Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Joy, Phil 3:1, 8; 4:4; Luke 2:10-12

Christmas Joy
Phil 3:1, 8; 4:4; Luke 2:10-12



By Pastor Brian
Fort Bend Community Church
Christmas Joint Service
12.21.2014



Introduction

1. You are accepted to the med school! You made the team! You've been awarded a scholarship! We'd like to hire you! She said yes! We are going to get marry! A child is born! It is a boy! It is a girl! Great job on closing that deal! You've just won an all-expense-paid vacation! There's no sign of cancer! These are some of life's sweetest moments--when all is right, all your fondest hopes and wildest dreams come true, and your heart explodes with happiness. Life does not get any better than this.

Most of us would say these happy moments create joy, don't they?

2. But there are also other moments when nothing seems to go your way, everything that could go wrong does go wrong, and your fondest hopes and wildest dreams lie in shattered pieces at your feet. Those are the moments when your heart aches with the bitterness of unfulfilled longings, broken promises, or grief so powerful it threatens to take you down.

Most of us would say these unhappy moments rob the joy from us, don't they?

During this Christmas seasons, many of us are experiencing these unhappy moments. A very sick child or a very sick spouse. The boss said that "there will be lay-off after the new year. Have a great Christmas!" This may be the first Christmas after a divorce or the passing of your loved one. It could be a very lonely Christmas. These are unhappy moments. It is hard to rejoice even when we sing "Joy to the World."

3. When the angel said to the shepherds on the first Christmas Day, the angel proclaimed a good news of great joy, saying, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people, for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)

The good news of great joy (mega chara in Greek)! Mega joy! We have mega-church, mega-mall... The good news of Christmas is the good news of mega joy! The noun, chara appears 59 times in the NT. The verb, chairo, rejoice, is used 74 times. It is often used in imperative mood. We Christians are commanded to rejoice. Joy is a major theme in the Christmas story.

4. This morning, I would like to talk to you about joy. I want to tell you that happiness in the happy moments of life is not enough, you need joy. I am going to tell you HOW we can have joy. Joy is the godly emotion that we must cultivate. I have three points and at the end of the sermon, I want to tell you again to see if you can remember these three points.

1) Joy is our inheritance because we are in Christ;
2) Joy is the result of a relationship with Christ. When we know Christ, we have joy; and
3) Joy is a choice we make, a conviction, a belief to praise Christ no matter what.



I. Joy is our inheritance in Christ

1. In Phil. 3:1, Paul commands us, "Rejoice in the Lord."And Paul ends the passage with the same command twice in Phil 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" Three times Paul urges us to rejoice in the Lord, to be glad in the Lord.

Joy is an important theme, both in Philippians (1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17-18, 28-29; 4:1, 4, 10) and in the NT. Paul connects joy to a relationship. Rejoice IN THE LORD. The sphere in which your joy exits is in your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To rejoice in the Lord does not mean you rejoice during only the happy moments. Rejoice in the Lord always. Rejoice always is a command even when life is messed up and mixed up.

When Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians, he was under house arrest in Rome. Not exactly a happy moment in life. And Paul was under the attack and criticism by the Jewish false teachers in Philippi, saying that Paul was preaching a false Gospel. Now I have been in the church for over 50 years. And I know first hand how deeply these criticisms hurt. These are not happy thoughts. They make you angry, upset and sad. These people were not friends. Paul called them dogs and evil workers (Phil 3:2).

How about the Philippians? They were persecuted (1:30; cf. 2:17-18; 3:17). Many were killed because of their faith. They were not exactly in happy moments.

Yet Paul commanded them to rejoice in the Lord.

Two things that joy is NOT:

First, the joy of which Paul writes is not the same as happiness (a word related to the term “happenstance”), the feeling of happiness and high associated with favorable events. In fact, joy persists in the face of weakness, pain, suffering, even death (cf. James 1:2). Biblical joy produces a deep confidence in the future that is based on trust in God’s purpose and power. It results in the absence of any ultimate fear, since the relationship with Christ is eternal and unshakable (cf. Ps. 16:11; John 16:22). Nor is it a humanly produced emotion by other people. People love us. We are happy. People appreciate us. We are happy. But the biblical joy is more than happiness. It is an act of the will in choosing to obey God. The result is a supernaturally produced emotion, the fruit of walking in the Spirit (Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22). Rejoicing marks true believers. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2001). Philippians (p. 216). Chicago: Moody Press.)

Secondly, joy does not mean living in denial of all the pain in the world. It is not even about how I feel. It is definitely not about living in denial and ignoring sorrow or pain. "I am joyful! I am joyful!" in blindfold.

Joy is something much deeper, richer, more stable, and definitely more accessible than you might have thought no matter what life brings.

That is the beauty of the joy God offers. God's joy will always be available to you in Christ. You have to choose joy. You no longer need to live in fear or worry, because God's joy will always be available to you.

In this world you will have trouble, Jesus says. But you can still take heart. You can still receive joy. You are not dependent on anyone or anything other than God to know joy.

3. Each of us approaches the idea of joy differently. Think of a bell curve. At one end of the bell curve are people who don't struggle much to have joy. Their natural temperament is optimistic and upbeat. Sometimes they really annoy me because they never stop smiling and they seem to float through life with a cheerful, carefree, lighthearted attitude. Some have not been slapped around a whole lot yet. Some have done some seriously spiritual work and learned how to access joy every day. Regardless, some are on the positive end of the bell curve.

The vast majority of us are in the middle of the bell curve. Life isn't awful; we're moderately happy, not too high and not too low. We don't normally yet overly discouraged or depressed. We admit to feeling tired a lot, perhaps a bit bored by the routine, and sometimes even flat. Daily joy? I am not so sure. But, nothing is really wrong.

As the bell curve moves downward, there is a smaller group of people at the other end. They are hiding a deep depression. Getting out of bed every morning is a chore, and the pleasures of life are gone; smiling and laughing are hard to do. Joy has simply evaporated. That might be because of stress in a relationship, a job change, physical illness, or even deep grief or loss. The depression leave them feeling guilty because they know they're supposed to be joyful and they're not.

As this curve continues, there's an even smaller group of people at the far end who are contemplating suicide. For some of you, you've given life your best shot, and it's just not enough anymore. You're worn out from the struggle to survive another day, and escaping your painful circumstances has begun to dominate your thoughts. You may even wonder if your family would be better off without you. Joy is as alien to you as a foreign country.

Satan does not want you to leave the place of despair, but the lover of your wounded heart, Jesus Christ, has a better plan for you.

Wherever you are on the bell curve, God has a tender word of encouragement for you: you can experience joy. Joy is not out of reach to you. Happiness is not enough; it's too flimsy, too unreliable, too unpredictable, too few and far between. Your were meant for something more. You were meant to have joy in Christ Jesus.

Last week in the Mandarin service, we have talked about the blessings we have in Christ. By faith in Jesus Christ, we enter into the kingdom of light--in Christ.

4. "In Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Eph 1:3) In Christ, there is abundant joy.

Lewis Smedes wrote, "You and I were created for joy (in Christ Jesus), and if we miss it, we miss the reason of our existence! The reason Jesus Christ lived and died on earth was to restore us to the joy we have lost.... His Spirit comes to us with the power to believe that joy is our birthright because the Lord has made this day for us." (How Can It Be All Right When Everything Is All Wrong? Shaw Books, Revised Edition 2000)

Jesus died to restore the joy that is our inheritance, the joy we lost when Adam and Eve rebelled against God. The good news is that through faith in Jesus Christ, we are now in Christ. Joy is our inheritance in Christ. We can all have joy in Christ.




II. Joy is the result of knowing Christ

1. What is joy? How does it feel to be joyful? What is joy? Does it feel differently than happiness? Many think that having happy feelings must mean we are joyful. Or that the lack of happy feelings must mean we don't have joy.

Joy is certainly more than feeling happy. You can have tears and joy at the same time, tough time and joy at the same time, sad feeling and joy at the same time. The biblical joy has the feeling and security of a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, not just a happy emotion.

2. Joy is knowing Christ,

Between three commands to rejoice in the Lord in the beginning and at the end of the passage, Paul talks about the importance of knowing Christ. 3:8 "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord....  so that I may gain Christ."

To know Christ in good time; to know him in bad time. To know him in happy moments. To know Christ in the storm of battle; to know Him in the valley of shadow; to know Him when the light shines on our faces, or when they are darkened with disappointment; to know the sweetness of His dealing with bruised reeds and smoking flax; to know the tenderness of His sympathy and the strength of His right hand—all this involves many varieties of experience on our part, but each of them like the facets of a diamond will reflect the prismatic beauty of Christ from a new angle. (The Epistle to the Philippians [Grand Rapids: Baker, 1952], 162–63)

Paul said to know Christ so that I may gain Christ. Gain Christ is to make Christ my own. Today we have 50 kids in the choir. But the one kid in the red shirt is mine. A lover said, "of all the girls in the world, this girl is mine." Paul said, "Christ is mine and I don't care for anything else in the world."

