Thursday, 14th July 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-15 Face Boldly
V1 ‘Immediately, in the morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council; and they bound Jesus, led Him away, and delivered Him to Pilate.’ Jesus did not even have time to do His morning devotion, He was captured and bound, delivered to Pilate to be put on the cross. We must be thankful that every morning we can have the time to do devotion and to receive the Word of God. At the same time, we must continue to have this intimate relationship with God, to really know the Word of God, and to always be alert.
V2-5 ‘Then Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered and said to him, “It is as you say.” And the chief priests accused Him of many things, but He answered nothing. Then Pilate asked Him again, saying, “Do You answer nothing? See how many things they testify against You!” But Jesus still answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled.’ Jesus was not afraid, He faced everything boldly. He would not change His answers or His attitude for people, because He knew what He had to do, He knew His true identity, and He knew the Heart of the Father.
Section Two V16-32 Humbly Offer
God will intervene, but do we believe that God will do it? Jesus had to carry the cross, no matter what, so He let go and let it happen. When we tell God we are letting go, do we really let go? Or do we still worry about the things on this earth? What does it men by entering the Upper Room? It is to let go of who we used to be and become who God created us to be. Seek God’s Will, let the Holy Spirit guide us, do not carry our old self. We must put to death our old self, who we used to be, and let God transform us into the vessel God can use. Can we believe that we are no longer the same? Cast out our own desires and emotions, rebuke the lies spoken into our lives, and live the life of Jesus.
V23 ‘Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.’ The drink acted as a pain killer, so Jesus would not die of pain, but Jesus refused to take it because He was humble and obedient, He knew He had to bear all the pain of the world in order to overcome the world. V29-30 ‘And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”’ Jesus did not need to use the ways of men to change the ways of God. We must first stand firm in the truth, live out a life of truth, then people will believe. We don’t need to act out a holy life, but to really live it out, because only life can impact life.
V31-32 ‘Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.’ Jesus knew it was not the signs and wonders that can change the world; He knew it was not the approval of the chief priests that can preach the Gospel to the end of the earth, but it was by His own humility, by standing in the right position and doing the right thing.
Section Three V33-47 Finish Well
