作者Revd Dr Samuel Wells 聖馬田堂主任牧師 很多神學家,其中最著名的約翰·加爾文,認為耶穌的事工是根植於舊約中數個顯著的角色。他們指出,以色列是被先知、祭司和君王帶領走向神。因此,耶穌既是先知(尤其透過他的生活中),也是祭司(尤其透過他的死亡),還是君王(尤其透過他的復活)。我想從這三個角色的角度來看保羅在雅典的作為。我想區分這三種宣教的方式——我將稱之為先知式宣教、祭司式宣教和君王式宣教。 讓我們從先知式宣教開始。先知式宣教意味著將個人或機構正面對的境況,放置於上帝的故事之中。這意味著,記住所有人都是按照上帝的形象而造,而且上帝呼召我們進入立約的關係,透過耶穌顯示自己,最終將公義如同滾滾不竭的流水而至,結束故事。先知呼召人們根據上帝這個獨特的故事來定位,他們在世上的身份,心態更新而變化,改變他們的行為。先知知道,如果我們不先成為更好的人,我們就無法讓世界變得更美好。因此,在每一個呼籲結束死刑刑罰,或改善工廠工人待遇,或改變我們國家外交政策的背後,都存在著一個轉化悔改的呼召——呼籲掌權者改變他們的方向以及生活方式,走向上帝。這就是保羅在雅典所做的事情。 先知式宣教主要面向教會以外的人。但第二種方式,祭司式宣教,主要是面向教會以內的人。祭司式宣教旨在塑造一種基督徒個人和群體共同的生活模式,一種模仿基督生命的生活模式。這種生活模式希望能啟發任何接觸到它的人的想像力。祭司式宣教意識到光說空話是不夠的,必須有與之相符的行動。聖方濟各曾著名地說過:“無論何時何地,傳揚福音:如果必要,使用言語。”教會群體努力成為能夠類比天國的喻體,吸引陌生人甚至敵人,能夠對基督徒心中所懷的盼望感到驚訝。但祭司式宣教不僅僅限於教會群體。通過扎根於社區、致力於無私服侍的生活,教會群體開始能夠與超越信仰和其他障礙,和其他群體建立合作夥伴關係,追求人民和城市的福祉並向他人學習通往和平的道路。 因此,祭司式和先知式宣教並不是對立的選擇,而是相互配合。祭司式宣教致力於為先知式宣教提供具體的示範,展示上帝的恩典能做到什麼。先知式宣教則致力於接觸那些祭司式宣教,通常比較內斂的宣教方式,難以接觸的人群。祭司使先知不再尖刻,先知使祭司不再自滿。 第三種福音傳播方式是君王式宣教。在整個教會歷史上,特別是自第四世紀以來,教會一直自覺地或被放在統治的地位,在社會秩序中扮演重要或主導的角色。這個地位是吸引的,因為這個位置似乎是最能夠帶領人走向上帝道路,最大程度體現上帝的生命的最佳觀察點。教會甚少能夠抵擋統治的誘惑,但其影響無一例外是災難性的。 君王式宣教是基督徒強制要求不信仰基督,並且不願意接受基督的人,遵從他們認為的基督教規範的行為。當原本應該是一種提議、鼓勵和禮物的東西變成了期望、假定和要求時,這就屬於君王式宣教。如果他們所強加的規範是愛、喜悅、和平、忍耐、仁慈等等,那就不會構成嚴重的問題了,但我們都知道情況從來都不是這樣。歷史上提供了一長串的例子,以基督教的名義,那些擁有權力的人推動了明顯缺乏善良、忠信、溫和和自制力的社會議程。 這樣做的問題在於它對教會造成了嚴重的損害。它使人對教會視而不見,因為教會成為只是推動特定社會框架的機器。它大大貶低祭司式和先知式福音的價值,因為那些不願意或者無能為力接受基督在上帝裏面喜樂的人,一旦覺得任何福音都是統治階層控制社會的機器時,就停止接受任何形式的福音。 所以,在雅典,保羅展示了傳福音的三種方式之一。在聖馬田教堂,我們優先考慮祭司式宣教,因為我們努力培養一個與上帝國度相似的社區。這創造了先知式宣教的機會,亦都是我們嘗試努力抓緊的機會。但我們必須時刻警醒提防君王式宣教的誘惑,不僅因為它會使基督教受到貶低,而且還會傷害到教會本身。 Many theologians, most famously John Calvin, have seen Jesus’ ministry as rooted in identifiable Old Testament roles. They point out that Israel was led to God by prophets, priests and kings. Thus Jesus was a prophet (especially in his life) a priest (especially in his death) and a king (especially in his resurrection). I want to look at what Paul is doing in Athens through the lens of these three offices. I want to distinguish between three kinds of evangelism – what I’m going to call prophetic evangelism, priestly evangelism and kingly evangelism.