Therefore to rejoice in the Lord means the conviction that if you have Christ, that is enough. Joy is a conviction, a confidence, and a knowledge that He cares and He loves you and He died for you.

3. Do you know anyone who is a person full of joy? Who has this confidence and this knowledge of a personal relationship with Christ?

Who has joy in the NT?

1). The man who sold everything to buy the treasure hidden in a field (Matt 13:44). He has this knowledge that Christ's kingdom is worth more than everything he has. He has joy.
2). The women were with great joy (mega chara) when they were realized that Jesus resurrected (Matt 28:5). They know that Christ is alive. Everything is going to be alright. Mega Joy.
3). In John 16, Jesus told his disciples to have joy because he is going to return. No one can take that joy away (John 16:24). It is a conviction, a personal knowledge that He is going to come back for me. That joy no one can take that away.
4). In the early church in Acts, those who shared the gospel seeing people coming to the Lord had joy (Acts 8:8; 12:14; 13:52; 15:3) The more hardship they have, the more joyful they were. The spread of the Gospel even in hard time is the evidence that Christ is with them. They rejoiced again and again.
5). Paul is a person of joy even in the midst of suffering (Phil 1:4, 25; 4:1; 2 Cor 7:4, 13). Knowing Christ is his all consuming passion.



4. Joy is not a feeling; it is the result of knowing Christ. It is the deep-down confidence that God is in control of everything for our good and His own glory, and all is well no matter what the circumstances.

Knowledge of God is the key to rejoicing. Those who know God find it easy to rejoice; those with little knowledge of Him find it difficult to rejoice.

5. How do we know Christ? Paul has a wonderful suggestion: To Know Christ in suffering!





III. Joy is a determined choice to praise Christ

1. Lastly, joy is a choice that we can choose. Choose joy because happiness is not enough. Choose to give Christ your praise in obedience no matter what.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice!

It is a command. That is a choice you can make. You can choose to rejoice no matter what or you can choose not to rejoice. Joy is something you can do about it. I can choose joy.

We can hug our hurts and make a shrine out of our sorrows or we can offer them to God as a sacrifice of praise. The choice is ours.

2. John Ortberg, the author of The Life You’ve Always Wanted, suggests we find joy mentors: people who are a little farther down this joy road than we are. Find people who seems to be joyful persons and get as close to them as you can. Observe them. Ask them questions; find out how they got to the place of choosing to face life with joy. I’m not talking about someone who just has a great personality. I’m talking about joy mentors who through life’s ups and downs have developed a deep with Christ with a settled assurance about God and his goodness, believes that ultimately everything will be all right, and repeatedly demonstrates a willingness to praise God in all things.

When I was a college student, I visited Christina Tsai (1890-1984), the Queen of the Dark Chamber, in Paradise, PE. She was sick from a rare form of malaria. She could not see any light. For 54 years she lived in her bedroom in total darkness. But she was such a joyful person, sharing her knowledge of Christ with us. She was my first joy mentor. She passed away 30 years ago but still speaks today of the joy of knowing Christ.

The most recent joy mentor I have is Dr. Philemon Choi. He and his wife, Ellen, were here 2.5 years ago. Ellen passed away last year from cancer six months after the trip to Houston. Houston was their last trip together. Dr. Choi shared about his grief. Losing Ellen was hard to him. He cried often and has terrible time adjusting. But Dr. Choi also shared about his joy in the midst tears. The joy of knowing Christ and the hope in Christ.

The author of Hebrews said that Jesus is a joyful person even enduring all the pains on the cross (Heb 12:2). Jesus throughout history Jesus has been portrayed as sad, serious, somber. That is the picture of all the paintings of Jesus. The first one of a laughing Jesus I found is probably the most famous. It’s called The Laughing Christ. You won’t believe where it was first seen: the January 1970 issue of Playboy. (I do not expect you to go find that issue to verify that I’m telling you the truth. Just believe me.) Jesus was a vibrant, compassionate man, a man of both sorrow and joy who could enter fully into life with all its brokenness. That sounds like someone I’d like to get to know. If he was a man of sorrows and could experience joy, maybe I can too.

My wife, Lily, is a joy mentor. She laughs easily even though she takes things very seriously. 

From these mentors, I know the joy of knowing Christ is real. They model the joy of the Lord is their strength.

3. Let me also tell you about the sweetest joy mentors: children! Nobody has a better sense of humor than small children. Nobody. They will laugh at anything! You hit yourself on the head, they laugh. You make funny sounds, they laugh. You make strange faces, they laugh. And they will beg you to do it again and again and again until you are exhausted.

And if you ever laugh at something they do, forget about your to-do list because they will gleefully, repeatedly perform their action and expect you to laugh just as hard as they did for you— each time. Small children are a joy factory! Because most have yet to experience the painful, harsher realities of this world, they laugh for no apparent reason; they crack themselves up! They’re not embarrassed to have their food spurt out of their mouths while laughing. They don’t care if they fall off their chairs laughing. They will roll around on the floor laughing. Even some of the most vulnerable children on the planet know how to laugh about something. Children provide the purest model for unabashed, uninhibited joy you can find.

Jesus said, "unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)

Maybe you don’t have kids in your life. Perhaps you can volunteer in the children’s ministry. Be like children in trusting.

4. Joy is a choice you make everyday. Let me suggest two action items you can choose to do today.

1) Give Thanks. Joy is rooted in gratitude. In fact, give thanks (eucharistéō) has the same root with joy in Greek. They come from the same family. You cannot have a joyful heart without having a grateful heart. And you cannot be a grateful person and not experience joy. Those who can praise God will experience joy. And those who are joyful will thank God. Joy and gratitude always go together.

Most of us walk around with a gigantic spiritual blindfold over our eyes, focusing on what we don’t have instead of being thankful for what we do have. Why can she eat chocolate all day long and it never shows up on her hips? Why is she married and I’m not? Why does he get those kids and I got these kids? Why did he get a raise and I didn’t? Why do they get to live there and I have to live here? Why did I pray for my loved one to be healed and he wasn’t but his loved one was? As C. S. Lewis warns, we have a tendency to “reject the good that God offers us because, at that moment, we expected some other good.”

Instead of being filled with gratitude for God’s unbelievable goodness, kindness, and generosity to us, we are blinded by our unmet needs and accuse him of not caring for us. Joy simply cannot grow in the presence of ingratitude.

You can give thanks today and joy will come with thanksgiving. Determine to give your praise to God no matter what! It is a choice.

2) Learn to Live in the moment. Not live FOR the moment, but IN the moment. This is something I learn recently.

Living in the moment helps us recognize that God can be found in this moment, whether it contains joy or sorrow. God is in this moment.

As a perfectionist, I’m always waiting for a perfect moment before I enjoy it. But nothing is ever perfect! That’s why the Bible encourages us to “make the most of every opportunity” for doing good (Eph. 5: 16 NLT). Make the most of this moment. Make the most of this opportunity to do good. Make the most of this opportunity to choose joy.

The problem is, we’re greedy. We don’t want just moments. We want weeks and days and months and years. We want a lifetime. And if we can’t have huge blocks of time that are wonderful and stress-free, we decide we can’t be joyful. Yet sometimes moments are all we have. You and I can decide that we have this moment, and we will choose to love it.

We’re not denying that we have problems. We’re not saying our lives are wrapped neatly with a bow on top and we have everything figured out. It just means that this moment is a gift from God, and we will cherish it. We will love it. Mike Mason says, “A decision to rejoice in the present changes not only the present, it also changes my view of the past and ignites my future with hope.”

I’ve stopped demanding that a moment last longer than it can. I don’t require a moment to be anything other than what it is: a brief span of time that has been given by a gracious Father. I will wring every bit of pleasure out of this moment because I don’t know when the next one will come.

We’re rarely satisfied with today; we spend too much time regretting the unrepeatable past and wishing we could get a do-over, or we waste our energy on worry and anxiety about the unknowable future. Either way, TODAY is ignored or minimized. In Psalm 118: 24, we read, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Try this exercise: Repeat this verse out loud, emphasizing a different word each time.

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.

You’ll be amazed at how this verse comes alive. Something will begin to shift deep in your soul, and you will stop insisting that God give you days, weeks, months, years, a lifetime. You’ll stop looking for the perfect time to start living. You will begin to enjoy the moments of your life, starting now. If you want to increase the level of joy in your heart, you’ve got to decide that whether you are in pain or not, this is the moment you are in. God can be found in this moment.


Conclusion

1. I used to think that life came in waves: There was a wave of good and pleasant circumstances followed by a wave of bad and unpleasant circumstances, with a lot of ebb and flow in between. Or life was a series of hills and valleys; sometimes we’re up, then we’re down. But I heard from Rick Warren that life is much more like a set of parallel train tracks, with joy and sorrow running inseparably throughout our days.

Every day of your life good things happen. Beauty, pleasure, fulfillment, and perhaps even excitement occur. That’s the track of joy. But every day of your life also holds disappointment, challenges, struggles, and perhaps even losses for you or those you love. That’s the track of sorrow.

