復 原 耶 穌 基 督 教 會 台 灣 佈 道 所
The Church of Jesus Christ Taiwan Restoration Mission
June 14th, 2015傳 愛 Pass It On
(牧師 馬太 Pastor Matthew Moellmann)
最近這幾個星期以來,我們都圍繞著一個主題:試煉 Trial在說明,耶穌基督的愛,因為試煉,使我們更強壯,也更深深領受到上主的愛,時時刻刻都包圍著我們;那麼,今天要談的是,該如何把愛傳出去.
首先,翻開哥林多後書:
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 11:23-30
23 他們是基督的僕人麼．（我說句狂話）我更是。我比他們多受勞苦、多下監牢、受鞭打是過重的、冒死是屢次有的．
Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 被猶太人鞭打五次、每次四十、減去一下．
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 被棍打了三次、被石頭打了一次、遇著船壞三次、一晝一夜在深海裡。
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 又屢次行遠路、遭江河的危險、盜賊的危險、同族的危險、外邦人的危險、城裡的危險、曠野的危險、海中的危險、假弟兄的危險。
I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 受勞碌、受困苦、多次不得睡、又飢又渴、多次不得食、受寒冷、赤身露體。
I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28 除了這外面的事、還有為眾教會掛心的事、天天壓在我身上。
Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
29 有誰軟弱、我不軟弱呢．有誰跌倒、我不焦急呢。
Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30 我若必須自誇、就誇那關乎我軟弱的事便了。
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
使徒保羅以自身經歷來解釋,追隨耶穌基督後,大大小小的苦難不斷,甚至多次危及生命的險境,(仍都比不上耶穌基督為免除人們罪衍的犧牲),他都挺過來了;他絕不會說是自己夠強夠壯的緣故,只認為這又是另一個試煉的開始,因為他深信、也知道耶穌基督,必會救他於最困頓的時候.
我們再來看使徒行傳,另外的記載:
使徒行傳 Acts 16:16-34
16 後來、我們往那禱告的地方去．有一個使女迎著面來、他被巫鬼所附、用法術、叫他主人們大得財利。
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.
17 他跟保羅和我們、喊著說、這些人是至高 神的僕人、對你們傳說救人的道。
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved."
18 他一連多日這樣喊叫、保羅就心中厭煩、轉身對那鬼說、我奉耶穌基督的名、吩咐你從他身上出來．那鬼當時就出來了。
She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
19 使女的主人們、見得利的指望沒有了、便揪住保羅和西拉、拉他們到市上去見首領．
When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.
20 又帶到官長面前說、這些人原是猶太人、竟騷擾我們的城、
They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar
21 傳我們羅馬人所不可受、不可行的規矩。
by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
22 眾人就一同起來攻擊他們．官長吩咐剝了他們的衣裳、用棍打。
The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten.
23 打了許多棍、便將他們下在監裡、囑咐禁卒嚴緊看守。
After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.
24 禁卒領了這樣的命、就把他們下在內監裡、兩腳上了木狗。
Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
街市裡有人裝神弄鬼(被靈附身),四處斂財,被使徒保羅以耶穌基督之名斥退,無利可圖的商人,羅織罪名,把保羅一行人捉進監獄關起來.還慫恿獄卒對他們嚴刑峻罰,以消失財之恨.
25 約在半夜、保羅和西拉、禱告唱詩讚美 神．眾囚犯也側耳而聽。
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 忽然地大震動、甚至監牢的地基都搖動了．監門立刻全開、眾囚犯的鎖鍊也都鬆開了。
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.
27 禁卒一醒、看見監門全開、以為囚犯已經逃走、就拔刀要自殺。
The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28 保羅大聲呼叫說、不要傷害自己、我們都在這裡。
But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
29 禁卒叫人拿燈來、就跳進去、戰戰兢兢的、俯伏在保羅西拉面前．
The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
30 又領他們出來、說、二位先生、我當怎樣行纔可以得救。
He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 他們說、當信主耶穌、你和你一家都必得救。
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household."
