NOONDAY DEVOTION IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE

Noonday Devotion by Keith午間靈修小品

JOHN 13約翰福音13章

ARE YOU A LEANER OR A LOUDMOUTH?你是個依靠者還是個大嘴巴

37 Peter said to Him, Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.
38 Jesus answered, Will you [really] lay down your life for Me? I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me [completely disown Me] three times. 37 彼得說、主阿、我為甚麼現在不能跟你去．我願意為你捨命。 38 耶穌說、你願意為我捨命麼．我實實在在的告訴你、雞叫以先、你要三次不認我。

Peter was the most vocal of the disciples, he like us, said some pretty amazing things, this being one of the strongest.在所有人中，彼得是最會發聲的門徒。就像你我一樣喜歡說一些大話，再一次在所有門徒中，他算是較強的一個人。

Now I know that many of us, have sung hymns like I surrender all and said we will follow Jesus where ever he leads and by the next day, we had fallen flat on our faces and broken our promise.. I know I have.我知道我們喜歡唱這首【我奉獻所有】詩歌。前一天，所唱的【不論耶穌去哪裡，我會都會跟隨】，隔天我們立即打破我們對主的承諾。至少我知道我有

Jesus had said in verse 36, that the disciples couldn't follow him to where he was going, but the would in time.耶穌在36節說門徒現在還不會跟隨他直到時候的來臨。

How many times have we as believers said like Peter, that we would do anything for Jesus, even give our lives for him.有多少次我們和彼得一樣，承諾會把一切給耶穌，甚至我們的生命。

The answer Jesus gives pricked the pride of Peter and also bursts our balloon of pride.但耶穌給予彼得的答案刺破他的驕傲，同時也刺破你我的自負之囊

It booms loud and clear and is the question God still asks his children two thousand years later.這是神在二千年後還是清楚大聲問他兒女的問題

'will you really lay down your life for me'[你是否願意為我擺上生命]

We need to be honest with ourselves, how much are we willing to give up for Jesus?你我捫心自問，為了耶穌你我願意放棄多少？

What would we give up for Jesus?你願意為耶穌放棄什麼？

Peter wanted to make a show of commitment, how often do we go forward to the front of church, whilst some hymn is being sung, and we kneel on the altar and make a commitment to Christ. But it is all show, because we want to make sure everyone sees us doing it..look at me.. I'm making a new commitment to God and you are unmoved. Maybe those people who aren't moving like you are speaking with God and getting themselves right with him quietly.彼得希望演一場委身秀，有多少次在其他人哼著詩歌的情形下
我們到教會前，屈膝跪下，委身自己給耶穌。但是這只是一場做秀，因為我們希望每個人都可看到我們所做的，【看看我，我委身給神，而你卻絲毫不動】。也許那些我們認為『沒動靜』的基督徒，有可能正在安靜地和神說話與他和好。

Jesus showed up all the show in the seemingly great commitment Peter was making, he exposed it for what it was.. smoke and mirrors. Peter wanted all the disciples to look at him.. hey you guys.. all of you will desert Him.. but hey not me!耶穌把彼得偉大的【委身秀】的戲給直接拆穿了。彼得希望所有的門徒向他看齊。他心裡有可能是這樣想：【你麼都會逃【背叛他】】，我才不會呢！】

Real commitment was shown by John, who leaned on the bosom of Jesus and was present at the cross, a commitment that was quiet, daily and loving.約翰才是真正的委身實例，他不但側臥在耶穌懷裡，也出現在十字架前，他有著一個安靜，忠誠，無時無刻的委身

John leaned on Jesus, Peter shouted and was completely loud.. who had the right commitment? It was John who was at the foot of the cross.. not Peter.. the one who had said he would be there.. wasn't.. but the quiet one was.約翰安靜的躺臥在基督裡，彼得卻賣力的演出他的【委身】。到底哪一個是真正的委身？對，是約翰，那位在基督十字架前的人，不是彼得，那位說他會去卻沒去，不是大聲的乃是安靜的。

What type of commitment do you have believer?.. the commitment of Peter or of John.你的委身是？約翰還是彼得？

God requires truth.. don't commit to him, if you don't mean it. The apostle Paul, gave Peter and all of us some very good advice in Romans 12

神要求是真理，你若是無法委身，就不要說你有。使徒保羅給彼得及你我很好的建議
羅馬書12：3 Romans 12:3 我憑著所賜我的恩、對你們各人說、不要看自己過於所當看的．要照著　神所分給各人信心的大小、看得合乎中道。

3 For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate andthink of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.

The more time you spend leaning on the bosom of Jesus, and the less time you spend shouting about yourself and the great commitment you have made, the more God is able to use you. 你越多在耶穌的懷中，你會越少大聲說你偉大的委身，這樣神才會更多的來使用你。

ASK YOURSELF ARE YOU A LEANER OR A LOUDMOUTH?問你自己. 你是個依靠者還是個大嘴巴？

GOD BLESS YOU

KEITH