Most of us try to “outsmart” the sorrow track by concentrating our efforts on the joy track, as if by our positive outlook or outright denial of reality we can make the sorrow track go away. That’s impossible, because joy and sorrow will always be linked.

And in the strange paradox of the universe, at the exact moment you and I are experiencing pain, we are also aware of the sweetness of loving and the beauty still to be found. Likewise, at the exact moment we are full of delirious delight, we have the nagging realization that things still aren’t quite perfect. No matter how “positive” we think or how hard we try to visualize only happiness, the sorrow track remains. One of our toughest challenges in life is to learn how to live on both of those tracks at the same time.

As we stand on the tracks and stare into the distant, bright horizon, those parallel tracks become one, no longer distinguishable as two separate tracks. That’s the way it will be for us too. During our lifetime, we “stand on the tracks” looking for signs of Jesus Christ’s return. We watch for the sights and sounds that will alert us that his appearance is very close. We stare into the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. One day, in the brightness of his coming, we will meet him face to face. And when we do, the tracks of joy and sorrow will merge. The sorrow will disappear forever, and only the joy will remain. And everything will finally make complete sense. But until that day comes, we live with the parallel tracks of joy . . . and sorrow.

2. Illustration: Rick and Kay Warren lost their adult son to mental depression. The son committed suicide in 2013. They mourned and grieved wide and deep. Last Christmas, the first Christmas they were without their beloved son, was extremely hard. Kay wrote about her pain. Every time she opened a Christmas card with all these wonderful family pictures and happy greetings, her heart was broken again mourning for her loss. Yet in her pain, she also wrote about her joy in Christ.

She said, she "learns to keep seeking beauty from these ashes. It may seem counter intuitive, but it is possible to be in deep grief and yet experience the joy of the Lord. In fact, it is the Lord's joy that enables me to keep choosing to engage life and ministry even as I live with a broken heart." She said, "joy is a settled conviction ABOUT God who is in control of all the details of my life. Joy is a quiet confidence IN GOD that ultimately everything is going to be all right. Joy is a determined choice to praise God in all things to give praise TO GOD."

Joy is our inheritance in Christ.
Joy is knowing Christ.
Joy is a choice we make to give praise to Christ.

3. I’m praying for all who mourn today for any cause. May we find in the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ the fulfillment of the words that Zechariah prophesied long ago:

"Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us, Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace." (Luke 1:78-79 quoted from Zech )

4. Father, I want to choose joy in my life. Rekindle hope in my heart. Help me to keep seeking the joy that belongs to me in Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus, amen.











Tuesday, December 16, 2014

在基督裡,保羅生平(九),歌 1:13-14, 腓 4:11-13, 4:7-8

在基督裡
保羅生平(九)
歌羅西書一章十三至十四節、腓立比書四章十一至十三節、三章七至八節


林永健牧師
福遍中國教會
2014.12.14
國語堂


引言

1. 保羅一生中最重要的關係,是他與耶穌基督的關係,從他第一次在大馬色的路上遇見耶穌開始,至他最後為耶穌獻上生命,在羅馬的監獄中殉道,保羅一生只有一個激情,就是他與耶穌的關係︳他愛他的救主之熱情,隨著歲月增加,他喜歡稱自己為耶穌的奴隸,以代表耶穌與傳揚耶穌為他唯一人生的目的,他説耶穌心在他裡面跳動,耶穌的心思是他的心思,他願意繼續耶穌的工作,補足耶穌的痛苦,在耶穌的苦難上有份,身上帶著耶穌的印記,像耶穌一樣,讓自己的死,使別人可以活。

他説:「效法我,好像我效法基督一樣。」看似很驕傲的一句話,其實是沒有了自己,只有基督在他身上顯大,是非常謙卑的宣告。

保羅明白他的一切都是在基督裏來的,他得以進入基督裏,將舊的保羅除去,在基督裏,成為新造的人,有新的心思意念,新的生命與新的生活,他盼望有一天他能完全像基督,在永恒中與耶穌同行,在耶穌裏得到完全的滿足。

保羅與耶穌的關係比朋友更蜜,比夫妻更濃,比兄弟更親,比父母兒女的關係更深。

基督論是保羅神學的核心,耶穌是保羅的一切。

2. 保羅新約留下十三封信,自創了一個特別的詞彙:「在基督裏」(In Christ),來描寫我們信徒與耶穌特別的關係,「在基督裏」、「在基督耶穌裏」、「在主裏」、「在他裏面」在十三封信之中出現了最少一百七十二次,包含了基督徒生活的每一個層面,多姿多彩,包羅萬象。


在基督裏得勝、在基督裏的信、在基督裏的自由、在基督裏的盼望、在基督裏扎根、在基督裏新的生命、在基督裏活過來、在基督裏成為一、在基督裏成聖、與基督同死、與基督同活...


我們可以把「在基督裏」的用法分為三方面:

1. 成就性的用法(Instrumental usage)
2. 整體性的用法(Corporate usage)
3. 參與性的用去(Participatory usage)




一、在基督裏我們領受神一切的美與善

1. 在基督裏,「他救了我們脫離黑暗的權勢,把我們遷到他愛子的國裡;我們在愛子裡得蒙救贖,罪過得以赦免。」


在基督裏,神把我們從黑暗的權勢,遷到「基督裏」耶穌的國度,神一切的福氣都在基督裏賜給我們,「在基督裏」好像一個區域,在耶穌裏我們享受神一的美與善。

2. 保羅在多處的經文説明「在基督裏」的美與善,包括:
  • 弗一 3:各樣屬靈的福氣;「他在基督裡曾賜給我們天上各樣屬靈的福氣」:揀選(4)、得兒子的名分(5)、罪得赦免(7)、同歸於一(10)、得基業(11)、盼望(12)。
  • 羅八 1-2:不被定罪、得釋放;「那些在基督耶穌裡的就不定罪了。因為賜生命聖靈的律,在基督耶穌裡釋放了我,使我脫離罪和死的律了。」 
  • 林後五 17:新造的人;「若有人在基督裡,他就是新造的人,舊事已過,都變成新的了。」
  • 提後二 10:永遠的盼望;「 所以我為選民凡事忍耐,叫他們也可以得著那在基督耶穌裡的救恩和永遠的榮耀。」
  • 約壹五 11:永生;「這見證就是神賜給我們永生;這永生也是在他兒子裡面。」
  • 加三 14:亞伯拉罕的福;「這便叫亞伯拉罕的福,因基督耶穌可以臨到外邦人,使我們因信得著所應許的聖靈。」
  • 林前一 5:凡事富足;「又因你們在他裡面凡事富足,口才、知識都全備。」
  • 羅八 39:不能隔絶的愛;「因為我深信無論是死,是生,是天使,是掌權的,是有能的,是現在的事,是將來的事,是高處的,是低處的,是別的受造之物,都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕;這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的。」
  • 弗二 10:神的工作;「我們原是他的工作,在基督耶穌裡造成的,為要叫我們行善,就是神所預備叫我們行的。」
  • 歌二 10:一切的豐盛;「你們在他裡面也得了豐盛。他是各樣執政掌權者的元首。」
 

保羅提醒我們,「但你們得在基督耶穌裡,是本乎神,神又使他成為我們的智慧、公義、聖潔、救贖。」(林前一 30),我們在基督裡是本乎神,是神的工作,我們受洗歸入基督,在基督由裏享受神一切的美與善,問題是我們是否明白與經歷這些在基督裏的恩典。

3. 正如我們從中國移民來到美國,成為美國的公民,在這新的國土中生活,享受這國家給我們旳權利,但許多新移民不一定實行這些權利,不參與投票,不參與社會,還是過著中國的生活,這沒有什麼錯,但卻説明今天許多基督徒的生活,我們在基督裏,擁有一切從神來的美與善,我們卻沒有好好的去經歷,把這些真理變成我的經歷。

我們有一位執事,是第六代美國的華人,他的曾曾曾祖父移民美國,他雖然是華裔,但他卻是美國人的想法與文化,他已經改變,擁有美國的價值觀與文化,把美國人變為他實際的一部分,他昨天分享,他非常關心販賣人口為娼妓的事,休士頓是世界人口販賣的中心之一,在休士頓拯救被販賣最年輕的女孩只有五歲,是非常可怕的事,他非常關人這些事;他與妻子有兩個很小的女兒,卻正計劃領養一位韓國的小孩,他生活在美國,關心美國的事,擁有美國的文化與價值觀。今天我們在基督裏,要去經歷擁有在基督裏的豐盛,因為神已經把一切的好處在基督裏為我們成就了,我們需要去經歷與體驗。

他們夫婦七年前選擇福遍成為他們屬靈的家,雖然文化與習慣跟我們大部份人不同,但因為在基督裏,我們成為一家人,這正是「在基督裏」的第二個用法與意義。




二、「在基督裏」是我們信徒的身份

1. 「在基督裏」代表我們的身份,個人的身份與整體的身份,「在基督裏」把新約的聖徒與舊約的聖徒分別出來,「在基督裏」相等於「基督徒」信徒的身份(參林後十二 2,保羅稱自己為「一個在基督裏」的人),「在基督裏」是信徒對自我的認識,「我是誰?」(Who am I?)我是 Lily 的丈夫,我是福遍教會的牧師,我更是「在基督裏」的人,我是神的兒女。


