Sunday 26 July 2020
Salvation Brings Joy
By Abraham Verghese 亚伯拉罕·韦尔盖塞
Psalm 89 12-17 (Read the whole Psalm for the overall context)
The psalms in Book 3, of which Psalm 89 is the last, represent Israel’s situation when it was in exile. God’s promise that there would always be an offspring to sit on David’s throne was not seeming to be coming true. God’s covenant with David will never be revoked. God will certainly fulfil what he said he would do. From the perspective of the New Testament, we know that Jesus is the fulfilment of this promise. He will reign on David’s throne forever and ever.
Read vv. 12-17. (All verse references are to Psalm 89 unless otherwise stated) These verses describe the victory that is won by our Lord and Saviour Jesus. His mighty arm brings victory. Salvation and justice and righteousness are given to us through our King. He pours his grace or steadfast love, into our lives. Our joy is described in poetic terms in the psalm. He says Tabor and Hermon joyously praise God’s name (v 12). Tabor and Hermon are mountains in Israel. God’s creation, despite all the damage we have done to the environment, is around us for us to enjoy – the beauty and the tranquillity.
God has a mighty arm (v 13), His hand is strong, His power to create and grasp is beyond what our limited mind can conceive. The power of God so impressed the Psalmist that in many ways he repeated the same thought: and indeed the truth of God’s omnipotence is so full of refreshment to gracious hearts.
Justice and judgment are the foundation of His throne (v 14). They are the basis of the divine government, the sphere within which His sovereignty moves. God as a sovereign is never unjust or unwise but is merciful and truthful. Those who repent are forgiven in the person of our Lord Jesus, to be his ambassadors, and so poor, guilty men are enabled to endure the presence of his righteous Lord.
The writer speaks of the festal shout (v 15). As God’s people, we should rejoice over the victory He has won. We should walk with joy in the light of His presence. God’s people know the joyful sound – the gospel is a joyful sound. Here it is supposed that we have intelligence in respect of “the joyful sound.” Christ said, “My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me” (John 10: 27) ; “and a stranger will they not follow, for they know not the voice of strangers.” (John 10: 5).
Everyone in the world is trying to be happy. People are trying to create their own happiness. And how do we become happy? We seek happiness by the things we get for ourselves or by the things we accomplish. We tend to think that if we have this or that we shall be happy. By attaining certain goals, some believe they will attain happiness. But true happiness does not come that way. Even if we get what we want or attain our goal, it will seem hollow with no real satisfaction.
So many people especially so-called celebrities have found that being on the top of the world does not bring true joy and satisfaction. And in His righteousness, we shall be exalted (v 16). The first Adam sinned and what lay before us was eternal separation from our Creator; but in Christ, the second Adam, we are again exalted; for we “sit together with Him in heavenly places” (Eph 2: 6).
For He is the glory of our strength (v 17). In the Lord, we have both righteousness and strength. No man whom the Lord makes strong may dare to glory in himself, we must ascribe all honour to the Lord alone; we have neither strength nor beauty apart from Him. Everyone is seeking for joy. But the gospel gives us a different message. We find joy by receiving the salvation given to us in Jesus Christ. We find joy by saying no to our own selfish dreams and by trusting Jesus Christ to save us. Life comes through death to ourselves. Joy comes when we renounce our own lordship over our lives and give ourselves to Jesus Christ. Joy comes when Jesus Christ forgives us of our sins.
