Jesus Is Risen!

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 24:30-43. Let’s go!

Luke 24:30-35 (NIV) 
30  When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33  They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34  and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
35  Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

On verses 30-35: These two disciples recognized it was Jesus not when he was teaching Scripture but rather when they saw Jesus breaking bread and giving thanks (v30-31, 35). I believe there is a lesson for us as followers of Jesus: we help people see who Jesus is not just by teaching the Scriptures, but by the way we do life and give thanks.

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洁净和不洁净之动物(下)

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利未记11章44节   我是耶和华─你们的　神；所以你们要成为圣洁，因为我是圣洁的。

神的圣洁和以色列人吃东西有关系吗？神的圣洁和基督徒的饮食有关系吗？很想说怎么会有关系，主耶稣不是说：「入口的不能污秽人，出口的乃能污秽人。(太15:11)」又说：「岂不知凡入口的，是运到肚子里，又落在茅厕里吗？惟独出口的，是从心里发出来的，这才污秽人。因为从心里发出来的，有恶念、凶杀、奸淫、苟合、偷盗、妄证、谤讟。这都是污秽人的。(太15:18-20)」

但是入口的真的不能污秽人吗？这里的污秽代表什么呢？我相信旧约和新约的污秽有一字之别。主耶稣的意思是凡入口的不能污秽「别」人，出口的才会污秽「别」人；和旧约的意思是相似的，入口的会污秽「自己」。假如你吃坏了东西，就会拉肚子；假如你长期喝酒，就会伤肝；痛风、糖尿病、高血压、胆固醇，过敏，等等，有许多病多是吃出来的，不是吗？

神造人原是好的，就是不穿衣服也很好看；人犯罪以后，还是同一个肉体，可是因为心灵的眼光不同了，同样的肉体看起来也不一样了，看到的不再是起初的荣光，取代的是情欲和羞耻，因此需要不停地包装。

神要的圣洁，就是不被玷污的本相；用浅白的话说，神希望我们保有祂给人的健康。所以祂希望我们远离对人体有害的东西。洁净和不洁净的动物，就含有合适和不合适食用的意思在内。

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洁净和不洁净之动物(上)

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利未记11章44节   我是耶和华─你们的　神；所以你们要成为圣洁，因为我是圣洁的。

曾经有位做餐饮业的从业人员，为了要研究知名人物的用餐习性，特别花精神去了解个别人物的爱好。她发现当年的国务卿，犹太裔的季辛吉的习性：「不喝酒，爱喝沛绿雅﹝Perrier﹞ 矿泉水，不吃有壳的海鲜，不吃猪肉。」因而若季辛吉到她服务的餐厅，她总是特别为季辛吉准备沛绿雅矿泉水，并且避免向他介绍有壳的海鲜或猪肉方面的菜单。这就是犹太人在饮食方面的坚持，因为这是神给他们的规定。

在〈利未记〉11章里，神教导以色列人怎样分别洁净和不洁净的动物，洁净的可以食用，不洁净的就不可以食用。其中大部份是为了食用的安全和人体的健康。例如：死了的爬物，掉在甚么东西上，这东西就不洁净，无论是木器、衣服、皮子、口袋，不拘是做甚么工用的器皿，须要放在水中，必不洁净到晚上，到晚上才洁净了。若有死了掉在瓦器里的，其中不拘有甚么，就不洁净，你们要把这瓦器打破了。其中一切可吃的食物，沾水的就不洁净，并且那样器皿中一切可喝的，也必不洁净。(利11:31-34)

现在我们知道因为那些死了的爬物，很可能身上有致病的菌或毒，若沾上了我们使用的器皿，没有洗干净，就会使人生病或死亡。

但是动物倒嚼或分不分蹄，对我们食用真的有影响吗？凡在海里、河里，并一切水里游动的活物，无翅无鳞的，为什么都不可以吃呢？为什么有翅膀用四足爬行的物中，有足有腿，在地上蹦跳的，都可以吃；有翅膀有四足的爬物，却当以为可憎？

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Becoming More Aware of Jesus’ Presence

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 24:13-29. Let’s go!

Luke 24:13-16 (NIV) 
13  Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 
14  They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 
15  As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 
16  but they were kept from recognizing him.

On verses 13-16: How many times have we been in conversations with others, failing to recognize that Jesus is present, listening and watching? Remember what Jesus says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” (Matthew 18:20) Whenever we’re having conversations with one another, may we speak and act knowing that Jesus is in our midst..

