教会应如何面对LGBT(1 )

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从耶稣降生到基督再临，这段漫长时间段，末世教会面临各种挑战，包括各种异端邪说以及世俗潮流对教会的冲击，尤其是20世纪以来，人类社会受后现代主义文化思潮影响非常深，否认绝对真理，抵抗权威，反抗传统。在后现代思潮的温床下，LGBT群体在西方兴起，颠覆一男一女的婚姻观，和生理性别认同的传统, 它们直接挑战宣扬和捍卫绝对真理的教会.

不但生活在北美基督徒要面对这些群体和相关议题，西风东渐，国内弟兄姐妹也开始面对越来越多同性恋和跨性别的人群，对教会是一个新挑战。先简单介绍一下LGBT四个字母所代表的含义：

L 女同性恋 Lesbian

G 男同性恋 Gay （或者是对同性恋身份的认同）

B 双性恋 Bisexual

T 跨性别 Transgendered

教会面对LGBT这个群体的新挑战，不能只是“分别为圣”，不理会他们；也不能只是鄙视和指责，也不是只为下一代担忧。教会需要从合乎圣经以及合乎常理的立场去对待这个群体以及所引发的问题。

在这堂信息里，我们会谈到以下四点：1）了解LGBT 群体 2）圣经的立场 3）装备弟兄姐妹来面对 4）教育孩子来面对这些问题。

了解LGBT这个群体

说到LGBT，我们要明白人很复杂，每个个体也都很独特，形成LGBT的原因各不相同, 他们在政治上参与推动LGBT合法化的积极性也不尽相同。所以不要有刻板印象，认为所有LGBT都是一个样子。有些人对自己有LGBT的倾向和问题是隐藏的，不愿意人知道，甚至包括自己的父母和朋友。有些人则是非常激进的，他们不但公开争取LGBT的权利，甚至不惜牺牲别人的权益来鼓动，形成一种政治正确的意识形态。而介于隐藏和激进二者之间的，是那些敢于公开自己LGBT的身份, 但也不特别宣扬，不一定会去参与争取LGBT政治权利的活动的人群。

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What to Do about Disputable Matters

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 8:1-13.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (NIV)
1  Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2  The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3  But the man who loves God is known by God.
4  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.
5  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),……

On verses 1-13:  In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses a question that many Christians in his church had conflicting opinions about: is it okay to eat food sacrificed to idols or not (v1-4)?    From Paul’s answer, we can learn 3 questions to ask when determining whether you should engage in what seems like a questionable activity (whether it’s eating food sacrificed to idols, playing Pokemon Go, going trick or treating, or something else):

Question 1: Ask “Does God’s Word clearly and directly prohibit this activity?”  If yes, then the answer’s clear: don’t engage in this activity (or at least don’t engage in that part of the activity which is clearly prohibited by Scripture).  If God’s Word does not clearly and directly prohibit this activity, go to question 2.

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大卫以仁慈待米非波设

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〈撒母耳记〉9:1    大卫问说：「扫罗家还有剩下的人没有？我要因约拿单的缘故向他施恩。」

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 9:1-13

玛吉Machir，是玛拿西的儿子，约瑟的孙子，基列的父亲。在出埃及之后，玛拿西的后裔曾经参与攻克基列和巴珊的战役，他的后人就定居在这两个地方。亚米利的儿子玛吉就是约瑟和玛拿西的后人，摩西把约旦河西的地方分给了流便、迦得和玛拿西半个支派，玛吉就住在约旦河西的基列地。罗底巴，是一句希伯来语，意思是“没有草的地方”，可能是形容基列地多岩石的特质。在扫罗家破败之后，约瑟的后人玛吉还愿意收留米非波设，一个残废的人，不愧是宰相之家的后代。

米非波设的原名是米力巴力（代上8:34），巴力是古代西亚西北闪米特语通行地区的一个封号，表示“主人”的意思，一般用于神祇。米力巴力含有“巴力的勇士”之意，后来被改名为米非波设。从世人的眼光，他真是生不逢时，生在帝王之家，原本是高贵的王子，不料却碰上家破人亡的战事，使他从一个王子变成一无所有的人；又因为乳母的失手，使他从一个本来可以大有作为的人变成一无可取，连行动都无法自如的人。人生的剧变和残酷，往往是我们难以预料的。正好像有首黑人灵歌〈肯达基故乡〉所说的：“人世不常，噩运来临没法想，从此别肯达基老家乡”。

2015年六月一日，传来长江游轮东方一号，在十二级以上的龙卷风袭击之下，一分钟内倾覆，倒扣在水中，因为当时大家都准备休息，连求救的信号都来不及发出。这瞬间翻沉的事，谁能预先料到呢？原本快乐的旅程就这样结束，变成一片号啕的痛哭声，船上458人中有七人游上岸报警，其他人或已全部遇难。这就是人生的真相。东方一号的出事地点离湖北新洲码头大约四公里，只可惜，来不及了。出事都只在那一瞬间，使人措手不及。

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Is It Better to Stay Single or Get Married?

