Friday, 22nd July 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-7 We Belong to God
V1 ‘But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.’ We have a lot of questions in life because we don’t know who we are and we don’t understand ourselves. But God already told us that we belong to Him. It’s just like how children know they belong to their family, when they get home, they can be relaxed and comforted.
V2-3 ‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.’ A lot of time we don’t know who we are and we don’t have a boundary in our lives, because we don’t see the identity given from God. Our lives have already been changed and we must count God’s blessings every day.
V4 ‘Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honoured, and I have loved you; therefore, I will give men for you, and people for your life.’ Do we see how important we are in God’s eyes? We are no longer trapped but set free by God. stop looking down on ourselves as God has already honoured us, He loves us, and He treasures us.
V7 ‘Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.’ Once we are willing to admit that we belong to God, then all the good things will belong to us! How blessed are we? We don’t have to do anything, and we don’t have to show God anything, we only need to come to God and be His children. Because He loves us.
Section Two V8-21 We Are God’s Witness
We are so easy to look down on ourselves, we think that people don’t recognise us, and we are trying hard to please people, but God calls us His witness. V10 ‘You are My witnesses, says the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.’ We are God’s beloved, and we are God’s creations, but we also have our identity given on this earth. Therefore, when we stand in the right place, we will be able to complete the tasks given to us in this world. We are God’s children, but from the eyes of the people, we are also the servants of God. As the servants of God, we are His witnesses, people know God through our lives and the way we live determine how people understand Who our God is.
V13 ‘Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?’ Do we really know the Will of God? Only when we fully understand God’s Will for us, then we can fully submit to Him, and live a life of humility and obedience. He is the God, who creates the Heaven and Earth, He knows it all and He will reveal it to us.
V16-17 ‘Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea and a path through the mighty waters, who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power (they shall lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a wick).’ What do we rely on? On this world there are so many things we hold onto, and we cannot let go, but today God told us to rely on Him. He will extinguish all our enemies and destroy everything that comes against us.
V18-19 ‘Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.’ Can we let go and can we put down? We have a lot of complaints because we cannot let go of the past. No matter how glamorous our lives used to be, today is a new day and God will do a new thing. But if we cannot let go, and if we are unwilling to find gold in the waste, then we will always live in the old era.
We can be the witness of God, when we give thanks and see the blessings in our lives every day, then we can see more of God’s favours in our lives and people can also see it through us. On the other hand, if we compromise with the world, complain about our lives, and always see the waste, then we will never be able to discover all the good things God has already prepared for us. Can we see it now? Do we believe in it? A seed must die in the soil to grow roots and bear fruits. Instant noodles can never give us nutrition, good things take time, and we must be patient and wait upon God, walk with God.
V20 ‘The beast of the field will honour Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen.’ The world will be under our feet when we put God first. V21 ‘This people I have formed for Myself; they shall declare My praise.’ When we really know who we are and when we understand what God will do in our lives, then we will not be afraid. Be willing to preach the Gospel, to study the Word of God, to seek the Holy Spirit, to pray… then we can see what we are given by God is abundant. However, if we chose to stay where we are, refuse to carry out the Will of God, then God will take away what we have.
Section Three V22-28 We Ignore God
V22-23 ‘But you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; and you have been weary of Me, O Israel. You have not brought Me the sheep for your burnt offerings, nor have you honoured Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with grain offerings, nor wearied you with incense.’ God is calling out to us, but if we continue to ignore God and continue to complain, then we can never build an intimate relationship with God.
V25-26 ‘I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted.’ Do not think that we have already done a lot for God, because when we think like this, then our attitude is not right. Why do we come to the morning prayer? Why do we read the Word of God? Why do we serve God and serve the church? It’s not because we want to receive anything in return, but it’s because we treasure the relationship we have with God.
