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成全律法和先知

马太福音5:17-20_成全律法和先知

17 「莫想我来要废掉律法和先知,我来不是要废掉,乃是要成全。 18 我实在告诉你们:就是到天地都废去了,律法的一点一画也不能废去,都要成全。 19 所以,无论何人废掉这诫命中最小的一条,又教训人这样做,他在天国要称为最小的;但无论何人遵行这诫命,又教训人遵行,他在天国要称为大的。 20 我告诉你们:你们的义若不胜于文士和法利赛人的义,断不能进天国。

做世上的光和盐是怎么一回事呢?且听耶稣慢慢道来。第一件事就是不要把摩西的律法当古董,也不要把先知的教当成过时的课本。有的人觉得几千年前传下来的律法肯定跟不上时代了,所以把十诫丢到背后,放进仓库,把圣经当成过时的教科书。甚至当时的宗教领袖也是表面拿着律法,说的一套做的又是一套。

A Father’s Love Like No Other

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage, Hosea 11:1-12, contains one of the most tender descriptions of the father heart of God that you will find in the Bible.  Hosea 11 describes how God was like a loving father to His child Israel (also called Ephraim) (v1), how He taught Israel how to walk, carried Israel by the arms, took care of Israel’s needs without Israel even knowing (v3).  With cords of kindness and ties of love, this loving Father led Israel (v4), helped Israel when Israel was in trouble and humbly fed Israel (v4).

Yet Israel was rebellious toward this Father.  As verse 2 says, “the more I called Israel, the further they went from me.”  As verse 7 says, “My people are determined to turn from Me.” Wayward Israel seemed destined to keep following anyone other than their Heavenly Father. 

世上的光

马太福音5:14-16_世上的光

14 你们是世上的光。城造在山上,是不能隐藏的。 15 人点灯,不放在斗底下,是放在灯台上,就照亮一家的人。 16 你们的光也当这样照在人前,叫他们看见你们的好行为,便将荣耀归给你们在天上的父。

有没有人想问问耶稣,这句话是不是说错了?祂是不是要说:“我是世上的光”,被人记成:“你们是世上的光。”耶稣是世上的光,这句话听起来很顺,也很得体。可是一听到“你们是世上的光”,你有没有想立刻躲起来的感觉?有没有搞错啊?人怕出名猪怕肥,出名己经够糟糕了,还要变成光,是不能隐藏的。

要是我跟朋友说,我是世上的光,他们可能都会笑得上气不接下气了;若是跟家人讲,他们可能都会嗤之以鼻:“就你这角色?不说你发黑就行了,还发光?”作盐还可以,因为盐是在暗处发挥作用,咸不咸看各人口味;但是作光,行吗?神对我们竟有如此大的信任! 因此,很多人都有自知之明,只敢说自己是一个小烛光,在风中摇摆不停,几乎被吹灭掉的小烛光。

Who or What Are We Serving?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hosea 10:1-15. Let’s go!

Hosea 10:12-14 (NIV)
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.
13 But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors,
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated– as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.

世上的盐

马太福音5:13_世上的盐

13 「你们是世上的盐。盐若失了味,怎能叫它再咸呢?以后无用,不过丢在外面,被人践踏了。

有的人说基督徒要作世上的盐,但是耶稣说的是:“你们是世上的盐。”神要的不在于我们做什么,而是祂让我们成为什么。当我们一旦信主,有了新的生命之后,我们就是世上的盐了。正如耶稣在世上时,祂说祂就是神,与神合一的圣子,不在于祂行的神蹟或医治了多少病人,而在于祂与父原为一(约10:30)。

盐的功能是调和,防腐,消毒杀菌,维持血液中酸碱值的平衡,还有美容护发的功效,等等。但是它的一切功能都必须在它的盐味还在时才有功效,若没有了盐味,就不能使它再咸,只好丢掉。不管是海盐、玫瑰盐、岩盐、餐桌盐,什么盐都是这个道理。

6 Results of Rebelling Against God

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hosea 9:1-17.  Let’s go!

Here in verse 10 we see a picture of God as being so excited and overjoyed when He first chose the Israelites to be His people.

Hosea 9:10a (NIV) 
10 “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your fathers, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree…

However, as we hear about over and over in the book of Hosea, the Israelites lived in persistent rebellion against God and repeatedly broke God’s heart.  

一粒麦子的事奉

马太福音5:11-12_一粒麦子的事奉

11 人若因我辱骂你们,逼迫你们,捏造各样坏话毁谤你们,你们就有福了。12 应当欢喜快乐,因为你们在天上的赏赐是大的。在你们以前的先知,人也是这样逼迫他们。

读了这两节经文之后,你会不会觉得耶稣的要求太高了?被辱骂、受逼迫,被人捏造各样坏话毁谤时,不生气不反击就不错了,怎么还要欢喜快乐?怎么可能?

没有人喜欢受苦,但是有许多人都乐苦而不疲。我记得在我小时,家父为了家计要兼好几份工作,还要带副印纸回家抄写,因为他写得一手好字,可以赚点外快。那时也没有洗衣机,母亲经常为我们洗衣服到三更半夜。但是他们从不叫苦,每天都非常喜乐地带我们上学,回家后做家课,等等。现在做了父母,才知道因为只要看到孩子开心,他们就觉得再苦也值得。

Are You Sowing the Wind?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hosea 8:1-14.  Let’s go!

Hosea 8:7 (NIV) 
7 “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind…”

What does it mean when verse 7 says, “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind”?  In this case “the wind” represents vain pursuits,  anything that doesn’t have any eternal value.  When I sow the wind, it means I’m chasing after vain things that don’t last.  Are you sowing the wind?