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天国里谁最大

2019-05-17 in /by

马太福音18: 1_6天国里谁最大

1当时，门徒进前来，问耶稣说：「天国里谁是最大的？」 2 耶稣便叫一个小孩子来，使他站在他们当中， 3 说：「我实在告诉你们：你们若不回转，变成小孩子的样式，断不得进天国。 4 所以，凡自己谦卑像这小孩子的，他在天国里就是最大的。 5 凡为我的名接待一个像这小孩子的，就是接待我。 6 凡使这信我的一个小子跌倒的，倒不如把大磨石拴在这人的颈项上，沉在深海里。

有一次在教会准备一个庆生会时，有位姐妹推荐了教会里一些孩子合奏小提琴，并且让一位小朋友以钢琴伴奏。因为我认识那孩子，便随口问了一句：“他也会拉小提琴，叫他弹钢琴，他会不会觉得吃亏？＂那位姐妹楞了一下，说：“不会的，小孩子不会计较那些。＂这句话一直留在我的心里，因为它提醒我，何谓小孩子的样式。从大人的眼光来看，或许在前面演奏看起来风光一些，被派去当伴奏，躲在钢琴后面，谁也看不到，是否就是吃亏？其实，他们真的一点也不介意，应该说，孩子们根本想都没想过这种事。他们只是单纯地，一起开心地用乐器赞美神。大人有面子问题，小孩子没有面子问题。

因此，门徒才会议论谁比较大？才会问耶稣，在天国里谁最大。在成人的世界里，也常有这种较劲的事？你不听我的，难道你比我大吗？你听他的，不听我的，你觉得他比我大吗？不得不听老板的，因为他比较大；巴不得有一天我也当他的老板，那时我也要让他尝尝我现在的滋味！我们的心里总是不停地在比较，谁比有钱，谁比较重要。因此，耶稣说：“我实在告诉你们，你们若不回转，变成小孩子的样式，断不得进天国。＂

You Need Someone to Keep You Accountable

2019-05-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 12:1-16.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 12:1-3 (NIV) 
1  In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 
2  Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 
3  The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

On verses 1-3:  Notice what it says in verse 2:  “Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”  Here we see the importance of being teachable and accountable to someone you trust and respect.  Joash was blessed to have a wise and God-loving father figure and mentor in his life called Jehoiada.  As long as Joash was willing to let Jehoiada speak into his life and keep him accountable, Joash did what was right in God’s eyes.  When Joash stopped having someone to stay accountable to, that’s when his life would go off the rails (see 2 Chronicles 24:17-19).  

鱼口得税银

2019-05-16 in /by

马太福音17: 24_27鱼口得税银

24 到了迦百农，有收丁税的人来见彼得，说：「你们的先生不纳丁税吗？」 25 彼得说：「纳。」他进了屋子，耶稣先向他说：「西门，你的意思如何？世上的君王向谁征收关税、丁税？是向自己的儿子呢，是向外人呢？」 26 彼得说：「是向外人。」耶稣说：「既然如此，儿子就可以免税了。 27 但恐怕触犯他们，你且往海边去钓鱼，把先钓上来的鱼拿起来，开了牠的口，必得一块钱，可以拿去给他们，做你我的税银。」

在义大利文艺复兴时代有一位很年轻的画家，原名托马索‧迪乔瓦尼‧迪西莫内‧圭迪，绰号马萨乔Masaccio，意思是傻瓜。可能因为他作风懒散，除了艺术什么都漠不关心，但他一点也不傻。虽然出身清苦，师承不明，却在21岁时就被获准加入当时正统的画家协会，圣路加工会。马萨乔的艺术真实而有气势，非常注意光和空气在画中对人物和环境造成的距离感，使他所画的人物和场景显得特别实在而立体。很可惜，他在27岁时就因病过世。在他留下的创作里，《纳税银》The Tribute Money可以说是他的代表作之一。

《纳税银》是一幅巨型的壁画，以连环的形式描绘出这段经文的三个环节：阻拦、捉鱼及交付丁税。画中人都是与画家同时代的普通百姓，组合成基督与门徒在迦百农的一个小故事。耶稣和门徒到了迦百农时，路经一个关卡，收税人上前拦住他们的去路，要收他们的丁税。

You Have a Destiny

2019-05-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 11:1-21.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 11:1-3 (NIV) 
1  When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 
2  But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. 
3  He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

On verses 1-21:  After talking about the kingdom of Israel and how Jehu became its king in 2 Kings 9 and 10, the author of 2 Kings turns our attention once again to the kingdom of Judah.  Judah’s King Ahaziah was killed by Jehu of Israel, but instead of Ahaziah’s brother or son taking over Ahaziah’s throne in Judah, Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah seizes power for herself.  

