Thursday, 23rd June 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-12 Serve in the Kingdom of God
Why do we pray out loud? To admit in front of God that I cannot do anything without Him; secondly, admit in front of people that I cannot, and thirdly admit in front of myself that I cannot. Only when we humble ourselves then we can enter the fragrance of the tree of life. God sees people differently to how people see people. God sees into our hearts.
V1 ‘And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.’ Jesus entered the synagogue, where the believers of God gathered, He saw the man with the withered hand. Nobody took out this man, but when Jesus entered, He knew immediately that this man was there. Jesus knew our problems and our shame, even though we don’t say it or reveal it. V2 ‘So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.’ Everyone was observing and watching, waiting for Jesus to make mistakes so they could accuse Him.
V3 ‘And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”’ Do we also have a withered hand? For people, for God, for life? Jesus only told him to step out and stretch his hands. Only when we are willing to step out and admit that we need God, then we can receive healing. God is Healer, but to be healed we must admit that we need God. To admit and to see our needs and lacking, we must humble ourselves first.
Jesus also knew what the others were thinking, He knew the people there were waiting to find His fault. What is our attitude when we come to the House of God? Are we observing? Are we waiting? Or are we willing to step out in front of God and people, admitting our mistakes and seeking healing from God.
V5 ‘And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.’ What is our attitude when we come before God? He sees into us and He looks around with anger to those who do not have the right attitude to come to the House of God.
V9-11 ‘So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”’ Healing is within Jesus, He did not need to take any course or training, His presence brings healing.
Section Two V13-19 The Discipleship of the Kingdom of God
V13 ‘And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him.’ What is our relationship with our authority and with our disciples? Jesus travelled with His disciples and He lives among them. Jesus is the same inside and outside, He was not afraid of people judging Him. Are we willing to be like Jesus? To simply follow God and to be truthful inside and outside.
V14-15 ‘Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.’ Are our lives impacting the lives around us? So they take the authority they are given, grow and be strengthened in God.
Section Three V20-35 The Values of the Kingdom of God
