My Sunday Scripture 2010.6.27
Gospel
59 Another to whom he said, 'Follow me,' replied, 'Let me go and bury my father first.'
60 But he answered, 'Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.'
(Luke 9:51-62)
Reading 2,
1 Christ set us free, so that we should remain free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be fastened again to the yoke of slavery.
13 After all, brothers, you were called to be free; do not use your freedom as an opening for self-indulgence, but be servants to one another in love,
(Galatians 5:1, 13-18)
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My Reading Notes:
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The idea of freedom by Paul is very much the same as Zhuang-zi.
Once you are free, you will not be slave again. You will be free to do what you wanted to do, without any resistancy of the earthy world. Let the dead bury the dead, said Jesus. Once we could turn away from the earthy world, we are free.
2010年6月26日 星期六
2010年6月19日 星期六
Is the Bible against common sense?
My Sunday Scripture 2010.6.20
Then, speaking to all, he said, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.
Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, will save it.
(Luke 9:18-24)
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My Reading Notes:
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This is a line few would dare to think deeply into it. It seems, it is against the common sense of us all. Who would like to have a bitter life like Jesus? Who would like to be nailed into the cross? Who would like to pick up the cross?
Who would not like to choose an easy life? to enjoy good food, good clothes, and every kind of material satisfaction?
What is the meaning of losing ones life? who would choose to lose it, but not to save it?
May be this is the most most important secret about life itself.
Those who choose to enjoy the material, will lose it. Those who choose to work out all his effort with blood and tear, will save it. Life is something for us to fight for, not to waste for.
The question is WHY. Where does the important motive come from? Why would I do thing this way? but not that way?
This is the biggest secret of life. Every one can choose, and every one can see into the secret in a split second, and understood, or leave it there, and go into the mess of the fussy world, like a fly fly into the dunghill.
Then, speaking to all, he said, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.
Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, will save it.
(Luke 9:18-24)
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My Reading Notes:
---------------------
This is a line few would dare to think deeply into it. It seems, it is against the common sense of us all. Who would like to have a bitter life like Jesus? Who would like to be nailed into the cross? Who would like to pick up the cross?
Who would not like to choose an easy life? to enjoy good food, good clothes, and every kind of material satisfaction?
What is the meaning of losing ones life? who would choose to lose it, but not to save it?
May be this is the most most important secret about life itself.
Those who choose to enjoy the material, will lose it. Those who choose to work out all his effort with blood and tear, will save it. Life is something for us to fight for, not to waste for.
The question is WHY. Where does the important motive come from? Why would I do thing this way? but not that way?
This is the biggest secret of life. Every one can choose, and every one can see into the secret in a split second, and understood, or leave it there, and go into the mess of the fussy world, like a fly fly into the dunghill.
2010年6月12日 星期六
Nothing is important now
My Sunday Scripture 2010.6.13.
A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner." Jesus said to him in reply, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?" Simon said in reply, "The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven." He said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The others at table said to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
(Luke 7:36-50.8:1-3.)
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My Reading Notes:
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She must be in great agony before she came to Jesus. Where did her tears came from? Where did her pain came from? How she longed to release all this pain?
When she was kneeling before Jesus the one who could save her, how sad she was and how deeply in mood she was. When she found her tears has dropped onto Jesus foot, she wipe it and she cleaned Jesus's foot with her hair.
In such a moment, nothing is important. She just expressed herself. And She was saved.
A Pharisee invited him to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner." Jesus said to him in reply, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Tell me, teacher," he said. Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty. Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?" Simon said in reply, "The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven." He said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The others at table said to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Afterward he journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
(Luke 7:36-50.8:1-3.)
--------------------
My Reading Notes:
--------------------
She must be in great agony before she came to Jesus. Where did her tears came from? Where did her pain came from? How she longed to release all this pain?
When she was kneeling before Jesus the one who could save her, how sad she was and how deeply in mood she was. When she found her tears has dropped onto Jesus foot, she wipe it and she cleaned Jesus's foot with her hair.
In such a moment, nothing is important. She just expressed herself. And She was saved.
2010年6月5日 星期六
How do the Creator feed us
My Sunday Scripture 2010.6.6.
But the crowds got to know and they went after him. He made them welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.
It was late afternoon when the Twelve came up to him and said, 'Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.'
He replied, 'Give them something to eat yourselves.' But they said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people.'
For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, 'Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.'
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd.
They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps left over were collected they filled twelve baskets.
Luke 9:11b-17
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My Reading Notes:
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The question is how do the Creator of the Universe feed us.
Jesus had asked Peter at the last moment. He asked him does he love him.
He said he does. And he said, you feed my lamp. And he said, you tend my sheep. And he said, you feed my sheep. If Peter is to love God, he has now got a mission. That mission is to feed the people.
The question is how. How can he feed all other sheep on the planet earth?
Yes he can.
All the other creatures on earth are fed properly. Why not us people?
Its because God has leave us the "choice". Its that he had given us wisdom.
To feed all the people, Peter must deliver this wisdom to the people on earth.
And this wisdom, is the Gospel.
But the crowds got to know and they went after him. He made them welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing.
It was late afternoon when the Twelve came up to him and said, 'Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here.'
He replied, 'Give them something to eat yourselves.' But they said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go ourselves and buy food for all these people.'
For there were about five thousand men. But he said to his disciples, 'Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty.'
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd.
They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps left over were collected they filled twelve baskets.
Luke 9:11b-17
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My Reading Notes:
---------------------
The question is how do the Creator of the Universe feed us.
Jesus had asked Peter at the last moment. He asked him does he love him.
He said he does. And he said, you feed my lamp. And he said, you tend my sheep. And he said, you feed my sheep. If Peter is to love God, he has now got a mission. That mission is to feed the people.
The question is how. How can he feed all other sheep on the planet earth?
Yes he can.
All the other creatures on earth are fed properly. Why not us people?
Its because God has leave us the "choice". Its that he had given us wisdom.
To feed all the people, Peter must deliver this wisdom to the people on earth.
And this wisdom, is the Gospel.
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