復 原 耶 穌 基 督 教 會 台 灣 佈 道 所
The Church of Jesus Christ Taiwan Restoration Mission
May 10th, 2015神 的 愛 God's Love
(弟兄 喬丹 Brother : Jordan Brotherton)
今天是母親節,先祝我媽媽和各位媽媽們,母親節快樂!
母愛的偉大,大家都感同身受,她為家庭的付出,為子女的犧牲、奉獻,無需我贅言;另有一位,是為全人類犧牲、奉獻的耶穌基督,我想祂為我們罪的救贖的付出,此等情操想必與母愛不相上下.
母親生我、育我,自小至大無微不至的照顧,子女每每以調皮搗蛋為回報,可是,母愛依然不變,仍舊細心照料;基督的愛,也像母愛一樣,一再的寬恕和呵護,就像是父親的愛一般,因為祂希望每個人,都能在祂的身邊快樂的成長.
子女偶有違意,父母並不為過,若是子女改變,則心喜愉悅;做為 神的子女,祂也是如此看待我們,期待我們能遵守祂的誡律,經由洗禮,讓我們改變,以聖靈為指南,身心與祂時時同在,指引出人生正確的方向;聖靈給予新生命,不只管生活的種種,也為你我安排- 如耶穌基督般的復活,訂定永生的期許.
羅馬書 Romans 6:1-13
1 這樣、怎麼說呢．我們可以仍在罪中、叫恩典顯多麼。
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?
2 斷乎不可．我們在罪上死了的人、豈可仍在罪中活著呢。
By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
3 豈不知我們這受洗歸入基督耶穌的人、是受洗歸入他的死麼。
Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
4 所以我們藉著洗禮歸入死、和他一同埋葬．原是叫我們一舉一動有新生的樣式、像基督藉著父的榮耀、從死裡復活一樣。
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5 我們若在他死的形狀上與他聯合、也要在他復活的形狀上與他聯合．
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
6 因為知道我們的舊人、和他同釘十字架、使罪身滅絕、叫我們不再作罪的奴僕．
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
7 因為已死的人、是脫離了罪。
because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8 我們若是與基督同死、就信必與他同活．
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9 因為知道基督既從死裡復活、就不再死、死也不再作他的主了。
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
10 他死是向罪死了、只有一次．他活是向 神活著。
The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 這樣、你們向罪也當看自己是死的．向 神在基督耶穌裡、卻當看自己是活的。
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 所以不要容罪在你們必死的身上作王、使你門順從身子的私慾．
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.
13 也不要將你們的肢體獻給罪作不義的器具．倒要像從死裡復活的人、將自己獻給 神．並將肢體作義的器具獻給 神。
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
經由洗禮,把過去的種種,通通隨著已釘死在十字架上的耶穌基督而抹去;洗禮的同時,聖靈加諸全身的喜悅,頓時明瞭基督的愛- 已寬恕(過去的罪)和包容(新生的我).
生命中既有聖靈的加持,往後就會一路順遂?不!不是的! 神的話語猶在耳邊,人的心卻易被世俗的情慾所羈絆;這也是為什麼,我們至少每星期日要有主日學的課,為的就是在教會,把各位的聖靈充飽飽,加強各位的信心,好抵擋四面八方、層出不窮的誘惑.
羅馬書 Romans 12:1-2
1 所以弟兄們、我以 神的慈悲勸你們、將身體獻上、當作活祭、是聖潔的、是 神所喜悅的．你們如此事奉、乃是理所當然的。
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
2 不要效法這個世界．只要心意更新而變化、叫你們察驗何為 神的善良、純全可喜悅的旨意。
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
我們請Eric回憶一下,他當初受洗的心境:
Eric:自從小女接觸本教會起,我們夫妻倆就感覺到她,似乎比往日來的活潑、開朗,雖然每天有忙不完的事(課業和教會都有),每天早出晚歸,就算是例假日(後來才知道是主日學要做禮拜)也趴趴走,可是她看起來依然快樂的像隻小鳥.
後來因為 Charlene 和 Sam夫婦的關係,Eileen 也開始接觸教會,慢慢的也重拾起她的自信心,臉上也有了喜悅的笑容…,這一切都看在我眼裡,心想是什麼力量改變了,我心裡最重要的兩個女人?
為了探索這問題,我也加入了教會上課行列,慢慢的,覺得我也在改變中,因為耶穌基督的愛,少了生活中與人爭執的菱角,使我們心中得到平安、喜悅.
彼得前書 1 Peter 3:14-18
14 你們就是為義受苦、也是有福的．不要怕人的威嚇、也不要驚慌．〔的威嚇或作所怕的〕
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened."
