From darkness and death to light and life – Suy niệm song ngữ Anh – Việt, ngày 3.1.2022

Monday (January 3.1.2022)
From darkness and death to light and life

Scripture: Matthew 4:12-17,23-25

12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles — 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”23 And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

Thứ Hai ngày 3.1.2022
Từ bóng tối và cái chết đến ánh sáng và sự sống

Mt 4,12-17.23-25

₁₂ Khi Đức Giê-su nghe tin ông Gio-an đã bị nộp, Người lánh qua miền Ga-li-lê.₁₃ Rồi Người bỏ Na-da-rét, đến ở Ca-phác-na-um, một thành ven biển hồ Ga-li-lê, thuộc địa hạt Dơ-vu-lun và Náp-ta-li,₁₄ để ứng nghiệm lời ngôn sứ I-sai-a nói:₁₅ Này đất Dơ-vu-lun, và đất Náp-ta-li, hỡi con đường ven biển, và vùng tả ngạn sông Gio-đan, hỡi Ga-li-lê, miền đất của dân ngoại!₁₆ Đoàn dân đang ngồi trong cảnh tối tăm đã thấy một ánh sáng huy hoàng, những kẻ đang ngồi trong vùng bóng tối của tử thần nay được ánh sáng bừng lên chiếu rọi.₁₇ Từ lúc đó, Đức Giê-su bắt đầu rao giảng và nói rằng: “Anh em hãy sám hối, vì Nước Trời đã đến gần.” ₂₃ Thế rồi Đức Giê-su đi khắp miền Ga-li-lê, giảng dạy trong các hội đường, rao giảng Tin Mừng Nước Trời, và chữa hết mọi kẻ bệnh hoạn tật nguyền trong dân.₂₄ Danh tiếng Người đồn ra khắp xứ Xy-ri. Thiên hạ đem đến cho Người mọi kẻ ốm đau, mắc đủ thứ bệnh hoạn tật nguyền: những kẻ bị quỷ ám, kinh phong, bại liệt; và Người đã chữa họ.₂₅ Từ miền Ga-li-lê, vùng Thập Tỉnh, thành Giê-ru-sa-lem, miền Giu-đê và vùng bên kia sông Gio-đan, dân chúng lũ lượt kéo đến đi theo Người.

Meditation: Do you know the joy and freedom of the good news (Gospel) of the kingdom of God? John the Baptist’s enemies had sought to silence him, but the good news of God’s kingdom of salvation cannot be silenced. As soon as John had finished his testimony Jesus began his in Galilee. Galilee was at the crossroads of the world and much traffic passed through this little region. It had been assigned to the tribes of Asher, Naptali and Zebulum when the Israelites first came into the land (see Joshua 9). For a long time it had been under Gentile occupation (non-Jewish nations).

Jesus brings the light and truth of salvation to the world

The prophet Isaiah foretold that the good news of salvation would reach Jews and Gentiles in the “land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations” (Isaiah 9:1). Jesus begins the proclamation of the Gospel here to fulfill the word of God. The Old Testament prophets spoke of God’s promise to send a Redeemer who would establish God’s rule. That time is now fulfilled in Jesus who brings the light and truth of the Gospel to the world.

The “good news” brings peace, hope, truth, promise, immortality, and salvation

Jesus takes up John’s message of repentance and calls his hearers to believe in the good news he has come to deliver. What is the good news which Jesus brings? It is the good news of peace – the Lord comes to reconcile and restore us to friendship with God. The good news of hope – the Lord comes to dwell with us and to give us a home with him in his heavenly kingdom. The good news of truth – the Lord Jesus sets us free from the lies and deception of Satan and opens our mind to understand the truth and revelation of God’s word (John 8:32). The good news of promise – Jesus fulfills the promise of God to reward those who seek him with the treasure of heaven. The good news of immortality – Jesus overcomes sin and death for us in order to raise our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body which will never die again. And the good news of salvation – the Lord Jesus delivers us from every fear, every sin, and every obstacle that would keep us from entering his everlasting kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy.

The Gospel is the power and the wisdom of God – both power to change and transform our lives and wisdom to show us how to live as sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the Lord makes it possible for us to receive his word with faith and to act upon it with trust and obedience.

The Gospel demands a response of faith and obedience to God’s gift of salvation

In announcing the good news, Jesus makes two demands: repent and believe! Repentance requires a change of course – a turning away from sin and disobedience and a turning towards the Lord with faith and submission to his word of truth and righteousness (right living according to God’s truth and moral goodness). The Holy Spirit gives us a repentant heart, a true sorrow and hatred for sin and its bad consequences (the wages of sin is death – Romans 6:23), and a firm resolution to avoid whatever would lead us into sin. The Holy Spirit gives us grace to see our sin for what it is – rebellion and a rejection of the love of God. God’s grace helps us to turn away from all that would keep us from his love.

Faith or belief is an entirely free gift which God makes to us. Believing is only possible by grace and the help of the Holy Spirit who moves the heart and converts it to God. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the mind and makes it possible for us to accept and to grow in our understanding of the truth. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit we can know God personally and the truth he reveals to us through his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. To believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior is to accept God’s revelation of his Son as the eternal Word of God and the Redeemer who delivers us from the tyranny of sin, Satan, and death. God the Father made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to atone for our sins and to bring us back to himself.

Do you want to grow in the knowledge of God’s love and truth? Ask the Holy Spirit to renew in you the gift of faith, the love of wisdom, and the heart of a disciple who desires to follow the Lord Jesus and his will for your life.

“Lord Jesus, your ways are life and light! Let your word penetrate my heart and transform my mind that I may see your power and glory. Help me to choose your ways and to do what is pleasing to you.”