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从未来的观点看

2020-09-25 in /by

约翰福音16章33节  我已经胜了世界。

有个名叫乔．贝里（Joe Bayly）的智者曾经这样说：「可能有时身处黑暗，但不要忘记你在光明中所学到的东西。」可是有时候，黑暗来得又快又猛，让我们几乎要忘记了什么是光明。毫无疑问，这就是耶稣门徒的经历。

耶稣曾在最后的晚餐这样声明过：「在世上，你们有苦难；但你们可以放心，我已经胜了世界。」（约十六33）在那一刻，十二个门徒中，有十一个人，都甘心乐意要为祂舍命，西门．彼得甚至在当天稍晚的时候，拔剑想要保护耶稣。

但是到了第二天，所有十一个门徒全都失去信心。当他们待在相对安全的距离外面，观看着耶稣被钉十字架，前一天晚上祂那仿佛得胜的宣告，必定困扰着他们。现在看来，世界好像反而胜过了神。在黑暗中，门徒们全都溜走，彼得更发誓说，他从不认识耶稣。

毫无疑问，门徒的问题就在于他们的观点。尽管过去那对光明的记忆已不复存在，几天之后，同一群人将会再次遭遇复活节所绽放出来的光芒。就在那一天，门徒明白了，没有什么黑暗是大到神无法控制的；他们终于了解，从未来的角度来看现在，到底是什么意思。因着复活节的盼望，这群胆小的人重新被点燃起来，他们走出去，为要改变世界。

The Kind of Person Jesus Goes After

2020-09-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 11:37-54.  Let’s go!

Luke 11:37-41 (NIV) 
37  When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 
38  But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. 
39  Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 
40  You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 
41  But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

On verses 37-41:  Although washing hands before a meal is a good sanitary practice, Scripture did not require Jews to wash their hands before eating.  So when Jesus went to a Pharisee’s house for a meal and did not wash his hands before eating, he was not sinning against God.  

所多玛和蛾摩拉的命运

2020-09-24 in /by

创世记18章20-21节     耶和华说：「所多玛和蛾摩拉的罪恶甚重，声闻于我。我现在要下去，察看他们所行的，果然尽像那达到我耳中的声音一样吗？若是不然，我也必知道。」

所多玛和蛾摩拉曾经是土壤肥沃，水草丰美，适宜放牧耕作的地区，吸引罗得不停地往她迁移。这两城的地名之意是「淹没」和「废墟」，似乎说明了她们命运的趋势。旧约时期，所多玛、蛾摩拉与押玛、洗扁、琐珥合称为(约但河的)「平原五城」，他们都是挪亚的儿子，含的后裔。就是这五城里的五王组成联盟，反叛米索波大米的四王，后来兵败，被亚伯拉罕救回。根据考古研究，该处确有五座早青铜时代的古城。

〈创世记〉18章里，亚伯拉罕看见有三个人，他就跑去迎接他们，不料却接待了神和祂的使者。这个典故成为以色列人接待陌生人的原由。神和使者(有没有可能，是三位一体的神，就如此三位一起向亚伯拉罕显现？)来拜访亚伯拉罕的原因，是为了让撒拉知道，她明年必生下一子。

这次轮到撒拉偷笑了，「我既已衰败，我主也老迈，岂能有这喜事呢？」这时神说了一句最经典的话：「耶和华岂有难成的事吗？」神对自己的能力有十足的把握，反而是人因为自己的能力有限，所以常常信心不足，怀疑神。

神要做事之前，不仅跟亚伯拉罕说，也要撒拉确实知道。神会让我们明白祂的呼召，因为祂要我们行在祂的计划里。因此，祂忍不住要把灭所多玛和蛾摩拉一事跟亚伯拉罕说，因为亚伯拉罕是神的朋友。在《圣经》里有三个地方都提到亚伯拉罕是神的朋友：

What’s Your Life Vision?

2020-09-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 11:27-36.  Let’s go!

