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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生命树与善恶树

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生命树与善恶树

上帝一开始对人讲话的时候，提到生命树与分别善恶树。上帝不要人吃分别善恶树的果子，不是上帝不要人知善知恶，因为《圣经》充满分辨善恶的教导，我们由此可知知善知恶原是上帝的旨意。但在什么时间与藉什么权威知道，才是获得知识的重点。就像性的知识，什么时候知道？时间没有到的时候，不需要知道；性的知识，是由具有权威的父母告知，或由不负责任的黄色书刊告知，由谁告知才是重点。我们要有成熟的生命承载这些知识，我们要有权威的源头告诉我们，才能达到上帝所定真正的标准。

历世历代都有对上帝的话或对撒但的话的解释。上帝第一次对人说话，祂提到了生命树，这生命树就是指福音，表示上帝是生命的源头，要把永远的生命赐给我们，这是世人应当走的路。另一条路，是撒但所介绍、所引诱人的。撒但要人吃分别善恶树的果子，这分别善恶树关系到人善恶的成就、自我的傲慢以及不依靠上帝的心。我认为伊甸园的生命树预表上帝永远的生命与福音拯救人的能力，分别善恶树预表人对道德的自我了解、对道德的自我选择，是顺从撒但的告知，在这种源头下获得的知识。人对上帝的话与撒但的话的回应，就形成人类哲学、文化、宗教的体系。

如果生命树预表福音，善恶树预表宗教以及道德，那么我们到底是靠着上帝的恩典领受生命，还是靠着宗教的修养、道德的成就建立自己的功劳？圣经完全否定人的功劳是人得以领受上帝恩典的原因，许多人文主义者很难接受这圣经这种说法。耶稣所成就的救恩关乎生与死，不仅是宗教关乎的善与恶，或哲学所关乎的真与假。

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天来之粮吗哪

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出埃及记16章4-5节      耶和华对摩西说：「我要将粮食从天降给你们。百姓可以出去，每天收每天的份，我好试验他们遵不遵我的法度。到第六天，他们要把所收进来的预备好了，比每天所收的多一倍。」

当日，耶和华拯救以色列人脱离埃及人的手，以色列人在海中走干地，水在他们的左右做了墙垣；水却回流，淹没了那些跟着以色列人下海的法老全军，连一个也没有剩下。以色列人看见埃及人的死尸都在海边，看见耶和华向埃及人所行的大事，就敬畏耶和华，又信服祂和他的仆人摩西。

摩西和米利暗都带领以色列百姓赞美耶和华。但是，现实的生活需要摆在眼前。以色列人在旷野走了三天，到了书珥的旷野，找不着水喝。再走到玛拉，有水了，可是水很苦，喝不了。百姓就开始向摩西发怨言了。他们己经忘了行奇事的神与他们同在，虽然天天都看得到云柱和火柱，他们却不懂得向神求，而是用怒气来发泄不满，说：「我们喝什么呢？」

摩西呼求神，神就指示他一棵树。他把树丢在水里，水就变甜了。耶和华在那里为他们定了律例、典章，在那里试验他们。每个临到我们身上的困难或问题，都在试验我们对神是否有信心。有的人碰到问题就抱怨。抱怨其实是奴隶的心态，以色列人做奴隶时，完全不能自主，端看主人脸色，因此抱怨就成了面对困难的唯一途径。现在他们就用这种心态对应摩西，自己不想负一点责任。

摩西比他们成熟一点，他己经知道自己根本没有能力做这大事，来照顾带领以色列人，但是他懂得向神呼求。摩西进入生命的第二个时期：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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云柱火柱的带领

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出埃及记13章20-22节   他们从疏割起行，在旷野边的以倘安营。日间耶和华在云柱中领他们的路，夜间在火柱中光照他们，使他们日夜都可以行走。日间云柱，夜间火柱，总不离开百姓的面前。

当以色列人扶老携幼地出埃及时，他们会不会觉得在作梦呢？摩西和亚伦会不会感动到流泪呢？终于告别四百年的奴隶生涯，神的应许是那样的真实。〈希伯来书〉11章1节说：「信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。」他们曾经不相信摩西，抱怨生活中的苦楚，没想到原来神的计划是如此美好，早知如此，多挨几鞭又算什么？因为自由在望了。能够凭著信心看到所望之事的实底，见到未见之事的确据，我们就不会常常埋怨了。

但是一个得救的经验之喜乐，能够维持多久呢？逾越节和基督教的受难日很相似，只不过在后者，神以祂的爱子代替了羊羔，亲自死在十字架上，承受了世人的罪。接受了耶稣这救赎之恩的人，就好像得救的以色列人出埃及，不再是撒旦的奴隶，在基督里得到了真正的自由。但是这就够了吗？要到迦南地，神的应许之地，还有一段遥远的路，他们的信心能撑多久？我们的信心又能撑多久？

