作者周曉彤姊妹 (平信徒分享) 小時候,我時時思考到底世界怎樣形成。為什麼一加一等於二不是三?為什麼螞蟻有6隻腳不是4隻或8隻?作為問題少女,我最終的疑問是:什麼讓世界以現在的樣子存在?宇宙萬物的中心是否有一定的邏輯真理,如果有,這邏輯是什麼?
今天的福音經課以「太初有道」開始。道,希臘文為logos,英文翻譯為The Word,一方面是話語的意思,另一方面也可以是宇宙萬物的原則規律或邏輯。福音書告訴我們從太初開始就有邏輯。這句話讓我們聯想到創世記的開始:「起初神創造天地。」英文通常兩者都翻譯為In the beginning, 但在希臘原文和希伯來文,時間線是有分別。創世記的「起初」,指的是第一步,世界的開始。而約翰福音的「太初」,是在世界開始之以前,就是今日箴言寫「從亙古,從太初,未有世界以前」(8:23)的時間。雖然我們很難想像在沒有世界以前的種種,但重要的是我們知道,在創世之先,道(logos)已經與神同在,和神同源同質,道就是神。 道(logos)又是什麼呢?道,一方面是話語的意思,創世記裡面,神說有光,就有光,萬物都是藉著神的話語創造的。但另一方面,道也可以指在宇宙萬物中心的邏輯。歌羅西書1:17節說萬有也靠他而立。宇宙萬物運行,都是靠著特別的規律,這個就是道,也是箴言8篇裡面的智慧,是宇宙的原則。希臘哲學思想裡面的邏輯logos沒有位格,沒有意志,沒有感情。但聖經裏面的道和智慧不一樣,他會踴躍,會喜悅,正如今天箴言經課裏面讀到的。他能夠建立關係。約翰福音1:1說道與神同在,同在(with)這個詞的意思不是在旁邊存在這麼簡單,而是代表一種互動的關係。我們可以看出道(logos)是有位格的,他同上帝有緊密的關係。 那,道(logos)跟我們又有什麼關係呢?約翰福音1:4節寫著:「生命在他裡頭,這生命就是人的光。」然後第9節又寫著:「那光是真光,照亮一切生在世上的人。」原來基督那裡有生命,而這生命也是引導我們的光。不知道大家有沒有試過在漆黑中的經歷,在漆黑中看見一道光芒的感覺是怎樣的?有的時候我在學校會留到快鎖門才走,教員室和教員洗手間都關了燈,然後我在漆黑一遍中用手摸索開關,等到燈亮了的時候才安心。同樣,基督的真光可以帶給活在黑暗,罪惡,死亡的人亮光,救贖和生命。在基督裏面有不變真理,也有恩典。基督裏面的真理和恩典是豐盛的,遍地滿了的豐富(詩104:24),一切的豐盛在他裡面居住(歌羅西書1:19)。今天福音經課裏面最特別的,是這個豐盛的光,來到我們中間。約翰福音1:14節寫著:「道成了肉身,住在我們中間,充充滿滿地有恩典有真理。」道成肉身,為的,是希望神與人和好,讓人與神建立關係,就好像太初時道與神有緊密的關係一樣。 但是,約翰福音告訴我們,即使光來到黑暗的世界,帶來生命的盼望,以恩典照亮一切,黑暗卻不接受光。關係沒有建立的時候,黑暗的世界不認識光,也不願意接受光。為什麼?對於黑暗來說,光是陌生的,又滿有大能,它照耀的地方就不再黑暗,也就意味著黑暗會被徹底改變。對黑暗來說這是多麼可怕的事!不知道大家有沒有試過郊外翻開一塊大石頭,石頭的底部通常居住了很多在黑暗中生活的爬蟲,而我們一翻開石頭,讓光線照進來的,這些小爬蟲就會四處逃走,躲在另外一個黑暗地方。學習兒童心理治療時,老師常常提醒我們,一些經過很多創傷和悲痛,從來沒有感受過愛的孩子們,會害怕治療師那些善意溫暖的接近,因為這和他們身處的環境太不同了。同樣的,我們這個充滿罪惡和黑暗的世界,不願意也不敢接受光啊!光又怎樣和我們建立關係呢? 「道成了肉身」 – 光選擇親自降臨,成為人身。即使祂有各種的豐盛,有榮耀,有永恆生命,祂依然選擇降生為人,經歷人類的軟弱貧乏,經歷死蔭的幽谷,經歷我們的世界。為了對人的愛,祂住在我們中間,讓我們能夠認識祂,與祂建立關係。(之前我為一個自閉症的孩子做干預,一開始的時候,孩子完全無視我的存在,趴在地上,只顧著看不同物件的反射倒影。為了與他建立關係,我也趴在地上,感受他的視線所看到的,感受孩子的世界。孩子注意到我,接受我和他一齊看反射,一段時間之後,孩子開始跟著我玩其他遊戲,慢慢地我們越來越多互動,建立關係。)耶穌來到我們當中,也是我們關係的開始,目的如歌羅西書所說,是藉著十字架所流的血,讓萬有都與神和好。這一切都是因為愛。因為愛,即使被誤解,被拒絕,被背叛,被離棄,祂依然背起十字架,讓世界有機會與神復和。 與神復和是怎麼樣的?福音經課寫著:「凡接待他的,就是信他名的人,他就賜他們權柄做神的兒女。」藉著道成肉身的耶穌,我們的罪得赦免,得到與神建立一個親密關係的資格,像聖子為聖父所喜悅般,我們能夠成為神所喜悅的兒女。我們所要做的,就是相信耶穌,接待祂,從內心接受那道真光。這光讓我們不再生活在黑暗裏面,也讓我們的生命得到徹底的改變。當我還是算是少女的時候,有一些玩得比較開放的朋友,我們會一起去跳跳舞之類。但是有一天,其中一位朋友突然說不再過狂野的生活,因為他信了耶穌。這個朋友的改變對當時的我非常震撼,因此重新去教會,而接觸基督後,我自己的生命也有很大的改變。改變也許會讓人恐懼,但今天我邀請各位不要害怕,因為耶穌了解我們的軟弱。祂曾經成為我們人類中的一員。祂來與我們同在。祂知道軟弱無助,被拒絕,哀悼,在巨大痛楚中受苦的感覺是怎麼樣的。祂經歷這一切 – 只為與我們建立關係。宇宙萬物的邏輯,這道,是多麼的愛我們,甚至願意來到我們的水平線上,道成肉身,與我們同在,讓我們能夠與神建立親密的關係。道成為了人,親自與我們建立關係。這是我們基督教信仰的中心。 願我們每一個都感受到這生命之光,作為神喜悅的兒女與祂建立親密的關係。見證基督。 阿門。
