Get to Know Jesus Better

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 7:25-36.  Let’s go!

John 7:25-26 (NIV) 
25  At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?
26  Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ?

On verses 25-26:  Some in Jerusalem wondered why the Jerusalem authorities were allowing Jesus to preach publicly if they considered him to be public enemy number 1 (v25-26).  By not doing anything seemingly to stop Jesus, the religious leaders were seen by some as possibly approving of Jesus’ claims.  What can we learn from this?  When you’re silent on an issue, you may give others the impression that you accept the status quo as being okay.  May you have wisdom to know when to speak up and when to remain silent, and when you do speak up, may you speak up with wisdom.

John 7:27 (NIV)
27  But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.”

戒受引诱从侍他神

〈申命记〉13章1-3节: 「你们中间若有先知或是做梦的起来,向你显个神蹟奇事,对你说:『我们去随从你素来所不认识的别神,事奉它吧。』他所显的神蹟奇事虽有应验,你也不可听那先知或是那做梦之人的话;因为这是耶和华─你们的 神试验你们,要知道你们是尽心尽性爱耶和华─你们的 神不是。」

去年的美国总统大选让我们感受到这段经文的真实和警戒。这场历时了两个月才尘埃落定的选举,在它开始以前就己经沸沸扬扬了。引起我观注的是世界各地灵媒的预言,其中也包括了天主教的神父和基督教的牧师。印度神童观天象,耶稣半夜造访牧师,每一个人都言之凿凿:川普历经艰难后,必赢得大选。可是今年1月6日的宣布,让这些预言都落空了。

我突然连想起耶利米当年的情景。巴比伦王大军来袭,而以色列里许多先知都预言: 「你们必不看见刀剑,也不遭遇饥荒;耶和华要在这地方赐你们长久的平安。(耶14:13)」但是耶和华神告诉耶利米:「定为死亡的,必致死亡;定为刀杀的,必交刀杀;定为饥荒的,必遭饥荒;定为掳掠的,必被掳掠。(耶15:2)」事情的发生果然如耶利米的预料,因为那才是出于神的带领。

人对于神蹟奇事总是特别好奇,即使信主后,听到有些预言或看到有些特异功能还是会被吸引。所以有许多人特别喜欢读〈启示录〉,总是想要知道将来会如何,其实不是真的想因为知道将来而好好把握现在,只是想满足对于未来的好奇。也有许多人迷惑于特异功能,想借着一些超自然的力量来达到某些目的,因而被邪灵所制。

Wisdom from the Father

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 7:14-24.  Let’s go!

John 7:14 (NIV) 
14  Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 

On verse 14:  The Feast of Tabernacles lasted 8 days.  According to some scholars, it had been approximately 18 months since the last time Jesus visited Jerusalem.  Many were expecting Jesus to make a public appearance at the Feast, but Jesus does not appear when everyone expects.  Only when the Feast is halfway through did Jesus begin to teach in the temple courts.  There he amazes the crowd with his teaching. 

John 7:15 (NIV) 
15  The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?”

On verse 15:  When the Jews ask, “How did this man get such learning without having studied?”, some scholars read this as the Jews simply being amazed that a man without formal rabbinical training like Jesus could teach with such wisdom and power.  However, there is probably also a streak of skepticism in their question as well. 

宰牲食肉之例

〈申命记〉 12:25    不可吃血。这样,你行耶和华眼中看为正的事,你和你的子孙就可以得福。

在非常推崇素食的时代里,看到〈申命记〉12章19-32节,会不让你连想到昨天读的经文:「各人行自己眼中看为正的事」?今天这段经文给了我们一节对照的经文:「行耶和华你神眼中看为善、看为正的事(申12:28)」。在人的一生里,经常在这两节经文的挣扎之中做选择,究竟要行自己眼中看为正的事好,还是要行耶和华神眼中看为正的事?前一阵子我也一直在思考这个问题,一定要吃素食才健康吗?虽然现在的肉食有太多的抗生素等等因素,但是有些肉店还是有品质不错的肉,我们必须放弃吗?在不断地思考中,我几乎不知如何下厨了。

