當亞達薛西王年間，同我從巴比倫上來的人，他們的族長和他們的家譜記在下面。以斯拉記8:1
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Hello! I am Dylan, today’s devotion is from Ezra 8. From verses 1-14. If you read 1-14 you’ll see that it’s a list. A list of people going who are going back to Jerusalem from Babylon.
哈囉！我是Dylan！今天的泉源甘露進度是以斯拉記第八章第1-14節。如果你讀第1-14節，你會看到一串清單。清單上列著要從巴比倫回到耶路撒冷的人名。
They were taken to Babylon 70 years before when Jerusalem fell to Babylon, most of the people who were on the list hadn’t lived in Jerusalem before. The only life they knew was in Babylon and they along with Ezra volunteered to go back to Jerusalem a city that was unknown to them. They left the comfort of Babylon for a place that was unknown to them, Jerusalem.
那些人在七十年前，當巴比倫攻陷耶路撒冷時，被擄到巴比倫，名單上大部分的人都沒有在耶路撒冷居住過。他們唯一知道的人生就是在巴比倫，他們自願跟著以斯拉回到耶路撒冷那個陌生的城市。他們離開舒適的巴比倫，到一個未知的地方，耶路撒冷。
Would you give up your citizenship? would you give up your rights and protection to the country that you belong to? So if you are in Taiwan, would you give up your Taiwanese citizenship to live in another country? Perhaps you would to lIve in a better country, to live in place with better rights and better protection. But what if it was a place that was unknown to you or a place that you had never been to before? Would you be willing to give up your identity and your culture, the customs and the rules that make you who you are?
你願意放棄你的國籍嗎？你願意放棄在歸屬國的權力和保護嗎？如果你在台灣，你會願意放棄你的台灣國籍，遷移到另一個國家嗎？也許為了住在一個更好的國家，擁有更好的權利和保護，你會願意放棄台灣國籍。但是如果這個地方是你從來沒有去過的未知國度呢？你會願意放屬於你的身份、文化、習慣、法律嗎？
Well I’ve got good news for you, you already have. The day you followed Jesus is the day you became a citizen of heaven. Just like the people who left Babylon went to Jerusalem so you left earth’s system, Babylon, and became a citizen of God’s kingdom. The Bible talks about being a citizen of heaven. That’s what Philippians 3:20 says. It says “But our citizenship is in heaven.” So you are a citizen of heaven. You volunteered to do that. Your identity is not on earth anymore. Your identity is in heaven.
我有個好消息要跟你說，就是你已經那麼做了！當你跟隨耶穌的那一天，你成為天國的子民。如同那些離開巴比倫、為到耶路撒冷的人們，你離開世界系統，成為神國的公民。聖經講到成為天國的子民。腓立比書 3:20說：「我們卻是天上的國民。你是天國的子民，你自願那麼做，你的身份已經不屬世界，你的身份屬於天國！」
In Taiwan people always ask me, “Where are you from?” And I’m always puzzled by the question or I’m not sure how to answer. Because I am from South Africa originally, but I always want to say I’m without culture, I’m without a country, I’m without citizenship on earth. I want to live my life from the perspective that I’m a citizen of heaven. But I always politely say I’m from South Africa. But actually, I’m a citizen of heaven, and being a citizen of heaven means I don’t look at earth as my home. I don’t look at this place as my final place where I will end my life forever. My new life will begin in heaven.
台灣人常問我：你來自哪裡？我常常不太曉得如何回答這個問題。因為我原本來自於南非，但我總是想說：「我沒有世上的文化、國家、國籍」。我想要從天國子民的角度來過生活。但我還是有禮貌地說我來自南非。事實上，我是天國的子民。身為天國的子民，意思是我不再看世界為我家。我不看這地方為我人生終點站。我的新生命從天國開始。
As a citizen of heaven, you have a new culture, you live by new rules, new customs. Those customs and rules we learn in the Bible. The Bible gives us a new culture, so we have a new way to live, in Matthew 6:33 Jesus says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.” So, we should always look at God’s kingdom, heavens culture, and try to make that the priory in our lives over our old culture.
身為天國的子民，你有新的文化，新的法律和新的習慣，那些我們在聖經中學到的。聖經給我們一個新文化，讓我們有全新的生活方式。在馬太福音6:33裡，耶穌說：「你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。」所以我們要定睛在神的國度和天國文化，成為生活次序的優先位置。
Galatians 6:14, I want to read that verse to you. “As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.” Let me read that part again. “Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.” We are no longer interested in this world and because we belong to Jesus this world has lost interest in us. And because of that we can live in way that we don’t hold onto today.
加拉太書6:14，由我讀給你聽：「我斷不以別的誇口，只誇我們主耶穌基督的十字架。因這十字架，就我而論，世界已經釘在十字架上；就世界而論，我已經釘在十字架上。」讓我再讀一次這段：「因這十字架，就我而論，世界已經釘在十字架上；就世界而論，我已經釘在十字架上。」我們不再愛世界，因為我們屬於耶穌，這世界不屬於我們。也因為如此，我們的生活就不再緊抓這世界。
It’s maybe a good thing in the context of the virus. The virus has taken so much away from so many but we have very little to lose because this is not our home. Our citizenship is in another place. I want to encourage you with 2 things today as we end off, 1. Are you following Jesus, but are you still in Babylon, in other words you follow Jesus but you don’t see yourself as a citizen of heaven, you don’t live by heavens standards by heavens customs. I want to encourage you today to pray and ask God to give you courage to live as a citizen of heaven. And to let go of earthly customs, earthly rules, earthly practices that keep you entangled here on earth. And I want to encourage you as a citizen of heaven, let your life on earth be a taste of heaven for some.
也許病毒的發生是件好事。病毒從許多人身上剝奪了許多東西，但我們沒有失去什麼，因為這不是我們的家。我們的國籍是在另一個地方。今天，在結束前，我想鼓勵你兩件事。第一，你是否跟隨耶穌，但仍舊在巴比倫？換句話說，你跟隨耶穌，卻不認為自己是天國的子民，也不按照天國的標準生活嗎？今天我想鼓勵你，向神禱告，求祂給你勇氣，活出天國子民的樣式，離棄纏累你在地上的習慣、規矩、作法。我想鼓勵你，身為天國的子民，讓你的生命對某些人而言是天國的感覺。
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus thanks so much that You are the first citizen of heaven and you showed us the way and I pray Father that as we live on Earth that we would live as citizens of heaven on Earth. That we wouldn’t forget our responsibility here, but also that we wouldn’t forget that we don’t belong here, we don’t live by this world’s rules and standards and customs, we now belong to you, and to your kingdom. Keep reminding us of this Lord so that we don’t lose focus and if we stay focused on this it will help us to live more fulfilled on Earth. Amen.
我們來禱告。主耶穌，感謝祢，祢是天國第一位子民，祢引導我們的道路。天父，我禱告，當我們活在地上，我們在地上能活出天國子民的樣子，我們不要忘記自己在這裡的責任，但也不要忘記我們不屬於這裡，我們不按照世界的規矩、標準、習俗而活，現在我們屬於祢和祢的國度。求主提醒我們，讓我們不失焦。當我們定睛於祢，我們在地上能夠活得更滿足。阿們。
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當亞達薛西王年間，同我從巴比倫上來的人，他們的族長和他們的家譜記在下面。以斯拉記8:1
▎Brother Dylan
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