Thursday 1st July 2021
Title: “They were amazed…”
Ps Mark Tan

Mark 6:1-6

This short passage highlights three parties who were “amazed”. The first were those in the synagogue who were “amazed” at Jesus’ teachings. They were not only amazed at how well and clear Jesus taught. They were also astonished that Jesus was teaching on His own authority and claimed to be the anointed One who would bring God’s Jubilee. They were so “amazed”, they took offense at Jesus’ words and wanted to stone him. For further study, read Luke 4:14-30.

What caused the people’s unbelief? The hint can be found in the rhetorical questions the crowd asked in verse 3. The people could not look beyond Jesus’ flesh and humility as a carpenter’s son and truly see that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and gained honour from God as well as men (Luke 2:52). The people had a bias to expect God’s Messiah as a great political power that would deliver them from the Romans. Their lack of trust in God, mixed with their earthly desires for a “superhero” they could control, prevented them from seeing the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

The second is Jesus Himself, who was “amazed” at their lack of faith. He was not amazed as if he was surprised and didn’t know of their lack of faith. Rather, He marvelled at the fact that even though the people of Israel experience God’s goodness first-hand, they did not believe in Him. Israel was delivered by God Himself from Egypt, from slavery, from starving, and even from enemy countries. Until today, Israel stands as a testimony of God’s goodness as well as Israel’s lack of belief in the promised Messiah found in Jesus of Nazareth.

The third group, though not explicitly described as “amazed”, were those who marvelled at Jesus’ ability and sought for Him to heal them. This group of people may seem small at first, but you will find them throughout the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, either in the crowds of thousands being fed by Jesus, or even in the ones who were hated by society for their sin, like the tax collector, the soldier and the Samaritan woman. Their marvel was not dampened by Jesus’ appearance. Rather, their marvel was amplified seeing that Jesus did not only heal them, but He saved them from their eternal damnation, by proclaiming many a time, “Your sins are forgiven”.

While fighting to beat the pandemic, we might get disappointed with the state of our lives today. Let us not forget, while waiting for this pandemic to end, that God has already ended the greater plague which has taken so many more: the plague of sin and eternal death. He did this through the Suffering Servant, who is now our Loving Saviour, Jesus.

So what shall we do? How shall we marvel at our Saviour today? Simple: Help those in need, pray without ceasing and proclaim the Gospel without hesitation. When we do this, we will be able to be amazed again at what a Wonderful Saviour we have in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
How Marvellous! How Wonderful
And my song shall ever be
How Marvellous! How Wonderful
Is my Saviour’s love for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8ZCAc9xQ8

每日灵粮
2021年7月1日，星期四

题目：“ 他们何等希奇 ”
作者： 陈燕靖传道
翻译： 黄姐妹
经文： 马可福音6章1- 6节

这段简短的章节突显了三个“希奇”的群体。首先是会堂里那些对耶稣的教导感到“希奇”的人。他们不仅希奇于耶稣的教导得如此的好并且清楚。他们也很惊讶耶稣是凭着自己的权威教导，并声称自己是带来上帝禧年的受膏者。他们非常“希奇”，对耶稣的话很生气，想用石头打他。请阅读路加福音 4：14-30。

是什么引起了人们的不信？可以从第 3 节人群提出的反问问题中看出端倪。 人们无法想象作为木匠儿子的耶稣,真正看到耶稣的智慧和身量增长，为人所体现的智慧与谦卑，并获得上帝和人类的尊重（路加福音 2:52）。
人们有一种偏见，期望上帝的弥赛亚是一个有伟大政治力量并可以将他们从罗马人手中拯救出来的。他们缺乏对上帝的信任，再加上他们世俗的想象他们可以控制这位“超级英雄”，以致他们无法看到上帝的羔羊，是可以还清世界的罪债。

第二个是耶稣本人，他对此刻的他们缺乏信心感到“希奇”。他并不惊讶他们缺乏信心。相反，他对这样一个事实感到惊叹：尽管以色列人亲身体验了上帝的良善，但他们并不相信他。上帝亲自将以色列从埃及、奴隶制、饥饿甚至敌国中拯救出来。直到今天，以色列仍是上帝良善的见证，也是以色列不相信在拿撒勒人耶稣身上所应许的弥赛亚的见证

第三组人虽然没有明确描述为“希奇”，但他们惊叹耶稣的能力并寻求为要得医治。这群人一开始可能看起来很微不足道，但无论是在成千上万被耶稣喂养的人群中，还是在那些因犯罪而被社会憎恨的人群中，你会在福音书和使徒行传中找到他们，比如税吏、士兵和撒玛利亚妇人。他们的奇迹并没有因耶稣的出现而减弱。相反，他们的奇迹被放大了，因为耶稣不仅医治了他们，而且通过多次宣布“你的罪赦了”，将他们从永恒的诅咒中拯救出来。

在为着战胜流感疫情而奋斗的同时，我们可能会对今天的生活状态感到失望。在等待这场流感疫情结束的同时，让我们不要忘记，主已经结束了比这场更大的灾难，它带走了更多人的性命：那就是罪恶和永死的灾难。耶稣甘愿降卑，取了奴仆的样式 … 祂除了降卑 为人、为奴之外，祂更愿走上死亡的道路而成就这一切。祂如今是我们慈爱的救主耶稣。

那我们该怎么做？今天我们要如何效法我们的救主？很简单：帮助有需要的人，不停地祈祷，毫不犹豫地宣讲天国的福音。当我们这样做时，我们将能够再次惊叹我们在基督耶稣里有一位何等奇妙的救主。

祷告：
何等希奇 何等奇妙 我要歌唱到永远
何等希奇 何等奇妙 我竟蒙救主爱怜…

https://youtu.be/3aE2Uk4dDmo