We rejoice not because of what we have done or accomplished but because our sins are forgiven through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross where he took the punishment we deserved. He came so we could be forgiven of our sins. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Prayer
Father, thank You for the salvation You give to us through Your Son, our Lord. We pray that those who have still yet to accept Your Son as their personal Saviour and Lord of their lives will be convicted to do so. Bring in Your kingdom. Make this world a place where justice and beauty reign. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
每日灵粮
星期日 2020年7月26日
题目：救恩带来喜乐
诗篇89: 12-17（请阅读整篇诗篇以了解整体背景）
作者：亚伯拉罕·韦尔盖塞（Abraham Verghese）
翻译：方美珠姐妹
第三本书中最后的诗篇89篇，代表了以色列流亡时的处境。上帝应允永远都建立后裔坐在大卫的宝座上的承诺看似没有成真，可上帝与大卫的约是永远不会被撤销。上帝一定成就祂所说的。从新约圣经的角度来看，我们知道耶稣就是来成就这应许的。祂将在大卫的宝座上称王直到永永远远。
请阅读12-17节 （除非另有说明，所有经文均引用诗篇 89篇）。
这些经文描述了我们的救主耶稣所赢得的胜利。祂大能的膀臂带来的胜利。我们的王赐予我们救赎，公义和公平。祂在我们的生命中倾入祂的恩典和慈爱。我们的喜乐在诗篇中以诗意表达。祂说他泊和黑门都因上帝的名欢呼(12节)。 他泊和黑门是以色列的山脉。尽管我们对环境造成了破坏，上帝的创造仍在我们四围使我们能享受到环境的美丽与宁静。
上帝有大能的膀臂（第13节），祂的手有力，他大能的创造和掌握是超出我们的意念。上帝的大能给诗人留下不可磨灭的深刻印象，以至于他一再的重复同一个信念：确实，上帝无所不能的真理使感恩的心充满了活力。公义和公平是祂宝座的根基（14节）。它们是神圣掌权的基础，他的主权在其中运行。上帝作为主权者永远都有公义和智慧，祂满有怜悯和信实。那些悔改的已被我们的主耶稣所原谅，并且成为祂的使者，使那贫穷、有罪的人能承受与公义的主同在。
作者谈到了欢呼（第15节）。身为上帝的子民，我们应当为祂的胜利而感到喜乐。我们应当在祂脸上的光里行走。上帝的子民知道喜乐的声音—福音是喜乐的声音。这里的假设是我们对“喜乐的声音”是有聪慧的。基督说：“我的羊听我的声音，他们也跟着我”（约翰福音10:27）； “羊不跟着陌生人，因为他们不认得他的声音。” （约翰福音10：5）。
世界上每个人都努力地在快乐。人们努力地创造他们自己的快乐。我们如何变得快乐？我们通过自己所获得的东西或成就来寻求快乐。我们常认为如果我们有某些事物我们就会很快乐。有些人相信通过实现某些目标，他们就会快乐。但是，真正的快乐并不是那样获得的。即使我们得到我们想要的或达到我们的目标我们也会感到空虚，没有真正的满足感。很多人，尤其是所谓的名人都发现站在世界之巅并不能带来真正的快乐和满足。
因祢的公义，我们得以高举（16节）。第一个亚当犯罪了，摆在我们面前的是永远与我们的造物主隔绝；但是在基督里，这第二个亚当，我们再次被高举。因为我们“和祂一同坐在天上”（弗2：6）。因为祂是我们力量的荣耀（17节）。在主里，我们有公义和能力。主所刚强的人，不敢荣耀自己，我们必须将一切荣耀单单归于主。除祂以外，我们没有能力也没有美善。
每个人都在寻找喜乐。但是福音给了我们不同的信息。我们在接受耶稣基督赐给我们的救恩中得到喜乐。我们在拒绝自己自私的梦想而信任救赎我们的耶稣基督中找到喜乐。生命来自于我们灵里老我的死去。喜乐来自于当我们把我们生命的主权全然交托给耶稣基督；喜乐来自于当耶稣基督赦免我们一切的罪过。我们欢喜，并不是因为我们所做的或所成就的，而是因为耶稣基督为了我们的罪，死在十字架上，担当了我们一切的惩罚。祂来乃是为要我们的罪得到宽恕。“因为上帝爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的人不至灭亡，反得永生”（约翰福音3：16）。
祷告
父啊，感谢祢通过祢的爱子我们的主给予我们救赎。我们祈祷那些仍未接受祢的儿子作为他们的个人救主的，能被感动认罪而来接受祢爱子的救恩。 带他们进入祢的国度。求主使公义与美善能在这世界掌权。我们奉耶稣的名祈祷。阿们。