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Using Your Freedom to Glorify God and to Bless Others

2021-08-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 10:23-33.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (NIV)
23  “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive.
24  Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

On verses 23-24:  “Everything is permissible” may have been a common saying during Paul’s time.  The saying was possibly used by some in Paul’s church in Corinth as a licence for them to do whatever they want, claiming that as believers they were free to do anything.  Paul challenges this “everything is permissible” way of thinking by encouraging his Christian brothers and sisters to think and live on a higher level.  Instead of just focusing on what I am free to do, I should even more think about what impact my actions have (i.e. what benefit my actions bring to myself and others, what harm my actions do to myself and others).  Instead of just seeking my own good, I am to seek the good of others.  Christians are called to this higher, more unselfish, more productive level of living.  In the verses that follow, Paul will illustrate what that looks like when it comes to a hot issue during Paul’s time, which is eating food sacrificed to idols.

1 Corinthians 10:25-26 (NIV)
25  Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
26  for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

大卫犯罪

2021-08-16 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉下 11:27b但大卫所行的这事，耶和华甚不喜悦。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 11:1-27

在〈历代志〉上廿章，记载着约押再次打败亚扪人，打下了他们的首都拉巴，夺了亚扪王的金冠冕，灭了他们各城的居民。回到耶路撒冷的大卫，真是志得意满，意气风发。此时的大卫，真是不可一世啊！以色列的国势如日中天，各国都来称臣；外面有干将约押，里面歌舞升平，大卫开始享受人生，睡到自然醒，太阳竟已平西！保罗说：“因我什么时候软弱，什么时候就刚强了”（林后12:10b）。在这里，我们要转过来看这句话：“因我什么时候刚强，什么时候就软弱了”。此时正是大卫自觉最刚强的时候，却也是他最软弱的时候。

大卫在躲避扫罗时就已经左娶一个右娶一个，在希伯仑做犹大王时，已经有了七个妻子六个儿子；到了耶路撒冷更是后妃满庭院，儿女满天飞。情欲，是大卫人生中最大的弱点，因为他不知道何时要终止这样的游戏。他不知道这个弱点会带给他人生最大的污点，也不知道这个弱点将会把他拖入何等的深渊，带给他的家族何等的咒诅。大卫王以为性关系是一件很随便的事，所以当他看上拔示巴之后，就一心一意想和她上床。至于上床后可能发生的事，他完全不去想。很自然地，拔示巴怀孕了。这时大卫要负责任吗？没有，他要拔示巴的丈夫乌利亚回来承担这个责任。他只想要神不知鬼不觉地偷吃，可是天不从人愿。

乌利亚是个尽忠职守的将士，当他想到约押和其他战士们都在田野里安营或住在棚里，就不肯回家与妻子同寝。大卫试了两次，想要灌醉他，使他失去理智，没想到这个人如此忠心，宁可与大卫的仆人睡在宫门外，就是不肯回家。大卫想栽赃的计划不成功，顿生杀机。一个有勇有谋如大卫的人，若要做坏事，那真是可怕。大卫写了一封信，叫约押想办法让乌利亚战死在前线，要让乌利亚死得很自然，让人看不出一点谋杀的迹象。大卫被情欲所蒙敞，竟然为了遮盖自己的罪过，而杀害一个对他忠心耿耿的将士。乌利亚带着那封致己于非命的信回到战场。

Overcoming Temptation with God’s Help

2021-08-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (NIV)
1  For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
2  They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3  They all ate the same spiritual food
4  and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
5  Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert…….

On verses 1-11:  Here Paul recalls the time when the Israelites, under Moses’ leadership, were escaping Egypt and wandering in the desert on their way to the promised land.  Back then, the Israelites considered themselves to be God’s people and experienced incredible miracles from God.  They “were all under the cloud” (v1), meaning that God led those Israelites by a pillar of cloud (Exodus 13:21).  They “all passed through the sea” (v1), referring to how God amazingly led those Israelites through the Red Sea in Exodus 14:21-31.  Paul compares these experiences that the Israelites had with the pillar of cloud and the Red Sea to a baptism (v3).  They received special spiritual food (v3-4), which Paul attributes to Jesus Christ Himself, extrapolating that Jesus Christ Himself was with these Israelites during this time and was the source of the spiritual food and drank they consumed.