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大喜大悲的一天

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利未记10章3节    于是摩西对亚伦说：「这就是耶和华所说：『我在亲近我的人中要显为圣；在众民面前，我要得荣耀。』」亚伦就默默不言。

那是非常喜乐的一天，万里晴空。在西乃山刚造好不久的会幕前，摩西按著神的吩咐，拣选亚伦和他的四个儿子供祭司的职份。

在〈出埃及记〉28章里，神己经安排一切心中有智慧的人为亚做衣服，胸牌、以弗得、外袍、杂色的内袍、冠冕、腰带。这祭司和大祭司的衣服所用的材料是：金线和蓝色、紫色、朱红色线，并撚的细麻。再用巧匠的手工做以弗得，以弗得就是大祭司胸前的那块布袋，它有两条肩带可以相连，又取两块红玛瑙，在上面刻以色列儿子的名字，六个名字在这块宝石上，六个名字在那块宝石上，都照他们生来的次序；

又用刻宝石的手工，仿佛刻图书，按著以色列儿子的名字，刻这两块宝石，要镶在金槽上。再把宝石安在以弗得的两条肩带上，为以色列人做纪念石。亚伦要在两肩上担他们的名字，在耶和华面前作为纪念。

然后，用金子做二槽；拿精金，用拧工仿佛拧绳子，做两条链子，把这拧成的链子搭在二槽上；再做一个决断的四方型胸牌，分两层。在上面镶宝石四行：第一行是红宝石、红璧玺、红玉；第二行是绿宝石、蓝宝石、金钢石；第三行是紫玛瑙、白玛瑙、紫晶；第四行是水苍玉、红玛瑙、碧玉。这都要镶在金槽中。这些宝石都要按著以色列十二个儿子的名字，仿佛刻图书，刻十二个支派的名字。

以弗得的外袍，颜色全是蓝的。袍上要为头留一领口，口的周围织出领边来，仿佛铠甲的领口，免得破裂。袍子周围底边上要用蓝色、紫色、朱红色线做石榴。在袍子周围的石榴中间要有金铃铛：一个金铃铛一个石榴，一个金铃铛一个石榴，在袍子周围的底边上。亚伦供职的时候要穿这袍子。他进圣所到耶和华面前，以及出来的时候，袍上的响声必被听见，使他不至于死亡。

还要用精金做一面牌，在上面按刻图书之法刻着『归耶和华为圣』。用一条蓝细带子将牌系在冠冕的前面。这就是神为大祭司所预备的一切荣华。

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The Greatest Miracle of All Time

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Hi GAMErs,

Tday’s passage is Luke 24:1-12. Let’s go!

Luke 24:1-12 (NIV) 
1  On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 
2  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 
3  but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ……

Which is the greatest miracle of all? Many Christians would point to the resurrection of Jesus after his death on the cross. The crucifixion-resurrection event is, after all, the basis for our salvation. But why would we consider the death and resurrection of Jesus so great an event? After all, others have died and risen again. Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, Eutychus. Why is the resurrection of Jesus a greater event than the raising of Lazarus from the dead?

Make no mistake, Jesus’ resurrection is a greater event than the raising of Lazarus. Lazarus eventually died again, but Jesus rose to eternal life and glory. When Lazarus rose, a great deal changed for him, but little changed for the world. But when Jesus rose, everything changed.

What was so different about Jesus’ resurrection? The key lies in who died and rose. In the case of Lazarus, a human died and rose again to continue a mortal life. But in the case of Jesus, someone much more than a human died and rose again. Jesus was human, but not just a human. He was both God and human — God in the flesh, God incarnate, both divine and human.

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五祭

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利未记6章9-13节  你要吩咐亚伦和他的子孙说，燔祭的条例乃是这样：燔祭要放在坛的柴上，从晚上到天亮，坛上的火要常常烧着。祭司要穿上细麻布衣服，又要把细麻布裤子穿在身上，把坛上所烧的燔祭灰收起来，倒在坛的旁边。随后要脱去这衣服，穿上别的衣服，把灰拿到营外洁净之处。 坛上的火要在其上常常烧着，不可熄灭，祭司要每日早晨在上面烧柴，并要把燔祭摆在坛上，在其上烧平安祭牲的脂油。在坛上必有常常烧着的火，不可熄灭。

当神住在人的中间，却因为人的罪，成为了人与神之间的隔阂，有如万丈高墙，难以攀越。因此神设立了五祭，使以色列可以借着这五祭来亲近祂。一般在人所创立的宗教里，都尽量给人不食烟火的感觉，好让人幻想在天界是何等地清静无瑕。但是耶和华神却有不一样的想法，因为祂知道真正的天堂是怎样的，祂更知道谁才能去那里。所以在耶和华的殿里，祭是最原始的敬拜。

