BE BORN AGAIN! 重生！

 六、重生！

（约翰福音 3）

一、重生的意义

第1节：“有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥底母，是犹太人的官。” 这是什么人呢？一个法利赛人。法利赛人非常虔诚，他们喜爱祷告，而且祷告时间很长。他们熟知圣经，能背诵经文。他们把经文写在衣服上，经常穿戴。他们虔诚地守安息日，从不缺席教会。他们坐在前排。这个人，作为一个法利赛人，做了所有这些——去教会、研读圣经、经常祷告。但他并没有重生。

1）重生不是祷告或敬拜。你可以做所有这些事，但你未必重生。

2）重生不是努力行善。他的名字叫尼哥底母，意思是“好人”。的确，他是个好人，不是坏人。世人称赞一个人，往往是认为他是个好人。有一次我去一个村庄，村民们对我说：“你是个好人。”我们也常听到人们说：“某某真是个好人。”世人敬重好人，但仅仅善良并不等同于得救。

这个人是犹太人的统治者。只有真正伟大的好人才能成为犹太人的统治者。毫无疑问，他是个好人，但他并没有重生，这一点我们不要误解。好人未必是重生的。​​

第2节：“那人夜里来见耶稣，说：‘拉比，我们知道你是由神那里来的老师；因为你所行的这些神迹，若没有神同在，无人能行。’”

3）重生并非相信神的存在。尼哥底母确实谦卑，夜里来见主。虽然他身为官长，却仍敲开老师的门寻求启迪，这并非易事。他前来拜见耶稣，因为他知道耶稣是上帝差来的使者。尼哥底母虽然信上帝，也认识上帝，但他却不明白重生的意义。

4）重生并非效法耶稣。许多人宣扬耶稣的美德和他为我们树立的榜样，就像尼哥底母那样，他曾说耶稣是“一位从上帝那里来的老师”。

5）重生并非治愈疾病。我曾问一位乡村小女孩：“你重生了吗？”她说：“我以前肚子疼，祷告后就好了。”重生并非治愈疾病。

尼哥底母在各方面都是一位好人。他读圣经，他祷告，他信上帝。他效法基督的榜样。他甚至相信耶稣的神迹。如今教会里有很多像尼哥底母一样的人。他们也会祷告…… ……并且相信是耶稣治愈了他们的疾病。弟兄姐妹们，我希望你们不要犯这样的错误：认为履行宗教仪式就等同于重生。尼哥底母虽然具备上述五项条件，但他并没有重生。

二、重生的必要性

基督徒重生是绝对必要的！

第3节：“耶稣回答说：‘我实实在在地告诉你，人若不重生，就不能见神的国。’”请跟我一起重复这节经文：“我实实在在地告诉你，人若不重生，就不能见神的国。”无论男女老幼，世上每个人若想见神的国，都需要重生。

1）未重生的人是瞎眼的。如果我没有重生，却向你们传道，我就是瞎眼的。一个没有重生的神学生毕业后，岂不成了瞎子领瞎子吗？他们岂不都掉进沟里吗？耶稣说：“未重生的人是瞎眼的！”

第4节：“尼哥底母问他：‘人已经老了，如何能重生呢？’”他能再次进入母腹，重新出生吗？”尼哥底母说：“唉，我已经老了，牙齿都掉光了，头发也白了，我怎能重生呢？这是什么话？是玩笑吗？”他听见了，却不明白。有多少听道的人也像他一样听不懂呢？

2）不重生就如同耳聋。许多听道的人觉得没意思，因为他们听不懂道。所以他们就离开了。为什么？因为他们耳聋了。

3）不重生就如同走到了死胡同。尼哥底母说：“我已经老了！”老毛病，老恶言，老偷窃，老批评，老说谎。这些旧习终生难改。多么可悲！它们无法改变，无法改进，无法焕发新生。但主可以！

第5节。耶稣说：“我实实在在地告诉你，人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。” 未重生的人还有希望进入神的国吗？

4）未重生就如同被拒之门外。有多少人被拒之门外，他们不认识神，也不明白教义。

5）未重生就如同跛子。想象一下这样的人——他头大，五脏六腑都长在肥胖的身体里，却跛着脚。他能好好走路吗？他看起来怎么样？所以，你可能已经去教会很多年了，但你却像个跛子。耶稣说：“你必须重生……重生吧。”

三、如何重生

“人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能得救……”

重生的第一步是“从水生”。这是什么意思呢？假设有一位弟兄来听福音。他心中有许多魔鬼——赌博的魔鬼、鸦片的魔鬼、妾的魔鬼、坏脾气的魔鬼……他哭着说：“主啊，我犯了这么多罪。我该死。主啊，求你怜悯我！”他悔改了。他哭了。他受洗，表明他愿意洗净自己的罪。这是第一步。

第二步是“从圣灵生”。当一个人领受圣灵时，魔鬼就被赶走了。魔鬼离开后，圣灵就进入他的心，与他同在。圣灵成为他心中的主。感谢主！当你重生时，圣灵就住在你心里，如同钟声一般。当你犯罪时，那钟声立刻响起！

第三步，你必须顺服圣灵。你不仅因圣灵而重生，更要顺服圣灵，接受圣灵的引导。

第6节：“从肉身生的就是肉身，从灵生的就是灵。” 未重生的人受肉体控制。例如，这里有一个吸食鸦片的人。没有鸦片，他的肉体就无法控制自己。在鸦片的重压下，他的肉体崩溃了。又比如，这里有一个沉迷赌博的姐妹。她成了恶习的奴隶。酗酒者受酒精的辖制——多么可怕！这些都是受肉体控制的人。还有那些脾气暴躁、沉迷烟草等等的人呢？他们常常来找我说：“先生，宋女士说：“我要戒烟，永远戒烟！” 但没过多久，那些脾气暴躁的人又像以前一样发脾气，烟民们又开始抽烟了——他们成了自己罪恶的奴隶。

然而，当他们重生时，魔鬼就会离开他们，圣灵就会进入他们里面。现在谁掌管一切呢？是圣灵。一旦你陷入罪中，你心中的圣灵就会发出“叮叮叮叮”的警示：“你该死！”

有一次我在北京讲道时，有一位姊妹很不情愿来参加我的聚会，因为她说我的讲道太浅薄，只适合小孩子听。最后，在家人的压力下，她还是来了。她坐在后排。当圣灵在聚会中感动她时，她的心感到不安，直到她悔改自己的罪，并在重生的见证上签名。从那时起，她就从未间断地参加聚会。她买了一本圣经，并请我给她签名。

后来有人带她去看电影。圣灵就像……她心中一阵警醒，不再去看电影。无论别人如何诱惑，她都不敢去。重生之前，她可以肆意发脾气，也可以去看电影。重生之后，如果再发脾气去看电影，她的心就会“痛不欲生”。重生之前，她可以毫不犹豫地不读圣经。重生之后，如果再不读圣经，她的心就会“痛不欲生”！重生之前，魔鬼在她心中称王。重生之后，圣灵成为她的主，掌管她的一切。如今，她不再随从肉体，而是随从圣灵而活。

第7-8节：“我告诉你们，你们必须重生，你们不要以为希奇。风随着意思吹，你听见风的响声，却不知道从哪里来，往哪里去；凡从圣灵生的，也是如此。”耶稣说：“你们必须重生。”每个人都必须如此！这没什么好惊讶的。你见过风吗？它的形状是什么？没有人见过风，但每个人都感受到过风。同样，一个人重生之后，他就能确知圣灵的掌管，而不是随意地感受到。重生的步骤是：1）水；2）圣灵；3）顺服圣灵。每个基督徒都必须明白重生的意义。

四、重生至关重要。

第9节：“尼哥底母回答说：‘怎能有这事呢？’”尼哥底母难以置信，问道：“你是谁？我年纪老迈了，从未听说过这样的事。”尼哥底母心中疑惑不解。重生真的存在吗？

第10节：“耶稣回答说：‘你是以色列的师傅，还不明白这事吗？’”你是以色列的教师、统治者、传道者、领袖，却仍然不明白重生的意义。多么令人悲哀！重生至关重要。1）每个人都必须知道。2）每个人都必须经历。重生不是浅尝辄止就能理解的，而是必须切身经历的。

11. 我实实在在地告诉你们，我们所讲的都是我们所知道的，我们所见证的都是我们所看见的；你们却不接受我们的见证。耶稣说：“我所说的，我都亲眼见过，亲身经历过。”让我们一起说：“重生意味着人人都能理解，都能亲身经历！”重生不仅意味着亲身经历，更是教义的根基。

第12节：“我对你们讲地上的事，你们尚且不信，若讲天上的事，你们怎能信呢？”啊！

3）重生是教义的根基！当我讲地上的事时，你们不明白。如果你们连小学的功课都不懂，我讲大学的知识，你们又怎能明白呢？如果你们不知道什么是重生，你们又怎能明白其他的教义呢？

第12节13.“除了从天降下仍旧在天的人子，没有人升过天。”

（4）重生是通往天堂的通行证。耶稣对你说：“要进入天堂，你必须有通行证。”去东南亚，首先要办护照。最近我去了印度支那，也必须带护照。要进入天堂，我们也必须获得通行证。而且，天堂的门是窄的。如果一位牧师想要进入天堂，他敲响天堂之门，听到一个声音问：“你是谁？”牧师回答：“我是牧师，我，我……”但他没有护照。“没有！”回答传来。突然，一个小孩来敲门，同样的声音问：“你是谁？你重生了吗？”小孩回答：“我会唱歌，我知道耶稣爱我。” “我不知道我是否重生了！”这时，一位传道人敲门，里面的声音问道：“你重生了吗？你有护照吗？”他回答说：“我是个传道人。我会读圣经。但我没有护照！”接着，一位神学生走过来，“我会读圣经。我算是半重生了。”一位教会工作人员不好意思地走过来，“我以前认过罪。”里面的声音问道：“你有护照吗？”“护照？是护照吗？”一位大学生冲过来敲门，“我想进天堂。我是……化学专家！”里面的声音问道：“你是谁？我不认识你！”你有进入天堂的通行证吗？哎呀，这些人都没有通行证，却都想进天堂。结果一个接一个地被扔进了地狱！最后，一个小女孩聪明地来到了天堂的门口。她敲门说：“我在某某天听到了福音，我深受感动，认罪悔改。赞美主，我重生了。他给了我新生。重生之后，妈妈责备我，我也不会生气了。当我生气的时候，我心中的圣灵会用叮叮当当的声音责备我。”她确实重生了。她进入了天堂。重生需要：1）理解；2）经历；3）教义的基础；4）通往天堂的通行证。你重生了吗？如果没有，真是令人难以置信！

五、重生之道

人重生并非出于自身的能力或功德，也非出于任何努力。这是三位一体真神——圣父、圣子和圣灵——的作为和印记。

第14-15节：“摩西在旷野怎样举起铜蛇，人子也必照样被举起来，叫一切信他的人不至灭亡，反得永生。”

