作者Right Revd Dr Jo wells 主教 那時,上來過節禮拜的人中,有幾個希利尼人。他們來見加利利伯賽大的腓力,求他說,先生,我們願意見耶穌。腓力去告訴安得烈,安得烈同腓力去告訴耶穌。耶穌說,人子得榮耀的時候到了。我實實在在的告訴你們,一粒麥子不落在地裡死了,仍舊是一粒.若是死了,就結出許多子粒來。愛惜自己生命的,就失喪生命.在這世上恨惡自己生命的,就要保守生命到永生。若有人服事我,就當跟從我.我在那裡,服事我的人,也要在那裡.若有人服事我,我父必尊重他。 我現在心裡憂愁,我說甚麼才好呢?父阿,救我脫離這時候,但我原是為這時候來的。父阿,願你榮耀你的名。當時就有聲音從天上來說,我已經榮耀了我的名,還要再榮耀。站在旁邊的眾人聽見,就說:打雷了.還有人說,有天使對他說話。耶穌說,這聲音不是為我,是為你們來的。現在這世界受審判.這世界的王要被趕出去。我若從地上被舉起來,就要吸引萬人來歸我。耶穌這話原是指著自己將要怎樣死說的。 我想告訴大家,坐在前排的這些弟兄姊妹,今日踏出接受堅振禮的一步,是他們人生之中最好的決定。事實上,不管你是甚麼人,亦不論何時何地,跟隨耶穌,永遠都是最佳決定。 或者我們可以運用想像力,將今日預備接受堅振禮的弟兄姊妹,置身在上耶路撒冷過節的群眾中間。在擠擁的群眾當中,有幾個人亦同樣踏出一步,想要尋找耶穌的門徒腓力。比較令人意外的是,這幾位是希利尼人。儘管他們是外邦人,不能和猶太人一齊慶祝踰越節,他們卻願意採取主動,以莫大的勇氣去問腓力,他們可不可以去見耶穌。他們並非決定跟隨耶穌,至少在這一刻還未決定,但他們不怕公開表達對耶穌的好奇之心。他們有心追求,亦不怕承認,於是就開口提問,由此啟動了一串連鎖反應:他們問腓力,腓力去問安得烈,安得烈又和腓力一齊去問耶穌。這令我想起小熊維尼作者緬恩(A. A. Milne)的一首打油詩,開頭幾句是這樣的:國王問王后,王后又去問牛奶女工:「可不可以給我們一點牛油,讓國王塗在麵包上?」詩歌接著說,有人建議國王不如改吃柑橘醬,但國王卻是個老古板,堅持非吃牛油不可。他說:「我只是想要一點點牛油而已。」同樣地,不知道「求見主面」這個要求,是否太過分?究竟有無可能實現? 我在想,大家今日來到這裡,是否也是希望求見耶穌?不論你是最近信主,或者返教會已有幾十年,又或者對於教會根本全無認識,我都盼望你今日能夠抱著開放的態度,以好奇甚至渴慕的心情,來到求見耶穌,來到發掘更多。因為崇拜的意義,本來就是如此。 希利尼人究竟可不可以去見耶穌呢?耶穌自己給了答案。他沒有助手或主教侍從代為擋駕,只有親自接招。然則,我們從他的回答學會了甚麼?看到了甚麼?如果希利尼人只是想拿耶穌的簽名、與名人自拍selfie上載IG、然後回家向朋友炫耀一番,他們的收穫可以說是超乎預期。不過,這位名人與其他名人有點不同。耶穌首先提到人子要得榮耀,但是轉頭又將榮耀與死亡相提並論。耶穌亦都表明,門徒的生命若要發揮任何影響力,單是見見耶穌並不足夠,必須要跟隨他才可以。他們不能只是拍攝一張照片,然後把它存在雲端置諸不理。他們不能只來參加堅振禮,亮一下相,然後就隱形不知所終。要真真正正的見到耶穌,就要一直留在耶穌身邊,不論日子順逆,都要不離不棄,並且要知道,如此跟隨耶穌,是一件光榮的事。不是為名、不是為利,而是為了真正重要的榮耀,就是來自上帝的榮耀。第26節這樣說:若有人服事我,就當跟從我.我在那裡,服事我的人,也要在那裡.若有人服事我,我父必尊重他。 然後,耶穌將他的論述重點,由原則轉移到具體,由所有人轉移到他自己。我們將會見到的,不單是耶穌的外表,我們更加能夠看到他的內心世界。我們看到了甚麼呢?原來耶穌心裡憂愁,不知道自己能否承受得了,能否保持忠心,不論順逆都不會離開上帝。大家明白嗎?凡是耶穌要求我們去做的,沒有一樣不是他自己已經親身經歷過的,這就是道成肉身的意義。各位朋友,大家即將要委身跟隨耶穌,作出人生最好的決定。大家的心情可能戰戰兢兢,但這樣的委身也表明了莫大的勇氣。我想指出,大家要跟隨的這一位耶穌,已經向你以至向所有人,完全敞開自己。耶穌同凡人一樣會過節,就好似我們,假若能夠買到門票,都會希望參加節日盛會。然而,見到耶穌,原來就等同見到上帝,可以感受到上帝的心腸,不單歡迎猶太人,也歡迎希利尼人;對於敬虔人和邊緣人,同樣包容接納。更加重要的是,上帝的心腸,隨時預備為這個需要上帝的世界而破碎,落在地裡而死,結出許多子粒,為的是將羞辱化為榮耀,幫助我們真正看見,帶給我們愛的確據,讓我們知道,在上帝內心深處,對我們的愛是何等長闊高深。 原來,親眼見主,也包括親眼見證他的痛苦。不過,痛苦並不是結局。親眼見主,也包括親眼看見主的榮耀。不過,不是風和日麗在水上行走的那種榮耀,而是在風暴中飽受打擊的榮耀。忍受苦難本身就是一種榮耀;苦難的另外一面就是榮耀。今日的福音經課,以希利尼人求見耶穌作為開始,演變成一則關於榮耀的信息,既指向過去的榮耀,亦指向未來的榮耀。經文說:有聲音從天上來說,我已經榮耀了我的名,還要再榮耀。有人以為這是雷聲,也有人以為是天使說話。顯然,並非人人都能領略上帝的聲音。但耶穌卻肯定這是上帝的說話,既帶有審判,亦帶有歡迎世人的確據。他說:我若從地上被舉起來,就要吸引萬人來歸我。 這道理不是人人都能明白。即使是正在講道的我,亦不能完全明白。今日預備接受堅振的弟兄姊妹,就算不完全明白也沒有關係。但是我們應該緊記今日福音經課的教訓:人人都可以求見耶穌,沒有需要害怕。不論人生前路如何,我們若跟隨耶穌到底,最終見到的將會是榮耀。我在開始的時候說,這是你一生中的最佳決定,原因正在於此。 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.
‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ 30Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. I put it to you that the folks sitting on the front rows, those who’ve decided to take the step of confirmation today, are making the very best decision of their lives. The very best decision that anyone can ever make in any circumstances. To follow Jesus. They are those who we might picture jostling in the crowds in Jerusalem. Where a few people –surprisingly they are Greeks – take the step of finding Philip, one of Jesus’ disciples. Even though they’re outsiders at this Jewish festival of Passover, they take the initiative, and with immense courage ask if they might see Jesus. They’re not making the decision to follow – not yet – but they’re going public with their curiosity: they’re honest in their searching, and so they ask. And that sets off a sort-of chain reaction – they ask Philip, Philip asks Andrew, then Andrew and Philip ask Jesus. (Reminded of A.A.Milne poem where the king asks the queen, and the queen asks the dairymaid, ‘could we have some butter for the royal slice of bread?’… In that poem the king first gets offered marmalade instead and ends up having to persist like the original fuddy-duddy, ‘but I would like just a little bit of butter for my bread?’) I wonder, is it too much to ask to see Jesus? Is it possibly possible? I wonder, if you came here today in hope of seeing Jesus? (Whether you’re a brand new disciple or you’ve been hanging out in church for most of your life, or you’ve no idea what church is all about, I hope you came here today with an openness, a curiosity, even eagerness, to see Jesus. To discover more. That’s what worship is all about). Well it’s Jesus who replies for himself. No layers of protection from PAs or chaplains here. He takes the bull by the horns. And what is it we learn, who is it that we see from the reply? Those Greeks got more than they’d bargained for