Entries by

The Greatest Miracle of All Time

2020-11-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Tday’s passage is Luke 24:1-12. Let’s go!

Luke 24:1-12 (NIV) 
1  On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 
2  They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 
3  but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ……

Which is the greatest miracle of all? Many Christians would point to the resurrection of Jesus after his death on the cross. The crucifixion-resurrection event is, after all, the basis for our salvation. But why would we consider the death and resurrection of Jesus so great an event? After all, others have died and risen again. Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, Eutychus. Why is the resurrection of Jesus a greater event than the raising of Lazarus from the dead?

Make no mistake, Jesus’ resurrection is a greater event than the raising of Lazarus. Lazarus eventually died again, but Jesus rose to eternal life and glory. When Lazarus rose, a great deal changed for him, but little changed for the world. But when Jesus rose, everything changed.

What was so different about Jesus’ resurrection? The key lies in who died and rose. In the case of Lazarus, a human died and rose again to continue a mortal life. But in the case of Jesus, someone much more than a human died and rose again. Jesus was human, but not just a human. He was both God and human — God in the flesh, God incarnate, both divine and human.

五祭

2020-11-17 in /by

利未记6章9-13节  你要吩咐亚伦和他的子孙说，燔祭的条例乃是这样：燔祭要放在坛的柴上，从晚上到天亮，坛上的火要常常烧着。祭司要穿上细麻布衣服，又要把细麻布裤子穿在身上，把坛上所烧的燔祭灰收起来，倒在坛的旁边。随后要脱去这衣服，穿上别的衣服，把灰拿到营外洁净之处。 坛上的火要在其上常常烧着，不可熄灭，祭司要每日早晨在上面烧柴，并要把燔祭摆在坛上，在其上烧平安祭牲的脂油。在坛上必有常常烧着的火，不可熄灭。

当神住在人的中间，却因为人的罪，成为了人与神之间的隔阂，有如万丈高墙，难以攀越。因此神设立了五祭，使以色列可以借着这五祭来亲近祂。一般在人所创立的宗教里，都尽量给人不食烟火的感觉，好让人幻想在天界是何等地清静无瑕。但是耶和华神却有不一样的想法，因为祂知道真正的天堂是怎样的，祂更知道谁才能去那里。所以在耶和华的殿里，祭是最原始的敬拜。

神设立了五祭，虽然我们不是犹太人，不必献祭；即使是犹太人，现在也没了献祭的地方。但是理解这五祭，可以帮助我们要怎样敬拜神，亲近神。现在我们要用复习的方法来看这五祭，答案都在《圣经》〈利未记〉1-7章里。这些有的是多选题，有超过一个的答案。

1.(        ) 神设立了那些祭是血祭 : (a.赎罪祭b.燔祭c.平安祭d.素祭e.赎愆祭f.以上皆是g.以上皆非)

2.(        ) 人的供物若以牛为燔祭，就要在(a.约柜前b. 会幕门口c. 祭坛上)献一只没有残疾的公牛。

3.(        ) 哪一种祭要把整只祭牲全部烧在祭坛上？(a.赎罪祭b.燔祭c.平安祭d.素祭e.赎愆祭f.以上皆是g.以上皆非)

When the Curtain Tore (Plus, Jesus’ Last Words)

2020-11-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 23:44-56. Let’s go!

Luke 23:44-45 (NIV) 
44  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45  for the sun stopped shining…

On verses 44-45: It is only fitting that when Jesus, the light of the world, was fading, the sun also stopped shining and darkness came over the entire land.

Luke 23:45b (NIV) 
45  …And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

On verse 45b: In the temple in Jerusalem, there was a curtain that separated the most holy part of the temple, called the Most Holy Place, from the rest of the temple. The Most Holy Place was regarded as the place where God’s presence resided. Only the high priest could enter that Most Holy Place and no more frequently than once a year. Yet when Jesus died, the curtain separating the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was torn in two. This signified that because of Jesus’ death we now have full access to God’s most holy presence.

神在呼叫

2020-11-16 in /by

利未记一章1-3节     耶和华从会幕中呼叫摩西，对他说：你晓谕以色列人说：你们中间若有人献供物给耶和华，要从牛群羊群中献牲畜为供物。他的供物若以牛为燔祭，就要在会幕门口献一只没有残疾的公牛，可以在耶和华面前蒙悦纳。

从〈创世记〉一开始，神创造这个世界，赐给人生命气息，然后人犯罪，献祭就开始了。亚当和夏娃吃了善恶果树的果子之后，就看见自己赤身裸体，并感到羞耻，便拿无花果树的叶子，为自己编做裙子。神知道以后，为亚当和他妻子用皮子做衣服给他们穿。哪里来的皮子呢？当然是动物的皮了，这便是献祭的开始，神为他们的罪杀了动物，动物的血遮盖他们的罪，也遮盖他们的祼体。因为罪的工价就是死。