1）信靠圣子，信靠祂所流宝血的功德，信靠祂救赎的恩典，祂担当了我们一切的罪。以色列人在旷野犯罪，被火蛇咬伤时，摩西造了一条铜蛇，挂在杆子上。所有被咬伤的人都被告知要仰望那条铜蛇，得医治。我们也因自己的罪而该死，比如毁谤他人、偷窃、说谎、嫉妒、赌博，是的，各种各样的罪。我们罪有应得，理应受死。感谢耶稣，祂为我们而死。因祂的死，我们得救。正如摩西在旷野举起铜蛇，人子也必被举起，为我们而死。我们因自己的手和口所行的恶事，理应受死。基督为我们钉在十字架上，流出祂宝贵的宝血——为了我们，为了我们。因我们脚的悖逆，基督的脚被钉在十字架上。因我们心中邪恶的念头，基督必须戴上荆棘冠冕——使我们能无所畏惧地站在上帝施恩的宝座前。我们因自己的贪婪之心，理应受死，但基督却为我们忧伤，甚至甘愿为我们一切的罪孽受尽鞭打和刺穿的苦难。

从前有一位母亲，为了救她的儿子，勇敢地冲进熊熊烈火。她被烧得面目全非。她献出了自己的生命来拯救她的儿子。即便如此，我们的主耶稣被钉十字架，是为了藉着祂所受的鞭伤，使我们得医治。藉着祂的死，我们得着永生。

第16节：“神爱世人，甚至将祂的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信祂的，不至灭亡，反得永生。”我们的重生不仅是藉着圣子，也是藉着圣父。正是出于圣父的爱，祂才将祂的儿子白白赐给我们。是谁爱我们？是圣父神，祂的爱使祂将祂的独生子赐给我们，为我们死在十字架上，拯救我们。

第16节17至21节：“因为神差他的儿子降世，不是要定世人的罪，乃是要叫世人因他得救。信他的人，不被定罪；不信的人，罪已经定了，因为他不信神独生子的名。光来到世间，世人因自己的行为是恶的，不爱光倒爱黑暗，定他们的罪就是在此。凡作恶的便恨光，并不来就光，恐怕他的行为受责备。但行真理的必来就光，要显明他所行的是靠神而行。”我们的重生不仅取决于圣子和圣父，也取决于圣灵。圣灵的光照耀我们，显明我们一切的污秽。神不定我们的罪，而是差遣圣灵光照我们，使我们知道自己的罪。我自己也从未想过自己会成为一名传道人。我常常因讲道而受人诟病，但我并不害怕。讲道本身难道有罪吗？圣灵光照我，无论我如何被人诟病、憎恨，我都知道如何分辨是非。世人憎恨光明，因为他们的行为是邪恶的。他们憎恨光明却不自知。所以他们需要圣灵的光照，才能看清自己的黑暗。唯有如此，他们才会承认自己的罪恶。

我小时候，母亲说：“你父亲在神学院读书的时候，他重生了。”于是我问父亲：“人怎样才能重生呢？”父亲说：“首先，你必须认罪。其次，你必须相信耶稣。”于是，我跪下来祷告：“主啊，救救我。赦免我的罪。”我重生了吗？后来我去美国留学。有一次，我听到一位美国牧师讲解重生的教义。他问我：“你重生了吗？”我心想，我是牧师的儿子，我当然重生了。但直到1927年圣灵光照我，我才意识到自己犯下的诸多罪孽。于是我说：“人的工作只完成了一半，而神的工作却做到了极致。”我重生的时候，是因为认识到自己的罪而感到痛苦。我心头沉重，痛哭流涕。我跪下认罪：“我偷了父亲的钱，我背后说人坏话，我骄傲自大。主啊，请饶恕我的罪。”认罪之后，我的心中才有了平安。我站起身来，却感觉还有其他的罪。我跪下祷告：“哦，神啊，哦，耶稣，我罪该当死。请饶恕我的罪。”我站起身来，感到平安。但人的工作只完成了一半，圣灵的工作却做到了极致。当我感到心中充满未忏悔的罪孽时，我再次跪下：“主啊，求你饶恕我，我是个伪君子。敬拜的时候，我却在读别的书。主啊，求你饶恕我！”我站起身来，感到平安。人的工作只是一半，但圣灵的工作却做到极致。还有什么罪吗？当圣灵动工时，我感到忧虑，我的心如同钟声般响起。我立刻跪下说：“主啊，求你赦免我的罪。我信靠你宝血所流的，求你赦免我的罪。”于是，我所有的罪都蒙主赦免了。我站起来，找到了真正的平安。

1934年我在厦门的时候，有一位名叫陈文生的姐妹，她的父亲住在南洋，她在厦门的一所基督教学校读书。她不信神的话语，也不去教会。主日她就待在家里学习。她因为偏见很深，拒绝来参加我的聚会。最后，在她朋友的劝说下，她来了。虽然她听我讲道时很不情愿，但圣灵感动了她的心。她认罪悔改，重生得救了。

1935年，她患上了严重的脑膜炎。医生说无法治愈。她对母亲说：“虽然我病得很重，但我并不忧虑。我所担心的，是远在南洋、没有基督的父。”他回来的时候，请你劝劝他。”母亲说：“好的！”医生见她病情加重，想给她打针止痛，她却拒绝了。校长来看她时，她说：“校长，我很开心，感谢主耶稣，他给了我新生。虽然我即将离开人世，但我拥有永生。”说完，她便离开了人世。

有一次，她的同学在异象中看到了她。同学有些害怕，但她说：“不要害怕！我特意请主耶稣来看你。感谢主耶稣！我已经悔改重生了，现在我拥有永生。但我父亲在南洋，他还没有信主，很快就要从南洋回来了。请你劝劝他相信耶稣。也希望你在世的时候，能为主辛勤劳作。”就这些！

弟兄姐妹们！如果今晚上帝带走你们的灵魂，你们重生了吗？是的！你们这些无知的人，你们重生了吗？你们知道重生的意义吗？重生的步骤是什么？以及如何重生？如果你们没有重生，你们就没有永生。

              主题曲

“你们必须重生，

你们必须重生；

我实实在在地告诉你们，

你们必须重生。”

