May 22-23, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Pastor Mark Liu

Hello, brothers and sisters. It is my pleasure to share the word of God through this article. I recently received a book, written by a sister of RCAC, about the book of Revelation. I am very excited and encouraged to read such a well written book. The content inside gave me a lot of inspirations. In particular, the author John included the prophecies in the book for a purpose, and that is to prepare us as our Lord Jesus will come again. We need to be better prepare ourselves and the time is near.

When we read God’s Word, we must always remind ourselves that God’s Word has a purpose, and one of its purposes is to let us know Him, not just know Him, but know Him well.

Speaking of knowing God, Psalm 19:1-2 appeared in my mind: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” In this verse, David told us that the heavens and the sky declare and proclaim the Glory of God. In other words, God is the one who created everything. But today, many people may have accepted the theory of evolution. What is taught in schools is that human beings are evolved beings. I don’t have much knowledge to analyze the views presented by evolution. However, I also recently read another book, written by an Old Testament scholar, John Walton. What he shared has inspired me a lot too, and I want to share the learnings with you here.

First, when we read Genesis, we must not forget that when Genesis was written, it was a long time ago. There is a big difference between the culture at that time and now. To understand the creation described in the first chapter of Genesis, one must have a certain understanding of the culture of the Near East. Of course I don’t have much knowledge to share with you the culture of the Near East, but if you read Genesis under the premise of the culture of the Near East, you will have a different understanding of Genesis. In short, what Genesis wants to express is the purpose of creation, not how it was created. Whether creation or evolution, the essence is to explain how things come from. But in Genesis, the content is not concerned about how things come from but what is the purpose of the creation. The focus is on the purpose of creation.

When we read the creation of the first day, we will know that the purpose of creation is to set up time. The purpose of the creation of the second day is to set up the weather. Time and weather produce the four seasons, which is the way human beings depend for their livelihood. After that, there are creatures, and the apex of creation is human being. All this is carried out in an orderly manner and with a purpose. Evolution does not know the purpose, only creation can have a purpose. Evolution is all about probability, only creation follows a certain order. Disrupting the order would mean nothing can be sustained and everything will be in chaos. Evolution does not know when to stop, only creation can. All this is telling us the fact that everything is created by God. When all created things are displayed according to the definition of the Creator, they are glorifying God. That is what Psalm 19 told us. What about us? If people want to glorify God, they must live according to God’s will, and God’s will is to rely on Him and live for Him.

When we look at God’s creation again, we will all admire the granduer of creation. And this Creator is not far away from us, but lives in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful mystery this is.

May God bless you all, and may God bless RCAC.

His Servant,

Pastor Mark Liu
Putonghua Ministries

May 22-23, 2021
劉展權傳道

弟兄姊妹大家好。很高興透過文字分享神的話語。最近我收到了一本書，是列宣家的一位姐妹所寫，是有關於啟示錄的。我非常興奮。裡面的內容給我很大的啟發，尤其是啟示錄當中的預言是有著一個目的，那就是要我們預備好，主耶穌必定會再來。透過預言，闡述了一些末後日子會發生的事情，我們就要預備好，活好今天，預備我們的主再來。

當我們讀神的話語的時候，我們要時刻提醒自己，那就是神的話語是有目的，而其中一個目的就是讓我們認識祂。

講到了認識神，詩篇19:1-2就在腦海中出現：“諸天述說 神的榮耀，穹蒼傳揚他的作為。天天發出言語，夜夜傳出知識。”這裡講到了一切的創造都在傳揚神的榮耀和祂的作為。創造主每一天透過自身的展現來傳揚神的作為。在今天，有很多人可能都接受了進化論。在一般的學校所教導的都說人類是從進化而來。我沒有知識來和大家分析當中的看法。但是，我最近也讀了另外一本書，是一位舊約學者John Walton所寫。他當中所分享的對我有很大的啟發，我想在這裡和大家分享。

