Tuesday, 30th March 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
I Samuel 13 The Anointed One, who Walks in the Flesh
Section One: V1-4 Without Teaching
I Samuel 11:7-8 says, “Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they turned out as one man. When Saul mustered them at Bezek, the men of Israel numbered three hundred thousand and the men of Judah thirty thousand.”
The Lord brought out thirty-three hundred thousand people, but here in I Samuel 13:2, Saul only chose 3,000 men, 2,000 followed him and 1,000 followed Jonathan. He sent the rest of the men home. God chose thirty-three thousand people for Saul, but Saul did not prepare them, he did not train them and did not teach them. Even though they came out after Saul and blew the trumpet, they were not ready to fight against the Philistines.
Section Two: V5-15 Without Life
Saul did not prepare himself and others, God gave him thirty-three thousand people but he did not use them. At the end, his own son did not listen to him, then the people did not see the needs of the whole Israelites, but saw their own problems.
When we don’t build relationship with the people we pastoral-care, then when problems come in our life then they will run away. Saul was in Gilgal, but even the people with him at the time were trembling with fear. They did not see themselves as the army of God.
God can prepare us but are we willing to wait for God’s timing? Samuel was the priest, the prophet, the judge, but after Saul waited for seven days for Samuel and he saw the people leaving, then he made a decision to offer the burnt offering. When Saul saw the people, who followed him, were leaving, he couldn’t wait any more, then soon after he offered, Samuel came.
When Saul saw Samuel, he did not have the fear and trembling attitude, he did not know his mistakes, he did not face his life problems. We are also doing foolish things, we care too much about what others think of us, we only see the problems we are facing, we follow our emotions and our hearts and let our emotion rule over us.
God prepared us to be leaders, but do we step out for Him to fish for people? Or do we just stay with the same social circle, which made us feel good about ourselves?
Section Three: V16-23 Without Weapons
God was not with Saul and the Israelites. These 600 people followed Saul in their flesh, and Saul did not prepare anything for them. Even though they won the battle, but Saul did not finish his life well. Saul only saw the Philistines were attacking him and taking his throne, but he did not see what happened to the people following him.
Do we only see our own problems, or do we also see the problems of the people following us? God is reminding us to grow into maturity, to stop living in our flesh and in what we see. Be willing to multiply and bear fruits.
May God help us to humble ourselves, to see God fights for us and be humble to follow God. Let us no longer see ourselves, but the needs of the army of God.
Pursuit & Respond
Lord, today through I Samuel 13, You are talking to each one of us, who You have called and loved. When we follow, do we still walk in the flesh? Are we prepared? We rely on our own life and flesh, we look at this world and the environment, but not on God. Are we willing to see in this time of fasting, before Easter Friday, how do we see our King Jesus Christ?
Thank You Lord, this morning You enlighten us, You are not here to judge us. You love us and You don’t want us to hide in the cave. You want us to come out from our caves, thickets, among the rocks and in pits and cistern. We will come to You Lord, let us receive Your love because there is no fear in love. You are waiting for us to return home to You, help us to turn back to You, and put down our fear.
Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, when we are willing to let go, Your peace and love fill us. Help us to be strong and courageous. Amen!
2021年3月30日 星期二
-潘锡安牧师-
撒母耳记上 13
走在血气里的受膏者
一、没有教导（v.1-4）
身为一个受膏者、领袖，扫罗在作王一年之后从33万人中（11章8节：33万以色列人和犹大人被神感动，在扫罗初被立王时聚集、被数点）拣选了3千人，其余的人可以留在后方保护自己的家。这些人是对扫罗有心的，可是他们是否预备好了呢？扫罗没有装备、没有教导这33万的精兵，打发大多数回去，只是留下两千是对他来讲比较容易带领的人。儿子约拿单也没有听扫罗的吩咐，去攻击另一个地方，于是扫罗就在遍地吹角召以色列众人来。
二、没有生命（v.5-15）
敌军非利士人人数众多。扫罗不自量力所召来的以色列人不是看到神军队的需要，而是看到自己的问题。他们的反应就是躲起来，甚至有人跑回约旦河另一边。我们作为领袖，如果只有要求却没有牧养下面的人，结果当生命出现问题，他们就会逃离。人是需要被修剪、松土、施肥的，不是只要有心服事神就可以。
在吉甲跟随扫罗的百姓“战战兢兢”，没有看到自己是被神拣选的军队，只是看到自己的软弱，而扫罗也只看到自己的要去攻打非利士人的王位。我们有心跟随神，但我们是否愿意预备自己，愿意等候神？
V8-10 扫罗等不及大祭司撒母耳，就自己勉强献祭，因为他看重自己拣选的那两千人而没有看重神所拣选的大祭司。他看见撒母耳的时候，并没有一颗为罪为义为审判的心。神让我们看到内心的罪时，我们是否能有痛悔的心？
V11-12 扫罗将问题推在百姓和撒母耳的身上，不愿意自己承担责任。他害怕自己因为等撒母耳来祷告而被非利士人攻击，不相信神会保护他们。他被自己面前的问题困扰，怕别人不喜欢他。我们是否也是这样让我们自己的情绪来掌控我们，在乎别人的看法，而没有靠主得胜？
V13-14 因为扫罗走在血气中，不遵行神的命令，神就另选了一个领袖代替他。
V15 从33万人到最后只剩下600百人。神给我们的，我们是否能使之倍增？我们是否能跨出去、得人如得鱼，还是停留在与那些让我们感觉良好的600人互动中？
三、没有兵器（v.16-23)
神其实并没有与这些靠着血气聚集的以色列人同在。这些人所靠的是自己农具去打仗，唯有扫罗和儿子约拿单有兵器。他们可能暂时打过胜仗，但不能善始善终（finish well）. 我们是否看到跟从我们的人的生命如何，他们预备好了吗？
在我们教会离开小孩子的阶段，进入更成熟的神儿女的阶段时，我们要看到自己是否活在血气中，只看重自己或人的问题，而没有看到是神拣选我们成为他的军队，在为我们争战。我们是否愿意为神多结果子？要谦卑跟从神，放下自己。
*追求：
神对每一个他所爱、所呼召的孩子说话。我们是否在跟从的时候仍然活在血气中，没有预备好？我们是否只看着世界、环境？神今天说，孩子我在这里，你是否看见了？是否愿意看见？在这个禁食的时候，我们如何来看待主耶稣基督为我们背负十字架？我们是否在嘲笑他，还是躲起来？求圣灵光照让我们能看见我们里面的软弱。
谢谢主你光照我们的生命。你不是来审判我们，而是爱我们，不让我们再躲进我们的山洞，而是让我们离开这些我们以为可以安逸的居所，能来到你面前回应你。求主耶稣的爱充满我们每一个弟兄姐妹，在爱里就没有惧怕！阿爸父流着泪说“孩子，你回家吧！”让我们每一个人愿意放下我们的害怕和自我。愿你的圣灵、平安和爱充满我们，愿你的同在使我们刚强壮胆。阿们！