32 他們就把主的道、講給他和他全家的人聽。
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
33 當夜、就在那時候、禁卒把他們帶去、洗他們的傷．他和屬乎他的人、立時都受了洗。
At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34 於是禁卒領他們上自己家裡去、給他們擺上飯、他和全家、因為信了 神、都很喜樂。
The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.
保羅一行,受誣害身陷囹圄,差一點就被折騰至死,他沒有失志,反而大聲讚美 神的恩典,祈求禱告如同往昔的試煉,使他身體完好,並得以早日恢復自由身.
保羅帶領大家讚美 神的恩典,祈求禱告馬上獲得了正面的回應,當夜主使地震,震壞監獄門房,獄卒心想,這下遭了,他們應該摸黑趁機逃走,我守衛不當,將得懲罰,不如自行了斷算了;豈知,暗夜裡忽然聽聞保羅出言制止,請獄卒莫傷害自己,我們都還在獄裡,沒有離開.
保羅請獄卒,打燈照明,先帶領他們離開牢房;因害怕而顫慄不已,並俯臥在保羅面前的獄卒,顫抖的說,我應該怎麼做才能得救(赦免)?保羅說當信靠主耶穌基督,就能得到罪的赦免.
這樣子的見證,使得獄卒相當驚奇,保羅所憑藉的那股神秘的力量,究竟來自何方?當知道是來自耶穌基督的見證時,當下決定全家人都受洗,遂成為基督徒.
所以,在這裡我們看到了,當保羅等人陷入困境時,沒有驚慌失措的舉動,反是以正面思考的面向- 頌讚詩歌,祈求禱告,來面對橫亙在眼前的困境;身歷其境的見證,使得獄卒感同身受,也頌揚這來自耶穌基督與大能者的強大力量.
我們回到哥林多後書,再來看看另一段保羅對於試煉的看法:
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 12:6-10
6 我就是願意誇口、也不算狂．因為我必說實話．只是我禁止不說、恐怕有人把我看高了、過於他在我身上所看見所聽見的。
Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.
7 又恐怕我因所得的啟示甚大、就過於自高、所以有一根剌加我肉體上、就是撒但的差役、要攻擊我、免得我過於自高。
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
8 為這事、我三次求過主、叫這剌離開我。
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
9 他對我說、我的恩典彀你用的．因為我的能力、是在人的軟弱上顯得完全．所以我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱、好叫基督的能力覆庇我．
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
10 我為基督的緣故、就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦、為可喜樂的．因我甚麼時候軟弱、甚麼時候就剛強了。
That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
這裡,保羅又再一次的提到,在他的生命裡,所經歷的種種試煉,的確困擾過他,甚至於差一點要了他的命;但是大能的 神,一次次的助他,也使他一次比一次的,更為強壯的脫離險境.
大家還記得早年的保羅,本名是掃羅那時的事嗎?他是個受到良好教育的猶太人,在法老王的底下,謀個一官半職的當起差來著.當官的可想而知,多半是有錢人,結交權貴,往來無白丁;而他的工作更是令基督徒聞風喪膽- 以追捕、下獄、迫害、殺戮基督徒為主的緝捕官.
沒錯!保羅就是追捕、下獄、迫害、殺戮基督徒的官,他還曾把基督教最早七位執事之一的司提反,以莫須有的罪名,處以亂石擊斃,也使司提反成為耶穌基督復活後,第一位殉道者.
大能的 神,差遣耶穌基督來點化保羅,從此改變他的心和他的生命,使他成為耶穌基督的追隨者.保羅用他的餘生,做為基督的僕人,持續不斷的傳揚福音到終老.
或許,你會自問:為什麼 神允許,信仰那麼深厚的僕人,仍然要經歷那麼多苦難的試煉?這是個好問題,今天在我們的生命中,不也一樣正經歷很多的試煉和苦難?為什麼呢?我個人的看法是, 神有時想要保護祂的跟隨者,繼而從歷練中,使他們得以有輕鬆過活的日子.
這只是我個人的淺見,我們想 神應該給我們一個舒適的生活環境才對,是不是?但是,有時候, 神是藉由試煉和苦難,來引起我們的注意力- 對 神的敬畏,以及對祂的誡律的遵守.