Luke 11:27-32 (NIV) 
27  As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 
28  He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” 
29  As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 
30  For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 
31  The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 
32  The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

On verses 27-32:  There are a number of important lessons we can learn from this passage.  I look forward to sharing them with you  today.

肉体上的约—割礼

2020-09-23 in /by

创世记17章9-11节      神又对亚伯拉罕说：「你和你的后裔，必世世代代遵守我的约。 你们所有的男子都要受割礼，这就是我与你并你的后裔所立的约，是你们所当遵守的。你们都要受割礼，这是我与你们立约的证据。」

夏甲生以实玛利时，亚伯兰年86岁。当亚伯兰99岁时，神才再度向他显现。这当中，神静默了13-14年，亚伯兰会不会奇怪，为什么神不来找他了？或是沉浸在以实玛利成长的喜悦里，而忽略了神没有来向他贺喜的怪异？假如娶妾是神要给亚伯兰子嗣的方法，那么神岂不应当高兴吗？看来，人和神的想法是不一样的。当我们不行在神的心意中时，我们也会碰到这样的「静默」，圣灵不强迫我们，但是我们会知道神并没有与我们「同行」了。

但是神究竟还是又来找亚伯兰了，正如祂不断地饶恕我们的过犯，用慈绳爱索引领我们回归。所以保罗说：「不要叫神的圣灵担忧，你们原是受了祂的印记，等候得赎的日子来到。(弗4:30)」当我们远离圣灵的带领时，神在我们身上的计划就被躭延了，神的计划一定会完成，但我们若不顺服，就无法成为神计划中的一部分，因而失去了神预备给我们的福份。

神对亚伯兰说：「我是全能的神，你当在我面前做完全人。我就与你立约，使你的后裔极其繁多。」神提醒亚伯拉罕，祂是全能的神，不需要亚伯拉罕自作聪明，搞乱神的计划。因为亚伯兰自作聪明，在神面前变得不完全了，他用人的方法要完成神的应许。但神是如此爱亚伯兰，祂终于把自己的计划向亚伯兰全盘托出：亚伯兰要改名为亚伯拉罕，因为神立他做多国之父。这个亚伯兰还是以为要借着以实玛利而出，所以一点问题也没有。多国之父在此时看来己经应验，因为从以实玛利的后裔所建立的阿拉伯国家或伊斯兰教国家，都还是自认为亚伯拉罕的后裔。

Time to Go On the Offensive

2020-09-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 11:14-26.  Let’s go!

Luke 11:14-20 (NIV) 
14  Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 
15  But some of them said, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 
16  Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. 
17  Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 
18  If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. 
19  Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 
20  But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

On verses 14-20:  Jesus’ critics argued that because “ordinary” evil spirits listened to Jesus’ commands, Jesus must be controlled and empowered by an even greater evil spirit.  Jesus counters this by saying that Satan’s kingdom would not have such power and influence in this world if Satan’s kingdom was divided.  Rather, when Jesus drives out demons, it’s the kingdom of God advancing against Satan’s kingdom.

庇耳．拉海．莱

2020-09-22 in /by

创世记16章13节     夏甲就称那对她说话的耶和华为「看顾人的神」，因而说：「在这里我也看见那看顾我的吗？」

刚刚经历了神和他立血约的亚伯兰，此时很相信神必赐他子嗣。但是妻子撒莱己经年迈，月经也不来了，他的希望在哪里？他的子嗣从何而来？这是一个人没有办法解开的局面。这时，撒莱自作聪明，向他提了一个建议。

这个建议是当时的人的做法，妻子若生不出孩子，丈夫就再娶个妾，问题就解决了。撒莱可能也觉得不孕是自己的问题，因为她和亚伯兰是同父异母的兄妹，血缘太近，可能影响生育，所以找别的女人试试看。她身边正好有个埃及来的婢女，年轻可为，她便耸恿亚伯兰和她的婢女夏甲同床。因为：「耶和华使我不能生育，求你和我的使女同房，或者我可以因她得孩子。」

