[2] It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. [3] Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. [4] The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 ESV) We live in a culture that is terrified of death, for death represents the utter termination of everything that our carpe diem (seize the day) culture urges us to do. The life of wine and cheese dining, relaxation on white sand beaches, and riveting entertainment at the click of a button has no ability to grapple with death and therefore denies its existence. What we cannot handle, we abstract from our lives to nursing homes and hospices, impoverishing ourselves of biblical wisdom in the process. Death is truly “the end of all mankind,” and we would be fools not to heed God speaking to our hearts through our own mortality. But it is not to say that feasting of any sort is inherently bad. The birth of a child, the marriage of a man and woman, the beginning of a new year of life—these are all causes for celebration! Our Lord himself made wine at Cana and ate with tax collectors and sinners (Matt 11:19). There is a time and place for the festivals of God’s people, for indeed there is a time for every matter under heaven (Ecc 3:1). There is also a time to die, and greater wisdom to be gained at the graveside. The joy of a wedding feast lasts only a moment, but sober reflections at the funeral of a dying saint who has run their race well for the Lord has the silent ability to preach with overwhelming compulsion to those who would never listen to a living voice. The reason that the sadness of a funeral can gladden the Christian heart is because the sorrow of the grave frees the heart from the daily chains of worldly cares. When faced with death, we are reminded that our days are not our own, but written for us in His book. When we see the final rest of a valiant saint who has fought the good fight, we are reminded of the brevity of life and that we should cast our daily burdens upon the Lord who cares for us! And if we are to live a God-honoring life in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for us (Phil 1:22). In the house of feasting, we delight in hearing the laughter of the voices of others. But in the house of mourning, we delight in hearing the voice of God who alone can comfort us in our pain, and reminds us that to live is Christ and to die gain. Therefore, the heart is gladdened in the house of mourning not by ignoring death but by gaining a heavenly perspective. Believer, do you realize that because of your Christ the sting of death has been swallowed up in victory? Do you think daily about how you are running your Christian race? Is your life characterized by a striving to do God’s will each day from the moment you rise in the morning? Is it your joy to pour out your very life as a drink offering in service to your Master? Do you fear death? Or, when you are faced with the end that comes to all mankind, do you hear the voice of Jesus who speaks wisdom to your heart about how to redeem the time, knowing that the days are evil? No runner can run well to win the prize without studying where the finish line is. And no Christian can run well to win the ultimate prize without studying the finish line of death. In the words of C.T. Studd, “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” “Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life’s busy way; Bringing conviction to my heart, and from my mind would not depart; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. Only one life, yes only one, soon will its fleeting hours be done; Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, and stand before His Judgment seat; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last. …Only one life, yes only one, now let me say, “Thy will be done”; And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”; Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” C.T. Studd (1860-1931)

My Life is but a weaving Between my Lord and me; I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily. Oft times He weaveth sorrow And I, in foolish pride, Forget He sees the upper, And I the under side. Not til the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly, Shall God unroll the canvas And explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needful In the Weaver's skillful hand, As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned. He knows, He loves, He cares, Nothing this truth can dim. He gives His very best to those Who chose to walk with Him. -- Grant Tullar (1869-1950)

This past weekend we celebrated the greatest story ever, the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. This story has it all: love, betrayal, loyalty, jealousy, violence, grief, sorrow, courage, sacrifice, suspense, injustice, confusion, anger, despair, fear, and glorious joy. These feelings are on display in the lives of those who are in the story. None are innocent except for One. Some characters fumble their way through their parts as best they can. Others move forward with evil intent, with murder in their hearts. Some are drawn into it quite apart from their own intention. Others are there to do a job, while still others are there to watch the spectacle. The central character though, Jesus, is the One who gives movement to the story. Without him there is no story. He says little but does the most. He alone is innocent. He suffers the most, he loves the most, he forgives the most, and he glorifies God the most. And in doing so he accomplishes the most. This is no ordinary story for it is cosmic and eternal in its scope and has the power to change all other stories. As followers of Jesus, we are witnesses to the power of Jesus’ story to change our lives and our future. We know what it was like to live lives that were empty of meaning, of having little purpose, of even doubting our own worth. At some point in our own story, we encountered Jesus, heard his story, and by grace and faith have been written into it. And now we have been given supporting roles. Jesus still remains the primary character of this story and it is he that moves the story ahead but now he has given us the privilege of sharing his story with others. Many have yet to hear the story of Jesus. Sure, they know about Christmas and Easter, but they have not heard from one who is actually a witness of God’s power to bring salvation to a life that has been ruined by sin, and thereby robbed of true life. In these days of an enduring pandemic, people need to hear good news. We have that good news, and it is found in Jesus’ story. Too often we remain silent about how Jesus’ story changed us and brought us into the greatest story ever. The Easter celebration is over for another year, but you can know the joy of telling that story all year long. And you can do it in response to the One who said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The only question that remains is, “To whom will you be a witness to the greatest story ever?” Article by: Hamish Buntain