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 7:32-40.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 7:32-40 (NIV)
32  I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs–how he can please the Lord.
33  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world–how he can please his wife–
34  and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world–how she can please her husband.
35  I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
36  If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married…….

On verses 32-40:  Here Paul gets realistic about the cost of getting married.  Every married person can attest to this: once you are married, you are no longer looking out for just yourself.  Now you have a spouse and possibly kids to be concerned about.

It’s for this reason that Paul seems to prefer singleness for Christians in 1 Corinthians 7.  Paul here even seems to encourage those who are engaged but who are not settled on their decision to marry to strongly consider singleness (v36-38). It’s not because marriage is sinful, but because practically speaking a single person has a lot more time and a lot less complicated life that he or she can devote to serving God.

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Live for God’s Greater Purposes

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 7:25-31.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 7:25-28 (NIV)
25  Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.
26  Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.
27  Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.
28  But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

On verses 25-28:  What “present crisis” is Paul referring to in verse 26?  It is not entirely clear.  Some scholars think Paul may be referring specifically to a famine that had hit the region including Corinth.  Others think Paul may be referring more generally to the normal struggles people were experiencing from day to day, or what Paul believed was the soon coming return of Jesus Christ.  In any event, Paul advises the Christians in Corinth to “remain as you are” (v26).  So to the already married Paul tells them not to seek a divorce (v27a) and to those who are single Paul advises not to be too caught up trying to look for a future spouse (v27b).  Paul does clarify that getting married is certainly not a sin (v28a) but he wants to spare his people from the troubles that married people will inevitably go through (v28b).

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大卫王的功绩

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〈撒母耳记〉下 8:15    大卫做以色列众人的王，又向众民秉公行义。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 8:1-18

在大卫打败歌利亚之后，扫罗就立他作为千夫长及战士长。那时年轻的大卫带着那些年记比他大的军兵们出入，因为耶和华与他同在，他也办事精明，所以犹大和以色列众人都爱大卫（撒上13:13-16）。大卫在躲避扫罗时，也要经历一些大小战役，神与大卫同在，但也不断地在磨炼大卫，使他能担起一国之君的大任。现在大卫终于作王了，神给他的军事才华终于发挥得淋漓尽至。

非利士人从以色列人的士师时期就不断骚扰以色列人，因为他们懂得冶铁，所以在兵器上有极大的优势。但是当大卫兴起后，非利士人在历史上就一蹶不起了。因此有人认为，迦特王亚吉把洗革拉给了大卫，正好给了大卫一个学习冶铁的机会，从此以色列人有了兵器，非利士人就不能再猖狂了。大卫夺了非利士人京城的权柄，又打败摩押人。

可能我们还记得，在大卫逃亡时，曾经把父母寄放在摩押王那里，怎么作了王之后，就把他们打得落花流水，还用绳量一量，量二绳的杀了，量一绳的存留？一绳表示年记小的，身材只有一绳那么高。大卫没有杀量一绳的，也就是没有赶尽杀绝，给摩押人留下余种。大卫和摩押人开战的原因，我们不知道。但是我们看到大卫对摩押人的感情，只是杀掉成人，还是留下了年轻的，给他们有重新振兴的机会，但不会威胁到以色列。

琐巴王是在迦南地的北方。〈历代志上〉第十八章记载：“琐巴王哈大利谢往幼发拉底河去，，要坚定自己的国权。大卫就攻打他，直到哈马。”所以在〈撒母耳记〉上八章所记的大河就是幼发拉底河。大卫的战利品，两本书记得不一样，撒上记着：“大卫就攻打他，擒拿了他的马兵一千七百，步兵二万，将拉战车的马砍断蹄筋，但留下一百辆车的马。”代上记着：“夺了他的战车一千，马兵七千，步兵二万，将拉战车的马砍断蹄筋，但留下一百辆车的马。”有解经家认为，在撒上有抄写的失误，没有把战车写上去，两者加起来应该是“夺了他的战车一千，马兵七百，步兵二万”。

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Stay in the Place of Your Calling

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 7:17-24.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (NIV)
17  Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
18  Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.
19  Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.
20  Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him.
21  Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you–although if you can gain your freedom, do so.
22  For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.
23  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24  Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

On verses 17-24:  I suspect that there may have been a tendency in the church in Corinth to chase after certain experiences, whether it was the experience of getting circumcised (v18-19), which some Christians falsely believed was necessary in order to be truly saved,

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大卫想为耶和华建殿

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〈撒母耳记〉下 7:22  主耶和华啊，祢本为大，照我们耳中听见，没有可比祢的，除祢以外再无神。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 7:1-29