40 John Sung Revival Sermons VI.    BE BORN AGAIN!   (John 3)   I. What It Is to be Born Again   Vs. 1. “There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews." What kind of man?  A Pharisee.  Pharisees were very religious people, who delighted to pray and to make their prayers long.  They knew their Bible and could repeat Scripture by heart.  'They had Bible verses written on their garments and wore them.  They diligently kept the Sabbath and never missed Church.  They occupied the first seats. This man, being a Pharisee, did all that has been mentioned --- going to Church, studying the Bible, making frequent prayers.  But he was not born again. 1) To be born again is not praying or worshipping.  You may practise all these, but you may not be born again. 2) To be born again is not trying to do good.  His name is Nicodemus which means a “good person." Indeed, he is a good person, not a bad one.  Often when the world praises a man, it regards him to be a good person.  Once when I went to a village they said to me, “You are a good person." Often we hear people say, “So-and-so, he really is a good fellow." The world respects a good person, but merely being good is not to be equated with being saved. This man is a ruler of the Jews.  Only a good great man could be a ruler of the Jews.  No doubt he is good, but he is not born again, let us not be mistaken.  A good man is not necessarily born again. Vs. 2. “The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him."   3) To be born again is not believing there is a God.  Nicodemus was truly humble, coming at night to see the Lord.  Though a ruler, he knocked on the teacher's door to seek enlightenment, not an easy thing to do.  He came up to see Jesus, knowing He was one sent from God.  Though Nicodemus believed in God and knew of God, yet he did not know what it was to be born again. 4) To be born again is not imitating Jesus.  There are many who preach the good character of Jesus and the high example He sets us, like Nicodemus who said of Jesus, “You are a teacher come from God." 5)   To be born again is not to recover from illness.  Once I asked a little village girl, “Are you born again?" She said, “I had a stomachache once.  I prayed and I got well again." To be born again is not to be cured. Nicodemus was a good man on every count.  He read the Bible, he prayed, he believed in God.  He followed Christ's example.  He even believed in Jesus' miracles.  Now there are many Nicodemuses in the Church.  They can pray . . .. and believe it is Jesus who heals them of their sicknesses.  Brothers and sisters, I hope you don't make this mistake that to perform religious actions means to be born again.  Nicodemus had the above mentioned five items to his credit, but he was not born again.   II. The Need of Being Born Again It is utterly necessary that a Christian be born again! Vs. 3. “Jesus answered and said unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Will you repeat this verse after me “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Whether you are man, woman, old, young, everyone in the world needs to be born again if he wants to see God's kingdom. 1) An unborn again person is blind.  If I am not born again and preach to you, I am blind.  A theological student not born again becomes a blind leader of the blind when he graduates.  Will not both of them fall into the ditch?  Jesus says, “A man not born again is a blind man!" Vs. 4. “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?” Nicodemus said, “Alas, I'm old.  I'm quite toothless and my hair is white.  How can I be born again?  What talk is this?  A joke?” He heard but he did not understand.  How many sermon tasters are also unintelligible like him. 2)   Not to be born again is to be deaf.  So many sermon hearers find no interest because the words they hear do not enter their ear.  So they leave.  Why?  Because they are deaf. 3)   Not to be born again is to come to a dead end.  Nicodemus said , “I'm old!”  Old temper, old bad mouth, old pilferer, old critic, old liar.  All these old stuffs can never change till death.  How pitiful!  They cannot change.  They cannot improve.  They cannot be rejuvenated.  But the Lord can! Vs. 5. Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Has an unborn again person any hope of seeing God's kingdom?    4)   Not to be born again is to be shut outside the door.  How many are outside-the-door novices.  They know not God.  They know not the doctrine.    5)   Not to be born again is to be lame.  Imagine such a man ---  he has a big head and five big organs inside a fat body, but with limping legs.  Can he walk well?  How does he look?  So, you may be attending Church for years.  But you are lame.  Jesus says, “You must be born again .... be born again."   III.  How To Be Born Again “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit. . .” The first step in the rebirth is “of water.”  What does this mean?  Suppose here's a brother who comes to listen to the Gospel.  In his heart are many devils --- gambling devil, opium devil, concubine devil, bad-temper devil ... He weeps, “O Lord, I have committed all these sins.  I deserve to die. O Lord, have mercy on me!”  He repents.  He weeps.  He is baptised, signifying his willingness to wash his sins away.  This is the first step.     The second step: “and of the Spirit.” When a man receives the Holy Spirit, the devil is cast away.  When the devil departs, the Holy Spirit comes into the heart to stay.  He becomes the Lord of his heart.  Thank the Lord!  When you are born again the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart like a bell.  And when you sin that bell immediately rings a-ting-ting! In the third step, you must obey the Holy Spirit.  You're not only born again by the Holy Spirit.  You're to obey and be under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Vs. 6. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. A person not born again is under control of the flesh.  For example, here is an opium smoker.  Without opium, his flesh cannot keep up.  It falls apart under the crush of opium.  Or, suppose here is a sister under the grip of gambling.  She becomes a slave to the evil habit.  The drunkard is under the power of alcohol --- how terrible!  These are all under control of the flesh.  And how about those gripped by a bad temper, by tobacco, etc.?  These often come to me and say, “Mr.  Sung, I want to get rid of smoking, now and forever!"  But in no time those with bad temper lose their temper as before, the smokers return to smoking --- slaves terribly held by their own sins.     However, when they become born again, the devil will leave them and the Holy Spirit will come in.  Who is now in control?  The Holy Spirit.  Once you fall into sin the Holy Spirit in your heart will ring “ting-ting, ting-ting, you deserve to die!" Once when I was preaching in Peking there was a sister who despised to come to my meetings because she said my sermons were too shallow, fit only for children.  At last she came under the pressure of her family.  She sat in the back row.  When the Holy Spirit moved at the meeting, her heart became troubled until she repented of her sins and signed her name to the fact of her being born again.  From that hour, she came without a break to the meetings.  She bought a Bible and requested my autograph.    Later some one took her to the cinema.  The Holy Spirit like a bell ting-linged in her heart.  She stopped cinema going.  No matter how they enticed her, she dared not go.  Before her new birth she could well afford to lose her temper and to go to the cinema.  After her new birth, to lose temper and go to the cinema would set her heart “pili-polo."  Before her new birth she would happily not read the Bible.  After her new birth, not to read Bible would find her heart “pili-polo!"  Before the new birth the devil was king in her heart.  After the new birth, the Holy Spirit became Lord and ruled over her.  Now she lived not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Vs. 7 & 8. “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound of it, but canst not tell from where it cometh, and where it goeth; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit."  Jesus says, “Ye must be born again.” Every one must, must!  This is not to be marvelled at.  Have you seen the wind?  What is its shape?  No one has seen the wind, but everyone has felt it.  Similarly after a person is born-again, he knows of a certainty, not haphazardly, the control of the Holy Spirit.  The steps of being born again are 1 ) of water   2) of the Holy Spirit   3) in obedience to the Holy Spirit.  Every Christian must know what it is to be born again.   IV. To Be Born Again is of Greatest Importance.   Vs. 9. “Nicodemus answered, and said unto him, How can these things be?" Nicodemus could not take it in.  “Who are you?" he questioned.  “I'm an old man.  I've never heard of such a thing." Nicodemus wondered immensely. Was there really such a thing as the new birth?    Vs. 10. “Jesus answered, and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things."  You are a teacher of Israel, a ruler, a preacher, a leader, and you still do not know what it is to be born again.  How sad!  To be born again is of the greatest importance.  1) Everyone must know. 2) Everyone must experience.  To be born again is not something that can be slured over but something that must be vividly experienced.    Vs. 11.  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that which we do know, and testify to that which we have seen; and ye receive riot our witness.  Jesus said, “What I said I have seen and experienced.” Let us all say together, “To be born again is to be understood, to be experienced by all!"  Not only to be experienced, but it is the foundation of doctrine.     Vs. 12.  “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you heavenly things?" Aya!  3) The new birth is the foundation of doctrine!  You don't understand when I tell you earthly things.  If you don't know your primary school lessons how can you understand if I lecture you on the university level?  If you don't know what it is to be born again what other doctrine can you understand?     Vs. 13.  "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven." (4)  The New birth is passport to heaven.  Jesus says to you, “To enter heaven, you must have a passport."  To go to Southeast Asia, one must first get a passport.  Recently I went to Indo-China.  I had to have my passport.  To enter heaven we must also obtain our passport.  Moreover the door of heaven is a narrow one.  If a pastor wants to enter heaven and he knocks on heaven's door and there sounds a voice asking, “Who are you?" And the pastor answers, "I am a pastor, I, I . . . and he carries no passport.  “No!"   comes the reply!  Suddenly there comes a little child knocking and the same voice asks, “Who are you?  Are you born again?" The little child replies, “I can sing, Jesus loves me this I know.  I don't know if I'm born again!" Then an evangelist comes knocking to which the voice questions, “Are you born again?  Have you a passport?" He answers, “I'm an evangelist.  I can read the Bible.  But I have no passport!"  Then comes a theological student, “I can read the Bible.  I'm half born again.” A church worker comes up sheepishly, “I did confess my sin once before."  The voice from inside asks, “Have you a passport?”   “Passport?  Passport is it?"  A university student comes rushing up and knocks, “I want to enter heaven.  I am..... a specialist in chemistry!" The voice inside asks, “Who are you?  I don't know you!  Do you have the passport to enter heaven?"  Aya, these all have not got the passport, and yet they want to get into heaven.  One by one gets dropped into hell!  Finally a little girl comes smartly to heaven's door.  She knocks, “I heard the Gospel on such and such a day, I was moved and confessed by sins.  Praise the Lord, I was born again.  He gave me the new birth.  After I was born again I would not get angry when Mother chided me.  When I got angry the Holy Spirit in my heart rebuked me with a ting-a-ling-ting."  She was born again for sure.  She entered heaven.  The new birth requires 1 ) understanding  2) experience and is  3) the foundation of doctrine,  4) passport to heaven. Have  you been born again?  If not, how said!     V. The Way to Being Born Again.   A person is born again not by his own prowess or merit, nor by any effort he can exert.  It is the work and seal of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Vs. 14, 15.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 1 ) Trusting in the Son, in the merit of His shed blood, in the grace of redemption in His bearing all our sins.  When the Israelites sinned in the wilderness and were bitten by fiery serpents, Moses made a brazen serpent and hanged it high on a pole.  All who were bitten were told to look upon that brazen serpent for healing.  We also deserve to die by our sins of speaking evil of others, of theft, lying, jealousy, gambling, yes, sins of all description.  We deserve doubly to die.  Thanks be to Jesus.  He died in our place.  By His death we are saved alive.  As Moses lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, to die for us.  We deserve to die by what we have done with our hands and mouth.  Christ was nailed for us on the cross, shedding His precious blood --- for us, for us.  For the waywardness of our feet, Christ's feet were crucified.  For the evil and malicious thoughts of our mind, Christ had to wear the crown of thorns --- that we might fearlessly stand before God's throne of grace.  We deserve to die by our covetous hearts, but Christ sorrowed in His heart for us even to be beaten and pierced in bitter suffering for all the sins of our bodies. Once there was a mother who braved a blazing fire to save her son.  In so doing she was burned beyond recognition.  She gave her life to save her son.  Even so, our Lord Jesus was crucified that by His stripes we might be healed.  By His death, we are saved alive. Vs. 16.  “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Our new birth is not only by virtue of the Son but also  2) of the Father.  It is by the Father's love that His son is freely given us.  Who loved us?  God the Father whose love made Him to give us His only begotten son to die our death on the cross to save us. Vs. 17 to 21.  “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”  Our new birth depends not only on the Son and the Father but 3) also on the Holy Spirit.  The light of the Holy Spirit shines upon us and shows up all our filth.  God does not condemn us but sends the Holy Spirit to shine into us that we might know our sins.  I myself never knew I could become a preacher.  Often I have been reviled for my preaching.  But I'm not afraid. is there sin in preaching?  The Holy Spirit illumines me and I know how to judge between right and wrong, no matter how I am reviled and hated.  The world hates the light because their deeds are evil.  They hate the light without realising it.  So they need the light of the Holy Spirit to show up their darkness.  Only then will they confess to their own evil. When I was a child, Mother said, “When your father was a student at the theological college, he was born again.”  So I asked Father, “How can one be born again?"  Father said, “First you must confess your sins.  Second, you must believe in Jesus."  So, I knelt down and prayed, “O Lord, save me.  Forgive me of my sins.”  Was I born again?  Afterwards I went to USA to study.  On one occasion I heard an American pastor speak on the doctrine of the New Birth.  He asked me, “Are you born again?  I thought to myself,” I'm a pastor's son.  Surely, I'm born again.  But I did not see my many sins until 1927 when the Holy Spirit illumined me.  So I said, “Men's work is only half, but God's work is to the uttermost.”  When I was being born again, it was a process of bitterness in the knowledge of my sins.  My heart was heavy, I wept.  I knelt and confessed my sins, “I have stolen father's money.  I have talked evil of others.  I have been full of pride.  Lord, forgive me of my sins."  It was after confessing these many sins that peace came to my heart.  I got up, and yet I felt there were other sins.  I knelt, “O God, O Jesus, I deserve to die.  Please forgive me of my sins.”  I got up and felt peace.  But human work is half-work.  The Holy Spirit's work is to the uttermost.  As I felt troubled with more sins unconfessed, I knelt again, “O Lord, forgive, I'm a hypocrite.  At worship time I read other literature.  Lord, forgive!"  I got up, I felt peace.  Man's work is half-work, but the Holy Spirit works to the uttermost.  Any more sins?  When the Holy Spirit worked, I felt troubled and my heart rang like a bell.  I knelt down at once, "O Lord, forgive my sins.  I trust in your precious shed blood to forgive my sins.  Then all my sins were taken out and forgiven of the Lord.  Now I got up and found real peace. When I was in Amoy 1934 there was a sister named Tan Boon Seng whose father lived in Nanyang and she was studying in a Christian school in Amoy.  She did not believe the Word nor did she attend Church.  She stayed at home to study on the Lord's Day.  She refused to come to my meetings, being highly prejudiced.  Finally she came under her friend's coercion.  Though she writhed under my preaching, the Holy Spirit moved in her heart.  She confessed her sins and was born again. In 1935 she was seriously struck down with meningitis.  The doctor said there was no cure.  She said to her mother, “Though my illness is serious, my heart is not troubled.  What I worry about is Father in faraway Nanyang, without Christ.  When he returns please exhort him.” Mother said, “All right!” Seeing that her illness had got worse, the doctor wanted to give her an injection to allay her pains.  She refused.  When the principal came to see her, she said, “Principal, I'm happy and I thank the Lord Jesus.  He has given me the new birth.  Though I'm leaving the world soon, I have everlasting life.” So saying, she departed this earth. Once she was seen in a vision by her classmate.  Her classmate was rather affrighted.  But she said, “Don't be afraid!  I have specially asked the Lord Jesus to come and see you.  Thank the Lord Jesus!  I repented and was born again.  Now I have everlasting life.  But my father is in Nanyang, unbelieving.  He is soon returning from Nanyang.  I beg of you to exhort him to believe in Jesus.  And I hope while you are on earth you'll labour for the Lord.  That's all!" Brothers and sisters! Should God take your soul tonight, are you born again?  Aye!  You who are ignorant, are you born again?  Do you know what it is to be born again?  The Steps of being born again?  And how to be born again?  If you are not born again, then you do not have the everlasting life.     THEME SONG   "Ye must be born again, Ye must be born again; I verily, verily say unto thee, Ye must be born again."

an act of manifesting Redemption as Jesus paid for it to be produced in your own.