首先，當我們讀創世記的時候，我們不能忘記創世記寫的時候，是距離現在是非常久遠的。當時的文化和現在有很大的差別。要了解創世記第一章所闡述的創造，必須要對近東的文化有一定的了解才可以。當然我沒有太多的知識和大家分享近東的文化，但是，在近東的文化的大前提下來讀創世記，就會對創世記有另一番的了解。總括來說，創世記要表達的就是創造的目的，而不是如何被創造的。進化論也好，創造論也好，講的就是生物是從哪裡來，是演變的，還是從無到有的。這一點，創世記的第一章只是略略的講述，但並不是重點。重點是創造的目的。

當我們讀到第一天的創造，就會知道創造的目的就是設立時間。第二天的創造的目的就是設立天氣。時間加上了天氣就產生了四季，是人類賴以為生的方法。之後才是生物，到最後是人。這一切都是有序的進行，而且是有目的。演變不知道目的，只有創造才會有目的。演變不會有一定的程序，只有創造才有一定的程序。演變不知道什麼時候該停，唯有創造才可以。這一切都在講述一個事實，那就是一切都是神所創造的。而一切的被造物依照著造物主的定義而展現的時候，就是在榮耀神。也就是詩篇19篇一開始所闡述的。那我們人呢？我會在下一次的牧者心聲跟大家分享。不過有一點是肯定的，那就是人要榮耀神，就必須依照神的心意來活，而神的心意就是要倚靠祂，以祂為主的心來回應。

當我們再次抬起頭來看神的創造的時候，我們都會讚嘆創造的偉大。而這一位創造主不是和我們相隔很遠，而是透過聖靈住在我們的心裡面。那是何等奇妙的奧秘呢。

願神祝福大家，願神祝福列宣家。

主僕，
劉展權傳道
普通話事工

Jan 30-31, 2021
From the Pastor’s Desk: Pastor Mark Liu

Hello, brothers and sisters. It is by God’s grace that I can use this platform to share with you my thoughts about the responsibility that children of God need to bear.

Recently, because of my deteriorating eyesight, I need to have a pair of progressive glasses. It is said that this kind of lens can help me, who have presbyopia and myopia, to see clearly, both far and near without taking off the glasses. While thinking about what to share with you, God reminded me that the Bible is like a pair of progressive lens that can help us see clearly both near and far. Why do we need to see clearly? It is because we need the “good eyesight” in order to understand God’s Will for us, to live out the life which belongs to the children of God.

From the book of Genesis, we know that because of our sins, we cannot have a direct relationship with God.  The problem came when humanity decides not to rely on God but to rely on ourselves.  Because of sins entering humanity, which causes the loss of direct relationship with God, this problem extends to our relationship with ourselves, other humanities, other creatures and also the earth.  God chose Israelites to be His people, hoping that, through this nation, that the world can understand the right way of living as humanity, which is relying on God.  And with this relationship, not only there is a reconciliation to us, but also other humanities, other creatures and the earth.  However, Israel did not complete the task. Not only did the nation fail to live like God’s people, but the nation also assimilated with the world.

The purpose of Jesus Christ entering the history of humanity is to put an end of the old and start something new.  This “new thing” is the Kingdom of Heaven.  During Jesus’ preaching, He preached the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. The gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven is to live out God’s original purpose for creation.  This starts with a right relationship with God.  This relationship can only start when humanity was redeemed, as the entire humanity was under the curse of sin. This was what the salvation of Jesus Christ was about. This salvation enables us to have a right relationship with God. Not only that we can have a right relationship with God, but also, because of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we are regarded as the children of God.

We see from the history of creation account, to the time when Jesus entering the history of humanity, which puts an end to the old and start something new.  How does this have anything to do with our daily living?  The Bible tells us to live out the identity of being God’s children. This identity has an important responsibility, which is to live out the original purpose God has for the creation. Because we are reconciled with God, we also need to bring the world to the reconciliation with God, which is sharing the gospel to the world through our lives.  It is not about preaching or sharing the gospel through our words but our lives.  We need to actively live out the role of an agent, which helps to bring the world to the reconciliation with God.

