Be Wise with Your Words

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 20:19-26. Let’s go!

Luke 20:19-26 (NIV) 
19  The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people. 
20  Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. ……

On verses 19-26: The teachers of the law and the chief priests were fully aware that Jesus’ parable of the tenants (verses 9-16) was Jesus’ way of exposing their intent to kill him. So they thought, “The sooner we can get rid of this guy the better”. The question is how. They were too scared to oppose Jesus publicly anymore, thinking, “If we oppose him publicly, he might humiliate us again, or else the people who love him so much will come to his defense and make us look bad.” So because “they were afraid of the people” (v19), the teachers of the law and the chief priests pay some spies to question Jesus about paying taxes, in the hope that Jesus would say something “anti-Roman” that they could then take to the Roman governor.

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生命樹與善惡樹

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生命樹與善惡樹

上帝一開始對人講話的時候，提到生命樹與分別善惡樹。上帝不要人吃分別善惡樹的果子，不是上帝不要人知善知惡，因為《聖經》充滿分辨善惡的教導，我們由此可知知善知惡原是上帝的旨意。但在什麼時間與藉什麼權威知道，才是獲得知識的重點。就像性的知識，什麼時候知道？時間沒有到的時候，不需要知道；性的知識，是由具有權威的父母告知，或由不負責任的黃色書刊告知，由誰告知才是重點。我們要有成熟的生命承載這些知識，我們要有權威的源頭告訴我們，才能達到上帝所定真正的標準。

歷世歷代都有對上帝的話或對撒但的話的解釋。上帝第一次對人說話，祂提到了生命樹，這生命樹就是指福音，表示上帝是生命的源頭，要把永遠的生命賜給我們，這是世人應當走的路。另一條路，是撒但所介紹、所引誘人的。撒但要人吃分別善惡樹的果子，這分別善惡樹關係到人善惡的成就、自我的傲慢以及不依靠上帝的心。我認為伊甸園的生命樹預表上帝永遠的生命與福音拯救人的能力，分別善惡樹預表人對道德的自我了解、對道德的自我選擇，是順從撒但的告知，在這種源頭下獲得的知識。人對上帝的話與撒但的話的回應，就形成人類哲學、文化、宗教的體系。

如果生命樹預表福音，善惡樹預表宗教以及道德，那麼我們到底是靠著上帝的恩典領受生命，還是靠著宗教的修養、道德的成就建立自己的功勞？聖經完全否定人的功勞是人得以領受上帝恩典的原因，許多人文主義者很難接受這聖經這種說法。耶穌所成就的救恩關乎生與死，不僅是宗教關乎的善與惡，或哲學所關乎的真與假。

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天來之糧嗎哪

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出埃及記16章4-5節      耶和華對摩西說：「我要將糧食從天降給你們。百姓可以出去，每天收每天的份，我好試驗他們遵不遵我的法度。到第六天，他們要把所收進來的預備好了，比每天所收的多一倍。」

當日，耶和華拯救以色列人脫離埃及人的手，以色列人在海中走乾地，水在他們的左右做了牆垣；水卻回流，淹沒了那些跟著以色列人下海的法老全軍，連一個也沒有剩下。以色列人看見埃及人的死屍都在海邊，看見耶和華向埃及人所行的大事，就敬畏耶和華，又信服祂和他的僕人摩西。

摩西和米利暗都帶領以色列百姓讚美耶和華。但是，現實的生活需要擺在眼前。以色列人在曠野走了三天，到了書珥的曠野，找不著水喝。再走到瑪拉，有水了，可是水很苦，喝不了。百姓就開始向摩西發怨言了。他們己經忘了行奇事的神與他們同在，雖然天天都看得到雲柱和火柱，他們卻不懂得向神求，而是用怒氣來發洩不滿，說：「我們喝什麼呢？」

摩西呼求神，神就指示他一棵樹。他把樹丟在水裡，水就變甜了。耶和華在那裡為他們定了律例、典章，在那裡試驗他們。每個臨到我們身上的困難或問題，都在試驗我們對神是否有信心。有的人碰到問題就抱怨。抱怨其實是奴隸的心態，以色列人做奴隸時，完全不能自主，端看主人臉色，因此抱怨就成了面對困難的唯一途徑。現在他們就用這種心態對應摩西，自己不想負一點責任。

摩西比他們成熟一點，他己經知道自己根本沒有能力做這大事，來照顧帶領以色列人，但是他懂得向神呼求。摩西進入生命的第二個時期：我不能，神能。

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Jesus Our Cornerstone

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 20:9-18.