大卫遣使诣哈嫩

2021-08-15 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉下 10:12 我们都当刚强，为本国的民和神的城邑做大丈夫！愿耶和华凭祂的意旨而行。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 10:1-19

〈箴言〉十七章20节说：“心存邪僻的寻不著好处，舌弄是非的陷在祸患中”。亚扪人的王哈嫩不识好歹，大卫因他父丧，派人去慰问他，他反而听从小人之言，以小人之心度君子之腹，侮辱大卫的臣仆：剃去他们一半的胡须，又割断他们下半截的衣服，使他们露出下体。这样的作法使他们和以色列人结了仇恨，本来可以和睦相交，只因为做得不得体，以致为亚扪人招来极大的祸患。

文革批斗风盛行时，也有类似的做法：把人的头发剃一半、留一半，这样的发型，就叫“阴阳头”。一般是剃光左边、留下右边头发；因为黑五类、牛鬼蛇神等人都被划归左中右的“右”里面。有些人甚至对眉毛也同样剃一半、留一半。在一些遗留的民俗里，只有对小偷、妓女、败坏门风的妇女，才采用这样践踏人格尊严的方法代替肉刑。剃发之刑称为髠（音：困）刑，是中国上古五刑之一，把人的头发全部剃掉或部份剃掉。现代人流行标新立异，有的人故意把头发剃掉一半，觉得很标新立意，可能没想到这是属于耻辱刑的刑罚。在魏晋南北朝时，佛教徒剃光头，又不结婚，被认为大不孝，被称为髠人。许多民族，包括以色列人，都认为胡须是男性尊严的象征，在神赐给以色列的律法中，禁止男人剃掉“两鬓的头发” （指耳朵前边和眼睛之间的毛发），也不可刮掉胡须的两端（利19:27/21:5），因为那是外邦人的宗教习俗。

至于割断下半截的衣服，使他们露出下体，那就更侮辱人了。因为下体是人最隐私之处，大卫迎约柜时跳舞到忘情，不小心露出下体，就被米甲轻视了。更何况整半截的衣服被削掉，堂堂男子汉怎能受此大辱？大卫一听到这消息，立刻派人去接他们，并且让他们到耶利哥去住，等胡须长起再回去。这是大卫对下属的体贴，但是亚扪人从此就知道他们有祸了，因为做了令人憎恶的事。

教会应如何面对LGBT(1 )

2021-08-13 in , /by

从耶稣降生到基督再临，这段漫长时间段，末世教会面临各种挑战，包括各种异端邪说以及世俗潮流对教会的冲击，尤其是20世纪以来，人类社会受后现代主义文化思潮影响非常深，否认绝对真理，抵抗权威，反抗传统。在后现代思潮的温床下，LGBT群体在西方兴起，颠覆一男一女的婚姻观，和生理性别认同的传统, 它们直接挑战宣扬和捍卫绝对真理的教会.

不但生活在北美基督徒要面对这些群体和相关议题，西风东渐，国内弟兄姐妹也开始面对越来越多同性恋和跨性别的人群，对教会是一个新挑战。先简单介绍一下LGBT四个字母所代表的含义：

L 女同性恋 Lesbian

G 男同性恋 Gay （或者是对同性恋身份的认同）

B 双性恋 Bisexual

T 跨性别 Transgendered

教会面对LGBT这个群体的新挑战，不能只是“分别为圣”，不理会他们；也不能只是鄙视和指责，也不是只为下一代担忧。教会需要从合乎圣经以及合乎常理的立场去对待这个群体以及所引发的问题。

