Bible Passage:  Luke 6:20-49; 12:22-31, 57-59; 16:17

Where is the kingdom of heaven?

Since we are talking about the characteristics of this kingdom, this question seems reasonable.

Happily, Jesus has answered it in two places that I can think of.

Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. (Matt 6:10)

“…For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk 17:21)

While the kingdom of God is the place that we are all striving to enter after our physical lives end, an eternal, glorious and spiritual realm, it is rather clear that the kingdom of God is also the people of God.

When the people of God do the will of God, His kingdom is established in the hearts of man. Naturally, these people have the kingdom of God within them and they will also be within the kingdom of God.

Hence, Jesus teaches us to pray in the way mentioned earlier. It is not just to tell God to do what He wants to others but more importantly to remind ourselves to be the ones to do His will so that wherever we are on earth will be a glimpse of heaven because we bring with us the presence of God.

This is why when Jesus talked about the kingdom of God, He did not talk about streets of gold or precious stones but instead described the hearts and deeds of the citizens of this kingdom.

Our reading for today spans across several chapters so I shall condense here, the deeds and hearts of this ‘kingdom’.

Attitude:

• The ‘be-attitudes’ as mentioned by InHisTime previously.

Deeds:

• Is not judgmental
• Gives and forgives
• Bears good fruit
• Builds a strong foundation by doing what the Lord says
• Seeks the spiritual before the material

Heart:

• Loving towards enemies
• Merciful
• Full of good treasure

As you wake up each day and proceed with your business in this world, remember that you are an eternal kingdom in a temporal realm for…

Just a short one today… but I felt a much needed reminder…

Bible Passage:  Matthew 7

The passage that caught my eye today was this:

⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

~ Matthew 7:7-8

Now this is a most familiar passage to us.  But what does it tell me about the kingdom of God?

Have you taken note of the prayer list recently?  I am not sure about you but I think I counted around 10 names that are read in TK every service.  And there are other names that are not read but are flashed on the wall.

So many names.

So many sicknesses.

So many people who need our prayers.

Some of these people are close to us.  Some are just names.

How do we pray for them?  Do we even remember them in our prayers outside of service times?

Very often, I will admit, I will forget the names of those who require my prayers.

I do nothing.

When I see their names or receive an email or SMS to pray for a certain person, I commit in my heart to pray for them.  But then, very often, I may remember it initially and then very often forget about it.  And then I am reminded again and the whole cycle starts again.

Reading the key verses above reminded me that as members of this Kingdom of Heaven, we need to strive to be the type of people that when we say we’re going to pray for someone or a situation, we really do.

We need to believe that by asking, knocking and seeking… God will be found and will answer our prayers.  Especially when we pray for those who are in great need.

Paul urged Timothy…

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,”

~ 1 Tim 2:1 (ESV)

And when we do not know how to pray and what to pray for those who are in need, we have this promise of the Holy Spirit…

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

~ Rom 8:26 (ESV)

Now, I know I am not Paul or am in anyway comparable to him, but I would like to use his words as a request for myself and also a call for unity in prayers…

“I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,”

~ Rom 15:30

The Kingdom of God should consists of brothers and sisters praying for one another in the love of Jesus…. so that whatever we ask in His name, He will do it (John 14:14) according to His marvellous will and grace.

May the Lord have mercy on us.

不要聚焦自己，因它时时改变。聚焦神，祂爱你且永不改变

听主耶稣的证道好比享用一顿丰盛大餐。

这美味佳肴包括一些容易吞咽的食，有些则需要我们用力咀嚼才咽下。

无论这些食物容易是否食用，我们必须带着喜悦的心去吃，最重要的是把它们消化吸收，即行道也。

经节: 马太福音 6

今天的证道可分为以下几个点：
1。行善以得神的喜悦(1 – 4)
2。模范的祷告 (5 – 15)
3。只要神看见的禁食(16 – 18)
4。积攒财宝在天 (19 – 21)
5。心里的灯 (22 – 23)
6。不能同时事奉神和财富 (24)
7。不要忧虑 (25 – 34)

由于版位的限制，我不能分享所有对于耶稣在这章里所讲的道理的感想，所以希望大家能分享自己的感想，让彼此受益，当然，让我们追求能消化神的道，进而行道。

前三点共同强调了无论行善、祷告或禁食，都只要神看见，而不是让别人看见。 (cf. v4, 6, 18)