 If you study the promises of God based on the law, their condition, 'if you're willing and obedient', well you'll eat the fat of the land. 

 But for us, in New Testament , by grace, if you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, we inherit the promises, not through our own obedience. 

We inherited by what is said later on in book of Hebrews, by a new and living way that he has consecrated.  Hold on brother , you're saying it doesn't matter how we live. That is not what I'm saying. Listen .

Because Jesus' consecration creates access, the access produces exposure, the exposure causes us to experience, what the scripture says; we shall see HIM and we will be like HIM, and when we are like HIM, we don't have to obey Him, because we are one with HIM, we are expressing in our nature who HE is and what he wants, not as an act of obedience, but as an act of manifesting Redemption as Jesus paid for it to be produced in your own.

 Religion doesn't know anything about there. 

Afrikaans: As jy die beloftes van God bestudeer gebaseer op die wet, hul toestand, 'as jy gewillig en gehoorsaam is', wel, jy sal die vet van die land eet.

Maar vir ons, in die Nuwe Testament, deur genade, as jy Jesus Christus as jou Here en Verlosser aanvaar, erf ons die beloftes, nie deur ons eie gehoorsaamheid nie.

Ons het geërf deur wat later in die boek Hebreërs gesê word, deur 'n nuwe en lewende weg wat Hy ingewy het. Hou vas, broer, jy sê dit maak nie saak hoe ons leef nie. Dit is nie wat ek sê nie. Luister.

Omdat Jesus se toewyding toegang skep, die toegang produseer blootstelling, die blootstelling veroorsaak dat ons ervaar wat die Skrif sê; Ons sal HOM sien en ons sal soos HY wees, en wanneer ons soos HY is, hoef ons Hom nie te gehoorsaam nie, want ons is een met HOM, ons druk in ons natuur uit wie HY is en wat Hy wil hê, nie as 'n daad van gehoorsaamheid nie, maar as 'n daad van die manifestering van Verlossing soos Jesus daarvoor betaal het om in jou eie voortgebring te word.

Godsdiens weet niks daarvan nie.

Chinese Simplified: 如果你研究上帝基于律法的应许，就会发现其中的条件是“只要你甘心顺服”，你就能享受天上的肥甘。

但对我们这些在新约时代的人来说，我们是因着恩典，只要接受耶稣基督为你的主和救主，就能承受这些应许，而不是靠我们自己的顺服。

我们承受这些应许，正如希伯来书后面所说，是藉着他所赐给我们的又新又活的路。等等，弟兄，你好像在说我们怎样生活并不重要。我的意思并非如此。请听我说。

因为耶稣的分别为圣创造了进入应许的途径，这途径带来启示，这启示使我们经历圣经所说的一切； 我们将要见到祂，我们将要像祂一样。当我们像祂一样时，我们就不必顺服祂，因为我们与祂合而为一，我们本性中彰显的是祂的本质和祂的旨意。这并非出于顺服，而是出于彰显耶稣所成就的救赎，使之在我们里面得以实现。

宗教对此一无所知。

French: Si vous étudiez les promesses de Dieu en vous basant sur la loi, leur condition « si vous êtes disposés et obéissants », alors vous profiterez pleinement de la vie.

Mais pour nous, dans le Nouveau Testament, c'est par grâce que nous héritons des promesses, si nous acceptons Jésus-Christ comme notre Seigneur et Sauveur, et non par notre propre obéissance.

Nous les héritons par ce qui est dit plus tard dans l'épître aux Hébreux, par une voie nouvelle et vivante qu'il a consacrée. Attendez, mon frère, vous dites que notre manière de vivre n'a pas d'importance. Ce n'est pas ce que je dis. Écoutez.

Car la consécration de Jésus crée un accès, cet accès nous expose à la révélation, et cette révélation nous permet de vivre ce que disent les Écritures. Nous le verrons et nous lui ressemblerons. Et lorsque nous lui ressemblerons, nous n'aurons plus à lui obéir, car nous ne ferons qu'un avec lui. Nous exprimerons dans notre nature qui il est et ce qu'il désire, non par obéissance, mais en manifestant la Rédemption telle que Jésus l'a payée pour qu'elle s'accomplisse en nous.

La religion ignore tout cela.

Fijian:   Kevaka o vulica na yalayala ni Kalou ka yavutaki ena lawa, na nodra ituvaki, ‘kevaka o sa lomasoli ka talairawarawa’, vinaka o na kania na uro ni vanua. 

  Ia vei keda, ena Veiyalayalati Vou , ena loloma soli wale, kevaka o ciqomi Jisu Karisito me nomu Turaga ka iVakabula, eda sa taukena na yalayala, sega ena noda talairawarawa vakataki keda. 

 Eda sa taukena na veika e tukuni e muri ena ivola i Iperiu, ena dua na sala vou ka bula ka sa vakatabuya o koya.  Hold on taciqu , o sa tukuna tiko ni sega ni bibi na noda bula. E sega ni oqori na ka au tukuna tiko. Rogoca .

 Baleta ni nona vakatabui o Jisu e bulia na rawa-ka, na rawa-ka e vakavuna na veivakatakilai, na veivakatakilai e vakavuna me da sotava, na ka e tukuna na ivolanikalou;  eda na raici KOYA ka da na vakataki KOYA, ka ni da sa vakataki KOYA, e sega ni dodonu me da talairawarawa Vua, baleta ni da sa duavata kei KOYA, eda sa vakaraitaka tiko ena noda itovo se o cei o KOYA kei na cava e vinakata, sega me vaka e dua na ivalavala ni talairawarawa, ia me vaka e dua na ivalavala ni vakaraitaka na Veisorovaki me vaka e sauma o Jisu me vakatuburi kina na nomu.

  E sega ni kila e dua na ka me baleta na lotu e kea. 

Arabic: إذا درستَ وعود الله المبنية على الشريعة، وشرطها "إن كنتَ راغبًا ومطيعًا"، فستنعم بخيرات الأرض.

أما نحن، في العهد الجديد، فنرث الوعود بالنعمة، إن قبلتَ يسوع المسيح ربًا ومخلصًا، لا بطاعتنا.

بل نرثها بما ورد لاحقًا في رسالة العبرانيين، بطريقة جديدة حية كرّسها. مهلًا يا أخي، أنت تقول إن طريقة عيشنا لا تهم. ليس هذا ما أقوله. اسمع.

لأن تكريس يسوع يُتيح الوصول، وهذا الوصول يُفضي إلى التعرّض، وهذا التعرّض يُتيح لنا اختبار ما يقوله الكتاب المقدس. سنراه وسنكون مثله، وعندما نكون مثله، لسنا ملزمين بطاعته، لأننا واحد معه، فنحن نعبر في طبيعتنا عن ماهيته وما يريده، لا كفعل طاعة، بل كفعل إظهار للفداء الذي دفعه يسوع ليتحقق فينا.

الدين لا يعرف شيئًا عن ذلك.

Russian: Если вы изучаете Божьи обетования, основанные на законе, их условие: «если вы будете послушны и покорны», то вы будете питаться богатствами.

Но для нас, согласно Новому Завету, по благодати, если мы принимаем Иисуса Христа как своего Господа и Спасителя, мы наследуем обетования не через собственное послушание.

Мы наследуем их через то, что сказано далее в Послании к Евреям, через новый и живой путь, который Он освятил. Подожди, брат, ты говоришь, что неважно, как мы живем. Я говорю не это. Послушай.

Потому что освящение Иисуса создает доступ, доступ порождает открытость, открытость заставляет нас переживать то, о чем говорится в Писании; Мы увидим Его и будем подобны Ему, и когда мы будем подобны Ему, нам не нужно будет Ему повиноваться, потому что мы едины с Ним, мы выражаем в своей природе, кто Он есть и чего Он хочет, не как акт послушания, а как акт проявления Искупления, за которое Иисус заплатил, чтобы оно проявилось в вас.

Религия ничего об этом не знает.

Vietnamese: Nếu bạn nghiên cứu những lời hứa của Chúa dựa trên luật pháp, với điều kiện là 'nếu bạn sẵn lòng và vâng phục', thì bạn sẽ được hưởng sự giàu có nhất vùng.

Nhưng đối với chúng ta, trong Tân Ước, nhờ ân điển, nếu bạn chấp nhận Chúa Giê-su Christ là Chúa và Đấng Cứu Thế của mình, chúng ta được thừa hưởng những lời hứa, không phải nhờ sự vâng phục của chính mình.

Chúng ta được thừa hưởng bởi điều được nói đến sau này trong sách Hê-bơ-rơ, bởi một lối sống mới và sống động mà Ngài đã thánh hiến. Hãy dừng lại, anh em, anh đang nói rằng cách chúng ta sống không quan trọng. Đó không phải là điều tôi đang nói. Hãy lắng nghe.

Bởi vì sự thánh hiến của Chúa Giê-su tạo ra sự tiếp cận, sự tiếp cận tạo ra sự trải nghiệm, sự trải nghiệm khiến chúng ta kinh nghiệm những gì Kinh Thánh nói; Chúng ta sẽ thấy Ngài và chúng ta sẽ trở nên giống Ngài, và khi chúng ta giống Ngài, chúng ta không cần phải vâng lời Ngài nữa, bởi vì chúng ta là một với Ngài, chúng ta đang thể hiện trong bản chất của mình Ngài là ai và Ngài muốn gì, không phải như một hành động vâng phục, mà là một hành động thể hiện sự Cứu Chuộc mà Chúa Giê-su đã trả giá để được sinh ra trong chính chúng ta.

Tôn giáo không biết gì về điều đó.

Spanish: Si estudias las promesas de Dios basándote en la ley, en su condición de "si estás dispuesto y eres obediente", entonces disfrutarás de grandes beneficios.

Pero para nosotros, en el Nuevo Testamento, por gracia, si aceptamos a Jesucristo como nuestro Señor y Salvador, heredamos las promesas, no por nuestra propia obediencia.

Las heredamos por lo que se dice más adelante en el libro de Hebreos, por un camino nuevo y vivo que él ha consagrado. Espera, hermano, estás diciendo que no importa cómo vivamos. Eso no es lo que estoy diciendo. Escucha.

Porque la consagración de Jesús crea acceso, el acceso produce exposición, la exposición nos hace experimentar lo que dice la Escritura; Lo veremos y seremos como Él, y cuando seamos como Él, no tendremos que obedecerle, porque somos uno con Él; expresamos en nuestra naturaleza quién es Él y qué quiere, no como un acto de obediencia, sino como un acto de manifestación de la Redención, tal como Jesús la pagó para que se produjera en nosotros.

La religión no sabe nada de eso.

Portuguese: Se estudar as promessas de Deus baseadas na lei, na condição de "se estiver disposto e obediente", então desfrutará da abundância da terra.

Mas para nós, no Novo Testamento, pela graça, se aceitarmos Jesus Cristo como nosso Senhor e Salvador, herdamos as promessas, não pela nossa própria obediência.

