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Who Are You Living For?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 8:31-38.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 8:31-33 (NIV)
31  He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
32  He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33  But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
 
On verses 31-33:  Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about how Jesus must suffer many things, be rejected by the religious establishment, be killed and rise again after three days. 

彼面桶的水 / 那一桶的水

約翰福音 13:8 彼得說:「你絕不可洗我的腳,永遠不可!」

耶穌說:「如果我不洗你,你就與我沒有份了。」

《彼面桶水》(台語/ 那一桶水) 由中山大學李忠潘教授思念父親填詞,王明哲作曲,細膩描繪父親的愛。李忠潘有九個兄弟姊妹,他與兄長都是博士,其他姊弟妹也都有成就,惟父母並未受教育,每日辛苦打拼撫養子女,盼子女有成。

父母為省錢,以古井打水,一桶清水先洗小孩的臉,後再洗身體,直到水桶的水黑了。在打水洗澡時光流轉間,小孩隨著時間漸長大,李忠潘細膩描述思念回憶過往家人相處、父母疼愛與至今的感受…。

一面桶的井水,是每日暗頭仔,咱約定的所在。(那一桶井水,是每天黃昏後,我們約定的地方)
彼面桶的水,咱作夥洗面,揉身軀及洗腳;(那一桶水,我們一起臉,擦身體和洗腳)
彼面桶的水,有你操勞的汗,嘛有你對阮的疼。(那一桶水,有你操勞的汗,也有你對我們的愛)

It Takes More Than One Touch

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 8:22-30.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
Mark 8:22-26 (NIV)
22  They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23  He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

On verses 22-26:  I appreciate Mark’s honesty here.  Here we have a case where it took not one but two touches from Jesus for this blind man to be healed.  Some might see this as an embarrassing fact for Jesus.  I don’t.  To me there are some important lessons we can learn from this miracle:

他是我父親 / 他是我孩子

約翰壹書4:7  親愛的弟兄啊,我們應當彼此相愛,因為愛是從神來的。凡有愛心的,都是由神而生,並且認識神。

以賽亞書46:3-4 雅各家,以色列家一切餘剩的,要聽我言!你們自從生下,就蒙我保抱;自從出胎,便蒙我懷揣。4 直到你們年老,我仍這樣;直到你們髮白,我仍懷揣。我已造做,也必保抱;我必懷抱,也必拯救。

一位帶著工程帽、穿著沾滿污漬工作服、皮膚黝黑的父親徘徊在校門口,心裡忐忑不安地想著,下了課的小明今天是否又是衣衫不整、鼻青眼腫,可能還伴隨著老師的告狀:「誰是小明的爸爸?」

一群孩子蜂湧而出校門,宏亮的聲音冒出:「那個沒打領帶、黑黑的,就是我爸爸!」父親望著迎面而來的小明,帽子歪了,鞋帶鬆了,書包沒扣好…,衣衫看來完整,還擠眉弄眼,父親長舒一口氣。跟在後頭的老師,微笑揮手說:「小明的爸爸,明天父親節,歡迎你出席家長座談會。」父親點了個頭,牽著小明的手離開校門口。

How to Listen to Jesus

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 8:14-21.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 8:14-21 (NIV)
14  The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
15  “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.”
16  They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

On verses 14-21: The disciples were concerned about how they had forgotten to bring bread with them on the boat (v14).  So when Jesus says, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod” (v15), the disciples immediately assume that Jesus is talking to them about how they had no bread (v16). 

慈愛的天父

箴言4:1 眾子啊,要聽父親的教訓,留心得知聰明。

箴言23:24  義人的父親必大得快樂;人生智慧的兒子,必因他歡喜。

申命記5:16   當照耶和華你神所吩咐的孝敬父母,使你得福,並使你的日子在耶和華你神所賜你的地上得以長久。

當一個人失去父愛,心中往往會留下深深的空缺。唯有經歷與神相遇後,那真正不離不棄、永遠慈愛的「天父的愛」才能填滿這空缺,且滿溢而出。

美國知名演員克里斯·普瑞特(Chris Pratt)以《星際異攻隊》、《侏羅紀世界》等電影而廣為人知,但他的成長過程並不如銀幕上的英雄般光鮮。他坦言,在他青少年時期,父親與家庭疏離,逐漸變得沉默、冷漠,幾乎沒有情感交流,這段關係在他內心留下深刻的傷痕。

