Friday, 26th March 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
I Samuel 12 – Align with God
Section One: V1-5 Lead a Holy Life
V1 we need to learn to let go. It was not Samuel’s job to lead the Israelites, it was God. In the same way, we should not hold onto the things on this earth and not willing to let them go. Because everything is from God. Also we should not be a rubbish collector, when we come across negative things or hear negative words, we should take it to God straight away, it’s not for us to deal with it but God.
V2 Samuel did not only talk about his own sons but also everyone, who followed him. Samuel served God all his life and he treasured what God entrusted him. Do we also treasure what God entrusted us, not looking lightly who God appointed us to be?
V3 Samuel led a holy life, and at the end, he wanted to make sure he did not wrong anyone. Have we cheated on anyone or oppressed anyone? If we have wronged anyone we must repay, may God enlighten us, so His true light will enter our lives to see who we have wronged and what we have done that displeased God. When God revealed the sins in our lives, so whatever we have done that sinned against people we will repay and whatever we have done that sinned against God, we will repent.
Section Two: V6-18 Testify God’s Works
V6 God set us apart on this earth, He gives us attractive anointing and people will follow us. Do not lead people to ourselves but lead people to God. The Israelites wanted a king to rule over them and to fight for them. But Samuel wanted to correct their confusion, because from the very beginning, no one can fight for them but God. Samuel again emphasised to the Israelites, it was always God, who did all the miracles and signs for them, not people! We must let people see the God behind us and the authority, who entrusted us with people we look after.
V7 Samuel told the people to stand still, with a serious attitude to respond to all the righteous things God did for them in the past. Do not be afraid of how others would think, it’s our responsibility to share what God has done for us in the past until now. Moses and Aaron were all servants of God because the people cried out to God and He responded by choosing his leaders to lead the Israelites out of slavery. We are here in New Zealand and in Bread of Life South Auckland is not by accidents, God is always looking for a spiritual family for each one of us, God is always with us and He will not leave us.
V9-10 but when the people forgot about God and when they do not know God, then the attack will come. When we cry out to God, we need to repent first and ask God for His forgiveness for us forsaking him. To cry out is not only about prayer but about repentance. It’s so important to repent before praying to God for ourselves or others. We need to admit that we have forsaken God and we have done wrong things that sinned against Him.
It’s easy for us to admit our wrongdoings but not to see the cause behind them – we have forsaken God. If we walk with God, there is pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to lead us, then we won’t go to the wrong direction. Therefore, the first thing we should repent is forsaking God, and being wilful.
V11-12 the next step is to serve God. We don’t just ask for things from God then when we receive what we ask for, we leave Him. All the Judges and Priests were not heroes, God sent each one of them to come and lead the Israelites. We should not forget about God, but always lift God up in our lives. It’s common for us to rely on the things or people of this world, but fail to see our Lord, our Master, our God, who protects and leads us.
V13-15 Samuel also reminded the Israelites, it was God, who called Saul out, he was in the hiding, but God called him out. Therefore, they should not set their eyes on Saul but on God. Again and again Samuel remined the people, to serve God, listen to God and revere God, then they will be on the right track. Serving God only was an easy thing to do, but the Israelites did something silly by asking for a king, then they needed to bear the consequences of being ruled over by the king.
We tried to hold onto many things in this world, making them as our “king” which we thought could help us, but it was God, who has helped us along the way. The things on this world can only give us burden. Samuel was a man after God’s heart, he did not speak the things people like to hear, but words for people to see God and know God. Do not see ourselves more than we should, we are not king but a follower of God and to partnership with God in our lives.
Section Three: V19-25 Be Faithful in the Position
Samuel has put down his duty as a leader, but he continued to be in the position of an intercessor. When God gives us a position, we cannot just resign from it, but continue it to the end. We should not give up on God even if we have done something wrong. To serve God is to continue worshipping Him, stop being in a ‘doing’ mode. When we turn away from God and when we sin, we should even come closer to God an worship Him in spirit and truth.