Herdamos, como é dito mais adiante no livro dos Hebreus, por um novo e vivo caminho que Ele consagrou. Espera aí, irmão, estás a dizer que não importa como vivemos. Não é isso que estou a dizer. Escute.

Porque a consagração de Jesus cria acesso, o acesso produz exposição, a exposição leva-nos a experimentar o que dizem as Escrituras; Nós O veremos e seremos como Ele, e quando formos como Ele, não precisaremos de Lhe obedecer, porque seremos um com Ele, expressando na nossa natureza quem Ele é e o que Ele quer, não como um ato de obediência, mas como um ato de manifestação da Redenção, pois Jesus pagou por ela para que se produzisse em vós.

A religião não sabe nada sobre isso.

Portuguese (Brazil): Se você estudar as promessas de Deus baseadas na lei, na condição de "se você estiver disposto e obediente", então você desfrutará da abundância da terra.

Mas para nós, no Novo Testamento, pela graça, se aceitarmos Jesus Cristo como nosso Senhor e Salvador, herdamos as promessas, não por nossa própria obediência.

Herdamos, como é dito mais adiante no livro de Hebreus, por um novo e vivo caminho que Ele consagrou. Espere aí, irmão, você está dizendo que não importa como vivemos. Não é isso que estou dizendo. Escute.

Porque a consagração de Jesus cria acesso, o acesso produz exposição, a exposição nos leva a experimentar o que as Escrituras dizem; Nós O veremos e seremos como Ele, e quando formos como Ele, não precisaremos obedecê-Lo, porque seremos um com Ele, expressando em nossa natureza quem Ele é e o que Ele quer, não como um ato de obediência, mas como um ato de manifestação da Redenção, pois Jesus pagou por ela para que se produzisse em você.

A religião não sabe nada sobre isso.

Hebrew: אם תלמדו את הבטחות האל המבוססות על החוק, על תנאיהן, 'אם תהיו מוכנים וצייתנים', ובכן תאכלו את שומן הארץ.

אבל עבורנו, בברית החדשה, בחסד, אם אתם מקבלים את ישוע המשיח כאדון ומושיעכם, אנו יורשים את ההבטחות, לא דרך הציות שלנו.

ירשנו לפי מה שנאמר בהמשך בספר העברים, על ידי דרך חדשה וחיה שהוא קידש. חכה אחי, אתה אומר שלא משנה איך אנחנו חיים. זה לא מה שאני אומר. תקשיב.

מכיוון שהקדשתו של ישוע יוצרת גישה, הגישה מייצרת חשיפה, החשיפה גורמת לנו לחוות את מה שהכתוב אומר; נראה אותו ונהיה כמוהו, וכאשר נהיה כמוהו, איננו חייבים לציית לו, כי אנו אחד איתו, אנו מבטאים בטבענו מי הוא ומה הוא רוצה, לא כמעשה של ציות, אלא כמעשה של גילוי גאולה כפי שישוע שילם כדי שתיווצר בכם.

הדת לא יודעת על כך כלום.

Greek: Αν μελετήσετε τις υποσχέσεις του Θεού με βάση τον νόμο, την προϋπόθεση τους, «αν είστε πρόθυμοι και υπάκουοι», τότε θα φάτε το πάχος της γης.

Αλλά εμείς, στην Καινή Διαθήκη, κατά χάρη, αν δεχτείτε τον Ιησού Χριστό ως Κύριο και Σωτήρα σας, κληρονομούμε τις υποσχέσεις, όχι μέσω της δικής μας υπακοής.

Κληρονομήσαμε από όσα λέγονται αργότερα στην επιστολή προς Εβραίους, από μια νέα και ζωντανή οδό που έχει καθαγιάσει. Κράτα γερά, αδελφέ, λες ότι δεν έχει σημασία πώς ζούμε. Δεν είναι αυτό που λέω εγώ. Άκου.

Επειδή η καθιέρωση του Ιησού δημιουργεί πρόσβαση, η πρόσβαση παράγει έκθεση, η έκθεση μας κάνει να βιώνουμε αυτό που λέει η Γραφή. θα τον δούμε και θα είμαστε σαν ΑΥΤΟΝ, και όταν είμαστε σαν ΑΥΤΟΝ, δεν χρειάζεται να Τον υπακούμε, επειδή είμαστε ένα με ΑΥΤΟΝ, εκφράζουμε στη φύση μας ποιος είναι ΑΥΤΟΣ και τι θέλει, όχι ως πράξη υπακοής, αλλά ως πράξη εκδήλωσης της Λύτρωσης όπως ο Ιησούς πλήρωσε για να παραχθεί στη δική σας.

Η θρησκεία δεν γνωρίζει τίποτα γι' αυτό.

German: Wenn du die Verheißungen Gottes anhand des Gesetzes und ihrer Bedingung – „wenn du willig und gehorsam bist“ – betrachtest, dann wirst du im Überfluss leben.

Doch für uns im Neuen Testament gilt: Aus Gnade, wenn wir Jesus Christus als unseren Herrn und Retter annehmen, erben wir die Verheißungen, nicht durch unseren eigenen Gehorsam.

Wir erben sie durch das, was später im Hebräerbrief steht, durch einen neuen und lebendigen Weg, den er uns gezeigt hat. Moment mal, Bruder, du meinst also, es spiele keine Rolle, wie wir leben? Das meine ich nicht. Hör zu.

Denn Jesu Hingabe schafft Zugang, dieser Zugang führt zu Offenbarung, und diese Offenbarung lässt uns erfahren, was die Schrift sagt. Wir werden ihn sehen und ihm gleich sein. Und wenn wir ihm gleich sind, müssen wir ihm nicht mehr gehorchen, denn wir sind eins mit ihm. Wir bringen in unserem Wesen zum Ausdruck, wer er ist und was er will – nicht aus Gehorsam, sondern um die Erlösung zu offenbaren, für die Jesus bezahlt hat.

Die Religion weiß davon nichts.

Italian: Se studiate le promesse di Dio basandovi sulla legge, sulla loro condizione, "se siete disposti e obbedienti", beh, ne trarrete solo il massimo vantaggio.

Ma per noi, nel Nuovo Testamento, per grazia, se accettiamo Gesù Cristo come nostro Signore e Salvatore, ereditiamo le promesse, non per la nostra obbedienza.

Le ereditiamo per ciò che viene detto più avanti nel libro degli Ebrei, per una via nuova e vivente che Egli ha consacrato. Aspetta un attimo, fratello, stai dicendo che non importa come viviamo. Non è questo che sto dicendo. Ascolta.

Perché la consacrazione di Gesù crea accesso, l'accesso produce rivelazione, la rivelazione ci fa sperimentare ciò che dice la Scrittura; Lo vedremo e saremo simili a Lui, e quando saremo simili a Lui, non dovremo obbedirgli, perché saremo una cosa sola con Lui, esprimeremo nella nostra natura chi Egli è e cosa vuole, non per un atto di obbedienza, ma per manifestare la Redenzione così come Gesù l'ha resa possibile in noi.

La religione non sa nulla di questo.

Turkish: Eğer Tanrı'nın vaatlerini yasaya dayalı olarak incelerseniz, şartlarını, 'istekli ve itaatkâr olursanız', işte o zaman ülkenin bereketini yersiniz.

Ama biz, Yeni Ahit'te, lütuf sayesinde, İsa Mesih'i Rab ve Kurtarıcı olarak kabul ederseniz, vaatleri kendi itaatimizle değil, miras alırız.

İbraniler kitabında daha sonra söylendiği gibi, O'nun kutsadığı yeni ve canlı bir yolla miras alırız. Durun bir dakika kardeşim, nasıl yaşadığımızın önemi yok diyorsunuz. Ben bunu söylemiyorum. Dinleyin.

Çünkü İsa'nın kutsaması erişim yaratır, erişim maruz kalmayı sağlar, maruz kalma ise Kutsal Yazıların söylediği şeyi deneyimlememize neden olur; Onu göreceğiz ve ona benzeyeceğiz; ona benzediğimizde ise ona itaat etmemize gerek kalmayacak, çünkü onunla bir olacağız; doğamızda onun kim olduğunu ve ne istediğini ifade edeceğiz; bu bir itaat eylemi değil, İsa'nın sizin içinizde gerçekleşmesi için ödediği bedel olan kurtuluşu tezahür ettirme eylemidir.

Din bunun hakkında hiçbir şey bilmiyor.

Stay Hungry for More of God Each Day

 Today I was deeply moved by Psalm 42: verses 1-3. A passage many of us know well.

It says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night while people say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 

The passion behind this psalmist's voice baffles and excites me at the same time. 

Passionately, he says, "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." When was the last time you felt such thirst, such overflowing desire for the Lord? 

When was the last time a church service was more than a gathering? 

When was the last time you longed for His presence? 

When you longed for fellowship with HIM?

 Enough of pretense today. We must be truthful with ourselves.  We must be able to gauge the very depth of our burning desire for HIM. 

 Only then can we grow into deeper hunger for HIM. 

 I believe that the greatest prayer we can pray for ourselves as believers is that our hunger for the Lord never dims. 

 May it be ever burning. 

 May our hearts always be on fire for HIM and may we hunger for even more of HIM. 

 This brings to mind some verses of scripture in the book of Leviticus today. 

And these verses talk about fire on an altar. Fire that must never go out. 

Leviticus 6:verses 12 to13 say, "And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it. It shall not be put out. And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it. 

And he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings. 

The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar.

 It shall never go out. See in this picture, that altar is our hearts. We are the priests. And the wood we burn on that altar every morning is our desire, our love for the Lord. are times of fellowship in worship, prayer, and the Word. 

 Those are our peace offerings that keep our hearts on fire continually. 

Those are the offerings that make us hunger for more of God. 

And the last line gives us an emphasis we must not miss. It repeats the very words that started the first verse as though issuing a warning. 

 It says, "The fire shall be ever burning upon the altar. It shall never go out." And that is the big question today. 

 How is the fire upon the altar of your heart? 

Is it still alive? Is it still burning? Is that fire vibrant? 

 Do you feed that fire every day? 

 A fire that is fed every day grows every day. 

 When we feed the hunger in our hearts, when we stay with the Lord in our secret places daily, no matter what little time we spend, our fire grows. 

 That means our desire for HIM grows, our passion grows. But if we do not spend that time, if we do not make that commitment, that sacrifice to always seek the Lord, our fire dims. 

And God forbid, if the neglect is left for too long, it dies.  I remember an account of the patriarch Moses' life.

The Bible tells us that after Moses met with the Lord, the skin on his face shone. It was alive. 

 The more the man Moses met with the Lord, the more he grew. 

 Staying hungry for God each day goes beyond a prayer point. We can't just pray and be done with it. We must stay with HIM. We must pay the price for being in His presence. 

 I would say personally that it is a price of time. Anyone that will grow in hunger, any man who will grow in the spirit must have time for God. 

 That person must make time for God. 

