Wednesday, 21st July 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-16: Need to have a Mission
We need the Angel of God to prepare the way for us. Do not think what we’re doing now is small, even Jesus needed the angels to prepare His way. God is leading us and we must believe God will speak to us through our authority, in the same way, when we are leading others, we must know that it’s God, who is leading, not us or anything else. Our relationship with God must be close and intimate.
We need to know what’s the mission and purpose of our lives as a disciple. We follow not for the sake of following, but we need to know why we are following. Jesus called and appointed 70 disciples, those who followed Him and stayed beside Him. When people are wiling to follow and to listen, Jesus will send them out two by two, not just one person. Because we need fellowship.
However we also cannot stay in the enjoyment of the fellowship, instead, our lives should be equipped and we should also call others to be equipped to be disciples. We need to multiply, help others to be the leaders and the army of God. We are being sent by Jesus, He is giving us direction through our authority.
Jesus told the disciples not to bring money. When Jesus calls then we follow, not to wait until we are ready or when we have enough budget. Because when we are willing to walk out by faith, God will provide for us everything we need. Also Jesus said not to bring bag and knapsack, just like how God told the Israelites not to gather the manna for the next day, because we must believe God is faithful, He will provide all we need for today.
Jesus told the disciples not to greet people on the way, this reminds us not to favor those who like us, but go to those God send us to go to. Not by our feelings, but be humble, be obedient, and be where we are called to be. Also we should not chase the supernatural things, what’s more important is our relationship with God and with others. Those who is humble is blessed, God will give us peace inside our hearts so we will not be afraid to follow. Everything we have is from God, when we are called as disciples of God we have a mission, not by our emotions or desires. We are called, we are sent out, we belong to God not to this world.
Section Two V17-24: Need to have Revelation
When we receive a revelation, we need to discern if this relates to the Bible and our current teaching at church. When we receive, our spirit is opened to many things, therefore we need to be extra careful about what we receive.
Be the good and faithful servant, we must multiply. The power and authority we have from God is to show people that we are from God, let others follow God and also because His disciples. Do not only seek for the supernatural power, but be rooted in God’s Word. Can we still follow God when we are poor and sick, when our marriage is broken and our children are rebellious? God is asking us this question. We follow because God calls us, not by our feelings.
We receive calling from God, our revelations are from God’s calling, not our emotions or desires. Jesus talked to the twelve disciples in private because they were called and chosen. We must see Jesus instead of others, can we see Jesus? Do we know who Jesus is?
Section Three V25-37: Need to Have Compassion
The lawyer came to ask Jesus how to inherit eternal life, and when Jesus asked him back he said to love the Lord and love the neighbors. We can easily answer but do we really know the essence of it? What is to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves? First we need to learn how to love ourselves. We are all orphans of this world, we don’t know how to love ourselves.
We are limiting ourselves, we thought we are good enough as we are and we don’t need love. But only God’s love can fulfil us, even Jesus needs to know God loves Him. Jesus is healthy and He can always feel the love of God. We also need to know God loves us, to humble ourselves and to receive this love. When we are healthy in mind and spirit then we will feel loved, after that then we can love others. On the other hand, if we are not healthy, we will also pass on the disease to others when we try to love them.
Section Four V38-42: Need to be Healthy
Jesus continues to teach His disciples with His Word. Martha had a lot of things to do and she was distracted. We always have a lot to do, we can never finish the work in our hands, but are we distracted? Our heart need to be right. We must have a healthy mind when we follow God. It’s not about doing nothing at all but it’s about doing with a healthy heart.
Stop complaining and comparing ourselves with others. Jesus didn’t complain about the things He had to do, in fact He did much more and harder things than all of us. But He knew what He had to do, He focused in His mission. A life of a disciple has a mission, has revelations from God, has true compassion and has good health. Everyday we must cry out to God, everyday we must seek God! Everyday we must live this life as the disciple of God!
Prayer & Pursuit
Lord, we know a lot about Your teaching, but our heart is unwell, we have a lot of problems in our lives. Heal us today, Lord, help us to be restored and to receive Your love for us. Your love for us never fails, today You are again talking to us that You love us. It’s not by the environment, not by people’s recognition, but simple by Your love, we can live a life of a disciple. Lord we want to live out the fragrance of the Tree of Life. Amen.