普瑞特大學一年級就退學,當過打折票推銷員、脫衣舞猛男,然後到了夏威夷毛伊島生活,睡在廂型車或海灘上的帳棚內,收入也僅能維持生活基本開支。

The Difference Between Having Questions and Unbelief

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 8:1-13.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 8:1-10 (NIV)
1  During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said,
2  “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.
3  If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

On verses 1-10:  Like when Jesus fed the five thousand in Mark 6, here we see:

– It was Jesus’ heart of compassion for the people, not the desire to put on a show, that led Jesus to feed the people.  Out of the heart the mouth speaks, and out of the heart ministry happens. 

Let The Deaf Hear, Let The Mute Speak

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 7:31-37.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
Mark 7:31-35 (NIV)
31  Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.
32  There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.

On verses 31-35:  At first glance, to us reading these verses today, the steps Jesus took to heal this deaf and mute man might seem strange.  But keep in mind that Jesus would often touch people as a part of healing them.  He would often look to heaven while praying.  He would sigh out of compassion and sometimes frustration.  So perhaps it’s just the spitting part that throws us off. 

二人同行

創世記22章1-19節記載亞伯拉罕帶著以撒上摩利亞山獻祭。亞伯拉罕心裡明白,這不是習常的獻祭,而是獻上他晚年得來、萬分疼愛的以撒。往摩利亞山的路,漫長且沉重,亞伯拉罕手拿刀與火,以撒背負獻燔祭的柴,父子倆人一步步走向神所指定的山。聖經簡潔卻有力的描述:「於是二人同行。」(創世記22:6)

旅程中亞伯拉罕沉默不語,腳步堅定,心中卻藏著撕裂的痛。以撒問:「父親哪!」亞伯拉罕說:「我兒,我在這裡。」以撒說:「請看,火與柴都有了,但燔祭的羊羔在哪裡呢?」亞伯拉罕說:「我兒,神必自己預備作燔祭的羊羔。」聖經再次描述:「於是二人同行。」(創世記22:8)

「二人同行」不只是地上的路,更是心靈的同步:父親在信心中前行,兒子在順服中同行,他們一起經歷神的考驗,也一起見證神的預備(創世記22:16-18)。

長久以來,我們家以及父親的家,除了家人偶有遠行、或遷移外地,主日總是「家人同行」到教會的日子。對我而言,感受更覺深刻,因為我除了出國讀書期間外,就一直在台南;從小跟著父親到教會,他刻鋼板,我學刻鋼板,他畫海報,我學畫海報…,他教主日學、講故事,我也學教主日學、講故事…,我就是這樣與父親「同行」長大的。但是,父親與我也有一段沉重的「同行」旅程。

金多加金,甜上加甜

詩篇19:7-9

7 耶和華的律法全備,能甦醒人心。耶和華的法度確定,能使愚人有智慧。
8 耶和華的訓詞正直,能快活人的心。耶和華的命令清潔,能明亮人的眼目。
9 耶和華的道理潔淨,存到永遠。耶和華的典章真實,全然公義。

大衛在詩篇19:7-9描述神對人的啟示,經由六個層面讓人認識祂、經歷祂、也得著祂:

耶和華的律法(教導與指引)全備,能甦醒人心。
耶和華的法度(神自己見證)確定,能使愚人有智慧。
耶和華的訓詞(行為的準則)正直,能快活人的心。
耶和華的命令(命令或誡命)清潔,能明亮人的眼目。
耶和華的道理潔淨(人對神的單純敬畏),存到永遠。
耶和華的典章真實(神對人的真實判斷),全然公義。

前四個層面帶給人的影響,包含:讓人的心被導正、得智慧、人心快活且眼目明亮,充分描述神的兒女必然經歷的導引,以及確實擁有的祝福。後兩個層面則強調人對神的單純敬畏存到永遠,而神對人的真實判斷全然公義。