 In this kingdom, time tells what we will become. The time we spend with HIM matters. 

 The Bible shows us some words from King David's personal life in Psalm 119 verse 164. 

 And there the king said, "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws." 

 Psalm 55 verse 17 also captures some profound words. 

Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice. 

 The Bible tells us of the habit of the apostles. 

 We learn from scripture, particularly the book of Acts, of how they kept the hours of prayer, how they returned to their company to pray. 

 As Acts 3:1 records, now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the 9th hour. 

We also have records of scripture in Acts 4:verses 23-24 where it was said of the apostles that on their release Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.  Sovereign Lord, they said, you made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 

 And then there was the man Daniel, known for saying prayers to God three times a day. Daniel 6:10 says,  "Daniel always prayed to God three times every day. Three times every day, he bowed down on his knees to pray and praise God. 

Examples abound in scripture. 

Examples of men and women devoted to feeding their altars. Men and women devoted to making time for the Lord. Hungry men and women. There is no argument for our inability to make time to stoke our fires. 

 There are no arguments that work. We can't say it is a lack of time. Time can always be made if we want to make it. 

 I'm sure David and Daniel were very busy men. Even the apostles being in full-time ministry, but order was order. 

    And the order of daily life as believers demands that we keep our altars burning, always burning, ever burning so that our hearts will not grow cold. 

   And there are several hearts growing cold right now. Hearts that the Lord is reaching out to. Hearts that the Lord is calling back to relight their fires. 

   Hearts the Lord is calling out to for a return back to their secret place, back to their place of fellowship. 

 Priests, we must burn wood on our altars. 

 We must sustain our hunger and we must grow hungrier still because it is truly the hungry that are filled. 

 Matthew 5:6 says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." If you know you are in that place today where you can't really tell where your hunger is, maybe you haven't even felt any kind of hunger for God or for the things of God for the longest time. 

 Maybe you have completely been inconsistent in your place of fellowship. 

 Maybe you have not been able to make time for the Lord. This prayer call today is a call to you. 

 It's a call for you to return back to that secret place. 

 A call for you to return back to His presence. 

 If you are ready to answer that call today, then I ask that you join me here right now. And let's say this prayer in faith. 

🙏🏽 

🗣️ : Heavenly Father, I realize I haven't really looked at my spiritual life for some time, but now I see myself clearly. 

 I see where l am and how far I've drifted. 

 I notice how I've let other things take the place that belongs to you. 

 Your Word has opened my eyes and I can't pretend everything is fine anymore. I can't act like nothing has changed in me. I can't ignore the quiet coldness that's been growing in my heart. 

 Lord, I remember when I was full of life. 

 I used to feel passion for you. My heart was hungry for you.  My soul longed for your presence and I wanted to spend time with you. 

Being close to you was never a burden. 

 Prayer came naturally and your word felt close. Worship came from deep desire. 

 But today, Lord, I realize I haven't felt these things in a long time.  I can't remember the last time I truly prayed with all my heart.  I can't remember when I last sat with your Word and let it shape me, feed me, correct me, and give me strength. 

 I can't remember the last time I worshiped you with my whole heart. 

I can't remember the last time l praised you without feeling distracted. 

 It feels like my spiritual life has taken a back seat and now I'm just busy with responsibilities, concerns, and plans. 

 I've let everything else take over and my walk with you has grown weak. 

 Lord, today I find myself making excuses. I have reasons I could give you. 

 I could say l am tired. That life has been hard or that my mind is crowded with worries. 

 Many things have needed my attention. 

 But deep down, I know these excuses do not really explain why my faith feels weaker or why I have let my passion for you fade.

 They cannot justify why I have grown comfortable without the deep hunger l once had for you. My heart feels cold, Lord. 

 I have lost my fire. That is why l am coming to you now. I do not want to keep going like this. I do not want to drift any further. I do not want to wake up   one day and realize l am so far from you that I do not even notice it. 

Lord, please help me stay close to you. Do not let me become numb.  Do not let me take your presence for granted. 

Do not let me keep putting off my relationship with you. 

 Heavenly Father, I ask you to restore me today. 

 I'm not sure how much my passion has faded, but I know it is low.  I do not know how long I have been drifting, but I know I need to come back. Please help me find that fire again.

 Help me return to my quiet place with you. 

 Bring me back to the time when your word excited me, when it made sense, and when reading the Bible filled my soul instead of feeling like a routine.  Bring me back to the place where I finished reading and felt blessed, where my heart felt full. 

 Bring me to the place where your voice was clear in scripture, where conviction brought me closer to you, where correction felt like love. 

 Lord, I do not want my relationship with your Word to be dry.  I do not want to read without understanding or hear without responding. 

 I want my heart to be alive before you again. Help me return to prayer to the place where prayer was truly a part of my daily life and joy. 

 Bring me back to where I could speak honestly with you. Pour out my heart and sit quietly in your presence knowing I was never alone.  Restore me to the kind of prayer that shaped my days. 

Lord, you strengthened my spirit and kept my heart open to you.  Bring me back to worship, praise, and steady fellowship.  Show me again how to lift my heart to you even when I feel weak.  Lord, I truly want my spiritual life restored. 

 As you renew me today, give me the grace to keep seeking more of you. Let my desire for you keep growing. 

 Do not let me fall back into old habits. 

 Help me protect what you restore and keep the fire you light in my heart. I pray for grace and wisdom to build habits that help me stay consistent. 

 Let me keep filling my life with your word and keep my daily prayer strong.

Father God, help me manage my time and arrange my days so I can keep growing. Thank you again for today in Lord Jesus Christ's name. So be it. 

Saint,  I hope this prayer helps you return to the secret place, rebuild your prayer altar, and keep the fire of your love for God burning again. May the peace of Jesus Christ be with you always.

Read and meditate on these Bible References: 

Psalm 42:1-3 ¹As the deer pants for streams of water,

    so my soul pants for you, my God.

² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

    When can I go and meet with God?

³ My tears have been my food

    day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

    “Where is your God?”

Leviticus 6:12-13 ¹² The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. ¹³ The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day I praise you

    for your righteous laws.

Psalm 55:17 Evening, morning and noon

    I cry out in distress,

    and he hears my voice.

Acts 3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon.

Acts 4:23-24 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

Daniel 6:10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

🗣️ Speak the Words into your life today 

PURIFYING THE HEART WITHIN • 洁净内心

40 John Sung Revival Sermons

V. PURIFYING THE HEART WITHIN

(Mark Chapter 7)

Vs. 1. “There came unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem." When the Lord Jesus was on earth, there was this class of Pharisees and scribes who loved to put on an outward show, but within was concealed the very opposite. But Jesus stressed rather the inside and not the outside. So, the Pharisees were his adversaries. Now, they came with the purpose of finding Jesus' fault, and to accuse Him. Perhaps there are some who have come today for the same purpose and not to listen to the Word!

Vs. 2. “And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashed hands, they found fault." As these stood outside the window to observe they remarked, “How is it they are eating with unwashen hands? For the Pharisees who stress the outside require washing of hands before meals. Now that Jesus hasn't performed this, they found an opportunity to criticise Him.

Vs. 3 and 4. We can see how these Pharisees are more hygiene-conscious than modern doctors. Making much of such tradition, they would never eat without washing hands, cups and saucers, after returning from the market. While they put such importance on the outward, there was no corresponding cleansing inside. Those who stress the outside neglect the inside, and vice versa those who stress the inside neglect the outside. For myself, I won't care what your outside is, for if I stress the outside I would neglect the inside. The Pharisees are hypocrites! Stressing the outside breeds conceit. When they say Jesus is unclean, they are judging Him with pride. There are many who boast of their outside and not a few of these are found in our churches. They require women to cover their heads, they demand immersion and unleavened bread for the Lord's Supper. But who do the Scriptures say these people are who stress the outside? Pharisees! Now these same people today would also say, “You are soulful, you are emotional." Raising themselves above others they become hypocrites. They deserve Jesus' rebuke.

Vs. 5 and 6. Jesus rebuked them severely for their outward show. I don't care whether you are immersed or not immersed, head-covered or uncovered. I care rather whether you have repented, and whether you are saved. These people ask Jesus why He doesn't keep to tradition? They make themselves greater than Jesus and anybody else. They can only find fault. They look down even on Jesus but dare not question Him openly. Though they know what miracles Jesus has done, they say these came by the Evil Spirit. Hypocrites! Jesus can never convert them. These people say, “Once saved, always saved. Being saved, you can afford to do anything you like." These people become hypocrites and hypocrites are deaf to Jesus' words. These who pride in their spirituality and condemn others! These are like a torchlight that looks shining bright on the casing but gives no light while its bulb is covered up. These who can steal sheep but have never led a soul into the new birth. These who say, “You cannot be saved except you be immersed!" What light comes from them? Hypocrites. These who require unleavened bread as a qualification for the Rapture! Jesus says, “This people draweth nigh with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." A torchlight that gives no light. How pitiful.

The church is troubled by many a Pharisaical gossiper. Not only are they deaf, they are also dumb, though they like to gossip behind your back. But I speak to you in the open. What preachers are they who indulge in backbiting?

Jesus says, “Woe to these people. The Pharisees are good at repeating Scriptures too. They fast twice a week. They kneel by the roadside to pray. They have an outward show but in their hearts they are hypocrites. Pharisees are numbered among university students who are beyond the reach of the country folk. With their knowledge they have become Pharisees.

Vs. 7. Moreover, these Pharisees, being full of sins, are not born again. They preach without experiencing what they preach. They preach the doctrines of men and many are the followers of their style of preaching. Before this, I was also like them. I preached from notes gathered here and there, and what I spoke about I had never experienced, though men applauded my learning. While I prepared my sermons, I still had doubts about the Bible. I only repeated what I had learnt from teachers. The Pharisees had their genealogies, repeating after the words of men for their sermons. Were they not dumb? Not born again, how could they bring others to the new birth? Many would not believe in heaven and hell because they had not seen them. One year's stay in the United States could change one to discard God's Word for man's word.

Vs. 8. For laying aside the commandment of God they interpret Scripture according to man's ideas, making man's words the Word of God. Some say, “Heaven and hell are figures of speech which Jesus used to scare people. Substituting God's Word with man's words, they not only lay aside God's command but also make it void. They mess up God's Word with patches of human words. When a man is deaf, he also becomes dumb. Not able to preach, they can only speak what others have first spoken.

A sermon appeared in a Shanghai newspaper which was reputed to be the joint labour of a number of doctors. When I was in America I had heard the same sermon. How then did this sermon come to be the joint effort of these doctors? Well, I heard in Shanghai a certain leader say, "Christ is standing outside the Laodicean Church. So as Jesus discards the Church, we should leave the Church." This became the slogan of men of his clique. I felt perplexed.

I said, “if the Laodicean Church would open the door, then the Lord would enter in." Now, this latter portion of the Word was left out. But these are those who like to parrot others, and there are many parrots around these days. You see this in the way they copy one another in the interpretation of Revelation. And these doctrines originating from Shanghai are parrotted everywhere. Jesus says, “For laying aside the commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men ..." Yea, even to making it void. Dumbbells!