在亚当的家里，孩子们都懂得献祭，该隐献素祭，亚伯献燔祭。为什么他们都知道要献祭呢？因为罪使人与神隔绝，当他们想亲近神时，就要先献祭除罪，才能亲近神。

〈创世记〉结束时，以约瑟的死为结束。一开始是生命的赐予，结束时，神收回生命。人不再享有永生。在〈出埃及记〉的开始，也是一个生命的诞生，原是该死的，却在神的恩典中活了下来。正代表以色列人这个民族，原是该灭亡的，却因着神的大能，起死回生，脱离奴隶生涯，成为神拣选的子民，建立起自己的国度。更美的是，在〈出埃及记〉的结束是神用云彩每天的带领，使以色列人成为一支充满希望的队伍。〈出埃及记〉，是一本从绝望到充满希望的过程。

〈利未记〉的第一章第1节，「耶和华从会幕中呼叫摩西」，会幕己经造好了，神住在以色列人中间，摩西不用再上山下山了。神只要呼叫，摩西即刻就到。这就是〈利未记〉的书名(ויקרא)，希伯来文的意思就是「祂呼叫」。当然，神不只是呼叫摩西，祂呼叫以色列百姓到祂面前来亲近祂。神的家立好了，没有人来的话，有什么意思呢？神的会幕在人间就是为要住在人中间，百姓若不来就失去了会幕的功用。

What Kept Jesus on the Cross

2020-11-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 23:27-43. Let’s go!

Luke 23:27-31 (NIV) 
27  A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 
28  Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 
29  For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 
30  Then “‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”‘ 
31  For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

On verses 27-31: I am amazed by the compassion of Jesus. Even as Jesus is going through the most painful humiliation and torture that anyone would ever have to go through, Jesus still goes out of his way to speak his heart for the women of Jerusalem and their children. You can tell what is truly in a person’s heart when they are under pressure. In Jesus’ case, when under the most pressure anyone would ever face, Jesus looked past his own immediate suffering and focused on the suffering that others were slated to face years later. I believe Jesus did this not because he was in denial about his own suffering or because he was trying to look spiritual in front of others, but simply because Jesus is love and compassion personified. 

登山宝训：「论祷告」

2020-11-13 in /by

为何先论「施舍」，后论「祷告」？　

     《马太福音》第六章一开头将「施舍」与「祷告」连在一起谈。这两件事看似无关，实际上，这两件事有一个很重要的关联，就是：在恩典的事情上，我们先领受了上帝的恩典，然后再把恩典施予别人，所以这两件事其实是一件事。上帝是恩典的源头。当我们蒙恩的时候，我们是被动的；当我们施恩的时候，我们是主动的。耶稣把基督徒怎样蒙恩、基督徒怎样施恩这两件事连起来，上帝怎样把恩典赐给我们，我们要学习怎样把恩典分享与人。但从一到八节，我们看见次序好像是倒过来的——人先施恩，再向上帝求恩。

　　为什么这个次序是倒过来的呢？世人施舍时常以为自己是恩典的源头，耶稣在这里就是要纠正我们错误的态度。人永远不是恩典的源头，如果我们能够帮助别人，是上帝借着我们来帮助别人，上帝永远是恩典的源头，上帝永远是主动的，但我们记不记得上帝是主动施恩的源头呢？我们常常忘记这个次序，常以为自己是别人的施恩者，在施舍的事情上不够敬畏上帝，好像我们自己有能力帮助世人，把自己当作救世主，夺取上帝的荣耀。这是为什么耶稣先论「施舍」，后论「祷告」。

Don’t Let A Fear of People Enslave You

2020-11-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 23:13-26. Let’s go!

Luke 23:13-15 (NIV) 
13  Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, 
14  and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 
15  Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.

On verses 13-15: As both Pilate and Herod confirmed, Jesus had done nothing to deserve death. Jesus was innocent, and yet like a lamb led to the slaughter, Jesus was being condemned to death. 