Let’s start with prophetic evangelism. Prophetic is means placing an individual, and institution or a situation in the light of God’s story. That means recalling that all people are made in God’s image, that God has called us into a covenant relationship, has been revealed in Jesus and will finally end the story by rolling righteousness down like a never failing stream. The prophet calls people to locate their identity and transform their conduct in accordance with this unique story. The prophet knows that we can’t become a better world without us needing to become better people. Thus behind every plea to end the death penalty or to improve treatment for factory workers or change our nation’s foreign policy lies a call to conversion – a call for those in authority to turn from their ways and live. This is what Paul is doing in Athens. Prophetic evangelism speaks primarily to those outside the church. But the second approach, priestly evangelism, principally addresses those inside the church. It seeks to shape a personal and communal life that imitates the pattern of Christ’s work. Such a form of life hopes to thrill the imagination of any who might come into contact with it. Priestly evangelism realizes that words are not enough. There must be actions to match. St Francis famously said “Preach the gospel at all times: use words if you have to.” Congregations aspire to become parables of the kingdom, which draw strangers and even enemies to wonder at the hope that is in these people’s hearts. But priestly evangelism is not restricted to the congregation. By being rooted in neighborhoods and committed to unselfconscious lives of service, congregations come to form partnerships across faith and other barriers to seek the welfare of the city and to learn from others the paths that lead to peace.” So priestly and prophetic evangelism aren’t alternatives. They work together. Priestly evangelism is concerned with giving prophetic evangelism something to point to, with providing a kind of exhibit A to demonstrate what the grace of God can do. Prophetic evangelism is concerned to engage the kinds of people priestly evangelism is often too timid or self-effacing to talk to. The priestly makes the prophetic less strident; the prophetic makes the priestly less complacent. The third kind of evangelism is kingly evangelism. For most of church history, certainly since the fourth century, the church has perceived or been offered the prospect of rule, a significant or dominant role in the ordering of society. Such a prospect has always been tempting, because it seems such an ideal vantage point from which to point to God’s ways to maximum effect and embody God’s life to maximum extent. The prospect of rule has so often been so tempting to the church that it has seldom been resisted. But its effects have invariably been a disaster. Kingly evangelism is when Christians enforce conformity to what they perceive as Christian norms from people who are not Christians and have no desire to be. It’s when what should be an offer, an encouragement, a gift, becomes an expectation, an assumption, a requirement. If the norms they were imposing were love, joy peace, patience, kindness and so on it wouldn’t be a serious problem but we all know it’s never been like that. Instead history provides a litany of examples of how in the name of Christianity those with power have driven through social agendas that were distinctly lacking in goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. What’s wrong with this is that it’s deeply damaging for the church. It makes the church invisible, because the church becomes simply a means to the end of a society pressed into a certain kind of social straitjacket. It discredits priestly and prophetic evangelism, because those who can’t or won’t embrace the joy of God in Christ stop listening to any kind of evangelism once they get a sniff that it’s really a mechanism for social control. So in Athens Paul is modelling one of three kinds of evangelism. At St Martin’s we prioritise priestly evangelism, because we’re trying to cultivate a community that resembles the kingdom of God. That creates opportunities for prophetic evangelism, which we try to take. But we must always be careful of the temptation of kingly evangelism, not just because it discredits Christianity, but because it damages the church.