Vs. 10. Moreover, they twist the Scriptures. The Bible says, “Honour thy father and thy mother; and whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death." But they say, “If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, it is a gift ... he shall be free." Now there are the same Scripture-twisters today. When I learnt essay writing in my young days, my teacher taught me to gather ideas here and there. But when I presented to him my essay, he said “No good" after one glance. Because the ideas were not expressed in logical sequence. At that time I could not understand. There are many who take a verse of Scripture here, and another there, all out of context and inject into them their own ideas. This is Scripture-twisting.

Vs. 12 and 13. The first step, they lay aside. The second step, they make the Word of God of no effect by putting in their own ideas. Why could not they speak from experience? Because they are not born again. Dumb-bells. I had to deliver a sermon for examination during my seminary days. Now, in U.S. a sermon was worth $25. It wasn't easy preparing the sermon. So, I thought of a way out. I went to the Library. I copied here and there others' ideas to fit the topic assigned me. Rewriting these as my own sermon, I gave my teacher two days to correct for me. After this I preached it once to test out. Trembling I prepared a whole two weeks to earn the $25. What did I say? I merely stole words here and there. These were not the Word of God, but men's words. I laid aside God's Word by the words of men. Although I spoke on the new birth and holiness, I did not understand these truths myself. A dumbbell, I merely followed others because I had nothing to say. Not able directly to hear God's Word, I became deaf. I was a hypocrite.

Vs. 14-23. After admonishing the Pharisees, Jesus called all His disciples together. He said, “Hearken unto me, everyone of you, and understand. There is nothing from without a man that, entering him, can defile him; but the things which come out of him, these are they that defile the man." Not understanding this, His disciples asked Him in the house. Jesus said, “Do ye not perceive that whatever thing from outside entereth into the man, it cannot defile him. Because, it entereth into his stomach and goeth out into the draught. That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, etc.” These are dreadful things which proceed from within and not from without. A man who gives forth light also gives it from inside. But these who have no light are dumb, because inside them is the Devil. Beloved brothers and sisters, many there are who can't listen to God's Word because they have no light inside. They give out poison instead. The outside is of no great importance.

Once a pastor in Shantung was taken by bandits. Before killing him they gave him three choices: “First, eat horse dung. Second, he beheaded. Third, worship Buddha." He chose to eat horse dung because he could never worship Buddha, and to be beheaded was too great a tragedy. So he knelt down to eat in one breadth, as one eating ricenoodles. The outside cannot defile. What is dreadfully defiling is from inside. Beloved, fear not the ridicule and assault of men. Fear rather that within you is the Devil, and darkness, and dirt.

When no light shines from our inside, there must be trouble. These people might have been immersed, been communicants at the Lord's Table. Yet they have no light. The reason is the Devil is inside them. Yea, full of devils --- No.1, Adultery devil. Some say, We have not committed adultery. But know that to lust after a woman with your eyes is committing adultery in your heart. No wonder it is said the inside is more important. Cleansing should be from the inside.

No. 2, Thievery devil. Some might say, “We have never stolen." But if you indulge in improper business, you are stealing others' living. I have seen those who are immersed and those whose heads are covered who sell tobacco and wine. This is thievery, and there are many kinds, big and small. To pick up things someone has dropped is theft. Charging high interest is theft. “To steal sheep" is theft. And Jesus doubly condemns the Pharisees who swallow widows' houses and yet outwardly cover up themselves with long prayers.

No. 3, Murder devil. To hate and to scold is murder. Two persons were good friends. When one of them left the Church, they fell out so they would not greet one another on the streets like sworn enemies. To hate is a terrible sin. In Hangchow there was a university student. Having been born again he wrote his testimony. But soon he turned into a Pharisee, one who “spoke in the Name of the Lord." He forbade others to come to my meetings accusing me of being possessed by an evil spirit, that I was working on the emotions of others. But he dropped out in two weeks!

No. 4, Jealousy devil. Hypocrites, these cannot shine. These forbid women to speak but to keep silence at meetings. These are jealous at the goodness of others. They hurl such remarks, “These are evil spirits. Those are emotional." Hypocrites. The outside cannot defile, but the inside.

No. 5, Slandering devils. These condemn others as not spiritual but soulful, but they have no light. Hypocrites.

No. 6, Lying devils. These are inventors, and defamers of character, lying without the least evidence. They say, “It you are saved, then cover your head." Hypocrites.

No. 7, Conceited devils. I, I, I, they brag. “Only we can be raptured." Outside they look decent. Inside, full of devils. Elders, deacons, old-timer believers --- but giving forth no light. Both deaf and dumb. Let us cast out all these devils.

Vs. 34-30. Deaf and dumb these Pharisees, but here is a Canaanite woman who is not sick like them. Jesus left for the borders of Tyre and Sidon for a retreat. Far from being deaf, this woman made inquiry everywhere for Jesus and found Him at last. Far from being dumb, she called to Jesus, “My daughter is possessed with a demon. Lord, please heal her." Jesus did not heed her. Though the Lord disregarded her for being a Gentile, she did not get angry. Rather she continued pleading (she was not dumb) that Jesus might heal her daughter. Jesus said, “You are dogs. To give the children's bread to feed dogs is not right." This woman said, “Lord, no doubt I am less than a dog. I am a puppy, Lord. Dogs cannot eat the children's bread, but surely the crumbs thrown down!" Jesus said, “Go home. The devil is cast out!" This woman was not the least roused to anger. So, she found healing. If we don't cast out the devils within us, we will be undone. Let us call on the Lord to cast out the demons within us that light might shine from our faces.

A girl student in Nanchang was bitten by a mad dog and asked me to pray for her. According to the doctor, she would die the next year. I replied, “The body is of little importance. Is there sin in your heart? Are you born again?" She said, “I don't know. All I care for is this dog-bite." A person with a sinful heart cannot shine forth with light. Rather, poison is emitted. Let us ask the Lord to heal us.

Vs. 31-37. After the demons are cast out, will there be light? Not yet. Why? Without the filling of the Holy Spirit the inside is a vacuum. So, we must ask for the Spirit's filling. Though born again you still cannot shine forth the light. Why? Not enough. There was a deaf and dumb man whom the Lord led out of the village. There the Lord put his finger into his ears. Why? Because his ears could not hear. Then the Lord spat and touched his tongue. What is spittle? The Word of the Lord. Jesus said, “Eat it" and he swallow it. The Word of the Lord entered from three directions: 1) through the ear-gate; 2) through the eye-gate; 3) through the mouth-gate. John 6:63 says, “The Lord's Word is spirit. The Lord's Word enters through the ear, the mouth and the eyes. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the devil is cast out. The deaf can praise the Lord. There is power in His Word. Such a person is now filled with the Holy Spirit. He needs no head-covering. He needs no immersion. But the Lord says, “Open!” Immediately, light comes. He can speak. The deaf can speak. He goes everywhere witnessing.

A person without any inside light is either empty or has a devil. Let us not over-stress the outside. Rather ask the Lord to cast out devils inside and be filled with the Spirit. Then we can go round witnessing.

  Before the Lord left the world, He told the disciples to wait for the descent of the Holy Spirit to receive power for witnessing. The Lord did not stress the outside, so He did not baptise but let His disciples do it. Neither did Paul baptise much. When we begin to stress the outside we become hypocrites. May the Holy Spirit fill you all that you be enabled to witness. When you are filled with the Spirit you can't help but witness.

In Nanking there was a four-year-old girl. She never heard the Gospel. Someone brought her to the meetings. The Spirit filled her and she could preach. She spoke at a Secondary School for girls. She sang, “Coming home!” and spoke on “the lost sheep come home.” She sang another verse of “Coming home.” The meeting closed. Beloved, God used her as He uses me. This girl's surname is Lee. Her name is “Stone.”

There was another little girl of three. Before she died, she led many children to Christ. Ah! How old are you?

May the Holy Spirit fill us, cause us to shine and to witness.

 

THEME SONG

Saviour, Saviour,

Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.  

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五、洁净内心

（马可福音 7 章）

第 1 节：“有几个法利赛人和几个文士从耶路撒冷来，到耶稣那里去。” 当主耶稣在世时，有这样一群法利赛人和文士，他们喜欢装腔作势，但内心却截然相反。然而，耶稣更注重内在，而非外在。因此，法利赛人成了他的敌人。他们来到这里，是为了找出耶稣的过错，控告他。或许今天也有一些人来到这里，也是出于同样的目的，而不是为了聆听神的话语！

第 2 节：“他们看见耶稣的门徒用不洁净的手，就是没有洗过的手吃饭，就责备他们。” 这些人站在窗外观看，说道：“他们怎么能用没洗过的手吃饭呢？因为法利赛人注重外表，要求饭前洗手。现在耶稣没有这样做，他们就找到了机会批评他。”

第3-4节。我们可以看出，这些法利赛人比现代医生更注重卫生。他们非常重视这种传统，从市场回来后，吃饭前一定要洗手、洗杯碟。他们如此重视外表，却忽略了内在的洁净。注重外表的人忽略了内在，反之亦然。就我个人而言，我不会在意你的外表如何，因为如果我注重外表，就会忽略内在。法利赛人是伪君子！注重外表会滋生傲慢。当他们说耶稣不洁净时，他们是在骄傲地论断他。许多人都以自己的外表为傲，而我们教会中也有不少这样的人。他们要求妇女蒙头， 他们要求在圣餐礼中施行浸礼，并使用无酵饼。但圣经说，这些注重外在形式的人是谁呢？是法利赛人！如今，这些人也会说：“你太有感情了，你太情绪化了。”他们自视甚高，凌驾于他人之上，成了伪君子。他们理应受到耶稣的斥责。

第5-6节。耶稣严厉地斥责他们注重外在形式。我不在乎你们是否受浸，是否蒙头，我更在乎你们是否悔改，是否得救。这些人问耶稣为什么不遵守传统？他们自视甚高，凌驾于耶稣和任何人之上。他们只会挑剔。他们甚至轻视耶稣，却不敢公开质疑他。尽管他们知道耶稣所行的神迹，却说这些神迹是出于邪灵。伪君子！耶稣永远无法感化他们。这些人说：“一次得救，永远得救。” “得救之后，你就可以随心所欲了。”这些人成了伪君子，而伪君子对耶稣的话充耳不闻。他们自诩属灵，却论断他人！他们就像手电筒，外壳闪闪发光，但灯泡被遮住后却什么也照不出来。他们能偷羊，却从未带领过一个灵魂重生。他们说：“除非受洗，否则不能得救！”他们有什么光呢？他们是伪君子。他们竟然要求吃无酵饼才能被提！耶稣说：“这百姓用嘴唇尊敬我，心却远离我。” 就像手电筒一样，却什么也照不亮。多么可悲！