Luke 20:9-16 (NIV) 
9  He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
10  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
11  He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed.
12  He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out……

On verses 9-16a: Who do the different characters in this parable represent? The vineyard owner represents God the Father. The vineyard represents God’s kingdom. The tenants of the vineyard most likely represent Israel and, more particularly, the chief high priests, teachers of the law and Israel’s elders, who had been entrusted with a lot of God’s kingdom but were mismanaging much of it. The servants sent by the vineyard owner represent the prophets. The vineyard owner’s son represents Jesus. By telling this story of how the tenants beat and humiliated the vineyard owner’s servants and sent them away empty-handed, Jesus is illustrating how Israel shamefully and disrespectfully treated the prophets God sent to them.

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雲柱火柱的帶領

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出埃及記13章20-22節   他們從疏割起行，在曠野邊的以倘安營。日間耶和華在雲柱中領他們的路，夜間在火柱中光照他們，使他們日夜都可以行走。日間雲柱，夜間火柱，總不離開百姓的面前。

當以色列人扶老攜幼地出埃及時，他們會不會覺得在作夢呢？摩西和亞倫會不會感動到流淚呢？終於告別四百年的奴隸生涯，神的應許是那樣的真實。〈希伯來書〉11章1節說：「信就是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據。」他們曾經不相信摩西，抱怨生活中的苦楚，沒想到原來神的計劃是如此美好，早知如此，多挨幾鞭又算什麼？因為自由在望了。能夠憑著信心看到所望之事的實底，見到未見之事的確據，我們就不會常常埋怨了。

但是一個得救的經驗之喜樂，能夠維持多久呢？逾越節和基督教的受難日很相似，只不過在後者，神以祂的愛子代替了羊羔，親自死在十字架上，承受了世人的罪。接受了耶穌這救贖之恩的人，就好像得救的以色列人出埃及，不再是撒旦的奴隸，在基督裡得到了真正的自由。但是這就夠了嗎？要到迦南地，神的應許之地，還有一段遙遠的路，他們的信心能撐多久？我們的信心又能撐多久？

法老容百姓去的時候，非利士地的道路雖近，神卻不領他們從那裡走，因為神說：「恐怕百姓遇見打仗後悔，就回埃及去。」所以神領百姓繞道而行，走紅海曠野的路。以色列人出埃及地，都帶著兵器上去。摩西把約瑟的骸骨一同帶去，因為約瑟曾叫以色列人嚴嚴地起誓，對他們說：「神必眷顧你們，你們要把我的骸骨從這裡一同帶上去。」他們從疏割起行，在曠野邊的以倘安營。日間耶和華在雲柱中領他們的路，夜間在火柱中光照他們，使他們日夜都可以行走。日間雲柱，夜間火柱，總不離開百姓的面前。(出13:17-22)

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Don’t Live In Fear. Stand Firm Against Your Opposition.

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 20:1-8.

Luke 20:1-2 (NIV) 
1  One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2  “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 

On verses 1-2: As Jesus is publicly teaching people in the temple courts, Israel’s religious leaders (“the chief priests and the teachers of the law”) and political leaders (“the elders”) confront Jesus and question him as to what authority he had to do “these things”. “These things” most likely refers to Jesus clearing the temple in Luke 19, forgiving people’s sins, healing people on the Sabbath, and other deeds.

What can we learn from this? When you do God’s will over the long haul, you can expect to face opposition, questioning and criticism from time to time. If Jesus was opposed, questioned and criticized, as a servant of Jesus you will be as well. But don’t let opposition, questioning and criticism cause you to throw in the towel and give up. Let the opposition, questioning and criticism you face, whether valid or invalid, justified or unjustified, refine you into the person and leader God made you to be.

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耶和華的夜

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出埃及記11章1-3節   耶和華對摩西說：「我再使一樣的災殃臨到法老和埃及，然後他必容你們離開這地。他容你們去的時候，總要催逼你們都從這地出去。你要傳於百姓的耳中，叫他們男女各人向鄰舍要金器銀器。」耶和華叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩，並且摩西在埃及地、法老臣僕和百姓的眼中看為極大。

那是一個奇異的夜晚，在歌珊地的以色列人，家家戶戶都在烤羊羔。吃晚餐的時候，他們腰間束帶，腳上穿鞋，手中拿杖，努力地吃羊羔。空氣中瀰漫一種詭異的氣氛，有的人低聲地傳著：「我們今晚當真要離開埃及了嗎？」有的人點頭，有的人微笑，有的人聳肩，沒有人真正知道什麼，只覺得有大事要發生了。

