Thursday, 17th November 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Do we really understand the Word of God? What is our attitude towards the Word of God and the Christian belief? Jesus did not come to this world so we can worship Him like worshipping an idol. Jesus came so we can be connected to the Father, but what is our prayer life and our Christian life? Do we really have an intimate relationship with the Father? Can we open freely in front of Him? The image of the father may not be positive for many people because of the way they were brought up. It’s easy to follow Jesus but it’s not easy to go to the Father.
When we read the Word of God, we often only take in whatever we want to read about and whatever we want to hear. But we must live under the Tree of Life, to be humble and obedient, to deny ourselves and benefit others. God wants us to take in everything He is teaching us, when we are unable to take in, then we know there are problems in our lives. Stop only seeing what we want to see, but start seeing what Jesus is doing for us, and what the Father is doing for us. God is restoring us, He wants us to receive the love of the Father, so we can receive this Kingdom identity as the children of God. We are not orphans; we have a Father and we have a home.
Can we see what the Father is doing for us and what our authority is doing for us? Our Heavenly Father wants to embrace us and accept us not as a servant but as a child. We don’t need to prove ourselves; our identity cannot be taken away by anyone else apart from ourselves because of our fear and insecurity. In Jesus’ teaching, the father ran and embraced the prodigal son, gave him honour and grace. We are the children of God, our relationship with the Father should be open and intimate. When we examine ourselves and see the darkness then the light will come in. Let us come to the Father in truth, and to receive our identity in the Kingdom.
Section One V1-8 Keep the Word of God
When we are in the Promised Land, what will we be doing? We want to take the land as inheritance and we want a peaceful life, but we don’t receive this life by our strength or hard work, but by the Grace of God, only He can give us rest. When we don’t know our identity and when we don’t have the relationship with our Father, then we will be easily hurt, and we will easily feel confused.
Today’s chapter was taught by Moses together with the elders of Israelites. Moses raised up these elders to teach and lead the Israelites. They would be shepherding the people of Israelites and raising more leaders to shepherd the people of God. Today, God also raise us up to shepherd, and we should have the Word of God to share with the people following us. Not only share the Word but also remember it and let it be engraved in the hearts. We are all the royal priests, therefore, we should all bring the Word of God into our lives and the lives of others. Jesus is not an idol, and we should not make ourselves the idol of others.
Section Two V9-13 Listen to the Word of God
Again, Moses and the elders told the Israelites that they were the people of God, they were not ‘nobody’ but they were ‘somebody’.
Section Three V14-26 Understand Blessings and Curses
申命记 27 – 在应许之地要起来牧养
2022年11月17日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
耶稣来，是帮助我们与天父连接，而唯有当我们与天父的关系恢复了，我们才活有神儿女的身份。我们跟从耶稣，就是要活出他的教导。我们若感受不到天父的爱，就要察验自己的生命。
一、v.1-8 要拥有神的话
今天的经文不再只是老摩西一个人说话，而是摩西“和以色列的众长老”一起对百姓说话。过了约旦河之后，神给的律法不是只给摩西，而是我们每一个人。牧养是一个关系，在关系里要有神的话。神看我们都是君尊的祭司，每个人都能在石头上写他的律法。我们带领人，是否只是让人看见我们的“爱”，最后让人把我们当成他们的偶像，还是让神的话成为人脚前的灯、路上的光？真正的带领是将人带回神的话语中。生命中若没有神的话语，我们心里就容易虚，对自己的身份就模糊不清，只想去讨父亲、权柄的欢心，结果权柄的一个眼神或一个话语让我们很容易受伤。我们不是孤儿，在应许之地，我们要起来牧养。
二、v.9-13 要听从神的话
V9-10 这是摩西和神的众仆人吩咐百姓的话。我们都是神所拣选的百姓，“所以要听从耶和华你神的话，遵行他的诫命、律例”。我们不能为所欲为，而要听从神的仆人所教导的神话语，让我们在应许之地不至于走偏或跌倒，而是可以享受永远的福乐。
V11-13 神的话不仅有怜悯，也有公义。在应该祝福的地方我们要祝福，在应该咒诅的地方我们要咒诅，不要颠倒黑白。神要我们起来牧养，要帮助蒙召的人身体力行去领受他的话，而不只是听完就丢在一边，我们才能在应许之地一代又一代享受神的福乐。
三、v.14-26 要明白祝福与诅咒
现在是“利未人”向百姓说话，这就是摩西的牧养。我们的牧养是否能带出门徒？我们所带出来的人生命如何？他们是否一生都只是跟着我们的“小弟、小妹”，还是能够起来传承？我们要让人明白生与死、祝福与诅咒。
在生命树的气息下，我们不是坐着享受别人给我们的爱，而要愿意起来牧养。耶稣已经来恢复了我们与天父的关系，我们不再是孤儿，而是有儿女的身份。既是儿女，就要跟着我们的天父学习。天父在我们身边放下权柄，在学习的路上我们可以被导正，感受到被爱。不要害怕牧养，因牧养是我们的being，让我们在牧养中感受到父的爱。
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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