法老容百姓去的时候，非利士地的道路虽近，神却不领他们从那里走，因为神说：「恐怕百姓遇见打仗后悔，就回埃及去。」所以神领百姓绕道而行，走红海旷野的路。以色列人出埃及地，都带着兵器上去。摩西把约瑟的骸骨一同带去，因为约瑟曾叫以色列人严严地起誓，对他们说：「神必眷顾你们，你们要把我的骸骨从这里一同带上去。」他们从疏割起行，在旷野边的以倘安营。日间耶和华在云柱中领他们的路，夜间在火柱中光照他们，使他们日夜都可以行走。日间云柱，夜间火柱，总不离开百姓的面前。(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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耶和华的夜

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出埃及记11章1-3节   耶和华对摩西说：「我再使一样的灾殃临到法老和埃及，然后他必容你们离开这地。他容你们去的时候，总要催逼你们都从这地出去。你要传于百姓的耳中，叫他们男女各人向邻舍要金器银器。」耶和华叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩，并且摩西在埃及地、法老臣仆和百姓的眼中看为极大。

那是一个奇异的夜晚，在歌珊地的以色列人，家家户户都在烤羊羔。吃晚餐的时候，他们腰间束带，脚上穿鞋，手中拿杖，努力地吃羊羔。空气中弥漫一种诡异的气氛，有的人低声地传着：「我们今晚当真要离开埃及了吗？」有的人点头，有的人微笑，有的人耸肩，没有人真正知道什么，只觉得有大事要发生了。

法老在宫里沉默地坐着，不知在等待什么。他有点担心，有些害怕，可是他不知道该做些什么。突然，好像听到了第一声哀嚎划破寂静的黑夜，第二声紧接着又起，好像在回应似地，忽然之间，埃及充满了哭嚎。仆人匆忙来见法老，不等仆人开口，法老已经心知发生何事。

他的心被一种疼痛抓住，让他无法喘过气来。仆人轻声报告，他的长子，已经咽下最后一口气。法老压抑住也想发出哀嚎的冲动，凝视着极黑的暗夜之空，他的希望，正像一颗流星，迅速地消失了。他输了吗？他的臣仆聚集来见他，个个泪眼迷濛，低声哀求，让他们去吧，不然我们也活不了。每一家的长子都死了，头生的牲畜也都死了。耶和华神的警告一一应验。法老的泪在眼里流动，可是他继续隐忍。他的长子也去了，这该如何是好？让他们走吧。埃及付不起这样沉重的代价。

以色列人已经准备好，在这个时刻，摩西和亚伦吩咐他们向埃及人要金器银器和衣裳。埃及人此时心神俱丧，只想保命，他们要什么就给什么。有谁敢去和这群「瘟神」说三道四，只想躲过一个又一个的飞来横祸。以色列人腰缠万贯地出埃及，他们不再是穷乎乎的奴隶了，儿女子孙也不必再做埃及人的奴隶，他们可以成为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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我使他的心刚硬

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出埃及记十章1-2节     耶和华对摩西说：「你进去见法老。我使他和他臣仆的心刚硬，为要在他们中间显我这些神蹟，并要叫你将我向埃及人所做的事，和在他们中间所行的神蹟，传于你儿子和你孙子的耳中，好叫你们知道我是耶和华。」

在神呼召摩西时，神就再三告诉摩西，神要使法老的心刚硬，这样神才能按着祂的计划行许多神蹟，好叫他们知道祂是耶和华。我们经常会觉得神是不是太不公平，祂使法老的心刚硬，又不是法老自己刚硬的。事实上，法老只是一个世人的镜子，法老代表世界上的人，宁可到处乱拜，拜偶像拜假神，信八卦找算命的，就是不懂得要拜真神。所以神使法老的心刚硬，其实是很大的怜悯，神用每一样灾来对应埃及的十个假神，为了唤醒他们的灵，来认识创造宇宙的真神，实在用心良苦。

因此我有时在想，神有时也会如此对待祂的儿女，如同祂也如此对待以色列人。当以色列人转去拜假神时，神也是用灾祸提醒他们，他们所拜的假神一点不能救他们，直到他们悔改，回转归向神，神就安慰他们，拯救他们。我们的心里若有比神重要的偶像，有时我们不知道那就是偶像，但凡是我们看得比神还重要的人事物，那就是有可能被神击打的部份，为了要换醒我们的灵，神会不惜让我们忍受一些世界或身体上的损失，直到我们悔改，回转，归向祂。

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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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