Wednesday, 19th January 2022
Rev Daniel Poon
Section One V1-18 No Longer the Same
V1 ‘For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.’ God’s Will is not to condemn us, He did not give us laws to make us feel defeated. Jesus came to complete the law, not to destroy the law. When we let go of the values of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, then we can use a new eyesight to look at this law. The law does not exist in Heaven, it’s for us on this earth. But it does not mean that we don’t have to obey it; if we think that we don’t need the law in the New Testament times, then we still live under the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Why was Moses angry when he came down from the mountain and saw the Israelites were sinning? Moses went to the mountain not to have a party, the Bible did not tell us what he ate or drank, but only that he was in the presence of God. As the ones being called, we must meditate, and read the Bible from new perspectives. Of course God did not want the Israelites to die! It took Him so much effort to take them out of Egypt, it must have been very difficult when God decided to destroy them. In the same way, the law and the Ten Commandments are for the good of people, they are not established to destroy but to help us to better know Heaven.
We don’t know what will happen when we get to Heaven. The Bible only says that there is no man and woman marriage in Heaven, but it never said that there is no Father and son relationship. There are no lies and no killings in Heaven. Are we living on this earth as it is in Heaven? What are we striving for? What are we busy with? God established the Ten Commandments to help us to live on earth as it is in Heaven, He loves us and trusts us, He knows we can keep His commandments and taste the goodness of Heaven. In the Creation, God told Adam he could eat the fruits of all the trees but one in the Garden. We tend to focus on the things we cannot do instead of the abundance we have!
When God led the Israelites out of Egypt, 40 years in the wilderness, their clothes and shoes did not wear out. But they still complained to God and missed their lives back in Egypt. We are also like this in many ways, we miss our lives in the past but we cannot live in the moment, we cannot enjoy what God has given to us today! When we cannot let go of the past, then we cannot see the blessings God gives to us now! Why do we share testimonies? Because we have overcome and we can face our weaknesses boldly.
When we have overcome, then we will no longer speak the words of negativity, or the words of discouragement. We will stop reminding ourselves of our own sinful past, and we will give praises for the new lives we live now. Do not give ourselves excuses and do not give in to our past weaknesses. Let us overcome the past, do not help the devil to do its job! The devil will lie to us and tell us that we are always like this and we cannot change. But God loves us, He unlocks His Words to us everyday so we can be fed and strengthened.
V5-7 ‘ Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’ Jesus came to do the Will of God, what is the Will of God? To love us and to save us. He loves us first then we will be able to love Him back. Do we have this true love and trust for God? Jesus demonstrated to us the love and trust of God. We see that Jesus did a lot of things on the earth, but His attitude was full of love no matter how tired He was and how much He did for people.
When we are given a job or a task, what is our attitude? Do we also give thanks that God and our authority trust and love us to do what they assigned us to do? Or do we feel burdened and question the intention behind the tasks we are given? We must be willing to wait upon God, when we are given a task, we must do it diligently then wait upon God’s timing.
Section Two V19-25 Persist to the End
V19-21 ‘Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.’ Where is the Holiest? It is to have an encounter with God. Do not feel that we have a lot to do in our family or in our church, because we are supposed to help out in the family, do not expect people’s praises for the things that are our responsibilities. The world does not teach us to have a thankful heart, but allows us to be selfish.
The world teaches us to celebrate birthdays and receive presents. But we do not realise that this is actually a day of thanksgiving, to give thanks to parents, who brought us up, and to give thanks to God for guiding us along this path of life. Jesus is making a new and living way for us, not by our doing. We must offer more time in the Word of God and in our morning devotion, let the love of God fill us everyday, see that the laws are not here to condemn us but to help us. V23 ‘Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.’ We must hold fast and persist to the end.
V24-25 ‘And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.’ When we persist in praying for one another and having fellowship with one another, then we can experience the miracles of God and receive the joy and peace of God.
Section Three V26-39 Be Saved by Faith
V26-27 ‘For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.’ Are we willing to be convicted by sins, by righteousness and by judgment? Do not sin on purpose, because if we already understand the truth, then we must not go back to sin and we must not lift up ourselves. We have died and resurrected with Jesus, we are a new creation, and therefore the sins should not bind us anymore.
V36 ‘For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.’ God gives us a new life, not a life of condemnation, He is love and He gives us a new way to go forward.