我们务必行善。若有能力行善，我们不去行，这就是罪了（参.雅 4:17)， 但行善时，我们要谨慎自己的动机。

是的，如果我们夸口自己的善行，我们或许会得到人的称赞，让我们想一想，我们所寻求的是这种荣耀吗？ 我们行善是否为了赢得别人的掌声呢？

或许我们能以祷告生活来测量自己的灵程。但是我们不能常常祷告来夸耀自己，或者假装常常祷告来得到别人的赞美。

禁食也可以测量我们的灵程。我听过一些年长的信徒常常为教会禁食祷告，我之所以知道这件事不是他们自己夸耀的，而是通过别人偶然的知道了他们对教会发展的投入。

这种禁食的态度与精神是神所喜悦的，因为这种祷告只要神看见，不是为了人。

因此行善、祷告和禁食，我们是要寻求神的而不喜悦是人的掌声。

实在的，人的奖赏是毫无意义和用处的。因为人的奖赏不能长久，但，神的赏赐是永恒的，再加上基督来时，我们相聚在一个地方。

我 们 却 是 天 上 的 国 民 ， 并 且 等 候 救 主 ， 就 是 主 耶 稣 基 督 从 天 上 降 临 。

腓 3:20

这与‘积攒财宝在天’是息息相关的。

有些時候，我們会因着行善、常常祷告，定时禁食而得到人的贊美，但我们不可因得到这些“地上的财宝”而变得骄傲，反而我们要明白是神一直都在看顾我们，祂的圣眼垂看所有的事。

因此我们务必寻求神的喜悦。神的喜悦确实是我们积攒在天上的财宝。

这章里其余的证道可归纳于我们要时常觉悟神时刻垂看我们，不是要挑我们的毛病，而是要引导我们的日常生活，和随时随地回应我们的祈求，加添力量来坚固我们。

我们当尽的本份是努力追求圣洁，让神的道的光充满我们的心，使我们与世界交结能时时谨慎自己的脚步。

事奉神而不是玛门，不要被世上忧虑掩没，要专注天上的事和把一切交托神的手中。

希望听到大家对主的证道的分享。

平安。

不要聚焦自己，因它时时改变。聚焦神，祂爱你且永不改变

听主耶稣的证道好比享用一顿丰盛大餐。

这美味佳肴包括一些容易吞咽的食，有些则需要我们用力咀嚼才咽下。

无论这些食物容易是否食用，我们必须带着喜悦的心去吃，最重要的是把它们消化吸收，即行道也。

经节: 马太福音 6
今天的证道可分为以下几个点：
1。行善以得神的喜悦(1 – 4)
2。模范的祷告 (5 – 15)
3。只要神看见的禁食(16 – 18)
4。积攒财宝在天 (19 – 21)
5。心里的灯 (22 – 23)
6。不能同时事奉神和财富 (24)
7。不要忧虑 (25 – 34)
由于版位的限制，我不能分享所有对于耶稣在这章里所讲的道理的感想，所以希望大家能分享自己的感想，让彼此受益，当然，让我们追求能消化神的道，进而行道。 

前三点共同强调了无论行善、祷告或禁食，都只要神看见，而不是让别人看见。 (cf. v4, 6, 18)

我们务必行善。若有能力行善，我们不去行，这就是罪了（参.雅 4:17)， 但行善时，我们要谨慎自己的动机。

是的，如果我们夸口自己的善行，我们或许会得到人的称赞，让我们想一想，我们所寻求的是这种荣耀吗？ 我们行善是否为了赢得别人的掌声呢？

或许我们能以祷告生活来测量自己的灵程。但是我们不能常常祷告来夸耀自己，或者假装常常祷告来得到别人的赞美。

禁食也可以测量我们的灵程。我听过一些年长的信徒常常为教会禁食祷告，我之所以知道这件事不是他们自己夸耀的，而是通过别人偶然的知道了他们对教会发展的投入。

这种禁食的态度与精神是神所喜悦的，因为这种祷告只要神看见，不是为了人。

 因此行善、祷告和禁食，我们是要寻求神的而不喜悦是人的掌声。

实在的，人的奖赏是毫无意义和用处的。因为人的奖赏不能长久，但，神的赏赐是永恒的，再加上基督来时，我们相聚在一个地方。

我 们 却 是 天 上 的 国 民 ， 并 且 等 候 救 主 ， 就 是 主 耶 稣 基 督 从 天 上 降 临 。

腓 3:20

这与‘积攒财宝在天’是息息相关的。

有些時候，我們会因着行善、常常祷告，定时禁食而得到人的贊美，但我们不可因得到这些“地上的财宝”而变得骄傲，反而我们要明白是神一直都在看顾我们，祂的圣眼垂看所有的事。

