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Jesus Is For Every Culture

2020-08-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 4:25-37.  Let’s go!

Luke 4:25-30 (NIV) 
25  I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
26  Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.
27  And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed–only Naaman the Syrian.”
28  All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
29  They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.
30  But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

On verses 25-30:  Previously in verse 24, in response to the rejection he felt from his own hometown, Jesus says, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown”.  Jesus then gives two examples of that from the Old Testament.  First, Jesus cites the Jewish prophet Elijah and how, at a time when the ancient Middle East was enduring a famine, Elijah was not sent to help anyone in Israel but instead was sent to help a Gentile (i.e. non-Jewish) widow in the region of Sidon (v26, see also 1 Kings 17:7-24).   Second, Jesus cites the prophet Elisha, Elijah’s successor, and how even though there were many people suffering from skin diseases in Israel, God used Elisha only to heal a Gentile from Syria called Naaman (v27, see also 2 Kings 5).

耶穌的門徒猶大

2020-08-25 in /by

馬太福音26章14-15節   當時，十二使徒中有一個叫加略人猶大的，去見祭司長，說：「我把他交給你們，你們願意給我多少錢？」他們給了他三十塊銀錢。

當你想到猶大時，你會聯想到誰？我聯想到摩西時代的法老和撒旦。因為猶大跟隨了耶穌三年，卻完全不明白耶穌的心，到最後上吊自殺。神給摩西時代的法老看很多神蹟奇事，但他心裡始終剛硬，最後滅亡。撒旦原本是天之驕子，神造牠時給了牠最美好的裝飾和能力，但牠卻因而驕傲自大，要與神一比高下，相爭天下，因而有一天也要被神所滅。

有的人特別不明白，當耶穌選十二門徒時，曾經終夜禱告(路6:12)，怎麼會選出一個要出賣祂的人呢？難道是神故意安排的嗎？若是的話，那就是神特地給了猶大三年去認識耶穌和悔改的機會，正如祂曾經給法老和撒旦一段很長的時間去悔改以得救的機會。只可惜猶大的心機不正，沒看到天國，只看到賺錢的機會。

猶大的出身不同於其他11個門徒。他的家鄉「加略」在聖經地圖上可以找到，是靠近猶太南方，鹽海以西約20哩的一個城市，離希伯崙很近。有人推測猶大在跟隨耶穌以前可能是個商人。因為約翰記載著一個故事，可以說明猶大的眼光和幹練。在耶穌最後一次進耶路撒冷之前，耶穌在伯大尼參加了一個宴席，馬利亞拿着一斤極貴的純哪噠香膏，抹耶穌的腳，又用自己頭髮去擦，屋裏充滿了膏的香氣。(約12:1-3)

猶大在這一聞一看之間，立刻估出這瓶香膏的價值約卅兩銀子，也就是當時普通人一年的工價。猶大識貨，經驗老到，因此有人推測他跟隨耶穌之前可能是個商人。當時約翰對猶大有了評語：「他說這話，並不是關心窮人，而是因為他是個賊，又管錢囊，常偷取錢囊中所存的。」(約12:4-5)。這是很有意思的評語，因為在四福音裡，即使門徒有小信或不信的言語，作者都只是直接記下，只有在這裡，約翰寫下了對猶大的看法。約翰的看法很可能也就是其他門徒對猶大的看法，覺得他管錢，手腳不乾淨，常偷取錢囊中所存的。這裡點出了猶大的弱點，對錢的貪婪，以及偷竊的習慣。

When You Feel Rejected, Hang Onto God’s Gracious Word

2020-08-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 4:14-24.  Let’s go!
 
Luke 4:14 (NIV) 
14  Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
 
On verse 14:  Jesus had spent 40 days in the desert, praying, fasting, drawing near to God and also resisting temptation.  He returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, ready to start his public ministry.
 
What can we learn from this?  Go out of your way to draw near to God.  Then you can go back into the world where you are called to work, study or serve in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Protect your alone time with God.  Each day get fueled up in His Word and in His presence so that you’re ready to tackle the day.

Luke 4:15 (NIV) 
15  He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
 
On verse 15:  Jesus was an amazing preacher of God’s Word.  He’s the lamb of God who takes away our sins.  He’s also the G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) when it comes to preaching God’s Word.