希伯来书 10 – 一条又新又活的路
2022年1月19日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
当我们知道神给我们真正的救赎之后，当我们受洗信主，知道自己新的身份、神给我们新的应许之后，我们应该有什么样的态度呢？我们信主之后的生命如何呢？如何在真光真理里面有真的生命？
一、v.1-18 不再一样
V1 我们新约的基督徒不在律法之下，但我们是否思考过为何神要摩西颁布十诫？我们里面看到的是很多“不可”，以致人觉得旧约时代有太多规条、杀戮。人很容易按着规条做事以避免犯错。然而，当我们在这样一个doing的模式、从分辨善恶的角度来看律法的时候，我们看到的都是“做不到”，甚至死亡。神给我们律法的心意不是要定我们的罪或故意让我们经历挫折失败。耶稣基督说他来不是要废去律法，而是要成全。当我们愿意放下分辨善恶树的价值观，重新用生命树的眼光来看，才能明白那些“不可、不能、不行”背后的真意。 这些被律法禁止的东西在天堂是不存在的。我们若在分辨善恶树下，只会想到不要做那些被禁止的事。摩西当年在西奈山上40天不吃不喝，与神同在，但当他下山后看到以色列人拜金牛犊，就把手上的两块法版摔碎。那两块法版上刻着神赐给以色列人的十诫。神对他百姓的心意难道只是去折磨他们吗？他的律法是天堂“美事的影儿”，所以在天上是不需要这些事情的。耶稣曾说过在天上没有嫁娶，但没有说在天上没有父子的关系，我们不确定的地方就不要去强行解释。十诫、律法既然是“将来美事的影儿”- 说明律法也是美好的，并非不好的事。当律法说不可杀人、说谎，说明在天上就没有这些罪恶。当圣经教导我们要孝顺，说明我们在地上不够孝顺，在天上的父子关系才是美好的。耶稣因为谦卑顺服天父的旨意，他就得以完全。我们过的生活是否是天堂的生活，还是地上的生活？神给以色列人颁布律法，就好像耶稣在主祷文说的，是希望他们能将天堂带下，“在地如在天”。神创造天地后，他吩咐亚当，伊甸园中所有树上的果子都可以吃，只有分辨善恶树上的果子不可吃，不然就会死。神给摩西十诫，给我们律法，也像他对亚当的吩咐一样，我们有很多事情可以做，只有这律法中禁止的事- 也就是天堂没有的事 – 不可做。神要让他的子民可以脱离在埃及为奴为仆地上的生活，过上天堂的生活。我们要看、要宣告的是现在我们蒙恩得救的生活，我们可以看到自己的软弱，但要高举神在我们生命中的得胜。我们不要像以色列人那样留恋埃及的生活，不要因为放不下而整天提醒自己过去不好的地方，这样就看不到自己的改变。当我们还在软弱当中，我们不要提自己以前的事，不要跟仇敌一起控诉自己，只要高举、感恩现在我们靠神得胜的地方，直到我们已经在软弱之处得胜了，我们才将自己的软弱当成见证分享出来，如此，我们才能前进。神对人有爱有信任，因此颁布律法；所以当摩西从西奈山下来以为以色列人有一个全新的开始，结果看到以色列人犯罪时，觉得原本天堂的生活没办法出现在地上，才会美梦破碎，将法版摔碎。
V6-8 神所“愿意”的，是我们不用献祭，一起过着天堂的生活，如同当初神刚造亚当夏娃在伊甸园中的情景。但我们要献祭，是因为我们犯罪了。律法其实是爱与信任的表样。耶稣来是按着神的旨意行，神先爱了我们，将他的独生子给了我们，神的爱就显明了。
V11 耶稣因着谦卑顺服，他一次的献祭就赎回了从亚当夏娃而来的罪。过去祭司献祭只是做事，没有在爱和信任里。我们的服事是否有爱和信任？当权柄指派我们做事的时候，我们看到的只是一个事工，还是看到权柄对我们的爱和信任？耶稣基督让我们看到他对父神的爱和信任，我们看到的却只是耶稣在做事。耶稣对阿爸父的每一个指示都看到爱。我们的权柄让我们去做事，我们是否只是很负面的去回应，还是会感恩神？我们要看到权柄对我们有爱有信任，认为我们是可以托付的，正如天父对他的独生爱子耶稣基督有爱有信任，相信耶稣能够胜任天父的托付一样。
V13“等候”- 说明耶稣是在事情还没有成就的时候就有爱有信任。当耶稣在十字架上被折磨时，他还没有看到门徒的改变，没有看到天父所说的事成就，但他对父神有爱有信任，就愿意等候。我们愿意等候吗？在学房的时候，我们被要求要背经，我们是否还有爱有信任？当我们愿意等候，我们就不再一样，因为我们的老我已经跟耶稣同死同埋葬了。
二、v.19-25 坚持到底
V19 “进入至圣所”就是与神相遇，不是凭我们能做多少事情。在一个家里，孩子们本来就是要一起帮忙分担家务的，不要只看见孩子做了很多事，却没有看见，其实最辛苦的是父母。世界给我们的是自私的价值观，当我们生日的时候，我们只为自己庆祝，却没有感恩辛苦生养我们的父母。当我们不感恩我们父母的时候，我们的儿女也学不会感恩。我们是否也能对我们权柄感恩，是否在送礼物的时候有一颗感恩的心？
V20 我们能够与神面对面，不是靠我们能够做的事，而是靠着耶稣。所以，我们要更多在神的话语里面扎根，与耶稣连结，这样才不会跌入分辨善恶树里面。我们能够服事，是因为我们感受到爱，我们才愿意。当我们感受到神的爱，我们就心甘情愿的摆上，就像父母因着爱，不管多辛苦都愿意养育孩子。
V23 我们愿意坚持到底吗？不是因为我们做了多少，而是在一切的律法背后感受到爱，我们才能“坚守我们所承认的指望，不致摇动”。
V24 我们的RPG祷告不是一个事工，而是高举神的话语，彼此代祷，我们的生命就会不一样。
V25 “聚会”是fellowship。我们不要用“忙”当作不聚会的借口，如果我们让自己的事情或孩子成为我们不来教会的借口，我们就是将他们看得大过神，他们反而成为仇敌攻击我们的地方，不断出现问题。当我们愿意将我们在乎的人和事交给神的时候，坚持到底，神就会为我们成就不能的事。
三、v.26-39 因信得救
V26-27 我们是否常常为罪为义为审判责备自己，还是只会高举神的爱和恩典，“故意犯罪”？不要整天拿自己过去还没有得胜的软弱出来说。只要心里相信、口里承认我们是已经与耶稣同复活的人，我们就是得救的。
V34-35 这样的心是信心、坚决的心。
V36 神给我们的是一个蒙福、应许的生命，他不是要定我们的罪。神给摩西律法，是要以色列人有一个全新的开始，正如当初他在伊甸园在爱与信任里吩咐亚当一样。神给我们的是一条又新又活的路！