神都不给我生育了，祂又应许你有子嗣，那我们总要想办法啊，天助自助者，不是吗？

亚伯兰就答应了。

当我们看不到出路，神的供应和应许都迟迟不见时，我们往往会自己想办法，设法帮神一把。

夏甲果然怀孕了。

正当大家都很高兴计划成功时，夏甲的态度却来个一百八十度的转变，开始轻视撒莱，不听她的话了。夏甲可能想着自己有了儿子，亚伯兰就可以把她扶正了，因为她是他儿子的母亲。母以子为贵啊! 那个不生蛋的母鸡，怎么可以占着位置不走呢？

How to Pray

2020-09-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 11:1-13.  Let’s go!

Luke 11:1-4 (NIV) 
1  One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2  He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
3  Give us each day our daily bread.
4  Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'”

On verses 1-4:  Notice that when Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, Jesus gives them an actual real time example of how to pray.  (It’s a reminder that the best teachers lead by example and show you with their life what they’re teaching.)  This prayer recorded in verses 2-4, known as the Lord’s Prayer, is the most famous and most commonly recited prayer in history.  There is certainly benefit in memorizing this prayer and reciting it as your own prayer.  But in addition, I believe the Lord’s prayer was not simply meant for us to recite word for word; even more, there are lessons and principles about prayer that we can learn from the Lord’s Prayer, including the following:

神与亚伯兰立血约

2020-09-21 in /by

创世记15章6节    亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。

亚伯兰击败四王后，回到迦南地。当冲动过去，一切都安静下来后，他开始害怕了。四王会不会回头再来攻打他们，亚伯兰在夜静人深时，心里升起了丝丝寒意，要不要逃？没有想到，耶和华在异象中对亚伯兰说：「亚伯兰，你不要惧怕！我是你的盾牌，必大大地赏赐你。」

何等的安[慰，神要做亚伯兰的盾牌，而且要大大赏赐他。因为亚伯兰拒绝了所多玛王的赏赐，为的是免得所多玛王说是他使亚伯兰富足的。因为亚伯兰认定他的富足来自于神，任何人都不能夸耀他使亚伯兰富足，所以神就亲自赏赐亚伯兰，他就可以说是神使我富足。你的富足来自谁呢？是谁使你富足？你倚靠谁得以富足？

亚伯兰反问神，祢说要给我子嗣，在哪里？我都老得快死了，得立遗嘱把产业留给老仆人以利以谢，祢的应许为何还没应验？

亚伯兰本来要睡觉了，神却叫他起床，到外面走一走。给他看天上的星星。没有路灯的希伯仑，满天星星何等美丽。这时神对他说：「你向天观看，数算众星，能数得过来吗？」又对他说：「你的后裔将要如此。」

亚伯兰信耶和华，耶和华就以此为他的义。亚伯兰有疑问就问，神回答他，他就相信。我们要学亚伯兰，不要把疑放在肚里任其烂掉，影响我们对神的信心。神很愿意回答我们，为我们解惑。

然后，为了取得亚伯兰相信他的后裔必取得迦南地为业，神叫他去取一只三年的母牛，一只三年的母山羊，一只三年的公绵羊，一只斑鸠，一只雏鸽。每样劈开分成两半，一半对着一半地摆列，只有鸟没有劈开。这是何意呢？

Jesus Your Good Samaritan

2020-09-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 10:30-42.  Let’s go!

Luke 10:30-33 (NIV) 
30  In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 
31  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 
32  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 
33  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

On verses 30-33:  In reply to the teacher’s question in verse 29, “Who is my neighbour [that I should love him as I love myself]?” Jesus tells one of his most famous stories: the parable (short story) of the good Samaritan.  Keep in mind that Jesus is telling this story to an audience mostly of Jews at a time when racial tensions between Jews and Samaritans were high.  The fact that Jesus makes the Samaritan the hero of this story would have come as a shock to many Jews listening, challenging them to rethink their views on Samaritans and suggesting that the kingdom of God is not just for Jews but for people of all nations.