2. 「在基督裏」是眾聖徒的共通點,我們都是「在基督裏」,神用重價把我們買贖的,基督在我裏面,也在你的裏面,我們同在基督裏,基督也在我們裏面,我們受施歸入基督、在基督裏合為一、我們在基督裏彼此相愛、互為肢體,教會就是這「在基督裏」的家,我們共同一信、一主、一洗、一個聖靈、一個指望、一神、一個身體(弗四 4-6),這是我們整體的身份。

3. 德國神學家潘霍華(Dietrich Bonhoeffer)有名的書《團契生活》中談到這「在基督裏」的團契,説:基督徒的聚會使我們更親基督,而基督徒「在基督裏」這群體是愛的群體,因我們是與基督相連,他在我們裏面,我們也他裏面,所以我們能相愛,成為愛的群體。「在基督裏」我們合而為一,「在基督裏」我們分享生命。


這是我們「在基督裏」的身份,是第二個「在基督裏」保羅的用法。

4. 所以我們雖然來自四方,有不同的文化與背景,但「在基督裏」我們是一家人,「在基督裏」我們彼此相愛。



三、在基督裏我們與主聯合

1. 保羅「在基督裏」的第三個用法是參與性的,我們在基督裏與他同死同活,參與基督的生命,體驗在基督裏的生活。


2. 耶穌上十字架前一天晚上,留下最重要的應許之一,説:「你們在我裏面,我也在你們裏面。」(約十四 20),因為耶穌在十字架的犧牲,信徒與耶穌的關係進入一個新的境界、新的時代,是以前從來沒有過的--「你們在我裏面,我也在你們裏面。」

「你們在我裏面」(You in me)我們在前兩點已經稍微解釋了,「我也在你們裏面」卻令人難以了解,耶穌在我們裏面是什麼意思?加拉太書二章廿節把這與主聯合的關係説明白了:


1)我己經與基督同釘十字架,與基督認同,和他同死,在祂的死上有份。
2)現在活著的不再是我,乃是基督在我裡面活著。這是我們今天每天生活的新生命,不是我自己去活,而是基督在我裡面活著。
3)「並且」,保羅繼續解釋基督在我裡面活著的意思:「我如今在肉身活著」指每天在地上的生活,「是因信神的兒子而活」,基督在我裡面活著是每天憑著相信耶穌來活的。
4)相信耶穌什麼?相信他是愛我,為我捨己,以這種的相信來活每天的生活,這就是基督在我裡面活著的意思。用一位妻子的話我們可以這樣的去明白,當她遇上生活上的打擊與困難,她説:「沒問題,我知道我丈夫愛我!」我們憑信心相信耶穌愛我們去過每一天的生活,讓基督在我裡面活著。

倪柝聲在他《正常基督生活》一書中這樣的問:「什麽是正常基督徒的生活?除了神的兒子之外,地上是否曾經有人實際活出這種「正常基督徒生活」?沒有!所以基督徒要過正常基督徒的生活,答案在加拉太書二章二十節。「現在活著的不再是我,乃是基督在我裡面活著!」保羅不是説些特別或奇異的事作為基督徒正常生活的準則,正常基督徒的生活就是「我不再活著,乃是基督在我裏面活出他的生活」(第一章,「基督的血」)

活出基督在我裏面的正活就是正常基督徒的生活!

3. 例子:

今年聖誕節上映的電影《堅不可摧》(Unbroken),由安吉麗娜朱莉執導的電影,是奧運會運動員與二次世界大戰軍人路易贊貝里尼(Louis Zamperini)(1917-2014)的故事。電影沒有説路易的信仰,其實信仰是他的生平主要的故事。

路易是一九三六年柏林夏季奧運會五千咪美國的長跑十九歲的選手,一九四一年從軍,與日本打仗,一九四三年飛機故障在太平洋漂流四十七天,被日本人送到戰俘的集中營,三年中受盡各種的虐待,曾在集中營中寫意大利的食譜去減低餓的痛苦,一九四六年回美,接受英雄式的歡迎,結婚,可是回美之後,每每天晚上都作惡夢,在夢中殺死虐待過他的人,酗酒,婚姻最後面臨破裂,但他無力自救,結果妻子在葛培理的佈道會中信了主,他最後也去了,聽道的時候,想起自己在集中營中的禱告,他如何求神拯救他,如何許願一生追求神事奉神,他就悔改決志信主,決志那一天晚上開始,從此就不再做惡夢,在基督裏開始新的生命,生命改變,他願意饒恕那些曾經虐待他的人,一九五零年他去日本向那些曾經虐待他的人傳福音,擁抱每一個虐待他的人,不少人因些信了主。基督在我裡面,現在活著的不再是我,仍是因信神的兒子而活,相信神愛我,用這種態度去過每天的生活。


4. 保羅説:「我無論在什麼景況都可以知足,這是我已經學會了。我知道怎樣處卑賤,也知道怎樣處豐富;或飽足,或飢餓;或有餘,或缺乏,隨事隨在,我都得了秘訣。我靠著那加給我力量的,凡事都能做。」(腓四 11下-13)在耶穌裡我靠祂給我的力量凡事都能做,在耶穌裡我有足夠的力量去做每一件事,這力量是在我裡頭的耶穌給我的,這就是正常基督徒的生活,這就是耶穌應許豐盛的生命,是與耶穌連結的生命。



5. 我的見証:最近一年,我的壓力很大,事情很多,人的事情特別令人心煩,有力不能勝的感覺,十幾個球在空中飛,妹妹最近得了直腸癌,我最怕半夜收到長途電 話,我每天早上起來禱告,把一切的重担憂慮交給神,想到的事把它寫下來,買了一本日記本:「God is not dead.」(神還未有死!)寫下每天神出現的事,要記住神的作為,我發現幾乎神都在我的生活中出現,基督在我裡面,提醒自己耶穌愛我,他為我捨己,用這 態度過每天的生活。

6. 保羅還有另一個表達同一樣的真理,要我們去參與「在基督裡的」人生,他説:「弟兄們,我還有話說,你們要靠主喜樂。」(腓三 1)保羅當時在羅馬的監獄裡,受教會中的猶太人攻擊,「我也將萬事當作有損的,因我以認識我主基督耶穌為至寶。我為他已經丟棄萬事,看作糞土,為要得著基 督;」(腓三 8)保羅已經信主了,已經在基督裡了,還有得著基督?


「得著基督」可以了解為「贏得基督作為獎賞」(to win Christ as a reward)(KJ, TNT),又可以了解為「把基督作為我的基督」(to make Christ my own)(BAGD),「把基督當為我的財富」(to make Christ as my wealth)(NAB),與上文世上的名利、行為、才幹、金錢為對比,把基督變為你自己最重要的財富,把基督變為你的,就像在五十個小孩的詩班中,你認 得你自己的小孩,「這是我的!」又像我們追女孩子説:「這是我的!」一樣,這是「在基督裡」參與性的用法,把基督變為你自己的一部分。

「得著基督」與「認識基督」是同一個意思,基於我們在基督裡的地位,我們信靠耶穌的實際經歷。




結論

「在基督裡」是神一切美與善都屬於我們的位置,我們要參與,把基督成為我們真實的經歷,我有幾個實際的行動建議:

1. 求神給你一個對基督的愛慕與激情。
2. 安靜自己去聽在你裡頭的基督藉著聖靈對你説話。
3. 留意基督在你生活中顯現。
4. 為認識基督作一些實際的犧牲。

你願意嗎?




討論問題

1. 請分享「在基督裡」對你的意義。
2. 人如何才能「在基督裡」?你「在基督裡」嗎?
3. 「在基督裡」包含三個基本意義,你可以引用經文説明嗎?
4. 與基督聯合、同死、死活與「認識基督」、「得著基督」有什麼關係?
5. 「得著基督」是什麼意思?請分享一些實際的方法去「得著基督」。




回應詩歌





寫這篇講章的過程與一些的考量:
林永健

1. 「在基督裡」是保羅神學最重要的詞彙之一,這篇主題式的講章希望把「在基督裡」的觀念講得清楚。

2. 挑戰是在應用性上。我把「在基督裡」的參與性歸納為三點:「與基督同活」、「得著基督」與「認識基督」,希望能把非常抽象的「與基督用活」(活著就是基督)用比較能明白實踐的「認識基督」來說明。




Monday, December 8, 2014

唯獨基督,保羅生平(八),使 15:1-21

唯獨基督
保羅生平(八)
使徒行傳十五章一至廿一節



林永健牧師
福遍中國教會
2014.12.07
粵語堂
英語堂



引言

1. 「耶穌就夠了嗎?」(Is Jesus enough?)耶穌是否你唯一的需要?」(Is Jesus all that you need?)或者你會説當然不是!你除了耶穌還需要食物、衣服、需要工作、需要錢、需要一位妻子!這些哲學性的神學問題,標準答案常常使人有脫節的感覺,與實際的生活有距離!