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作者Revd Angela Sheard, 聖馬田助理牧師 不知道你有否想過一間房子和一個家的分別呢?也許,你像我一樣,曾經住過一些不感覺像家的房子或公寓。可能對於你來講,你將「家」這個概念和現在不是房子的事物聯繫起來 – 可能是已經不復存在的兒時的家,可能是一些更廣闊的東西,例如郊外,又或者整個城市或國家。也許你會記得當房子變成家,或反之的時刻。 不管我們有怎麼樣的回憶或故事,我認為一間房子和一個家的最主要分別,是在於你在那個地方建立的關係。對我來說,當關係得到培育的時候,房子就變成了家:當房子的空間在愛的緣故下發展出來,讓住在裏面的人活出一個真正充實的生命時,它就成為家了。 我認為當耶穌說「在我父的家裡有許多住處」的時候,祂指的是家,不是房子。總的來說,約翰福音經常用「地方」來當作關係的隱喻。當人進入一個地方,或是住在一個地方裏面,通常代表他與另一個人建立密切的關係。在這卷福音書裡,敬拜上帝不再在一個固定的神聖空間,也不是在世界上任何的的殿宇,相反,耶穌所指的,是以祂的身體爲聖殿 – 耶穌就是連結神與人關係的地方。彌賽亞耶穌並未被介紹為從加利利拿撒勒而來,而是從天父而來,也會往父那裡去的 – 祂的住處強調了祂與父上帝的關係。因此,在這個框架內,我們不會將父的家理解為一座實體建築,而是理解為一個家庭或關係網絡——父的家指的是門徒與天父之間的關係,以及住在房子裡每個房間的人之間的關係。 在福音經課中,耶穌向他的門徒介紹了這個父的家的比喻——但他自己在這個關係網絡中的角色是什麼?耶穌告訴我們關於這個家的其他三件重要的事情——祂會往那裡去,祂會再回來,門徒會知道祂要去的那條路。多馬明智地問耶穌,當他們根本不知道目的地在哪裡時,他們怎麼知道去這個地方的那條路呢!但正如耶穌所說 「我就是道路、真理,生命。」 在這裡,我們了解到耶穌是通往天父之家的道路——就像一條通向前門的小路,祂是將我們與天父聯繫起來的中保。 但是如果我們記得約翰經常用地方來比喻關係,我們就會意識到耶穌也住在父裡面,如同父住在祂裡面一樣。耶穌不僅是門徒進入父的家的道路——祂也是門徒與父之間獨特的關係。當耶穌去為我們預備地方時,祂與上帝建立了關係,當祂回來接門徒們到自己身邊時,也與他們建立了關係。在福音下一章,耶穌用葡萄樹和枝子的比喻來反映他和門徒之間的關係:他解釋說,不僅枝子住在葡萄樹裡,葡萄樹也住在枝子裡,正如他告訴他的門徒「常在我裡面,我也常在你裡面。」由此可見,耶穌不僅住在天父裡面,也住在我們每個人裡面。 當我們明白耶穌擔當我們通向天父的道路,以及將我們與天父聯繫在一起的重要角色,我們同時學習到耶穌不會永遠以同樣的方式擔任這個角色。祂對門徒說:「我實實在在地告訴你們,我所做的事,信我的人也要做,並且要作做比這更大的事,因為我要往父那裡去。」耶穌會回到祂來的地方,但祂會賜給祂的門徒另一個保惠師--聖靈。不僅如此,耶穌自己的門徒在被差派出去傳教時,他們將會成為天父與世界之間的中間人。我們在耶穌向天父的祈禱中聽到這一點:「你怎樣差我到世上,我也照樣差他們到世上。」 在聖靈的引導下,作為教會,我們是基督在地上的身體,是上帝與上帝子民建立關係的聖殿。當我們通過洗禮被迎入教會時,耶穌為我們每個人在神的家中預備了一個位置。同時耶穌也呼召我們繼續祂的工作:在我們自己的心中和我們的生活中為他人騰出空間,培養那些會吸引他人進入上帝家中的慈愛關係。這是耶穌一生中爲祂遇到的所有人所做的事情。即使在祂在十字架上遭受最大痛苦的時刻,耶穌也向與祂一起被釘在十字架上的其中一個人保證說「你將與我同在樂園裡」,並且還在心愛的門徒約翰的家中為他哀悼的母親瑪利亞找到了一個家。 我在想:如果我們在自己的生活中騰出空間讓別人遇到上帝的愛,會是什麼樣子呢?也許對你來說,這意味著在你的一周裡抽出時間與你認識的孤獨的人交談;也許這意味著停下來,向坐在路邊的人打招呼;也許這意味著花時間坐在一個正在與焦慮、抑鬱鬥爭,或失去所愛之人的人身邊。所有這些小小的善舉(以及許多其他的善舉),甚至在我們現在說話的時候,都能夠幫助其他地方在上帝的家中,耶穌已經為他們準備的房間裡,佔據一席之地。 最後我將以聖女大德蘭的禱文結束,這是一篇美麗的詩,提醒我們被上帝呼召,成為這個世界上基督的身體。 除了你的身體,基督沒有身體; 除了你的手腳,祂沒有手,沒有腳; 你的眼,就是祂用來憐憫這世界的眼。 你的腳,就是祂在人間走動行善的腳; 你的手,就是祂用來祝福世界的手。 你的手就是那雙手,你的腳就是那對腳, 你的眼就是那雙眼,你就是祂的身體。 除了你的身體,基督沒有身體; 除了你的手腳,祂沒有手,沒有腳; 你的眼,就是祂用來憐憫這世界的眼。 基督在世上沒有身體, 除了你的身體之外。 I wonder if you have ever thought about the difference between a house and a home? Perhaps, like myself, you’ve lived in houses or flats that haven’t really felt like home. Perhaps you associate home with something that isn’t currently a house – maybe a childhood home that no longer exists, or with something broader like an outdoor space or even an entire city or country. Perhaps you can remember a time in your life when a house suddenly became a home – or vice versa.
Whatever our own memories and stories might be, I think that the key difference between a house and a home is the relationships associated with that place. For me, a house becomes a home when relationships are nurtured there – when space is made, out of love, for all those who are dwelling there to live authentic and fulfilled lives. I think that when Jesus says, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places”, he is referring not to a house, but to a home. In John’s Gospel more broadly, place is often used as a metaphor for relationship. To be in a place, or to dwell