Entries by

耶穌在伯賽大

2020-02-25 in /by

馬可福音8:22他們來到伯賽大，有人帶一個瞎子來，求耶穌摸他。

耶穌和施洗約翰都是傳天國的福音，但是他們傳福音的方式是相反的。施洗約翰以約但河為據點，呼召各地的人到他那裡去悔改，洗禮。耶穌則行走於猶大地各個鄉村城鎮，到處呼召人出來跟隨祂。

耶穌呼召的第一批門徒原先都是住在伯賽大，這是腓力，彼得，安得烈的家鄉；但是在耶穌呼召他們時，彼得和安得烈己經住在迦百農。

伯賽大位於加利利湖的東北角，在約但河入湖處的東邊，附近有許多野生動物和魚類，所以其亞蘭文原名意思是「漁人之家」，也有人譯為「捕魚之家」或「撒網之地」。在以色列有兩個地點被考古學家認為是當年的伯賽大 :  Et-Tell  和El-Araj (阿拉伯語)，到目前為止尚未有定論，但只有一個伯賽大Et-Tell 可以去參觀。

伯賽大在舊約裡曾是基述(Geshur)的大城，也就是大衛的妻子(基述王達買的女兒)瑪迦的娘家。大衛和瑪迦生的兒子押沙龍，因為哥哥暗嫩強姦他的妹妹她瑪，因此找了一個機會殺死暗嫩，之後就逃到外公家裡，也就是當時的基述。此地在主前732年被亞述王所滅。根據猶太史學家約瑟夫的記載，在耶穌時代的伯賽大是個小漁村，分封王腓力將其重建成一個希臘城巿，並以奧古斯都之女的名字命名：「猶利亞斯伯賽大」（Bethsaida Julias）。但是猶太人並不接受此名。

迦百農和伯賽大非常接近，相距不到六公里。在耶穌的時代，這兩個城巿由兩個分封王：希律·安提帕和希律·腓力管轄，因此有一條主要的道路連接這兩座城。當耶穌聽到施洗約翰被希律安提帕斬頭之後，原想和門徒暗暗地到曠野歇一歇，沒想到眾人看見他們，就從各城步行比他們先到一步。耶穌看他們如同羊沒有牧人一樣，便開口教訓他們，說啊說的，天就黑了。

God’s Purpose in Your Pain

2020-02-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 33:19-33.  Let’s go!

Job 33:19-26 (NIV) 
19  Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones,
20  so that his very being finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.
21  His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out.
22  His soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
23  “Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
24  to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him’–
25  then his flesh is renewed like a child’s; it is restored as in the days of his youth.
26  He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God’s face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state. 

On verses 19-26:  Just before these verses Elihu describes one way that God can speak to us: through supernatural means like a vision or a dream (v15-16).  Earlier in chapter 32 we learned that another way that God speaks to us: through godly people.  But visions, dreams and godly people are not the only channels by which God tries to get our attention.   

耶穌在約但河

2020-02-24 in /by

約翰福音1:34  我看見了，就證明這是神的兒子。

世界上有很多著名的大河，約但河也許不是其中之一；因為相對而言，約但河的氣勢或寬長都只算是一條小河。它是世界上最低的河流，由北向南貫穿巴勒斯坦地區。但是俗云，山不在高，有仙則靈；所以河不在大，有神則威。《聖經》裡記載著許多關於約但河的故事，我們就來看看一二。

你記得《聖經》中的人物哪一個最早渡過約但河嗎？我猜是亞伯拉罕，因為神把迦南地賜給他，所以他從哈蘭一路往南，一定要經過約但河才能到希伯崙或是南地。再來是誰呢？再來就是亞伯拉罕的孫子雅各，為了逃避哥哥以掃的追殺，渡過約但河，和他祖父走相反的路線回到巴旦亞蘭，在那裡娶妻生子。廿年後，再回迦南地。在雅各過約但河的前一夜，他在約但河的雅博渡口和天使摔跤，使者在這裡為他改名: 以色列。雅各為那地取名毗努伊勒，意思說：「我面對面見了神，我的性命仍得保全。」(創32:30)

再來便是約書亞率領兩百多萬以色列人過約約河，當抬著約櫃的祭司之腳一踩進水裡，那從上往下流的河水就立起成壘，不流的水也斷絕了。當所有的人到了對岸之後，祭司才上岸，祭司一上岸，約但河的水就還原，依然漲過兩岸。他們上岸後在吉甲安營，立石記念為「要使地上萬民都知道耶和華的手大有能力，也要使你們永遠敬畏耶和華你們的神。」(書4:24)