在这堂信息里，我们会谈到以下四点：1）了解LGBT 群体 2）圣经的立场 3）装备弟兄姐妹来面对 4）教育孩子来面对这些问题。

了解LGBT这个群体

说到LGBT，我们要明白人很复杂，每个个体也都很独特，形成LGBT的原因各不相同, 他们在政治上参与推动LGBT合法化的积极性也不尽相同。所以不要有刻板印象，认为所有LGBT都是一个样子。有些人对自己有LGBT的倾向和问题是隐藏的，不愿意人知道，甚至包括自己的父母和朋友。有些人则是非常激进的，他们不但公开争取LGBT的权利，甚至不惜牺牲别人的权益来鼓动，形成一种政治正确的意识形态。而介于隐藏和激进二者之间的，是那些敢于公开自己LGBT的身份, 但也不特别宣扬，不一定会去参与争取LGBT政治权利的活动的人群。

What to Do about Disputable Matters

2021-08-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 8:1-13.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (NIV)
1  Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2  The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3  But the man who loves God is known by God.
4  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.
5  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),……

On verses 1-13:  In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses a question that many Christians in his church had conflicting opinions about: is it okay to eat food sacrificed to idols or not (v1-4)?    From Paul’s answer, we can learn 3 questions to ask when determining whether you should engage in what seems like a questionable activity (whether it’s eating food sacrificed to idols, playing Pokemon Go, going trick or treating, or something else):

Question 1: Ask “Does God’s Word clearly and directly prohibit this activity?”  If yes, then the answer’s clear: don’t engage in this activity (or at least don’t engage in that part of the activity which is clearly prohibited by Scripture).  If God’s Word does not clearly and directly prohibit this activity, go to question 2.

大卫以仁慈待米非波设

2021-08-12 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉9:1    大卫问说：「扫罗家还有剩下的人没有？我要因约拿单的缘故向他施恩。」

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 9:1-13

玛吉Machir，是玛拿西的儿子，约瑟的孙子，基列的父亲。在出埃及之后，玛拿西的后裔曾经参与攻克基列和巴珊的战役，他的后人就定居在这两个地方。亚米利的儿子玛吉就是约瑟和玛拿西的后人，摩西把约旦河西的地方分给了流便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派，玛吉就住在约旦河西的基列地。罗底巴，是一句希伯来语，意思是“没有草的地方”，可能是形容基列地多岩石的特质。在扫罗家破败之后，约瑟的后人玛吉还愿意收留米非波设，一个残废的人，不愧是宰相之家的后代。

米非波设的原名是米力巴力（代上8:34），巴力是古代西亚西北闪米特语通行地区的一个封号，表示“主人”的意思，一般用于神祇。米力巴力含有“巴力的勇士”之意，后来被改名为米非波设。从世人的眼光，他真是生不逢时，生在帝王之家，原本是高贵的王子，不料却碰上家破人亡的战事，使他从一个王子变成一无所有的人；又因为乳母的失手，使他从一个本来可以大有作为的人变成一无可取，连行动都无法自如的人。人生的剧变和残酷，往往是我们难以预料的。正好像有首黑人灵歌〈肯达基故乡〉所说的：“人世不常，噩运来临没法想，从此别肯达基老家乡”。

2015年六月一日，传来长江游轮东方一号，在十二级以上的龙卷风袭击之下，一分钟内倾覆，倒扣在水中，因为当时大家都准备休息，连求救的信号都来不及发出。这瞬间翻沉的事，谁能预先料到呢？原本快乐的旅程就这样结束，变成一片号啕的痛哭声，船上458人中有七人游上岸报警，其他人或已全部遇难。这就是人生的真相。东方一号的出事地点离湖北新洲码头大约四公里，只可惜，来不及了。出事都只在那一瞬间，使人措手不及。

Is It Better to Stay Single or Get Married?