in a place, is to be in relationship with another person. Within this Gospel, there is no longer any fixed sacred space or earthly temple from which to worship God, but rather Jesus speaks of his body as being the temple – Jesus is the place of connection between human beings and God. Jesus the Messiah is not stated as being from Nazareth or Galilee, but rather is someone who comes from heaven and is going to God – so Jesus’s own “place” emphasizes his relationship to the Father. So, within this framework we might understand the Father’s house not as a physical building but as a household or network of relationships – relationships between the disciples and the Father, but also relationships between those occupying each room in the house. In our Gospel reading, Jesus introduces his disciples to this metaphor of the Father’s house – but what is his own role in relation to this network of relationships? Jesus tells us three other important things about this home – that he will go there, that he will come back again, and that the disciples will know the way that he is going. Thomas then sensibly asks Jesus about how they can know the way to this place, when they don’t know where it is in the first place! But as Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”. Here we learn that Jesus is the way to the Father’s house – like a path that leads to the front door, he is a mediator figure that connects us to the Father. But if we remember that John uses place as a metaphor for relationship, we realize that Jesus also dwells in the Father, as the Father dwells in him. Jesus is not only the disciples’ access to the Father’s house – he is also the unique relationship between the disciples and the Father. Jesus is in relationship to God as he goes to prepare a place for us, and is also in relationship to the disciples as he returns to take them to himself. In the following chapter Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches to reflect the relationship between him and his disciples: he explains that not only do the branches dwell in the vine, but the vine also dwells in the branches, as he tells his disciples “Dwell in me, and I in you”. So Jesus dwells not only in the Father, but in each one of us too. Even as we hear about Jesus’s important role as the way to the Father and as the relationship that binds us to the Father, we also learn that Jesus will not be in this role, in the same way, forever. He says to his disciples: “Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” Jesus will return to the place from which he came, but will give his disciples another mediator, the Holy Spirit. More than this, however, Jesus’s own disciples will become mediators between the Father and the world as they are sent out in mission. We hear this in Jesus’s prayer to the Father, “As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world”. Guided by the Holy Spirit, as the church we are Christ’s body on earth, the Temple where God comes into relationship with God’s people. Jesus prepares a place for each of us in the household