雖然在舊約裡，約但河流域發生了不少戰爭，這些我們就不一一細說。有趣的是在列王時期，雖然以色列和亞蘭是敵對的關係。但是有一次亞蘭的元帥乃縵患了大痲瘋，在那時大痲瘋是不治之症，糟透了! 但是在他家有一個從以色列地擄來的小女孩，建議他去找先知以利沙。他也真的去以色列找以利沙，沒想到以利沙叫他去約但河浸七次。他很生氣，後來聽僕人的勸，還是去約但河浸了七次，沒想到他的大痲瘋真的痊癒了。他說：「如今我知道、除了以色列之外、普天下沒有神」(王下5:15)

6 Ways to Build Rapport When Talking with Others

2020-02-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 33:1-18.  Let’s go!

Job 33:1-7 (NIV) 
1  “But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say.
2  I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue.
3  My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.
4  The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5  Answer me then, if you can; prepare yourself and confront me.
6  I am just like you before God; I too have been taken from clay.
7  No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy upon you.

On verses 1-7:  At first when I read these 7 verses, the initial impression I get is that Elihu is a bit long-winded and in love with himself.  Then I thought, “Well, maybe it’s because Elihu is nervous, so he ends up speaking quite verbosely at the beginning.” But the more I study Elihu’s words, the more I think I can appreciate Elihu’s purpose in speaking this way:  Elihu is trying to make it clear to Job where he is coming from.  He is trying to build rapport with Job.  How?

今天是禮拜天

2020-02-22 in /by

撒母耳記上2:30b  因為尊重我的，我必重看他；藐視我的，他必被輕視。

其實今天不是禮拜天，明天才是禮拜天。但是明天我休假，所以必須今天提醒你，明天是禮拜天，今天要把明天的事稍微準備一下，不要太晚睡哦!

其實「今天是禮拜天」是一首歌，也是一個廣場舞，所以你觀看時還可以跟著唱，跟著跳，藉此鍛鍊身體；並且也鍛鍊靈魂，記得要去敬拜賜我們生命的神。這首歌舞之特別在於它是兩岸三地的基督徒合作的成品。讓我們記得，不管這世上的政治局勢如何，在主裡我們都是一家人。

它的歌詞如下：

今天是禮拜天， 我們一起敬拜吧!  放下手裡忙不完的事情啊，

盡心盡性盡意盡力愛主我的神，因祢是我們隨時的幫助。

今天是禮拜天， 我們一起敬拜吧! 主挪去一切重擔和煩惱，

靈魂憂傷的人 我們重新得力量，全新的我們現在就出發!

我要以感謝為祭獻給祢 ，將榮耀讚美歸給祢的名，

我要不住歌頌， 不停的讚美， 因祢的信實直到萬代！

(內有視頻)

Be Open to God Speaking

2020-02-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 32:1-22.  Let’s go!

Job 32:1 (NIV) 
1  So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

On verse 1:  Job refuses to budge from his belief that his suffering is not the result of his sin, so Job’s friends finally give up trying to convince Job otherwise (v1).  What can we learn from this?  The best way, and sometimes the only way, to beat your critics is to outlast them.  If you stand your ground long enough, they will eventually go away and stop bothering you.

Job 32:2 (NIV) 
2  But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.

On verse 2: A young man called Elihu begins to speak.  According to some scholars, the fact that the author of Job has to explain Elihu’s family background in verse 2 suggests that Elihu was not nearly as well known as Job and his three companions.

耶穌在迦拿

2020-02-20 in /by

以賽亞書42:3 壓傷的蘆葦祂不折斷，將殘的燈火祂不吹滅，祂憑真實將公理傳開。

耶穌接到了一個喜筵的邀請，便帶著幾個新接收的門徒一起往迦拿而去。迦拿在拿撒勒和迦百農的中間，是一個在小山和溪水旁的小村，交通不方便，是一個十分安靜的小村子。

從迦百農往東南走了大約15公里，就到了迦拿。此時耶穌剛收的一個門徒腓力去找他住在迦拿的朋友拿但業，對他說：「摩西在律法上所寫的和眾先知所記的那一位，我們遇見了，就是約瑟的兒子拿撒勒人耶穌。」(約1:45) 根據對拿撒勒的認知，拿但業輕蔑地回答：「拿撒勒還能出什麼好的嗎？」

