Thursday, 27th May 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One: V1-7 David’s Dialogue with God
When God or our authority talk to us, are we willing to quiet down and listen? Here God said to David, “Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?” What God wants are our humility and obedience. David was in a doing mode, but he did not realise that with the hands he used to kill his enemy, he was building God’s Holy Temple. God does not want it to be another ‘thing’ that David has made for God.
We want to experience God, then would we be willing to let God intervene? We thought we are using the best things to serve God, but only through humility and obedience, then we can please God. David was talking to God, but God was not persuaded. God said in verse 7, “Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?'”
God reminded David that if He wanted, He could always build the Temple, but what God really wanted was for us to shepherd His people. God brings people to us, not for us to please them but to pastoral-caring them, teach them to walk the righteous way, lead them and guide them to the path by the stream of water.
Section Two: V8-17 God’s Covenant with David
God’s covenant with David is also His covenant with us. In these verses, God used many “I will” to confirm His promises to David. He saw David not as the king but as His servant. If we see ourselves as servants, we no longer need to worry about what others will see us, because everything we do should be from God. God reminded David again and again, that he’s His servant, so He will take responsibility for David’s actions as long as David followed God wholeheartedly.
God also promised David to make his name great. We need to be willing to be planted by God, not as a pot plant, which is being moved around, but as a tree to be planted by the streams of water. When God chose us to be in Bread of Life South Auckland, we should be determined to stay no matter what.
God wants to bless our family and our next generations, He does not want our blessings to stay here, but to be passed on. However, if we walked in the wrong direction, this world will take control of our lives, so we must be careful and never let God’s presence leave us.
Scetion Three: V18-29 David’s Response
When David heard God’s covenant with him, the first thing he did was to enter into the tabernacle and sit before God, David knew the key is to humble himself and be in the presence of God. David responded to God that he is His servant. Do we also see ourselves as the servant of God? Our identity as the princes and princesses is in Heaven, but on this earth, we should learn from Jesus and from David, to be the servant of God.
David was determined not to listen to himself or to this world, but to God only. He set apart himself for God. We should also have attentive ears, stop listening to the lies of satan, but listen to the Word of God. God is the Greatest, and only His Words last forever!
