just back from speaking in grace presbyterian church batu pahat. this was my second time speaking in the church, the last being 3 years ago. i went down on saturday morning, getting in early to have a rest before the night session which was on the topic 'Israel: Then and Now'. I was asked to share how we can understnd the role Israel plays today. Is 'Israel' the same as it was during biblical times? How has it changed? Can we argue that there is a line of continuity from the biblical Israel to the modern state of Israel?
tehre were over 50 people attending in the small fellowship room. we started with singing at 8.15pm before i took over at 8.40pm. the group wanted to learn a hebrew song, so i taught them Dayenu (It would be sufficient), a popular Hebrew song sung at the passover meal. then i shared with them on the agreed topic. we ended the session with many questions asked. i was told usually similar sessions would end without any questions but i guess this topic of Israel usually evokes different responses from the audience. we ended past 10.45pm. someone commented that they could sit on through the night if i had continued on speaking. i had prepared 2 sets of ppt presentations with the second topic related to the first. anyway it was a good meeting generally.
the next day, i shared from the pulpit on isaiah 40:1-11, 27-31. the church is having different outside speakers invited to share on the book of isaiah. the cell groups in the church are also working through the book of isaiah. i was given the passage from chapter 40 which happens to contain my favourite verse from the Bible - Isaiah 40:31! generally, the congregation was appreciative of the sermon as it touched on many issues related to their church life and present struggles which they were going through.
so, the invitation is already given - come back next year, and don't wait for another threee years like the last time. well, they'll work out a topic for me to share. this time , the majority wanted an extra friday night session to go with the saturday session! that means more work and preparation. but anytime sharing on the OT is not a problem for the reb. that's my passion!
tehre were over 50 people attending in the small fellowship room. we started with singing at 8.15pm before i took over at 8.40pm. the group wanted to learn a hebrew song, so i taught them Dayenu (It would be sufficient), a popular Hebrew song sung at the passover meal. then i shared with them on the agreed topic. we ended the session with many questions asked. i was told usually similar sessions would end without any questions but i guess this topic of Israel usually evokes different responses from the audience. we ended past 10.45pm. someone commented that they could sit on through the night if i had continued on speaking. i had prepared 2 sets of ppt presentations with the second topic related to the first. anyway it was a good meeting generally.
the next day, i shared from the pulpit on isaiah 40:1-11, 27-31. the church is having different outside speakers invited to share on the book of isaiah. the cell groups in the church are also working through the book of isaiah. i was given the passage from chapter 40 which happens to contain my favourite verse from the Bible - Isaiah 40:31! generally, the congregation was appreciative of the sermon as it touched on many issues related to their church life and present struggles which they were going through.
so, the invitation is already given - come back next year, and don't wait for another threee years like the last time. well, they'll work out a topic for me to share. this time , the majority wanted an extra friday night session to go with the saturday session! that means more work and preparation. but anytime sharing on the OT is not a problem for the reb. that's my passion!
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