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The Key to Entering God’s Kingdom

2022-12-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 12:28-34.  Let’s go!

Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)
28  One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
29  “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
31  The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
 
On verses 28-31:  After answering questions from the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees, now Jesus is confronted by a representative of another group: the teachers of the law.  Unlike those who asked the previous two questions, this teacher is not out to trap Jesus but is sincere in his question.  He asks Jesus, “what is the most important commandment in the Jewish law?”  

不怒人生

2022-12-28 in , /by

傳道書8:1   誰如智慧人呢？誰知道事情的解釋呢？人的智慧使他的臉發光，並使他臉上的暴氣改變。

閱讀經文：傳道書8:1 

1誰如智慧人呢？誰知道事情的解釋呢？人的智慧使他的臉發光，並使他臉上的暴氣改變。

最近有朋友傳來笑話數則，有的頗令人玩味。有個小孩邊走吃冰淇淋，旁邊一位中年婦女看了就跟他說：“這麼涼的天吃冰淇淋，會吃壞身體的！”小孩說他奶奶活了103歲。中年婦女問：“她經常吃冰淇淋嗎？”小孩說：“不是。我奶奶從來不管閒事。”後語：多麼深刻！現在終於知道為什麼衰老得快了！瞎操心操的……

我們都想做智慧人，希望過一個充滿智慧的人生。因為人有智慧就不會說錯話，就不會急躁，不會暴跳如雷，傷身害體，又後悔莫及。有個人回想起她的父親，一向很愛孩子，平常從不疾言厲色，但不知為什麼，一旦生氣，出口大罵，非常嚇人。因為她是學心理學的，她認為並不是真的有什麼大事惹動父親的怒氣，而是在怒氣的底層，有很多沒有解決的問題。一旦有人觸動了那個機制，他就會失去控制。

Is There Marriage In Heaven?

2022-12-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 12:13-27.  Let’s go!

Mark 12:13-17 (NIV)
13  Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words.
14  They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
15  Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
16  They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied.
17  Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.
 
On verses 13-17:  By asking Jesus whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees and Herodians were trying to trap Jesus in a lose-lose situation, a “catch-22”.   If Jesus answered their question by suggesting that the Jews should not pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees and Herodians could then take this to the Roman government and say, “Look, Jesus is inciting rebellion against Caesar!”  On the other hand, if Jesus suggested that the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar, Jesus might be seen by some Jews as siding with the Roman government and betraying the Jewish nation, similar to the way they viewed tax collectors. 

God’s Values vs. The World’s Values

2022-12-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 12:1-12.  Let’s go!

Mark 12:1-11 (NIV)
1  He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.
2  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.
3  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.
4  Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.
5  He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.

On verses 1-11:  Being the master communicator, Jesus shares a simple, powerful, and arresting story that gives people a fresh understanding of a famous phrase in Scripture: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” (from Psalm 118:22-23).  At the same time, he uses this story to hint strongly at the tremendous evil that the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders were wanting to do to him.

人生的基本手冊

2022-12-27 in , /by

傳道書7:29  我所找到的只有一件，就是神造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:26-29

26我得知有等婦人比死還苦，她的心是網羅，手是鎖鏈，凡蒙神喜悅的人必能躲避她，有罪的人卻被她纏住了。27傳道者說：看哪，一千男子中，我找到一個正直人，但眾女子中沒有找到一個。我將這事一一比較，要尋求其理，我心仍要尋找，卻未曾找到。29我所找到的只有一件，就是神造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。

假如你看過《後宮甄嬛傳》，大概可以明白為何所羅門王對女人有這樣的看法。所羅門王有後宮妃七百，都是公主；還有嬪三百，至少有一千個女人。想想看她們為了見所羅門一面，要怎樣使盡功夫，明爭暗鬥，也不一定能達到目的。原都是公主美人，一入了所羅門的後宮，就不見天日了，真是情何以堪？

所以所羅門說：有等婦人比死還苦，她的心是網羅，手是鎖鏈，因為他後宮的每個女人見到他，都巴不得把他緊緊抓住。有他的寵幸，她們的人生才能得到一些尊嚴。她們活在後宮無望地等待所羅門的召見，那種情形真的比死還苦。宮禁森嚴，不能自由出入，活動的地方那麼小，沒有人真心和你交朋友，一抓到把柄就出賣你，下人也因為你不得竉就看輕你，真的就像個死囚。這是所羅門自己製造出來的，豈能怪女人當中沒有正直人？是因為他不把女人當人看，他先不正直，所以能怪女人要在死地中求生存嗎？

