WeChat ESL Class May 6, 2017 - 7:30-8:30 AM Beijing Time

A. High-Lights of the Wee
B. Short Story: 

1000 marbles

A modern parable about Precious Time and appreciating life's finite nature

-- By Jeffrey Davis

The older I get, the more I enjoy Saturday mornings. Perhaps it's the quiet solitude that comes with being the first to rise, or maybe it's the unbounded joy of not having to be at work. Either way, the first few hours of a Saturday morning are most enjoyable.

I'm a Ham radio operator and spend some time working with radios and electronics. So when I heard this story it really made me think! I hope that you will find some application in your own life as well...

A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward the basement shack with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and the morning paper in the other. What began as a typical Saturday morning, turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it.

I turned the dial up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in order to listen to a Saturday morning swap net. Along the way, I came across an older sounding chap, with a tremendous signal and a golden voice. You know the kind, he sounded like he should be in the broadcasting business. He was telling whoever he was talking with something about "a thousand marbles."

I was intrigued and stopped to listen to what he had to say. "Well, Tom, it sure sounds like you're busy with your job. I'm sure they pay you well but it's a shame you have to be away from home and your family so much. Hard to believe a young fellow should have to work sixty or seventy hours a week to make ends meet. Too bad you missed your daughter's dance recital."

He continued, "Let me tell you something Tom, something that has helped me keep a good perspective on my own priorities." And that's when he began to explain his theory of "a thousand marbles."

"You see, I sat down one day and did a little arithmetic. The average person lives about seventy-five years. I know, some live more and some live less, but on average, folks live about seventy-five years."

"Now then, I multiplied 75 times 52 and I came up with 3900 which is the number of Saturdays that the average person has in their entire lifetime. Now stick with me Tom, I'm getting to the important part."

-- to be continued next week.

C. Complete the proverbs:
1. Don't change horses...........................  
2. Strike while the.................................. 
3. It's always darkest before...................  
4. Never underestimate the power of.....  
5. You can lead a horse to water but.......  
6. Don't bite the hand that.....................  
7. No news is..........................................  
8. A miss is as good as a.........................  
9. You can't teach an old dog new..........  
10. If you lie down with dogs, you'll........ 

D. Bible Story : Genesis 4:1-16 Cain and Abel

Genesis 4English Standard Version (ESV)

Cain and Abel

4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Questions 

1. Summarize the story.
2. Why did God accept Abel’s offering? 

3. Why did God not accept Cain’s offering? 

4. Why was Cain jealous of Abel? What did he do and why? 

5. Did Cain think he could hide his actions from God? 

6. What were the consequences of Cain’s actions?

WeChat ESL Class at 7:30-8:30 AM Beijing Time, April 29, 2017

A. High-Lights of your week
B. Short Story: The Pastor's Cat

Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church. He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc.

The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and pulled it until the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.

That's what he did, all  the while checking his progress in the car. He then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car a little further forward, the rope broke.

The tree went 'boing!' and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten.

So he prayed, 'Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping,' and went on about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food.

This woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, 'Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?' She replied, 'You won't believe this,' and then told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing.

Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, 'Well, if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it.'

She told the pastor, 'I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her.'

Lesson learned... Never underestimate the Power of God and His unique sense of humor.

C. American Idioms: Explain what it means and make a sentence or give an example.

1. about time
2. Achilles' heel
3. act high and mighty
4. Across the board
5. against the clock
6. all set
7. all thumbs
8. all walks of life
9. apple of someone's eye
10. at each other's throat

D. Bible Story - Luke 10:25-42 — The Good Samaritan

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he 25 asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 26 He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your 27 soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 28 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my 29 neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when 30 he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same 31 road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, 32 when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a 33 Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. 34 Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look 35 after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into 36 the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” 37 Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Discussion Questions:

1. How would you summarize the message of this parable?
2. Jesus replied to the legal expert’s question, “who is my neighbor?” with perhaps the best-known parable in the Bible. Let’s consider this parable from the point of view of the priest and the Levite. Could they have had good reasons for behaving the way that they did?
3. What was the Samaritan’s response to the situation? Why did he help the beaten man? (10:33) How practical was his approach? 
4. How does it feel when someone has mercy on you?  

WeChat ESL Class at 7:30-8:30 April 15, 2017 Beijing Time

A. High-Lights of the Week
B. American Culture: 

Easter – An Important Christian Holiday
Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of the dead of Jesus Christ as told in the Bible. Christians are found in church on Easter. Easter is never on a set date. It is observed on a Sunday between the end of March and the end of April. The exact date is calculated based on a different calendar. Many public schools in the U.S. have a week-long vacation around Easter time. Sometimes this break is called Easter or Spring break. In the United States, Easter is also celebrated as a secular holiday. It is associated with the beginning of spring and symbolized by bunnies, flowers, and dyed eggs. Many children in the U.S. believe in a fictional character called the Easter Bunny. According to the myth the Easter Bunny leaves baskets full of candy for children. Sometimes these baskets are hidden and the children have to find them on Easter Sunday morning. Candy that is usually inside an Easter basket can include chocolate in the shape of bunnies or chicks, jellybeans, and marshmallows. Another activity associated with Easter is an Easter egg hunt. According to popular mythology, the Easter Bunny hides painted eggs and children need to find them. While real eggs used to be used, now it is common to use plastic eggs filled with candy. There are usually public Easter egg hunts in parks across the country. The White House even hosts an Easter egg hunt. Another Easter tradition associated with Easter is dying real eggs in different, usually pastel, colors like light pink, blue and yellow. In New York City, people take to Fifth Avenue to participate in the Easter Parade. The Easter Parade isn't a parade with marching bands and floats. People walk up and down Fifth Avenue showing off elaborately decorated hats or Easter bonnets.

C. American Idiom Quiz - fill the blanks.

Once in a _________ moon
Meaning: Happens very rarely.
Picture ___________ a thousand words
A visual presentation is far more descriptive than words.
Piece of ____________
A job, task or other activity that is easy or simple.
Put __________ over other people's eyes
This means to deceive someone into thinking well of them.
See __________  to _____________
This idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on something.
Sit on the __________
This is used when someone does not want to choose or make a decision.
Speak of the ____________!
This expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives.
Steal someone's ________________
To take the credit for something someone else did.
Take with a grain of ____________
This means not to take what someone says too seriously.
Taste of your own ________________
Means that something happens to you, or is done to you, that you have done to someone else

D. Bible Lesson- John 19:16-18, 41-42, 20:1-18, Romans 10:9

16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha.18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 

41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

The Resurrection

20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus'[a]head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[b] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

E. Discussion Questions:

1. What do you believe about the Easter event and why?
2. What do you do to find out if something you've heard is true?
3. Now that you've learned that Jesus is alive, what will you do about it?