因此我们务必寻求神的喜悦。神的喜悦确实是我们积攒在天上的财宝。

这章里其余的证道可归纳于我们要时常觉悟神时刻垂看我们，不是要挑我们的毛病，而是要引导我们的日常生活，和随时随地回应我们的祈求，加添力量来坚固我们。

我们当尽的本份是努力追求圣洁，让神的道的光充满我们的心，使我们与世界交结能时时谨慎自己的脚步。

事奉神而不是玛门，不要被世上忧虑掩没，要专注天上的事和把一切交托神的手中。

希望听到大家对主的证道的分享。

平安。

Listening to the sermon spoken by our Lord Jesus is like feasting on a sumptuous meal.

In this sumptuous meal, there are dishes that are easy to swallow, but there are also some dishes that require us to chew very hard before we can swallow.

But no matter how difficult these dishes may be, we must eat them with gladness of heart and most importantly is to be able to digest them, ie. to do them.

Bible Passage: Matthew 6

The sermon that we are listening today consist of the following headings:

1. Do good to please God (1 – 4)
2. The model prayer (5 – 15)
3. Fasting to be seen only by God (16 – 18)
4. Lay up treasures in heaven (19 – 21)
5. The lamp of the body (22 – 23)
6. One cannot serve God and mammon (24)
7. Do not worry (25 – 34)

I won’t be able to share my thoughts on all that Jesus had spoken in this chapter, so I hope you can also share yours so that all of us can be edified, and of course, let us all pursue to digest His Words so that we can DO them.

The first 3 headings in this sermon have a similar emphasis, and that is in doing good, saying prayers, and fasting must be done only to be seen by God and not others. (cf. v4, 6, 18)

It is necessary for us to do good, for if we refrain from doing good while we have the ability, it is a sin (ref. James 4:17), but while we do good, we have to be watchful of our intention.

Yes, we may gain the praises (reward) from man if we boast of our good works, but think again, is this kind of reward we are looking for? Do we do good for the sake of being rewarded by applause from man?

Our level of spirituality may be measured by our life of prayer. Then again, we must not boast of how prayerful we may be, or sometimes we may pretend to be very prayerful just to gain praises from man.

Fasting is another thing that may show the level of our spirituality. I have heard of some elderly members who have been fasting and praying regularly for the church, but this came to my knowledge not because they have boasted, but it was by chance that others came to know about their commitment in fasting for the growth of the church.

This is the kind of attitude and spirit in fasting that the Lord is pleased with, because this kind is only for the eyes of God and not for man.

Therefore, in the matters of doing good, in prayers and fasting, we must seek to gain the approval of God and not the applause from man.

It is truly meaningless and useless to gain rewards from man, because man’s reward can never last, but the rewards from God can last through eternity, and there is the place where we will be in the future when Christ comes again.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 3:20

This ties in with the next heading, ‘Lay up treasures in heaven’.

Sometimes it is inevitable that we receive praises from man for our good deeds, prayerfulness, and constant fasting, but we must not be puffed up by all these “earthly treasures”, instead, realize for a fact that God is always watching over us, He sees all things that are going on.

So we MUST seek to please Him, and His pleasure is indeed the precious treasures that we can lay up in heaven.

The rest of the sermon boils down to the constant realization that God is always watching us, not to pick out our faults, but to guide us in our daily dealings, strengthening us whenever we reach out to Him.

On our part, we have to be diligent in our pursuit after holiness, allow the light of the Word of God to fill our hearts, so that can be watchful over our footsteps in our daily dealings with the world.

Serve our Master and not mammon, and not to be overwhelmed by our worldly cares, but be focused on the things above and to entrust everything in the hands of our Father.

Hope to hear your thoughts regarding this sermon of our Lord.

Shalom.

经节 ：马太福音 5

我们的主耶稣在此告诉我们8个蒙福的人所拥有的特征。

以上的特征所述与世界有何不同!

路加福音 16 ：15

耶 稣 对 他 们 说 ： 你 们 是 在 人 面 前 自 称 为 义 的 ， 你 们 的 心 ， 神 却 知 道 ； 因 为 人 所 尊 贵 的 ， 是 神 看 为 可 憎 恶 的 。 

我们所仰慕的福气是来自于我们的主，或是来自于这世界？

Bible Passage: Matthew 5

Our Lord Jesus here tells us the 8 characters of blessed people.

How different are these characteristics from those of the world!