从世人的眼光来看，大卫虽然不完美；但是从神的眼光来看，他真的是很合神心意的人。假如一个人有好几个孩子，有的做大官，有的发大财，有的乐善好施，但是只有一个会要求父母和他一起住。你想哪个孩子最合父母的心意呢？这就是大卫的过人之处，大卫从来不会隐藏他对神的爱。在他所做的诗歌里，充满了对神的敬畏和爱慕。以致于当他住在王宫里，看到神的约柜在会幕中，他就心里难过：我怎能住得比神更好呢？

这时先知拿单说话了，这样的心意，神岂有不喜悦之理？你想神建殿吗？你就去做吧。拿单是先知，但是先知的话能不能代表神的话？那晚，神向拿单显现，让他知道神有不同的意思。这件事让我们明白，任何人都不可自以为自己的意思就是神的意思，即使有先知的恩赐也不行，总要向神求问才行。我们认为好的事，不一定就是神要我们做的事。而神以为不好的事，神却要我们去做。这两者之间不是看事情是好事还是坏事，而是看神对你有什么心意，要你做什么。

最明显的就是撒母耳为以色列人立王之事，撒母耳知道神不喜悦以色列立王，可是神却要撒母耳为以色列人立王，所以撒母耳就为以色列人立王。这就是顺服，不是看你觉得这事当不当做，该不该做，而是神要你做什么，你就做什么。神不要你做什么，你就不要去做。所以，建圣殿是一件大大的好事，连先知听了都觉得太好了。但是神说，我不要大卫建圣殿。大卫就不建，但他开始存钱，买材料，为建殿的工作做准备。大卫没有哭着吵著非做不可，神说了，他就顺服。

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大卫两次迎约柜

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〈撒母耳记〉下 6:22a  我也必更加卑微，自己看为轻贱。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉下 6:1-23

大卫做以色列王不久，就想到要把约柜从俄别以东运到大卫的保障。大卫王攻下耶布斯之后，就将其改名为耶路撒冷，又称为大卫之城 或锡安的保障，大卫的保障，是今日耶路撒冷城圣殿区古城墙以南的一个山头。这件事表明了他对神的爱，和他心中是何等敬畏神，因为他把神的同在看得第一重要。

扫罗做王四十年，从来没有想过约柜。扫罗只要有祭司和以弗得，好像护身的神符跟着他就行了。扫罗把神看成是他的仆人，是听他命令的；但是大卫不同，大卫经常寻求神的心意，全心全意爱神。大卫不是完人，他在很多事上有过失，在许多事上有软弱，他有些事不合我们对完人的标准，但是他爱神。就像彼得说的：「爱能遮掩许多的罪」(彼前:8)。所以当我们在看人时，不要检视过度，因为我们都不完美。但是我们心里把神放在什么位置上，那是神所重视的。正如你若结婚了，你把配偶放在什么位置上，那也是你的配偶会计较，你也会计较的一件事。

大卫率领跟随他的众人前往亚比拿达的家。他不是随随便便地前往，而是带着跟随他的人一起前往，好像要去迎接至爱的亲人回家。他们预备了一辆新车，那是一个新时代的开始，已经开始用车运东西，像非利士人送回约柜时一样，让牛拉着新车走。他们把约柜放在新车上，觉得很自豪，大卫和以色列全家用松木制造的各样乐器和琴、瑟、鼓、钹、锣作乐跳舞。亚比拿达和两个儿子乌撒和亚希约都是祭司，乌撒赶车，亚希约在柜前行走。一切都非常美好，但是到了拿艮的禾场，忽然牛失前蹄，乌撒很自然地用手去扶约柜。不料，立即被神击打，死在约柜旁。原本欢乐的气氛一下子变成悲伤痛哭，忧愁不已。为什么耶和华神生气了？

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Taking Marriage and Divorce Seriously

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 7:10-16.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV)
10  To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.
11  But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

On verses 10-11:  In 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, Paul is addressing another issue in his church at Corinth: the issue of divorce.  In verses 10-11, Paul reiterates the teaching of the Lord Jesus on divorce from Matthew 19:4-9 and Mark 10:1-10, which is that generally speaking married people are not to divorce. 

Does that mean that divorce is never allowed under any circumstances?  Keep in mind that in Matthew 19 and Mark 10, Jesus says that divorcing (i.e legally dissolving the marriage) and remarrying is permissible in the case of marital unfaithfulness.  Perhaps the reason Paul does not mention this is because Paul is most likely writing this in response to a specific situation, or situations, that he has heard about going on in the church in Corinth.  It could be that the Christians in Corinth were trying to back out of their marriages for immature reasons that had nothing to do with marital unfaithfulness.  So here Paul emphasizes that marriage is a lifelong commitment that is not to be easily dissolved.

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