Wednesday, 23rd February 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-4 Not by Sight
V1 ‘My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.’ We never live by luck, only by the blessing of God. Therefore, we should never trust in pure luck, but to trust in God.
V2-4 ‘For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?’ It’s easy for us to look at the outward appearance, but what really matters is inside the heart and in our lives!
Section Two V5-13 Love Others as Yourself
V5 ‘Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?’ We are chosen and full of power because God has chosen us Himself, so why are we worrying and being afraid? Because we don’t believe that God is with us. We need to see that we are poor on this world, not necessarily being poor physically but to know that we are in lack. Only God can truly fulfil us, physically and spiritually.
It’s just like when Abraham asked Lot to choose his land first. Abraham knew that God would provide so no mater what Lot chose, Abraham believed that God will still bless him. It’s not about if we are physically abundant or spiritually fulfilled, if we trust in God, He will always make sure we have enough. When we believe then we will have abundant. Do we believe that God will provide? Not only that, but we can also inheritance the promises God gives to those who love Him.
V6 ‘But you have dishonoured the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts?’ Everyone, who enters the family of God is not poor, they are all chosen people and the ones being called. If we are not called then we will not enter the family of God. Therefore, what is our attitude towards them? Are we willing to see that God is also with them and they are also abundant? When we receive God’s love, we should also use the same love to love others.
V13 ‘For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.’ Why are we called? Because of the mercy of God. We must know that it’s never by how good we are so that we can chosen and called by God, it’s only because God is merciful, so we also need to be merciful to others, do not let God’s blessings stop here, but let it flow out to others like living water, not the dead sea. When we receive God’s mercy, and release it to others, then we will love others like ourselves and bear the fruits of the Tree of Life.
Section Three V14-26 Have Faith Have Action
God wants our faith to come with actions. We might hear a lot of good teaching but if there is no action, then everything we learn will be in vain. V20 ‘But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?’ The foolish people are those without action, they are empty from the inside. Abraham is the father of faith, because he knew he had nothing and everything he had was from God. That was also why he was willing to offer his only son to God. If we know everything we have is from God, then we will not hold onto so tightly what we have.
V24 ‘You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.’ Have faith and have action, these two cannot be separated. Why we cannot breakthrough the issues of our lives and why are we always doubting? Because we don’t believe that Jesus Christ has already overcome, we want to be our own master, but at the end we are weary and tired. God is full of power, authority, and abundance, when we really believe it then there is nothing to worry about.
雅各书 2 – 神要的信
2022年2月23日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
我们的世界充满动荡不安，未来有很多不确定性。面对疫情，人们心中有很多愁烦、恐惧。雅各书年代的人也有类似的境遇，使徒雅各就给这些分散在各地、心里担心彷徨的人写信勉励，因为他们面对时局的动荡，很容易走向世界。我们蒙召的人也是很容易用世界的眼光来面对一个不明朗的社会。我们很多时候说自己“信”神，但同时又信偶像，用“运气好”代替神给我们的祝福和保守。雅各书第二章提到的“信”有17次之多，教导我们什么是神所要的“信”。
一、v.1-4 不凭眼见
V1 当时很多的从犹太教转信基督的人如同其他犹太人一样，看重自己眼睛所见的，用世界的眼光在心里设了一道准绳，瞧不起非犹太人，觉得只有自己是神拣选的民族。当人觉得神拣选自己是因为自己好的时候，就会骄傲。他们因此也容易看人外表：穿着大打扮、是否有钱、学历如何。但雅各提醒他们这些单单选择去信基督的人，“不可按着外貌待人”。
V2-4 “断定”原文指的就是在分辨善恶里。这些人用世俗的眼光去看那些进会堂的人 – 也就是进入神的家的人。“金戒指”代表有权有势有钱，如果我们看到这样的人来就让他们坐好位置，我们其实是在犯律法，因为我们无形中敬拜了玛门，觉得金钱权势是有用的。雅各看懂人的心，当时的人看金钱大过人，敬拜金钱。神要的信是不凭眼见，而要以基督的心为心。我们看重的是金钱，还是那些愿意谦卑来到神家中的人？我们神学生是否能先神后人再大地？是否觉得自己不够钱了 就花很多时间去赚钱？圣灵提醒我们，要看见神的同在、照顾和预备。
二、v.5-13 要爱人如己
V5 雅各用“我亲爱的弟兄们”跟所有蒙耶稣呼召的人说话。虽然现今的我们可能在经济、关系、身体上有困难，但我们是被神“拣选”的。我们会担心惧怕、会凭眼见，最大的原因就是我们不相信神与我们同在。我们不要故意让我们成为世上的富足人，而是看我们为“世上的贫穷人”。“ 我们要承认自己在世上是缺乏的，但耶和华以勒是预备丰盛的神。亚伯拉罕明白这个秘诀，所以当跟罗得分地的时候，他不害怕，让罗得先选。亚伯拉罕知道无论罗得拿走哪块地，神都会为他自己预备最好的。我们要学习专心跟从神，不要什么都为自己安排好，要相信，无论我们是灵里还是物质上贫穷，神都会像为晚回家的儿女留饭菜的父母那样将最好的留给我们。我们若什么都想靠自己去填补生活的”贫穷”，就会变成当初在埃及地为奴为仆的以色列人。我们并非什么事都不用做，而是要“先神后人再大地”去照顾好神所赐给我们的那一亩良田，比如我们不会因为要处理自己的私事而不参加晨祷。我们相信神给我们的应许吗？当我们相信的时候，我们就富足了，因为神做我们的后盾，有什么事情发生，神会为我们挡着。我们是否相信神会供应我们？“爱他之人的国”- 我们愿意爱神吗？神已经预留一个国给爱他的人，我们愿意相信吗？
V6-8 每一个进入神家中的人都是蒙召的人，他们来到神的家中寻找富足。虽然到来的时候是贫穷的，但我们愿意看到他们的富足和神的同在吗？人能有权有势，往往是“欺压”其他人得来的。我们是否能像神爱我们那样去爱人如己？
V13 我们蒙召，是因为神的怜悯。但是当我们没有办法让神怜悯的水流从我们身上流出去，而是将神的怜悯据为己有时，这怜悯的水因为流不出去而发臭浑浊，变成一潭死水。当我们愿意将神给我们的怜悯释放出去时，我们就不再在审判里面控诉，因我们已经在生命树下结出谦卑顺服、舍己利他的果子。
三、v.14-26 有信心，又有行为
V14 有信心却做不出来，这有什么益处呢？我们听到一篇道，觉得他讲得好，却没有行出来，这也不能救我们。亚伯拉罕愿意把儿子献出来，不是只在嘴巴上讲讲而已，而是有行动。
V20 虚浮就是“空”，虚浮的人里面没有东西，我们的信心若只停留在嘴上，里面就是空的，我们没有“凡事借着祷告祈求”，而是靠着自己去处理事情。“没有行为的信心是死的”- 因为我们在分辨，我们会说自己什么都没有，因此无法帮助别人，不相信神爱我们、帮助我们。我们是否相信我们原本就是贫穷的，我们现在所拥有的都是神给的吗？当我们能如此看见，我们就不会紧紧抓住自己所有的。
V24，26 我们有信心又要有行为。为什么我们的信如此脆弱？因为我们不相信耶稣基督已经胜过这个世界，我们想自己作王、为自己做主。要相信，神的国度是充满富足的。