Unbelief vs. Honest Questions

2022-12-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:27-33.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:27-33 (NIV)
27  They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
28  “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”
29  Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
30  John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!”
31  They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
32  But if we say, ‘From men’….” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33  So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

On verses 27-33:  At one time Jesus’ critics claimed that it was by the prince of demons that Jesus drove out demons, basically attributing Jesus’ power to Satan.  But Jesus put that argument to rest (Mark 3:22-30).  Still, Jesus’ critics couldn’t figure out where Jesus’ power came from and they were also unwilling to acknowledge that God was behind Jesus’ ministry.  So they ask Jesus, “Who gave you the authority to do what you’re doing?” (v28)

萬事之理離我甚遠

2022-12-26 in , /by

傳道書7:23 我曾用智慧試驗這一切事，我說要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:23-25

23我曾用智慧試驗這一切事，我說要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。24萬事之理離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？25我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的理由，又要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。

當最有智慧的所羅門王說：“我曾用智慧試驗這一切事，我說要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。萬事之理離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？”神已經賜給所羅門王智慧，但是當他越考察，越想明白這宇宙之間的道理時，才發現原來萬事之理深不可測。你有沒有這樣的感覺呢？你越思想，就越感到人生的虛空。

神既然已經賜給所羅門王智慧，是在他以前沒有像他的，在他以後也沒有像他的；為何所羅門還要得智慧呢？當年所羅門向神求的，是聽訟的智慧。因此有許多關於所羅門王聽訟的故事流傳下來。現在所羅門王尋求的，是人生的智慧，是想對人生有一個更全面的理解。沒想到，他越考察就越想不通，人的一生何其有限，忙忙碌碌，即使享受了一切，到最後又留下了什麼？人生有何意義？我們在世上走一遭，難道只是為了在體驗一下生老病死？

How Should You Dream

2022-12-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:20-26.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:20-24 (NIV)
20  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
21  Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22  “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
23  “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
 
On verses 20-24:  Here Jesus shows the power of having faith in God.  As part of this, Jesus here is encouraging his followers to dream big dreams that involve God.  As missionary William Carey is famous for saying, when you’re serving God, expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.  What is something you dream of doing with God for His glory?

智慧的超越

2022-12-25 in , /by

傳道書7:20 時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:19-22

19智慧使有智慧的人比城中十個官長更有能力。20時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。21人所說的一切話，你不要放在心上，恐怕聽見你的僕人咒詛你。22因為你心裡知道，自己也曾屢次咒詛別人。

第19節的經文在呂振中譯本如下：“智慧使智慧人有能力，比城中十個諮議員更有權勢”，“更有能力”的原文還可被譯為“勝了”，“壓制”或“得勝”。“城中十個官長”類指古時候地方處理事務的長老會議，在印度農村也有類似的五人制的村議會，都是治理城巿事務的掌權者。這節經文有一個很重要的意思，掌權者不一定有智慧，而往往真的有智慧者，他們的話比當權者有更大的影響力。

在許多電影或故事裡，掌權者碰到突發事件，往往要靠謀士幫忙，以度難關。在舊約聖經的〈士師記〉裡有一個故事，講到士師基甸有一個兒子叫亞比米勒，為了奪權做王，他殺掉了基甸其他的兒子，只有一個逃跑了。後來亞比米勒和幫助他做王的示劍人反目成仇，兩邊廝殺不已。亞比米勒一路追殺，直取提備斯城，城裡有一棟高樓，所有的城裡人都躲到樓裡，亞比米勒便叫人用火燒樓。事情十分緊急，眾人束手無策，當然那些官長們也不知該如何了，這時有一個婦人把一塊磨石丟到亞比米勒的頭上。她的急智拯救了全城的人，躲過這場殺戮。

Jesus’ Heart for His House

2022-12-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:12-19.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:12-14 (NIV)
12  The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
14  Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
 
On verses 12-14:  We will see the fall out of this in verse 20.  In the meantime, we can learn a few things from these verses:
 
– In the first centuries of the church, history shows that some people had more of an issue with whether Jesus was human than whether Jesus was divine.  The fact that Jesus was hungry in verse 12 shows that Jesus was human.
 
– Was it fair for Jesus to curse the fig tree for not bearing fruit when it was not the season for bearing fruit (v13)?  The fact is: Jesus is sovereign.  He can do whatever he wants.  Perhaps a lesson here is that God always wants us to bear fruit, in any season or circumstance (e.g. see Jeremiah 17:8).  What kind of fruit?  The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the fruit of praise (Hebrews 13:15).