Wednesday, November 13, 2013

WEEK 22 - New Standard: New Being, New Doing, New Standard 新人新事新作風 (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)



Today's Reading: Matthew 7:1-6

**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.


Please click this link to Matthew 7:1-6


Bible Study
     
     This passage is about a new standard of our everyday living. Before we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we should be one of those people who like to judge other people. We like to play God's role to judge and we are being judged in the same way by the others. I have seen too many broken relationships in families, churches, communities and every where. Very sad!

     When we become a new being, we are becoming more and more like those people whom Jesus described in the Beatitudes and we start to do those three standard obligations God commanded the Jews to do namely giving, praying and fasting.  Everything comes so naturally when we repent and return to God's Kingdom and be willing to allow Jesus to lord our lives. 

     Then, new standard will come also naturally. We won't play God's role to judge other people. We won't put our own standard, our own measurement to look down upon others thinking that we've got the best solution.

     Verse 6 is not easy to understand. Dogs and pigs were how the Jews described the gentiles. 

     Bishop N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):
     Jesus seems to be warning his followers not to try to explain the meaning and life of the kingdom to people who won't even understand the Jewish world within which it makes sense...
     The early mission of the gospel is to Jews only.  After the crucifixion and resurrection, of course, everything is different; the gospel must then go out to embrace the world.  For the moment, the disciples are to treasure the gospel like priests in the Temple guarding their holy things.

             N.T. Wright. Matthew for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster         John Knox Press, 2004, p.70-71.

     So, our new standard should be:
1. Don't play God's role to judge other people
2. You need to know your role. Don't do things not in your role and not in God's time.     
    
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"



Spiritual Journal

     The topic I received from Jesus today is : 
     New standard: New being, new doing, new standard

      Yesterday I had a big "catch". Suddenly my eyes were opened to see a simple, focus, deep and practical side on the Sermon on the Mount. You know when I got to sleep last night I was smiling.  Really, smiling!

     I find out that there are three parts in the Sermon on the Mount:
1. New Being: Chapter 5
    Start with our repentance we become a new being in Christ that we live out more and more a life as described by Jesus in the Beatitudes. The whole chapter is about what does it look likes to live out the Beatitudes when we become the new being.

2. New Doing: Chapter 6
    When we become the new being then we start a new doing. Jesus emphasis on the three standard obligations of the Jews, namely giving, praying and fasting. The whole chapter is talking about this new doing and the new being and doing leads us not to live in worries. The more we become this new being, more Christlike, the more we will give(including tithing, more offering than tithing, and giving more money and time to other people), the more we will pray(including a better and better daily devotion, going to pray meetings and having a more and more intimate personal relationship with Jesus) and the more we will fast.

3. New standard: Chapter 7
    A new being, new doing will lead us to have a new standard in everything. Start with not taking the role of God to judge. I have seen too many Christians who like to judge. We want everybody to follow our way and our way only without knowing that we are playing God's role.

    So, do you think you can live out this new being, new doing and new standard if you claim yourself to be a disciple of Jesus?


Dear Lord Jesus,
      Lead us to live out this new being, new doing and new standard so that other see you in us.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.  
Questions for group discussion

New Standard: New Being, New Doing, New Standard
新的標準: 新人新事新作風

Passage: Matthew 7:1-6

Questions for group leaders
1. Read Matthew 7:1-6 again now. Do you like to judge others before you become a Christian? How about now?

2. “We play God’s role when we like to judge other people”. What do you think about this message?

3. What kind of new standard comes into your life, your lifestyle when you become a Christian? How about that three doings: giving, praying and fasting?

4. How do you agree with the following message?
    “We need to become a new being, have our new doings and be transformed to a new standard”

5. What is your highlight in today’s session?


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