耶穌的責備

路加福音 19:41-44

41 耶穌快到耶路撒冷,看見城,就為它哀哭, 42 說:「巴不得你在這日子知道關係你平安的事,無奈這事現在是隱藏的,叫你的眼看不出來。 43 因為日子將到,你的仇敵必築起土壘,周圍環繞你,四面困住你, 44 並要掃滅你和你裡頭的兒女,連一塊石頭也不留在石頭上,因你不知道眷顧你的時候。」

福音書描繪耶穌人性面的喜怒哀樂,好讓我們經由祂感同身受,而體會神的心意。

耶穌為耶路撒冷哀哭,因為耶路撒冷將會遭遇圍困、毀滅(路19:41-44);面對失喪拉撒路的一家人,耶穌哭了,祂不僅顯露對拉撒路的愛,也因眾人信心的有限(難以認知拉撒路得復活的應許)而悲嘆(約11:33-44);被差遣的七十個人歡歡喜喜地回來,耶穌為他們的得勝,被聖靈感動就歡樂(路10:17-22)。

耶穌哀哭、悲嘆、歡樂,祂也責備人,狠狠地責備文士和法利賽人,在馬太23章中,幾乎整章,痛批他們是假冒為善、瞎眼領路的。

法利賽人是一群遵循先知與摩西律法,自勉追求聖潔、分別為聖,為保持純潔而與俗世保持距離的人;但是,他們過於注重外表和儀文,最後反而陷入曲解神意、假冒為善的泥沼。

西恩的故事

馬太福音 25:34-40

34 於是,王要向那右邊的說:『你們這蒙我父賜福的,可來承受那創世以來為你們所預備的國。 35 因為我餓了,你們給我吃;渴了,你們給我喝;我做客旅,你們留我住; 36 我赤身露體,你們給我穿;我病了,你們看顧我;我在監裡,你們來看我。』 37 義人就回答說:『主啊,我們什麼時候見你餓了給你吃,渴了給你喝? 38 什麼時候見你做客旅留你住,或是赤身露體給你穿? 39 又什麼時候見你病了或是在監裡,來看你呢?』 40 王要回答說:『我實在告訴你們:這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是做在我身上了。』

耶穌的教導: 給一個機會

在一個學習遲緩兒童學校的募款餐會上,有位父親說了他兒子西恩的故事。

西恩和我走過公園,裡面有些西恩認識的男孩們正在玩棒球。西恩問我:「你想他們會讓我一起玩嗎?」我知道大部份孩子不會想要有西恩這樣的孩子在自己的隊上,但身為父親,我知道若他們能讓我兒子參加,會讓他得到他迫切需要的歸屬感,並建立起自己雖是殘障仍能被接受的信心。

Jesus’ Word Makes You Clean and Fruitful

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 15:1-8.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
John 15:1-2 (NIV)
1  “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
 
On verses 1-2:  Here Jesus refers to himself as the true vine.  Why the “true” vine?  It’s because Jesus knew that soon his followers would be threatened by persecution and false teaching.  Thus in calling himself the true vine Jesus is reminding his followers that he is the way, the truth and the life they are looking for, not anything else or anyone else.
 

Jesus’ Peace vs. The World’s Peace

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 14:22-31.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
John 14:22-24 (NIV)
22  Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23  Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
24  He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
 
On verses 22-24:  One of Jesus’ disciples called Judas (not to be confused with Jesus’ betrayer Judas Iscariot) asks Jesus a question: “Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” (v22)  Jesus’ response is interesting.  Instead of answering Judas’ question directly, Jesus talks about how obedience is the true indicator of one’s love for Jesus and that if anyone loves Jesus, the Father and Jesus will come to that person and make their home with that person (v23). 

耶穌恩友

約翰福音 15:13-15

13 人為朋友捨命,人的愛心沒有比這個大的。 14 你們若遵行我所吩咐的,就是我的朋友了。 15 以後我不再稱你們為僕人,因僕人不知道主人所做的事。我乃稱你們為朋友,因我從父所聽見的,已經都告訴你們了。

耶穌恩友

「耶穌恩友」這首家喻戶曉的聖詩,不知安慰了多少人!作者史克文(Joseph Scriven 1819-1886)生於愛爾蘭,父親是皇家海軍上校。早年他一心想當軍人,曾進軍官學校,但因健康欠佳而中輟。1842年,他畢業於都柏林大學。在他結婚前夕,他的未婚妻意外墮水溺斃,當時他痛不欲生,但耶穌安慰了他。他在廿五歲時,傷心地離開故鄉,前往加拿大執教。

