Entries by

愛在夜裡的問答

約翰福音3:1-21

有一個法利賽人,名叫尼哥迪慕,是猶太人的官。 2 這人夜裡來見耶穌,說:「拉比,我們知道祢是由神那裡來做師傅的,因為祢所行的神蹟,若沒有神同在,無人能行。」 3 耶穌回答說:「我實實在在地告訴你:人若不重生,就不能見神的國。」 4 尼哥迪慕說:「人已經老了,如何能重生呢?豈能再進母腹生出來嗎?」 5 耶穌說:「我實實在在地告訴你:人若不是從水和聖靈生的,就不能進神的國。 6 從肉身生的就是肉身,從靈生的就是靈。 7 我說你們必須重生,你不要以為稀奇。 8 風隨著意思吹,你聽見風的響聲,卻不曉得從哪裡來,往哪裡去。凡從聖靈生的,也是如此。」

愛在夜裡的問答:因著愛,祂在夜裡教導擁有正統宗教和社會地位的法利賽人尼哥底母:要重生、從水和聖靈生、神愛世人。(約3:1-21)

耶穌晚上也要加班!祂點醒神的兒女必須脫離宗教的窠臼和世界的權勢,生命需要從水和聖靈更新(結36:25-27),在主裏成為新造的人(林後5:17);我們若是靠聖靈得生,就當靠聖靈行事(加5:25),成為真正順命的兒女(彼前1:14)。

The Only Way to Know the Will of God

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 5:1-14.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Revelation 5:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 
2  And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 
3  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 
4  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 

On verses 1-4:  John’s vision of heaven continues as he sees in the right hand of God a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals (v1).  At first no one is found worthy to open the scroll or even look inside it (v2-3).  This causes John to weep and weep (v4). 

Living to Worship Jesus

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 4:1-11.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Revelation 4:1 (NIV) 
1  After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
 
On verse 1:  After receiving messages from Jesus for seven churches in Asia (chapters 2-3), John, still in a posture of prayer, sees in front of him a door open to heaven.  The same trumpet-like voice he heard before – Jesus’ voice – invites him to come up to the door and He will show John “what must take place after this”.  In other words, Jesus is about to show John things that will happen in the future.

愛在潔淨聖殿

約翰福音2:13-22

13 猶太人的逾越節近了,耶穌就上耶路撒冷去。 14 看見殿裡有賣牛、羊、鴿子的,並有兌換銀錢的人坐在那裡, 15 耶穌就拿繩子做成鞭子,把牛羊都趕出殿去,倒出兌換銀錢之人的銀錢,推翻他們的桌子, 16 又對賣鴿子的說:「把這些東西拿去,不要將我父的殿當做買賣的地方!」 17 祂的門徒就想起經上記著說:「我為祢的殿心裡焦急,如同火燒。」

18 因此猶太人問祂說:「祢既做這些事,還顯什麼神蹟給我們看呢?」 19 耶穌回答說:「你們拆毀這殿,我三日內要再建立起來。」 20 猶太人便說:「這殿是四十六年才造成的,祢三日內就再建立起來嗎?」 21 但耶穌這話是以祂的身體為殿。 22 所以到祂從死裡復活以後,門徒就想起祂說過這話,便信了聖經和耶穌所說的。

愛在潔淨聖殿:因著愛,祂趕出殿裡一切做買賣的人,在殿裡醫治瞎子、瘸子。(太21:12-17、可11:15-19、路19:45-48、約2:13-22)

福音書記載耶穌兩次潔淨聖殿,一次是在耶穌初始傳道時期(約2:13-22),另一次則是在耶穌榮進耶路撒冷之後(太21:12-17、可11:15-19、路19:45-48)。

耶穌初始傳道,在逾越節上耶路撒冷,祂所看見的聖殿充斥著為方便外來猶太人獻祭所需的牛、羊、鴿子買賣,以及為繳交聖殿稅的銀錢兌換;耶穌拿繩子做成鞭子,趕出牛羊,倒出銀錢,推翻桌子,說:「…不要將我父的殿當作買賣的地方。」(約2:15-16)

It’s a Matter of Your Heart, Not Your Circumstances Copy

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 9:1-21.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Revelation 9:1-11 (NIV) 
1  The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 
2  When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 
3  And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 

On verses 1-11:  If there was any passage in the Bible that resembled a science fiction movie, it’s these 11 verses.  What is going on here? The fifth angel sounds his trumpet, which then triggers “a star that had fallen from the sky” to appear. Apparently this star is not an actual star from space, but a fallen angel who is referred to as “he” in verse 2.  This fallen star (or fallen angel) is given the key to “the Abyss”.  While “the Abyss” sounds like some kind of spacecraft, it is not clear what exactly the Abyss is.  We do know that when the fallen angel opens the Abyss, enough smoke comes out of the Abyss to darken the sun and sky.  After that, the most powerful and scariest looking locusts come out of the Abyss.