门徒的忧愁

2019-05-15 in /by

马太福音17: 22_23门徒的忧愁

22 他们还住在加利利的时候，耶稣对门徒说：「人子将要被交在人手里， 23 他们要杀害他，第三日他要复活。」门徒就大大地忧愁。

每次看到有信徒被迫害的消息，我的心情总是非常难过，只能不停地为他们祷告，直到心情平静下来。有的人要求连合签名上书，抗议基督徒所受的非人待遇，可是我相信那些陈情不会有什么效果。我相信只有神的及时拯救才能帮助他们。可是假如连耶稣都必须面对逼迫，我们又怎么敢说，求主让我们不要受苦呢？

有部电影《抢救雷恩大兵》，以1944年6月6日诺曼地登陆史实为背景，前面半个小时只有一个剧情，敌军的机关枪扫射著海岸线，联军勇士前仆后继抢攻滩头，尸横遍野。登陆成功的队长米勒，接获任务带领八人小组深入前线，寻找一位名叫雷恩的伞兵。类似美国的〈仅存者政策〉，防止一家庭数香火无继的情形发生，若有兄弟姊妹在服役时丧生可提出免服兵役，战区军人则可退役。而雷恩的三位兄长都为国捐躯，米勒要找到他，为雷恩家留后。

Jehu is gone. Jesus has come

2019-05-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 10:15-36. Let’s go!

2 Kings 10:28-29 (NIV) 
28  So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. 
29  However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit–the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. 

On verses 15-36:  Having gotten rid of the house of Ahab along with a slew of others, Jehu now focuses on erasing the worship of the idol Baal in Israel. He invites all the prophets of Baal to the temple of Baal under the auspices that he is going to hold an assembly in honour of their god. Jehu even gives each prophet of Baal a special robe (which seems like a gift when in fact it just makes them an easier target).  As these prophets make their sacrifices to Baal, Jehu’s men ambush the prophets of Baal and cut them down with the sword inside the temple.  They also destroy the temple of Baal and begin using it as a urinal. 

信心的能力

2019-05-14 in /by

马太福音17: 14_21信心的能力

14 耶稣和门徒到了众人那里，有一个人来见耶稣，跪下， 15 说：「主啊，怜悯我的儿子！他害癫痫的病很苦，屡次跌在火里，屡次跌在水里。 16 我带他到你门徒那里，他们却不能医治他。」 17 耶稣说：「唉！这又不信又悖谬的世代啊，我在你们这里要到几时呢？我忍耐你们要到几时呢？把他带到我这里来吧！」 18 耶稣斥责那鬼，鬼就出来，从此孩子就痊愈了。

19 门徒暗暗地到耶稣跟前说：「我们为什么不能赶出那鬼呢？」 20 耶稣说：「是因你们的信心小。我实在告诉你们：你们若有信心像一粒芥菜种，就是对这座山说：『你从这边挪到那边！』，它也必挪去；并且你们没有一件不能做的事了。 21 至于这一类的鬼，若不祷告、禁食，他就不出来。」

耶稣的判断，那个小孩的癫痫病不是生理的疾病，而是因为鬼附。门徒们的判断也是正确的，但是他们无法把鬼赶出去。在现代的社会里，有时分不清鬼附和癫痫，所以我们最好不要随便下判断，让专职人员做判断，更不要随便论断别人是被鬼附。

在这段经文里，主要是在讲为什么耶稣可以把那个鬼赶出去，门徒按照耶稣皂方法去做，却没有办法把鬼赶出去。耶稣在这里提到一个信心的问题。有的人因而以为，只要自己有信心，就真的能够移山了。这是一个对信心的误解，耶稣说的信心是靠神的信心，以神的旨意为中心的信心。有神的应许为把握的信心。但是有些比较极端的信徒会认为，只要我相信，我就可以为人祷告，使对方立刻得医治，等等。