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

<Luke 16:15>

Do we yearn for blessings from our Lord, or blessings of this world?

欢迎来到耶稣的第一次讲道。

静下来……准备你的心……耶稣要开始说话了。

经节:  路 4:16-30

路加将耶稣在家乡拿撒勒的所说的话当做是耶稣传福音的首次讲道。

耶稣大量引述以赛亚书，因而造成了不小的骚动。所有的以色列人相信，这段话不仅宣告了弥赛亚的来到，也报告了神悦纳人的禧年。

当弥赛亚来到，每个人会有一个全新的开始 – 贫穷的，被掳的，瞎眼的，受压制的。

然而，当耶稣说到外邦人会得到神的祝福之时，却挑起了众怒。他传福音的使命始于被迫害！

从今天的道理中，你看到了什么？

这似乎很不可思议，不是吗？

我们如何听呢？

当耶稣第一次读以赛亚书，众人都定睛看他，都称赞他。他们稀奇他口中所出的恩言……（20-22节）。

耶稣继续说了些他们不喜欢听到的话（23-27节）。

他们对耶稣的惊奇立即转变成愤怒和仇恨！ （28-30节）。

这都只是在短时间内所发生的。

这让我思考了我自己在听讲道时的态度。

当有新的讲道人员来到，我会很喜欢去听道理。我会因为道理的深度和讲道者所传讲神的话语的权柄而惊叹。我会想要去听更多的道理。

然而，当讲道者所说的讯息不再吸引我……更糟的是… …当道理讲到我的心坎上，而且是我所不喜欢听到的……我会和那些以色列人有一样的反应吗？

难道我们对真理的不满使我们被仇恨和愤怒所蒙蔽，因而看不见它美好的信息，而是将它掩盖?

耶稣基督的救恩要赐给穷人和那些需要的人。

然而，那些自满的，顺利的… …那些认为他们什么都懂，一定会走到最后的-­往往只是活在不实的安全感中。

当耶稣再来时，他将更新所有的事物 – 这包括了我们生活的各方面 – 自然，社会，精神，情感 – 无论我们喜欢还是不喜欢。

问题是… …我们该如何倾听和回应耶稣的讲道？

耶稣的讲道

耶稣引用以赛亚书勾勒出他讲道的重点。每一点都值得我们去思考……我们有去宣扬救恩的福音，就像耶稣来到世上所做的，并希望我们做的吗?

• 传福音给贫穷的人。这并不只意味着那些在经济上贫困的人。这也意味着那些在属灵上面缺乏的人（留待明天分享）… …。那些迫切需要弥补生命空虚的人。

我们应该怎么做呢？ – 告诉他们耶稣的故事。藉由活出耶稣的道来向他们表明耶稣是谁。

• 宣扬被虏的必得释放。全世界人民都在恶者的掌控之下。无法逃脱……，除非他们有耶稣！

我们应该怎么做呢？ – 告诉他们只要耶稣站在我们这一边 –我们必能脱离罪的束缚。

• 瞎眼的得看见。世上的人如果不是因着自大，就是为世上的财富，诱惑和私欲所蒙蔽而看不见耶稣。

我们应该怎么做呢？- 帮助他们对神的无知。为了做到这一点 – 我们要做的就是……开始告诉他们耶稣……开始让他们认识耶稣……

• 叫那受压制的得自由。世上的人都被罪所捆绑而难以挣脱。

我们应该怎么做呢？- 将人们带到耶稣面前来，让他们也可以从罪中得释放。这单凭我们自己的能力做不到而必须有神的同在。

• 宣告神的禧年。这是什么意思？当我们宣告一个禧年 – 我们是在大声宣扬一个永恒的，真实的……在神里头的盼望。

我们应该怎么做呢？- 唯有当我们自己全心的相信我们所传讲的，我们才能向那些灵命已死的人带来盼望。所以祈求神让我们能完全的相信和信靠祂。然后去传讲。

这是耶稣第一次讲道。你学到了什么？何不与我们分享？

Welcome to the first sermon of Jesus.

Settle down… quieten and prepare your hearts…. Jesus is about to speak.

Bible Passage:  Luke 4:16-30

Luke placed Jesus’ sermon in His hometown of Nazareth as the inaugural message for His ministry.

Jesus quoted extensively from Isaiah and this choice created quite a stir.  All Israel believed that this passage not only to be the text that would announce the Messiah’s coming, but also the one that instituted the Year of Jubilee (“the acceptable year of the Lord”).

