復 原 耶 穌 基 督 教 會 台 灣 佈 道 所
The Church of Jesus Christ Taiwan Restoration Mission
July 19th, 2015恩 典 Grace
(長老 道福 Elder Duff Daugherty)
三天以前,長老道福就把這次上課,會用到的經文傳給我,希望我列印幾份分享大家使用,Eileen認為應該運用手機的方便性,所以轉傳電子檔給在場的各位,雖然使用上不如列印在紙張上方便,卻可以減少一次性紙張的使用.只能說智慧型手機的研發使用,或許也算得上是耶和華的恩典囉!
# 奇異恩典 Amazing Grace #
談到恩典,就不得不提到奇異恩典這首詩歌,它是約翰紐頓 John Newton (1725–1807) 所寫的詩歌("奇異恩典"作者詳見文後簡介),約翰11歲時,父母雙亡,不得已上船做水手謀生,卻染上言行不檢惡習,也忘卻媽媽曾期待他成為傳教士,而悉心調教聖經的經文.
多年以後,約翰掌船從非洲進口黑奴,途中遇上風暴,船毀人沉幾乎要了他的命,在那瞬間,他才想起媽媽的聖經,隨即禱告祈求耶和華的原諒;獲救以後,心靈頓悟,誠心悔改、受洗,並寫下這首奇異恩典.
恩典:聖潔的影響我們的心,也在我們的生活中彰顯.
力量與才能,耶和華賜給信靠祂的人,好遵行祂的旨意.
Grace:God’s divine influence on our hearts and how it is shown in living our lives. Or
The power and ability God gives Believers to do God’s will.
哥林多前書 1 Corinthians 1:4
4 我常為你們感謝我的 神、因 神在基督耶穌裡所賜給你們的恩惠．
I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.
哥林多前書 1 Corinthians 15:10
10 然而我今日成了何等人、是蒙 神的恩纔成的．並且他所賜我的恩、不是徒然的．我比眾使徒格外勞苦．這原不是我、乃是 神的恩與我同在。
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
使徒保羅,在未成為使徒前,原是緝捕基督徒的官吏,耶穌基督使他雙眼盲目,再施恩給他復明,皈依受洗後被耶穌基督收為門徒,所以,他的體悟是比別人來的深切.
以弗所書 Ephesians 2:4-9
4 然而 神既有豐富的憐憫．因他愛我們的大愛、
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 當我們死在過犯中的時候、便叫我們與基督一同活過來．（你們得救是本乎恩）
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
6 他又叫我們與基督耶穌一同復活、一同坐在天上、
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 要將他極豐富的恩典、就是他在基督耶穌裡向我們所施的恩慈、顯明給後來的世代看．
in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 你們得救是本乎恩、也因著信、這並不是出於自己、乃是 神所賜的．
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 也不是出於行為、免得有人自誇。
not by works, so that no one can boast.
今天,受洗的目的,除了罪獲得寬恕,還賜給我們聖靈,在身心裡引導我們走向光明之途;由於我們的信靠和遵行耶和華的旨意,將使我們可以得到,被允許進入永生之境的機會,伴隨耶穌基督與耶和華一同生活在神的王國.這才是我們受洗的終極目標.
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 6:1
1 我們與 神同工的、也勸你們、不可徒受他的恩典．
As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain.
所以,今天的我們,除了分享愛,也要傳揚天國的福音,把恩典賜予的才能,用來遵行耶和華的旨意.
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 9:8
8 神能將各樣的恩惠、多多的加給你們．使你們凡事常常充足、能多行各樣善事．
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 8:9
9 你們知道我們主耶穌基督的恩典、他本來富足、卻為你們成了貧窮、叫你們因他的貧窮、可以成為富足。
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
耶穌基督為了遵行耶和華的旨意,捨身以換取對我們的救恩;祂本是至上的,為了救贖、赦免人們的罪衍,拋棄了一切,甚至於連命也奉獻了,這樣的捨,得到死而復活,也給予我們設立了最佳典範.
哥林多後書 2 Corinthians 12:9
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.
人生起伏高低,有歡笑欣喜,總也有陷入困頓之境,記住要謙卑的祈求禱告,耶和華聽得見你的禱告,看得到你內心的誠意,將賜予我們面對困境的勇氣,以及解決問題的能力.
羅馬書 Romans 3:23-25
23 因為世人都犯了罪、虧缺了 神的榮耀。
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 如今卻蒙 神的恩典、因基督耶穌的救贖、就白白的稱義。
and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
25 神設立耶穌作挽回祭、是憑著耶穌的血、藉著人的信、要顯明 神的義．因為他用忍耐的心、寬容人先時所犯的罪．
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--
自從亞當、夏娃被驅趕離開伊甸園後,也遠離了純真的喜悅,帶著罪的人類,在地面上墾荒謀生,除了悔改前非,也繼續信靠耶穌基督,並尋求返回耶和華身邊的契機.
寬宏大度的耶和華,留下耶穌基督為我們救贖,也打開我們重返耶和華身邊的良機,只要我們接受洗禮,祂就賜給我們聖靈,正如前面所說,賜給我們聖靈,在身心裡引導我們走向光明之途;由於我們的信靠和遵行耶和華的旨意,將使我們可以得到,被允許進入永生之境的機會,伴隨耶穌基督與耶和華一同生活在神的王國.
