Entries by

God’s Power Gives You Everything You Need

2020-03-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Peter 1:1-11.  It is one of my favourite passage in all the Bible and is packed with powerful truths.  Let’s walk through it together.

2 Peter 1:1a (NIV) 
1  Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ…
 
On verse 1a:  There is much to be learned from the way Peter identifies himself.  Notice that Peter calls himself both “a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ”.  In the other words, Peter had both humility and authority.  What can we learn from this?  The best leaders walk with both humility and authority.  As children of God, always remember that we have been given authority to represent God, to speak on His behalf, and to pray in His name.  That is great authority. At the same time, let’s carry that authority with humility, knowing that we are given that authority not because we earned it but because of God’s grace.

耶稣在犹大地Judea

2020-03-20 in /by

约翰福音三章30节   祂必兴旺，我必衰微。

犹大地是指什么地方,大家有印象吗？其实我们己经讲了不少在犹大地的城巿，只是这一件事也发生在犹大地，却没有说明是什么地方，所以我们藉这个机会来看看犹大地是什么地方。

自从所罗门王年老时转去拜偶像，神就定意从他手中拿走十个支派，赐给耶罗波安做以色列十个支派的王，只留给所罗门的儿子罗波安一个支派，犹大支派，所以南国的地就称为犹大地，因为以犹大支派为主。当然，利未支派也留在耶路撒冷，因为圣殿在耶路撒冷，而且耶罗波安转去拜金牛犊，不准利未人敬拜耶和华神。后来其他支派里有些人因为信仰的缘故也来归附犹大南国。

所以， 犹大地就是南国犹大国的领土。从地理上来讲，也可以说是迦南地从伯特利以南的地方，都称为犹大地。例如伯利恒，耶路撒冷，希伯仑，别示巴，等等有名的城巿都在犹大地。犹大地包括有五部份：即是犹大旷野、犹大山地、高原(示非拉)、非利士地和南地。约旦河也流贯其中，直到死海。

与尼哥底母夜谈之后，耶稣和门徒到了犹大地的某个地方居住，耶稣让门徒为人施洗。施洗约翰也在靠近撒冷的哀嫩施洗，因为都靠近约旦河。约翰的门徒听到风声，就去告诉约翰：：「拉比，从前同你在约旦河外、你所见证的那位，现在施洗，众人都往他那里去了。」

Verses Worth Memorizing

2020-03-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 5:1-14.  Let’s go!

1 Peter 5:1-4 (NIV) 
1  To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:
2  Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
3  not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
4  And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

On verses 1-4:  I encourage every parent, small group leader, team leader and anyone else who has the responsibility, passion or gift of shepherding others to meditate on these verses.  May they inform and transform the way you lead those in your care.

耶稣在耶路撒冷_医好38年之瘫子

2020-03-19 in /by

约翰福音五章17节    耶稣就对他们说：「我父做事直到如今，我也做事。」

这是目前耶路撒冷的旅游景点之一，读过福音书的人都会想去看看这个毕士大池是怎样的，因为耶稣曾经在这里医治了一个瘫了38年的患者。

在20世纪初，考古学家White Fathers 开始在离圣殿山北墙100米的地方发掘。他发现了两个相连的大池，池分成南北两部份，南池（向南）面积约为71米x 51米，北池（向北）面积约有58米x 43.5米，两池之间有一道桥，池的四边与中间共有五条走廊，供求医的人在此等候医治，这与约翰的描述，有五个廊子的说法相符。

毕士大的意思是「怜悯之家」或「双泉之家」或「善堂」，是为一些患病者设立的慈善场所。此池底下有间歇性的硫磺喷泉，每隔若干时候会喷射一次。因为硫磺泉水有医病功能，所以许多病人到此治病。也有天使下来搅动池水，第一个下水的人便可得到医治的传说。据现存的遗迹所见，现在的毕士大池是在一个废墟的大坑中，坑内有石砌的墙壁、大柱子及拱顶等，因为原来的地面不断地填高，以致比水池高出约十米之多。不过，水池仍保留原状，一个「日字形」的建筑物，四周所见，有许多柱廊、柱头、鼓形石块等。

The Sweetness in Suffering for Jesus

2020-03-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 4:12-19.  Let’s go!

1 Peter 4:12-16 (NIV) 
12  Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
13  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
14  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you…….

On verses 12-16:  It shouldn’t surprise us or seem strange to us whenever we go through painful trials.  Jesus Himself said, “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  Since suffering and trouble are part of living life on earth, you might as well suffer trouble for the right reasons, says Peter, instead of for the wrong reasons (v15).  If you have to suffer, suffer because of your faith in Jesus.

耶稣在耶路撒冷_尼哥底母的夜访

2020-03-18 in /by

约翰福音三章16节   耶稣说： 「神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的不致灭亡，反得永生。」

这个尼哥底母夜访耶稣的故事相信很多人都读过了。今天我想和大家分享一篇马丁路德在他的时代里也经历过一次瘟疫，他写下了一段话：

「我会祈求神的怜悯来保护我们，然后我会尽力去消毒，洁净空气，服用必需的药物。我会避免去那些不需要去的地方，以免我被感染，以致于在不知不觉中也感染他人，因我的过失而导致他人的死亡。倘若神要带我走，祂一定能找到我，并且也明白我所做的一切。因此我不必为自己的死亡或他人的死亡负责。倘若我的隣舍需要我，我会毫不犹豫地去帮助他，我不会因为他的所在或是他的问题而拒绝。这不是要试探神或愚蠢的选择，乃是我对神的敬畏而做的选择。」

〈约翰福音〉第三章，当尼哥底母和耶稣谈到重生时，耶稣以永生做了最后的注释。要有重生，才能进入永生。尼哥底母是个法律赛人，法律赛人是很追求守律法的一类人，因为他们相信神能使死人复活，撒都该人则恰恰相反，他们追求高位和名利，他们不相信死人复活。所以对一个相信死人可以复活的法律赛人而言，信仰里有许多奥秘的事。

Can People Still Receive Salvation After They Die?

