God is light; in him there is no darkness at all

1 John 1:5-10
God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
Walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess ours sins,  he is faithful and just and will forgive us out sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
What is the message? First, that 'God is light'. This is the light that generates life and dispels darkness. Anyone who claims 'fellowship' or communion with God yet lives 'in the dark' is telling a lie. But to say we ever sin is equally false. If we live in the light we will recognize and confess ou sins. God can be relied on to keep his promise of forgiveness and cleansing.
Why?
Because everyone is sinner, original sin when we are born. so confess our sin will be forgiven, if we claim to be without sin, it is deceive ourselves.
1 John was written to counter some early form of 'Gnosticism' being propounded by people who were once church members, but had now withdrawn from the group. They linked to think of themselves as intellectuals - processing a superior knowledge of God. Contrary to the traditional Jewish and Christian holistic view of the world, they drew a line between the spiritual (good) ad the material(evil). In practice this often led to immorality, because nothing the body did could tarnish the purity of the spirit. It also led to a denial of Christ's human nature, which was either 'make-believe' or only temporary. They reasoned that Christ, being spirit, could not have died.
How?
Confess my sin, Jesus Christ may save us and forgives us sin, then we may fellowship with God and others in light.

The Word of life make our joy complete, 1 John 1:1-4

1 John 1:1-4
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
John's theme is 'the word of life'. At the beginning of his Gospel John spoke of the person who is God;s word of life: Jesus Christ, someone John actually knew, Here too he speaks of his own experience: this living embodiment of God's word could be seen and touched. The word is both a person and a message: the two are inseparable. John had seen God's message of eternal life in Christ, had heard it from him, and now he joyfully declared it with a confidence born of certainty.
Why?
Jesus Christ is God and he became a man came to this world, John saw Him, heart Him and touched Him. It is truth, his word is the Word of life. 
We also may have fellowship with Jesus Christ like John does.
John wrote this letter purpose is to make out joy complete, no doubt, no fear. 
How?
Jesus is in my life so we may appear his life in me, to do good witness to honor God's name. I should be joy in my life.

不能奪去的福分 路10:38-42

2/5/2017    台南聖教會    高敏智牧師
路 10:38-42
前言：
我們受洗後就領受神的恩典，最好立刻死去，因為如果沒有行在主的道路上，可能福分會被奪去。
思想：
1.恩賜      被奪去 。五個童女有迎接主人的職分卻失去了，1000兩的僕人，1000兩都被奪去給那5000兩的。說我還沒有預備好，不，當主要用時，沒有預備好，已經失去機會了。
2.立約     被奪去   （所羅門、以利）蔑視和神的關係。所羅門11支派被拿走，只留下一個支派。以利本來神應許他和他父家，服事在主面前到永遠，結果被奪走了。
3. 應許    被奪去。 （猶大、掃羅）猶大本來在耶穌旁邊，但是魔鬼占據他的心，最後連大祭司也知道他犯了罪。
大綱：
人不可自憐，不可自大，要選擇最好的福分
1.馬大伺候主的時候，心裏忙亂     留下我一個人伺候?
  人自憐、悲情就引發苦毒
以利亞-只剩我一人
大兒子-我服事你這麼多年
葡萄園-我們整天勞苦受熱
要看神的恩典，不要以為不公平。現在生活在平安的環境中，不是許多先知他們日夜祈求的嗎？
教會當初是我們捐獻建造的多你們來只是享受成果?難道不是更早的先祖遺留的嗎？為何不看如今有更多的人進入教會得蒙恩典? 好的領導人是因為我在所以部門都興盛。我一早就來花了許多時間，學會一個方法更有效，可以教比較晚來的，節省他們時間，提高效率。老板更喜歡這樣子的員工。
2.人的自大。常說“你應該...做”，很多人的心態。
大兒子： 你這個兒子和娼妓吞盡了你的財產
眾門徒： 何用這樣的枉費?
法利賽人： 這人若是先知，必知道他是誰? 是個怎樣的人，乃是罪人。
我進來時沒有人為我洗腳，這婦人用眼淚幫我洗腳，沒有人吻我歡迎我，她用嘴親我的腳。神看我們的態度。不要以為我對，神不知道。是我們搞不清楚。
3.馬利亞已經選擇那上好的福分，  是不能奪去的。
聽他的道，我不明白，但是我還願意跟隨
羅得的選擇，金牛犢的位置選擇、迦密山的不選擇。
不選擇就是選擇，莫稜兩可
思想：
兩個禮物： 日子長久加上平安，不是聰明，而是走智慧的道路。主的恩典臨到，不是我能做什麼? 是神的恩惠臨到。教會從一億五千萬貨款到如今剩下三百萬。我們沒有向外募款。
不能奪去的福分就是行在神的話語中。
挑戰：
1.凡有的，還要加給他，叫他有餘；凡沒有的，連他所有的，也要奪去。（ 太13:12）
2.我必快來，你要持守你所有的，免得人奪去你的冠冕。（啟3:11）