愛在迦拿婚筵

約翰福音2:1-11

第三日,在加利利的迦拿有娶親的筵席,耶穌的母親在那裡。 2 耶穌和祂的門徒也被請去赴席。 3 酒用盡了,耶穌的母親對祂說:「他們沒有酒了。」 4 耶穌說:「母親,我與你有什麼相干?我的時候還沒有到。」5 祂母親對用人說:「祂告訴你們什麼,你們就做什麼。」 6 照猶太人潔淨的規矩,有六口石缸擺在那裡,每口可以盛兩三桶水。 7 耶穌對用人說:「把缸倒滿了水。」他們就倒滿了,直到缸口。 8 耶穌又說:「現在可以舀出來,送給管筵席的。」他們就送了去。 9 管筵席的嘗了那水變的酒,並不知道是哪裡來的,只有舀水的用人知道。管筵席的便叫新郎來, 10 對他說:「人都是先擺上好酒,等客喝足了才擺上次的,你倒把好酒留到如今!」 11 這是耶穌所行的頭一件神蹟,是在加利利的迦拿行的,顯出祂的榮耀來,祂的門徒就信祂了。

愛在迦拿婚筵:因著愛,祂順從母親,將水變酒,讓婚筵歡樂延續(約2:1-11)。

使徒約翰記載耶穌所行的頭一件神蹟,不是醫病,不是趕鬼…,而是盡人子的本分答應母親的請求,將潔淨用的水變成上好的酒,讓婚筵的歡樂延續。

不知你曾否經歷:匆匆忙忙趕著到教會敬拜,或是聚精會神在讀經,耳邊聲音突然響起:「大頭!幫媽到全聯買瓶醬油,我炒菜沒醬油了。」也許,你會為了買醬油而無法趕去教會、無法專心讀經,心情不高興;也有可能,你去了教會、繼續讀經,留下一肚子氣的母親。

Jesus is the Amen – but what does that mean?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 3:14-22.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Revelation 3:14 (NIV) 
14  “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
 
On verse 14:  In His message to the church in Laodicea, we learn 3 things about Jesus:
 
 –  Jesus is the “Amen”.  What does Jesus mean when He calls Himself “the Amen”?  “Amen” carries the meaning of agreement, affirmation and certainty.  When Jesus calls Himself the “Amen”, it means that everything that Jesus is and everything that Jesus does affirms and agrees with who God is.  Jesus is the One who gives us certainty about who God is and what He is like.  If you want to know who God is and what He is like, look at Jesus.

愛在曠野試探中

馬太福音 4:1-11

當時,耶穌被聖靈引到曠野,受魔鬼的試探。 2 祂禁食四十晝夜,後來就餓了。 3 那試探人的進前來,對祂說:「你若是神的兒子,可以吩咐這些石頭變成食物!」 4 耶穌卻回答說:「經上記著說:『人活著不是單靠食物,乃是靠神口裡所出的一切話。』」 5 魔鬼就帶他進了聖城,叫祂站在殿頂上, 6 對他說:「你若是神的兒子,可以跳下去!因為經上記著說:『主要為你吩咐他的使者用手托著你,免得你的腳碰在石頭上。』」 7 耶穌對他說:「經上又記著說:『不可試探主你的神。』」 8 魔鬼又帶他上了一座最高的山,將世上的萬國與萬國的榮華都指給他看, 9 對祂說:「你若俯伏拜我,我就把這一切都賜給你。」 10 耶穌說:「撒旦,退去吧!因為經上記著說:『當拜主你的神,單要侍奉祂。』」 11 於是魔鬼離了耶穌,有天使來伺候祂。

愛在曠野試探中:因著愛,祂與我們一樣被試探,但祂沒有犯罪,勝過試探(太4:1-11),也能搭救被試探的人(來2:16-18);祂體恤我們的軟弱,我們只管坦然無懼地來到施恩的寶座前,為要得憐恤,蒙恩惠,作隨時的幫助(來4:14-16)。

魔鬼利用曠野禁食四十晝夜後的飢餓(人的基本需要)來試探耶穌(太4:2-4),耶穌回應說:「人活著,不是單靠食物,乃是靠神口裡所出的一切話。」(申8:3)

魔鬼慫恿耶穌從聖城殿頂跳下去來證明神的保守(人與神的關係)(太4:5-7),耶穌回應說:「不可試探主-你的神。」(申6:16)

魔鬼誘惑耶穌賜予世上的萬國與萬國的榮華(眼目的情慾、今生的驕傲)(太4:8-10),耶穌回應說:「當拜主-你的神,單要事奉祂。」(申6:13)

How Jesus Loves His Church

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 3:7-13.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Revelation 3:7-13 (NIV) 
7  “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
8  I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

On verses 7-13:  The church in Philadelphia was going through a similar trial as the church in Smyrna, which was persecution from a group that claimed to be Jews but were not.  Jesus calls this group of persecutors a bunch of liars (v9) and, as He did in Revelation 2:9, “a synagogue of Satan”.  To the suffering church in Philadelphia, Jesus expresses His love in several different ways:

Jesus Your Morning Star and Glorious King

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 2:18-29.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Revelation 2:18 (NIV) 
18  “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

On verse 18:  Jesus’ next message is for the church in Thyatira, a small city known for its agriculture and purple dye (see Acts 16:14).  To the church in Thyatira, Jesus describes Himself as the Son of God, “whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze” (v18).  According to some scholars, eyes like blazing fire and feet like burnished bronze are pictures of judgment.  That’s because Jesus has some tough words to speak to the church in Thyatira.