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遵守诫命必蒙福祉

2021-02-14 in , /by

〈申命记〉 11:11-12你们要过去得为业的那地乃是有山有谷、雨水滋润之地，是耶和华─你　神所眷顾的；从岁首到年终，耶和华─你　神的眼目时常看顾那地。

在前一章摩西说以色列人曾是悖逆的百姓，但是他希望百姓进迦南之后，记念神的作为，效法神，好像蒙慈爱的儿女一样。

今天是农历新年初四，但是在疫情的管制下，大家都被限制不可群聚，所以聚餐及各样活动都得取消。为了以后有更多的欢聚，大家都要忍耐，今年保持距离，以策安全。为了将来，眼前的忍耐是值得的。

对以色列人而言，也是如此。神所有的作为，包括使埃及人的车辆全军覆没，以色列可拉族反叛的人被地吞噬，都是为了让以色列人知所依归，知所事从。

所以摩西告诫以色列人：「所以，你们要守我今日所吩咐的一切诫命，使你们胆壮，能以进去，得你们所要得的那地，并使你们的日子在耶和华向你们列祖起誓、应许给他们和他们后裔的地上得以长久；那是流奶与蜜之地。」(申11:8-9)

以色列人守诫命，正如我们今天守政府条例。诫命里的限制，都是为了使以色列人在神所赐的地上得以长久；政府的条例也是希望我们能安然而健康地活下去。

神给以色列人的地不是荒芜的野地，摩西如此形容：「你要进去得为业的那地，本不像你出来的埃及地。你在那里撒种，用脚浇灌，像浇灌菜园一样。你们要过去得为业的那地乃是有山有谷、雨水滋润之地，是耶和华─你　神所眷顾的；从岁首到年终，耶和华─你　神的眼目时常看顾那地。」(申11:10-12)

Four Witnesses

2021-02-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 5:31-40.  Let’s go!

John 5:31-34 (NIV) 
31  “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. 
32  There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. 
33  “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 
34  Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.

On verses 31-34:  The Jewish law provided that claims that people in court should be established by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16).  Knowing this, to back up his claims about him being the Son of God, he cites John the Baptist as one of his witnesses.  He does this not because he personally feels any need for a human witness (“Not that I accept human testimony” – v34a) but to address questions people may have about Jesus’ credibility (“but I mention it that you may be saved” – v34b).  John the Baptist was one of Israel’s most respected leaders and thus his testimony about Jesus gave weight to Jesus’ claims.

何谓真福？

2021-02-12 in , /by

论物资的多寡与人生的奋斗力

　　上帝将丰富的资源给予某些地区，将较少的物资给予另一些地区。这使我发现人挣扎求存的潜在能实在大的不得了。拥有最少自然资源之人的奋斗力往往远远超过那些拥有最多自然资源的人。在自然资源特别丰盛的地区，有着许多懒惰、缺乏奋斗精神的民族或人种。这些社会现象都使我们重新思考上帝待人的方式究竟是如何。

一、以加拿大机场为例

　　我几次冬天时到加拿大讲道。我住在接近赤道、气候炎热的印尼，却要在冬天到靠近北极、冰天雪地的加拿大讲道，来来回回要换好几套衣服，辛苦的不得了。当地筹委会向我解释：「唐牧师，加拿大人夏天的时候都出去玩，圣诞节没有地方去，比较容易来听道。」

　　纽约冬天时冰天雪地，纷飞的大雪使机场运作停顿、飞机停飞。但同样的情况、同样的天气在多伦多就不会发生这种情形。即使天气再坏，陆地被冰雪封住，多伦多的机场照样运作、飞机照飞。多伦多比纽约地处更北、气候更冷，为什么机场仍不受影响呢？经过一番查问，原来加拿大政府在冰雪覆蓋的多伦多机场底下，提供千万瓦电力的传热设备，使落下的冰雪得以自动溶解。但一般的道路没有这种设备，只有飞机场是如此。

　　我再问当地人：「那么，该怎么解决路上的积雪呢？」他们傻眼，说：「多伦多每天要用二百多万美金的盐解决陆地的积雪问题」。我更感到奇怪了。我小时候在中国厦门买冰，为了使冰不容易溶解，人们把盐撒在冰上，冰就会冷、不容易溶解。但加拿大放盐，雪就溶掉了。我才知道冰与雪不是表兄弟。冰遇到盐就凝结起来，雪遇到盐就溶解了。

Jesus and the Father

2021-02-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 5:19-30.  Let’s go!

