WeChat ESL Class on September 10, 2016

A. High Lights of the week

B. Breaking News of the world

C. Short Story: Labor Day - A Day to Honor Workers

Labor Day is observed on the first Monday of September. It is a holiday meant to honor the contributions, both economic and social, of U.S. workers. It has been an official federal holiday since 1894, meaning that government offices including post offices and schools are closed.

It is also widely thought that Labor Day was created as an alternative holiday to May Day. May Day, especially in the 1800s, had become a protest day, when workers marched to demand better rights and working conditions. There were often strikes that ended in violence. At the time, the U.S. government was afraid that May Day was being led by communists and was having a bad influence on workers. Some people feel September was also chosen since there are no other holidays between Fourth of July and Thanksgiving in November.

On Labor Day there are usually parades in major cities around the country. Politicians and labor leaders make speeches and hold press conferences. Labor Day is also considered the unofficial end of summer. Many people celebrate Labor Day with trips to the beaches, picnics, and barbecues. Many towns and cities host fireworks on this day. Many people also take their last summer vacations around this time. Labor Day is also the beginning of the professional and college football season in the U.S.

Labor Day has also become an important retail holiday. Many stores have Labor Day sales to coincide with the start of the school year for many children in the U.S. This means that many store workers, while their holiday is being celebrated, have to work long hours.

D. American Idioms 

Cut corners

To hear something straight from the horse's mouth

Costs an arm and a leg

The last straw

Take what someone says with a pinch of salt

Sit on the fence

The best of both worlds

Put wool over other people's eyes

Feeling a bit under the weather

Speak of the devil!

 

E. Bible Story -  John 4:43-53 Family Matters

43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.

Jesus Heals an Official's Son

46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you[c] see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come downbefore my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.51 As he was going down, his servants[d] met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour[e] the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 

1. How did the Galileans show how they felt about Jesus?
2. How was that different from the way Jesus was treated in His "own country"?
3. What did the official ask Jesus to do? How serious was this problem?
4. What was Jesus' response?
5. How did the official show that he trusted Jesus to help his family?
6. Whey do you think people needed "miraculous signs and wonders" in order to believe?
7. What time did the servant say the official's son was healed? Why was this important?
8. What happened because of this?
9. Who do you usually go to for help when you are facing a hard problem?
10. What are some problems you feel are beyond your ability to resolve? Who could you go to for help when you're facing a problem like this? Why?

WeChat ESL Class on August 27, 2016

A. High Lights of the week

B. Breaking News of the world

C. Short Story: Life in Fear

The terrorist attacks have scared a lot of people from studying abroad. Many students go to big cities to take pictures, shop, and explore. Terrorists attack these big cities though, because they know that there will be a lot of people. The truth is, we should not stop people from studying abroad. These terrorist attacks can happen anytime. We can't live life in fear. We must do the things we love.

People are also scared to travel in general, because of plane accidents. Terrorists often bring explosives on planes. Some people are also scared of dying on a plane. All the passengers in Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are missing. We still don't know what happened to them. Not too long after, all the passengers in Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 died. It was a very tragic event.

It is scary that our lives can end so quickly and suddenly. We need to live life to the fullest. We need to love the people around us and be thankful for every day that we live. There are always news stories about people dying before they should. It's not the best thing to hear about, but it makes us more aware of our own lives.

D. American Idioms 

A penny for your thoughts

Add insult to injury

A hot potato

Once in a blue moon

Caught between two stools

See eye to eye

Hear it on the grapevine

Miss the boat

Kill two birds with one stone

On the ball

 

E. Bible Story -The Map of Life

The boy had never seen his father study a map so carefully.
The little boy watches his father studying a city map. The boy asks, "Why do you need a Map?"
"Because we're going where we've never been before. Perhaps I can find work in this city," replies his father.
The boy thinks more. Suddenly he says, "Father, my birthday is coming soon. I shouldn't ask for much, but there is one thing you can give me."
"I'll give you whatever I can, son. What is it you want?"
The boy answers, "A map."
The father is puzzled. "Why do you want a map?"
The boy explains, "Because I am growing older. I will be going where I have never been before. And you said, 'For that, one needs a map'."
Suppose you are the boy's father or mother. What would you give to meet your son's need for a sense of direction in life?

Why Consider The Bible?

Consider the Bible as the Map for life. Its wisdom spans many centuries, yet millions today find its message as fresh and relevant as ever. They find that its principles work in daily life - in every stage of life. They discover purpose for living. That purpose gives them hope for now and for the future - even beyond this life. They believe in a home with God forever. In other words, they believe the Bible when it claims to speak for God.
In seeking a map for life, consider the Bible's claims. Again and again, it assures us that it is the pure word from our Maker. Yes, the Map for life.
In over 2,000 places the prophets of the Bible say things like this:

The Lord said to me . . .
These are the words of the Lord . . .
This is what the Lord says . . .

Moses said that God's laws, the Ten Commandments, were written "by the finger of God" on stone tablets (Exodus 31:18). He reported that God spoke with him "face to face, as a man speaks with his friend" (Exodus 33:11).
King David said,

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; His word was on my tongue (2 Samuel 23:2-3).