15 只要心裡尊主基督為聖．有人問你們心中盼望的緣由、就要常作準備、以溫柔敬畏的心回答各人．
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
16 存著無虧的良心、叫你們在何事上被毀謗、就在何事上、可以叫那誣賴你們在基督裡有好品行的人、自覺羞愧。
keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
17 神的旨意若是叫你們因行善受苦、總強如因行惡受苦。
It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
18 因基督也曾一次為罪受苦、〔受苦有古卷作受死〕就是義的代替不義的、為要引我們到 神面前．按著肉體說他被治死．按著靈性說他復活了。
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
生活中,常常會碰到不如意的事,你應當把它視為一個 神對我們的試鍊,祈求禱告以加強信靠 神的心.還有,你所信靠的 神,也應當把祂如基隆地標一樣(我在台灣時,常常去爬基隆的地標),高高舉起,不僅要讓別人看見,還要把天國的福音,分享給周邊所有的人.
尼腓三書 3 Nephi 5:58-63
５８ 若因我而遭受辱罵你們、迫害你們、並被用種種惡言誣衊你們時，你們有福了。
58 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake,
５９ 因為你們必獲得極大的快樂，也必感到無上的高興，因為你們在天上的賞賜將是極大的；因為在你們以前的先知們，在是遭受他們這種迫害的。
59 For ye shall have great joy and be exceeding glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.
６０ 我實實在在告訴你們，我要你們作世上的鹽；但是，鹽如果失去了它的鹹味，世上將用甚麼來調鹹呢？這鹽以後必將毫無用處，惟有被丟棄，在人們的腳下被踐踏。
60 Verily, verily I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor, wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
６１ 我實實在在對你們說，我要你們作這人民的光。城造在山上面，是不能隱藏的
61 Verily, verily I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill can not be hid.
６２ 看啊，人們點了臘燭是不是放在斗底下的？不是的，乃是放在燭臺上的，這樣就照亮了整間屋內的人了。
62 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;
６３ 因此你們的光，也當這樣照在人前，好使他們見了你們的好行為，便會榮耀你天上的父。
63 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
做為一名基督徒,不可以只關注自己本身,也要關懷身邊的人;而追隨耶穌基督的腳步,更應把焦點放在“復活”以及“永生”,這看似是兩件事,實則為一件事上.生活中的種種苦難,都有聖靈的護持,均可逢凶化吉,一如初衷的平安、喜悅.
你們是否試過,在身體虛弱時,買個什麼提神的飲料來喝?效果又能持續多久呢?事實上,充足的睡眠,才是最佳的能量泉源,而在聖靈撫慰下,平安、喜悅的心,就是安穩睡眠的契機.
哥林多前書 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 豈不知在場上賽跑的都跑、但得獎賞的只有一人．你們也當這樣跑、好叫你們得著獎賞。
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25 凡較力爭勝的、諸事都有節制．他們不過是要得能壞的冠冕．我們卻是要得不能壞的冠冕。
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26 所以我奔跑、不像無定向的．我鬥拳、不像打空氣的。
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
27 我是攻克己身、叫身服我．恐怕我傳福音給別人、自己反倒被棄絕了。
No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
先知保羅闡釋追求永生的道,雖然聞道有先後,但是得道者幾希.不管自己的信靠,還是傳揚天國的福音,只有堅強信仰的人,才能一步一步的走下去;也只有堅持的人,才能得到甜美的果實- 永生之境界.
(Those Who Came : Eric Ho, Eileen Chen; Paul Lin; Sharon Wu; Jack Chen)(Jimmy Hsu)
(Skype to : <Brotherton> Darcy, Jordan, Jared; <Moellmann> Matthew, Jai-Yu, Joshua; Ben Nelson; Calvin Henson; Maggie, Sashy, Uncel)
以下是大家回去後,自讀的以弗所書1-6章的節略：
以弗所書 Ephesians 6:11-17
11 要穿戴 神所賜的全副軍裝、就能抵擋魔鬼的詭計。
Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 因我們並不是與屬血氣的爭戰、乃是與那些執政的、掌權的、管轄這幽暗世界的、以及天空屬靈氣的惡魔爭戰。〔兩爭戰原文都作摔跤〕
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 所以要拿起 神所賜的全副軍裝、好在磨難的日子、抵擋仇敵、並且成就了一切、還能站立得住。
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 所以要站穩了、用真理當作帶子束腰、用公義當作護心鏡遮胸．
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 又用平安的福音、當作豫備走路的鞋穿在腳上．
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 此外又拿著信德當作籐牌、可以滅盡那惡者一切的火箭．
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 並戴上救恩的頭盔、拿著聖靈的寶劍、就是 神的道．
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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