Be Strong In The Word and In The Spirit

2019-05-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 10:1-17.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-17:  Having assassinated Joram king of Israel and Jezebel the queen mother, Jehu continues his mission to eliminate the remaining sons in Ahab’s house.  Instead of a sneak attack, Jehu issues a formal challenge to the high officials in Israel’s capital city as well as those in charge of Ahab’s sons.  Jehu challenges them to put one of Ahab’s sons on Ahab’s throne and to fight Jehu and his troops. Fearing that they are no match for Jehu, Israel’s high officials surrender to Jehu and express their willingness to do whatever Jehu wants them to do. So further to Jehu’s command, Israel’s high officials slaughter 70 sons of Ahab and place their heads in baskets.  Jehu then announces that the word of the Lord which Elijah spoke against the house of Ahab has been fulfilled (v10).  Jehu then goes on a killing rampage:  

– First, Jehu kills Ahab’s chief officials, close friends and priests in Jezreel (v11).  

– Then on his way to Samaria, Jehu slaughters 42 unsuspecting relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah who had gone to visit King Joram and Jezebel, not knowing that Jehu had already killed them (v12-14).   Jehu also invites Jehonadab to get into his chariot and says to him, “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.” (v16)   

以利亚己经来了

2019-05-13 in /by

马太福音17: 9_13以利亚己经来了

9 下山的时候，耶稣吩咐他们说：「人子还没有从死里复活，你们不要将所看见的告诉人。」 10 门徒问耶稣说：「文士为什么说以利亚必须先来？」 11 耶稣回答说：「以利亚固然先来，并要复兴万事。 12 只是我告诉你们：以利亚已经来了，人却不认识他，竟任意待他。人子也将要这样受他们的害。」 13 门徒这才明白耶稣所说的是指著施洗的约翰。

在这段经文里谈到两件事，一是主耶稣吩咐门徒，在祂从死里复活之前，不可以将祂变像的事告诉别人。假如门徒将所见的传出去，会有怎样的后果呢？我想，若有人听到这样的事，可能会有人把肉身的耶稣当作神膜拜。但是这时的主耶稣，目的是要为众人赎罪，并不是要出风头。其二，有人可能认为门徒疯狂，断了以后传福音的路。其三，就给了想杀耶稣的人有了借口，把耶稣从无罪之人变成有罪。

主耶稣是为了完成神的计划而来世上，并不是为了祂个人的任何目的。祂不要世上的名利富贵或权势，所以要避免一切的虚名和不必要的麻烦。我们在世上的目的，也是要实现神在我们身上的计划，所以千万不要被虚名或权势绑架，以免身不由己，坏了神的计划。

第二部份是谈到以利亚。会不会有人奇怪，倘若《圣经》不讲轮廻，施洗约翰怎么就成了以利亚呢？在施洗约翰尚未出世前，就有天使这样告诉他的父亲撒迦利亚：「撒迦利亚，不要害怕，因为你的祈祷已经被听见了。你的妻子伊利莎白要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫约翰。你必欢喜快乐，有许多人因他出世也必喜乐。他在主面前将要为大，淡酒浓酒都不喝，从母腹里就被圣灵充满了。

The Best Way to Prepare for Eternity

2019-05-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 9:30-37.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 9:30 (NIV) 
30  Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. 

On verse 30:  Having heard that Jehu has killed her son King Joram, Jezebel expects that she is next, so she paints her eyes and does her hair.  Why?  Some scholars think she was trying to seduce Jehu.  I think the more likely scenario is that she’s getting ready to die as dignified a death as possible.  Jezebel may have thought to herself, “If I’m going to die a queen mother, I better look the part!”  Ironically, despite her efforts to look good in death, Jezebel would end up being killed in the most undignified way, as we will see.  

What can we learn from this?  The best way to prepare for death and eternity is not to get busy doing your hair or make up, but to change your clothes; that is, put on the robes of righteousness that Jesus makes available to you and me.  In other words, if you really want to get ready for death and eternity, if you really want to look good while dying, the absolute best way has nothing to do with your hair and make up and everything to do with having Jesus Christ as your Saviour.  For hair and make up won’t cover your sins, but Jesus’ robes of righteousness can.