聚會的原因之一是為了彼此履行祭司的職責。我們蒙召為要彼此勸勉，我們不可以停止聚會，我們努力定期聚會，並不是因為簡單的友誼或家庭關係，而是大家結伴同行宣揚上帝的偉大。透過詩歌我們同聲讚頌上帝的應許。細心聆聽彼此分享生活的點滴，在苦難中我們感受到神臨在的安慰；在軟弱的時候，神赦免我們的罪，見證神的恩典。我們一起用言語表達真理，表達我們主耶穌基督犧牲的大愛。認定主基督是我們的救主，我們承諾彼此坦誠相待。透過聖靈引導我們，將生活和信仰融為一體。我們在一起聚會都這樣做，我們被呼召進入社區，與隣舍建立關係。

神按照祂的形象造你；讓你住在地上，認識祂的美善並傳揚祂。神將生氣給你成為有靈的活人，你就能遇見祂的威榮，你就能與你的鄰舍分享祂奇妙無私的大愛。

重點是：神按照祂的形象造你，祂招聚了你來成為一個地方教會群體，弟兄姊妹彼此扶持提醒。你是祂形象的承載者，旨在喚起人們藉著耶穌對神大愛的關注。

主僕，
潘啟華傳道

2023.07.08/09

From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Mark Liu

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC. It is by God’s Grace that I can use this channel to share with you what I have experienced during this period of time.

As you may know, in the past two weeks, my family, a family of five, went back to Taiwan to visit my in-laws. During this journey, Fiona and I also visited our missionaries serving there. (Sorry, I can’t share their names here)

Chiayi Alliance Church has just started meeting at a new location. Fiona and I were very excited to see with our missionaries.  The first came to my mind was why choosing Chiayi to set up a church?  It turned out that the purpose of setting up the Chiayi Alliance Church is to reach out to a group of local farmers and those who are living in poverty, so that they can hear the gospel. I was very moved by this vision.  Because to do so, our missionaries must first be a neighbor to these people, which means that the life of our missionaries is very simple. In addition to the subpar living conditions, our missionaries have to learn to use the local vocabulary. Although they can speak Mandarin, the vocabularies are very different from what they used to, as a result, they need to re-learn the vocabularies. In addition to these, our missionaries also learn to use motorcycles for transportation purpose. What they put on is not a little, but all, including the children who also need to learn to adapt in the new environment; however, they have joy. why? Because they know the purpose of being there.

During the worship service, one of the missionaries shared the view which illustrates this point – what they are called to do is to share the good news with the local people. This good news is the salvation of Jesus Christ. Because this is good news and they are called to share, they would not dwell too much on other matters. No matter how difficult the environment is, they are willing to spend their lives to communicate with the local people and share the good news without hesitation.

When we asked them if they need assistance, what they thought about was how can they use the facilities to connect with local people. For example, they hope to have a small area for the children to learn Bible Stories. What they think about is not their own needs, but how they can share the gospel in different ways.

How do we view the gospel? Is the gospel good news for us? How do we respond to this good news? We are all children of God because of this good news. Have we thought about how to pass this good news out? In the hearts of our missionaries, it is not how to make their children’s lives better or have a good education, but to make the Chiayi Alliance Church a channel for the gospel. Fiona and I are very willing to be their partners.  I hope you will feel the same way. If you want to know how to assist the gospel ministry in Chiayi, please contact me or Fiona.

Thank you.

May God bless you all.  May God bless RCAC.

His servant,
Rev. Mark Liu

2023.07.08/09

列宣家的弟兄姊妹大家好。感謝神，能夠在這裡和你們分享在這一段日子中所經歷的。

大家可能知道，在過去的兩個星期，我們一家五口回到台灣探望師母的父母。而在這一段旅程中，師母和我也順便探望在當地服事的宣教士。（不好意思，由於特殊的原因，我不能在這裡分享他們的名字）

宣道會嘉義堂剛剛開始在一個新的地方聚會。師母和我來到當中，非常高興看見列宣家所支持的宣教士。我很好奇為什麼會選擇在嘉義呢？原來，在嘉義設立宣道會的目的，就是希望能夠接觸到一班當地的農戶和一些在社會上比較貧窮的人，讓這些人都能夠聽聞福音。我對這個異象非常感動，因為要做到這一點，必須先要成為當地的人的鄰舍，也就是說，宣教士的生活是非常簡單的。除了生活條件不是太好，我們的宣教士還要學習使用當地的詞彙。雖然他（她）們會講國語，但是，用的詞彙就要重新學習。除了要重新學習詞彙和過一個非常簡單的生活之外，我們的宣教士還要學習使用摩托車代步。他（她）們所擺上的，不是一點，而是全部，包括孩子們也需要重新適應。但是，他（她）們卻是喜樂的。為什麼呢？因為知道服事的目的是什麼。