In today’s pandemic, the life of God’s children is especially precious. Because there is no hope for relying on the world.  Hope only comes from relying on God. How can the world know? It’s through our lives. The driving force for you and me to live out this life is to crown our Lord Jesus with many crowns.  This is not simply a hymn but a living testimony of each God’s child.  May we have the courage to live out this noble role in front of the world.

May God bless you. May God bless RCAC.

Jan 30-31, 2021
劉展權傳道

弟兄姊妹大家好。感謝神的恩典，讓我能夠透過文字和大家交流。

最近，因為視力的原因，我需要配一副漸進式的眼鏡。據說這種鏡片可以幫助我這些有老花又有近視的人，可以不用拿下眼鏡，遠近都可以看得清楚。在默想要透過文字和大家分享的內容的時候，神提醒我，其實聖經就是一副漸進式的眼鏡，能夠幫助我們遠近都可以看得清楚。看得清楚的目的是什麼呢？就是要成就神對我們的心意。

首先，從遠的看，我們從創世紀就讀到為什麼今天我們會面對諸多的問題，無論是氣候，人與人之間，甚至與自己都出現了問題。問題的開始，就是人選擇不倚靠神，選擇以自己取代神的位置。一切的問題就從那個時候開始。因為人以自我的意見為真理，人與神的關係出現了問題，而這個問題就延伸到人與自己，人與人和其他被造物，與大地。這個問題的開始就是罪。以色列人被選為神的子民，就是神希望透過這一個民族來再一次展現人該有的生活態度，就是倚靠祂；並因為倚靠祂，讓一切的關係得以和好。但是，以色列並沒有做到，不單沒有活出神的子民的樣式，而且更成為了世界的一份子。

耶穌基督的到來就是要把以色列人沒有做到的重新開始。耶穌在傳道的時候，宣講的就是天國的福音。天國的福音就是要活出神創造一切的目的。就是在一個對的關係下開始。這個關係不能夠隨便開始，因為我們都成為了罪的奴僕。要能夠與神有一個對的關係，就必須被救贖才可以，而這個就是耶穌基督的救恩。這個救恩成就了我們能夠與神有對的關係。這個對的關係更因著耶穌基督的緣故，接受了救恩的我們就被視為神的兒女。聖經的記載讓我們能夠看得見這一份尊貴的恩典。

從遠的，到人類歷史因著耶穌的救恩的原因而重寫，那我們該如何繼續我們的生活呢？那就是聖經要告訴我們的，就是要活出神的兒女的身分。這一個身分有一個重要的責任，就是活出神創造的心意，我們需要藉著耶穌基督的救恩，聖靈的內住，與神的關係和好，這個和好的關係也要延伸到與自己，與其他任何被造物，與大地的關係。這個就是活出救恩的展現。一切是透過救恩開始，而擁戴我們的主為王就是活出救恩背後的動力。

在今天的疫情下，這一個屬於神的兒女的生命就尤其珍貴。因為倚靠世界是沒有盼望的，唯有倚靠神才有。那世界該如何知道呢？就是透過你我的生命。你我活出生命的動力就是擁戴我們的主為王。願我們不要得到救恩之後，就停止在世界中活出這一份的見證。擁戴我們的主為王不是口號，而是一個又一個生命的見證。

願神祝福你。願神祝福列宣家。

2020.10.10/11
From the Pastor’s Desk: Pastor Mark Liu

Oct 10-11, 2020
From the Pastor’s Desk: Pastor Mark LiuHello all,

Happy Thanksgiving.

This year’s thanksgiving has a different meaning to me. Starting from April this year, I joined the Pastoral Team of RCAC, looking after the Putonghua Ministry. To many of us, this year’s thanksgiving is also very different. Because of the pandemic, the way of life has been changed. We cannot come back to church worship with other brothers and sisters, let alone all the church activities have been moved online. One of the Pastors mentioned that, everything is Zoom. “Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!” has become the mode of RCAC carrying out the activities. To those brothers and sisters who will participate the baptismal ceremony later today, they will go through a very different ceremony, something which RCAC has never done before.