ESL Classes ESL Classes All welcome, in-person only Wednesdays, 5:30 pm The ESL Conversation Club of Westlynn Baptist Church seeks to honour our Lord Jesus by being a blessing to newcomers, refugees, and immigrants; Offering a warm and welcoming environment where they can learn and practice English. Our aim is to help our students adjust more quickly to life in their new home and to prepare them for a great future by focusing on improving their English language skills. Our lessons are topical and do not require a curriculum, so a student can join in at any time of the year. Our lessons are taught fully in English which will require some knowledge of the English language to get the most out of the class. Most of our students are Novice-High to Intermediate-Low (ACTFL) level English language speakers. A typical lesson would be the following plan: Introduction: A brief introduction of the night's topic from the Bible. (5 minutes) Grammar/New Vocabulary: A presentation of the topic's grammar or new vocabulary. (20 minutes) Practice: The bulk of every lesson is practicing grammar and new vocabulary. This is done by a variety of methods such as discussion, small group activities, block stories, songs, debates, etc. (1 hour) Idioms: A fun way to close each lesson by discussing a couple of idioms related to the night's topic. (5 minutes) You can find out more about our ESL Conversation Club by texting by joining our Telegram Group , or by using the QR code below. Those who would like to join the ESL Conversation Club are required to join the Telegram group in order to receive the latest information in schedule changes or cancellations.

Young Adults Young Adults Senior High School - Mid 30s Friday nights, 7:00 pm Click here for our weekly schedule and also to request to join group. The Young Adults meet on Fridays at the church for a time of worship and studying the Word. It is then followed by snacks and fellowship. The group focuses on learning about God, growing as disciples of Jesus and using the Bible as their foundation. On a monthly or bi-monthly basis, the group engages in studying special topics. These topics equip young adults to live out their faith in the surrounding secular/agnostic, anti-Christian world. The group also has a strong focus on community. Friendships formed within the fellowship extend outside of the Friday night group and into personal lives. We invite everyone from high school to mid-30s to join us on Fridays at 7:00 pm at Westlynn Baptist Church main sanctuary. You can contact Sam Chua or Steve Mahind if you have any questions. There's also plenty of opportunity to serve in the Young Adults ministry: Leading breakout groups Leading worship Organizing special events (hikes, potlucks, BBQs, games, movie) Organizing snacks for the Friday gathering

Westlynn Baptist Church in North Vancouver seeks to glorify Jesus Christ and live in accordance with His Word. Join us Sundays 10 am. We exist to glorify Jesus Christ. Join us Sundays at 10 am 1341 27th St E, North Vancouver, BC This Sunday فارسی Farsi по-русски Russian Upcoming Events. More Events Multiple Dates Westlynn Evangelism Walk Sat, Jun 06 Details Multiple Dates Care Centre Seniors' Service Sun, Jun 14 Details Multiple Dates Westlynn Evangelism Walk Sat, Jun 20 Details Latest Sermons. Request Livestream Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Now Playing Shattering the Dark - The Miracle of the Gospel Light | 2 Corinthians 4:2-6 | Samuel Chua 53:47 Play Video Now Playing Living Focused on the Lord Jesus | 1 Thessalonians 5:16 18 | Mike Parsons 37:01 Play Video Now Playing We Do Not Lose Heart | 2 Corinthians 4:1 | Samuel Chua 52:37 Play Video Now Playing Transformed by Beholding the Lord’s Glory | 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 | Samuel Chua 58:14 Play Video God has a purpose for you . What We Believe Learn More Our Story Learn More Sunday Worship Learn More Latest Blogs. Why Funerals Are Better Than Weddings (Ecc. 7:2) 2 days ago 3 min read The Weaver May 14 1 min read Witnesses to the Greatest Story Ever May 7 2 min read Read More We want to help you take your next step with God. Contact Us First name Last name Email Write a message Thank you for submitting a message! Submit