Friday, 20th May 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
We understand a lot of knowledge and receive a lot of teaching, but what is our attitude to respond? God knows when we are facing a lot of troubles, our ways of dealing with them and our attitude towards them. But often we are too blind to see it, even when God has been reminding us through His Word. We must repent and return, through praying and fasting, really humble ourselves before God. We are not worthy, but God is willing to use us, we must understand this mystery. We think we have a lot of gifts, talents, skills, strength, knowledge… but we don’t recognize that all these are from God, and we are not worthy. We can be where we are today, we can have what we have today, we can do what we do today, all by the grace of God, nothing else.
Section One V1-13 He will Deal with the Prideful
What is pride? To see ourselves more than we see God. Do we really know who our God is? The servant with 1000 talents did not really know his master, instead of investing, he buried his talents under the ground. Are we also like this? Instead of doing what God asks us to do, we do what we want to do. We know God is watching and we know He will come back to judge us, but why are we still living in our own way? V1 ‘Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valleys, to those who are overcome with wine!’ Isaiah was using the perspective from above to see Ephraim, who indulged themselves into entertainment and enjoyment. God see them as the prideful and the drunkards. We may also be like that, being prideful for what we have, what we can do, who we know… but all these will become fading flowers. God does not want us to be a flower but to be a tree, planted by the living water.
V3-4 ‘The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, will be trampled underfoot; and the glorious beauty is a fading flower which is at the head of the verdant valley, like the first fruit before the summer, which an observer sees; he eats it up while it is still in his hand.’ The prophet was warning the people about the destructions that would come. We must stop our prideful mindset, stop indulging in our own success, because all these will only lead to destruction.
V5-6 ‘In that day the Lord of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people, for a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and for strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.’ Who are the remnant people? Those who are willing to continue trusting in God, no matter how many kings have changed. God will remember us if we don’t give up on this path of faith, He will protect us to the end.
V9-10 ‘Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.’ Are we mocking the prophets? Do we take the words of the servants of God seriously? When God told us to repent do, we really do it? Our disbelief will cause our blindness, and our pride will stop us coming closer to the heart of God. We must return and repent! The pandemic is talking to us today! Do not think we are ok, do not try to run away from the problems we are facing right now, but have the fear and trembling in God, be serious about what is about to come.
Section Two V14-22 He has His Arrangement
V14-15 ‘Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scornful men, who rule this people who are in Jerusalem, because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement. When the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood we have hidden ourselves.”’ Do we really hear what God has to say to our lives? Our lives are full of lies and untruthfulness. Jesus has already given us the authority and power to heal and to cast our demon, but we often talk ourselves down, give ourselves excuses not to carry out the Great Commission. Jesus wants us to preach in and out of seasons, not by our own might or strength.
V16 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.’ This is our Lord Jesus Christ! But the people of Judah did not believe in it, they chose to ignore the warning and continue their life of enjoyment. What do we believe? Jesus has cancelled all the bondages we had with this world, we must raise up for Him, step out for Him, and let He be the Lord of our lives.
V20 ‘For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the covering so narrow that one cannot wrap himself in it.’ We must stop lying on the bed and start walking out for God. We can choose the life we want to live in, do not be afraid, do not think that God will forsake us. Because He has His arrangement.
Section Three V23-29 We Must Listen
V23 ‘Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech.’ Our God will teach us, He will guide us, but are we willing to listen? V26 ‘For He instructs him in right judgment, his God teaches him.’ God has His way of doing things, and His ways are the perfect ways. When we really listen and follow, we will not need to worry. V29 ‘This also comes from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.’ God is out wonderful and excellent God, what is our attitude towards His teaching? Stop using our own patterns to learn and seek knowledge, and start listening.