When the Messiah came, everyone was to get a new beginning – the poor, the oppressed, the blind, and the indebted.

However, when Jesus cited outsiders as the recipients of God’s blessing, He provoked rage.  His ministry began with people trying to kill Him!

What do you see in today’s sermon?

It seems quite incredible doesn’t it?

How Do We Listen?

When Jesus first first finished reading from Isaiah, everyone’s eyes were on Him.  They all spoke well of Him.  They were amazed at the gracious words that came from Him… (verses 20-22).

Then Jesus said something that they did not like to hear (verses 23-27).

Their amazement and wonder of Jesus was instantly turned to fury and hatred! (verses 28-30).

All this in a matter of a few moments.

Makes me consider my attitude when I am listening to sermons today.

When there is a new sermon speaker in town, I would love to hear the words spoken.  I would wonder at the depth of knowledge and the authority that the speaker has with the Word of God.  I would be willing to listen to more and more of the sermons.

But when the message that the speaker speaks no longer appeals… worse still… when the message hits to close to heart and is something I do not like to hear… do I become like the Israelites and react in a similar way?

Does our unhappiness of the truth blind us so much with hatred and anger that we cannot see the good news for what it is… and seek to bury it instead?

The good news of salvation of Jesus is ideally suited to the poor and those who know their need.

But the self sufficient, well to do ones… the ones who think they know it all and are secure through it all – they often live with a false sense of security an control.

But when Jesus comes, He makes all things new – and this pertains to every aspect of our lives – physical, social, spiritual, emotional – whether we like it or not.

The question is … how do we listen and respond to the sermons of Jesus?

The Ministry of Jesus

Jesus quoted from the book of Isaiah to outline the focus of His ministry.  Each point is worthy for us to consider … are we also proclaiming the good news of Salvation that Jesus came to do… and wants us to do.

1.  Preach the Gospel to the poor.  This does not mean to only those who are financially poor.  This also means to those who are poor in spirit (will leave this for tomorrow’s sharing)…. those who have a deep hunger to fill the void in their lives.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?  -  Tell them the story of Jesus.  Show them who Jesus is by living the words of Jesus.

2. Proclaim release to the captives.  The people of the world are all in the clutches of the evil one.  There is no escape… unless they have Jesus!

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?  - Teach them that with Jesus on our side – sin’s bondage is over.

3.  Recovery of the sight to the blind.  The people of the world are either to proud to want to see Jesus, or their eyes are blinded by the riches of the world, the temptations and lusts of this world and the veil of ignorance that is across their faces.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?  - Help remove their ignorance of God.  And in order to do it – all we have to do is to start… Start telling them about Jesus… start teaching them about Jesus…

4.  Set free those who are oppressed.  Again, the people of the world are ensnared by sin.  It is just so difficult to get out of the rut.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?  - Bring people to Jesus so that they too can be released from sin.  We can’t do it by ourselves.  We do it together with God behind us.

5.  Proclaim the year of the Lord.  What does this mean?  When we proclaim a Jubilee year – we are shouting loudly about something that is long lasting and true… something that inspires hope in the Lord God.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO? – The only way we can inspire hope in those who are spiritually dead is if we ourselves believe strongly in what we are telling.  So pray that you believe and trust in Him totally. Then go and share.

This is the first sermon of Jesus.  What lessons did you get?  Why not share with us?

What’s this?  Sermons again????

I have heard enough sermons every week already!  Why should I spend more time with sermons?

Hold on!  These are no ordinary sermons that you hear every time you come to church.  Sorry Preachers… These Sermons are spoken by the Master Speaker – the Lord Jesus Himself!

Why is it so special that we want to spend a month with them?

You know, even if Jesus never performed a single miracle, He would still be considered as one of the greatest moral philosophers who ever lived.  His teachings are the epitome of true philosophers – where His teachings are not only to be contemplated upon but also to be acted upon.

Remember what Jesus said?

“He who hears my words and does not do them is like a foolish man who builds his house on the sand.”

So what did Jesus teach?

That’s what we are going to find out this month.

So pick up that bible…  grab a highlighter… and start reading famous statements such as “turn the other cheek” (Matt 5:39), “love your enemies” (Mat 5:44), “go the extra mile” (Matt 5:41) and the rule that I always try to live by but often fail… the so called Golden Rule = “Do to others what you want them to do to you” (Luke 6:31).

There are many more of such teachings that we can find in the sermons of Jesus.

So as you and I read through them this month…

Download the words of Jesus into your heart so that you can draw you closer to Him day by day.