2. 或者讓我從另一角度來問同一個問題:「耶穌是否你唯一能給你真正的滿足與真正的人生意義?」標準的答案我們都知道,耶穌當然是我們唯一的滿足,是這樣嗎?你認為呢?

3. 葛培理的女婿 Tullian Tchividijan 寫的一本書,書名很特別:《耶穌 + 沒什麽 = 所有一切》(Jesus + Nothing = Everything),耶穌真的是我們唯一的需要?我們不需要加上任何東西就擁有一切所需要的嗎?


4. 使徒行傳十五章,有關耶路撒冷會議的經文,初期教會中有一群從猶大下來的信徒,卻認為耶穌是不夠的,外邦人的信徒還需要守割禮,才能得救!他們來到安提阿,教訓弟兄們,耶穌 + 割禮 = 救恩!



5. 割禮是猶太人的習俗,男孩子出生第八日,割去陽皮少許,代表神與猶太人立約的記號!

或者你會問,這幾個是什麽人?教訓外邦人守猶太人的習俗才能成為基督徒?割禮... 有何重要?為什麽他們要求弟兄們守割禮才能得救?

要明白他們的動機,我們要明白當時的背景,最少有兩點我們要注意的:

6 第一、當年猶太人的世界觀

一千五百多年以來,從亞伯拉罕至第一世紀的猶太人相信只有猶太人才能得救,因為他們是神的選民,而成為一個猶太人,他必需守摩西的律法,而割禮代表猶太人的記號,這幾個從猶大下來的信徒,代表當時許多猶太信徒的想法,他們相信耶穌,卻仍有猶太人的傳統想法,他們也聽過耶穌親口的教訓,「莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知。我來不是要廢掉,乃是要成全。我實在告訴你們,就是到天地都廢去了,律法的一點一畫也不能廢去,都要成全。」(太五 17-18)又說:「我告訴你們,你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義,斷不能進天國。」(太五 20)所以他們認為信耶穌的人當然要守摩西的律法,守割禮,成為一個真正的猶太人、亞伯拉罕的子孫,才能進入天國!

7. 今天我們根深蒂故的觀念、世界觀,影響我們所有的決定與選擇,這世界觀並不一定與福音相稱。

什麽是世界觀?世上大約有七、八種不同的世界觀,所有的世界觀基本上回答三個主要的問題:

1)人理想的世界是什麽?
2)出了什麽的問題?使現實的世界不是理想的世界?
3)解決的辦法是什麽?使人能實現理想的世界?

馬克思主義的理想世界是人人平等,沒有階級的世界,問題是現實的社會貧窮人受富有的人欺壓,解決的方辦法就是要革命,打倒階級不平等的制度,共產、無產的社會才能實現。

佛教的世界觀認為現實的世界的苦是因為人的慾念,若沒有慾念就沒有痛苦,解決的辦法就是要空,看透這世界的虛幻,跳出紅塵,積功德,修行得道。

而福音卻告訴我們人是按神的形象造的,目的是要人與神同行,但人因為犯罪得罪了神,神人之間的關係受損而破裂,人要悔改歸向神,因信靠耶穌而與神和好,希伯來文「悔改」就是轉回的意思,離家與父親隔絕的浪子起來回家,而希臘文「悔改」有更深一層的意義,轉回包括思想上的轉回改變,感情上的轉回改變,心靈上的選擇的改變,因為信靠耶穌帶來的更新與改變,這就是福音的世界觀。

福音認為人類的問題是關係性的問題,神人之間的關係因為罪的原故而出現了問題,修復這破損的關係是「信靠耶穌」,耶穌是日光之上的神差來的救世主,人的問題不是日光之下的東西與方法可以解決的,「信靠耶穌」(Faith in Jesus)不是教條式的相信一串的教義,在教義上簽字就成了,「信靠」是指關係,信靠耶穌是唯一的救法,唯獨耶穌,「信靠」耶穌的生命保羅在加拉太書二章廿節説得很清楚:

「我已經與基督同釘十字架,現在活著的不再是我,乃是基督在我裡面活著;並且我如今在肉身活著,是因信神的兒子而活;他是愛我,為我捨己。」(加二 20)


這節經文形容我們「信靠耶穌」的生命是一回什麼的事?
1)我已經與基督同釘十字架,現在活著的不再是我,乃是基督在我裡面活著;這是信靠的意思,相信耶穌,與他同活,不單只是來生,死後上天堂,仍是「現在」每一天的日子,我是靠耶穌來生活,我的決定、我的選擇、我的滿足、我人生的意義,都是從我與耶穌的關係而來。
2)我如今在肉身活著,是因信神的兒子而活;耶穌成為我人生的指向,耶穌成為我活著的原因,我做他要我做的事,我的價值從他而來,我知道他愛我,為我拾己,這是我活著的動力與倚靠。

唯獨耶穌,指的是我與耶穌的關係為中心的生活,他給我最終的意義與真正的滿足,這是唯獨耶穌的世界觀!這世界觀與世人的世界觀有衝突,耶穌 + 不需要任何東西 = 所有一切?還是耶穌 + 割禮 (或 + 金錢、地位、性的滿足、權力...) = 一切?這是你的選擇!

8. 第二、行為道德上的壓力

這幾個從猶大下來安提阿的猶太人信徒,他們代表當時一般猶太人的想法,他們不是反對外邦人信耶穌,向外邦人的使命(The Gentile Mission)已經廣泛地被教會接受,從彼得見「潔淨與不潔淨沒有分別」的異象,至安提阿教會外邦信徒的增加,都説明外邦人可以進入神的國的恩典,他們並是反對外邦人相信耶穌,其實當時外邦人的信徒已經超過猶太人的信徒,保羅與巴拿巴的宣教旅程中,外邦人在各地歸入基督,教會被建立起來,而安提阿的教會成為向外邦人傳福音宣教的中心,已有代替耶路撒冷教會的傾向。

他們來到安提阿外邦信徒的當中,爭辯的是道德行為的標準,他們認為信耶穌的人應當是道德行為崇高的人,耶穌說:「你們的義若不勝於文士和法利賽人的義,斷不能進天國。」(太五 20)初期的教會,對行為操守的壓力非常大,猶太人一向以摩西的律法為生活行為的標準,他們對這一群新的信徒,有同一樣的要求,要求他們改善行為,向他們看齊,要求外邦的信徒守摩西的律法是自然的事。

今天我們也很容易面臨同一樣在行為操守上的壓力,信主之後,要有行為上的改變,與所蒙的恩相稱,這並沒有什麼不對的。

好的行為令我們感覺非常好,我們發自內心對自己的要求,對別人的要求多多少少都希望努力地達到好的表現與崇高的操守,這並沒有什麽不對的。

我們努做一個乖乖聽話的孩子、用功讀書做個一百分的學生、勤奮工成受人尊敬的專業人士、努力做個稱職的父母、努力做個好的基督徒,這並沒有什麼不對的。

問題有兩方面:

1)當我們靠好的行為在神面前稱為義,要得神的喜悅的時候,這些努力與行卻夠不上!律法是好的,告訴我們神的本性與聖潔的標準,但律法沒有給我們能力去遵守律法,世上沒有義人,沒有人一個人能靠律法稱義。

保羅在羅馬書説得很清楚:「所以凡有血氣的,沒有一個因行律法能在神面前稱義,因為律法本是叫人知罪。但如今,神的義在律法以外已經顯明出來,有律法和先知為證:就是神的義,因信耶穌基督加給一切相信的人,並沒有分別。」(羅三 20-22)

「律法既因肉體軟弱,有所不能行的,神就差遣自己的兒子,成為罪身的形狀,作了贖罪祭,在肉體中定了罪案,使律法的義成就在我們這不隨從肉體、只隨從聖靈的人身上。」(羅八 3-4)

我們因肉體軟弱,不能達到神完美的標準,神就差自己的身子,為我們成就了救恩,使我們因信靠耶穌而得從神而來的義。這不是説律法要被癈去,只是告訴我們我們不能靠律法稱義,這是靠自己靠行為做不到的地方。

今天我們信耶穌,同樣面臨自己或別人而來在行為操守上的壓力,做好人的壓力(The pressure to be good),若我們在耶穌之外再加上律法的要求才能得神的喜悅,才能得到人生的意義與真正的滿足,那壓力可大了,Larry Crabb 有一本書叫「壓力沒有了」(The Pressure Is Off),唯有我們明白我們的義、我們的滿足、我們的意義是從信靠耶穌而來,不是靠行為而來,唯獨耶穌,沒有別旳東西,耶穌是我們的一切,是我們的滿足,是我們的意義,是我們與神和好,得神喜悅的唯一方法。

