馬太福音19:16-30

19:16 有一個人來見耶穌，說：「夫子（有古卷：良善的夫子），我該做甚麼善事才能得永生？」
19:17 耶穌對他說：「你為甚麼以善事問我呢？只有一位是善的（有古卷：你為甚麼稱我是良善的？除了上帝以外，沒有一個良善的）。你若要進入永生，就當遵守誡命。」
19:18 他說：「甚麼誡命？」耶穌說：「就是不可殺人；不可姦淫；不可偷盜；不可作假見證；
19:19 當孝敬父母；又當愛人如己。」
19:20 那少年人說：「這一切我都遵守了，還缺少甚麼呢？」
19:21 耶穌說：「你若願意作完全人，可去變賣你所有的，分給窮人，就必有財寶在天上；你還要來跟從我。」
19:22 那少年人聽見這話，就憂憂愁愁地走了，因為他的產業很多。
19:23 耶穌對門徒說：「我實在告訴你們，財主進天國是難的。
19:24 我又告訴你們，駱駝穿過針的眼，比財主進上帝的國還容易呢！」
19:25 門徒聽見這話，就希奇得很，說：「這樣誰能得救呢？」
19:26 耶穌看著他們，說：「在人這是不能的，在上帝凡事都能。」
19:27 彼得就對他說：「看哪，我們已經撇下所有的跟從你，將來我們要得甚麼呢？」
19:28 耶穌說：「我實在告訴你們，你們這跟從我的人，到復興的時候，人子坐在他榮耀的寶座上，你們也要坐在十二個寶座上，審判以色列十二個支派。
19:29 凡為我的名撇下房屋，或是弟兄、姊妹、父親、母親、（有古卷加：妻子、）兒女、田地的，必要得著百倍，並且承受永生。
19:30 然而，有許多在前的，將要在後；在後的，將要在前。」

 

  ¹⁶ Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

¹⁷ “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

¹⁸ “Which ones?” he inquired.

Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, ¹⁹ honor your father and mother,’^[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]”

²⁰ “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

²¹ Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

²² When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife^[e] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

 

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    一般的宗教與哲學都是以人的行為當出發點，並且以此來斷定人的好壞。但是主耶穌的教導是超越這些，祂的教導是人要和上帝恢復和好與親密的關係，而表現上是要跟隨主耶穌，做主耶穌的學生！

 

    那位少年人雖然遵行了律法的要求，卻不願意放下所有的來跟隨主耶穌，以至於他無法享受到門徒們所得的獎賞，如主耶穌所說：「我實在告訴你們，你們這跟從我的人，到復興的時候，人子坐在他榮耀的寶座上，你們也要坐在十二個寶座上，審判以色列十二個支派。凡為我的名撇下房屋，或是弟兄、姊妹、父親、母親、（有古卷加：妻子、）兒女、田地的，必要得著百倍，並且承受永生。」

 

    主耶穌在這裡清楚地說到跟隨主的好處，或說是「獎賞」！但是，要得這樣獎賞的人是肯為主耶穌放下一切的人，願意看萬事如糞土，為要得著基督為至寶！你願意嗎？

 

 

馬太福音19:13-15

 

19:13 那時，有人帶著小孩子來見耶穌，要耶穌給他們按手禱告，門徒就責備那些人。
19:14 耶穌說：「讓小孩子到我這裡來，不要禁止他們；因為在天國的，正是這樣的人。」19:15 耶穌給他們按手，就離開那地方去了。

 

  ¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

 

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    耶穌說：「讓小孩子到我這裡來，不要禁止他們；因為在天國的，正是這樣的人。」

 

    兒童主日學的重要性可以由這一句話表達出來，因為是主耶穌要小孩子到祂那裏，與祂有美好的關係。所以，父母與長輩不可以禁止小孩到主的面前，不可以因為他們年紀小就認為不應該信靠主耶穌。

 

    當然在信主的家庭會同意這樣的「命令」，可是不信主的家庭和共產主義國家卻不同意這樣的「命令」！因此，教會要勇敢的宣告這個「命令」，不管對方願意不願意聽從，我們就是要宣告此「命令」，並且竭力讓小孩子來到主耶穌面前，讓小朋友和主耶穌相交流，鼓勵小朋友向主耶穌傾心吐意，好得主耶穌的賜福！

 