在當天的崇拜中，其中一位宣教士的分享就見證了這一點，那就是他（她）們所做的是要把好消息分享給當地的人。這個好消息就是耶穌基督的救恩。如果是好消息的話，就不要太計較現在所面對的。無論環境有多困難，他（她）們一家還是義無反顧擺上一切，願意用生命來與當地的人交流，把好消息分享。

當我們詢問他（她）們需要什麼的時候，他（她）們所想的就是如何能夠讓教會提供更多的設施來與當地的人聯繫。譬如說，希望能夠有一個地方讓小朋友可以學習聖經。所想的不是自己的需要，而是如何用不同的方法來分享福音。

我們如何看待福音呢？對我們來說，福音是好消息嗎？我們如何回應這個好消息呢？我們都是因為這個好消息而成為神的兒女。我們有想過如何把這個好消息傳遞出去嗎？在我們的宣教士的心中，不是如何讓孩子生活好一點或者是有好的教育，而是要讓宣道會嘉義堂成為福音的渠道。師母和我很願意成為他（她）們的夥伴，用各種方法來支援和鼓勵他（她）們的服事。我期盼你也會有同樣的感動。如果想知道如何協助在嘉義的福音事工，請和我或師母聯繫。

願神祝福你們，願神祝福列宣家。

主僕，
劉展權牧師

2023.07.01/02

from the pastor’s desk :Rev. Francis Chan

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

God promised Abram: “I will make you a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing to the others.” God then instructed him to follow his lead. The Bible does not reveal what Abram was thinking at that time. He, who was apparently obedient and trusting, took his wife Sarai, nephew Lot, servants and livestock, and left Haran for the Promised Land. He was then 75 years old.

Upon arrival, there was a famine. Without asking God, Abram took his people to Egypt, where there was still food. Because he was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him for coveting Sarai’s beauty, he asked his wife to tell outsiders that she was his sister. Because of his selfishness, cowardice, stupidity, and little faith in God, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, had almost slept with Sarai. Yet God revealed the truth to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh sent Sarai back to Abram. After returning to Canaan, God promised Abram that He would give to his descendants the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates. After 10 years, Sarai still bore him no child. Abram’s problem of little faith broke out again. Without asking God and listening only to Sarai’s advice, he slept with her maidservant Hagar, who gave birth to Ishmael. He was then 86 years old.

God appeared to Abram again when he was 99 years old and asked him to change his name to Abraham, meaning that he would become the father of all nations, and Sarai also changed his name to Sarah. Through circumcision, God made an eternal covenant with Abraham and his descendants, giving them the land of Canaan as their eternal inheritance, and the LORD God would be their eternal God. However, the descendants of Abraham who were entitled to this covenant could only come from Sarah, his legal wife. When Abraham was 100 years old, the God’s promise came to pass, and Sarah gave birth to Isaac. When Abraham lived in Gerar, he also told the locals that Sarah was his sister. Before long, King Abimelek of Gerar brought Sarah to the palace. God again intervened and protected Sarah’s innocence.

All these things tell us that Abraham was not an extraordinary person with the strongest faith at all times but an ordinary person whose faith could become weak from time to time. However, when he experienced God’s salvation and fulfillment of God’s promises time after time, his faith in God grew stronger and stronger. In the ultimate test, because he believed that God could raise the dead, he obeyed God’s command and offered Isaac as a sacrifice. Of course, God was only testing his faith and obedience. In the end, the angel prevented him from killing Isaac; God prepared a lamb for him as a sacrifice; and he was even called in the Bible father of the faith and a friend of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, are you struggling in your journey of faith? Do you have doubts about God’s leading in your life? Are you hesitant to place your life entirely in God’s hands? Please do not feel guilty or afraid. Accept the fact that you are only an ordinary person, firmly believe that God’s grace is always sufficient, continually follow God’s leading, and continually experience God’s presence… and you will be just fine.

Thanksgiving Sharing: After more than 20 years of prayers, my father-in-law/Winnie’s dad accepted the Lord in Hong Kong at around 1:30 pm on June 30. Winnie and I would like to express our gratitude to all brothers and sisters who have interceded for us in the past. May all glory and praise be to the loving and faithful God.

His Servant
Pastor Francis Chan