在神起初创造这个世界时,神把蔬菜和水果赐给亚当和夏娃作为食物;在大洪水之后,神又把动物赐给挪亚和他的后裔作为食物。然后在以色列人出埃及之后,神正式宣告,哪些是不洁的动物,哪些是洁净可食的动物。洁净的肉食,表示是适合人吃的肉食,也表示是干净、完整、无瑕的肉;不洁净的动物包括自死的或是被野兽撕裂的,当然也有人吃,但是吃了不一定对健康有益。例如,现在有一些地方流行猪瘟疫,有的生意人把病死的猪也拿去做香肠,醃肉,等等,不知内情的人吃了生病都不知道是怎么回事,十分可怕。

这段经文给我们一个很清楚的引导,肉是神给人的一个恩赐。是人说不可以吃肉,不是神说不可以吃肉。「在你各城里都可以照耶和华你神所赐你的福分,随心所欲宰牲吃肉(申12:15)」,不管是洁净的人或是不洁净的人都可以吃。只是不可吃血。摩西说得非常清楚,肉是神赐给人的福份。但是不可将血与肉同吃,要先把动物的血放掉,如同倒水一样倒掉(申12:24)。

From Not Enough to More Than Enough

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 6:1-15.  Let’s go!

John 6:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 
2  and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 
3  Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 
4  The Jewish Passover Feast was near. 
5  When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”

On verses 1-5:  Notice that when Jesus sees the crowd, his heart goes out to them and he wants to serve them.  When he sees the crowd, he probably envisions fields ripe for harvest. What do you see when you see crowds in your city? Like Jesus may you have a heart for the people around you.  Like Jesus, may you desire for God to work powerfully in their lives. As we will see in this passage, multitudes will be blessed when the hearts of a few willing and courageous individuals match the heart of God.

在耶和华面前欢乐

〈申命记〉 12:18 要在耶和华─你的 神面前吃,在耶和华─你 神所要选择的地方,你和儿女、仆婢,并住在你城里的利未人,都可以吃;也要因你手所办的,在耶和华─你 神面前欢乐。

读了这段经文,你有什么感想吗?我读了这段经文之后,心里有一种很深的感动。摩西在前面几章讲到神为以色列人做的事情,神给他们的律法,神为他们预备的美地,但是都不如这里的信息那么令人感动。神为了和以色列人建立关系,的确做出了许多无可伦比的神蹟奇事,又给他们最完备的建国方略(律法等),但是都不如这里的信息来得直接,神要选民在神的面前欢乐度日。

神不是包青天,准备了龙头铡、虎头铡和狗头铡,专门等那些犯法的人上前来,就给他铡一下。祂是希望以色列人,祂的子民都因为手所办的一切事蒙神祝福,因而在神面前欢乐。你可曾想过,神不要你忧愁,祂希望你欢乐?倘若你在神的面前活得很忧愁,祂看了会很难过。以前孩子小的时候,有时早上动作慢,被我斥责了几句,小脸蛋扯得长长地去上学。等他一出门,我心里就开始难过了,就开始祷告,求天父让他开心起来,不要再难过。往往要等他放学时,看到他那飞扬的笑容,我的心才会再度开朗起来。

天父也希望我们喜乐地活在祂面前。主耶稣在最后的晚餐时,为门徒祷告,其中有一句:「我还在世上说这话,是叫他们心里充满我的喜乐。(约17:13b)」即使在面对酷刑和死亡之际,主仍然有喜乐在心里,祂也不想门徒们失去喜乐,祂求神使门徒的心里充满祂的喜乐。当以色列人从巴比伦回去耶路撒冷建殿筑城时,尼希米鼓励他们:「你们不要忧愁,因靠耶和华而得的喜乐是你们的力量。(尼8:10)」不是因为环境很美好,不是因为生活舒服,而是在任何景况之下,神都希望我们有祂的喜乐在心里,因为靠耶和华而得的喜乐是我们的力量。

Moses your accuser, Jesus your Saviour

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 5:41-47.  Let’s go!

John 5:41-44 (NIV) 
41  “I do not accept praise from men,
42  but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
43  I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.
44  How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

On verses 41-44:  Interesting.  Jesus seems to be saying that if you’re all about living for people’s praise and approval and are not interested in pleasing God, this will keep you from an effective, saving, fruitful faith in God.  In other words, faith is a heart issue. 

John 5:45-47 (NIV) 
45  “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.
46  If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
47  But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

丈夫色情成瘾