Tuesday, 9th February 2021
The Book of Hebrews brought us from Old Testament to the New Testament. The Book of Hebrews was written for the Jews. At the time a lot of people thought Jesus was an Angel and people worshipped Angels instead of worshipping God. The Book of Hebrews mentioned the position of Jesus so the Jews will know not the mix Jesus’ position with the Angels. We need to know who our God is and who Jesus is so we will not be worshipping idols. The Book of Hebrews is a Book of teaching for the Jews.
Section One: The Position of Jesus Christ (V.1-4)
V1-2 Right on the beginning, the Book of Hebrews talks about the position of Jesus. In the End Times, God sent His Son, who is the heirs of all things, and cannot be separated from God. We believe in the Trinity God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, they cannot be separated. When people see the Son, they see the Father. When we have a Christ-like life, people will see Jesus in us, and they will see the Father through Jesus.
V3 The brightness of His glory talks about Jesus. Whatever Jesus talks about is from the Father. Without the Father’s instructions then the Son will not speak. All Jesus says is the truth, His Word of Power upholds everything. What is the essence of Jesus’ Word? God is love. Because of love, God sent His only Son Jesus to die for us.
V4 Jesus’ position is revealed in the first four verses of the Book of Hebrews. It’s not only a Book of Faith but also an important Book, which reminds us the position of Jesus. Without knowing who Jesus is, we won’t be able to have faith.
Section Two: The Authority of Jesus Christ (V.5-14)
V5-7 This is quoted from the Book of Psalm 2:7, where God said to Jesus, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You”. Then in II Samuel 7:14, God talks about the Israelite, “I will be his Father and he shall be My son”. In Deuteronomy 32:43, it tells us to praise when the Son is with us, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people”. Psalm 104:4 also confirms this, “Who makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire”.
V8-12 The power and authority of Jesus, the Son of God, is mentioned in Psalm 45:6-7, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You. With the oil of gladness more than Your companions”.
Where does Jesus’ authority come from? From God along. V12 tells us God is powerful, and He gave the power and authority to Jesus, who didn’t come to this world to rule over us like the Judges. He led us to the Father through love and His sacrifice.
V13-14 Jesus is not an Angel, He is the Son of God and He sits enthrone next to the Father. In here the author quoted Psalm 110:1, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”; we need to know who Jesus is, and this is the foundation of Christian belief! We are all sinners, fall short of the Glory of God. Therefore, we should always remember to live a Christ-like life, not to call the Name of God in vain.
God has already prepared for us this salvation. He knew our weakness, so He sent Jesus to die for us out of love. The Grace of God is given to us, not for us to take salvation for granted, but for us to humble ourselves and see Jesus is the only way! We need to have firm faith to know that Jesus is our King, and the King is here!
Pursuit & Respond
Oh Lord, You enthrone among us, thank You for being in our lives, to help us and know our sins of confusions and disbelief. Help us Lord, to shine in our hearts and let us see the sins that blocked us to come to You. We will come before You, Lord, help us to dig deeper into our hearts, and discover all the confusion in our lives and all our disbelieves, which hinder us to see God’s miracles in our lives!
Jesus, You are the light, You are powerful and almighty. You are the Trinity God, who cannot be separated. When we see You, we will be able to see the Father. We declare we belong to You, take away all our pride and save us from all the temptation of this world. We want to live under Your authority today. Amen!
