QT 23/06/2025 Mon. Jeremiah 35 Faithful Obedience in a Compromised Culture 在妥协的文化中忠心顺服

QT 23/06/2025 Mon. Jeremiah 35 Faithful Obedience in a Compromised Culture
READ http://www.esv.org/jer35

📖 Scripture Focus
“We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he commanded us…” — Jeremiah 35:8 (ESV)

🔍 Background:
In Jeremiah 35, God tells the prophet Jeremiah to invite the Rechabites to drink wine. They refuse—not because of God's law, but out of obedience to a command from their ancestor, Jonadab son of Rechab, who instructed his descendants to abstain from wine, live in tents, and remain separate from city life.
Their obedience becomes a stunning contrast to Judah’s disobedience. The Rechabites were faithful to a human command, yet God's own people had ignored His divine Word time and again.

✨ Reflection:
God uses the Rechabites as a living sermon. They honoured a family tradition for generations, while Israel continually broke covenant with the Lord who had delivered them from Egypt.

It’s a stinging indictment—but also a challenge for us today.

In a world saturated with compromise, the Rechabites stand as an example of countercultural faithfulness. Their commitment wasn’t about legalism; it was about honouring a legacy of obedience. How much more should we—who have the living Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the written Word of God—walk in obedience?

🔥 Gospel Connection:
The Rechabites honored the voice of their earthly father. But Jesus, our Saviour, said: “My food is to do the will of him who sent me” (John 4:34). He obeyed His Heavenly Father perfectly, even to the point of death on a cross (Phil. 2:8), so that we who fail at obedience might be clothed in His righteousness.

Now, by His Spirit, we are empowered to live lives that honor our Father—not to earn His love, but because we've already received it.

🛠️ Application:

(1) Are there areas of compromise in your life where you're listening to culture instead of Christ?

(2) What habits of obedience can you cultivate, not out of obligation, but out of love for Jesus?

(3) Like the Rechabites, are you willing to stand out—even seem strange—for the sake of God’s call?

🙏 Prayer:

Father, give us hearts that obey You with joy. Help us be faithful in a world of compromise. Thank You for Jesus, who obeyed perfectly on our behalf. May our lives reflect the holiness You've called us to, through the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

QT 23/06/2025 星期一. 耶利米书 35 在妥协的文化中忠心顺服
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Jer/35/

📖 经文聚焦
“凡我们先祖利甲的儿子约拿达所吩咐我们的话，我们都听从了。我们和我们的妻子儿女一生的年日都不喝酒，” - 耶利米书 35:8。

🔍 背景：
在《耶利米书》第 35 章中，神让先知耶利米邀请利甲人喝酒。他们拒绝了--不是因为上帝的律法，而是出于对他们祖先--利迦伯之子约拿达--的命令的顺从，约拿达曾指示他的后代禁酒，住帐篷，远离城市生活。
他们的顺从与犹大的悖逆形成了鲜明的对比。利甲布人忠于人的命令，而神自己的子民却一次又一次地无视祂神圣的话语。

✨ 思考：
上帝用利甲比人作为活生生的布道。他们世世代代遵守家族传统，而以色列人却不断违背与救他们出埃及的耶和华所立的约。

这是一个刺耳的控诉，但也是对我们今天的挑战。

在这个充斥着妥协的世界里，雷查布人是反文化忠诚的典范。他们的承诺不是律法主义，而是尊重顺从的传统。我们拥有永活的基督、圣灵和成文的神的话语，我们更应该如何顺服？

🔥 福音连接：
里查比人尊重他们尘世父亲的声音。但我们的救世主耶稣说 “耶稣说，我的食物，就是遵行差我来者的旨意，作成他的工”（约翰福音 4：34）。祂完全顺服了天父，甚至死在十字架上（腓 2:8），这样，我们这些未能顺服的人就可以穿上祂的义。

现在，借着祂的灵，我们有能力过荣耀天父的生活--不是为了赢得祂的爱，而是因为我们已经得到了祂的爱。

🛠️ 应用：

(1) 在你的生活中，是否有听命于文化而不是基督的妥协之处？

(2) 你可以培养哪些顺服的习惯，不是出于义务，而是出于对耶稣的爱？

(3) 你是否願意像利甲比人一樣，為了神的呼召而脫穎而出，甚至顯得怪異？

祷告：
父啊，请赐给我们一颗喜乐顺服你的心。帮助我们在这个充满妥协的世界中保持忠诚。为耶稣感谢你，祂代表我们完美地顺服了你。愿我们的生活通过圣灵的力量反映出你呼召我们的圣洁。奉耶稣的名，阿门。