2020-03-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 4:1-11.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-3:  What does Peter mean in verse 1 when he writes, “because whoever suffers in his body is done with sin”?  For us Christians, the moment we die physically is the moment we go to heaven and are done with sin and its ill effects.  Here Peter is saying: live that way now.  Think of your old life – the life you lived in the past before coming to Christ (v3) – as having died already.  Now you are living a new life that is controlled by Christ, not by sin, a life lived for the will of God, not for human desires (v2).  You are a new creation in Christ.  That is your identity, so live that way.  As Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

耶稣在耶路撒冷_洁净圣殿

2020-03-17 in /by

约翰福音二章17节  他的门徒就想起经上记着说：「我为祢的殿心里焦急，如同火烧。」

主耶稣曾经两次洁净圣殿。第一次是祂刚出来传道的时候。记载在〈约翰福音〉第二章。其余三福音所记载的是第二次洁净圣殿，是祂受死前一周所作的事。这也是祂第一次以成人的身份到耶路撒冷去过逾越节。犹太人曾经是游牧民族，但是后来在迦南地定居后，神规定只能有一个献祭和敬拜的地方。在所罗门圣殿建立之后，大家就一年几次去耶路撒冷过节。过节往往要献祭，但是远道而来的人带着牛羊很不方便，律法也允许他们带钱到耶路撒冷，再买牛羊及献祭用品。

但是在耶稣的时代，由于耶路撒冷圣殿为要维持圣洁，规定奉献的钱币必须是由圣殿发行和加利利地区的钱币才可以，因为这两个地方所发行的钱币只有灯烛，没有人物像。当时罗马帝国发行的钱币就有罗马皇帝的像。为了方便这些朝圣客的需要，就在外人院设立兑换钱币的地方，换钱之后再去买牲畜。这些牲畜摊贩通常都由祭司在负责，或是由祭司检验合格的摊位，表示这些摊子所贩卖的牲畜作献祭用是合格的。而所有自己带牲畜来献祭的人都必须经过祭司检验合格后才可以献祭。如果被祭司检定不合格的话，只好到这些摊贩去进行补贴「兑换」合格的牛羊等牲畜。祭司原本要服务朝圣客，却为了钱与商人勾结，骗取人民的钱财。例如在检验牲畜是否健康时，故意刁难，要求献牲祭者更换另一只新的牲畜，这样贩售动物的摊位就可以多赚兑换手续费，甚至故意以高价售出。

陈终道牧师说，「为甚么两次的事这么相似﹖那正好证明犹太人并没有因耶稣第一次洁净圣殿而悔改。主耶稣拿绳子作鞭子，把卖牛羊鸽子的人都赶出去，推翻兑换银钱之人的桌子，那些人的情形必然十分狼狈。后来主又得再次洁净圣殿，因为那些受责备的人依然如故！」

How To Always Be Ready To Share Jesus With Others

2020-03-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 3:13-22.  Let’s go!

1 Peter 3:13-15 (NIV) 
13  Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”
15  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

On verses 13-15a:  Don’t misunderstand Peter in verse 13.  Peter is not naively saying that no one will want to harm you if you are eager to do good.  Peter himself witnessed the greatest doer of good in history, Jesus Christ, being repeatedly criticized and ultimately crucified by people intent on harming him. But what Peter is saying to his Christian readers is: remember that the Greatest One is on your side.  He will be there to protect you and to keep you from any ultimate harm.  So do not be afraid of those who want to harm you while you live out your faith and calling.  For even if you suffer because of it, you will be more blessed in the end.  When you remember that the Greatest One is on your side, or in Peter’s words, when you “set apart Christ as Lord”, you will not give in to fear.

耶稣在耶路撒冷_12岁的耶稣

2020-03-16 in /by

路加福音二章49节  耶稣说：「为什么找我呢？岂不知我应当以我父的事为念吗？」

在婴儿耶稣第一次上了耶路撒冷之后，路加医生记载：「孩子渐渐长大，强健起来，充满智慧，又有神的恩在他身上」(路2:40)。路加不是犹太人，但是他为了向一位提阿非罗大人传耶稣的福音，他很努力地去搜集资料，再把这些收集到的史实按著时间记录下来。有解经家认为这些资料很可能都是向耶稣的母亲采访所得。

话说回来，耶稣第二次上耶路撒冷是何时呢？路加记载是在耶稣12岁的时候，跟着父母和亲友从拿撒勒到耶路撒冷去过逾越节。按照摩西律法，神命定以色列的男人每年要上耶路撒冷守三次节期：一是逾越节，二是五旬节或称初熟节，三是柱朋节或称收藏节。后来比较严谨的希勒学派规定，敬虔的妇女至少也要一年过一次逾越节。

逾越节是犹太人记念：神借着摩西把他们从埃及为奴的苦况下拯救出来的大日子。在那个晚上，神差遣灭命的天使杀掉埃及所有头生的人和畜，独独越过门上有涂羊血的以色列家。在那个夜晚，法老答应让以色列人全部离开埃及。以色列人不再是奴隶，成为自由人的日子。从那夜起，神是以色列人的神，以色列人成为神的子民。