9. 這是保羅的親身經歷,以前掃羅是靠守律法而自豪,靠行為作神的子民,對別人的要求也是一樣,看不起那些夠不上的人,壓逼那些不像他這樣守律法的人,在大馬色路上遇見了耶穌,蒙神的救贖,不是憑自己的行為,靠的是耶穌與他的十字架,信主之後一百八十度的改變,唯獨耶穌,對那些耶穌 + 行為的人絶不留情,就在耶路撒冷會議之前,他寫下了加拉太書,把那些教導「耶穌 + 行為」的人指為假師傅,「偷著引進來的假弟兄」(加二 4),並嚴厲也指示他們,説:「義若是藉著律法得的,基督就是徒然死了。」(加二 21),耶穌 + 行為是假的福音。

我的見證:我小的時候很頑皮,在教會中聽見福音,很清楚自己是個罪人,每次佈道會中都舉手決志,立志做一個好的孩子,得父母、老師、主日學老師所喜愛,每次決志之後,回家努力個好人,可是三天之後,打回原形,沒法繼續做我要做的好人,很失望,下一次佈道會中再決志,立志做個好人,每次都一樣,三天之後,沒有辦法繼續,一直到我十二歲的時候,牧師對我説,不用再舉手了,耶穌愛我,為我捨己,他己經接納了我,我是個義人,蒙神的喜悅,我不是靠自己的努力去做好人,去得神的接納與喜悅,我感覺一塊大石頭在我心中脱落,我自由了,因為耶穌,不是耶穌 + 行為去討神的喜悅!

做牧者的壓力也很大,牧師要有一定的形象,一定的道德行為的標準,這些標準並非是不好的,但若這些的行為靠自己的努力是做不到的,而且在這些的要求之下,產生很大的壓力,耶穌 + 行為去得神得人的喜悅,最終都會失敗,產生罪疚怠感,要躲起來,不讓人知道我們的失敗,這壓力是何等的大,保羅説:「現今我在肉身活著,是因信耶穌而活,並且知道他愛我,為我捨己!」這是基督裡的自由,我們可以自由地去愛神、愛人,我是神所愛的,唯有耶穌是我的力量!

2)任何好的行為與世界上美好的東西都不能真正滿足我們的心,只有耶穌才能給我們真正的滿足與意義!

魯益師(C. S. Lewis)在《如此基督教》中説:「如果我發現我自己在這個世界上沒有東西能滿足心中的需要,最可能的解釋是,我是為另一個世界而造的。」世上任何好的東西都不能真正的滿足我們的心,因為我們是為神而造的,是按神的形象造的,要有耶穌才能滿足我們。


奧古斯丁在他的《懺悔錄》中做了最深層次的懺悔,承認自己需要神,「你為自己創造我們,我們的心是不安的,直到他們休息在你裡頭!」這是最深層次的懺悔,沒有耶穌我們的心是不會安寧的,我們需要耶穌,因為我們是神按神的形象造的,只有神才能真正的滿足我們心底最深的需要。


著名的數學家神學家帕斯卡在他的《思想錄》中有相同的結論,「現今所有的事情都是不足夠的,因為(我們心中)無限的深淵只能由無限的、不可變的對象--只有上帝自己,才能填滿。」

無論是奧古斯丁說的「不安」(restlessness)、帕斯卡「無限的深淵」(the infinite abyss)、或魯益師說的「不能被任何東西滿足的心」(desire that no experience can satisfy)都告訴我們我們需要耶穌,這需要是世上沒有任何東西可以填滿的!

10. 年青人對這種「不安」與「不能被滿足」的渴望感覺最清晰,最近我知道有一群基督徒大學畢業生,決定住在一起,追求真正的基督徒群體的生活,一同服待世界,追求一理想的世界,這是值得我們鼓舞的現象,青年人不甘於世俗的生活,追求真正能滿足他們的心,這樣的群體每幾年都有出現,可是他們最終都會失望,各自回去自己的生活圏子,世上任何的東西,不論是人、不論是物質都不能真正地滿足我們的人,只有耶穌,只有我們憑著信心從耶穌的關係上才能找到真正的意義與滿足,唯獨耶穌!

Steve Green 的一首歌 Only Jesus 把這道理表達很清楚:

Only Jesus, Only He
Brings redemption, full and free
There's a yearning, in all our lives
That only Jesus satisfies 
只有耶穌,只有他
帶來救贖,圓滿又自由
我們所有的生命中的渴想
只有耶穌才能滿足


11. 工作上的成就是很美的事,令人愉快,我為我們當中這位年青的科學家感到高興,為他的成就愉悅,他上週把他是一個科學發現在一很有名的雜誌上發表,這是令人興奮滿足的事,多年的努力得到成果;我為我們當中這位做生意的人,成交價值千萬的成就而高興快樂,這是美事;這些的經歷是人生樂事,單當它們成我們的偶像,變成我們終極的追求,它們最終會令我們失望,甚至會完全毁滅我們,這些事物只能給我們短暫的滿足,若成為我們的偶像,與耶穌放在同一個甚至更高的地位,我們必定會失望。

婚姻與家庭是美好的的東西,是神給我們的禮物,我們歡喜快樂因為一對年輕人相愛而結合,携手創造未來,我們生兒育女,看見兒女成材,我們滿足與快樂,但當婚姻與家庭成為我們的偶像,我們只為他們而活,他們會完全毁滅我們,使我們失去平衡,他們只是最來永恆的影兒,他們並不能給我們真正永遠的滿足,只有耶穌,只有我們與他的關係才能真正滿足我們的心。

「我已經與基督同釘十字架,現在活著的不再是我,乃是基督在我裡面活著;並且我如今在肉身活著,是因信神的兒子而活;他是愛我,為我捨己。」(加二 20)這就是福音!

12. 割禮是另一例子,它本來是美好的,是神與以色列人應許立約的記號,猶太人得天獨厚,卻把割禮變成偶像,從割禮尋求生命的意義與定位,忘掉割禮之後的神,身在父家,卻離開父親甚遠,成為別類浪子,割禮成為猶太人自義的倚靠,最終成為神國的敵人,猶太人的拌腳石與不能負的軛,初期教會耶路撒冷會議把割禮廢去,只有耶穌,不用割禮,這是神的恩典。

13. 會議的決定不要求外邦人的信徒行割禮,但卻定下四條的規則要外邦人的信徒遵守:

1)禁戒吃祭偶像的物
2)禁戒吃
3)禁戒吃勒死的牲畜
4)禁戒姦淫


第一至第三是食物的禁戒,第四是道德的禁戒,為什麼在摩西的律法中選出這四條禁戒?為什麼三條是有關食物的禁戒而第四卻是道德的禁戒?二者有何關係?

注意第一至第三條食物的禁戒,這些食物對外邦人來說並不是問題,但對猶太人來說,這是禁忌,可以因為食物的原因,使猶太人的信徒沒法與外邦人的信徒同台吃飯,互相沒法往來;而根據 F. F. Bruce 的解釋,「姦淫」是指利未記十八章六至十八節的禁戒,禁止猶太人與同血源的人結婚發生性的關係,同樣,這對外邦人來說並不是問題,卻對猶太人來說,是一大的禁忌,使猶太人因為這原因不願與外邦人的信徒來往。

這四條的禁戒不是又回到守律法去得神的喜悅,耶穌 + 四條的禁戒;這四條禁戒背後的意義是彼此相愛,這是愛的律法,又是基督的律法,保羅説:「你們各人的重擔要互相擔當,如此,就完成了基督的律法。」(加六 2)守這些的律法不要得神的接納,得救的條件,而是為了愛人,而放下自己的自由,甘心的擔當對方的重擔。

保羅知道不是耶穌 + 割禮 = 得救,但他卻要求年輕的提摩太去行割禮,為了讓他能服侍猶太人,因為耶穌的緣故,一切都是可能的。

耶穌 + 零 = 所有一切!




結論

1. 大約公元五十年,在耶路撒冷開的教會第一次的大公會議,完美結束,會議的決定改變了教會人類的歷史,人不需要守割禮,就可以得救,感謝神!今天你和我都因為這會議而不需要任何的東西,唯獨耶穌,我們就可以得救,信靠耶穌而帶來生命的更新,現今我們在肉身活著,因為與耶穌的關係而過每天的生活,去做每一個決定,耶穌愛我,為我捨己,這給我了真正的滿足與意義。


2. 今天我們羡慕恩典,卻很容易靠行為,靠自己、靠律法去生活,「靠聖靈入門,如今還靠肉身成全」(加三 3),Swindoll 在《活在恩典中》説:那些最親近神的人,蒙恩典最多的人,往往最容易成為殺戮恩典的人,限制別人的再生力︳也讓自己不自由,你是靠什麼來活?靠信靠耶穌?還是靠耶穌入門,卻靠肉身成全?