以赛亚书 28 – 看啊，那伟大奇妙的神
2022年5月20日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
神之前已经借着以赛亚说了很多“到那日”会发生的事，以及按着神的法则行事会有什么样的结果，人们的回应又如何呢？本章经文所带来的信息就是让人悔改，这也是圣经66卷书里神不断提醒我们的。当我们禁食的时候，我们不仅是不吃饭而已，更要谦卑祷告，看到自己的不配，看到我们的一切恩赐、才华、能力都从神而来，感恩神使用我们。然而，我们常常忘记，我们能走到如今，不是靠着自己，而是神的恩典。以赛亚说了很多“当那日、到那日、在那日”要发生的事，可是以色列百姓却不愿意听，没有看到耶和华是他们的神，反而自己去找世界上的靠山。神要我们谦卑顺服、领受他的祝福，可惜我们不知道我们的神是什么样的神。我们认识神，生命才不一样。在主耶稣所讲的才干的比喻中（马太福音25章），那个又懒又恶的仆人只看到主人很凶，没有看到主人想要祝福他们的心意，于是把主人给他的银子埋在地上，在别的仆人努力工作的时候游手好闲、浪费时间。这个恶仆明知道主人会回来，我们也知道我们的主会再来、会审判世界，但我们是否也把神给我们的才干埋在地上不理会，只做自己想做的事却不做神要我们做的事？神借着今天的经文对属神的子民说话。我们是否知道在那日要发生的事，是否看到神的伟大奇妙？神在本章经文启示了他的法则。
一、v.1-13 祂要对付骄傲
V1 神对人说话，但人选择不听，不看神的伟大而是看人厉害，没有先神后人再大地，这就是骄傲。“祸哉”的意思就是“惨了”。神看他的百姓是从上俯看，他看以法莲 – 代表北国以色列 – 是“酒徒”。他们在“肥美谷的山上”自己建了首都，以为敌人无法攻击，便在其上享乐。我们是否也依靠自己建立的东西？神说他们“心里高傲，以所夸的为冠冕”，我们是否也像他们一样，夸自己的能力、儿女等？也许别人看我们好像花一样美好，但这却是“将残之花”。神要我们做千年巨木，屹立不倒，扎根在神栽种我们的地方。
V2-4 北国必会灭亡，因为他们高傲、拜偶像，忘了是神拣选他们。他们得以立国是因着神的恩典，但他们没有看重这一点，结果比南国犹大早了130年被毁灭。我们本不是犹太人，但神立我们为亚伯拉罕的后裔，是靠着耶稣基督的宝血，我们是否珍惜这个恩典？
V5-6 “余剩之民”是那些经过改朝换代仍然愿意跟随神、不戴自己冠冕的人，神就做他们的“荣冠华冕”。不要害怕我们在别人眼中被看为“怪”，神会记念我们，为我们包底。
V7-10 “这地的人”就是犹大的百姓。他们只看到北国被侵略是罪有应得，却没有看到自己的问题。我们看见很多事情的发生，是否能警戒起来？那些“祭司和先知”看到不好的事发生，还只是觉得神都会给恩典。我们听到牧者跟我们说要禁食、要认罪，就会觉得厌烦，不愿相信神，不愿贴近神的心。其实我们所倚靠的都不在了，我们要悔改。
V11 神要借着亚述人对他的百姓说话，他们不能再靠自己了。今天神借着疫情在对我们说话，面对不断变种的病毒，人们没有警戒的心，还以为被感染一次后就没事了，没有做好个人卫生，心里骄傲。神借着环境说话，可惜人不肯听，对于将要发生的事没有敬畏、谨慎的心。
二、v.14-22 神有祂的安排
我们愿意相信神的计划、安排吗？当我们不信的时候，就想自己出手，不愿安静观看。
V14 住在耶路撒冷的百姓本来是归向神的，然而他们没有如此行。耶稣基督让我们去门训列国，我们是否有去做到呢？
V15 我们生命里面充满了谎言和虚假，说自己传福音没有果效、没有恩赐、没有人听，然而，我们忘了，耶稣早就说过他给了我们医病赶鬼的能力，我们做的能比他做的还要大。我们服事神不要有交换的心态，神说得时不得时都要传福音，所以不管有没有人听我们，我们都要传扬。
V16 这块房角石就是耶稣基督，犹大国的让人选择不相信，所以无法看见耶稣。他们选择夜夜笙歌，以为恩典永远在他们那边。我们是否选择相信？
V18 我们跟这个死亡的世界所立的约，耶稣基督都要废除。
V20 神不要我们躺在床上安逸，不要整天躲起来，要为神奔走、传福音。我们确实是需要休息，但不要让睡觉成为我们的神。我们是否愿意昼夜祷告，还是会为了少睡一点而斤斤计较？不要被世界上的理论捆绑了自己，因为我们的健康、福分不是从医生而来。神都有安排，所以我们跟从神，不用害怕，不需要为自己留“后路”。
三、v.23-29 我们要听
V23 当我们知道神的伟大奇妙，就要侧耳听他的声音，留心听他的言语。
V27 我们常常听的的是地上的专业人的话，但“他的神教导他务农相宜，并且指教他”。
V28-29 人不用时常去打这些粮食，因为“这也是出于万军之耶和华，他的谋略奇妙，他的智慧广大”。我们是用研究经文的态度还是用饥渴慕义的态度去聆听神的话？神对他的教会启示自己是怎样一位神，我们是否还是用旧有的方式来对待？愿我们都能听到神的话，看到神的奇妙伟大！