    當然不只小朋友要到主耶穌那裏，我們更是要花時間到主耶穌那裏，與主親近！

 

 

馬太福音19:1-12

 

19:1 耶穌說完了這些話，就離開加利利，來到猶太的境界約旦河外。
19:2 有許多人跟著他，他就在那裡把他們的病人治好了。
19:3 有法利賽人來試探耶穌，說：「人無論甚麼緣故都可以休妻嗎？」
19:4 耶穌回答說：「那起初造人的，是造男造女，
19:5 並且說：『因此，人要離開父母，與妻子連合，二人成為一體。』這經你們沒有念過嗎？
19:6 既然如此，夫妻不再是兩個人，乃是一體的了。所以，上帝配合的，人不可分開。」
19:7 法利賽人說：「這樣，摩西為甚麼吩咐給妻子休書，就可以休她呢？」
19:8 耶穌說：「摩西因為你們的心硬，所以許你們休妻，但起初並不是這樣。
19:9 我告訴你們，凡休妻另娶的，若不是為淫亂的緣故，就是犯姦淫了；有人娶那被休的婦人，也是犯姦淫了。」
19:10 門徒對耶穌說：「人和妻子既是這樣，倒不如不娶。」
19:11 耶穌說：「這話不是人都能領受的，惟獨賜給誰，誰才能領受。
19:12 因為有生來是閹人，也有被人閹的，並有為天國的緣故自閹的。這話誰能領受就可以領受。」

 

  When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ² Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’^{[a] 5} and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’^[b]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

 

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    「離婚」在摩西的律法是允許的，在《申命記》24章1節說：「人若娶妻以後，見她有甚麼不合理的事，不喜悅她，就可以寫休書交在她手中，打發她離開夫家。」

 

    於是有法利賽人來試探耶穌，說：「人無論甚麼緣故都可以休妻嗎？」

   

    主耶穌回答：「那起初造人的，是造男造女，並且說：『因此，人要離開父母，與妻子連合，二人成為一體。』這經你們沒有念過嗎？既然如此，夫妻不再是兩個人，乃是一體的了。所以，上帝配合的，人不可分開。」

 

    主耶穌的意思是：夫妻的關係親密到「二人成為一體」為什麼要離婚呢？然而法利賽人知道摩西在《申命記》說過可以寫休書一事，就反駁主耶穌：「這樣，摩西為甚麼吩咐給妻子休書，就可以休她呢？」

 

    主耶穌在這裡很有意思的用人有罪性來回答法利賽人，「摩西因為你們的心硬，所以許你們休妻，但起初並不是這樣」。這裡的「心硬」就是人犯罪之後，罪近入人的生命，導致人的心剛硬抵擋上帝！這也是說，人心被罪殘害到整個心思意念都扭曲了！

 

    上帝早就知道罪會帶來如此大的傷害，所以在尚未創造人的時候，早就預備了拯救的恩典，早就要拯救一批人離開罪的綑綁，雖然他們必然被罪所扭曲，也不會放棄，仍然要祂的愛子耶穌基督來死在十字架上，好敗壞魔鬼的作為！

 

    也因為如此，救贖的行動不是事後的補救辦法，好像上帝不知道人會墮落，或是說上帝無法掌握人會墮落之事實。上帝早知道也允許人會犯罪，說得更大膽一點就是不怕人犯罪，因為一切的情況全在祂的預定之中！

 

    也因此，不要害怕犯罪，要勇敢認罪，在上帝沒有困難的事，一切都是照上帝的主權在進行，聖靈要在上帝所預定的人心中將石心換成肉心，使我們不再剛硬，使我們有可以順服的心，來緊緊跟隨主耶穌，直到上帝國實現，一起進入榮耀中！

 

列王紀下3章

      列王紀下3:1-27  ,

列王紀下3:1-27

 

