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My Response: Our Response dur ing the ser vice is an act of wor ship. Do submit your r eflections online to http://bfec.sg/r esponse or via whatsapp or sms to 9670 1800. Holy Communion: We welcome baptized believers to join in the Lord’s Supper.
Tithes & Offerings: Giving as "unto the Lord" is the privilege of every disciple of Christ. As an act of personal & corporate worship, we encourage members to participate purposefully thro’ regular giving during worship services. Red Bag - General & Ministry Fund, Blue Bag - Missions Fund. Please address your cheque to: “Bethesda Frankel Estate Church”. On occasions when unable to give during service (e.g. o’seas stint, home bound), members may wish to note the following details: for Internet Banking: Bank Code: 7375 General & Ministry Fund: (UOB 451-302-912-2) Missions Fund: (UOB 451-302-915-7)
4 La Salle Street, Singapore 456930. Tel: 6448 1800 Fax: 6448 0831 Email: [email protected] Website: http://bfec.org.sg Church Office Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-6pm Sat & Sun: 9am-1pm
For Internal Circulation Only 20 January 2019
Topic: The LORD, the Servants, and the Idols (Isa 41:1 - 42:17)
Service: 8am & 10am Services
Speaker: Elder Ernest Chew
Rooted in the Living Word Empowered by the Holy Spirit Abiding in Christ only Daring to Hope and to Love Yielding Fruit To God’s Glory
Welcome to Bethesda Frankel Estate Church
Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder the things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth, will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.- Isaiah 43:18,19
1. Introduction: Inter section of Past, Present, and Future, and of Heaven and Ear th. The LORD, Yahweh, is "I AM" as well as "I WILL BE" (To Moses, Ex.3:13-15). (To John, Rev.1:4-6).
In Isaiah, we get the same message -- God is in full control of past, present and future, as He is both "I AM" and "I will be". Isaiah 41:4 -- "I the LORD -- with the first of them and with the last -- I am He."
2. The Divine "I" and His Instrument (Isa.41:1-4).
The sovereign LORD and His servant who will be identified later as Cyrus (compare 41:2 with 44:28 and 45:1). In 539 BC, King Cyrus of Persia was to conquer the Babylonians who had destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC and sent the Jews into exile.
3. Idolatry is Futile (41:5-7, 21-24, 29).
Martin Luther: "Man has either God or an idol". Isaiah teaches that man-made idols & images cannot foretell the future. 42:17 -- "But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame." [More on idolatry, e.g. in Isa.44:9-20.]
4. Israel as God's Servant, and God as the Strength of His People (41:8-20). Recall what has been declared about the power of God as Creator of the stars & Strengthener of
His people (40:25-41). Isa.41:1 -- "Be silent ... Let the nations renew their strength ..." How Israel can renew her strength (41:10,13-14).
5. Identifying the Servant in Isaiah 41 and 42 (a) In Isaiah 41:8-9 -- Israel is "My servant...whom I have chosen, descendants of Abraham My
friend".
(b) In 42:1 -- God's "servant...My chosen one" is an individual who receives God's Spirit and "will bring justice to the nations".
(c) In 42:19, God's servant Israel is "blind...and deaf".
Note the sharp contrast between these images of the servant. Explanation?
6. Isaiah's First Servant Song (42:1-4) and Praise Song (5-17) [The Four Servant Songs -- Isa. 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-7; and 52:13 to 53:12] (a) The ministry, authority, & identity of the Servant (42:1-7) -- fulfilled in Jesus (Matt.12:15-
21). (b) The majesty and glory of the Master deserve our praise (Isa.42:8-17).
7. Instructions for Serving God (a) As a corporate body
(b) As an individual (2 Tim.2:20-21, 24-26)
(c) Beware of idols! (1 John 5:18-21).
Questions： 1. Consider how God's Name, Yahweh, can mean both "I am who I am" & "I will be who I will
be".