教会里有很多法利赛式的闲言碎语。他们不仅充耳不闻，而且哑口无言，却喜欢在背后议论别人。但我当面跟你们说，那些沉迷于此的传道人算什么呢？ 背后议论？

耶稣说：“这些人有祸了！法利赛人也擅长背诵经文，他们每周禁食两次，跪在路旁祷告，外表光鲜，内心却虚伪。他们如同大学里的学生，与乡下人格格不入，却因学识而成了法利赛人。

第7节：这些法利赛人满身罪恶，没有重生。他们传讲的，自己却没有经历。他们传讲人的道理，许多人也效法他们的讲道方式。从前我也像他们一样，讲道时随意收集笔记，所讲的我从未经历过，虽然人们称赞我的学识。我预备讲道的时候，心里却对圣经心存疑惑，只是重复老师所教给我的道理。法利赛人有他们的家谱，讲道时也照搬人的话。” 他们难道不愚昧吗？他们自己都没有重生，又怎能带领别人获得新生呢？许多人因为没有亲眼见过天堂和地狱，所以不相信它们的存在。在美国待上一年，就足以让人舍弃上帝的话语，转而相信人的话。

第8节。他们弃绝神的诫命，按照人的想法解释圣经，把人的话当作神的话语。有人说：“天堂和地狱是耶稣用来吓唬人的比喻。”他们用人的话代替神的话语，不仅弃绝了神的诫命，还使之失效。他们用人的话语拼凑出神的话语。人耳聋了，也哑了。他们自己不会讲道，只能重复别人说过的话。

上海一家报纸上刊登了一篇讲道，据说是几位医生共同撰写的。我在美国的时候也听过同样的讲道。那么，这篇讲道怎么会是这些医生共同完成的呢？嗯，我在上海听到一位领袖说：“基督站在老底嘉教会外面。” “既然耶稣弃绝了教会，我们也应该离开教会。”这成了他那一伙人的口号。我感到困惑。

我说：“如果老底嘉教会敞开大门，主就会进来。”然而，圣经的后半部分却被忽略了。但这些人喜欢鹦鹉学舌，而如今鹦鹉学舌的人比比皆是。看看他们是如何互相抄袭《启示录》的就知道了。这些源自上海的教义到处都在鹦鹉学舌。耶稣说：“你们离弃神的诫命，拘守人的传统……”是的，甚至废掉了它。真是愚蠢！

第10节。此外，他们还曲解圣经。圣经说：“当孝敬父母；” “凡咒骂父母的，必处死。”但他们说：“人若对父母说：‘这是供物，就是礼物……’，他就可以免除罪责。”如今，也有许多曲解圣经的人。我年轻时学习作文，老师教我把各种想法零散地拼凑起来。但当我把作文交给他时，他只看了一眼就说“不行”。因为我的想法没有逻辑清晰地表达出来。当时我不明白。许多人断章取义地引用经文，把自己的想法强加进去。这就是曲解圣经。

第12节和第13节。第一步，他们把经文抛诸脑后。第二步，他们把自己的想法强加进去，使神的话语失去了效力。为什么他们不能以自己的经历来说话呢？因为他们没有重生。就像哑巴一样。我在神学院的时候，为了考试要做一次讲道。现在，在美国…… 一篇讲道值25美元。准备讲道并不容易。于是，我想了个办法。我去了图书馆。我抄袭别人的想法，使之符合我被分配的主题。我把这些抄袭的内容改写成自己的讲道稿，给了老师两天时间修改。之后，我讲了一遍，试讲一下。我战战兢兢地准备了整整两周，就为了赚那25美元。我讲了什么呢？我只是零零散散地抄袭。这些不是神的话语，而是人的话语。我用人的话语弃置了神的话语。虽然我讲的是重生和圣洁，但我自己却不明白这些真理。我像个哑巴，只是随波逐流，因为我没有什么可说的。我无法直接聆听神的话语，我变得耳聋了。我是个伪君子。

14-23节。耶稣训诫了法利赛人之后，把所有的门徒都召集到一起。他说：“你们每个人都要听我的话，要明白。” 凡从外面进入人里面的，都不能污秽人；惟有从人里面出来的，才能污秽人。”门徒不明白这话，就在屋里问他。耶稣说：“你们难道不明白吗？凡从外面进入人里面的，都不能污秽人；因为是进入人的肚子，又排泄到肠道。惟有从人里面出来的，才能污秽人。因为从里面，就是从人的心里，发出恶念等等。”这些可怕的事情是从里面出来的，而不是从外面出来的。能发出光的人，也是从里面发出光。但那些没有光的人是哑巴，因为他们里面有魔鬼。亲爱的弟兄姐妹们，许多人听不到神的话语，因为他们里面没有光。他们反而散播毒害。外在的东西并不重要。

从前山东有一位牧师被土匪掳走。在杀他之前，土匪给了他三个选择：“第一，吃马粪；第二，砍头；第三，拜佛。”他选择了吃马粪，因为他永远无法拜佛，而砍头对他来说又太过悲惨。于是他跪下，一口气吃下马粪，就像吃米粉一样。外在的污秽无法玷污，真正可怕的污秽来自内心。亲爱的，不要害怕世人的嘲笑和攻击，而要害怕你内心深处的魔鬼、黑暗和污秽。

当我们内心没有光芒时，必定会有麻烦。这些人或许受过洗礼，领过圣餐，但他们心中没有光。原因在于魔鬼在他们里面。是的，他们里面充满了魔鬼——第一，奸淫的魔鬼。有人会说：“我们没有犯奸淫。” 但要知道，用眼睛贪恋女人，就是在心里犯奸淫。难怪人们常说，内在比外在更重要。洁净应当从内心开始。

第二，偷窃的魔鬼。有些人可能会说：“我们从未偷过东西。”但如果你从事不正当的生意，你就是在偷窃别人的生计。我见过那些受洗礼、蒙头大礼的人，他们卖烟酒。这就是偷窃，而且偷窃的种类繁多，大小不一。捡起别人掉落的东西是偷窃。收取高利贷是偷窃。“偷羊”也是偷窃。耶稣加倍谴责那些吞噬寡妇家产，却用冗长祷告掩盖自己罪行的法利赛人。

第三，杀人的魔鬼。憎恨和辱骂就是杀人。两个人原本是好朋友。当其中一人离开教会后，他们反目成仇，甚至在街上都不愿见面，如同仇敌一般。憎恨是极其严重的罪。 在杭州，有个大学生。他重生后写了见证。但不久，他就变成了一个法利赛人，一个“奉主名说话”的人。他禁止别人来参加我的聚会，指责我被邪灵附身，说我是在利用别人的情绪。但两周后，他就退出了！

第四类：嫉妒的魔鬼。伪君子，他们无法发光。他们禁止妇女在聚会上发言，必须保持沉默。他们嫉妒别人的良善。他们散布这样的言论：“这些人是邪灵。那些人是情绪化的。” 伪君子。外在不能玷污人，内在才能玷污人。

第五类：诽谤的魔鬼。他们谴责别人不是属灵的，而是属魂的，但他们自己没有光。伪君子。

第六类：说谎的魔鬼。他们是捏造事实、诽谤他人的人，毫无证据地说谎。他们说：“如果你得救了，就蒙住你的头。” 伪君子。

第七，自负的魔鬼。他们自夸：“只有我们才能被提。”他们外表体面，内心却被魔鬼缠身。长老、执事、老信徒——却不发出任何光芒。他们既聋又哑。让我们赶出这些魔鬼。

34-30节。这些法利赛人又聋又哑，但这里有一位迦南妇人，她不像他们那样生病。耶稣前往推罗和西顿的边界隐居。这位妇人非但没有聋，反而四处打听耶稣，最终找到了他。她非但没有哑，反而呼求耶稣说：“我的女儿被鬼附着了。主啊，求你医治她。”耶稣没有理会她。虽然主因为她是外邦人而忽略了她，但她并没有生气。相反，她继续恳求（她并不哑），求耶稣医治她的女儿。 耶稣说：“你们是狗。把孩子的饼给狗吃是不好的。”这位妇人说：“主啊，我连狗都不如。我连小狗都不如，主啊。狗不能吃孩子的饼，但肯定可以吃掉落的碎屑！”耶稣说：“回家去吧。魔鬼已经被赶走了！”这位妇人丝毫没有生气。于是，她得到了医治。如果我们不赶走我们里面的魔鬼，我们就会堕落。让我们呼求主，赶走我们里面的魔鬼，好让我们的脸上发出光芒。

南昌一位女学生被疯狗咬伤，请我为她祷告。医生说她明年就会死。我回答说：“身体的状况并不重要。你心里有罪吗？你重生了吗？”她说：“我不知道。我只在乎这狗咬伤。”一个心中有罪的人无法发出光芒。相反，他散发出

的是毒气。 让我们祈求主医治我们。

31-37节。鬼被赶出去之后，会有光吗？还没有。为什么？因为没有圣灵的充满，内心就如同真空。所以，我们必须祈求圣灵的充满。即使重生了，你仍然无法发出光芒。为什么？因为还不够。有一个又聋又哑的人，主领他出了村子。在那里，主用手指探入他的耳朵。为什么？因为他的耳朵听不见。然后，主吐唾沫抹在他的舌头上。唾沫是什么？是主的话语。耶稣说：“吃吧”，他就吞了下去。主的话语从三个方向进入：1）通过耳朵；2）通过眼睛；3）通过口。 约翰福音6:63说：“主的道就是灵，主的道藉着耳、口、眼进入人里面。被圣灵充满的人，魔鬼就被赶出去。聋子也能赞美主，因为祂的话语大有能力。这样的人如今已被圣灵充满，无需蒙头，也无需受浸，主说：‘开！’” 光明立刻降临。他能说话了。聋子也能说话了。他到处传福音。

一个人若没有内在的光明，要么是空虚的，要么是被魔鬼附身了。我们不要过分注重外在。相反，要祈求主赶出我们里面的魔鬼，并被圣灵充满。这样我们才能四处传福音。

主离开世界之前，祂告诉门徒要等候圣灵降临，才能得着传福音的能力。主并不注重外在，所以祂自己不施洗，而是让门徒施洗。保罗也不常施洗。当我们开始注重外在时，我们就成了伪君子。愿圣灵充满你们，使你们有能力去传福音。当你们被圣灵充满时，你们就自然而然地要传福音。

在南京，有一个四岁的小女孩。她从未听过福音。有人带她去参加聚会。圣灵充满她，她就能讲道了。她在女子中学讲道。她唱着歌：“回家！” 她谈到“迷失的羊回家”。她唱了《回家》的另一段歌词。聚会结束了。亲爱的，神使用她，就像祂使用我一样。这个女孩姓李，她的名字是“斯通”。

还有一位三岁的小女孩。在她去世之前，她带领许多孩子归向基督。啊！你几岁了？

愿圣灵充满我们，使我们发光，并作见证。

主题曲

救主，救主，

请听我卑微的呼求；

当你呼唤他人时，

请不要忽略我。