if they just wanted his autograph, the selfie for Instagram, the moment with celebrity. they just wanted to go home and tell friends that they got close to a celebrity. But this celebrity is different. Jesus speaks of glory, and being glorified. But in the next breath he links it to dying. Then he links dying to eternal life. And the necessity of not just seeing but following if their life is to have any impact. They can’t just take the snap and save it on iCloud. They can’t just show up for confirmation and then sail off into the sunset. Seeing Jesus – really seeing Jesus – means staying with Jesus. Sticking with him through thick and thin. And finding in that following true honour. Not fame, not fortune, but what really matters. Honour from God. 26’Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.’ And then Jesus moves from the general to the particular, from speaking about everyone – whoever – to speaking about himself. It’s like we get to see not only the outside of Jesus, but the inside of Jesus, his heart. And what do we discover? That his heart is close to breaking and he wonders about his capacity to cope, to be faithful, to hang in there through thick and thin with God. (Do you see, there’s nothing he asks of us that he doesn’t first go through himself? That’s the incarnation for you). Friends, the one to whom you are committing yourself to following, this ‘best decision’ you’re making today, perhaps in fear and trembling and tremendous courage, is with someone who opens himself up to you, to all of us, wholly and completely. And in seeing Jesus – the human being who went to festivals just as we all like to do if we can get a ticket – seeing Jesus turns out to be seeing God, the heart of God which is not only welcoming to Greeks as well as Jews, inclusive to outsiders as well as to religious types, but it’s a heart that is ready to break for a world in need, to fall into the earth and die, to bear much fruit. To turn shame into honour. To help us see. To assure us we are loved. Deeply loved, on the inside. It turns out that Seeing Jesus includes seeing something of his agony. But it doesn’t end there. Seeing Jesus is