Building our faith

Jude 1:20-25
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Why?
Building faith,praying in Holy Spirit and keep in God's love. For our life need to be built step by step. Praying without Holy Spirit is noncence talk.
Show mercy to those who doubt, mixed with fear, for flesh is weak and easy be grapped by the world.

In the last times there will be scoffers

Jude 1:14-19
These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
Jesus said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
A question from the apocryphal Book of Enoch. Jude takes his illustrations from books he and his readers know and respect, as well as from the scriptures themselves. apocryphal: (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity(真實性), although widely circulated as being true.
Why?
Jesus foretold these word for Jesus knows these challenge will come and reveal the evil mind among men.
People like get together when they have same perspective they will be a party.
There are grumblers and faultfinders among church now. 
Be careful to make friend with those evil men. Away from them!
How?
Insist our faith on the truth, which is told by Jesus Christ and the Lord! 

Those who are false teaching blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude 1:5-13
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
These men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what thing they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals - these are the very things that destroy them.
They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted - twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, forming up their shame; wandering star, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Jude reminds his readers of examples from Jewish history and tradition: those who fall away, or give themselves up to pride to lust will suffer God's judgment.
These men reject authority. But they are marked out for destruction - as Sodom and Gomorrah were for their sexual immorality and perversion; as Cain was for murdering the brother whose lie showed up his own; as Balaam was for betraying his position as a prophet; and as Korah was for his rebellion against  God-given authority. The examples are carefully chosen. These are the very things of which these teachers are guilty.
Why?
Because these men they did evil things like their forefather will be destroyed by the Lord. The judgment will come upon them. So Jude remind them. No matter they understood or not understand, do not boast and proud.
Realized who I am, then speak what I should say.
How?
Be careful to speak and teaching in Spiritual life, for authority of judgment is belong to the Lord!

Contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. Jude 1:1-4

Jude 1:1-4
Salvation is good and shared, but more important matter is urge them to contend(爭辯) for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
Some godless men, who change the grace of our God into  a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ out only Sovereign and Lord. They secretly slopped in among us.
The author of this letter is Jude, the younger brother of Jesus and James, now an old man. He was already thinking of writing, when alarming news of false teaching made him pen this short, vigorous letter with all speed.
Though he had wanted to write 'about the salvation we share'. Jude writes, instead, urging he Christians to hold fast to the truth. For 'certain men' have infiltrated the group and are now creating division by their false teaching. These men are so arrogant as to deny Christ. And Christian freedom has been turned into license.
Why?
Contend for the faith, for salvation could not be abused as immorality license and Jesus Christ is our center and foundation of truth.
Prevent the false Christians and hold fast to the truth.
How?
Trust our faith in Jesus Christ and careful to those who deny Jesus Christ and immorality men.