3:1 猶大王約沙法十八年，亞哈的兒子約蘭在撒馬利亞登基作了以色列王十二年。
3:2 他行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，但不致像他父母所行的，因為除掉他父所造巴力的柱像。
3:3 然而，他貼近尼八的兒子耶羅波安使以色列人陷在罪裡的那罪，總不離開。
3:4 摩押王米沙牧養許多羊，每年將十萬羊羔的毛和十萬公綿羊的毛給以色列王進貢。
3:5 亞哈死後，摩押王背叛以色列王。
3:6 那時約蘭王出撒馬利亞，數點以色列眾人。
3:7 前行的時候，差人去見猶大王約沙法，說：「摩押王背叛我，你肯同我去攻打摩押嗎？」他說：「我肯上去，你我不分彼此，我的民與你的民一樣，我的馬與你的馬一樣。」
3:8 約蘭說：「我們從哪條路上去呢？」回答說：「從以東曠野的路上去。」
3:9 於是，以色列王和猶大王，並以東王，都一同去繞行七日的路程；軍隊和所帶的牲畜沒有水喝。
3:10 以色列王說：「哀哉！耶和華招聚我們這三王，乃要交在摩押人的手裡。」
3:11 約沙法說：「這裡不是有耶和華的先知嗎？我們可以託他求問耶和華。」以色列王的一個臣子回答說：「這裡有沙法的兒子以利沙，就是從前服事以利亞的（原文是倒水在以利亞手上的）。」
3:12 約沙法說：「他必有耶和華的話。」於是以色列王和約沙法，並以東王都下去見他。
3:13 以利沙對以色列王說：「我與你何干？去問你父親的先知和你母親的先知吧！」以色列王對他說：「不要這樣說，耶和華招聚我們這三王，乃要交在摩押人的手裡。」
3:14 以利沙說：「我指著所事奉永生的萬軍耶和華起誓，我若不看猶大王約沙法的情面，必不理你，不顧你。
3:15 現在你們給我找一個彈琴的來。」彈琴的時候，耶和華的靈（原文是手）就降在以利沙身上。
3:16 他便說：「耶和華如此說：『你們要在這谷中滿處挖溝；
3:17 因為耶和華如此說：你們雖不見風，不見雨，這谷必滿了水，使你們和牲畜有水喝。』
3:18 在耶和華眼中這還算為小事，他也必將摩押人交在你們手中。
3:19 你們必攻破一切堅城美邑，砍伐各種佳樹，塞住一切水泉，用石頭糟踏一切美田。」
3:20 次日早晨，約在獻祭的時候，有水從以東而來，遍地就滿了水。
3:21 摩押眾人聽見這三王上來要與他們爭戰，凡能頂盔貫甲的，無論老少，盡都聚集站在邊界上。
3:22 次日早晨，日光照在水上，摩押人起來，看見對面水紅如血，
3:23 就說：「這是血啊！必是三王互相擊殺，俱都滅亡。摩押人哪，我們現在去搶奪財物吧！」
3:24 摩押人到了以色列營，以色列人就起來攻打他們，以致他們在以色列人面前逃跑。以色列人往前追殺摩押人，直殺入摩押的境內，
3:25 拆毀摩押的城邑，各人拋石填滿一切美田，塞住一切水泉，砍伐各種佳樹，只剩下吉珥‧哈列設的石牆；甩石的兵在四圍攻打那城。
3:26 摩押王見陣勢甚大，難以對敵，就率領七百拿刀的兵，要衝過陣去到以東王那裡，卻是不能；
3:27 便將那應當接續他作王的長子，在城上獻為燔祭。以色列人遭遇耶和華的大怒（或譯：招人痛恨），於是三王離開摩押王，各回本國去了。

 

 When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. ² Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

³ The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

⁴ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

⁵ The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

⁶ Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

⁷ Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. ⁸ Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.

¹⁰ “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

¹¹ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. ¹² Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.

¹³ Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴ He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

¹⁵ The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. ¹⁶ “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”

¹⁷ But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. ¹⁸ When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

 

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    亞哈王過世之後由兒子約蘭在撒馬利亞登基，作了以色列王十二年。不過很可惜，約蘭還是行上帝所憎惡的惡行。

 

    而約蘭王在位時，聯合猶大和以東的王一起攻打摩押，在困境中他們尋求先知以利沙來幫忙。之所以如此，是因為猶大王約沙法說：「這裡不是有耶和華的先知嗎？我們可以託他求問耶和華。」

 

    如此我們可以看見上帝仍然眷顧以色列人，雖然百姓受到君王的影響離開上帝，上帝仍然在他們中間預備先知來指引他們，好使上帝所預備的人，仍然緊緊跟隨著上帝，不被環境所應想。

 

    其實在今日，上帝仍然預備各樣的恩惠在基督裡，使我們可以放心勇敢面對生命的考驗！也因為如此，我們要向以色列人中的數上帝的先知，勇敢宣告上帝的信息，使人悔改歸向上帝！