the christian & chinese new year traditions 22 jan17
TRANSCRIPT
The Christian &Chinese New Year
TraditionsMessage by Pastor Dr Ng Kok Moi,
22 Jan 2017 @ Methodist Church, Puchong
Origin of Chinese Civilization
CreationGen 1 Fall of Man
Gen 3
Biblical Record:
Origin of Chinese Civilization
Great Flood & Noah’s Ark (Gen 6)
• 2348 B.C.
• Men’s wickedness
• Rain: 40 days
• Flood: 150 days
• 370 days in ark
• Mt Ararat (Gen 8:4)
• Rainbow
• Only 8 were saved
Origin of Chinese CivilizationGen 8:20… “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord… he sacrificed…”
Noah’s Sacrifice / Religion
Origin of Chinese Civilization
The Tower Of Babel (Gen 11)
• 101 yrs later (2247 B.C.)
• One common language
• Moved east and settled in Shinar (Babylon)
• “Let us build….”
• “… make a name for ourselves…”
Origin of Chinese Civilization
• Dispersion of people
• Beginning of nations
• “Let us go down…”
• Confusion of language
Origin of Chinese Civilization
Chinese records:
• China’s first dynasty, the Xia dynasty,
started in c 2205 B.C. (2100 & 2000BC)
• Tower of Babel incident: 2247BC.
• Time for the proto-Chinese to migrate to China from present-day Iraq (the site of the Tower of Babel): 42-205 years
Tower of Babel Xia DynastyStart of Chinese Civilization
2247BC 2025BC (2100BC / 2000BC)
Origin of Chinese Civilization
1. Record of Flood in Chinese history
2 historical facts:
Origin of Chinese Civilization2. Chinese Border Sacrifice
• Shu Jing, ( ) oldest Chinese History book
• In 2230BC, Emperor Shun “sacrificed to Shang-Di”
• “Supreme Ruler” or “Emperor Above”
The “Assimilation” of Chinese Traditional Religions
• Taoism• Confucianism• Buddhism• Shen-ism / folk religion
Origin of Chinese New Year
Practices of Chinese New Year
Reunion Dinner (tuan nián fan)
(nián nián yoŏ yú)
Hao Shi Fa Cai Lo Hon Zhai
Mandarin Oranges
Nian Gao
Yee Sang
Chinese New Year Visit(bàinián)
Ang Pow
“Ya Sui Qian”
Red Lanterns
Fire crackers
Spring Cleaning
Couplets – Dui Lian
Dragon Dance
Lion Dance
Our Christian Response
Bros, we are living in the twentieth
century, man, not in the stone age,
wake up, be strong.
I would not do it. If you are a true Christian you will not participate in a
worldly celebration… it is devoted to worship of
OTHER gods
Why not? Christians join in other pagan ones like
Halloween, & some people say Easter &
Christmas has pagan origins…
depends on how extreme you are. I am Christian and I
still participate in such events as Halloween and
mardi gras. It’s really up to you.
Bros, we are living in the twentieth
century, man, not in the stone age,
wake up, be strong.
I would not do it. If you are a true Christian you will not participate in a
worldly celebration… it is devoted to worship of
OTHER gods
Why not? Christians join in other pagan ones like
Halloween, & some people say Easter &
Christmas has pagan origins…
depends on how extreme you are. I am Christian and I
still participate in such events as Halloween and
mardi gras. It’s really up to you.
Yes, but be very careful… lots of
spirits and firework…
etain
eject
edeem
- Religious & Demonic
- Cultural & beneficial
- Neutral
• Reunion Dinner
•New Year visitation
•Ang Pow
Promote & strengthen family relationship
Respect & honour elders
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
•All forms of idol-worship• Praying to Chinese deities• Ancestral worship
• Practices with religious undertone / significance• Dragon / Lion Dance
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Superstitious beliefs & practices• Sweeping floor• Inverted 福• Pineapple “lantern”• Opening business
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Superstitious beliefs & practices• Lucky dragon bamboo• Greetings
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Couplets (Dui Lian)
Rev Wong Fong Yang
3. Redeem - Neutral
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Couplets (Dui Lian)
• Yee Sang
3. Redeem - Neutral
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
• Couplets (Dui Lian)
• Yee Sang• Lion Dance
Rev Wong Fong Yang
3. Redeem - Neutral
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
Rev Wong Fong Yang
• Couplets (Dui Lian)• Yee Sang• Lion Dance• “Shou Shui”• Family tradition
3. Redeem - Neutral
2. Reject – Religious & demonic
1. Retain – cultural & beneficial
less the Lord
less the family
less the next generation
- faithfulness
- salvation
- steadfastness
Application
less the Lord
Conclusion
etain
less the family
less the next generation
eject
edeem
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.