2. How do we reconcile the different pictures of God's servant in Isaiah 41-42?
3. Why is idolatry such a great sin and persisting danger? How do we get rid of our idols? (2 Tim.3:1-5, 10-17).
2019 Happenings
Thanksgiving Sunday 6 Jan CNY Combined Bilingual Service @ 9am 10 Feb Good Friday Combined Service@ 9am 19 Apr Easter Sunday @ECP Baptism #1 21 Apr Praise Sunday #1 Parents’ Day 12 May Celebration of Hope 17-19 May @ National Stadium 45th AGM 26 May @ 9.30am Church Camp 7-10 June @JB Praise Sunday #2 - Church 61st Anniversary 28 Jul National Day Observance Service 4 Aug Baptism #2 11 Aug Church-wide Journey 18 Aug - 22 Sep Praise Sunday #3 Baptism #3 8 Dec Christmas Combined Service 25 Dec Watchnight Service 31 Dec
Keep this for your Prayers & Participation
Reminder: Please submit any announcements for consideration in the next bulletin by Tuesday through your Ministry Head
20 January 2019
OUR OTHER REGULAR MEETINGS
Cell Groups ….. 46 cell groups meet during the week. To join one, contact Shirley Soo Tel: 62414622 Email: [email protected] 9214 (Seniors): Bible Study & Fellowship (Sun 10am @ ClassRmA1); FrankeLights (Mon 10.00-11.30am @ Vineyard) Table Tennis (Tue 6pm, Thu 3pm, Sat 9.30am @ Upper Rm) Hanyu Pinyin Class (2nd & 4th Wed, 1.30-3.00pm @ Vineyard) Ladies’ Group: Tue 8pm @ Annexe 22/01 Mrs Jingle Cortes 29/01 Gracestoration study series 05/02 * Close for CNY 12/02 Mrs Leong King Ting 19/02 Ms Yap Seok Chin 26/02 Gracestoration study series Chinese Evergreen Fellowship: Wed 10.30am - 12.30pm
庄良貌牧师 - 人心(The Human Heart), 路加福音16章 (Luke 16)
Jesus Club: Wed 30 Jan 7.30pm @ Chapel - CNY celebration Church Prayer Ministry: Fri 8pm @ Chapel 25/01 John’s Gospel Chapter 3 - Ng Geok Chye 01/02 John’s Gospel Chapter 4 - Letch 08/02 John’s Gospel Chapter 5 - Anthony Lee 15/02 Open Ministry 22/02 John’s Gospel Chapter 6 - Elder Danny Chua Peranakan Ministry: 2nd & 4th Sat 4pm @ Chapel 26/01 My Daily Walk With God - Mrs Janet Armstrong Foreign Indian Workers’ Fellowship English Class: Sat (except last Sat) 8–9:30 pm @ Class Room A1 International Fellowship (Indonesian & Filipino): Sun 10am-11.40am @ Lvl 3 Excel Room & Class Rm C3 WAG: Sat 26 Jan, 7.30pm Venue: Home of Mr & Mrs Ronnie Koh Topic: New Year, New Priorities (Ecc. 9:10) Speaker: Jeffrey Goh
Have A Prayer Request? Write it in the Response For m so we can alert the F.I.R.E. team to pray with you.
Frankel Intercessors Ready Everywhere & everytime
Church Camp 2019 7 - 10 Jun @ Hotel Jen Puteri Harbour (JB)
Speaker: Pastor Benny Ho
1) Kampong Siglap: Poverty Simulation Workshop A workshop to help us experience/understand the day-to-day circumstanc-es & decisions that the underprivileged in S’pore need to manage. 27 Jan (Sun) 1pm-3.30pm @ Upp. Rm Volunteer briefing:12.30pm Participants: 21 max Volunteers needed: 10 Sign up here (As volunteer or participant): http://bit.ly/2SEMuC2 (First-come-first-serves basis). Participants & volunteers attending this run do so with the mind of learning and help to organise/lead the same workshops in the future for more church members.
2) Celebration of Hope 17-19 May 2019 More details @ https://celebrationofhope.sg/ Fri, 17 May 7.30pm English Sat, 18 May 10.30am English (Children & Families) 7.30pm Chinese (National Stadium)/Tamil (OCBC Arena) Sun, 19 May 10.30am Filipino/English 7.30pm English * Sign up for Evangelism training at https://bit.ly/2FCiROc
Kampong Siglap (KS) update & prayer Calling all lawyers!
Some of New Hope's clients require help from time to time and they have approached us for help! If you want to find out more about this or are interested in learning alongside us, please feel free to contact Nicholas at 91282169.
Sub-com now formed: Program, Kitchen, Gardening, Legal. New Hope Community Services has appointed two representatives to Kampong Siglap Management Committee. Pray that renovation works will be completed safely and
smoothly by 27 Apr ’19. Visit our church website for more info on Kampong Siglap
& briefing slides: https://www.bfec.org.sg/kampong-siglap. Email [email protected] if you have questions.
