Friday, 12th February 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
We need to enter a new beginning with faith and persistence. The Book of Hebrews gives us hope and the love of God. Chapter 4 is continuing from Chapter 3 and the most important message is in V16, to come boldly before the throne of grace in our time of need. We should not be afraid to come to the throne of grace. The earthly throne is about judgement, even Apostle Paul was being judged before the throne of Rome. But only our God prepared for us a throne of grace.
Jesus told us that the judgment is not yet here, and right before us is the throne of grace, to help us to turn back. We cannot change our wickedness by ourselves but when we come before the throne of grace, then we can be renewed and revived.
Section One: V1-10 Enter Rest by Faith
V1 the promise is not only for us, but it was also given to Abraham and passed down to the generations. By faith we become the inheritance of Abraham and receive the same promise, which is entering into the rest. This is a gift we are given, but we need to receive it with a fear and trembling heart, because a condition comes with the promise. Not everyone can enter the rest of the Lord.
V2 when we said we want to enter the Promised Land, it’s not for us to do whatever we want to do, but to enter into rest, enter into a fellowship with God. We cannot do it by our strength or our might, but it is to have a fellowship with God and let God do it, then we can really enter rest. If we continue to work hard for this rest, then we can never receive it because in rest, we learn to rely on God. It’s not about ‘not doing’ but about ‘fully relying’.
V3 do not think that when we become the descendant of Abraham then we can receive the promise. The Israelites in the wilderness did not follow their authority, Moses, they complained and did not believe God will lead them to Promised Land. What they saw before their eyes were desert, old cloths, homeless life… and they remembered the food and houses they had in Egypt. Without a thanksgiving heart they complained and therefore God swore in His wrath for them not to enter His rest. Believe God is our light and lamp, as long as we follow Him by faith then we should not worry. So we need to stop complaining and simply follow.
V4-5 when God created the Heaven and Earth, He rested on the seventh day because He completed His Work. This Work is not only about creating the Heaven and Earth, the living things and human, but also all the promises and covenants He made with His people. When an architect designed a house, before the house was built, he already knew all the materials, bolts, nuts, and nails he needs for the house. God knew all the problems we are going to have on the earth, and He has already prepared a way out for us! In God’s blueprint, He has designed everything.
When God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh to declare destruction, but when the City of Nineveh repented and turned back, God did not destroy then. God is love, He is a merciful God, He gave people opportunity to turn back. The ‘rest’ here (v.5) has a different meaning, which is the ‘Promised Land’.
V6-7 do not think when we hear the Good News, we can receive the blessings, when we don’t have faith, everything we hear from God has no use to us. We need to act out by faith. Faith is not only being acted out in church, but the Word of God is also for our lives, our marriage, our work, the relationship with our children, etc.
V8-10 even Joshua was unable to bring the Israelites to rest. The 12 tribes did not really take the full inheritance, they did not cast out all the Canaanites and lived with their problems.
Section Two: V11-16 Rest in the Lord
V11-13 we need to rest in the Lord. The Israelites entered the Promised Land physically, but they did not fully rely on God, so they did not receive the Rest of the Lord. Not just have the promises, but we also need to strive to deny ourselves. Stop listening to the negative voices that tell us it’s impossible. The Bible tells us we must strive to enter. When we don’t follow, they we will fail and that’s why we need the Word of God every day. Why do we need to have Morning Devotion every day? Because the Word of God has authority, when we hear the Word the problems in our lives will be revealed.
V14-16 the great High Priest has already ascended to the Heaven and we need to follow Him. He knows all our struggles, our temptations, our sins, yet He did not sin. When we are in the Promised Land we need to rely on God and rest in the Lord, so we can obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Let go all our impossibilities, strive to follow and enter, live under the guidance of the Lord, rest in Him because He is our treasure.
Be blessed and receive this treasure of Jesus Christ.
Pursuit & Respond
Dear Lord, thank You, only You are our High Priest. Help us today, to see all the things that stop us from entering the Promised Land and the Rest of the Lord. Forgive us for our unbelief, our disobedience, our rebellion, our complaints, and our lustful desires of this world. Lord, help us to dig deeper into our hearts to see all these things hiding underneath us and lift them all up to You!
Help us, oh Lord, to see our hearts, we trust in You, You are the God Who can lead us into Promised Land. We want to have fellowship with You every day, and to receive the inheritance You gave to Abraham. We want to live a life pleasing to You, let every day of our lives be thankful. Today we come boldly before Your throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace. Amen.
