QT 13/03/2024 Wednesday Luke 16. A good tool might become a bad master. 好工具可能会变成坏主人。
QT 13/03/2024 Wednesday Luke 16. A good tool might become a bad master.
http://www.esv.org/luke16
The people of the world are MORE shrewd than the people of light (Luke 16:8). In fact, they plan AHEAD and make the best use of their influence before it is gone.
APPLICATION (1): People of light ought to make use of opportunities that come their way, but in a manner that encompasses integrity.
The Parable of the Shrewd Manager CANNOT be read to mean that Jesus praises the manager's dishonesty with money. In fact, Jesus concluded clearly that "You cannot serve both God and Money" (Luke 16:13).
The parable strikes at the Pharisees "who were lovers of money" and that's why they "ridiculed him" (Luke 16:14).
The Law (of Moses) and the Prophets were sufficient to condemn the Pharisees and those who rejected God's message. Would a miracle (e.g. a resurrection from the dead or a messenger from the dead speaking) help?
From Jesus' reply, it doesn't seem so. "If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31).
In the end, it's not about having first-hand or second-hand information about the kingdom of God. It's about the freedom to choose and knowing beforehand the DIFFERENT consequences of those choices, because "a great chasm has been fixed" (Luke 16:26) between them.
APPLICATION: Believe God's Word and serve Him wholeheartedly. Let money, riches and other resources be servants and tools for the true Master.
星期三 2024年3月13日 今日读经：路加福音16章. 好工具可能会变成坏主人。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Luk/16/
今世之子比光明之子更精明(路16:8)。事实上，他们会预先计划好并尽量利用他们的影响力，在还未失去之前。
应用(1):光明之子应当利用临到他们的机会，但却是以正直的态度来对待。
不义的管家不可被解读为耶稣赞扬管家在钱财上的不诚实。事实上，耶稣清楚地总结，“你们不能服事 神，又服事金钱”(路16:13)。
这个故事是针对“贪财”的法利赛人的，所以他们“嗤笑耶稣”(路16:14)。
摩西的律法和先知足以谴责法利赛人和那些拒绝神的信息的人。你认为神行神迹(如从死里复活或死人的使者说话)有帮助吗？
从耶稣的回答来看，并没有。“如果他们不听从摩西和先知，就算有一个从死人中复活的人，他们也不会接受劝告”(路16:31)。
到最后，重要的不是你有第一手或第二手有关神国度的信息。这里所要表达的是选择的自由和选择的附带的不同的后果，因为“已有深渊隔开”这两者(路16:26)。
应用:相信神的话语并全心全意事奉祂。让金钱、财富和其他资源成真正的主人可以使用的仆人和工具。