神的帐幕在人间

2020-11-12 in /by

出埃及记40章 17-19节     第二年正月初一日，帐幕就立起来。摩西立起帐幕，安上带卯的座，立上板，穿上闩，立起柱子， 在帐幕以上搭罩篷，把罩篷的顶盖盖在其上，是照耶和华所吩咐他的。

摩西用五章经文来描述神所要建立的帐幕，从百姓的奉献到帐幕建成，其中还包括了祭司和大祭司的制服。〈出埃及记〉35-40章，形容以色列人在出埃及后的第二年月初一日，建立了神所要的帐幕，神在以色列人中间终于有了自己的家。原来神是如此盼望和他们住在一起，神所盼望的就是成为以色列人当中的一份子。你能够想像，神也希望成为你家的一份子吗？神盼望成为我们生活中的一份子。耶和华不只是高高在上的神，祂更要成为我们生命中最要好的朋友。

「以马内利」不只是一个说词，那是神最深切的心愿，神要与我们同在，与我们同行。只有当你对某人爱得刻骨铭心，你才会渴望朝朝暮暮和对方在一起，这就是神对我们的爱。有个父亲写信给他的女儿，他说：「女儿，你要记住，天下不会再有男人像我那样爱你。我是天下第一个最爱你的男人，也是最后一个。」当然，他的意思不是要女儿一辈子和他在一起，而是提醒她，不管发生何事，父亲永远等着要帮助她，成为她的力量。父神也是如此，期望我们永远明白祂爱我们，祂对我们的爱永远不会改变。

神的帐幕在人间，摩西记下了神吩咐的每个细节，邀请凡是自觉心里有智慧的，心里受感和甘心乐意的人一起来建造神的帐幕。这三个条件都很重要，因为神给每个人不同的智慧，有的人会纺纱织布，有的人会砍树造型，有的人有手艺做盘子或雕塑，有的人会调香料，神需要不同的人合作，才能制造一个完美的家。也不要外行管内行，越管越凄凉。

其次是要心有所感，心里有感动，明白是出于神的呼召，做事才会有使命感。同样一件事，有使命感的人一定会做到最好才罢休，没有使命感的人可能会觉得，只要做得差不多就可以了。第三，要甘心乐意，不管是奉献或事奉，神都希望我们不是被强迫的。做得不高兴就宁可别做了，免得影响其他人的情绪。

When to Keep Silent vs. When to Speak Up

2020-11-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 23:1-12. Let’s go!

Luke 23:1-7 (NIV) 
1  Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. 
2  And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king.” 
3  So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. 
4  Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” 
5  But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.” 
6  On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 
7  When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 

On verses 1-7: Being under Roman rule, the chief priests and teachers of the law did not have the authority to order capital punishment. So they go to someone with that authority, namely, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. The chief priests and teachers of the law try to convince Pilate that Jesus is deserving of death. Despite the assembly falsely accusing Jesus of subverting the Jewish nation and opposing payment of taxes (v2), and despite Jesus acknowledging that he is the king of the Jews (v3), Pilate finds no basis for a charge against Jesus (v4).

复造法版

2020-11-12 in /by

出埃及记34章1-3节    耶和华吩咐摩西说：「你要凿出两块石版，和先前你摔碎的那版一样，其上的字我要写在这版上。明日早晨，你要预备好了，上西奈山，在山顶上站在我面前。谁也不可和你一同上去，遍山都不可有人，在山根也不可叫羊群牛群吃草。」

摩西又要上山了，这一次也是四十昼夜。没饭吃，没水喝的四十昼夜(出34:28)。〈阿摩司书〉4章11节，主耶和华说：「人饥饿非因无饼，干渴非因无水，乃因不听耶和华的话。」摩西的经历很可以印证神的话，他两个四十天在山上见神，都是这样过来的，虽然无饼无水，但是他的身体十分健朗，上下山一点无碍。

他的健康不仅没有受到影响，他的脸反而因为亲近神而有了神的光辉。他自己不知道，但是亚伦和以色列众人看见摩西的面皮发光，就怕挨近他。因此，摩西跟他们讲话时，就用帕子蒙上脸；但摩西进到耶和华面前与祂说话就揭去帕子，及至出来的时候，便用帕子蒙上脸，再将耶和华所吩咐的告诉以色列人。

因为亲近神而有了神的荣光，摩西却没有一点属灵的骄傲，自觉高人一等；反而，一旦发现众人因而害怕接近他时，他便用帕子蒙上脸，好让众人可以放心地亲近他。摩西这样的做法很可以帮助我们，教导我们不要有属灵的骄傲。

有的人因为圣灵赐给他(她)讲方言的恩赐，就自觉高人一等，觉得别的信徒都不如他(她):有的信徒得了神某方面的医治，也自觉高人一等，批评起人事，信口开河。这些都是不成熟的表现。不管我们从神领受了什么，都不表示我们高过其他信徒。神恩待你，也恩待别的信徒，为何要表现得有如鹤立鸡群？摩西的谦和很足以让我们学习。

神叫摩西凿了两块石版，祂还是自己亲自在石版上写下十诫和其他的律例。有神亲手写的石版，实在宝贵，本来放在约柜里保存，可惜不知何时弄丢，就再也没有了。摩西带着石版上山后，耶和华在云中降临。