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论施舍

马太福音6:1-4_论施舍

1你们要小心,不可将善事行在人的面前,故意叫他们看见。若是这样,就不能得你们天父的赏赐了。 2 所以,你施舍的时候,不可在你面前吹号,像那假冒为善的人在会堂里和街道上所行的,故意要得人的荣耀。我实在告诉你们:他们已经得了他们的赏赐。 你施舍的时候,不要叫左手知道右手所做的, 4 要叫你施舍的事行在暗中,你父在暗中察看,必然报答你。

主耶稣在这段教导里说出一个很严重的警告:若将善事故意行在人前,施舍时在面前吹号,就和假冒为善的人一样了。这些己经得到世人掌声的,很可能就得不到天上的赏赐了。为何不可将善事行前,又为何不可在施舍时吹号呢?那不是做好榜样吗?要记得光和盐都是不讲话的。

爱仇敌

马太福音5:38-47_爱仇敌

38 「你们听见有话说:『以眼还眼,以牙还牙。』 39 只是我告诉你们,不要与恶人作对。有人打你的右脸,连左脸也转过来由他打; 40 有人想要告你,要拿你的里衣,连外衣也由他拿去; 41 有人强逼你走一里路,你就同他走二里。 42 有求你的,就给他;有向你借贷的,不可推辞。

43 「你们听见有话说:『当爱你的邻舍,恨你的仇敌。』 44 只是我告诉你们,要爱你们的仇敌,为那逼迫你们的祷告, 45 这样就可以做你们天父的儿子,因为他叫日头照好人也照歹人,降雨给义人也给不义的人。 46 你们若单爱那爱你们的人,有什么赏赐呢?就是税吏不也是这样行吗? 47 你们若单请你弟兄的安,比人有什么长处呢?就是外邦人不也是这样行吗? 48 所以你们要完全,像你们的天父完全一样。

最近正好有一则打人的新闻。在今年1月22日,有位台湾资深艺人因为心里怀着对某些事的怨恨和不满,在关怀演艺人员春节餐会里,掌掴在场问候的文化部长。文化部长当然吓了一大跳,忘了把另一边脸也转过去给艺人再打一次。不过她默默回到自己的桌上,连同桌的人都不知道发生此事。她虽然不说,但是当场那么多人,这事一下子就成了头条新闻。假如你是那位文化部长,你会不会把左脸也转过去由她打?在这条新闻的下面,有很多人回应该提告,免得邪风恶长。

3 Friends Every Christian Needs

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy is a letter written by Paul in approximately 63-66 AD to one of his disciples, Timothy. At the time, Timothy was leading a large church that Paul helped to start in the city of Ephesus. Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 1:1-11. Let’s go!

1 Timothy 1:1-2 (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

On verses 1-2: In these two verses we see the 3 friends you can’t live without, 3 friends that every Christian needs. First and foremost, we all need Jesus Christ as “our hope” (v1) and “our Lord”) (v2). Second, we all need a Paul, a pastor and spiritual father in our lives who teaches us God’s Word and models what it means to follow Jesus.

说真话

马太福音5:33-37_说真话

33 「你们又听见有吩咐古人的话说:『不可背誓,所起的誓总要向主谨守。』 34 只是我告诉你们,什么誓都不可起。不可指著天起誓,因为天是神的座位; 35 不可指着地起誓,因为地是他的脚凳;也不可指著耶路撒冷起誓,因为耶路撒冷是大君的京城; 36 又不可指着你的头起誓,因为你不能使一根头发变黑变白了。 37 你们的话,是就说是,不是就说不是;若再多说,就是出于那恶者。

一说到起誓,我们可能就连想到那些想取得人信任的信誓旦旦。但是毕牧师把它译为Empty promises空洞的应许,也就是信口开河。例如,我们有时会跟人说:“我会为你祷告”但是一回家就忘了。有时我们跟人家说:“愿神与你同在”,实际上心里并不这么想。我们习惯用宗教用语来美化日常的对话,使我们显得高尚有义。但是相反的,这样的说话却使我们成了虚伪的人。

When Mercy Triumphed Over Judgement

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hosea 14:1-9. Let’s go!

