復 原 耶 穌 基 督 教 會 台 灣 佈 道 所
The Church of Jesus Christ Taiwan Restoration Mission
May 17th, 2015 信心和付出 Faith & Share
(牧師 馬太 Pastor Matthew Moellmann)
哈囉!大家好,我們這裡今天的天氣很差,說是雷電交作,風雨交加都不為過,不僅閃電雷鳴不停,龍捲風也忽左忽右的伺機而動,希望待會不要跳電才好,真是糟糕的一天.先來唱幾首詩歌吧…我們相信 神給予每個人不同的天份,因為我不太能唱,而弟兄傑瑞恰好是最佳人選,所以我們請弟兄傑瑞來起音領唱吧.
我先來講個真實的故事,與大家分享:
有個身障的小孩,一手提包裹,一手柱著拐杖,緩緩的走進人潮壅塞的車站大廳,忽然被一個趕時間的路人男,撞了一下,這男的不顧身障小孩癱軟在地上,包裹跟拐杖也都給撞飛了,對著他就是一陣漫罵,邊指責身障小孩,不該阻擋了他的去路,邊快步離開.
一旁,另個男人看到了,趕緊過來纔扶起身障小孩,也把包裹撿取回來,還塞了個小紅包在裡面;小孩說:你為什麼要對我這麼好?我曾聽說過耶穌基督,所以你是耶穌基督嗎?好心男說:不,我不是,但我是一位耶穌基督的跟隨者-基督徒.
處在現今忙、茫、盲的年代,如果是你碰到身障小孩,你會是那個只顧咆哮的生氣男?還是即時伸出援手,並給小紅包的好心男?很多人在信仰上,都認同耶穌基督的犧牲奉獻,可是在實作上卻沒有發揮基督耶穌的精神;畢竟世人眼中的基督徒行為,是被用較世俗為高的標準,並拿來與耶穌基督評比的,這也是我們今天所要探討的主題“信心與付出”.在以下章節裡,有詳細的探討.
雅各書 James 2:14-26
14 我的弟兄們、若有人說、自己有信心、卻沒有行為、有甚麼益處呢．這信心能救他麼。
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
15 若是弟兄、或是姐妹、赤身露體、又缺了日用的飲食、
Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 你們中間有人對他們說、平平安安的去罷、願你們穿得煖喫得飽．卻不給他們身體所需用的、這有甚麼益處呢。
If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
17 這樣、信心若沒有行為就是死的。
In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 必有人說、你有信心、我有行為．你將你沒有行為的信心指給我看、我便藉著我的行為、將我的信心指給你看。
But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
19 你信 神只有一位、你信的不錯．鬼魔也信、卻是戰驚。
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.
20 虛浮的人哪、你願意知道沒有行為的信心是死的麼。
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?
21 我們的祖宗亞伯拉罕、把他兒子以撒獻在壇上、豈不是因行為稱義麼。
Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
22 可見信心是與他的行為並行、而且信心因著行為纔得成全．
You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
23 這就應驗經上所說、『亞伯拉罕信 神、這就算為他的義。』他又得稱為 神的朋友。
And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.
24 這樣看來、人稱義是因著行為、不是單因著信。
You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
25 妓女喇合接待使者、又放他們從別的路上出去、不也是一樣因行為稱義麼。
In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
26 身體沒有靈魂是死的、信心沒有行為也是死的。
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
雅各,紀錄下本書的章節,他曾是耶路撒冷城區教會的首任領導者,他解釋說,光有信心是不夠的,還要有行動,這行動基本來說就是- 分享來自上天的恩賜與愛;因為,他想幫助早期受排斥的基督徒,藉由分享與他人和平共處.
這部份,我希望你們別搞混了,因為保羅在羅馬書裡也說,因信而得救,雅各說的則是如何去作,因為我們信靠主,所以生命底擁有改變的力量,促使我們去創造美好的事物.
這是有關基督徒求生與永生兩部份的事.並不是信了就可以坐著等得救、永生.而是同樣要以充滿聖靈的心身,去行動去分享,這才能彰顯出基督徒的特質,追隨耶穌基督,心存善念,身做好事,口出良言.
剛剛的重點在於,人們心中已有耶穌基督,以為這樣就可以了,所以,雅各和保羅,各自點出了人們心中的盲點- 欠缺行動與分享.以下章節,提供我們兩個例子,一個說心中有基督,但是儘量幫助別人;另一些人則是,我們已經有基督在心中了呀…還要怎樣?
Matthew 25:31-46
31 當人子在他榮耀裡、同著眾天使降臨的時候、要坐在他榮耀的寶座上．
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.