of God, as we are welcomed into the church through our baptism. But we are also called by Jesus to continue his work, by making space for others in our own hearts and our own lives, by nurturing those loving relationships which draw others into God’s household. This was something which Jesus did for all whom he encountered, throughout his life. Even at his hour of greatest suffering on the cross, Jesus promised one of those crucified alongside him that “you will be with me in Paradise” and also found a home for his grieving mother Mary in the house of John, the beloved disciple. I wonder: what might it look like for us to make space in our own lives for others to encounter the love of God? Maybe for you this means making time in your week for a conversation with someone you know who is lonely. Maybe this means stopping to say hello to someone sitting on the side of the road. Maybe it means spending time just sitting someone struggling with anxiety, depression or the loss of a loved one. All of these small acts of kindness (and so many others besides) help other places to take up their places in the household of God, in the rooms that Jesus is already preparing for them, even as we speak. I will end with a prayer from St Teresa of Avila, which is a beautiful reminder of our own calling from God to be Christ’s body in our world. Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which He looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are His body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. Amen. 作者林立豐弟兄, 許子臻姊妹 (平信徒分享)
In Jesus’ time, sheep were a valuable commodity. Sheep provide fur, milk, and often served as a symbol of the rich in nomadic Palestine. However, this also meant that sheep became prime targets of theft and robbery. 在耶穌的時代,羊是一種寶貴的商品。 綿羊提供羊毛、羊奶,在巴勒斯坦的游牧民族經常視為富人的象徵。 然而,這也意味著羊淪為盜竊和搶劫的主要目標。 A Sheep on its own is weak, easy to capture, cannot outrun robbers. That is why, in Jesus’ time, sheep of many flocks were usually kept together in the same sheep pen. A sheep pen is basically a gated property exclusive to sheep and their shepherds. This is to keep them safe from thieves and robbers, who kept on trying to sneak into the sheep pen, over the fences, or under the gate. Only true shepherds enter by the gate, as they know the way, the only proper and correct way to guide and protect the flock. 一隻羊本身很孱弱,容易捕捉,跑得慢。 這就是為什麼在耶穌時代,許多羊群的羊通常會被留在同一個羊圈之中。 羊圈基本上是綿羊及其牧羊人才可以入去的安全地帶。羊群留在同一個羊圈,是為了保護他們免受小偷和強盜的傷害,他們一直試圖偷偷溜進羊圈、翻過籬笆或從閘口旁邊進入。 只有真正的牧羊人才能從大門進入,因為他們知道那道路,是引導和保護羊群的唯一正確方法 But there comes the second problem, if sheep of many flocks were kept in the same pen, how would they recognise who’s sheep belong to whom? How would the sheep know which shepherd is, to them, the true shepherd? It is truly the two-way bonding relationship between the sheep and the shepherd that helps them recognise each other - a good shepherd calls his own sheep by name, and knows them dearly. A mindless sheep who doesn’t pay attention to their shepherd’s voice might be easily misguided by others. They might be led astray by the thieves and robbers who sneakily sneaked in, and trick them into following them into a path of no good. 