QT 26/02/2024 Monday Luke 4. Dangers of missing the mission. 使命失误的危险。
QT 26/02/2024 Monday Luke 4
http://www.esvbible.org/luke4
Jesus "returned from the Jordan" (Luke 4:1), a journey already taken by many before Him, e.g., Jacob (Gen 32,33) & Joshua (Joshua 4) and Ruth (Ruth 1). Luke 4:1-13 highlights the tension between two forces:
(1) Led by the Spirit in Luke 4:1;
(2) The opposing force of the devil, who "took him up" (Luke 4:5) and also "took him to Jerusalem" (Luke 4:9).
Jesus overcame the devil by citing Deut 8:3, 6:13, 6:16. Nevertheless, the devil left Jesus "UNTIL AN OPPORTUNE TIME" (Luke 4:13). The devil will RETRY his tricks.
APPLICATION: Be on guard against the devil always, especially after the current victory over him.
Luke-Acts do portray the REJECTION of the gospels by the Jewish majority but the ACCEPTANCE by the Gentiles.
Jesus' home town rejected His preaching from Isa 61:1,2 (Luke 4:14-30). Somehow, Jesus knew the hearts of those in the synagogue: they were "capable" of MURDERING even THE PREACHER, to "throw him down the cliff" (Luke 4:29).
The sermon feedback was initially good ("All spoke well of him", Luke 4:22). But the congregation seems to have DEMANDED miracles (Luke 4:23). Jesus then ignited the situation with "the truth" (Luke 4:24,25), citing the examples of 2 pagans during the times of Kings (widow in Zarephath of Sidon (1Kg 17:9-10) and Naaman the Syrian (2Kg 5:1-23).
The synagogue "exploded" with the following SERMON CONCLUSIONS:
The "MANY widows of ISRAEL in the days of Elijah" (Luke 4:25) were BYPASSED in favour of the pagan widow from Sidon;
The "MANY lepers in ISRAEL in the time of prophet Elisha" (Luke 4:27) were BYPASSED in favour of the pagan Naaman!
What kind of a sermon was that? The sermon merely brought to the surface what was already there, so that the real sickness would be evident to all, so that God's harsh judgement and words would be vindicated before the watching world.
REFLECTION (2): Can you accept this: "TO PROCLAIM good news to the poor" (which Jesus announced as a ministry goal in Luke 4:18) should also include reaching out to those you usually DO NOT ASSOCIATE with, or even DISLIKE/DESPISE?
REFLECTION (3): Freedom from bondage, recovery of sight for the blind, the release of the "oppressed" and the proclamation of "the year of the Lord's favour" (Luke 4:18-19) must somehow form part of Christian ministry. How do we work that out?
星期一 2024年2月26日 今日读经：路加福音4章
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Luk/4/
耶稣“从约旦回来”(路4:1)，在祂之前已有许多人走过，如雅各(创世记32,33)和约书亚(约书亚记4章)和路得(路得记1章)。路4:1-13强调了这两大势力之间的竞争:
(1) 路4:1提到圣灵的引领；
(2) 魔鬼的敌对势力，那“引他上到高处”(路4:5)，同时又“引他到耶路撒冷”的势力(路4:9)。
耶稣胜过了魔鬼，祂引述了申命记8:3、6:13、6:16。尽管如此，魔鬼暂时离开耶稣“等待下次的机会”(路4:13)。那魔鬼仍会故技重施。
应用:时常防备魔鬼，尤其是刚刚胜过他的时候。
路加-使徒行传确实刻画了福音被多数犹太人拒绝但却被外邦人所接受。
耶稣的家乡拒绝了祂以以赛亚61:1,2的讲道(路4:14-30)。其实不管怎样，耶稣早已知道那些在会堂里众人的心思:他们是有“本事”杀害传道人的，他们甚至想把他“推下山崖”去(路4:29)。
讲道信息的反馈一开始是好的(“众人称赞他”，路4:22)。但众人似乎向祂要求神迹(路4:23)。耶稣后来因为把“真理”说了出来，激起他们的愤怒(路4:24,25)，耶稣举了两个在列王纪时的外邦人的例子(在西顿撒勒法的寡妇[王上17:9-10]和叙利亚人乃缦[王下5:1-23])。
会堂里针对以下讲道信息的结论“爆发“了:
“当以利亚的时候，以色列中有许多寡妇”(路4:25)，但没有一个到那里去，而是去了外邦人西顿一个寡妇那里；
“以利沙先知的时候，以色列中有许多患痲风的人”(路4:27)，但只有外邦人乃缦得洁净！
这是什么样的讲道信息？这信息只是把已经存在的问题带到台面，大家有目共睹真正的疾病，让神严厉的审判和话语在所有人前进行。
反思(2):你可以接受这个吗:“传福音给贫穷的人”(耶稣在路4:18宣布这是事工的目的)，也包括向那些你平常不会有接触，或甚至是讨厌/看不起的人？
反思(3):被掳的得自由、瞎眼的看见、受“压制”的得自由和宣告“主悦纳人的禧年”(路4:18-19)都必须是基督教事工的一部分。我们要如何做到呢？