法老在宮裡沉默地坐著，不知在等待什麼。他有點擔心，有些害怕，可是他不知道該做些什麼。突然，好像聽到了第一聲哀嚎劃破寂靜的黑夜，第二聲緊接著又起，好像在回應似地，忽然之間，埃及充滿了哭嚎。僕人匆忙來見法老，不等僕人開口，法老已經心知發生何事。

他的心被一種疼痛抓住，讓他無法喘過氣來。僕人輕聲報告，他的長子，已經嚥下最後一口氣。法老壓抑住也想發出哀嚎的衝動，凝視著極黑的暗夜之空，他的希望，正像一顆流星，迅速地消失了。他輸了嗎？他的臣僕聚集來見他，個個淚眼迷濛，低聲哀求，讓他們去吧，不然我們也活不了。每一家的長子都死了，頭生的牲畜也都死了。耶和華神的警告一一應驗。法老的淚在眼裡流動，可是他繼續隱忍。他的長子也去了，這該如何是好？讓他們走吧。埃及付不起這樣沉重的代價。

以色列人已經準備好，在這個時刻，摩西和亞倫吩咐他們向埃及人要金器銀器和衣裳。埃及人此時心神俱喪，只想保命，他們要什麼就給什麼。有誰敢去和這群「瘟神」說三道四，只想躲過一個又一個的飛來横禍。以色列人腰纏萬貫地出埃及，他們不再是窮乎乎的奴隸了，兒女子孫也不必再做埃及人的奴隸，他們可以成為有前途有光明有盼望有自由的人了! 

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When Jesus Entered Jerusalem

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 19:28-40 (NIV) 

41  As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42  and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.
43  The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.
44  They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

On verses 41-44: Here Jesus weeps for the city of Jerusalem. He weeps because he knows that he is the only one who can bring the city true and lasting peace and yet the people of Jerusalem would fail to recognize it (v42: “If you had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes”). The majority of Jews in Jerusalem didn’t feel a need for a Saviour to deliver them from their sins. Rather what many of them were looking for was a military leader who could conquer the Romans by force.

Jesus also weeps as he predicts Jerusalem’s eventual and heartbreaking destruction by the Romans (v43-44), which would happen within 50 years after Jesus gives this prophecy.

What can we learn from this?

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我使他的心剛硬

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出埃及記十章1-2節     耶和華對摩西說：「你進去見法老。我使他和他臣僕的心剛硬，為要在他們中間顯我這些神蹟，並要叫你將我向埃及人所做的事，和在他們中間所行的神蹟，傳於你兒子和你孫子的耳中，好叫你們知道我是耶和華。」

在神呼召摩西時，神就再三告訴摩西，神要使法老的心剛硬，這樣神才能按著祂的計劃行許多神蹟，好叫他們知道祂是耶和華。我們經常會覺得神是不是太不公平，祂使法老的心剛硬，又不是法老自己剛硬的。事實上，法老只是一個世人的鏡子，法老代表世界上的人，寧可到處亂拜，拜偶像拜假神，信八卦找算命的，就是不懂得要拜真神。所以神使法老的心剛硬，其實是很大的憐憫，神用每一樣災來對應埃及的十個假神，為了喚醒他們的靈，來認識創造宇宙的真神，實在用心良苦。

因此我有時在想，神有時也會如此對待祂的兒女，如同祂也如此對待以色列人。當以色列人轉去拜假神時，神也是用災禍提醒他們，他們所拜的假神一點不能救他們，直到他們悔改，回轉歸向神，神就安慰他們，拯救他們。我們的心裡若有比神重要的偶像，有時我們不知道那就是偶像，但凡是我們看得比神還重要的人事物，那就是有可能被神擊打的部份，為了要換醒我們的靈，神會不惜讓我們忍受一些世界或身體上的損失，直到我們悔改，回轉，歸向祂。

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God’s Return on Investment

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 19:11-27. Let’s go!

Luke 19:11 (NIV) 
11  While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.

On verse 11: Many people expected that when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem he would immediately establish himself as king over Israel and bring judgment upon those who oppose God. Little do they know that Jesus was entering Jerusalem to be betrayed, arrested and killed by his enemies, and that it would be a long time before Jesus would return as king and establish his kingdom. To help communicate the fact that Jesus would first have to go away for a while before returning as king, Jesus tells this famous parable in the verses that follow.

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