第二個問題來了,如果把很多羊群被留在同一個羊圈裡,它們怎麼辨別誰的羊屬於誰呢? 綿羊怎麼知道哪個牧羊人才是他們真正的牧羊人? 綿羊和牧羊人需要依靠他們之間,雙向的關係幫助他們相互認識,認得彼此。一個好牧羊人會用名字叫他自己的羊,並且非常了解他們。 一隻沒有注意牧羊人聲音,愚昧的綿羊可能很容易被其他人誤導。 說不定會被偷偷摸摸進來的盜賊、強盜帶入歧途,引誘他們跟著走上不義之道。 On the other hand, a smart sheep always pays attention to their shepherd’s voice, despite the widely portrayed dummy image, a sheep who listens will never follow a random stranger, but instead run away from them. The fruitful and rightful path can be trotted on, only by recognising their shepherd’s voice, the truthful voice, and following their footsteps. 另一方面,一隻聰明的綿羊總是注意它們牧羊人的聲音,盡管常常被描繪成愚蠢的形象,一隻懂得傾聽的綿羊永遠不會跟隨一個陌生人,而是會逃跑。 只有認出他們牧羊人的聲音,真理的聲音,並跟隨他的腳步,綿羊才能走上豐盈和正義的道路。 Sheep really needs quite a lot of maintenance. They are easily overheated under the sun, picky grass eaters, often have overgrown nails and a tendency to get lost, get stuck, or follow the wrong shepherd. A good shepherd is attentive to their flock’s needs. A good shepherd be with his sheep. He leads them in the front, brings them to pastures when they’re hungry, and leads them to the river when they thirst. A good shepherd cares about the one missing sheep, he would lay his life down to protect them. A good shepherd brings a fulfilling life to the flock, not just because he provides them with food and drinks, but because a good shepherd is always by their side - he is their safeguard, their guidance, their comfort. By being with the shepherd and enjoying his company, the flock is able to listen to his voice, follow his footsteps, and live the life beyond what they could have imagined. 綿羊確實需要很多的打理和照顧。 它們在陽光下很容易過熱,揀草擇食,經常指甲過長,容易迷路、卡住或跟錯牧羊人。 好牧羊人關心羊群的需要,好牧羊人與他的羊同在。 他領他們在前頭,他們餓了帶他們到草場,他們渴了帶他們到河邊。 好牧人關心那一隻走失的羊,他甚至會捨命保護它們。 一個好牧人給羊群帶來充實的生活,不單是因為他為他們提供食水,而是因為一個好牧人總是在他們身邊——他是他們的保障、他們的引導、他們的安慰。 羊群與牧羊人在一起,享受他的同行,聆聽他的聲音,跟隨他的腳步,過著在曠野生活時不能想像的生命。 在約翰福音第10 章,耶穌說,我是羊的門,我來是要叫它們得生命,並且得的更豐盛。 後來又說,我是道路、真理和生命。
In John 10, Jesus says, I am the gate for the sheep, I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. And later, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 我們的生活常常很像綿羊。 在我們遇到耶穌之前,我們就像曠野中迷失的羊。 我們經常陷入混亂之中,在壞習慣、內疚和自我懷疑的循環中徘徊,有意無意地傷害自己和生活中的人。 我們根本不知道該去哪裡。 我們迷失了。 Our lives are often quite like the sheep. Before we met Jesus, we were just like the sheep stranded in the wilderness. We are often submerged in chaos, knowingly and unknowingly hurt ourselves and people in our lives by lingering in the cycles of bad habits, guilt and self-doubt. We simply do not know where to go. We were lost. 通過我們自己的生活景況,可能是通過我們的家人、同事和朋友,我們被找到並認識了耶穌的名字。 我們就像剛到羊圈裡的羊,被告知只要認得從羊圈的門進入的牧人,只要信耶穌就可以得救。 這也是上世紀廣泛應用的傳福音策略——耶穌就是道路,只要你相信,你就會得救。 Through our own life circumstances, this could be through our family, colleagues and friends, we were found and learned about the name of Jesus. We are like the sheep introduced to a sheep pen, and are told that as long as we recognise the person that comes through the gate, as long as we believe in Jesus, we will be saved. This is a widely employed evangelical strategy - Jesus is the way, and as long as you believe, you will be saved. 