以赛亚书 43 – 我们要知道自己是谁
2022年7月22日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
为什么我们需要福音、需要神？很多人觉得自己现在的生活都很好、没有问题，因此拒绝福音。神借着本章的内容告诉我们一个好消息。我们里面有很多疑惑，因为我们不知道自己是谁。当我们真的明白自己是谁的时候，我们心里的很多问题就迎刃而解。
一、v.1-7 我们是属于神的
V1 我们若搞不清自己的身份，为人行事就没有界限。我们要知道，我们是耶和华神所创造的。我们可能看到那些主日不来聚会的人还跟家人过得很开心，心里会有疑问。然而，当我们知道自己是属于神、我们的出生是被神所期待的时候，我们就不需要担心害怕了。神不仅创造我们，还救赎我们，并且按着我们的名字来认识、呼召我们。我们是“属”神的，原文的“属”指的是从头到脚完全（被神）拥有的。
V2 我们在世界经过，但有神与我们同在，我们就不用担心缺乏或病痛，因为主耶稣曾说，他已经胜过这一切。任何水火都伤害不了我们，我们所遇到的这些问题都不会将我们淹没或烧死。
V3 我们有问题，要相信神一定会为我们包底的，不要用我们自己的方法、感觉去处理事情。“埃及”代表当时以色列面临的最大问题，但这些问题，神都帮我们解决了。
V4 神看我们“为宝为尊”，我们知道自己在神眼里何等重要吗？我们不再是那被困住、无能为力、以致认命的人，因为神很重视我们。神又亲口对我们说“我爱你”，我们是如何看自己呢？我们常看不见自己尊贵的身份，而是用世界的眼光来看自己一切的不足，也用这样的眼光去批评别人。神爱我们到一个程度会使列邦人替换我们的生命。我们却时常有自怜自艾的心态，觉得自己的家庭、工作、或者健康都不如别人好，因为我们不知道自己是属神的。
V5-7 当我们知道自己是谁的时候，我们就不要害怕。那些失散的、被掳的人，神都会从地极召聚回来。神将我们聚集在这里，不要怨天尤人，要看到这个地方是神给我们的乐土，是给我们子孙后代的祝福。只要我们愿意承认我们属于神，这些祝福就是属我们的。神不缺乏任何东西，不需要我们为他做什么才承认我们的身份。
二、v.8-21 我们是神的见证
V10 我们很想有一番大作为，让世界肯定我们，但是神告诉我们在地上真正的身份。耶稣基督来到地上的时候称自己是“人子”，以人的儿子的身份来完成他在地上的使命；我们在永恒里是神的儿女，在地上的身份也是神“所拣选的仆人”，我们的生命要成为神的“见证”。一个仆人就要谦卑顺服、舍己利他地跟从主人，我们跟从神，就经历他的祝福。我们是否明白神的旨意、心意？
V11 神的话可以如此“霸道”，因为他就是创造穹苍的主。
V12-13 我们的生命就是神祝福我们的见证。
V14 神会亲自为我们出手，所以不要看人大过我们的神。
V16-17 神要为我们开路，让我们能够行过。我们在这个世界靠的是什么呢？是靠自己或其他人吗？我们要专倚靠神。所有像洪水猛兽般的攻击，神都会为我们解决。
V18-19 我们不要沉浸在过去的辉煌而抱怨自己信主后的困难，神告诉我们要放下“从前的事”。神说我们要看到现在他所做的新事。我们不要好像一个老人那样只会重复讲自己过去有多厉害，却没有看到神如何带领我们、没有看到他的恩典和祝福。我们信主后并不会刀枪不入、一帆风顺，但我们看到的是“大便”还是“黄金”？我们在地上就要做神的见证，我们要看到，就算世界想淹没我们，水火也伤害不了我们。“发现”（V19）的原文是慢慢长出来，神要我们看见，我们正是因为处在旷野、沙漠，如今才会慢慢看见道路和江河长出来。我们的信仰不是方便面，我们是否愿意等候神的时间？
V20-21 先神后人再大地，大地都要在我们脚下。旷野沙漠到处都是，但神会因我们的缘故使那里有水有河。我们传福音、为人祷告时，是否有看到自己的这个身份？我们不要做那又懒又恶的仆人，什么事都不做，最后反被神丢弃。
三、v.22-28 我们是忽略神的
V22-24 我们没有当神是神，不想要把自己的“祭物”带来尊荣神。其实我们给神的东西不会让我们在神里面的身份变得不一样。这些“祭物”不会让神更爱我们，神爱我们是因为他与我们的关系。
V25 我们可能以为自己为神、为教会做了很多事、又大量读经祷告，就期待神要回报我们。然而，我们为神、为教会做一切事，是否建立在爱的关系上？
V26 其实我们没有什么说得通的道理可以跟神辩论。我们不知道自己是属神的，不知道在地上我们要见证神的荣耀，我们忽略了神，抱怨自己的处境。我们是否真的认识自己？是什么让我们迷失了呢？