Café Leaf - Christians At Frankel Estate, Let’s Eat And Fellowship Crispy Roast Pork or Char Siew Rice served with drink at $3.50 by Team Cafe. * Guest do dine with us on the house.
2019 THEME VERSE Isaiah 43:18,19 “Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”
Hospital Baptism - We rejoice with Bro Tan Kian Thiong as he publicly proclaimed his faith in Jesus thro’ baptism (sprinkling), in the presence of loved ones, at Tan Tock Seng Hospital on Sun 13 Jan. Baptiser: Elder Jimmy Tan. We also welcome his wife, Ong Siew Chin into our fellowship. She was baptised by Elder Ernest Chew at the Jordan River in March 2015.
FACE-TIME Join the worship ministry in an extended time of worship - a time to seek God's face. * Open to all who wish to attend. 26 Jan (Saturday), 9 - 11am, Chapel (level 1)
9214/Frankel Lights 5D/4N (18-22 July) Malaysia Trip Petaling Jaya (1 night), Bentong (1 night) & Klang (2 nights) Cost: est. $450 each. A non-refundable deposit of $100 each will be collected to confirm your seat. For more info, pl contact Edwin Tan HP 9004-9132 or SJ Low HP 9824-2445 * Closing date: 30 Jan
Let us pray for our Under-shepherds serving in 2019 to follow Jesus, seek the Lord & for unity as a church body Scan the QR code for the list available in our church website or pick up a copy from the table outside the Sanctuary.
Date Topic
20 Jan Isa 41:1 - 42:17 The LORD, the Servants, and the Idols
27 Jan Isa 42:18 - 44:8 Israel’s Weakness and Blindness; The Lord’s Power
3 Feb Isa 44:6 - 45:25 The Lord and the Idols (II); Cyrus as the Lord’s Servant
The prophecy of Isaiah addressed sinful Judah, who had forsaken the Lord & thus suffered God’s judgment in their conquest & exile by Babylon. In Isa 40-55, God spoke to the future of the people of Judah. Despite their sinfulness, God would not abandon them but wanted them to trust in Him, reminding them of His majestic sovereignty over the world, and His steadfast love and commitment to His people. God also promised a second and greater exodus to come, through the Servant of the Lord, for the restoration and redemption of His people and the salvation of the nations. God continues to speak today through Isaiah’s message. He calls us to trust and hope in Him for the salva-tion which His Servant has accomplished, and to be ready to depart in the new exodus. Will we listen and obey the Master’s voice? This 19-part Isaiah series will stretch through the year but it will be done in several phases, interspersed by other topical series. Do pray along for these brethren who will be taking us through the series: Dr Philip Satterthwaite, Elders Alex, Ernest, Joshua, Caleb, Melville, Deacons Jason, Daryl and bro Lai Yong.
Pulpit Series 1 (a) on Isaiah 40 - 55: Supreme God, Suffering Servant - Our Sure Hope of Salvation
2019 upcoming classes to equip yourself:
1) Reading and Leading Bible Studies in the Book of Isaiah 26 Jan & 2 Feb (Sat) 10am - 12.30pm @Vineyard
The workshops (conducted by Jason Sin) will cover an overview of Isaiah, focusing on Isa 40-55. We’ll also examine certain passages therein (corresponding to the BFEC pulpit topics), with the aim of identifying their main point / purpose. Finally, we will also be intro-duced to preparing & leading Bible studies (focusing on passages from Isa). Sign up with [email protected] by 23 Jan
2) BFEC Cares Training - 6 modules (19 Feb - 26 Mar) on Tue nights 7.00-10.00pm; providing an introduction to Christ-centred Caring. Look out for more details.
3) Class 101 Baptism & Membership Class #1 (24 Feb, 3, 10 & 17 Mar) with Easter Baptism on 21 Apr. Are you ready to be baptised this year? Baptism/Membership Trans-fer. Application forms can be obtained from the church office.
4) Equipping for Ministry (EFM) small group, Sunday 12.30 - 2.00pm starting 3 Mar. The EFM is an intentional mentoring and discipleship program which aims to equip followers of Christ in a foundational study of God’s word and in personal and min-istry and leadership skills. Contact Elder Soon Boon (9451 7122) or Elder Danny (9759 0400) for more details.
Cheer Gift 2018 (Final): We thank the Lord for His generos-ity though you, His saints at Frankel! To date, Cheer Gifts re-ceived total $280,338.50. To God be the Glory!