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作者林立豐弟兄 (平信徒分享) Have you ever felt burned out? Burn out is a state of complete mental, physical and emotional exhaustion. Maybe you just pulled 2 all-nighters in a row; or your kids refused to go to bed; or your partner never listens. Burn Out might also apply to our spiritual lives. Some say: “Ugh, going to church is like working an extra shift on Sunday!” From “Burning for God” to “Burning Out”, some can no longer serve their usual roles in their community, or even have to take a break from church life. Maybe some of us here had similar experiences or worry that we may have lost our first love for God, that our fire no longer burns. How do we keep the fire in our hearts burning? Let’s see if the “Fire Triangle” can inspire us! The Fire Triangle refers to 3 key elements of fire, fuel, heat and oxygen – I’m sure we all know. We might need just the same elements to keep the fire in our hearts burning. Fuel is like the promises, provision, and creation of God the Father, as our everlasting rock in this everchanging world. Heat is like the love and salvation of Jesus Christ – As Jesus’ cross made God’s creation and laws meaningful, that we can break through the shackles of sin, and enjoy fully the beauty of creation. Oxygen is like the breath of God when Adam was made. The Holy Spirit help us understand the truth from the bible, intercedes for us, and allow us to learn more about God’s loving nature. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit being in relationship with each another, like the fire triangle, is trinity. This fire represents the presence of God, just like the burning bush in front of Moses. However, something is off… A fire can be put out, but will God’s presence be “put out”? Will there be a shortage for fuel, heat or oxygen for God’s love? Jesus said it himself “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.” How come there are times when our fire is weak, lukewarm, or simply not lit? Indeed, as we live through life’s challenges and struggles, we may fall into the trap of seeing the fuel, heat and oxygen as a limited resource. In the Bible, there are 3 lively examples of men burning out, to the extent they ask God to take their lives. Elijah thought the fuel is running out, and he was blind to the