also about seeing glory. Not the kind of glory that walks on water on blue sky sunny days but the kind of glory that withstands the depths when the storm would seem to be overpowering. The glory that withstands suffering; the glory that shines on the other side of suffering. The revelation here that’s unleashed through a few people asking to see Jesus turns into a message about glory, glory in the past and glory in the future, a voice that clearly not everyone catches – ‘I have glorified it and will glorify it again’. Some think it’s just thunder, others think there’s some angel. But Jesus affirms it as God’s word, a word of judgement as well as the definitive word of welcome. ‘I when I am lifted up will draw all people to myself’. Not everyone gets it. Even as I preach about it I’m aware that I don’t fully get it. It’s ok if those of you being confirmed don’t fully get it. But hear this from today’s gospel: no one should be afraid to ask to see Jesus. And know that what you’ll see, whatever life serves up on the way, what you’ll see if you follow Jesus all the way, is glory. That’s why this is the very best decision of your life.
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作者李一帆牧師 奉聖父、聖子、聖靈之名,阿們! 首先感謝貴堂的邀請,讓小弟能與大家一起敬拜上帝和分享福音信息。謹代表香港聖公會基愛堂的弟兄姊妹向各位問安。 今天我們已踏入了將臨期的第二主日,相信大家都知道,將臨期是迎接聖誕之前的預備期,其實每年聖誕節來臨之前,就算不是基督徒都忙著準備過聖誕節。不只香港,世界各地都會張燈結綵,特別在歐美國家,聖誕節就好像中國人過年一樣熱鬧。所以聖誕也是商家全年最重點商機,無論商場餐廳都必定粉飾一番以作招徠。不過對基督徒而言,聖誕節卻有更重要的意義,雖然我們仍會準備聖誕禮物、籌備聖誕慶祝會,但作為基督信徒,我們的重點更應放在「將臨期」。雖然將臨期不像大齋期用七個星期來反思己過,但在教所用的禮儀紫顏色就已提醒我們,這四星期的將臨期也與反醒和懺悔有關。然而上主日主任牧師的講解將臨期顏色時所提及將臨期第三主日的喜樂主日與所讀的書信經課之間的關係便明白將臨期的靈修與大齋期懺罪思過有著不同的向導。可能我們都會問,那麽我們到底應該用甚麽態度來準備聖誕呢?今天的祝文提醒著我們,「求你顯出力量,施展大能,降臨在我們中間:我們被自己的罪阻擋」當中的含意在提醒我們因著罪的阻檔叫我們未完成這條天路歷程,我們無力自救,只有祈求上帝的慈愛和大能,幫助我們和拯救我們。 在今天的書信經課中,彼得提供了一個場景,就是這日子的到臨就像賊到來,在你全不知情下;天地瞬間消失,一切都被燒盡。所以我們要時刻作好準備,不要被世俗的想法和態度迷惑,相反,要守著聖潔敬虔的生命,等待這日子的到臨。有時我們總會以為現在風平浪靜,不過等到有事發生就已經太遲了。 曾經服侍過一間小學,有一位畢業生家長來找我,因為她的一位舊同事丈夫剛離世留下了一對年幼姊妹,本來一家四口生活得好好的,突然有一天發現身體有點不適,起初還以為是小小的傷風感冒,看了幾次醫生都不見好,於是到醫院檢驗,誰知原來患上末期肝癌,醫生本來建議她的丈夫為兩名幼女寫下一些片言隻語,留待她們日後長大能看看這位爸爸的遺言和心事,可惜家人非常反對,認為他正在與癌魔搏鬥的時候,不宜說出這樣氣餒的說話。結果就錯失了機會,因着病情的惡化,經歷了一個月很積極的治療,還是藥石無靈,到了他最後的日子身體已經非常軟弱,再也不能為幼女留下半句心底說話就離開了。有一首香港流行的老歌「知否世事常變,變幻原是永恆。」