和平之子以撒

創世記 26章22節    以撒離開那裡,又挖了一口井,他們不為這井爭競了,他就給那井起名叫利河伯。他說:「耶和華現在給我們寬闊之地,我們必在這地昌盛。」

亞伯拉罕在迦南地第一次遇到饑荒時,他立刻就去了埃及。以撒這時也碰到饑荒,神很及時地向以撒顯現,叫他不要下埃及。神說:「你不要下埃及去,要住在我所指示你的地。」換句話說,神要以撒留在神要他住的地方,是哪裡呢?是迦南。環境雖然有問題,但是神沒有問題,神要以撒學習在困難中倚靠神。

以撒對神的信心是從亞伯拉罕而來的,他曾經被作為祭物獻給耶和華,他也曾為利百加禱告求子。這些都是他對神的經歷,但是他和神的距離還是很遠,神是高高在上的神,他父親的神。直到神向他顯現,耶和華才成了以撒的神。所以張文亮老師說:「真實的信仰,不是靈驗,而是個人與主的關係。」

神對以撒強調三點:1.基拉耳是他的寄居之地,不是應許之地。雖然如此,他那裡寄居時,神也要賜福給他,與他同在。這是何等的安慰,以撒和亞伯拉罕不同,他是一個和平之子,他不像亞伯拉罕有那樣的勇氣,一聽到羅得被抓,立刻帶領家丁去救人。他一直生活在父親的蔭庇之下,現在卻不能不應對週圍超強悍的異族人。

2.神要堅定向亞伯拉罕所起的誓,要加增他的後裔,也要把迦南地賜給他的後裔。這表示神的恩典不止與亞伯拉罕同在,也要繼續與以撒同在,藉此堅定以撒對神的信心。

3.地上萬國必因以撒的後裔得福。這是指因信稱義的子民,也就是凡是憑著信心相信神所差來的耶穌基督,並且接受祂贖罪的救恩之人,都必為亞伯拉罕和以撒的後裔。

The Price of Peace

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 12:49-59.  Let’s go!

Luke 12:49 (NIV) 
49  “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

On verse 49:  What fire did Jesus come to bring?  Some scholars think the “fire” here refers to Jesus judging the world one day.  Others think that this fire refers to the Holy Spirit whom God the Father would send upon the church later in Acts 2.  Perhaps it’s both.  In any event, in order for that “fire” to happen, Jesus would first have to go through a “baptism”, described in the next verse.

Luke 12:50 (NIV) 
50  But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!

On verse 50:  Jesus was baptized in Luke 3, so what other “baptism” would Jesus still need to undergo?  The baptism Jesus is referring to here is his coming suffering and death on the cross.  Here we see the humanity of Jesus and “how distressed” he is as he awaits the time of his betrayal, crucifixion and death.  I appreciate how real and transparent Jesus is as a leader about his feelings and his struggles.