3 月 5 日 圣灰日大斋期首日 星期三 5
康祥文牧师 沐恩堂
經文:以賽亞書 58:1-12
1.你要大聲喊叫，不可止息；揚起聲來，好像吹角。向我百姓說明他們的過犯；向雅各家說明他們的罪惡。2.他們天天尋求我，樂意明白我的道，好像行義的國民，不離棄他們神的典章，向我求問公義的判語，喜悅親近神。3.他們說：我們禁食，你為何不看見呢？我們刻苦己心，你為何不理會呢？看哪，你們禁食的日子仍求利益，勒逼人為你們做苦工。4.你們禁食，卻互相爭競，以凶惡的拳頭打人。你們今日禁食，不得使你們的聲音聽聞於上。5.這樣禁食豈是我所揀選、使人刻苦己心的日子嗎？豈是叫人垂頭像葦子，用麻布和爐灰鋪在他以下嗎？你這可稱為禁食、為耶和華所悅納的日子嗎？6.我所揀選的禁食不是要鬆開凶惡的繩，解下軛上的索，使被欺壓的得自由，折斷一切的軛嗎？7.不是要把你的餅分給飢餓的人，將飄流的窮人接到你家中，見赤身的給他衣服遮體，顧恤自己的骨肉而不掩藏嗎？8.這樣，你的光就必發現如早晨的光，你所得的醫治要速速發明。你的公義必在你前面行；耶和華的榮光必作你的後盾。9.那時你求告，耶和華必應允；你呼求，他必說：我在這裡。你若從你中間除掉重軛和指摘人的指頭，並發惡言的事，10.你心若向飢餓的人發憐憫，使困苦的人得滿足，你的光就必在黑暗中發現；你的幽暗必變如正午。11.耶和華也必時常引導你，在乾旱之地使你心滿意足，骨頭強壯。你必像澆灌的園子，又像水流不絕的泉源。12.那些出於你的人必修造久已荒廢之處；你要建立拆毀累代的根基。你必稱為補破口的，和重修路徑與人居住的。
1.對經文的反思
經文點出以色列人虛偽的禁食，闡明神所要的禁食，和神的應許。他們完全沒有把神放在眼裡，目的只是為了操縱神；有虔誠的外表，卻沒有「痛悔謙卑」和「刻苦己心」，完全流於形式的表演和自欺。神指出他們的過犯，也是為了讓他們悔改，並給予凡願意回轉的應許。神要我們在禁食中使自己和他人得自由，我們的光將如生命之光，照亮自己，也照亮別人和世界；同時更得到神及時的引導和供應；擁有活水源泉；並且可以讓自己和他人重建安息。
2.回應禱告
親愛的天父，感謝神讓我們明白袮所揀選的禁食的原則和真意，及袮給我們相應的應許。願袮讓我們刻苦己心，拒絕自己，以耶和華為樂，明白袮心意，享受得勝的生活，得著袮所應許的飽足和豐富。奉主耶穌基督得勝的名禱告。阿們！
3.實踐
我的行为是否反映了我对上帝的信仰？如果我们多花一点时间活出上帝的真理，这在我們的生活中会是什么样子？意味着什么？这会如何改变你的决定、优先秩序或观点？我們要自我反省，在那些方面助长和延续了他人生活中的这些状况。
March 1st Day of Lent Ash Wednesday
Rev James Kong City Light Methodist Church
Scripture - Isaiah 58:1-12 “Cry aloud; do not hold back;
lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.
3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,[a] and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed[b] go free, and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
1. Reflection on Scripture
The Scriptures point out the hypocritical fasting of the Israelites, and explain the fasting that God wanted, and the promises that He made. They had no regard for God, and their purpose was only to manipulate Him. They had the appearance of piety, but not ‘repentance and humility’ and ‘diligence of heart’, which was a mere formality of performance and self-deception. God pointed out their transgressions in order to bring them to repentance and to give them the promise of turning back. God wants us to set ourselves and others free in fasting, so that our light will be like the light of life, illuminating ourselves as well as others and the world; at the same time, we will receive God's timely guidance and provision; we will have a source of living water; and we will be able to rebuild rest for ourselves and others.
2. Responsive Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank God for letting us understand the principles and true meaning of the fasting you have chosen and the promises you have given us. May you allow us to be diligent, to deny ourselves, to delight in the LORD, to understand you, to enjoy a victorious life, and to have the fullness and abundance that you have promised us. In the triumphant name of Jesus Christ. Amen!
3. Practice
Do my actions reflect my faith in God? What would it look like in our lives if we spent a little more time living out God's truth? What would it mean? How would this change your decisions, order of priorities, or perspective? We need to self-reflect on those areas that contribute to and perpetuate these conditions in the lives of others.