討論問題

1. 試重述一遍耶路撒冷會議的因由,過程、內容與結果。
2. 為什麽猶太人要求耶穌 + 割禮才能得救?你能用現代的情況來解釋一下嗎?今天我們要求別人的「割禮」是什麼?為什麼我們會這樣不合理地要求別人?
3. 唯獨耶穌對你有何意義?信靠耶穌,和耶穌的關係如何改變你每天生活?
4. 你對奧古斯丁的「不安」、帕斯卡的「深淵」、與魯益師的「不滿足」 有何體驗?世上的一切真的不能完全滿足你的心嗎?為什麼?
5. 基督徒不是靠律法與行為稱義,這是我們都知道的,恩典與行為的關係是什麼?基督徒應如何看「善行」?




回應詩歌





寫這篇講章的過程與一些的考量:
林永健

1. 這是一篇寫得很辛苦的講章,不想用如何解決教會衝突的角度去講,很想從保羅的神學來討論耶路撒冷會議的經文。題目很大,「律法與恩典」,時間不夠去處理所有的問題,所以有存在的危機,使人誤會一切的律法行為都是不好的,基督徒不需要有好的行為。

2. 這講章也沒有清楚分點,一遍連起來,可能不容易聽。



Friday, December 5, 2014

保羅與福音,保羅生平(七), 使 13-14

保羅與福音
保羅生平(七)
使徒行傳十三章至十四節



林永健牧師
福遍中國教會
2014.11.30
國語堂



引言

1. 假如你在巴士站遇上一位年青人,他走過來跟你説:「Histrionicus, Histrionicus, Histrionicus!」「這是野鴨子的名字!」


你會有什麼的反應?我猜想你一定猜這年青人是誰?他的背景是什麼?他的故故事可能是:

1)他是一個神經有問題的人;
2)他是認錯人了,作天他在圖書館遇上一個你差不多樣子的人,問他野鴨子的學名是什麼?今天他以為你就是那個人,把答案急忙告訴你;
3)他是一個年青殺手,Histrionicus 是與他聯絡人接觸的密碼。

第一個故事令人傷心,第二個故事很搞笑,第三個故事很戲劇性,可以拍成電影,這例子説明背景故事的重要性,不明白背後的故事,我們不能了解送過來的消息,也沒法作出適合的回應。

這是 Macintyre 一本關於倫理哲學的書《After Virtue》中用的例子,說明每一個人都有一套倫理的觀念(ethics or moral philosophy),是我們每一個決定背後的原因。



2. 福音也是一樣,福音的故事傳給我們的時候,我們的背景與世界觀影响我們對福音的了解,但我們接受福音之後,這福音也必定改變我們全人,包括我們的世界觀與倫理觀,直接改變了我們每一個決定。

野鴨子的例子之中,如果只是一場誤會,你卻報警,説這年青人是殺手,結果是非常尷尬;若他真是殺手,你卻把他當作神經病人,結果不堪設想!我們世界觀是我們了解事情背後的故事,「世界觀」(worldview)這個字是從德文而來:weltanschauung,這世界觀不單只是大套抽象的觀念,而是一個實際的故事,這故事包括三個問題:

1)我們理想的世界是什麽?(What human life in the world should be like?)
2)出了什麽問題?使我們失去了平衡?(What is wrong?)每個人都知道這世界嚴重地失去平衡,沒有人認為自已的生命就是應該是這樣,我們裡面是有問題(problems within us),短暫快樂或許有可能,但真正永久的滿足卻是若有若無,而且社會上問題重重,我們的群體是有問題(problems among us),貧窮的問題、戰爭、不公義的事、世界失去平衡。問題出在那裡?
3)解決問題的方法是什麽?(What can be done to make it right?)人的努力?教育?政治?宗教?

從這三個問題的答案,我們形成了我們的世界觀,決定了對與錯的標準,引導規範我們的行為。在這個世界觀之中,我們編寫我們人生的故事,你的故事可能是追尋真愛,或者是尋找自由的故事,又或者是移民的故事,千山萬水,越洋過海,尋找一個更美的家鄉,經過努力的耕坛,最後在艱苦中成功。

這些人生的故事背後都有一個世界觀,而你的故事是在這大的畫板上與別人的故事交織成為一幅更大的圖畫,構成群體的故事、國家的故事、民族的故事。

4. 名作者 Stevenson 在他的書《Seven Theories of Human Nature》中,列出七個主要的世界觀,他們對人的問題與解決的辦法,有不同的看法:

1)佛洛伊德(Freud),奥地利心理學家、精神分析學的創始人,猶太人,他主張無神論的世界觀,認為人的問題是內心的慾念與人的良知產生衝突,解決的方法慾望得釋放。
2)洛倫茲(Lorenz), 奥地利動物心理學家,一九七三年諾貝爾生理醫學獎的得主,認為人的問題是進化過程中流傳下來攻擊性本能行為。
3)馬克思(Marx),馬克思主義創始人,猶太裔德國人,政治學家、哲學家、經濟學家、社會學家、歷史學家,他認為幾千年來,人類發展史上最大矛盾與問題就在於不同階級的利益掠奪與鬥爭,人類的救恩是解除所有的階級,人人共產。
4)薩特(Sartre),法國存在主義大師,一九六四年諾貝爾文學獎得主,他主張一種淚進的自由意志主義,認為人類有絶對的自由,上帝已死,人沒有價值和戒律説明人的行為是正當的,人可以自由選擇,並對自己所做的一切負責。
5)斯金納(Skinner),美國心理學家,哈佛大學教授,新行為主義的代表,認為人是受周圍環境的影響,只要明白如何提供好的環境刺激,就會有好的行為。
6)柏拉圖(Plato),雅典人,古希臘哲學家,主張將世界切割為兩個不同的區塊:「形式的」智慧世界、及我們所感覺到的世界;我們所感覺到的現實世界只不過是反射出更高層次的世界之陰影,達到這理想世界需要的是智慧與理性。


7)基督教(Christianity):聖經的世界觀,神創造世界與人類,讓人享受神與人美好的關係,使人管理萬物,各按其時成為美好,人因為犯罪得罪神,與神的關係破裂,解決問題的方法是從神而來,神差遣獨生兒子耶穌,道成肉身,為罪人担罪,死在十字架上,人若信靠耶穌,罪得以捨免,與神和好。

一至六的世界觀都是日光之下的問題與解決的辦法,人的問題出自日光之下的,解決的方法也是日光之下的範圍,唯有基督教的信仰,人的問題是日光之下的人與日光之上的神之間的關係破裂,而解決的方法也是從日光之上而來,人的罪影響了所有的人,好人與壞人沒有分別,所有都是罪人,問題基本上的關係性的問題,而福音是神拯救人的好消息,修補這神人關係的好消息。

5. 福音的好消息包含了神的屬性、被造之物的美好、人基本的價值與意義、人的墮落、愛的真義、公義與真理、與救贖的盼望,這些都是世界觀之中重要的課題。

6. 我們開始研讀保羅的宣教旅程的時候,要特別注意保羅所傳的福音,這福音是保羅傳教的核心訉息,他為此而奉派作福音的使徒,他為這福音受盡各種的苦楚,這福音基本上是我們信仰的世界觀,衝擊世上所有的世界觀,改變世人的世界觀。在保羅第一次宣教旅程之中,他在各地進入猶太人的會堂,傳講這福音,也在各地向外邦人傳這福音,得救的人很多,猶太人有猶太人的世界觀,希尼利人有希尼利人的世界觀,讓我們一同來比較這些不同的世界觀,思考保羅的福音。

7. 第一次宣教旅程:
  • 參與的人:巴拿巴與保羅,還有又稱為約翰的馬可(John Mark),馬可在半途就回去了。
  • 時間:公元四十七至四十九年,約三年的時間,這不是幾個星期的短宣,而是三年時間宣教的生活。
  • 費用:當時各地沒有教會,也沒有信徒,沒有宣教士的支持,根據使徒行傳廿章保羅自己的講述,「我未曾貪圖一個人的金、銀、衣服。我這兩隻手常供給我和同人的需用,這是你們自己知道的。」(廿 33-24),保羅在傳道之餘,在各地打工,以織帳棚賺錢支持自已與同人的需要,像今天帶職的宣教士一樣。
  • 全程距離:約一千至一千五百哩,與休士頓與芝加哥的距離差不多。

8. 保羅與巴拿巴從安提阿出發,經過西流基(十三 4),坐船到約六十哩以外的塞浦路斯島,又稱為居比路(十三 4-12),那裡是巴拿巴的出生與長大的地方,島長九十至一百哩,寬六十哩,他們從撒拉米上岸,在猶太人的會堂中宣講福音,也走遍全島,最後來到島西的帕弗,遇上了假先知猶太人巴耶穌,保羅奉神的名使他瞎眼,當地的方伯因此信主,後來因猶太人的逼迫,離開了塞浦路斯。

他們坐船到小亞細亞南加拉太旁非利亞省的港口別加(十三 13),再進入內陸彼西底地區的安提阿,在會堂中傳講耶穌的福音,使徒行傳記載了保羅第一次旅程第一篇的講道(十三 14-50),對猶太人引述從亞伯拉罕開始,猶太人蒙神的揀選,出埃及、在曠野四十年、進迦南、立士師、立君王,從掃羅至大衛,應許以色列人一位救主,就是耶穌,神叫他從死裡復活,這福音的好消息就是神應許祖宗的話,人不能靠摩西的律法,人要靠信耶穌而稱義。