32 萬民都要聚集在他面前．他要把他們分別出來、好像牧羊的分別綿羊山羊一般．
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 把綿羊安置在右邊、山羊在左邊。
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 於是王要向那右邊的說、你們這蒙我父賜福的、可來承受那創世以來為你們所豫備的國。
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35 因為我餓了、你們給我喫．渴了、你們給我喝．我作客旅、你們留我住．
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 我赤身露體、你們給我穿．我病了、你們看顧我．我在監裡、你們來看我。
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37 義人就回答說、主阿、我們甚麼時候見你餓了給你喫、渴了給你喝．
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 甚麼時候見你作客旅留你住、或是赤身露體給你穿．
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39 又甚麼時候見你病了、或是在監裡、來看你呢。
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 王要回答說、我實在告訴你們、這些事你們既作在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上、就是作在我身上了。
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41 王又要向那左邊的說、你們這被咒詛的人、離開我、進入那為魔鬼和他的使者所豫備的永火裡去。
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 因為我餓了、你們不給我喫．渴了、你們不給我喝．
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
43 我作客旅、你們不留我住．我赤身露體、你們不給我穿．我病了、我在監裡、你們不來看顧我。
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44 他們也要回答說、主阿、我們甚麼時候見你餓了、或渴了、或作客旅、或赤身露體、或病了、或在監裡、不伺候你呢。
"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45 王要回答說、我實在告訴你們、這些事你們既不作在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上、就是不作在我身上了。
"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46 這些人要往永刑裡去．那些義人要往永生裡去。
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
在小約瑟史密斯成長的年代,當時的長老教會(Presbyterian)已然興起,有位牧師名為Albert Barnes 亞伯巴那斯,他也有同感之言:這社會上顯示出,仍有許多需要友善的言語、關懷饑餓者的需要,以及溫暖受凍者的需要;如果沒有這樣聖潔的行動- 以愛為分享的藉口,我們的救贖仍是不夠完美的.
在今日美國,你隨便在街頭巷尾問人家,你是不是基督徒?相信得到大部份的答案,都會是“是的”,可是他們大多數也都沒有上教會做禮拜;所以社會上有很多犯案的人,同時也有很多需要幫助的人,奇怪的是,不是有很多人聲稱他們都是基督徒嗎?這就是剛剛讀到的雅各書裡所說的,非常重要關鍵的一點:很多人都聲稱是基督徒,但是如果沒有付諸-愛與分享關懷的行動,那麼就不要再自稱自己是基督徒了.
哥林多前書 1 Corinthians 13:1-8
1 我若能說萬人的方言、並天使的話語、卻沒有愛、我就成了鳴的鑼、響的鈸一般。
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 我若有先知講道之能、也明白各樣的奧秘、各樣的知識．而且有全備的信、叫我能彀移山、卻沒有愛、我就算不得甚麼。
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 我若將所有的賙濟窮人、又捨己身叫人焚燒、卻沒有愛、仍然與我無益。
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 愛是恆久忍耐、又有恩慈．愛是不嫉妒．愛是不自誇．不張狂．
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 不作害羞的事．不求自己的益處．不輕易發怒．不計算人的惡．
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 不喜歡不義．只喜歡真理．
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 凡事包容．凡事相信．凡事盼望．凡事忍耐。
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 愛是永不止息．
Love never fails.
雅各的見解,實在說來是在幫我們定義何為基督徒,並且是透過別人的眼中,是否看到我們有愛與分享的付出與否而定論.
今天剛好輪值,因天氣作祟,所以工作上伙伴一直來電討論,使上課無法持續進行,我感到很抱歉.(馬太,別太自責,佔用你很多休息時間,我們才是該說抱歉的人,你並沒有義務要這麼幫忙的.總之,謝謝啦.)
(Those Who Came : Paul Lin; Eric Ho, Eileen Chen; Belinda Kao; Jimmy Hsu; Wayne Lan)(Ruby Chen; Tom Lin)
(Skype to : <Moellmann> Matthew, Jai-yu, Joshua; Jared Brotherton; Maggie, Sashy, Uncel)
(Captionist : Susan Shelton)
P.S.當天,由於美國那裡天氣很差,不僅影響視訊,還使身兼管理者的牧師馬太,一直在應付公司裡,各方同仁的急急如律令-電話連環叩-報備各處災損的即時狀態;致上課斷斷續續的進行著,時不時就叫弟兄傑瑞頂著,於是當天,我們幾幾乎唱了不下十首詩歌.
謝謝大家提供分享:
1.香椿油拌自製麵
2.綠豆湯
3.七里香燻雞
4.燙A菜
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