以 神的觀點來看,苦難和試煉,是訓練和創造一個忠誠基督徒的必要條件,如果,我們的生命離開了試煉和苦難,根本不需要主耶穌基督的幫忙,也許,我們就永遠也無法真正的認識到主耶穌基督了.
閱讀聖經- 不管是增長知識,還是吸取經書裡的經歷,都可以增長我們的智識.但是,唯有自身體驗過苦難的試煉,這種銘心刻骨的經歷, 神才會增強我們的力量,以對抗橫亙於眼前的困境.
所以, 神給予我們兩條路去學習,如何增加我們對 神的敬畏與信靠.不管是閱讀聖經或是親身歷練,都是在幫助我們度過困難,以及增進我們與 神的親密關係.
保羅如果本身沒有經歷過,受迫害的苦難與痛楚,他也許永遠無法得知,是那來自主耶穌基督的力量,幫助他度過重重難關的.是不是?
面對我們生命中的試煉與苦難,我們可有兩條路去回應;一是不信靠 神也不回應加強我們與 神親近關係的方式;或是我們相信聖經裡的話語,擷取保羅的經歷,以增強我們對 神的敬畏與信靠.
當我們相信聖經,以及它所記載的一字一句,並對應到我們生命中的處境時,我們的信心會與日俱增,而因信心產生的力量,將會幫助我們度過所有的試煉與困境.
當我們以正面的態度,面對我們的試煉,並在困境中讚美榮耀 主時,旁人也許會好奇的問,一如獄卒問保羅般相同的問題;你們怎能在如此這樣困頓的處境下,依然希望滿滿的保持著堅決的信心? Jai-yu 提醒我,翻閱羅馬人書篇,也許答案就在這裡面:
羅馬書 Romans 8:28
28 我們曉得萬事都互相效力、叫愛 神的人得益處、就是按他旨意被召的人。
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
我們再讀另段羅馬人書篇,就知道,我們可以這樣度過逆境的.
羅馬書 Romans 5:1-6
1 我們既因信稱義、就藉著我們的主耶穌基督、得與 神相和。
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2 我們又藉著他、因信得進入現在所站的這恩典中、並且歡歡喜喜盼望 神的榮耀。
through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
3 不但如此、就是在患難中、也是歡歡喜喜的．因為知道患難生忍耐．
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4 忍耐生老練．老練生盼望．
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 盼望不至於羞恥．因為所賜給我們的聖靈、將 神的愛澆灌在我們心裡。
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
6 因我們還軟弱的時候、基督就按所定的日期為罪人死。
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
經由逆境和試煉親身的歷練,或由我們所閱讀的經書裡的見證, 神用這種種的見證,來增強我們親近祂的力量,也就是說,你也可以把這樣的見證,拿去與他人做分享.
在下課前,我們來唱一首相關今天主題的詩歌 “Pass it on 把愛傳出去”,歌詞裡提到,我們擁有生命中希望的火種,要將它分享給其他人,使人人都能擁有希望的火種,也許將來有一天,點燃火種可以聚集成熊熊烈火.
分 享 見 證 ,光 耀 人 間.
(Those Who Came : Eric Ho, Eileen Chen; Paul Lin; Jimmy Hsu; Sharon Wu)(Tom Lin; Joanna Lin)
(Stenographer : Susan Shelton) (Interpreter : Paul Lin)
(Skype to : <Moellmann> Matthew, Jai-yu, Joshua; Jordan Brotherton; Frank Van Fleet; <Henson> Stephen, Calvin; Nicole Robinson; Abraham & froend)
P.S.1謝謝!
上周課後, 因大雨等在教會的 Jimmy, Paul 和 Tom 等人,在等待雨停的空檔,順手把電風扇給清理了一下,謝謝!
P.S.2感恩!
今天的午餐是 Sharon 準備了她拿手自做的貓耳朵(麵疙瘩),還有 Jimmy 的水果, 晚到的 Tom 則是切了塊白斬雞,與大家分享. 感恩!
P.S.3喜悅!
有幾位來自其他州的年輕弟兄,歡迎你們!
還有即將來台傳楊福音的兩位姊妹
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