數年後,他再次戀愛,可是就在籌備婚禮時,未婚妻突然病故。自此他孤獨一生,將自己的生命、財產、光陰完全奉獻給主,讓主引導前程,主成為他最親密的良友。

他生性豪爽,樂於助人,經常幫助貧病和孤寡,時常帶了一把鋸子,在街頭為貧民、殘障者、或寡婦義務作工。在嚴冬時,他將衣服和食物與窮苦人分享,自己過著簡樸的生活。

耶利哥的瞎子

馬可福音 10:46-52

46 到了耶利哥,耶穌同門徒並許多人出耶利哥的時候,有一個討飯的瞎子,是底買的兒子巴底買,坐在路旁。 47 他聽見是拿撒勒的耶穌,就喊著說:「大衛的子孫耶穌啊,可憐我吧!」 48 有許多人責備他,不許他作聲,他卻越發大聲喊著說:「大衛的子孫哪,可憐我吧!」 49 耶穌就站住說:「叫過他來。」他們就叫那瞎子,對他說:「放心,起來,他叫你啦!」 50 瞎子就丟下衣服,跳起來,走到耶穌那裡。 51 耶穌說:「要我為你做什麼?」瞎子說:「拉波尼[a],我要能看見!」 52 耶穌說:「你去吧!你的信救了你了。」瞎子立刻看見了,就在路上跟隨耶穌。

耶穌同門徒及眾人出耶利哥,坐在路旁討飯的瞎子巴底買,他聽見是拿撒勒的耶穌,就喊著說:「大衛的子孫耶穌啊!可憐我吧!」耶穌站住,叫過他來,瞎子就丟下衣服,跳起來,走到耶穌那裡。耶穌對他說:「要我為你做甚麼?」瞎子說:「我要能看見。」耶穌說:「你去吧!你的信救了你了。」瞎子立刻看見了,就在路上跟隨耶穌。(可10:46-52)

Enter The Holy Spirit

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 14:15-21.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
John 14:15 (NIV)
15  “If you love me, you will obey what I command.
 
On verse 15:  Loving Jesus is not simply feeling a certain way toward Jesus or having a favourable opinion about Jesus.  It’s doing what Jesus commands.  To love Jesus is to obey Jesus.  If you want to know how well you love Jesus, ask yourself, “How much am I obeying what Jesus is commanding me to do?”

What Does It Mean To Ask In Jesus’ Name

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 14:1-14.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

John 14:1-3 (NIV)
1  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

On verses 1-3:  These words from Jesus to his disciples can also be taken as his words to us today.  Jesus has prepared a place for you in heaven, in his Father’s house.  The question is: do you trust Jesus (v1) to take you to his Father’s house when you die, or are you trusting in something else, trying to build your own place in heaven?  Praise God that if you have placed your trust in Jesus, on the day you die you don’t leave home; you go home.  For the Christian, home is where Jesus and the Father are.

綿羊與山羊的比喻

馬太福音 25:34-40

34 於是,王要向那右邊的說:『你們這蒙我父賜福的,可來承受那創世以來為你們所預備的國。 35 因為我餓了,你們給我吃;渴了,你們給我喝;我做客旅,你們留我住; 36 我赤身露體,你們給我穿;我病了,你們看顧我;我在監裡,你們來看我。』 37 義人就回答說:『主啊,我們什麼時候見你餓了給你吃,渴了給你喝? 38 什麼時候見你做客旅留你住,或是赤身露體給你穿? 39 又什麼時候見你病了或是在監裡,來看你呢?』 40 王要回答說:『我實在告訴你們:這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是做在我身上了。』

希伯來書談到信心的本質:「信就是所望之事的實底,是未見之事的確據(11:1)。」(現代中文譯本2019版:信心是對所盼望的事有把握,對不能看見的事能肯定),這是一節不易讓人領會的經文;於是,作者在第11章中列舉歷代信徒跟隨神的經歷,來見證:「這些人都是因信得了美好的證據(或譯為讚許),卻仍未得著所應許的;…(11:39-40)」。

其中,作者提到摩西說:「他因著信,就離開埃及,不怕王怒;因為他恆心忍耐,如同看見那不能看見的主(原文沒有「主」這字)(11:27)。」這節經文描述摩西年少時躲避法老,逃往米甸牧羊,憑著信心忍耐40年;最後,神在燃燒的荊棘中呼召摩西,差遣他開始承擔年輕時渴望「拯救族人」的使命。

How Do You Know If You’re a True Disciple of Jesus

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 13:31-38.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
John 13:31-32 (NIV)
31  When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him.
32  If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
 
On verses 31-32:  With Judas now on his way to betray Jesus, Jesus sees Judas’ betrayal as triggering the important process by which Jesus will be handed over to the authorities, crucified, killed, buried, and finally resurrected and glorified.  So Jesus is looking past the betrayal to what the betrayal would lead to, ultimately Jesus being glorified.