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Don’t Major in the Minor and Minor in the Major

2024-06-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 18:28-40.  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 18:28 (NIV)
28  Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.
 
On verse 28:  The chief priests and Pharisees who were handing Jesus over to the Roman governor believed that by entering the home of a Gentile (in this case, the palace of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate), they would make themselves ceremonially unclean according to their religious laws.  Jesus’ opponents were so focused on keeping their religious rules on ceremonial cleanness, yet at the same time they were handing over an innocent man – the Son of God no less – to be killed.  That’s the danger of Christ-less religion: when you’re so focused on keeping little rules that you miss God and even kill God in the process.  This is also called “majoring in the minor and minoring in the major”. 

赐给我们今日的饮食

2024-06-17 in , /by

马太福音 6:11 我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。

雅各书 4:3 你们求也得不著，是因为你们妄求，要浪费在你们的宴乐中。

这是第二次世界大战后的一个故事。有位妇人进入一家商店，想要为子女采购一些食物。她在店里东看看、西摸摸，停驻好久，却踌躇不知该买些什么东西。于是店主人便过来问她：「您打算买甚么食物？」

妇人很难为情的说：「老实讲，自从我丈夫死在战场后，留下我们一家人经常三餐不继，现在我身上一毛钱也没有，我唯一能给你的代价，就是为你祈祷，求上帝恩待你。」

店主人并不相信上帝，但为了打发她走，就讽刺的笑着说：「为我祈祷？好吧，把妳的祈祷拿出来秤一秤，看它有多重，就让妳换多少食物回去罢！」店主人不经意的说，没想到妇人竟然真的从口袋掏出一张纸，放到天平上说：「谢谢你，昨晚我刚好写了一篇祈祷文。」

店主人无可奈何之下，连瞧都不瞧那纸一眼，心想区区一张纸能有几两重，便顺手拿起一条土司，往天平的另一端放上去，没想到天平一动也不动。

财主进天国

2024-06-16 in , /by

马太福音 19:16-22

16 有一个人来见耶稣说：「夫子，我该做什么善事才能得永生？」 17 耶稣对他说：「你为什么以善事问我呢？只有一位是善的。你若要进入永生，就当遵守诫命。」 18 他说：「什么诫命？」耶稣说：「就是不可杀人，不可奸淫，不可偷盗，不可作假见证， 19 当孝敬父母，又当爱人如己。」 20 那少年人说：「这一切我都遵守了，还缺少什么呢？」 21 耶稣说：「你若愿意做完全人，可去变卖你所有的，分给穷人，就必有财宝在天上；你还要来跟从我。」 22 那少年人听见这话，就忧忧愁愁地走了，因为他的产业很多。

今世得百倍

有一个富有的少年人来问耶稣要做什么善事才能得永生，他告诉耶稣他从小就遵守了一切的诫命，耶稣看着他，就爱他，对他说：「你还缺少一件：去变卖你所有的，分给穷人，就必有财宝在天上；你还要来跟从我。」少年人听见这话，就忧忧愁愁地走了，因为他的产业很多（太19:16-22，可10:17-22，路18:18-23）。

耶稣接着对门徒说：「…财主进天国是难的。…骆驼穿过针的眼，比财主进神的国还容易呢！」（太19:23-24）我想这句话让门徒傻眼了，因为他们中间有人是船主、税吏，有财富、产业，他们说：「这样谁能得救呢？」聪明的彼得马上想到投资报酬率，他问耶稣：「看哪，我们已经撇下所有的跟从你，将来我们要得甚么呢？」（太19:25-27）

Bound To Set Us Free

2024-06-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 18:12-27.  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 18:12-13 (NIV)
12  Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him
13  and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
 
On verses 12-13:  You could call Annas the godfather of high priests.  From AD 6 to AD 15 Annas was high priest of Israel.  When Annas was deposed by the Roman governor Valerius Gratus at that time (Pilate’s predecessor), many still considered Annas to be their high priest.  Annas also had five sons who would each hold the office of high priest after Annas.  At this time Annas’ son-in-law Caiaphas was the acting high priest.  So Annas had enormous influence in Israel at this time.

P.S. Jesus Loves You

2024-06-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 18:1-11.  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 18:1-3 (NIV)
1  When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it.
2  Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.
3  So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
 
On verses 1-3:  The first time the Kidron Valley is mentioned in Scripture, King David is crossing it at a time when he is being betrayed by the son he loves and his life is in danger (see 2 Samuel 15, especially verse 23).  The last time the Kidron Valley is mentioned in Scripture, Jesus the Son of David is crossing it at a time when he is being betrayed by a disciple he loves and his life is in danger.  It’s another example of the Old Testament pointing to the New Testament.
 

