Welcome to
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church

Luke 1 – Walk in the Plan of God 路加福音 1 – 行在神的計劃裡

Tuesday, 24th October 2023

Rev Daniel Xi An Poon 潘錫安牧師

The book of Luke is written for a Roman leader Theophilus, he received Jesus as his Lord and therefore he wanted to know more about the Gospel. What does the Gospel mean to us? After we believe in Jesus, do we know how to live on earth as it is in Heaven? In the Book of Luke, we learnt four important elements, to help us start living a new live and experience God’s lessons for us.

路加福音是為羅馬領袖提阿非羅寫的，他接受耶穌為他的主，因此他想更多地了解福音。福音對我們意味著什麼？當我們信了耶穌之後，我們知道如何活出在地如在天的生命嗎？在路加福音中，我們學習了四個重要元素，幫助我們開始新的生活並體驗神給我們生命的功課。

V1-4 Start from the Order 按次序開始

First we must walk according to the order of God. We are the children of God, this identity no one can take away. When we know we are the children of God then we must be determined to walk in the plan of God. Living under the fragrance of the Tree of Life, we first must learn to humble, Adam and Eve sinned because they were not humble, they challenged what they heard and what they were taught. Everything is from our heart, and if our heart is not according to God’s order and God’s priority, then we cannot walk in the plan of God.

首先我們必須按照神的命令而行。我們是神的兒女，這身分是任何人都無法奪走的。當我們知道自己是神的兒女時，我們就必須下定決心遵行神的計畫。生活在生命樹的氣息下，我們首先必須學習謙卑，亞當和夏娃犯罪是因為他們不謙卑，他們挑戰了他們所聽到的和所受的教導。一切都是出於我們的心，如果我們的心不按照神的命令和神的優先順序，那麼我們就不能行在神的計劃中。

V1-4 “Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.” Luke knew it’s important to write to Theophilus with the right order. When we follow God, we tend to seek the answer only, we don’t want to follow but we want to see the final end result. We see ourselves like God and we are unwilling to surrender under God’s guidance. Do we really under God’s heart for us? Do we really know the order of God? Do we have this foundation in our life if salvation. There is an order, and we need to lay down of ourselves then we can enter this order of God and the plan of God.

V1-4 「提阿非羅大人哪，有好些人提筆作書，述說在我們中間所成就的事，是照傳道的人從起初親眼看見又傳給我們的。 這些事我既從起頭都詳細考察了，就定意要按著次序寫給你， 使你知道所學之道都是確實的。」路加知道以正確的順序寫信給提阿非羅很重要。當我們跟隨神時，我們往往只尋求答案，我們不是想跟隨，而是想看到最終的結果。我們將自己視為神，不願意屈服於神的指導之下。我們真的是在神對我們的心意之下嗎？我們真的知道神的命令嗎？如果得救的話，我們的生命有這個基礎嗎？有一個次序，我們需要放下自己，然後才能進入神的這個次序和神的計劃。

V5-17 Start from Prayer 從禱告開始

When we follow, we don’t know what’s ahead of us, we are confused, we cannot understand, and therefore we must pray. Praying help us to see what’s ahead of us, what’s in front of us.

當我們追隨隨時，我們不知道前方會發生什麼，我們很困惑，我們無法理解，因此我們必須禱告。禱告幫助我們看到前面的事情，我們將面對的事情。

V10-12 “And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.” People were praying and when Zacharias saw the Angel, he was afraid. People were afraid to see God, because only holy people could see God, those who are not holy will die in the presence of God. Zacharias knew he was uncleaned and he could not see God face to face. God knew his fear and told him not to fear.

V10-12「燒香的時候，眾百姓在外面禱告。有主的使者站在香壇的右邊向他顯現。撒迦利亞看見，就驚慌害怕。」人們在禱告，當撒迦利亞看見天使時，他感到害怕。人們害怕見神，因為他們相信只有聖潔的人才能看見神，不聖潔的人就會死在神的面前。撒迦利亞知道他不潔淨，他無法面對面見到神。神知道他的恐懼，並告訴他不要害怕。

V13-14 “But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” God knows our heart, He knows our worries and fear, but do we believe that our prayer will be heard by God? No matter if we believe it or not, we must pray , start form prayer, know God hears, and we will no longer feel afraid. But what is in our prayer? A lot of time we pray to control God, we want God to work according to our desires, and our prayers become like a job.

V13-14「天使對他說：撒迦利亞，不要害怕，因為你的祈禱已經被聽見了。你的妻子伊利莎白要給你生一個兒子，你要給他起名叫約翰。 你必歡喜快樂，有許多人因他出世也必喜樂。」神知道我們的心，知道我們的憂慮和恐懼，但我們相信我們的禱告會被神垂聽嗎？不管我們信不信，我們必須禱告，從禱告開始，知道神垂聽，我們就不會再感到害怕了。但我們的禱告內容是什麼？很多時候我們禱告是為了控制神，希望神按照我們的願望來作工，我們的禱告變成了好像是工作。

When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, do we believe God is our Father in Heaven? Do we believe that He will carry out His plan on earth as it is in Heaven? It’s hard to let go, because the world always wants us to follow its way. And without prayer, without giving our worries to God, we cannot really walk in God’s plan. When we pray we also believe God hears.