Do we have a heart like a servant, to be planted by God willingly by the streams of water? Are we willing to humble, to obey, to be quiet down by God? Can we stop and listen to God? Or do we continue to do a lot of things by ourselves? May the Holy Spirit help us so we can quiet down, to listen to God’s Words and God’s blessings for us.
Prayer & Pursuit
Lord, thank You, for calling us Your children, and choosing us to be Your servants. Lord, we no longer need to worry about how others think of us, because when we follow You, You will take responsibility for us to the end. Teach us to follow, to listen, and to quiet down our hearts. Lord, Your servant is listening. Let us be humble and obey You, be planted in Bread of Life in South Auckland, and receive Your blessings! Amen!
2021年5月27日 星期四
-潘锡安牧师-
撒母耳记下7
大卫与神的对话：谦卑顺服 舍己利他
扫罗作王的时候，看不上耶路撒冷，不觉得这是个重要的地方，他只看重有能有力、带给他好处的人。大卫却愿意摸着神的心，尊神为大。他敬畏神，从未自己将扫罗除去，而是选择等候神。大卫的等候不容易，因为他需要躲藏。摩西当年躲藏到旷野，因为他杀了人；约瑟躲藏到监牢，因为他在兄弟父母面前高举自己；大卫的躲藏也类似，他在巨人歌利亚面前要显露自己的能力。这样的事情并非不对，但Timing(时机)不对。耶稣基督很会掌握时机，他12岁在圣殿享受与祭司们的对话，但当他的地上的权柄父母来叫他回去的时候，他就顺服了。当耶稣在婚宴上说“时候未到”时，他的妈妈马利亚没有说什么，只吩咐仆人照着耶稣说的去做，耶稣也施神迹使水变酒，这就是“先关系后事工”。Timing是很重要，我们的主在地上的时候就知道这一点。当我们学习主耶稣谦卑顺服我们的权柄的时候，最后的结果是权柄来承担。
一、大卫与神的对话（v.1-7）
V1 这里的“安靖”不是“安静”，而是“得享平安”，也有“神要人停下来”的意思。神要大卫放下，”不被四围的仇敌扰乱”。大卫的周围虽然还是有仇敌，但神让大卫不被打扰，就好像一个暂停键被按下了。神要大卫跟他对话。我们愿意按下我们的暂停键、被神安靖下来，跟神对话吗？还是一边跟神对话，一边做自己的事？若我们一直在做自己的事，一直不愿意饶恕他人，我们就没办法享受与神的同在。
V2-3 当大卫停下来的时候，并非完全停下，因为“那时”，他对先知拿单提到神的约柜的事。这可以看出他停不下来。神希望大卫停下来安静的去听神的话，但大卫一直都处在一个“doing”（做事）的模式。这样的心态甚至影响了先知拿单, 对大卫说“…耶和华与你同在”。神就在大卫身边，大卫却听不到神说话，因为他不愿意安靖。
V4-5a 因此，神特别让拿单跟他的“仆人大卫”传话。大卫当年不愿等候神的时机，结果从王宫中逃出来，他想的是王的荣耀，但神说的是“仆人”。我们是否愿意如小撒母耳一样对神说，“仆人静听”？当我们的权柄跟我们说话时，我们愿意去听吗，还是只是在埋头做事？
V5b 神要的是他自己的荣耀，要我们谦卑顺服，他不要大卫流血的手所建立的圣殿，他不要人从圣殿只看到大卫的荣耀。所罗门建圣殿并非倚靠自己的能力，靠的也是父亲大卫和别人送给他的材料，反而能让神得着荣耀。
V7 神提醒大卫，神其实随时都可以建自己的圣殿，但神看重的是牧养。这里说的“士师”就是“我吩咐牧养我民以色列的”领袖。我们带领别人，不只是对别人好，更是要牧养他们，教导他们走对的路，让他们能享受在神的溪水旁，按时候结果子。当神将人带到我们身边让我们牧养时，我们不要害怕，只要刚强壮胆。
二、神向大卫所立的约（v.8-17)
神与大卫立的约也是给我们每一个信从耶稣基督的约。这一段的立约出现10个“必”，是神给大卫的应许。
V8 神再一次提醒拿单，大卫是神的“仆人”。我们是否看到神如何去看待一个人？如果我们看不到我们的权柄是神的仆人的时候，我们就会论断、不服从他们，因为一个人的生命若是完美的，他就不需要当一个仆人了。一个仆人要做事，不是凭自己的意思，只是在做他的主人所吩咐的。我们身为神的仆人，不需要担心别人对我们的指指点点，只要单纯跟从神吩咐我们的话去行就好了，因为神会为他自己的话负责。
V9 神要大卫不看世上的东西，而是用神的方法高举他。我们常觉得世上的东西是好的，但我们是否愿意像大卫那样愿意在希伯仑等候七年零六个月，也愿意在扫罗死后等待作以色列王的机会？
V10 我们的教会是神为我们“选定”的地方，是“栽培”我们的地方。“栽培”的原意是栽种，我们不要像一个花盆一样被搬来搬去长不大，而是像一棵树一样栽种在这里，无论环境如何动摇，我们都“不再迁移”。这时，我们就可以宣告我们不再被“凶恶之子”扰害了！
V11 “家室”的原文意思是圣殿，就是有神同在的圣殿。神要不仅是我们自己享福，我们的下一代也要能一起蒙福。
V14 如果人不听话，神就会“用人的杖责打他，用人的鞭责罚他”，因为当我们没有神同在的时候，敌人第一个就来攻击我们。
三、大卫的回应（v.18-29)
V18-19 大卫“进去”神的会幕里，“坐在耶和华面前”，因为他知道要放下一切属世的东西来进入神的同在。我们在神的同在中，是否看到我们是神的“仆人”？王子公主的身份在天上，但我们在地上，要学习大卫和主耶稣，作神的仆人。
V22 大卫知道神的心意，因此他对神说“主耶和华啊，你本为大，照我们耳中听见，没有可比你的，除你以外再无神”。大卫决定不再听自己或仇敌的话。我们呢？
V28 我们愿意相信神的话，相信自己是神的仆人，愿意一心来敬拜、服事神，领受他给我们的恩典吗？
*追求：
我们走到如今，我们的心是一颗仆人的心吗？愿意虚心被神栽种在这里吗？愿意谦卑顺服，被神安靖下来？还是我们无法停下来？我们不愿意聆听神的话，里面太多自己的想法。圣灵今天在这里要帮助我们，让我们安靖下来，唯有如此，我们才能听到神的话。求神帮助我们安靖下来，将那一切心里的不愿意、自己做不完的事都交给神。
感谢主称我们为你的儿女，也让我们在地上做你的仆人。求主给我们能听的耳，让我们不再担心别人的看法，因为当我们跟从你，你就为我们负责到底！主帮助我们安靖，求主说话，仆人静听！帮助我们愿意谦卑顺服，栽种在你所拣选给我们的南奥克兰灵粮堂，领受你给我们世世代代的祝福！奉耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们！