耶穌的門徒–奮銳黨的西門

2020-08-23 in /by

提摩太後書 4章7-8節   那美好的仗我已經打過了，當跑的路我已經跑盡了，所信的道我已經守住了。 從此以後，有公義的冠冕為我存留，就是按著公義審判的主到了那日要賜給我的；不但賜給我，也賜給凡愛慕祂顯現的人。

在新約裡一共有九個人名叫西門，這在當時是一個很普通的名字，因此作者特別註明這位是奮銳黨的西門，以便和西門彼得有所區別。西門彼得的事蹟充斥於四本福音書裡，相反的，奮銳黨的西門則一點聲音也沒有。但是主對他們的愛是一樣的，主對他們的呼召也是一樣的，除了有時帶著三個門徒去禱告或做事，在主耶穌的行蹤裡，他們都一樣地領受著主精心的教導。當聖靈澆灌時，一個也沒有落掉，除了己經尋短見的猶大，每一個人都領受到主豐富的恩典。不管是衝動派，溫柔派，多言型，靜默型，主都一樣眷愛。所以不管我們有怎樣的性情，都可以放心到主面前，祂對你的愛不會少過對彼得的愛，也不會多過對約翰的愛。

我們先來看看在耶穌時代的奮銳黨是什麼組織。一般都認為，在當時的猶太社會裡有許多黨派，宗教性的黨派有法利賽派、撒都該派、愛色尼派等；政治性的有希律黨、奮銳黨等。希律黨擁護希律家為王，而奮銳黨（聖經新譯本譯作激進派）則是相對的。他們以民族主義，國家主義為號召，主張以武力來推翻羅馬的專政統治，保全猶太人的法律，尋求政治上的獨立自主，可說是猶太人的革命黨。他們甚至被稱為狂熱派，是一群強調「不自由毋寧死」的敢死隊，及為真理公義而戰的勇士。

但是聖經學者羅勃特·伊斯曼（Robert Eisenman）指出，根據當時《塔木德》的記載，奮銳黨「並不真是一個組織，毋寧說是一群想向統轄上帝的應許地巴勒斯坦的羅馬帝國，進行復仇與革命行動之激進份子。」

God’s Word, Your Weapon

2020-08-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 4:1-13.  Let’s go!

Luke 4:1-13 (NIV) 
1  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert,
2  where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
3  The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.'”……

On verses 1-13:  After having been baptized in the Jordan River, Jesus is led into the desert where he is tempted by the devil for 40 days.  Notice that each time Jesus is tempted by the devil, Jesus fights back by quoting Scripture.  In response to the devil’s first temptation Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 in the Old Testament.  In response to the devil’s second temptation Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13.  In response to the devil’s third temptation Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16.  What is Jesus doing?  In response to each specific temptation he faces, Jesus recites a verse from Scripture that helps him to do the right thing in that situation.  In all likelihood Jesus is reciting these verses from memory, since the only place you could read a copy of Scripture back in Jesus’ time was in the synagogue.

從服事到陪伴

2020-08-21 in /by

路加福音10 章41-42節   主回答說：「馬大，馬大，你為許多的事操心煩惱，但是不可少的只有一件。馬利亞已經選擇了那上好的福分，是沒有人能從她奪去的。」

曾經有很多年，我很討厭馬大及馬利亞的故事。我對這故事的詮釋是這樣的：

有天耶穌和門徒在旅行途中停留在馬大及馬利亞這兩個姐妹的家。馬大很熱情地歡迎這些客人，大費周章地準備盛宴來款待耶穌及門徒。在馬大煮得焦頭爛額時，撇見妹妹馬利亞安靜地坐在耶穌腳前。馬大發火了，跑到耶穌面前指控耶穌縱容馬利亞的偷懶。結果耶穌不但沒有安慰馬大，叫馬利亞去幫忙，反而說馬大為許多的事煩擾，卻遺漏了唯一不可少的事。耶穌說馬利亞所選擇的是不能奪去的上 好的福分。耶穌指出馬大選擇錯誤。

耶穌怎麼可以這樣說？把自己想像成馬大的我，覺得被耶穌斥責。因為我是家裡的老大，總是很勤勞很努力的做事，讀這個故事讓我覺得耶穌很不公平，沒有體諒馬大的辛勞，反而包庇馬利亞的懶惰。所以有很多年我很討厭這個聖經故事。

一直到多年後，經過不斷的省思，我才慢慢體會到耶穌所表達的愛與真理。我看到如馬大的自己，如何常常忙碌，無法慢下腳步，以為當個好的基督徒，就是要不斷的服事、讓自己有用處。但是，一如馬大，我忽略了那唯一不可少的事。

耶穌所說的唯一不可少的事是什麼呢？就是如馬利亞一般，坐在耶穌腳前。如果愛是基督徒最重要的使命，那麼耶穌其實在說愛是花時間來到上帝面前，花時間與耶穌同在，花時間陪伴我們所重視的人。但是我們常常把替上帝做工擺在花時間安靜在上帝面前之上。我們做很多事，讓自己很忙碌，但是卻缺少彼此陪伴。

Be Careful With Your Words

2020-08-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 35:10-15.  Let’s go!
 
Ezekiel 35:10-12 (NIV) 
10  “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them,” even though I the LORD was there, 
11  therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you. 
12  Then you will know that I the LORD have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.”

