QT 22/02/2024 Thursday Luke 1. Positive responses required. 作出积极回应的需要。
QT 22/02/2024 Thursday Luke 1
http://www.esvbible.org/luke1
Read Luke 1, with Luke & Acts in mind. Luke & Acts form Part 1 & Part 2 respectively of the works addressed to Theophilus (Luke 1:3 & Acts 1:1), even though the Gospel of John separates them in the Bible now.
When reading Luke & Acts,
(1) Think of a seemingly insignificant little stream that begins high in the mountains, growing into bigger streams and rivers and finally flowing into the great oceans of the world.
(2) Think about the Gospel of the resurrected Jesus Christ, powering to the ends of the earth by the Holy Spirit (from Jerusalem to the powercentre of Luke's day, Rome, at the end of Acts). Along the way, the gospel gathers the faithful, the outcasts and the lowly.
Luke 1 displays the faith of an ordinary woman in contrast with the doubts of a man.
Zechariah the priest (Luke 1:5), was on DUTY in the Jerusalem TEMPLE (Luke 1:8-9). He was in the supposedly MOST "LIKELY" place to communicate with God - near the "altar of incense" (Luke 1:11). Angelic beings were probably also sewn onto the curtain BEHIND that altar.
But in this Holy Place he did not believe in the angel who spoke of his wife's pregnancy (Luke 1:20)! This was a matter he already PRAYED ABOUT—"your prayer has been heard" (Luke 1:13). In contrast, his wife Elizabeth celebrated the pregnancy with the firm declaration that the Lord has done this for her (Luke 1:25).
On the other hand, Mary was in the kampung town of Nazareth up north in Galilee and NOT ON religious duty. She accepted the news of herself being chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. She affirmed that "I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).
Nevertheless, both Zechariah (Luke 1:67-79) and Mary (Luke 1:46-55) sang songs of praise later.
REFLECTION (1): Can you list out the missions of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ as portrayed in Luke 1? Are you joining them as the Gospel continues to cruise along in the world today?
REFLECTION (2): Are you responding positively to God's plan in your lives regardless of whether you are high or low in religious offices, whether you are higher or lower on the social or educational "ladder"?
星期四 2024年2月22日 今日读经：路加福音1章。 作出积极回应的需要。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Luk/1/
在阅读路加福音1章时，记住路加福音和使徒行传。路加福音和使徒行传为所成就的事分别组成第一部分和第二部分，写给提阿非罗(路1:3和徒1:1)，虽然约翰福音已把它们分开。
当你在阅读路加福音和使徒行传时，
(1) 试着想象，有一条不起眼的小溪从山的高处流下，变成越来越大的溪流和河流，最后流到世界上的海洋里去。
(2) 试想想，复活的耶稣基督的福音，以圣灵的大能传到地极去(从耶路撒冷到路加时代的权力中心，罗马，在使徒行传的结尾会读到)。一路上，福音召集了忠心的、被歧视的和低贱的人。
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路加福音1章对比了一个平凡妇女的信心和一个男子的不信。
祭司撒迦利亚(路1:5)，在耶路撒冷的圣殿里执行职务(路1:8-9)。他处在一个最“有可能”与神沟通的地方---靠近“香坛”的地方(路1:11)。在那坛的后面的幔子上或许绣着天使。
但在这神圣的地方，他却不相信那天使所对他说的，有关他妻子将怀孕的事(路1:20)！这可是他已祷告过的事--“你的祈求已蒙垂听”(路1:13)。对比之下，他的妻子以利沙伯却大大地喜乐，宣告怀孕这件事是主为她成就的！(路1:25)。
另一方面，马利亚在加利利北部的一个乡镇拿撒勒，她并没有在执行任何宗教职务。她接受了自己被拣选成为弥赛亚的母亲。她确信地说，:“我是主的婢女，愿照你的话成就在我身上!”(路1:38)
尽管如此，撒迦利亚(路1：67-79)和马利亚(路1:46-55)两个接下来唱了赞美的诗歌。
反思(1):你可以列出施洗约翰和耶稣基督在路加福音1章的使命吗？今天的你是否与他们在福音的事工上同行？
反思(2):你是否正面地回应神在你身上的计划，无论你在宗教上的职位是高或低、无论你的社会地位或教育水平是高或低？