然而,有時我們會忽略耶穌不單是道路,祂也是真理和生命。我們承認耶穌是道路是恰當,也是很重要的,但我們應該警惕,不要貶低我們的信仰作, 當成換取“天堂入場卷”的交易。 However, there are times we under-looked that Jesus is also the truth and the life. It is pertinent that we have recognised Jesus as the way, but we should be wary not to derogate our faith as an exchange for a “ticket to paradise”. 讓我們試從綿羊的角度來看這個問題。 只專注於耶穌作為道路,而不聽真理,就像進入羊圈的羊不辨認牧羊人的聲音。真理就是-上帝愛我們並與我們同在,如同耶穌藉著他的生命中向我們所顯示的那樣,耶穌道成肉身,來到我們中間,與我們同受苦難,與我們同死在罪的指控之下,為我們釘死在十字架上。 同樣地,如果我們未能認識到上帝的愛的本質,我們將無法跟隨耶穌的引領,也無法實踐我們的信仰。 如果我們只關注耶穌作為通往天堂的門,我們就無法完全體驗耶穌在地球上帶領我們進入豐盛生命的應許。 Let’s try to look at this from the sheep’s perspective. Focusing only on Jesus as the way whilst not listening to our shepherd’s voice, is like not paying attention to the truth - God’s willingness to love us and be with us, as Jesus showed us in his life, as he became flesh, came to be with us, suffered with us and died with us on the cross. In the same manner, by failing to recognise the loving nature of God, we would fail to follow Jesus’ lead and fail to practise our faith. If we only focus on Jesus as the gate to other-worldly paradise, we could not fully experience the fullness of life Jesus has promised to lead us into on Earth. 豐盛的生命是什麼樣子的呢? 在詩篇23篇中,大衛王描述了他在生命的高峰和低谷中,得到上帝的安慰和指引的經歷,在死蔭幽谷中 ——上帝在那裡;在敵人面前的時候 ——上帝在那裡。 這種和上帝深切、親密的關係,知道上帝與我們同在,明白我們的主渴望以我們的名字呼喚我們,讓我們分辨他的聲音並跟隨他的引導:這種愛的關係是我們信仰的本質,因為上帝愛世人,甚至賜下他的獨生子,凡信他的人都不至滅亡,都能繼續與主同在世上,並進入永生。 But what does the fullness of life look like? In Psalm 23, King David described his experience being with God’s comfort and guidance in the highs and lows of his life, through the darkest valley - God is there, against his strongest enemies - God is there. This deep, intimate relationship knowing God is being with us, that our Lord longs to call us by our name, and for us to discern His voice and follow His guide: this loving relationship is the essence of our belief, for God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that everyone of us who believes in Him can continue to be with Him on earth and live our lives to its fullness, with Him in eternity. 耶穌是羊的門,祂來是要叫人得生命,並且得的更豐盛。我們是否只把信仰當做換取永恆生命的交易?還是作為基督徒,作為耶穌的群羊的一份子,活出對祂作為道路、真理和生命的見證呢?讓我們以一首詩來結束: 神啊!若我因畏懼地獄而敬拜祢, 請把我扔進地獄燃燒; 若我因渴望天堂而敬拜祢, 請把我拒諸天堂門外。 惟若我單單為祢而敬拜祢, 請別吝惜祢永恆的美麗。 Jesus is the gate for the sheep, and has come such that we have life, and have it to the full. Are we treating our belief simply as a good deal for eternal life? Or Have we, as Christians, as fellow sheep in Jesus’ flock, live a life that bears testimony to Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life? Let us close with a poem: O God! If I worship You for fear of Hell, burn me in Hell and if I worship You in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise. But if I worship You for Your Own sake, grudge me not Your everlasting Beauty. 願我們繼續跟隨耶穌的腳步,一同經歷和活出祂充滿豐盛和永恆的愛。阿們。 May we continue to follow Jesus’ footsteps in His abundant, ever-lasting love. Amen. |
講道分享輯錄在聖馬田中文堂分享和講道的文字稿,讓弟兄姊妹能在日常重溫,咀嚼講員所分享的話。 類別
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