In April this year, I officially became one of the pastors at RCAC. That day, due to the pandemic, there were not many people in the office. I sat there alone, quietly starting my new role. When a sister called me Pastor Mark, I was caught by surprise. However, the sister reminded me that I need to realize this noble call, because I was called by God to become His servant to carry out His Ministry. Yes, I didn’t think too seriously about the meaning behind this identity at first. May the Lord have mercy on me.

In the past six months, under God’s Guidance, Putonghua Ministry has carried out various ministries in an orderly manner. Last week, September 27, we started using Zoom to worship with brothers and sisters. On that day, we were able to meet with brothers and sisters whom we had not seen for a long time, and I was moved. Among them, my sister also participated in worship from Boston. I was very grateful.

Due to the pandemic, even though majority of the programs are conducted through the Internet, this did not affect the participation of brothers and sisters. We started different cell group activities in the past September. The gatherings are conducted with the Bible Study. The difference is that instead of doing the Bible Study live, I would record the contents of the Bible study first. By doing so, groups can meet at the time selected by the group members. This provides flexibility for the gatherings. Praise the Lord.

Having the flexibility, however, does not mean that we can choose to worship whatever time we like. Bearing in mind that setting up a dedicated time to worship God continues to be important. Though the content is now provided online, we need to prepare ourselves, without any distraction and disturbance, to worship God. There is nothing more important than submitting ourselves to God through the worship. Indeed, the pandemic has enabled brothers and sisters to watch the content online. But we need to arrange our life so that the time set for worshipping God does not change.

May God bless you all, and may God bless RCAC.

His servant,

Pastor Mark

Oct 10-11, 2020
劉展權傳道

弟兄姊妹大家好，在這裡祝大家感恩節愉快。

今年的感恩節對我來說有著不同的意義。因為今年我開始了另外一個身分，就是成為列宣家的教牧同工。對很多人來說，今年的感恩節是與以往的不一樣。首先，因為我們目前還在面對著疫情，以致無法回到教會和弟兄姊妹一同敬拜或是參與各樣的教會生活。另一方面，對於今年接受水禮的弟兄姊妹來說，今年的水禮的方式也是從未遇見過的。

在今年四月，我正式成為了列宣家的教牧同工。當天，因著疫情的緣故，並沒有太多人在辦公室，我一個人坐在那裡，安靜開始了新的身分。當天有一位姊妹用了Pastor Mark來稱呼我的時候，我有一點不習慣。但是，姊妹提醒我，這個身分是尊貴的，因為我是被神呼召，成為祂的僕人，牧養祂的羊。是的，我一開始並沒有太認真去思考這個身分背後所帶來的含義。求主憐憫。

在過去的半年，普通話事工在神的帶領下，一步一步，有序的展開各樣事工。感謝神。我們在上週開始使用Zoom來和弟兄姊妹一起敬拜。當天透過畫面，能夠和一些很久不見的弟兄姊妹見面，心裡非常感動。其中，我的妹妹也從波士頓參與敬拜。非常感恩。

因著疫情，普通話事工的聚會都必須透過互聯網來進行。但是，這樣並沒有影響弟兄姊妹參與。我們在過去的九月開始了不同的小組的活動。聚會還是以查經為主軸，不同的是我會在之前先錄影，把查經的內容錄好，以致小組可以在組員選擇的時間進行聚會。這樣提供了聚會的彈性。感謝主的恩典。

在這裡，容許我提醒大家，縱使列宣家利用互聯網來幫助弟兄姊妹繼續各樣不同的聚會，尤其是透過互聯網來播放敬拜內容。但是我們不能因著方便而改變了我們敬拜的心。每一個主日，我們是否預備好自己，在特定的時間，在毫無干擾之下來敬拜神？方便並不代表我們就可以隨便。我們需要預備好自己，專心敬拜我們的神。因為祂是值得我們放下一切來敬拜的。

願神祝福每一位，願神祝福列宣家。

主僕

劉展權傳道