世事就是這樣變幻莫側,以為還會有好轉,遲些再做呀,但誰能料到那天忽然到臨。我們會高談闊論放假去那裏渡假或退休如何生活,但當談到如何面對死亡時,總是避而不談。這可能是我們中國人對死亡的忌諱,像孔子的想法「未知生‧焉知死」連生存在世也未能知悉,又如何談論死亡之後。這是因為儒家思想對死亡的不知論,明天住在那裏,明天吃甚麽,可以預早準備。但死亡卻好像無法掌握也不知如何的準備。但基督教信仰卻教我們信主得永生,這突破了儒家思想的框架了,若然我們真相信先知、耶穌和使徒所言,那天會在無聲無色的到臨,我們是否可以歡笑地迎接它嗎?彼得提醒我們這一切會在突然一刻的出現,還教我們「你們處世為人必須聖潔敬虔。」你或許會問連明天會怎樣都不知道,還怎樣處世為人過聖潔敬虔的生活呢?聖潔這兩個字,往往都會叫我們聯想到頭上光環,於是我們的反應就是,那是聖人的專利,與我們無關,因為我們都是凡夫俗子,所以只管過好每天生活,不害人不傷人便是好了。要知道,聖者頭上有沒有光環我不知道,但是無論保羅、彼得甚或希伯來書的作者,都教導信徒要過著聖潔的生活,因為聖潔生活並不是聖者獨有,而是信徒基本的生活。聖潔不是要將人聖俗二分,這個聖潔些那個不聖潔。彼得強調是信徒的「處世為人」也就是說信徒在這個世界上生活,與人的交往和待人處事之道,是基督徒的本質。因此聖潔並不是我們所誤會的那種,神聖不可侵犯的生活模式。看看耶穌,他就是道成肉身的上帝,一位神聖的創造主卻在中東的一個細小城鎮的馬槽裏出生,在木匠家中長大與一群漁夫、稅吏到處宣傳悔改的教導,甚至與社會中被藐視的罪人和娼妓一起,最後更與兩個重犯一起釘死在十架上。聖潔生活絕不是不吃人間煙的離地生活。耶穌自己就是一個最好的榜樣,他從來沒有以高深莫側的哲學或宗教術語來教導人,卻以日常生活的例子作比喻引導人回轉。這位聖潔的上帝卻比我們這些世俗人更入世,說明了聖潔並不是要分開甚麽神聖與庸俗,而是上帝藉著他所揀選的子民向世人展現的祂的愛與關懷。當然,這樣也會反照出世人追求物慾世界的迷思,甚至會被人誤會為奇怪的一族。不過這正是我們作見証和決定的時候,到底我們是藉著常與主耶穌同在,被祂的聖潔所感悟,在生活中行出見證的生命,還是像那些活在對死亡恐懼中,只求今天有酒今天醉或是以紫醉金迷來逃避面對他日審判的恐懼呢?彼得對著當時的信徒寫著「所以,親愛的,既然你們等候這些事,就要竭力使自己沒有玷污,無可指責,在主前和睦,並且要以我們主的容忍作為你們得救的機會。」以致到了那日,信徒都能挺身昂首,因為這是得救的日子到臨。 各位親愛的弟兄姊妹,彼得寫這信的時候,信徒正面對著逼害、苦難和死亡,在逼害之下連命也未必保得著,但彼得仍然提醒他們要過著聖潔敬虔的生活。他們的處境比我們今天安坐在家中看著以巴的戰爭、俄羅斯烏克蘭的戰況、北韓試射導彈等等的處境截然不同,我們生活在安定的地域。然而,不要以為我們就可以獨善其身,真正的大災難隨時到來,當那日子到來時無人可避。不過,彼得教導我們,無論如何的困難,都要常存著盼望,因為這日子的到來,並非絕望而是盼望。對世界而言,這日子是終結,但對信徒而言,這日子才是新天新地的開始,路加福音「一有這些事,你們就當挺身昂首,因為們得救贖的日子近了。」因此啟示錄所呈現光景並不可怕,也不是要恐嚇未信者,而是告訴我們所盼望新天新地必會實現。今天的書信經課中所描繪的,正好告誡我們,上帝未讓這些事的發生乃是因為他的寛容,盼望人人得到拯救。而且今天的福音經課馬可開宗明義就說「上帝的兒子┌耶穌基督福音的起頭。」若我們翻開英文版會發現更清晰「The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.」英文版是以福音的起頭放在前面,那是要表達耶穌基督正是福音的開始。重點就是耶穌基督正就是我們得救好消息的開始。因此,信主的人得永生這個應許就在這裏開始,而我們這些活著等待基督再臨的信徒,就有一個使命,就是走出教堂的四堵牆,將這個好消息傳開去,並且在我們的生活空間中,讓這位聖潔的上帝藉著我們,彰顯在世人面前,叫人能認識這三位一體的上帝。基督教信仰並不是空談的理論,而是真實存在於每一位信徒的生命中,在保羅、彼得、德蘭修女、你和我之中。其實教會的聖者,並不是因為他或她生前行過甚麽神蹟奇事,如何法力無邊或神力超人,而是在他們每一個生命裏,都彰顯出主耶穌基督的愛與慈心。 教會設立將臨期是希望我們作信徒的,藉著將臨期反思我們的信仰生活,除了等候基督隨時再臨之外,更提醒著在行事為人要緊記持守聖潔生活,好好等待祂的再臨,而將臨期就是要預備好我們的心,讓主耶穌基督誕降在我們心中的馬槽。就好像普天頌讚中的離天歌「伯利恆城中,無斗室堪容,破馬棚,難敵嚴寒風:求居我心中,主耶穌,我心中,有地方可容。」讓我們每一個都好好打掃我們心中小馬槽,讓主耶穌基督誕降,叫我們的生命彰顯出祂的聖潔、愛和慈心。叫我們都能一起迎接基督的再臨,新天新地的實現。阿們。 |
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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