The prophet Jeremiah wrote,

Then the Lord reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put My words in your mouth" (Jeremiah 1:9).

We must seriously ask, "Did these prophets have a bad habit of lying? Or were they telling the truth, and God really did speak through them?"
Jesus assured us that the Bible prophets spoke the truth.

• He relied on their reports of history (Matthew 12:40; 24:37-39).
• He trusted in all their writings - also called Scriptures - and taught us the same trust (Matthew 5:17-19; Luke 16:17,29; 24:27,44; John 5:39-47).
• He based His teachings on the exact words they used (Matthew 19:5-6; 22:32). He asked, "Have you not read what God said to you?" (Matthew 22:31-32). -He reminded us, "The Scriptures cannot be broken" (John 10:35).

The apostles [Jesus' spokesmen] Paul and Peter taught the same thing.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
For prophecy [God's message] never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

1. [2 Samuel 23:2-3] King David said, "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through..."

me

them

you

2. [Jeremiah 1:9] "The Lord reached out His hand and touched my..."

eye

hand

mouth

3. [John 10:35] Jesus said, "The Scriptures cannot be..."

copied

broken

understood

4. [2 Timothy 3:16-17] All Scripture is...

one united story

in ancient languages

God-breathed

 

WeChat ESL Class on August 20, 2016

A. High Lights of the week

B. Breaking News of the world

C. Short Story: A Social Media Fast

D. American Idioms 

E. Bible Story

WeChat ESL Class on August 13, 2016

A. High Lights of the week

B. Breaking News of the world

C. Short Story: The Rich Uncle

Alvin wants a new laptop. His parents are poor though. His mom recently lost her job. His dad recently quit his job. Alvin knows that he can't ask his parents for a laptop. He decides to ask his rich uncle Todd. He drives over to Todd's house. Todd's house is beautiful. It has three stories. There is a chandelier on the ceiling. There are expensive paintings all over the place. There are five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Alvin wishes he could live there.

Todd offers him something to eat. Alvin says, "No, thanks. I already ate." Todd asks him why he is coming. Alvin does not know what to say. He does not want to come off as rude. "My laptop is really old, and I need a laptop for school. I would ask my parents, but they don't have jobs anymore," Alvin says.

"I understand," Todd says. Todd takes out $800 from his wallet and gives it to Alvin. Alvin jumps up and down. He has never felt so happy in his entire life. His mom asks Alvin why he is so happy. Alvin does not say anything. He doesn't want to make his mom feel bad.

D. American Idioms

1. Down for the count:
2. Draw the line:
3. Easier said than done:
4. Every cloud has a silver lining:
5. Finding a needle in a haystack:
6. Fish out of water:
7. Get something off your chest:
8. Crying wolf:
9. Cut someone some slack: 
10. Give it a whirl:  

E. Bible Story : 2 Chronicles 31:2-21

Contributions for Worship

² Hezekiah assigned the priests and Levites to divisions—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—to offer burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to sing praises at the gates of the Lord’s dwelling. ³ The king contributed from his own possessions for the morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, at the New Moons and at the appointed festivals as written in the Law of the Lord. ⁴ He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord. ⁵ As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. ⁶ The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps. ⁷ They began doing this in the third month and finished in the seventh month. ⁸ When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw the heaps, they praised the Lord and blessed his people Israel.
⁹ Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; ¹⁰ and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.”
¹¹ Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in the temple of the Lord, and this was done. ¹² Then they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts. Konaniah, a Levite, was the overseer in charge of these things, and his brother Shimei was next in rank. ¹³ Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismakiah, Mahath and Benaiah were assistants of Konaniah and Shimei his brother. All these served by appointment of King Hezekiah and Azariah the official in charge of the temple of God.
¹⁴ Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions made to the Lord and also the consecrated gifts. ¹⁵ Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shekaniah assisted him faithfully in the towns of the priests, distributing to their fellow priests according to their divisions, old and young alike.
¹⁶ In addition, they distributed to the males three years old or more whose names were in the genealogical records—all who would enter the temple of the Lord to perform the daily duties of their various tasks, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. ¹⁷ And they distributed to the priests enrolled by their families in the genealogical records and likewise to the Levites twenty years old or more, according to their responsibilities and their divisions. ¹⁸ They included all the little ones, the wives, and the sons and daughters of the whole community listed in these genealogical records. For they were faithful in consecrating themselves.
¹⁹ As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around their towns or in any other towns, men were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among them and to all who were recorded in the genealogies of the Levites.
²⁰ This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. ²¹ In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.

Discussion Questions: 

1. What do you think the word honor means? 

2. What makes someone worthy of honor? 

3. Who are some of the people you honor? 

4. What was God's plan for supporting the priests and Levites? 

5. What was the advantage of this method of supporting the workers? 

6. Why did the people give to the priests and Levites? 

7. Why didn't they give just what was left over? 

8. What was Hezekiah's reaction to the heaps of gifts? 

9. How do you think the people were blessed? 

10. What do you think it means to "share all good things"?