V35 ‘For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.’ What is our values? Who do we spend time with? Those who agree with me and those who help me? Jesus sees all that does the will of God as His family. This is the values of the Kingdom of God, and we must have the same mindset as Jesus.
We must put our focus in the right place, God has given us the power, the authority and the resources, we must put them in the right place. Do not be the idols of our children, but teach them to seek God in their troubles. God wants us to live our a Kingdom life, we must learn from Jesus and seek God in everything we do in our lives!
马可福音 3 – 带下神国度的基督
2022年6月23日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
我们跟从耶稣基督的人要知道他每一天所带下的是什么，不然我们所做的事是没有力量或影响力的。在神的国度，我们所需要的态度就是谦卑，事情的成就，一分是做事，九分是祷告。我们的祷告要谦卑，大声的祷告就是在神、众人和自己面前承认我们自己的不行。唯有谦卑，祷告才有果效，才能感动自己和别人，因为神不听那些徒有宗教仪式的祷告，他看的是我们的内心。我们都知道基督是拯救我们的，也知道主祷文教导我们要求神的国“在地如在天”，但他是如何带下神的国度呢？今天的经文给我们带来很大的启示。
一、v.1-12 神国的服事
V1-3 “会堂”是当时相信耶和华神的人聚集的地方。这“枯干了一只手”的人不是因为突然得病，而是生来就这样，那只枯干的手是没有用的，就好像现代患小儿麻痹症的人一样。他周围的人都是看见、知道他的羞愧，当时的宗教人士看不起身体残缺的人，将他们视为次等人。这人想必会因为自己的条件而自卑。耶稣一进了会堂就知道这个人，他也知道我们生命中的羞愧。耶稣周围的众人早听闻耶稣是会医病赶鬼的，就窥探他，看他能否自己发现那个手枯干的人，看他是否能医好那人，是否在安息日也做这件事。耶稣知道那人枯干的手，而我们的枯干又是什么呢，是对人的爱，或是对神的兴趣？耶稣只对那个枯干了一只手的人说了一句话就医好了他。神国的医治不需要太多仪式，关键在于我们是否愿意接受医治，是否愿意在众人面前“起来，站在当中”。我们是否承认自己对神有需要，还是觉得自己什么都好，不去诚实面对问题？我们很容易看到别人的问题，却看不到自己的贫穷、缺乏。如果我们愿意在众人面前站出来承认自己需要耶稣，就表明我们的谦卑。
V4 耶稣知道会堂里的人的心思意念。来到教会、参加晨祷的时候，我们的心思意念是什么？只是在观察或学习知识吗，还是愿意起来承认自己需要神的医治？唯有我们愿意谦卑，才能承认自己的不足，进而领受到神的医治。
V5a 不要以为我们在教会或晨祷的时候人在心不在就可以，耶稣看到会不开心的，因为我们的心“刚硬”、麻木了。在晨祷中，神造访我们，让我们生命不一样。
V5b 神国的医治并不一定要别人给我们按手，关键在于我们接受医治的人是否有信心。耶稣吩咐那个人伸出那只枯干的手，这是一个对那人信心极大的考验。我们真的相信神能医治吗？真的愿意站在众人面前承认自己需要神的医治吗？
V6 法利赛人在会堂是有权威的，希律党的人代表当时管犹太人的希律王，他们看到耶稣的影响力，就怕他抢了自己的地位，于是一起谋算要如何杀死耶稣。
V7-8 耶稣没有停留在会堂，而是回到海边。当时有许多的人从各地跑来看他。我们现在可能想尽办法去学传福音的方式，但耶稣的生命就带着医治，他不需要故意去学如何医治。
V9-10 大家都觉得要摸到耶稣才能得医治。“摸”在原文中是与人发生关系，当时的人以为要跟耶稣发生亲密的关系才能被医治，但耶稣不让人倚靠这个“摸”的感觉，特意离开远一点。耶稣让人学到，即使摸不到他，人们也能得医治。跟从神不是靠感觉，而是凭信心。我们是否只在身体健康、心情好的时候才跟从神？我们若生病了、遇到问题了，更加要来到神的面前寻求帮助。神国的医治是信心的医治，我们要放下自己的面子，谦卑来到神面前领受。神国的服事不是去学地上的方式方法，而是要让人信心起来。
二、v.13-19 神国的传承
耶稣将自己的能力、权柄都交给他的门徒。人的想法却往往相反，不想把自己能力传给别人，只想要大家都来倚靠自己。然而耶稣找来了十二门徒，让他们常与自己同在（V14a)。我们与我们的权柄或我们的门徒是什么样的关系，是否只在有事的时候才找他们，其他时间都各自划清界限？我们是否愿意像耶稣带着门徒那样时常带着那些跟着我们的人？是否害怕别人因与我们太亲近而看到我们生活中不属灵的一面？耶稣里外一致，不怕别人看到自己的真实生活，以生命影响生命。耶稣不仅与门徒一起生活，还差派他们去“传道”(V14b)，就是传讲福音，“并给他们权柄赶鬼”（V15)。我们是否让下面所带的人有能力去宣讲福音？我们是否有让他们看到神给我们的能力他们也有，还是让他们活得软弱无力，一遇到问题就只会来找我们？要知道，神的国不是只有我们一个人，而是有传承的。
三、v.20-35 神国的价值观
V35 我们的价值观是什么呢？我们跟哪些人在一起呢，是否只是那些认同我们的人？耶稣带出来的是神国的价值观：“凡遵行神旨意的人”就与耶稣有关系，神的国降临要带下的是这样的大能。我们眼中是否只记挂自己或儿女的事？很多父母将自己一生的积蓄都投资在孩子身上，但在神的国度，我们要将孩子交给神，不要成为孩子的偶像，要帮助他们在风浪中学习寻找神。我们都不知道明天如何，若不将我们的家庭带到神那里使之屹立不倒，他们遇到问题就会沉沦在这个世界上。神爱我们，希望我们有福气，求神帮助我们都能做最好的选择。