When we worship God in spirit and truth, then our body, our soul our heart, our mind will all be changed and renewed by God. Samuel continued to speak the life and death to the Israelites, he did not hold anything back. God will never change His love for us, it’s always us, who changed. Do we intercede for others like Samuel did? He used the Rhema of God to teach the Israelites.
We need to always give thanks. It’s so easy for us to count the wrongs of others, but so difficult for us to see things that we can be thankful for. The king cannot save and protect us forever, but God can. Every day we need God, if the presence of God is not with us, then we will be in big trouble.
Pursuit & Respond
Holy Spirit come and shine Your light upon us, come into our hearts, reveal to us… we have sinned against You and wronged the people around us. Forgive us for the sin of having forsaken You. Lord, we come before You, when we face all the negative things of this world, help us to give everything to You, to pray, to rejoice and to give thanks. Forgive us for being the judge to decide what’s wrong and what’s right. Forgive us for standing in Your position instead of simply following You.
This morning You said, “for the Lord will not forsake His people for His Great Name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.” Give us a heart to continue worshipping You, to come before You with spirit and truth. We want to serve You, follow You and testify for You! May Your blessings, compassion, forgiveness come upon us, so we can come before Your throne, to receive forgiveness and to face our sins against You and against the people. Give us the courage to turn back to You. Amen.
2021年3月26日 星期五
-潘锡安牧师-
撒母耳记上 12
与神对齐
一、圣洁的生活 (v.1-5)
撒母耳正式在百姓面前宣告立王，他没有紧抓住自己在地上的权柄不放。对一个人来说，愿意放下对属世荣耀的控制是不容易的。撒母耳同摩西一样，听从神的吩咐，带领以色列人。当我们知道我们所做的事不是属于我们，而是对神负责时，我们就不会轻易被周围的负面事情或别人的话伤害，才能忠心行事，爱神爱人。
V2 “我的儿子”- 指的是属撒母耳的人，表明他没有为自己积蓄私人势力。撒母耳从小到大都看重神交托给他的职位，我们是否看重神给我们的职位、位分？
V3 撒母耳过的是一个圣洁的生活，我们也要照此仔细鉴察自己的生命。我们是否用诡诈的方法去抢夺别人的东西？是否虐待他人？是否受过贿赂 – 包括因为想听别人对我们说的奉承话，而没有对那人说出该讲的真理？我们要求神光照我们，看到自己是否有得罪神、亏欠人的地方。若有，我们就不要逃避，而是要认罪、“偿还”那不属于我们的东西。正如10章7节说的，当神光照我们，让我们看到生命中的问题，我们就要“趁时而做”，从自我欺骗的洞中走出来，因为神与我们同在。