see the 7000 people God has prepared who had never bow to Baal. Jonah despises the repentance of the Ninevites, and he was blind to see how God love those who repent more than how he love the leafy plant. If not for the Holy Spirit rested on the 70 elders in the desert, Moses could not have been able to continue leading his people to Canaan. But if you look closely at the examples above, none of them is the result of shortages in any of the Fire Triangle, but that the people in plight was blind to see God’s provision. Let’s dig a little deeper, back to the terms “Burn for God” and “Burn Out”. In fact, in the beginning, it was never us who was burning, but our God, Holy Spirit living in our hearts who was burning the whole time. As we felt the heat in our hearts fading; As we felt like we can no longer practice the commandment of loving our neighbours as ourselves, it is not that we have burned out, or have used up our mind, soul, and body. It is because we are walking further away from God, and that we are not being in relationship with God, such that we are blind to God’s provision, salvation, mercy, precedence, and abundance. How then can we “See” God’s provision, and be in closer relationship with God? I have 3 suggestions. First, refill the fuel, take a chance to appreciate and be in relation with the nature, savour the authenticity, goodness and beauty of creation, and from it, God’s revelation. Second, deep-breathe of oxygen, keep up with on your practice of bible study and prayers, and focus on listening to God’s voice. God will give you comfort, encouragement and a mission that only you, can take on. Third, share the heat, adjourn with others in Christ, and practice our faith in loving our neighbours as ourselves. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams once said, “if the fire isn’t burning for you, go and spend time with someone for whom it is burning – and the chances are, they’ll be among the most disadvantaged people in our society”. May the fiery love of our God keep on burning in our Spirits, such that we can warm and brighten our neighbours souls, till the dawn comes again. Amen. 你有無試過Burn Out呢? Burn Out 指嘅係體力同精神上完全耗盡嘅狀態。可能你工作忙碌通完兩晚頂,又或者細路玩極唔訓;大細路又講極唔聽。都有人用Burn Out 呢個字嚟形容自己嘅屬靈生命。有啲人可能會話:「唉,返教會好似打多份工咁」,由開初「為主燃燒」,去到Burn Out「燃燒殆盡」,無辦法繼續投入事奉,甚至需要暫別教會生活。可能在座弟兄姊妹都有過類似嘅經歷,或者擔心自己無左起初嘅愛心,唔再火熱。