芥菜种的成长

2024-06-14 in , /by

马太福音 13:31-32

31 他又设个比喻对他们说：「天国好像一粒芥菜种，有人拿去种在田里。 32 这原是百种里最小的，等到长起来，却比各样的菜都大，且成了树，天上的飞鸟来宿在它的枝上。」

耶稣用芥菜种的成长（太13:31-32，可4:30-32，路13:18-19）来比喻神国的福音，起初宛如一粒不起眼的芥菜种，在众信徒的努力宣道下，不断成长如同一棵大树，天上的飞鸟来宿在它的枝上。

芥菜种并非最小的种子，香柏树的种子就比它小，现在所知最小的是斑叶兰的种子；但在东方谚语中，常把芥菜种喻为最小的种子。芥菜种虽微小，但在妥善照料下，能够成长，高过其他的蔬菜，甚至可长到十至二十呎高，枝叶繁茂，宛如一棵树。

芥菜属于叶菜类，能供人食用，但它成了树，树叶就不再可作为食用，使人得到好处，反而被天空的飞鸟来宿在树枝上，搭了巢，占有了这树。

Hear the Heartbeat of Jesus

2024-06-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 17:13-26.  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 17:13-16 (NIV)
13  “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
14  I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
15  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

On verses 13-16:  In a world where followers of Jesus will have trouble (John 16:33) and will be misunderstood by many (John 15:18), Jesus does not pray that the Father remove his followers from this world.  Rather Jesus prays that the Father would protect them from the evil one (v15).  Jesus’ heart is that his disciples would have the full measure of his joy within them even as they go through hardship (v13).  What can we learn from this? 

西罗亚池

2024-06-13 in , /by

约翰福音 9:1-11

耶稣过去的时候，看见一个人生来是瞎眼的。 2 门徒问耶稣说：「拉比，这人生来是瞎眼的，是谁犯了罪？是这人呢，是他父母呢？」 3 耶稣回答说：「也不是这人犯了罪，也不是他父母犯了罪，是要在他身上显出神的作为来。 4 趁着白日，我们必须做那差我来者的工；黑夜将到，就没有人能做工了。 5 我在世上的时候，是世上的光。」 6 耶稣说了这话，就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上， 7 对他说：「你往西罗亚池子里去洗。」（「西罗亚」翻出来就是「奉差遣」。）他去一洗，回头就看见了。

约9:1-7描述生来瞎眼的从圣殿到西罗亚池的历程中，凭著信心眼睛得医治，接着约9:8-41则述说他如何从肉体眼睛「得看见」（眼睛得医治，约9:7）到属灵眼睛「看明白」（与主面对面，约9:38），让我们学习如何从「目盲」到「跟随」，体验一个「看见、知道、思想、明白」（赛41:17-20）的天路历程。生来瞎眼的得医治以后，他面对三群眼睛看得见的瞎子，开始寻索「得看见」的真相…

他去一洗，回头就看见了

主里亲爱的茂X兄和金X姊近日捎来令人振奋的分享：「我女儿莉X今天回诊，正子和抽血检查报告全部正常，三个月后再回诊追踪。感谢赞美全知全能的神，因为有祢的同在和看顾，以及这么多家人的陪伴、关心、祷告，使我们有信心向前行，谢谢你们的爱(love)，在600多个日子，陪我们渡过无数次的难关，也大大感谢赞美神的恩典和帮助。」

「600多个日子」、「无数次的难关」充满着眼泪、忧愁、无助…，道尽了倚靠信心前行的极大挑战；让我们想起约翰福音第九章描述生来瞎眼的人从圣殿到西罗亚（奉差遣）池（约9:6-7）眼睛得医治的历程，眼睛抹著唾沫和泥的瞎子，他一步步的从圣殿走到西罗亚池…。

得看见、看明白

2024-06-12 in , /by

约翰福音 9:1-41

耶稣过去的时候，看见一个人生来是瞎眼的。 2 门徒问耶稣说：「拉比，这人生来是瞎眼的，是谁犯了罪？是这人呢，是他父母呢？」 3 耶稣回答说：「也不是这人犯了罪，也不是他父母犯了罪，是要在他身上显出神的作为来。 4 趁着白日，我们必须做那差我来者的工；黑夜将到，就没有人能做工了。 5 我在世上的时候，是世上的光。」 6 耶稣说了这话，就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上， 7 对他说：「你往西罗亚池子里去洗。」（「西罗亚」翻出来就是「奉差遣」。）他去一洗，回头就看见了。

约9:1-7描述生来瞎眼的从圣殿到西罗亚池的历程中，凭著信心眼睛得医治，接着约9:8-41则述说他如何从肉体眼睛「得看见」（眼睛得医治，约9:7）到属灵眼睛「看明白」（与主面对面，约9:38），让我们学习如何从「目盲」到「跟随」，体验一个「看见、知道、思想、明白」（赛41:17-20）的天路历程。生来瞎眼的得医治以后，他面对三群眼睛看得见的瞎子，开始寻索「得看见」的真相…

第一群瞎子是他的邻舍和那素常见他是讨饭的（约9:8-13），他们没有敏锐的心，轻忽神的作为，不愿意认真思想他们亲眼所看见的事实。生来瞎眼的回应他们的疑惑：他「记得」耶稣的名字和被医治的过程（约9:11）。

第二群瞎子是法利赛人（约9:13-18），他们受制于遗传、教条、宗教模式，拒绝承认神的作为（约9:16）。生来瞎眼的思想他们的质疑：祂是从神而来吗？祂是先知（约9:17）。

第三群瞎子是他的父母（约9:18-23），他们受制于权势、压力、环境，避重就轻（约9:20-21），畏惧承认神的作为（约9:22）。

The Ways Jesus Is Proud of You

2024-06-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 17:1-12.  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 17:1-2 (NIV)
1  After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
 
On verses 1-2:  Here John quotes Jesus as praying to the Father.  Chapter 17 of John is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in Scripture.  Verse 2 says that the Father granted authority to Jesus over all people so that Jesus might give eternal life to people.  When the Father gives you authority, it’s not so that you can personally be famous, wealthy or powerful.  God gives you authority so that you can give, help and be a blessing to others.