神设立了五祭，虽然我们不是犹太人，不必献祭；即使是犹太人，现在也没了献祭的地方。但是理解这五祭，可以帮助我们要怎样敬拜神，亲近神。现在我们要用复习的方法来看这五祭，答案都在《圣经》〈利未记〉1-7章里。这些有的是多选题，有超过一个的答案。

1.(        ) 神设立了那些祭是血祭 : (a.赎罪祭b.燔祭c.平安祭d.素祭e.赎愆祭f.以上皆是g.以上皆非)

2.(        ) 人的供物若以牛为燔祭，就要在(a.约柜前b. 会幕门口c. 祭坛上)献一只没有残疾的公牛。

3.(        ) 哪一种祭要把整只祭牲全部烧在祭坛上？(a.赎罪祭b.燔祭c.平安祭d.素祭e.赎愆祭f.以上皆是g.以上皆非)

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When the Curtain Tore (Plus, Jesus’ Last Words)

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 23:44-56. Let’s go!

Luke 23:44-45 (NIV) 
44  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45  for the sun stopped shining…

On verses 44-45: It is only fitting that when Jesus, the light of the world, was fading, the sun also stopped shining and darkness came over the entire land.

Luke 23:45b (NIV) 
45  …And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

On verse 45b: In the temple in Jerusalem, there was a curtain that separated the most holy part of the temple, called the Most Holy Place, from the rest of the temple. The Most Holy Place was regarded as the place where God’s presence resided. Only the high priest could enter that Most Holy Place and no more frequently than once a year. Yet when Jesus died, the curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was torn in two. This signified that because of Jesus’ death we now have full access to God’s most holy presence.

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神在呼叫

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利未记一章1-3节     耶和华从会幕中呼叫摩西，对他说：你晓谕以色列人说：你们中间若有人献供物给耶和华，要从牛群羊群中献牲畜为供物。他的供物若以牛为燔祭，就要在会幕门口献一只没有残疾的公牛，可以在耶和华面前蒙悦纳。

从〈创世记〉一开始，神创造这个世界，赐给人生命气息，然后人犯罪，献祭就开始了。亚当和夏娃吃了善恶果树的果子之后，就看见自己赤身裸体，并感到羞耻，便拿无花果树的叶子，为自己编做裙子。神知道以后，为亚当和他妻子用皮子做衣服给他们穿。哪里来的皮子呢？当然是动物的皮了，这便是献祭的开始，神为他们的罪杀了动物，动物的血遮盖他们的罪，也遮盖他们的祼体。因为罪的工价就是死。

在亚当的家里，孩子们都懂得献祭，该隐献素祭，亚伯献燔祭。为什么他们都知道要献祭呢？因为罪使人与神隔绝，当他们想亲近神时，就要先献祭除罪，才能亲近神。

〈创世记〉结束时，以约瑟的死为结束。一开始是生命的赐予，结束时，神收回生命。人不再享有永生。在〈出埃及记〉的开始，也是一个生命的诞生，原是该死的，却在神的恩典中活了下来。正代表以色列人这个民族，原是该灭亡的，却因着神的大能，起死回生，脱离奴隶生涯，成为神拣选的子民，建立起自己的国度。更美的是，在〈出埃及记〉的结束是神用云彩每天的带领，使以色列人成为一支充满希望的队伍。〈出埃及记〉，是一本从绝望到充满希望的过程。

〈利未记〉的第一章第1节，「耶和华从会幕中呼叫摩西」，会幕己经造好了，神住在以色列人中间，摩西不用再上山下山了。神只要呼叫，摩西即刻就到。这就是〈利未记〉的书名(ויקרא)，希伯来文的意思就是「祂呼叫」。当然，神不只是呼叫摩西，祂呼叫以色列百姓到祂面前来亲近祂。神的家立好了，没有人来的话，有什么意思呢？神的会幕在人间就是为要住在人中间，百姓若不来就失去了会幕的功用。

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What Kept Jesus on the Cross

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 23:27-43. Let’s go!

Luke 23:27-31 (NIV) 
27  A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 
28  Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 
29  For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 
30  Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”‘ 
31  For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

On verses 27-31: I am amazed by the compassion of Jesus. Even as Jesus is going through the most painful humiliation and torture that anyone would ever have to go through, Jesus still goes out of his way to speak his heart for the women of Jerusalem and their children. You can tell what is truly in a person’s heart when they are under pressure. In Jesus’ case, when under the most pressure anyone would ever face, Jesus looked past his own immediate suffering and focused on the suffering that others were slated to face years later. I believe Jesus did this not because he was in denial about his own suffering or because he was trying to look spiritual in front of others, but simply because Jesus is love and compassion personified. 

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