點樣先自keep到心裡面個團火呢? 不如等我地用Fire Triangle 「火三角」來試唸下可唔可以觸類旁通啦。「火三角」指緊嘅係火三個嘅必要元素: 燃料,熱能,氧氣 -相信大家都知道。要保持我地心裡面個團火,可能同樣需要「火三角」。 燃料-就好似天父嘅應許,供應同創造;作為我地活係萬變世界中永恆,穩固嘅基石。 熱能 - 就好似主耶穌基督嘅救贖。耶穌嘅十字架成全左天父嘅創造同律法,使我們能夠擺脫罪嘅枷鎖,享受創造嘅甜美。 氧氣 - 好似亞當被造嘅時候,天父吹嘅個一口氣。聖靈教導我地明白聖經真理,又憑己意為我地代求禱告,使你同我能夠更加貼近主嘅心意。 聖父,聖子,聖靈 - 三位一體嘅神就好似「火三角」一樣,好似摩西面前燃燒嘅荊棘,象徵住神嘅同在。 但係問題來啦,火會熄滅,唔通神嘅愛都會熄滅,短缺咩?明明耶穌話自己係生命嘅糧,食完不再餓嘅糧,賜飲完不再渴嘅水,點解有時候好似我地硬係撻唔著,或者火勢式微不冷不熱呢? 的確,係我地生活中面對困難挑戰時,我地難免將燃料(上帝嘅供應),熱能(耶穌嘅救贖),氧氣(聖靈嘅帶領),睇作有限嘅資源。聖經中都有三個burn out嘅,甚至要去到向神求死嘅例子。 以利亞以為燃料耗盡,睇唔到神預備7000人未曾向巴力屈膝。 約拿睇小尼尼微人嘅悔改,睇唔到神比佢愛惜蓖麻更加愛惜回轉嘅罪人 摩西如果唔係有70位長老領受聖靈,佢都無辦法繼續肩負帶領百姓前進嘅責任。 但如果你仔細分辨以上嘅例子,其實通通都唔係「火三角」任何一方面嘅短缺,而係係難關當中嘅人睇唔到神嘅供應,救贖,同帶領。 不如我地再唸深一層,返到來 「為主燃燒」 同 Burn Out 「燃燒殆盡」呢兩個詞。其實從頭到尾,係到燃燒緊嘅,並唔係我地,而係係我地心中的聖靈,同我地同在嘅神。當我地感受到嘅火熱逐漸減退;當我地自覺無辦法實踐愛鄰如己嘅誡命;實際上並唔係我地用盡,用曬我地嘅力氣,而係我地漸漸行離開左我地嘅神,我地同神嘅關係漸行漸遠,以致我地睇唔見神嘅供應,拯救,憐憫,帶領,同豐盛。 我地點先可以「睇見」神嘅供應,重新拉近我地同神嘅關係呢? 我係呢到有三個建議: 第一-補充燃料;有機會多親親大自然,領略上帝創造嘅美善,並蘊含其中嘅普遍啟示 第二-深呼吸氧氣;繼續持守讀經禱告嘅操守,專注聆聽神嘅聲音,領受神比你個人嘅安慰,鼓勵同召命。 第三-薪火相傳,分享熱能;係基督裏面同其他人建立關係同行,互相鼓勵,一齊關懷鄰舍,實踐活出基督嘅樣式。前肯特伯利大主教,盧雲.威廉斯曾經咁講:「如果你嘅靈火無燃燒緊,咁你就去同個啲靈火緊燃燒嘅人相處啦。你就會發現,佢地服侍緊社會中最困苦卑微嘅人。」 願神嘅靈火係我地嘅心靈中繼續燃燒,讓我地能夠溫暖以及照亮友鄰嘅心靈,直至天明。 阿們。 作者Joshua Au - All-Age Service I think this is one of the most straightforward commandments in the Bible. It is so simple that it was a struggle for me to expand on. It’s just one message Love God and Love Your Neighbour. However sometimes it can be hard to love and care for your neighbour when sometimes it feels that they don’t have the same amount of love and care as yourself. And it can be equally hard to trust and love God when it feels he’s not listening to your struggles as things don’t go as you want. I know that God helps us to follow the greatest commandment, but I don’t always know how. I think that here in church is the best place to learn. God has given us this community to practice and learn with and together we learn how to love God better and love our neighbour more and more. 聖經中最大的誡命,就是「愛主你的上帝,其次是愛人如己。」我認為這是聖經其中一條最直截了當的誡命、最簡單直接的訊息,幾乎不需要再加任何解釋。
不過,愛護鄰舍、關懷鄰舍,並非容易的事:有時我們會覺得,我們關心愛護別人,未必會得到同等回報。同樣地,愛上帝、信靠上帝可能也不容易:生活有時未能盡如人意,我們不禁覺得,上帝沒有聆聽體察我們的困難掙扎。 我知道上帝會幫助我們遵守這條大誡命,但未必時常明白上帝如何施恩扶持。我認為,教會是學習上帝旨意的最佳場所。上帝賜給我們教會群體,能與弟兄姊妹一起實踐信仰,互相勉勵,不斷學習愛主愛人的功課。 |
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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