當我們在用主禱文禱告時，我們相信神是我們的天父嗎？我們相信祂會像在天上一樣在地上實現祂的計劃嗎？放手很難，因為世界總是希望我們遵循它的方式。如果沒有禱告，沒有把我們的憂慮交給神，我們就無法真正行在神的計劃中。當我們禱告時，我們要相信神必垂聽。

V18-38 Start from Faith 從信心開始

V18 “And Zacharias said to the angel, how shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” Zacharias didn’t realise his prayer was heard. He doubted God and he could not enter God’s promise. When we don’t believe then we will always be looking at how others experience God, but we cannot really experience God ourselves. Zacharias was a priest, but his prayers didn’t have faith. He prayed but he didn’t believe that it would happen.

V18「撒迦利亞對天使說：我憑著什麼可知道這事呢？我已經老了，我的妻子也年紀老邁了。」撒迦利亞沒有意識到他的禱告神聽見了。他懷疑神，他無法進入神的應許。當我們不相信時，我們總是會看別人如何經歷神，但我們自己卻無法真正經歷神。撒迦利亞是一位祭師，但他的禱告沒有信心。他有禱告，但​​他不相信禱告的事會發生。

V19-20 “And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” The Angel told Zacharias who he was, he was coming to give a good news to Zacharias but he didn’t believe. This is also our life problem, we pray but we don’t believe, just like the priest Zacharias. Do we pray only because we have to as Christians? We pray then we continue our way. We don’t believe God hears us, because we have no faith, and we become burdened and worried. Why did God stop Zacharias to speak? Because He wants Zacharias to be quiet, stop praying with his mouth and start to pray with his heart. It’s never about what he said in his prayer, but his heart. It’s easy to use big words in our prayers, but it’s not easy to stop and see the Great Work of God.

V19-20「天使回答說：我是站在神面前的加百列，奉差而來對你說話，將這好信息報給你。 到了時候，這話必然應驗。只因你不信，你必啞巴，不能說話，直到這事成就的日子。」天使告訴撒迦利亞他是誰，他是來給撒迦利亞帶來好消息的，但他不相信。這也是我們生命的問題，我們有禱告但我們不相信，就像撒迦利亞一樣。我們禱告只是因為我們身為基督徒必須這樣做嗎？我們禱告然後繼續我們的路。我們不相信神會聽我們，因為我們沒有信心，我們變得有負擔和憂慮。神為何阻止撒迦利亞說話？因為他希望撒迦利亞安靜，停止用嘴巴禱告，開始用心禱告。重要的不是他在禱告中說了什麼，而是他的心。在我們的禱告中使用艱難的術語很容易，但停下來看看神的偉大工作卻不容易。

V38 “Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.” Our prayers are to proclaim to the spiritual world, through the One who gave us strength, we can do all things. Our prayers can penetrate through the devil’s schemes, but we must have faith, know God’s Will for us is good. Mary had the faith, she knew God’s Word was truth. She was willing to be the servant maid, not see herself like God, and receive by faith.

V38「馬利亞說：我是主的使女，情願照你的話成就在我身上！天使就離開她去了。」我們的禱告是向靈界宣告，透過賜給我們力量的那一位，我們凡事都能做。我們的禱告可以識破魔鬼的詭計，但我們必須有信心，知道神對我們的旨意是好的。瑪利亞有信心，她知道神的話是真理。她願意當女僕，不把自己看作神，憑信心接受。

V39-80 Start from Obedience 從順服開始

So often we live under the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, we see people offending us and we don’t believe that everything happened around us has a purpose. Things might not be what we imagine it to be, but how do we react and how do we choose? Mary chose to obey because she had faith in God. There will always be a choice for us, way before we were born, in the Garden of Eden, people had a choice. We can choice not to sin, but what do we choice? True freedom is to chose not to sin and not to do want displease God. But we thought having freedom is to do whatever we want to do.

我們常常活在分別善惡樹下，看到有人冒犯我們，我們不相信周遭發生的一切都有神的旨意。事情發生可能不是我們想像的那樣，但我們如何反應、如何選擇？瑪麗選擇順服，因為她對上帝有信心。我們永遠都有選擇，早在我們出生之前，在伊甸園裡，人們就有選擇。我們可以選擇不犯罪，但我們選擇什麼呢？真正的自由是選擇不犯罪，不做任何令神不喜悅的事。但我們認為自由就是做任何我們想做的事。

V64-66 “Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.” Zacharias knew it was God, finally he was willing to obey, and he started to speak and praise God. When we have faith, when we really believe that God hears our prayers, and people can see God is with us. Can we live out the Gospel? What is Gospel? Our choice, our action, and our life must reveal God, then people can truly see God through us.

V64-66「撒迦利亞的口立時開了，舌頭也舒展了，就說出話來，稱頌神。周圍居住的人都懼怕。這一切的事就傳遍了猶太的山地。凡聽見的人都將這事放在心裡，說：這個孩子將來怎麼樣呢？因為有主與他同在。」撒迦利亞知道是神，當他終於願意順服時，就開始說話讚美神。當我們有信心時，當我們真正相信神垂聽我們的禱告時，人們就能看見神與我們同在。我們能活出福音嗎？什麼是福音？我們的選擇、我們的行動、我們的生活必須彰顯神，人才能透過我們真正看見神。