2021年2月12日 星期五
希伯来书 4
领受施恩宝座的祝福
- 潘锡安牧师
本章最重要的一句话是最后一节（v.16）, 就是要“坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前….做随时的帮助。” 地上的王的宝座是为了审判，但在天上我们的主耶稣基督的宝座是一个施恩的宝座。耶稣说，审判还未来到，所以我们要回转。在新的一年，我们不要继续与我们过去的问题、软弱共存，要来到施恩的宝座前，“为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠，作随时的帮助”，将我们的问题交给耶稣。
一、用信心进入安息 （v.1-10)
1，这个“应许”不只是给我们，而从亚伯拉罕那时就留下的进入安息的应许，能够进入迦南得地为业。因着耶稣基督的缘故我们得以承受从亚伯拉罕来的应许。“当畏惧”，是因为这个应许是有条件的，不是随便进入。
2，“无益” – 没有结果的。应许之地不是为所欲为的地方，而是进入安息，进入与神相交（fellowship），不是我们拼命做事，而是让神来做工。在这个应许的安息里，我们不是什么事都不做，而是要学习完全倚靠神。
3，有人没办法进入神为我们预备的应许之地。就如在旷野中的以色列人不愿意谦卑顺服他们的权柄摩西，整天抱怨。那些以色列人不相信神会带领他们进入应许之地，每天看到的只是茫茫沙漠，是一样的吃穿，是过去在埃及的好处，没有感恩的心，却是抱怨连连，所以神在怒中起誓。我们要来求神帮助我们在一切不明白中仍然以感恩和信心跟随他。
4，创世第七天，神完成创造后就安息（Sabbath), 歇了他一切的工。不仅是创造天地的工作完成，连神所要给人立的约和应许都包括在里面。神在创世时就知道他的子民会遇到的种种问题，所以我们面对问题时所需的一切在那时都预备好了。但人遇到问题时，有自由来选择是否回应神、跟随神。例如，神让亚伯拉罕看到所多玛、蛾摩拉两座罪恶之城，因着亚伯拉罕的祷告，里面的罗得得以存活；神又差派约拿去尼尼微城宣告审判，结果全程的人悔改，的蒙救赎。神给人机会悔改，因为他是爱，是怜悯我们的神，爱我们的阿爸父。神预备给我们的的是安息、救恩。
5，这里的”安息”是应许之地。
6，不要以为听到神的话就可以进入安息，如果听了却觉得压力很大，找诸多借口不行出来，这就是没有信心，。。。神给我们的话就跟我们没有份，我们就不得进去。
7，我们听道就要行道，不要总是拖到“明天”。
8，在约书亚甚至士师记时代，以色列人12派也办法真正进入安息，因为他们与拜偶像的问题共存。
9-10，要进入安息，就要放下自己，学习倚靠神。我们的信心不是只是在关于教会的事上，而是将神的话应用在我们生活、工作、人际等每一个领域上。
二、安息在主里（v.11-16)
11，以色列人没有倚靠神的法则来过活，所以没有进入主的安息。我们要以史为鉴，努力放下自己，就是在听道的时候心里那些埋怨、抵抗的声音。我们没有信心时，就会跌倒。但神的道是有力量的，在我们的生命中有权能，能够看到我们生命里的问题，所以需要将我们的信心建立在神的话语上。
14-16，我们要倚靠神，因为我们所信从的是一位已经升入高天的大祭司。他明白、知道我们所经历的一切试探、挣扎，但是他没有犯罪。当我们在应许之地的时候，我们当完全倚靠神，在主里得安息，才能“得怜恤，蒙恩惠，做随时的帮助。”
神是爱，他给我们的是祝福。他给我们的应许是恩典，是无价之宝。让我们放下我们一切的不可能，活在主的带领里，安息在他的应许里，因为耶稣是我们的无价至宝。
追求：
主唯有你帮助我们，是我们得荣耀，你是我们的大祭司。帮助我们挖掘心里一切阻挡我们不能进入安息，一切的跌倒软弱，不能领受祝福的，不信的罪，挖掘出我们里面没办法在与你的fellowship安息的罪，求主显明。我们活在属世的欲望当中，永不满足，求主饶恕我们一切不感恩、抱怨的罪。求圣灵光照我们，显明我们里面这一切的罪，求主饶恕。
请圣灵更多来带领、帮助我们，看见我们里面缺乏信心的罪，得着悔改的心，单单信靠你，让我们生命改变、心意得以更新。我们属于你，务必要进入那安息，免得有人学那不信从的样子跌倒了。让我们的生命可以得着成长，可以翻转，进入到每天与你fellowship的安息里。求主在我们生命里动工，透过我们的生命做更多工作。谢谢你给我们来自亚伯拉罕得地为业的应许。捆绑我们生命里面一切恶者的谎言、抱怨、不信、不受教的灵，让我们活出讨神喜悦生命，每天感恩、不抱怨，追求神，得着应许。我们宣告我们可以竭力进入应许之地，得着属天的祝福。我们是有信心、盼望进入安息的！