Hosea 14:1-2 (NIV) 
1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!
2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 

On verses 1-3:  Like a mediator between God and Israel, here Hosea suggests words that Israel can speak to return to God.  He urges Israel to plead with God for forgiveness (v2).  He also tells the Israelites to acknowledge that all those idols they had previously worshiped cannot save them (v3).  

灵的专一

马太福音5:27-32_灵的专一

27 「你们听见有话说:『不可奸淫。』 28 只是我告诉你们,凡看见妇女就动淫念的,这人心里已经与她犯奸淫了。 29 若是你的右眼叫你跌倒,就剜出来丢掉!宁可失去百体中的一体,不叫全身丢在地狱里。 30 若是右手叫你跌倒,就砍下来丢掉!宁可失去百体中的一体,不叫全身下入地狱。 31 又有话说:『人若休妻,就当给她休书。』 32 只是我告诉你们,凡休妻的,若不是为淫乱的缘故,就是叫她做淫妇了;人若娶这被休的妇人,也是犯奸淫了。

是光是盐?在光里,不能有藏污纳垢的地方,因为有任何污垢,在光中一目了然。所以我们会良心不安。盐若没有味道,表示没有自己的立场,那就要被丢弃了。有时你看,还没有信主的人都可以一眼看穿基督徒是否在作假。所以我们不要以为自己可以骗过任何人,其实是在欺骗自己而己。

我们的一个眼神,一个玩笑,一个动作,都在众人的眼目之中。有什么瞹眛,明眼人一瞄就清楚了。所以主耶稣在这里告诉我们的,是灵里的专一。有灵里的专一,才会杜绝所有的污秽,只有上帝的圣洁。若没有灵里的专一,你就是强迫自己不要去看色情杂志或电影,看到美丽的女性或帅哥,还是难免会心动。

Stay Hungry and Humble

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hosea 13:1-16.  Let’s go!

Hosea 13:1 (NIV) 
1 When Ephraim spoke, men trembled; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and died. 

Hosea 13:6 (NIV) 
6 When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. 

On verses 1-12:  At one time Israel (also called Ephraim) had a close relationship with God and stood strong with Him — so much so that “when Ephraim spoke men trembled” (v1).  But this close relationship with God did not last.  Eventually Israel fell headlong into idol worship (v1b-2).  Israel’s love for God was like the morning mist (v3, see also Hosea 6:4), here one day and gone the next, and this too would be the fate of the Israelites in Hosea’s time (v3).  

与弟兄和好

马太福音5:21-26_与弟兄和好

21 「你们听见有吩咐古人的话说:『不可杀人』,又说:『凡杀人的难免受审判。』 22 只是我告诉你们,凡向弟兄动怒的,难免受审判;凡骂弟兄是拉加的,难免公会的审断;凡骂弟兄是魔利的,难免地狱的火。

23 所以,你在祭坛上献礼物的时候,若想起弟兄向你怀怨, 24 就把礼物留在坛前,先去同弟兄和好,然后来献礼物。 25 你同告你的对头还在路上,就赶紧与他和息,恐怕他把你送给审判官,审判官交付衙役,你就下在监里了。 26 我实在告诉你:若有一文钱没有还清,你断不能从那里出来。

耶稣借着光和盐向我们启示基督徒的人生是一个怎样的人生呢?第一是要守神的律法和教导,言出必行,表里合一。不能光说不练。其次是与人和好。与人和好里最重要的就是控制自己的脾气。有俗话形容一个人刀子嘴豆腐心,但是主耶稣说,“凡向弟兄动怒的,难免受审判;凡骂弟兄是拉加的,难免公会的审断;凡骂弟兄是魔利的,难免地狱的火。”

From a Deceiver to a Receiver

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hosea 12:1-14. Let’s go!

To appreciate God’s message to the Israelites (and to us) in Hosea 12, you need to know something about Jacob, one of Israel’s forefathers and the man after whom the nation of Israel was named. Jacob’s life forms the backdrop to a lot of what Hosea 12 is talking about.

You see, Jacob lived much of his life thinking he had to scratch, claw and fight for everything he had. His approach toward all of life was “transactional”. Like a merchant, he was constantly striking deals with people, including when it came to finding a wife (v12), and even with God: “I’ll give you this, if you give me that.” As part of this, Jacob would often lie to get ahead, pretending to be someone that he was not. In this way Jacob lived up to his name, which means “deceiver”.