復原耶穌基督教會 台灣佈道所
April 22nd, 2018 神的盔甲 Armour of God
史提夫牧師 Pastor Stephen Henson
The Church of Jesus Christ
Taiwan Restoration Mission
丹長老跟Paul課前閒聊,提到Sharon腳略不適,請求丹長老隔空施以靈療Administration,丹長老說還沒有嘗試過,因為沒辦法抹膏油,有點行不通,但是可以研究、研究.
接著史提夫牧師開講,今天要談論神的盔甲Armour of God,會有幾段章節,和個人的體驗見證,首先翻閱一段經文:
阿爾瑪書 Alma 16:228-232
228 因為今生就是世人為迎見 神而作準備的時候;今生的日子就是世人完成他們工作的日子。
228 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God: yea, behold, the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
229 剛才我已對你們有了許多的證據,所以,我懇請你們不要把你們悔改的日子拖延到最後。
229 And now as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore I beseech of you, that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end;
230 因為這賜給我們準備水恆來世的今生日子過後;看啊,如果在這一生中我們不改善我們的時機,那末黑夜就要來臨,那時我們就不能工作了。
230 For after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness, wherein there can be no labor performed.
231 當你們被帶到了那種可怕的危機時,你們是不能說我要悔改,我要回到 神那裏去的。
231 Ye can not say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God.
232 不,你們不能這樣的,因為那個在你們離開今生時佔據著你們身體的同一個靈,將有力量在永恆世界中佔據你們的身體。
232 Nay, ye can not say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
從經文裡看到,我們今生的行為,是會影響來世,或者說是為來生做準備;俗話說“今日因、來世果”,就說的是這個.
我很慶幸在座的各位,都已經悔改也有領洗禮,也正努力遵守誡命,祈禱、讀經和行耶穌基督的道,如此一來可望得到喜悅的甜美果實.
剛才提到Sharon爬山後腳略不適,恰好我個人,也甚喜愛爬山當做運動(常年往科羅拉多州爬山,平均都是四千公尺以上的高山),以自身爬山的體驗,準備背包等裝備事項,契合基督徒的生活準則,一如需為生活做準備.
希伯來書提到,為了將來到的好日子,我們必須要追隨耶穌基督的腳步,把人生當成是一個修煉場,除了高山險峻,天寒地凍需保暖之外,還要準備急救包、乾淨的飲用水、食物等等,因耶穌基督要平安的帶領我們前往“神的王國Zion”.
尼腓二書 II Nephi 14:11-12
11 因為如果你們肯聽從那位教導人禱告的靈,你們就會知道你們是必須禱告的;因為惡靈決不教導人禱告,祇是教導他們不要禱告。
11 For if ye would hearken unto the spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray: for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.
12 但我告訴你們, 你們必須常常禱告,不要沮喪;你們決不可為上主行任何事,除非你們首先奉基督的名向父禱告,求他祝福你們要行的事,使你們要行的事得以造福你們的靈魂。
12 But behold I say unto you, that ye must pray always, and not faint: that ye must not perform anything unto the Lord, save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
每次爬山前的準備,還有出發前的禱告,已然成為必要,尤其趕著天黑前下山,泰半是摸黑就出門;經文告訴我們,為任何事禱告可以安心,叮囑自己謹慎行事,有耶穌基督的保護,方可平安歸隊.
綜合歷年來的經驗,我把登山前的準備,與耶穌基督對我們的恩賜相對應,一併歸納為八大件:(以下謝謝Jai-yu從旁協助,提供進一步的引申論點)
1、帳蓬 Tent
每次拾掇背包的東西,我總是以帳篷為優先,因為它可以保護我們,不受外在天候的影響,每日從帳篷出發,也平安回到帳篷安歇,一如受耶穌基督的庇護,穩若盤石Rock.
2、背包 Back Package
背包隨身,宛如聖靈護體,一路伴隨;象徵教會裡的成員,常常聚集在一起,不能離群索居,尤其是台灣佈道所的弟兄姐妹們,更須常相聚,良好互動、互相幫助,使教會更成長茁壯.
教會成員,各有天賦:餐飲佳餚、彈唱美聲、扶幼助弱,在聖靈引導下,行的是耶穌基督的道.
3、水壺 Water Bottle
淨水(食物)也是相當重要的必需品,經文指出:人不單靠食物維生,還要有靈糧- 神的話語Word of God,也就是說我們要常常閱讀聖經,蒞會堂聽聞福音,更要遵行誡命的規範.
4、手電筒 Flash Light
受洗後,接受聖靈澆灌身心靈,祂宛若手電筒,為我們指引方向,所以要時常禱告,追隨聖靈引導,避開魔鬼的引誘,天天禱告,天天享福.
5、手套 Glove
保護我們抓取物件不滑手,免於受天寒地凍的苦,更可以用力的緊握住窄路上的鐵桿 Iron Rod.
馬太福音 Matthew 5:14-16
5:14 你們是世上的光。城立在山上,是不能隱藏的。
You are the light of the world. It is impossible for a city situated upon a mountain to be hidden.
5:15 人點燈,也不放在斗底下,乃是放在燈台上,就照亮所有在家裡的人。
Nor do men light a lamp and place it under the bushel, but on the lampstand; and it shines to all who are in the house.
5:16 你們的光也當這樣照在人前,叫他們看見你們的好行為,就榮耀你們在諸天之上的父。
In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.
以登山比喻為要進入神的王國,身為基督徒,不要怕人家知道,還要把自己當成小火炬,行公義發光發熱,不僅照耀自己的周邊,更要以榮耀耶和華為志業;
6、登山鞋 Climbing Boot
這是專業的鞋款,除了防潮,更是防濕滑的利器,尤其是在濕滑的石塊、路面上攀爬行走;用以比喻為信心Faith,經文上說:縱使信心小如芝麻粒,亦可以移動山丘,到你面前來,宛如移山倒海的劇情重現.