耶穌一看見拿但業，便說他是個心裡沒有詭詐的真以色列人，拿但業很詑異耶穌從何知道他？耶穌說：腓力還沒有叫你時，我己經看到你站在無花果樹下了。拿但業覺得耶穌好「神」哪!立刻稱呼耶穌是神的兒子，以色列的王。更「神」的事接著發生了。

耶穌領著幾個門徒到了迦拿的婚宴，婚禮的主人家可能是耶穌的母親馬利亞的親戚，因此她也在那裡幫忙張羅。在充滿喜樂的盛筵裡，馬利亞卻很著急地來找耶穌，因為給客人喝的酒準備得不夠，這是何等失禮的事啊!這樣大的事，馬利亞不找主人或管家再去買些酒，反而是去找兒子耶穌，可見她知道耶穌能人之所不能。因此，她對用人說：「他告訴你們什麼，你們就做什麼。」這就是耶穌變水為酒，第一件公開施行的神蹟。祂的門徒就因而信祂了。(約2:1-11)

A Game You Can’t Win

2020-02-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 31:21-40.  Let’s go!

Job 31:21-23 (NIV) 
21  if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,
22  then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
23  For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.

On verses 21-23:  In verses 16-22 Job denies taking advantage of the poor, the widow and the fatherless.  In verse 23 he says he did not sin in this way because of his fear of the Lord and the destruction that God could bring if he sinned in that way. It’s as if Job took seriously Jesus’ parable on the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:31-46 without even hearing it.  In that parable, Jesus describes himself as a King who rewards or punishes people based on how they treated the most vulnerable in society.  This parable is where Jesus famously says, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40) and “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” (Matthew 25:45).

耶穌在迦百農

2020-02-19 in /by

馬太福音4 :19  耶穌對他們說：「來跟從我，我要叫你們得人如得魚一樣。」

迦百農是在加利利湖邊的一個小鎮，在舊約時默默無聞，到了公元前二世紀才開始有人注意到她，那時她的名字是Capharnaum迦弗農，到了第五世紀才改為Capernaum迦百農；「迦百」翻譯自英文的「Caper」，在希伯來文是Kefar，意思是村。「農」翻譯自英文的「naum」，在希伯來文的意思是安慰；也有說Kefar Nahum，Nahum意指那鴻，所以是「那鴻的鄉村」，但是無法查考這那鴻是否舊約裡的先知那鴻。Talhum是她的阿拉伯名。

耶穌離開拿撒勒後，就來到約卅公里外的迦百農，若以時速4公里計算，大約要走七、八個小時。當時的迦百農並不是一個名不經傳的地方，她座落在當時國際通道的中心。這條國際通道是從底加波利Decapolis到敘利亞Syria的主要公路，向南通到埃及，向西可以通到地中海沿岸的三個大港口：該撒利亞(Caesarea)，多利買(Ptolemais)，及推羅(Tyre)。

因為這條公路，迦百農成為一個從富庶的東方而來的駝商隊之第一個休息站，並且從其西南方一帶來的鹹魚，一定要先經過這裡，然後才上往西的羅馬公路，到地中海岸的多利買，而輸出到歐洲。因此在迦百農很自然的就有一個稅關(Custom House)，並且坐在稅關上的一位稅吏馬太(或名利未)，後來竟然成為耶穌的十二門徒之一(路5:27-29)。

最近在迦百農發現一個「羅馬里程碑」(Roman milestone)，也證明了「羅馬道路」曾經經過這個城鎮，也解釋了為什麼有一位羅馬的百夫長，要住在以猶太人為主的迦百農(路7:1-10)。耶穌曾在這裡醫治了一位百夫長的僕人，並稱讚百夫長的信心。

How Do You Know If You Are Lusting After Someone or Just Attracted to Them?

2020-02-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 31:1-20.  Let’s go! 

On verses 1-20:  Here in chapter 31, Job makes one last attempt to plead his innocence in different areas.  He even invites a curse to be placed on his life if indeed he is truly guilty of sin in any of those areas.

Job 31:1-4 (NIV) 
1  “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. 
2  For what is man’s lot from God above, his heritage from the Almighty on high? 
3  Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong? 
4  Does he not see my ways and count my every step?
 
On verses 1-4:  Here Job denies ever having looked lustfully at a girl (v1).  Job says his reason for not doing so is because he knows that God sees everything he does (v4) and he would not want to invite disaster on himself by sinning in this way (v2-3).  What can we learn from this?  According to Job, and according to Jesus later in the Gospels (e.g. Matthew 5:28), looking lustfully at someone is sin.  What exactly does it mean to look at someone lustfully?