V5 我们是否圣洁，不是自己的嘴巴说的，而是神和我们地上的权柄说的。我们若不圣洁就不能来到神的面前。
二、见证神的作为（v.6-18)
当我们分别为圣，为神作见证，神也会让我们有吸引人的恩膏。我们不要将人带到自己这里，而是神那里。在第8章，以色列的长老去跟撒母耳求立新王。他们不听撒母耳的话，执意要立王，让王“统领”他们争战（8:19）。撒母耳看到百姓思想的混乱，在这里教导他们，不是人而是耶和华神亲自带领他们。我们要看到是我们的权柄将人交托给我们去关怀，让我们所牧养的人看到我们背后的神，看到我们的权柄是很爱我们的。
V7 撒母耳要以色列百姓认真面对神为他们所行一切公义的事。我们作为领袖，一定要尽责将真理讲出来，不要怕人不喜欢听。
V8 摩西和亚伦都是神所差派的仆人，因为当时以色列人“呼求耶和华”，于是神垂听。我们今天能够来到新西兰，来到南奥克兰灵粮堂，不是偶然的，一切都是有神美好的安排。这里是神给我们的家，有爱我们的属灵权柄，有神的同在，他一路眷顾我们。
V9-10 当以色列人忘记耶和华，他们就被仇敌攻击。于是他们呼求耶和华时，就愿意先认自己离弃神的罪。我们在向神呼求时要愿意先承认自己得罪神和做错的事，才去向神祈求。我们本来就是有罪的，所以要时常承认自己的罪，也要看到罪背后的根源 – 就是我们自己离弃神，责任不在别人身上。因为当神与我们同在我们就不会走错路，离弃神时我们就会任意妄为。我们认完罪，祈求神的帮助后，还要回转“事奉”神。我们不是得到祝福后就转身离开，而要与神对齐, 因我们不是在地上享受，而是有主耶稣托付给我们未完成的事，以事奉神为我们的生命。
V11 这些士师、领袖是被耶和华神差遣的。我们是否看到我们的牧师是被神差遣的？我们是否时常高举神而不是我们自己？
V12 以色列百姓定意要立王，因为他们想要像周围列国那样，遇到问题就倚靠这个世界来解决，却不知道只有耶和华才是一路看顾他们的王、他们的主。
V13 扫罗王本来是躲起来，不想作王的，是耶和华亲自呼召拣选出来的。
V14-15 撒母耳提醒以色列百姓，不要以为立了王就什么事都好了，而是要继续“敬畏耶和华，侍奉他，听从他的话，不违背他的命令…”，不然就有问题了。百姓本来只需要单单事奉耶和华，现在还要去服事王，承担自己愚昧立王的后果。我们的“王”是世上让我们觉得可以帮助我们的东西。我们如今是否执意去求这些本来不属于我们的东西而不要那真正保护、带领我们的耶和华？撒母耳的劝告虽不中听，但他仍忠心传讲。求神让我们刚强壮胆，看自己合乎中道，我们不是王，而是与神同工。
三、尽忠职守（v.19-25)
撒母耳虽然卸下作为士师带领以色列人争战的角色，但在灵里为百姓守望、教导的角色他永不放弃。这也是神给我们的位分，是不能放弃的。
V20我们若做错事，不要不理神或放纵自己的情绪，而是更加要抓紧神。要尽心“事奉神”，不是用自己做的一堆事工来弥补之前的过错，而是用心灵和诚实来敬拜神。当我们如此敬拜神，我们的生命才真正被改变，成为合神使用的器皿。
V21 撒母耳不断将生与死、福与祸陈明在以色列人面前。
V22 神是不改变的，改变的是我们。
V23 一个神所喜悦的仆人，是不断为人祷告、代求的。我们不要只想着为自己的求好处，而要学习撒母耳不断为别人代求。此外，也要用神的话语教导人。
V24 我们要时常感恩，因为我们很容易去看到别人特别是我们权柄对我们苛责的地方，却很难看到自己经历的恩典。要看到神爱我们的地方。
V25 我们自立的王保护不了我们，唯有耶和华才能保护。我们是否愿意谦卑承认我们每一天都需要神？
*追求：
主我们来到你的面前，求你的圣灵光照我们，进入我们每一个弟兄姐妹心中，帮助我们察验心中是否有离弃神的罪。我们得罪了神，离开神的面，我们却不知道。让我们来到神的面前承认自己得罪了神也得罪了人。
主，在我们不知道的时候，我们常要去面对周围的人丢给我们的垃圾。但是主你从未让我们当受害者，你要我们凡事祷告，常常喜乐。可是我们自己做审判官，审判对错，不相信一切都是你的安排。我们承认自己得罪了神得罪了人。我们怕你不能为我们做事。但神你说，“耶和华既喜悦选你们做他的子民，就必因他的大名不撇弃你们。”神啊，我们承认我们离弃你，求你饶恕我们，帮助我们看见我们没有尊你为大，没有放下手中的权柄。我们承认是你拣选、带领我们，你应许与我们同在。让我们可以继续敬拜你，可以坦然无惧来到你面前，跟随你，一生事奉你。赐给我们圣洁的生活，可以见证神作为的勇气，和尽忠职守的心。求你用你的恩典摆在我们当中，是你先爱我们，我们才可以爱别人。我们定意跟随你，跟随到底。
愿耶和华的恩惠、怜悯、赦罪的能力在弟兄姐妹身上。让我们来到神的施恩座前得怜恤蒙恩惠，愿意有勇气面对自己得罪神得罪人的地方，愿意回转。