羅馬書 Romans 5:1-3
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;
以弗所書 Ephesians 3:6-8
6 這奧秘就是外邦人在基督耶穌裡、藉著福音、得以同為後嗣、同為一體、同蒙應許。
This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
7 我作了這福音的執事、是照 神的恩賜．這恩賜是照他運行的大能賜給我的．
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power.
8 我本來比眾聖徒中最小的還小．然而他還賜我這恩典、叫我把基督那測不透的豐富、傳給外邦人．
Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
承蒙耶和華的恩典,我們才有能力遵守祂的誡律和執行祂的旨意
By God’s Grace we have the ability to keep His Commandments
Or Do his Will
約翰一書 1 John 3:21-23, 24
21 親愛的弟兄阿、我們的心若不責備我們、就可以向 神坦然無懼了．
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
22 並且我們一切所求的、就從他得著．因為我們遵守他的命令、行他所喜悅的事。
and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
23 神的命令就是叫我們信他兒子耶穌基督的名、且照他所賜給我們的命令彼此相愛。
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
24 遵守 神命令的、就住在 神裡面． 神也住在他裡面。我們所以知道 神住在我們裡面、是因他所賜給我們的聖靈。
Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
這裡強調聖靈的重要,只因它是一切信靠的開始,因為信心使我們決定悔改並接受洗禮,才能收受來自耶和華的賜予- 聖靈的禮物,讓我們的生命與耶穌基督有了新的聯結.
約翰一書 1 John 5:2-3, 5
2 我們若愛 神、又遵守他的誡命、從此就知道我們愛 神的兒女。
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.
3 我們遵守 神的誡命、這就是愛他了．並且他的誡命不是難守的。
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
5 勝過世界的是誰呢．不是那信耶穌是 神兒子的麼．
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
上星期日,長老丹有提到是否有人,想趁這次他來台停留期間,要接受洗禮的,我想這是一個很好的邀請,也是難得的機會;如果真有人想跟大家,一起追隨耶穌基督的腳步,踏上光明的大道,歡迎你與我們一起,來追尋平安、喜悅與耶穌基督,一同伴隨在耶和華的身邊.也讓我們一同沐浴在耶和華的奇異恩典之中吧.
(Those Who Came : Eric Ho, Eileen Chen; Steve Lee; Paul Lin; Rachel Yang; Sharon Wu; Jimmy Hsu)
(Translator : Paul Lin)
(Skype to : <Daugherty> Duff, Joel; Frank Van Fleet; <Brotherton> Dan, Darcy, Jared, Jordan; <Lade> Nancy, Sarah, Amanda, David, Anna, Joseph; <Moellmann> Matthew, Jai-yu, Joshua; Maggie, Sashy, Uncel; Ben Nelson; Elizabeth Woodward; Adam Brendel; Stephen Henson; Job & sister)
P.S. 1幫忙打字的蘇珊,來信說抱歉,由於電腦可能中毒致嚴重盪機,今天無法隨機作業,期待她的電腦,能早日修復.
P.S. 2楊媽媽的朋友劉小姐 Dale,日前不小心滑倒,嚴重傷到骨盆腔,今天也來電,請求大家幫忙禱告祈福,祝她早日康復.
P.S. 3課程表暫定如下 : (另行在“ What’s News”公佈)
約翰紐頓 John Newton (1725–1807) 詩歌"奇異恩典"作者簡介:
The slave ship Greyhound had been thrashing about in the north Atlantic storm for over a week. Its canvas sails were ripped, and the wood on one side of the ship had been torn away and splintered.
The sailors had little hope of survival, but they mechanically worked the pumps, trying to keep the vessel afloat. On the eleventh day of the storm, sailor John Newton was too exhausted to pump, so he was tied to the helm and tried to hold the ship to its course.
From one o'clock until midnight he was at the helm.With the storm raging fiercely, Newton had time to think. His life seemed as ruined and wrecked as the battered ship he was trying to steer through the storm. Since the age of eleven he had lived a life at sea. Sailors were not noted for the refinement of their manners, but Newton had a reputation for profanity, coarseness, and debauchery which even shocked many a sailor.
He was known as "The Great Blasphemer." He sank so low at one point that he was even a servant to slaves in Africa for a brief period. His mother had prayed he would become a minister and had early taught him the Scriptures and Isaac Watts' Divine Songs for Children. Some of those early childhood teachings came to mind now.
He remembered Proverbs 1:24-31, and in the midst of that storm, those verses seemed to confirm Newton in his despair: Because I have called, and ye refused . . . ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also laughed at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh: when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer.
Newton had rejected his mother's teachings and had led other sailors into unbelief. Certainly he was beyond hope and beyond saving, even if the Scriptures were true.
Yet, Newton's thoughts began to turn to Christ. He found a New Testament and began to read. Luke 11:13 seemed to assure him that God might still hear him: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.
"Deliverance That day at the helm, March 21, 1748, was a day Newton remembered ever after, for "On that day the Lord sent from on high and delivered me out of deep waters."
Many years later, as an old man, Newton wrote in his diary of March 21, 1805: "Not well able to write; but I endeavor to observe the return of this day with humiliation, prayer, and praise."
Only God's amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slave-trading sailor and transform him into a child of God. Newton never ceased to stand in awe of God's work in his life.
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