9. 在安提阿也被猶太人趕走,他們來到以哥念,進猶太人的會堂,在那裡講的,叫猶太人和希利尼人信的很多(十四 1-5),城裡的眾人就分了黨,有附從猶太人的,有附從使徒的。那時,外邦人和猶太人,並他們的官長,一齊擁上來,要凌辱使徒,用石頭打他們。使徒知道了,就逃往呂高尼的路司得、特庇兩個城和周圍地方去,在那裡傳福音。

在司路得醫好了一個生來是瘸腿的,從來沒有走過的人,於是眾人稱巴拿巴為丟斯,稱保羅為希耳米,要向他們獻祭,巴拿巴與保羅聽見,就撕開衣裳,跳進眾人中間,喊著說:「我們也是人,性情和你們一樣。我們傳福音給你們,是叫你們離棄這些虛妄,歸向那創造天、地、海、和其中萬物的永生神。」(十四 6-23),並向他們講了記載的第二篇講章,好些人作了門徒。他們在司路得被人用石頭打,幾乎死去,他們就離開往特庇去,在那傳福音,沿原路回去的路上,經過各地,堅固信徒,選立長老、建立教會,就在亞大利坐船回去安提阿去,向教會報告,結束了三年的宣教旅程。


10. 保羅選的城市都是猶太人聚居的地方,他們每到一個城市,先安息日到猶太人的會堂傳講福音,週間打工,探訪信徒,並向當地的人傳福音。


11. 保羅與巴拿巴傳的福音是什麼?根據保羅自己的解釋,他「對猶太人和希利尼人證明當向神悔改,信靠我主耶穌基督... 證明神恩惠的福音。」(使廿 23-25)。保羅為這福音蒙召為使徒,特派傳神的福音(羅一 1),這福音的內容包含了基督教的世界觀,可分為三點:




一、福音告訴我們向神悔改

1. 對保羅來説,福音的故事是神與人關係的故事,神按自己的形象造人,但因為人犯罪離棄了神,而使神人的關係被破壞,如浪子離家,遠離了父親一樣,所以人要悔改,歸向神。


2. 悔改在舊約猶太人的觀念之中,是「轉回」(return)、轉方向的意思,正如浪子在外流浪,想起了父親,決定起來回家一樣,福音是宣告人要回家的消息。

3. 在希臘文中,「悔改」有更深一層的意思,悔改不單只是轉方向,更是心思(Mind)的改變---以前我們曾講過的 nous 的更新,感情和意志的改變,心(heart)與選擇的改變﹐包括人最深層上的改變,這福音切底改變了人與神的關係,人與人的關係,人與世界的關係,福音是神的大能,因為福音有改變人的能力。



二、福音告訴我們信靠耶穌

1. 福音是「信靠耶穌」(faith in Jesus),這「信靠」不是單指信仰的教義,理性上的認同,也不是一種沒有理性的盲從,單向的迷信,而是一種「關係性」的相信,福音是靠這關係性相信耶穌而入門的,耶穌是福音主要的內容,他是與神和好唯一的通道,信靠耶穌是與這救世主連上關係,相信他,保羅在加拉太書二章廿節是這樣形容我們與耶穌這種信靠的關係:

「我已經與基督同釘十字架,現在活著的不再是我,乃是基督在我裡面活著;並且我如今在肉身活著,是因信神的兒子而活;他是愛我,為我捨己。」(加二 30)

這關係不單只是形而上學,使我們與日光之上的神和好,更是改變我們在肉身活著在日光之下的日子,保羅説,我如今在肉身活著,是因這「信靠耶穌」的關係而活,是靠知道耶穌愛我,為我捨己而過每天的生活。換句話說,福音改變我們現今生活的方式,因為我與耶穌的關係,我生活的每一個層面都更新了。





三、福音告訴我們神的恩惠臨到所有的人

1. 保羅清楚的明白這福音是神恩惠的福音,臨到猶太人人與所有的外邦人,全人類沒有分別,都一樣,死在罪中,解決的方法,不在我們裡面,而是從日光之上,從神的恩惠而來。

2. 猶太人的世界觀認為只有猶太人才可以得救,而一個猶太人之所以是一個猶太人是猶太人守律法,行割禮,守節期,所以當他們聽見福音的時候,他們的反應是可以了解的,絶大部份的猶太人,包括領袖、祭司、文士都極力反對福音,「悔改」?沒有什麼需要悔改!猶太人不認為自己是浪子,他們是天父的兒女,神的選民!「信靠耶穌基督」?不用守律法稱義?不可能!放棄祭祠?律法不玩了?猶太人的血統沒有關係?不可能。「所有的人都蒙恩?」不可能!外邦人不用守割禮也可以得救?這是猶太人的世界觀不可能接受的事!

我們可以想像當年保羅與巴拿巴在各地猶太人當中傳耶穌的福音所得到的反應,他們在各地被猶太人逼迫,被石頭打、被追殺,原因正是因為猶太人的世界觀與福音的好消息相撞,所以我們的世界觀必需要改變,福音是神的大能,它必要改變我們的心思、意念、選擇、決定、取向。

3. 希尼利人(希臘人)的世界觀追求更高層次的世界,現實世界的事物有一更高層次的存在,保羅從他們的世界觀開始,引導他們認識這更高層次的就是耶穌的福音,神人之間的關係是信靠耶穌得以恢復,當保羅與巴拿巴在路司得醫好生來是瘸腿從來未走過的人之後,希尼利人把他們當為希臘的神明,稱巴拿巴為丟斯,稱保羅為希耳米,但保羅與巴拿巴對他們説:「我們也是人,性情與你們一樣!」全世界的人都一樣,解決人類問題的方法並不來自人間,神不是由人變來,正確的世界觀是神變為人,尋找人歸向神,保羅「福音給他們,是叫他們離棄這些虛妄,歸向那創造天、地、海、和其中萬物的永生神。」(使十四 15)

4. 保羅的福音是從神領受的,他並不以這福音為恥(羅一 16),這福音是首先的、最重要的(林前十五 3),是重量級的(worthy)(腓一 27),是神的大能(林前一 18),要救一切相信的人,從裡面更新我們的一切。



結論

1. 馬可路德曾説:「請每天對我講這福音!因為這正是我每日需要的!」(Tell me the Gospel everyday for I need it everyday.)我們要活出以福音為中心的生活,在每天生活之中,活出福音的真義,讓福音的世界觀改變我們的思想與行為,在生活的每一個層面上,顯示這福音的大能。

2. 每天上班或做生意的人,收入與利潤是很重要的事,但這並不是我們存在的價值與身份,錢與地位並不是我們的救贖,並不能解決我們與神隔絕的問題,甚至不能帶給我們真正的安全感,不能帶來長久的安忍慰,以福音為中心的人,在工作上也顯明福音的大能,福音轉化我們的工作觀,我們知道我們不是屬於自己,仍是神用重價買贖回來的,我們的生命是在基督裡,我們與神有一同活在這肉身之內,我們有一更美的家鄉,現今的工作之美好,是將來榮耀的影子,現今我們可以自由地去愛神、愛人、與服待人群,這是福音的意義。

3. 賺錢很容易成為人的偶像,但賺錢沒有永恆的目的只是悲劇等待發生而已,它不能成為終極的意義,福音給我們一個存在的目的與世界觀,在各行各業之中,成為我們的晌導,福音與教育、福音與醫學、福音與藝術、福音與文化、福音與社會等範圍,福音都成為轉化的動力,帶給我們工作的意義。

4. 例子:Hershey's Chocolate 成為美國第一間結合公司與扶貧工作的企業。


5. 紐約市的 Lowline 計劃,把更新帶入社區。




6. 福音帶給家庭生活新的意義,婚姻不是單只兩個人的事,它是基督與教會關係的象徵,在天上沒有婚姻,神卻在地上設立了婚姻,目的是要我們經歷天上我們與神的關係,婚姻不能沒有神。

生兒育女也是一樣,福音告訴我們這不是單為了自己而養育下一代,而是要培養敬虔的下一代,讓信仰能傳承,兒女的教育很重要,成績很重要,但兒女的靈性更重要,福音要轉化我們生兒育女的觀念。

7. 福音與教會,教會是否能以福音為中心(Gospel-centered church)?這是我們要思想的事。

8. 福音是神的大能,轉化我們每一個層面的生活,你的世界觀有沒有被福音轉化?你的生活有沒有因為耶穌的原故而改變?






討論問題

1. 什麼是福音?你能説清楚嗎?請再告訴我們一次福音是什麼?
2. 中國人的世界觀是什麼?與福音有何不同的地方?
3. 福音如何改變你工作觀?如何在你的工作上見証福音的大能?
4. 福音如何改變你的婚姻觀?如何在你的家庭生活中改變你?
5. 如何在小組教會生活中活出福音的真義?請舉一、兩個實際的建議?






回應詩歌





寫這篇講章的過程與一些的考量:
林永健

1.