QT 06/02/2024 Tuesday Mark 4. The Responsibilities of the Soil. 土壤的责任
QT 06/02/2024 Tuesday Mark 4
http://www.esvbible.org/mark4
Jesus used ALL MEANS to reach all people with the goods news of the Kingdom of Heaven. He taught by the lake in a boat (Mark 4:1), in synagogues (Mark 1:21,39,3:1,6:2), indoors (Mark 2:2) and later in a "desolate place" (Mark 8:4).
REFLECTION (1): The Master Teacher - Jesus - was creative in His teaching methods, not hindered by the venue, because He is the Word and He is the life. Are you using all means to be salt and light, e.g. online presence and social media too? It's where the new "crowd" is today!
Jesus persevered even though He already faced various oppositions early in Mark's account of the gospel (Mark 1:24, 2:6, 2:15), even death threats by those who wanted to "destroy Jesus" (Mark 3:6)!
REFLECTION (2): Even when the Master Teacher teaches, He encounters 3 types of soil that did not really take root of His message (Mark 4:3-25,26-29,30-34). We should not be discouraged by setbacks too.
Nevertheless, persistent frustrations could be one of God's ways of shutting the doors and telling you to give up on your personal dreams that are NOT in accordance with God's will for you nor your church.
The Holy Spirit will guide you BUT concurrently, Satan "comes and takes away the word that is sown in them" (Mark 4:15). Demonic activity appears early in Jesus' ministry (Mark 1:21,33). So watch out!
"Pay attention to what you hear" (Matt 4:24). Be aware of poison being injected into you without your knowing. No Mentor Pastor or CG leaders or members can oversee you 24/7.
The choice and responsibility are NEARLY ALL YOURS. YOU chose what YOU hear. What you choose to hear might cause you to end up in the drain, so to speak.
The consequences of your choices would COME BACK TO YOU (Mark 4:24-25);
The GOOD consequences of your choices might NOT even be noticed by yourselves NOW (Mark 4:26-29, the parable of the growing seed).
The SIGNIFICANCE of your choices from the "kingdom of God" perspective might even be UNDERESTIMATED (Mark 4:30-32, parable of the mustard seed: 500-750 of them weigh only 1 gram?).
REFLECTION (3): How should we then live?
星期二 2024年2月6日 今日读经：马可福音4章
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Mak/4/
土壤的责任
耶稣用尽各种方法让人们听到天国的好消息。祂坐在船上在海边教导人(可4:1),在会堂教导(可1:21,39,3:1,6:2)，在屋子里讲道(可2:2)和在后来的“旷野”(可8:4)。
反思(1): 那个大师--耶稣--在教导上是很有创意的，不受地点的限制，因为祂就是道、祂就是生命。你是否尽心尽力成为盐和光，如：在线上和社交媒体上的时候。这些地方都是新一代的“群众”所在之处！
耶稣坚持着，虽然祂在马可福音的前半部已遇到各种的抵抗(可1:24,2:6,2:15)，那些想“除掉耶稣”的甚至对祂发出死亡的威胁(可3:6)!
反思(2):即使是大师在教导，祂也遇到三种不同的土壤，这土壤无法在祂的话语里生根(可4:3-25,26-29,30-34)。我们也不需要因为这些挫折而沮丧。
然而，持续性的烦恼或许是神在对你说，放弃你自己个人的梦想因为这些都不符合神对你或教会的旨意。
圣灵会引导你但是与此同时，撒但“立刻来，把撒在他心里的道夺去”(可4:15)。邪魔的作为在耶稣早期的事工上就出现了(可1:21,33)。所以要当心！
“要留心你们所听到的”(太4:24)。当心在你不知情的情况下被打毒针。没有一个关顾教牧、小组组长或组员可以24小时地看着你。
选择的权利和责任全在你自己身上。你选择你要听的。但你所选择的可能会让你跌进阴沟里。
你选择的后果会回到你那里去(可4:24-25)；
你所选择的，那些好的后果，或许你现在自己看不到(可4:26-29,种子发芽生长的比喻)。
你以“神的国度”为角度所做出的选择，其意义甚至被轻视了(可4:30-32,芥菜种的比喻:500-750颗才称1公克的重量？)。
反思(3):所以我们当如何生活？