V34 ‘And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”’ Jesus finished well, He completed the mission from God, He died for the sins of all, experienced being forsaken by God, and He died.
V39 ‘So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”’ Jesus finished well and testified the true God. We must also learn from Jesus, to finish well in the path God has given to us, then people will truly see God in our lives. V44 ‘Pilate marvelled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.’ Even Pilate’s attitude was changed.
马可福音 15 – 耶稣活出的生命
2022年7月14日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
本章描述了耶稣要钉十字架，走进死亡里，有三类人陪伴耶稣。这些人遇到耶稣，也观看耶稣，但耶稣对他们的意义又如何？我们遇见耶稣，耶稣对我们的意义、给我们的影响是什么？耶稣复活的生命给我们带来的是什么呢？对比这三类人我们看到自己的生命是怎样的？我们信了耶稣，受洗加入教会，生命有什么改变？我们的改变只是在宗教的框框里，或者变得更加渴慕而已吗？耶稣的死对我们有什么意义？耶稣所活出的生命的见证对我们的意义是什么，我们又从中学到什么？我们信主后与未信主前有什么不一样，这个不一样是否是耶稣所带出来的生命？我们可能会学很多东西，但最重要的是生命。本章的经文告诉我们耶稣活出的生命是什么。
一、v.1-15 勇敢地面对
V1-5 耶稣在前一晚祷告之后就被抓起来，也没有睡觉休息，第二天一早就被捆绑交给彼拉多。这时的耶稣会不会困，会不会累？耶稣曾亲眼看见“门徒都离开他逃走了”（14:50），并且彼得一次又一次的不认主（14:66-71）。面对人的背叛、凌辱，耶稣只对彼拉多的疑问回答说：“你说的是”。我们若是彼拉多，我们会怎样看待被当成阶下囚带到面前的耶稣？然而彼拉多却问耶稣是否是犹太人的王。耶稣在木匠的家里学的并不是高深的学问，没有什么厉害的背景，但他呈现在彼拉多面前的是一个王的样式。我们呈现在别人面前的生命是什么？我们是否太注重我们的外表，以为可以用外表来得到人的认可？众叛亲离的耶稣所靠的不是外表，即使是身体疲倦的时候，他仍然没有在人前呈现出软弱。当我们想为自己抓住一些东西的时候，我们什么也没有，但当我们愿意舍下，我们就拥有一切了。耶稣不仅是犹太人的王，也是我们外邦人的王，可是耶稣没有跟彼拉多争辩，因为是犹太人将他抓起来。耶稣看上去好像是在犹太人中输了，连他的门徒也一个个离开，耶稣却不靠这些人和事。面对犹太人控告他的“这么多的事”，耶稣“仍不回答”，不需要说什么话或做什么事来证明自己的身份。我们是否会为了达到个人目的而不择手段？是否为了让别人认可我们而歪曲事实？耶稣勇敢面对，不改变神放在他里面的真理。耶稣的不回答没有让彼拉多觉得他笨，反让“彼拉多觉得稀奇”。耶稣的生命就是真理真光。
V6 这个“节期”是犹太人的新年，“巡抚”是罗马帝国派来管辖犹太人的政府官员。为何“众人”会去求巡抚“释放一个囚犯”？这里所说的“囚犯”是那些得罪罗马政府的“政治犯”，这节期本来是恩典的日子。
V9 一个外邦人的官长不断说耶稣是犹太人的王。我们跟随神，若整天讲道理，就什么都没有。跟从神要在生命树下谦卑顺服、舍己利他，当耶稣愿意这样不改变真理真光的时候，他呈现在外邦人面前的就是一个王的样子。然而，这些犹太人看到的就是要钉耶稣十字架，情愿放另一个人来危害社会也不肯放耶稣。
V14-15 连彼拉多都看出耶稣是被犹太人陷害，但耶稣没有改变。我们愿意坚守里面的真光真理而不轻易改变吗？我们与人的关系很重要，但如果我们里面没有真理、没有扎根在耶稣基督的磐石上，我们与任何人的关系都是虚伪的。我们重视关系，却不是去讨好众人。我们是否先神后人再大地？是否愿意看重神所说的话？我们跟从神，不是只跟从自己喜欢听到的部分然后其它的话就不跟从。耶稣是完全的跟从，不会因为环境而改变他里面的真理。
二、v.16-32 谦卑摆上
V21 “犹太人的王”面对的是兵丁的耻笑和众叛亲离。当耶稣身体已经不行了的时候，没有人出来帮他。这时的耶稣没有抱怨或放弃，在他不行的时候反而是罗马兵丁帮他。我们若是不舍得放下自己，最后就什么都没有。放手就是愿意完全相信神，不去害怕被人辜负，因为神最后就会出手。耶稣当时要做的事就是背十字架，我们的放手不是什么都不做，可能是禁食祷告，可能是起来承担服事，但我们的放手是否完全专心在神的国度里，还是仍然追求自己想要的东西？进入马可楼，我们要放下的是自己过去的生命，不是等着神去改变，因为神已经改变我们了，我们只要凭信心去宣告我们已经不再是旧人了。神已经给我们能力和身份了，但我们不相信，还是背着自己过去的“死尸”进入马可楼。我们是否愿意相信神的话？在马可楼，我们让神改变我们成为合他使用的器皿。当负面情绪来的时候，我们是任凭自己肉体软弱，还是愿意斥责谎言、活出基督复活的生命？
V23 “拿没药调和的酒”就相当于麻醉剂，让耶稣不会痛死，然而耶稣不要麻醉自己，反而选择谦卑摆上自己，去承担世上的痛楚，以致最后可以胜过世界。
V26 耶稣为犹太人做了这么多事，最后却被他们送上十字架，在世人眼里，他是愚笨的，是错误的，但耶稣是自己愿意的。
V29-32 耶稣不需要用人的方法去改变神的计划，我们是否因为世界而改变自己？我们是否觉得要做一些事才能让周围的人信主？耶稣知道，他不需要先有这些祭司长和文士相信才有福音传遍世界，真正的福音是生命影响生命。我们要先在真理上站稳，站对位置，活出耶稣的生命，才能真实影响别人。我们不为人的信仰改变，只为神真理真光的教导而改变。我们若想为了人而改变，就一定会失败，所以要将真光真理带给我们周围的人。
三、v.33-47 Finish Well
V34 耶稣此时面对软弱，因他披戴着人的罪。他即使经历被神弃绝的痛也没有从十字架上下来，他的死就成就了神的旨意。我们的finish well 不是去完成自己想做的事，而是愿意走在神的计划中，走完神带领我们的道路。
V37-39 耶稣的finish well是连外邦人得百夫长都能承认“这人真是神的儿子！”
V40-41 人会观看耶稣，也会看着我们，我们的finish well就是在世人面前作见证。
V44 耶稣在地上33年短暂的生命中完成神的计划，就死了，这让彼拉多诧异，但这就是他的“finish well”。我们是否愿意效法耶稣的生命，走完十字架的道路？