但是小信,甚或是沒有信心的人,是無法得到耶和華的喜悅,將來就無法進入神的王國;創世紀裡記載以諾Enoch,信心十足,一開口便是山崩地裂,足以證明信心的重要性.(自嘲自己的信心,從未移動過小石頭,遑論山頭了)
7、急救包First Aid Box
裡面備有止血繃帶,OK絆等等急救用品;比喻人如果犯錯,須要悔改Repent(Jai-yu補充說:悔過而改善)這些個急救物品,恰似給予適時治療和復原;經文中悔改案例,也枚不勝舉.
8、帽子 Hat
防寒扁帽(套頭帽),保護寒冷自頭頂攻心,比喻是救贖的頭盔,以抵禦魔鬼自外來入侵身心靈;
以上八項登山必需品,也就是以弗所書所提的裝備- 神的盔甲 Armour of God,不管爬山的,還是行為處世,都需要用到,既保護身心靈,也保持走在神的王國的道上,那是一條窄小的道,可以不偏不移.
以弗所書 Ephesians 6:11-17
6:11 要穿戴神全副的軍裝,使你們能以站住,抵擋魔鬼的詭計,
Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil,
6:12 因我們並不是與血肉之人摔跤,乃是與那些執政的、掌權的、管轄這黑暗世界的、以及諸天界裡那邪惡的屬靈勢力摔跤。
For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies.
6:13 所以要拿起神全副的軍裝,使你們在邪惡的日子能以抵擋,並且作成了一切,還能站立得住。
Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
6:14 所以要站住,用真理束你們的腰,穿上義的胸甲,
Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness
6:15 且以和平福音的穩固根基,當作鞋穿在腳上;
And having shod your feet with the firm foundation of the gospel of peace;
6:16 此外,拿起信的盾牌,藉此就能銷滅那惡者一切火燒的箭。
Besides all these, having taken up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.
6:17 還要藉著各樣的禱告和祈求,接受救恩的頭盔,並那靈的劍,那靈就是神的話;
And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God,
見證: 去年跟友人去爬山,友人依據自己的圖資,想換條路走,沒想到卻迷失了,久候不至,因鋒面已近,眼看就要變,眾人趕緊禱告祈求,不一會兒,友人自行脫險歸隊.
事後問他,他說當發現迷路時,也想尋找來時路,往回走,不料荒草蔓蔓,根本認不出路來,所幸冷靜過後,重新尋找視野清晰處,再依圖資才找到回家的路.
這提醒我們,走在耶穌基督的道路上,我們需要亦步亦趨的跟隨祂的腳步,不能自做主張的闖道闢路,偶爾迷路,除了禱告,還要趕緊尋找來時路,以返回正途.
馬太福音 Matthew 7:13-14
7:13 你們要進窄門;因為引到毀壞的,那門寬,那路闊,進去的人也多;
Enter in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it.
7:14 引到生命的,那門窄,那路狹,找著的人也少。
Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.
這裡提醒我們,神的王國的道路,是窄又小的道路,必須要緊隨著耶穌基督的腳步,才能不走偏差去了;眼下眾多教友,雖然受洗禮、領聖靈,卻無法斷卻紙醉金迷的物慾,沉淪世俗的金錢遊戲之中,猶不自知.殊為可惜,應習以為戒.
穆爾曼書 Mormon 1:86-89
86 也為了這原因我寫給你們,就是使你們可以知道你們大家必須都站在基督的審判寶座前,就是每一個屬於亞當的整個人類家庭中的靈魂;
86 And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ; yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam;
87 你們必須站在那裏接受你們行為的審判,不管你們的行為是好的或是壞的;也使你們可以相信你們之中將要獲得的耶穌基督的福音;
87 And ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil; and also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, which ye shall have among you;
88 也使猶太人,上主的約民,獲得除了他們所看到和聽到的那位以外的證人,來證明那位被他們殺死的耶穌,就是基督,也就是 神。
88 And also that the Jews, the covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him whom they saw and heard, that Jesus whom they slew, was the very Christ, and the very God;
89 我希望我能說服你們所有大地各端的人們,都悔改而準備站在基督的審判寶座前。
89 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
一如我開始所說的,追隨耶穌基督的道,我們不能全然沒有準備就上路,那是相當不智之舉,不僅可能害命,又可能失卻進入神的王國Zion的良機.
今年元月底,首度踏上寶島台灣的我們,除了興奮,還對大家多了一層認識,也不再只是電視螢幕裡的那個人…;面對面的分享我們的所知,希望幫助大家,對永生的概念,能有更進一步的瞭解.
以上,是我今天的分享,再次提醒大家,如果要將來到的那一天,想繼續追隨在耶穌基督的身邊的話,今天分享的八項裝備,是全部要攜帶齊全的;最後祝福大家,一路順利成功登頂,平平安安返回家園.
出席: Eric Ho, Eileen Chen; Taylor Morrison; Paul Lin; Judy Chen; Sharon Wu.
翻譯: Paul Lin
Skype 連線: Stephen, Todd Henson; Dan, Darcy Brotherton; Sarah, Amamda, David Lade; Jai-yu, Joshua Moellmann; Elizabeth Woodward; Emma Brown; Frank Van Fleet.
P.S 1 字幕機臨時又 "凸槌" ,蘇珊姐妹為此感到抱歉.
P.S 2 為有病痛的弟兄姐妹,還有他們的親人繼續禱告祈福.(課後接獲Cathy Hu傳訊說父親已經仙去,願他安息)