John 5:19-23 (NIV) 
19  Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 
20  For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 
21  For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 
22  Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 
23  that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

On verses 19-23:  Here Jesus describes how intricately entwined he and the Father are:

–        Jesus the Son can do nothing by himself but only does what he sees his Father doing (v19);

–        Whatever the Father does Jesus the Son also does (v19);

–        “For the Father loves the Son” (v20):  It’s a love relationship between the Father and Jesus the Son;

为要叫你得福

2021-02-11 in , /by

〈申命记〉 10:12 以色列啊，现在耶和华─你　神向你所要的是甚么呢？只要你敬畏耶和华─你的　神，遵行祂的道，爱祂，尽心尽性事奉祂，遵守祂的诫命律例，就是我今日所吩咐你的，为要叫你得福。

以色列人是悖逆的百姓，神却因为祂的恩召而不忍弃绝他们。我们也都是活在过犯中不知悔改的人，神的慈绳爱索却也未曾弃绝我们。

神依然赐下十诫，吩咐摩西：「你起来引导这百姓，使他们进去得我向他们列祖起誓应许所赐之地。」祂也依然赐下独生子耶稣基督，为我们的过犯被钉上十字架，使我们的罪得赦免；又为我们复活，使我们得永生。又赐下圣灵，把神的话语放在我们心中， 使我们的石心变为肉心。

那么，神向我们要的是什么呢？

摩西说：以色列啊，现在耶和华─你　神向你所要的是甚么呢？只要你敬畏耶和华─你的　神，遵行他的道，爱他，尽心尽性事奉他，遵守他的诫命律例，就是我今日所吩咐你的，为要叫你得福。

你们要将心里的污秽除掉，不可再硬著颈项。

你们要怜爱寄居的，因为你们在埃及地也作过寄居的。

敬畏耶和华─你的　神，事奉祂，专靠祂，也要指着祂的名起誓。

摩西说，天和天上的天，地和地上所有的，都属耶和华─你的　神；并且祂单单拣选以色列人。现在，祂也单单拣选那些肯接受耶稣完成的救恩之人。

Restored to God’s Presence

2021-02-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 5:10-18.  For context we’ll start by looking at verse 9.  Let’s go!

John 5:9-10 (NIV) 
9  At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 
10  and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

On verses 9-10:  In the Ten Commandments, God commanded His people to honour the Sabbath day by resting and not doing work on that day (Exodus 20:8-9).  The religious elite among the Jews would interpret this command in an extreme and overly strict way, such that they considered carrying one’s mat from one place to another on a Sabbath day to be a violation of the command to honour the Sabbath day.  By focusing on these technicalities, the religious elite missed the purpose and heart of God’s commands.  All of a sudden, a command that was meant to bring joy, refreshing and rest became a burden.

What can we learn from this?  When thinking about the details, don’t lose sight of the big picture.  When thinking about how to apply God’s commands, don’t lose sight of why God gave us those commands in the first place.

自从我认识你们以来

2021-02-10 in , /by

〈申命记〉 9: 5 你进去得他们的地，并不是因你的义，也不是因你心里正直，乃是因这些国民的恶。

有一位犹太人的拉比说，他很喜欢听他的祖父母讲以前的故事。他的祖父母是二次大战后的幸存者，他们做了一个家谱，并且告诉子孙们，那些长辈和亲戚的名字有何特别的意义。他从不认识那些亲人，但是在回忆那些亲人时，他的祖父母仿佛就因而得到很大的安慰。他自己也因而得到很奇妙的鼓励，因为他终于有「家族的故事」，可以让他的儿女或子孙们知道他们的先祖是哪些人，是怎样的人。他说，犹太人的习俗教导他们要知道过去的历史，才能明白前面要走的方向。因此他们在过节时，往往有一段述史的时间，提醒他们和神的关系。

有的人问，神为何拣选以色列人，不拣选中国人？在这一章里，神提到祂为何拣选了以色列人，并把迦南地赐给他们。不是因为以色列人比别人好，而是因为迦南人的罪恶满盈，以及神要坚定向以色列人的列祖所起的誓。换句话说，我们有可能是输在起跑点。人家的祖先亚伯拉罕可以拒绝偶像崇拜，我们的祖先却去拜女神女娲。传说中，她与伏羲为兄妹，也有说是配偶，他们曾炼五色石以补天，并抟土造人，制嫁娶之礼，延续人类生命，造化世上生灵万物。女娲据传是人首蛇身。因为天穹如伞，女娲善于补天，因此女娲亦成为台湾雨伞和绣补业者所祀奉的职业神。伏羲据说是龙身人首或蛇身人首，因为制造八卦，人奉之为神，尊其为八卦祖师。我们的祖先放弃了原先尊崇的一神论里的一神，耶和华神，转而去拜人首蛇身的女娲和伏羲，所以不蒙拣选的原因就在此吧。所以，知道我们的过去，对我们将来要走的方向也很有帮助啊！

摩西说：「自从我认识你们以来，你们常常悖逆耶和华。」(申9:24)

Attitude Matters

2021-02-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 5:1-9.  Let’s go!

John 5:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. 
2  Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 
3  Here a great number of disabled people used to lie–the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 

On verses 1-3:  John’s Gospel now shifts to Jesus in Jerusalem where he visits the pool of Bethesda where disabled people were known to congregate.  Apparently some people believed that an angel stirred the waters of the pool of Bethesda and that the first person to enter the pool after the waters were stirred would be healed.   

By the way, why is verse 4 missing?  If you read the King James version of John’s Gospel, you will see verses 3b and 4 which mention this idea of an angel coming to stir the pool waters.  However, this was apparently a later addition into Scripture and has been omitted from more current versions of the Gospel of John.