Wednesday, 12th May 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-6 Love One Another
V1-3 “The Elder, to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever.” In I John, we talk about love and denying ourselves. We need to get rid of our old self in order to live out the new life of Jesus. In II John it was written to the elected lady, which implies the bride, the church, the children of church and that’s us. We are much loved by God, we thought there is too much restrictions to follow God and we thought we have no freedom but we don’t see that it’s by choice we follow God, and by choice we receive this love from God. He already made it available to us but it’s up to us if we want to receive it or not.
V4 “I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.” God is preparing by the truth. The truth is abide in us and in God, there is full of grace, mercy and peace. He is the trinity God and He works in fellowship.
V5-6 “And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.” We like to do a lot of teaching, but can people really feel the love behind it? Does it bring the grace, mercy and peace of God? When we share testimony, we need to let God come in with His truth, and let His love be with those we share to. To love one another is not a new commandment but an order from the beginning in God’s creation. So how to love? We need do deny ourselves, don’t always look at the needs of ourselves but the needs of the family.
Section Two V7-11 Listen To Teaching
V7 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” The deceivers make us doubt God’s salvation plan and our own identity. This is what we are facing now in this world, we think we don’t have the power and we are not worthy, but when we think that then Jesus died on the cross in vein. Because if we don’t believe this grace comes to us freely.
We are worried that we cannot love. When a mother is pregnant with a child, she would not think about her restrictions but only what she should do to ensure the child is healthy and safe. This is the love and with this love, we can love one another with joy, not with restrictions. When we start tending our own needs we won’t be able to love like Jesus does. Therefore we cannot use our own ways and the ways of the world to teach those who follow us. Everything we teach must be from the Bible.
V7-8 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.” When someone comes to us not with the love of God then we should not bring them to our house. When we follow God, we receive eternal life but if we follow men then our life will perish, we need to love one another and obey the teaching. Are we doing the work in order to receive the rewards we entitled? God loves us but not with a spoiled love, He wants us to grow, to receive teaching and to multiply. This is the love of God.
V10-11 “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” For those who don’t preach the Word of God we should not associate with them. We should not be afraid to offend others because if they are not with us then don’t let ourselves enter into temptation. In truth there is no grey area, we cannot let the environment overcome us.
Section V12-13 Receive Full Joy
V12 “Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.” It’s important about teaching face to face, because then our lives can be corrected and lifted up. We are chosen to be where we are today and when we receive teaching for our own benefits. God never intend to put us down, but our attitude of receiving teaching is very important. It determines how we can receive the fullest of joy. God gives us freedom to choose, and today when we choose a life as His bride, we will be able to willingly receive His teaching, obey His commandments, love one another and walk in the truth.
Prayer and Pursuit
Lord, we know You lift us up for love, and in Your truth we can deny ourselves, benefit others, humble and obey. But it’s so hard for us to carry it out, we want to follow but our flesh is often in the way. 2000 years ago, You already foresaw our problems and our weaknesses, so You gave us II John to help us, to give us strength, to set apart our lives, to come out of the darkness and enter into the wonderful light.
2021年5月12日 星期三
-潘锡安牧师-
约翰二书 1
如何走在真理上
如果用一句话总结我们刚刚读过的约翰一书，就是“舍己利他，谦卑顺服”。我们生命中有很多问题，就是因为里面的“我”。耶稣为我们做了最好的舍己的例子。今天要读约翰二书是给教会每一个行在真理中的人的重要信息。
一、要彼此相爱（v.1-6)
V1“太太”- 原文指等待新郎迎娶的“新妇”。我们都是基督的新妇，不仅如此，也是“儿女”，是在神眼里被爱的。很多时候我们却觉得自己备受逼迫，不能像不信主的人那样自由。然而我们不是像被丢弃的人那样任意妄为，我们是被“拣选的”，像一个预备好的新妇在婚礼上会放下很多自己的自由，因为看重并向往美好的婚姻。真正的自由是能够选择不去犯罪，而不是为所欲为。
V2-3 神预备我们，是“为真理的缘故，这真理存在我们里面”。“真理”是耶稣基督给我们的真理，而在我们的父神里面充满“恩惠、怜悯、平安”。我们嘴上会讲很多大道理，但我们是否有在生命中让人看见神的恩惠、怜悯和平安？在真理和爱心上，我们缺一不可。
V4 “儿女”就是教会的弟兄姐妹。
V5 我们在主里面要彼此相爱，而不是彼此争竞。这是从起初神就给我们的命令。神创造我们都不一样，让我们在同一个家里各尽其职，使家变得更好，这就需要我们学会舍己利他。
V6 我们的信是爱神爱人，缺一不可。
二、要常守教训（v.7-11）
V7 这些“迷惑人的”东西出来，让我们怀疑神的救恩。我们常觉得自己不配，没有能力，这样就将耶稣在十字架上流出的宝血的功效抹杀了。我们靠着自己的力量来做事，最后不仅自己垮了，连周围的人都倒下。其实跟随主是可以很轻松的。
V8 我们所做的“工”就是耶稣基督在马太福音28章给我们的大使命。我们去计较、去担心的时候，是因为我们没有爱。一个怀孕的母亲不会去计算自己腹中的宝宝给她带来的限制和损失，而是因着爱对未来满怀盼望。如果我们只体贴自己的需要，就忘了“先神后人再大地”的真理。当我们现将神摆在第一位时，我们与人的关系才能顺利，才能“得着满足的赏赐”。我们要相信，我们所经历的一切神都知道，因为耶稣在地上都经历过了。
V9 我们不能用自己的或世界上的东西来教导别人，而是教导从神而来的真理。
V10 不要让我们和我们的儿女被这些人影响。这些人可能很有恩膏，但我们要跟从的是能够賜下恩膏的神，跟从神我们才能得永生。神给我们的爱不是盲目的溺爱，而是要我们能够健康成长并倍增的爱。
V11 不要与这些人有密切关系，不要害怕他们，因为我们要分别为圣，不让自己面对试探。
神对待真理是很认真的，所以我们要攻克己身叫身服我，常常持守，不让环境胜过我们。
三、要喜乐满足（v.12-13）
我们有学房，是给我们机会可以“当面谈论”，就是能被提升、教导，如此我们才能得到喜乐满足。我们不是要来享受，而要看到自己是被拣选的身份。被装备的神学生是可以被人要求的。求神帮助我们在被教导、提升的时候有喜乐的心，谦卑降服在神为我们预备的恩典中。
*追求：
我们都是属于神的，都属于真理。求神帮助我们，当我们知道圣灵提醒我们的时候，我们要去爱，要舍己利他、谦卑顺服，时常守诫命，要喜乐满足。主你知道我们我们常有心无力。感谢神今天借着约翰二书帮助我们警醒，从世界中分别出来。求神加添我们的力量，出黑暗入光明 – 让我们跳出自己的黑暗，进入神奇妙的光明！奉耶稣基督得胜的名祷告！阿们！