On verses 10-12:  The “two nations and countries” being referred to in verse 10 are the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel.  The Edomites boasted that they would one day take possession of Judah and Israel (v10), especially given that Judah and Israel were in a weakened state (v12b –“They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour”). 
Apparently the Edomites spoke these boastful words out of anger, envy and hatred toward the Israelites (v11).  Thus God promises to treat the Edomites with the same anger, envy and hatred with which the Edomites treated the Israelites (v11b-11). 

Let Go Of That Grudge

2020-08-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 35:1-9.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-9:  In these verses the Lord gives Ezekiel a message for the nation of Edom, whose nickname is “Mount Seir”.  The message is that because the nation of Edom, who “harboured an ancient hostility” (v5) against the Israelites.  What ancient hostility is the Lord referring to here?  Keep in mind that the founding father of Edom was Esau while the founding father of the nation of Israel was Jacob, Esau’s twin brother.  Esau and Jacob had one of the most infamously hostile sibling rivalries in the Bible.  This hostility would be passed down from generation to generation after Esau and Jacob, leading to a bitter rivalry between two nations, the Edomites and the Israelites.  Because of the grudge that the Edomites harboured toward the Israelites, the Edomites “delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity” (v5).  In response to harbouring this grudge, God would give the nation of Edom over to bloodshed as well (v6), turning Edom into a desolate waste (v7), not to be inhabited again (v9).

What can we learn from this?  Do you hold “an ancient hostility” or a grudge against someone? 

耶穌旳門徒多馬(低土馬)

2020-08-20 in /by

約翰福音20章25節  多馬卻對他們說：「除非我看見祂手上的釘痕，用我的指頭探入那釘痕，用我的手探入祂的肋旁，我絕不信。」

28節：多馬回答，對祂說：「我的主！我的　神！」

多馬，幾乎是每一個信徒的縮影，只是有的表現出來，有的把他隱藏在心裡。當耶穌復活後，在門徒中間顯現時，他們都以為是耶穌的靈魂顯現。耶穌對他們說：「你們為甚麼驚恐不安？為甚麼心裏起疑惑呢？你們看我的手和我的腳，就知道實在是我了。摸摸我，看，因為魂無骨無肉，你們看，我是有的。」說了這話，他就把手和腳給他們看。他們還在又驚又喜、不敢相信的時候，耶穌對他們說：「你們這裏有甚麼吃的沒有？」他們給了祂一片烤魚，祂接過來，在他們面前吃了。(路24:38-43)

門徒們都不敢相信，只是不敢像多馬講得那麼斬釘截鐵。但是耶穌明白，一眼就看穿他們，把他們的疑惑全部拆穿。所以我們在耶穌面前不要有面子問題，你相不相信，耶穌都知道。寧可像多馬一樣，直接了當地說出來，反而更可以真正地認識耶穌。

多馬是亞蘭文的音譯，意思是「雙生的」，他有可能是雙胞始之一；他的希臘名是低土馬（Didumos，即「雙生的」）。他的性情比較實事求是，非有證據就不接受。我們當中有很多人都是這樣的性情，尤其是在這騙子充斥的時代裡，有時看到證據還是信不進去。謹慎小心可以保身，但是若錯過了認識彌賽亞的機會，與永恒擦身而過，就未免太可惜了。多馬多疑，但是多馬的三問對後世的人卻有極大的幫助。

耶穌的門徒 達 太

2020-08-19 in /by

約翰福音14章22-24節   猶大（又名達 太，不是加略人猶大）問耶穌：「主啊，為甚麼親自向我們顯現，而不向世人顯現呢？」耶穌回答他說：「凡愛我的人就會遵守我的道，我父也會愛他，並且我們要到他那裏去，與他同住。 不愛我的人就不遵守我的道。你們所聽見的道不是我的，而是差我來之父的。」

我們曾經說過，主既是從眾人當中藉著禱告選出了十二門徒，無可疑問的，這些被選上的必有神美好的旨意，也必定各有其特出之處。但十二門徒中，有的名揚四海、有的默默無聞，好像達太，除了門徒名單上列的名字外，只說過一句話。除此以外，《聖經》上就再也沒有關於他的記載了。

達太是個言語寡少的人，達太這個名字的意思卻是「智慧者」，正合乎〈箴言〉10章19節：「多言多語難免有過，禁止嘴唇是有智慧。」愛迪生說過：「一位實事求是不講空言的人，一定是沒有許多話要說的人。」蘇格拉底說：「神給我們兩個眼睛兩隻耳朵，卻只給我們一張嘴，無非是叫我們多見多聞而少說話。」保羅勸提摩太：「總要在言語上作信徒的榜樣。」我們正可在這方面學達太，制伏我們的舌頭，做個智慧者。

一、其名達太

馬太馬可記載達太的名字，路加在〈路加福音〉與〈使徒行傳〉卻稱他為雅各的兒子猶大。