2021年2月9日 星期二
希伯来书 1
耶稣基督是谁
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希伯来书是一卷重要的桥梁书卷 – 将新旧约连接。本书的写作对象是犹太人 – 当时的犹太人并不明白耶稣是谁，常说耶稣是天使或圣者，所以这本书其中一個重要的工作是借着旧约经文证明耶稣基督的身份，使读者们不将耶稣的身份与天使或其他圣者混淆。若我们混淆了我们主耶稣的身份，我们就很容易去拜其他受造物。
一，耶稣的身份(v.1-4)
1-2，“晓谕”- 就是“告知”。希伯来书在一开始就告诉我们耶稣的身份。耶稣是从古时耶和华就应许给以色列人并在末世时被差派来的神的儿子。耶稣基督是承受万有的，也是与父神一起同工。
3A: “他是神荣耀所发的光辉，是神本体的真像”- 耶稣与父神是不能分开的， 我们所信的三位一体真神 – 圣父圣子圣灵 – 是彼此不能分开的。当我们说我们有耶稣的生命时，我们是否活出耶稣，让人透过我们所信的耶稣就看到天父? 因为人看到耶稣，就会看到父。这也是耶稣在世时经常提醒门徒的，“子凭着自己不能做什么，唯有看見父所做的，子才能做”。
3B: “常用他权能的命令托住万有” – 他所说的都是从天父而来的真理，唯有他的真理能将世界带回来。当时的犹太人除了真理以外还有很多人定的规条，却没有活出十诫的真谛 – 就是爱神爱人。因着爱，神才賜下他的独生子为我们死在十字架上。
一开始的4节经文打开了整本希伯来书的序幕。我们常提到希伯来书时就想到里面的信心的篇章，但我们要明白信心是建立在神在旧约里面就给我们的应许， 就是神儿子的身份地位。
二，耶稣的权能(v.5-14)
5-7：第5节这里引用了两处旧约经文：一是诗篇2:7， 神对耶稣说：“你是我的儿子，我今日生你”；另一处是撒母耳记下 7:14，神对以色列人说：“我要做他的父，他要做我的子”。在申命记32:43神也对我们说当如何赞美耶稣与我们同在：“你们外邦人，当与主的百姓一同欢呼！因他要申他仆人流血的冤，报应他的敌人；洁净他的地，救赎他的百姓。” 诗篇 97:7 也说到：“愿一切侍奉雕刻的偶像，靠虚无之神自夸的，都蒙羞愧。万神哪，你们都当拜他！”- 说明耶稣是众神之神，在万有之上。第7节的经文是出自诗篇104:4 -讲论神 “以风为使者，以火焰为仆役”。
8-12：这几节论到神的权能和神儿子耶稣的能力。
8-9，这两节经文出自诗篇45:6-7，“神啊，你的宝座是永永远远的，你的国权是正直的。你喜爱公义，恨恶罪恶，所以神，就是你的神，用喜乐油膏你，胜过膏你的同伴。” 经文阐明耶稣是有能力的，而这个能力是从神而来。
12，这里论到神说“你要将天地卷起来，像一件外衣，天地就都改变了；唯有你永不改变…” 我们的神是有能力的，所以他赐给他的儿子耶稣的是能力和权柄。耶稣来到世上不是当扫罗王，也不是做审判官“士师”而已，而是用爱将我们带回天父的怀抱，借着他的牺牲来救赎我们。第一个被造的人亚当犯罪，离开神，耶稣基督是第二个亚当，他代表了所有受造物，所以他的牺牲才有救赎的能力。
13-14：这里引用诗篇 110:1，“耶和华对我主说：“你坐在我的右边，等我使你仇敌做你的脚凳。” 原来耶稣是坐在至高者的右边，是有权能的。所有的天使都是在宝座下服事神的，所以耶稣不是天使也不是圣者，而是坐在神宝座的右边，受天使的服事。如果我们不清楚耶稣他的身份、权能，我们就会混乱，被仇敌欺骗，拜不同的天使。耶稣的身份决定他在十字架上的救赎是大有能力的，这是我们基督信仰的基础。
十诫中的第三诫命说到“不可妄称神的名”，但我们却常常在这一条上犯罪，没有活出神的荣耀。神知道我们的软弱，他爱我们，所以一早就预备了他的儿子耶稣基督成为代罪羔羊。他不是要来审判我们，而是带来恩典。我们也不可轻看耶稣所给我们的救恩，而是更加谦卑自己，明白并确信耶稣基督是我们永远的君王，高举他，才能在罪中得胜，让仇敌在十字架前羞愧。
追求：
我们要大大赞美主。感谢你来到我们生命当中，让我们看到我们里面的罪 – 一切的混乱，不认识神的权能和身份，内心的软弱，帮助我们更多挖掘自己的内心, 看到里面是什么阻止了神的作为行在我们生命中。神的话语充满权能、能力。让我们来到神的面前祷告。
主耶稣你是神荣耀所发的光辉，是神本体的真像，你是我们的大有能力的主，洗净了人的罪。主你是三位一体的真神。当我们呼求神时，帮助我们能活出耶稣基督的样式。求主帮助我们挪去里面的骄傲，让我们能抵挡这个世界恶者的攻击，不受恶者的欺骗，认识耶稣的权能。感谢基督为我们担负了所有的罪，我们宣告我们是是属于耶稣基督的，愿我们今天完全降服在主你的权柄之下！阿们！