2021-08-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 7:32-40.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 7:32-40 (NIV)
32  I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs–how he can please the Lord.
33  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world–how he can please his wife–
34  and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world–how she can please her husband.
35  I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
36  If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married…….

On verses 32-40:  Here Paul gets realistic about the cost of getting married.  Every married person can attest to this: once you are married, you are no longer looking out for just yourself.  Now you have a spouse and possibly kids to be concerned about.

It’s for this reason that Paul seems to prefer singleness for Christians in 1 Corinthians 7.  Paul here even seems to encourage those who are engaged but who are not settled on their decision to marry to strongly consider singleness (v36-38). It’s not because marriage is sinful, but because practically speaking a single person has a lot more time and a lot less complicated life that he or she can devote to serving God.

Live for God’s Greater Purposes

2021-08-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 7:25-31.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 7:25-28 (NIV)
25  Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
26  Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.
27  Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.
28  But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

On verses 25-28:  What “present crisis” is Paul referring to in verse 26?  It is not entirely clear.  Some scholars think Paul may be referring specifically to a famine that had hit the region including Corinth.  Others think Paul may be referring more generally to the normal struggles people were experiencing from day to day, or what Paul believed was the soon coming return of Jesus Christ.  In any event, Paul advises the Christians in Corinth to “remain as you are” (v26).  So to the already married Paul tells them not to seek a divorce (v27a) and to those who are single Paul advises not to be too caught up trying to look for a future spouse (v27b).  Paul does clarify that getting married is certainly not a sin (v28a) but he wants to spare his people from the troubles that married people will inevitably go through (v28b).

大卫王的功绩

2021-08-11 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉下 8:15    大卫做以色列众人的王，又向众民秉公行义。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 8:1-18

在大卫打败歌利亚之后，扫罗就立他作为千夫长及战士长。那时年轻的大卫带着那些年记比他大的军兵们出入，因为耶和华与他同在，他也办事精明，所以犹大和以色列众人都爱大卫（撒上13:13-16）。大卫在躲避扫罗时，也要经历一些大小战役，神与大卫同在，但也不断地在磨炼大卫，使他能担起一国之君的大任。现在大卫终于作王了，神给他的军事才华终于发挥得淋漓尽至。

非利士人从以色列人的士师时期就不断骚扰以色列人，因为他们懂得冶铁，所以在兵器上有极大的优势。但是当大卫兴起后，非利士人在历史上就一蹶不起了。因此有人认为，迦特王亚吉把洗革拉给了大卫，正好给了大卫一个学习冶铁的机会，从此以色列人有了兵器，非利士人就不能再猖狂了。大卫夺了非利士人京城的权柄，又打败摩押人。

可能我们还记得，在大卫逃亡时，曾经把父母寄放在摩押王那里，怎么作了王之后，就把他们打得落花流水，还用绳量一量，量二绳的杀了，量一绳的存留？一绳表示年记小的，身材只有一绳那么高。大卫没有杀量一绳的，也就是没有赶尽杀绝，给摩押人留下余种。大卫和摩押人开战的原因，我们不知道。但是我们看到大卫对摩押人的感情，只是杀掉成人，还是留下了年轻的，给他们有重新振兴的机会，但不会威胁到以色列。

琐巴王是在迦南地的北方。〈历代志上〉第十八章记载：“琐巴王哈大利谢往幼发拉底河去，，要坚定自己的国权。大卫就攻打他，直到哈马。”所以在〈撒母耳记〉上八章所记的大河就是幼发拉底河。大卫的战利品，两本书记得不一样，撒上记着：“大卫就攻打他，擒拿了他的马兵一千七百，步兵二万，将拉战车的马砍断蹄筋，但留下一百辆车的马。”代上记着：“夺了他的战车一千，马兵七千，步兵二万，将拉战车的马砍断蹄筋，但留下一百辆车的马。”有解经家认为，在撒上有抄写的失误，没有把战车写上去，两者加起来应该是“夺了他的战车一千，马兵七百，步兵二万”。