2021年7月21日 星期三
-潘锡安牧师-
路加福音 10
门徒的生命
耶稣花了两年半的时间与门徒们同吃同住，现在”被接上升的日子将到”(路9:51)，开始在做收网的工作。他知道时间很重要，也知道前面的路有神的使者预备很重要（路9:52）。我们要坚定于神给我们的呼召，不被环境和自己的欲望影响。
一、v.1-16 要有使命
V1 “这事”指的是耶稣挑选十二门徒的事。这十二个门徒是与耶稣非常亲近的人，而被差遣的那“七十个人”是耶稣从其他愿意跟从的人中指派的。这七十个人被吩咐来到耶稣的“前面”，同理，我们也要来到耶稣的面前，每日借着晨祷领受神的话语，跟随神所给我们的权柄的带领。做耶稣的门徒需要谦卑顺服，不是随自己的意思行事。
V2 我们要被兴起，成为神的工人、也要成为领袖去带领别人一起成为神国的工人。不要沉醉在与彼此的互动关系里面，而是要愿意被装备，帮助别人也成为主的门徒。
V3-4 我们是被“差”出去的，意思是我们要谦卑，服在权柄的遮盖之下。当我们被差出去时，“不要带钱囊”- 不要为自己的物质生活担忧，不要看自己的钱财多少来行事，而是跟着神的呼召走，神自然会供应我们；也“不要带口袋”- 不要因害怕未来缺乏而为自己储藏，不需要“带鞋”- 要知道神会一路看顾保守我们；“在路上也不要问人的安”- 神不要我们凭感觉只去找那些喜欢我们赞美我们的人，而是谦卑顺服，听从差派我们的权柄的吩咐。
V5 当时的犹太人面对罗马政府的欺压，是非常辛苦的，耶稣要门徒祝福他们“平安”。我们可能很有恩赐做权能服事，但耶稣告诉我们的平安，因为是神在掌权。
V6-7 平安不是白白给的，而是给愿意谦卑领受福音的人。“住在那家”- 当人愿意接受福音，就要将生命的道教导他们，专心牧养他们。我们跟从的人，也要懂得去“供给”带领我们的人。我们牧养别人，是否只是讲他们喜欢听的话，还是将耶稣的教导传递下去？我们自己也要学会被牧养，因为圣灵的水流是从上流下来的。
二、v.17-24 要有领受
当我们看见、感觉到一些灵界的东西的时候，要小心分辨，若跟我们被教导的事情不合的，就不是从神而来。
V17-20 耶稣看到这七十个人不是因为救恩欢喜，而是因为鬼服了他们欢喜，就教导他们，我们这些被神差派的人本来就要让鬼服我们的权柄，我们不要沉迷在神迹奇事的服事里面，而要扎根在神的道，用神的话语去给人带去生命。我们跟从神，不是因为我们有钱有房或其他属世的祝福、环境的顺利才跟从，而是因为从上而来的呼召。
V23-24 耶稣私底下跟那十二个门徒说话。我们身为神的门徒，是否看见神给我们的祝福？
三、v.25-37 要怜悯
V25-28 耶稣面对律法师的试探，反用问题来回应，而这个律法师对摩西律法（妥拉）也很熟悉，他的回答得到耶稣的称赞。我们常说要爱神 – 我们不仅要爱看不见的神，也要爱神给我们设立的看得见的权柄。当我们说要“爱邻舍如同自己”是，我们要知道怎样才是真正的爱自己 – 不是用这个世界的方式来满足自己，而是要珍惜、感恩神借着各种渠道给我们的爱。当我们自己健康、知道自己是被神所爱的时候，才能够真正去爱别人，知道如何去帮助有问题的人。
V33 “撒马利亚人”是当时犹太人所憎恶的人，我们唯有自己健康才能去爱我们的仇敌。“慈心”，不是妇人之仁，而是基督的心肠。
V34-35 撒马利亚人先处理伤者的伤口，又供应给他所需要的东西，交给店主之后就放心离开。我们是否愿意凭信心将我们照顾的人交给耶稣？
四、v.38-41 要有健康的生命
在这个家里有两个姐妹，姐姐马大因为有很多事要做，“心里忙乱”。我们跟从神的人有从神而来的恩赐，本来就是有很多事情要做，马大的问题不是事情多，而是心不对。当心有问题的时候，马大就开始跟人比较、跟主抱怨。我们做事，是为主而做，还是为人为事在做？“马大”的意思是“女主人”，耶稣提醒她，这个家是马大管理的，她是有权柄的。当我们心里有比较批评论断的时候，说明我们生病了。求主帮助我们有单纯的心，若神让别人不做事而我们需要多做事，我们愿意谦卑顺服、舍己利他吗？耶稣在别人唾骂、逼迫他的时候，背着十字架，我们要效法我们主的生命。
*追求祷告：
我们知道很多在圣经里面的教导，但是我们的心生病了，今天圣灵说他要来为我们医治、恢复，让我们敞开自己的心，将里面的一切交给耶稣，让我们里面健康起来。
谢谢主一直不停止爱我们，求主帮助我们自己健康起来，不去倚靠外在的环境，单单效法主耶稣谦卑顺服、舍己利他的生命，也将生命带给我们所牧养的人，让人也能有生命树的气息！奉耶稣基督的名祷告，阿门！