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傳福音是要與神同行

哥林多前書2:9 神為愛祂的人所預備的是眼睛未曾看見,耳朵未曾聽見,人心也未曾想到的。

詩篇 92:1-3  稱謝耶和華,歌頌祢至高者的名,
2 用十弦的樂器和瑟,用琴彈幽雅的聲音,早晨傳揚祢的慈愛,每夜傳揚祢的信實,這本為美事。
4 因祢耶和華藉著祢的作為叫我高興,我要因祢手的工作歡呼。

出過50張專輯的蔡琴,得獎無數,多年巡迴演唱相當耀眼。她對生命充滿好奇,曾研究紫微斗數、八字、星座…,在演藝界擁有「星座大師」之稱,還曾於主持的節目中剖析星座。2003年,她在美國一間教會受洗,回台後雖參與聚會,但生命無太大改變。自從參與團契小組後,她在肢體關係中明白,有人能與她同分擔痛苦、分享喜樂。

蔡琴長年在各地巡迴演出,信主受洗後亦是如此,因此沒辦法固定參加主日。她渴望用歌聲榮耀神,但卻不知如何是好,心中湧生疑惑:「我有個千萬人都在聽的聲音,然而我又不能在商演場合唱詩歌…」

她開始從團隊中尋找曾去教會、受洗的人,組成「行動教會」,彼此分享經文、一起禱告。彩排日,他們會彼此分享經文,表演日除了分享經文外,並且為觀眾、台前表演人員、幕後人員禱告。

THIS will determine how you treat Jesus

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 14:53-65.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 14:53-59 (NIV)
53  They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, elders and teachers of the law came together.
54  Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.
55  The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.
56  Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.
57  Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:
58  “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.'”
59  Yet even then their testimony did not agree. 

On verses 53-59:  As much as the chief priests and the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council) tried, they could not find any dirt on Jesus that would justify putting him to death. 

神愛世人

約翰福音3: 16-17  神愛世人,甚至將祂的獨生子賜給他們,叫一切信祂的不致滅亡,反得永生。 17 因為神差祂的兒子降世,不是要定世人的罪,乃是要叫世人因祂得救。

在歷史傳承中,「公義」和「慈愛」是猶太人代代經歷、且傳頌的兩個神的屬性。詩人說:「公義和公平是祢寶座的根基;慈愛和誠實行在祢前面。」(詩篇85:10),大衛也以他生命的經歷,見證說:「耶和華在祂一切所行的,無不公義;在祂一切所做的都有慈愛。」(詩篇145:17)

然而,從舊約聖經所描述猶太人和外邦人間的滄桑、血淚歷史裡,我們也許試想,猶太人會問:「祢的慈愛在哪裡?」,外邦人當然也會問:「祢的公義在哪裡?」;而我們則是一頭霧水,不易看出或分辨「公義」和「慈愛」,進而認識那位創造的神,還有「祂與我有何關係?」。

聖經是描述神與人的關係,仔細數算一下,「公義」一詞在舊約出現227處,新約僅有36處;「慈愛」一詞在舊約出現188處,新約僅有6處。看來在新約中,「公義」和「慈愛」用以描述神屬性的次數減少了許多,神的屬性改變了嗎?

It Happened in the Dark

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 14:43-52.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 14:43-46 (NIV)
43  Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
44  Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.”
45  Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him.
46  The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 

On verses 43-46:  Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss.  It’s ironic how something so intimate and even Biblical (Psalm 2:12) could be used to signal something so evil. 

平穩安靜

詩篇131:2 我的心平穩安靜,好像斷過奶的孩子在他母親的懷中;我的心在我裡面真像斷過奶的孩子。

箴言1:33  惟有聽從我的,必安然居住,得享安靜,不怕災禍。

科學月刊582期一篇文章談到「安靜」。有些人認為聽音樂讓人身心放鬆,不過在2006年一項關於聆聽音樂與寂靜對於人體的影響報告指出,安靜的環境較有音樂的環境更讓人體放鬆。

研究人員邀請24名受試者,一半為受過音樂訓練的音樂家,另外一半為未受過音樂訓練的學生,讓他們聽六種不同旋律、節奏、和弦的音樂,但在音樂間穿插2分鐘的寂靜。研究人員發現那寂靜的2分鐘,受試者的心跳、呼吸頻率等生理狀況明顯較趨緩,因此他們在結論提到,安靜的聲音較音樂來的讓人放鬆。

安靜也許是身體重新生長的要素之一。2013年的研究中,研究人員讓不同組的小鼠分別聽白噪音(類似電風扇、吹風機運作時發出的聲音)、莫札特奏鳴曲、事先錄製狗的叫聲以及其中一組絕隔外界聲音,每天數小時。

Gethsemane

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 14:32-42.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 14:32-42 (NIV)
32  They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33  He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

On verses 32-42: Gethsemane is a transliteration of two words in Hebrew that mean “olive press”.  It’s also the name of a garden at the foot of Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. 

The God Who Goes Ahead Of You

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 14:26-31.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 14:26-31 (NIV)
26  When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27  “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
28  But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

On verses 26-31:  Peter was so sure and passionate about his commitment to Jesus that he acted as if nothing could possibly shake him.  Not even Jesus’ Scripture-based prophecy that all the disciples would fall away (v27) seemed to affect Peter’s confidence that he would remain faithful to Jesus till the end.

陪孩子打一場籃球

詩篇127:3 兒女是耶和華所賜的產業;所懷的胎是祂所給的賞賜。

陪伴孩子長大就像打一場籃球,隨著時間、歲月的延伸,角色變了…

從起頭,我們徘徊球場邊,扮演孩子的教練,左手拿毛巾,右手帶水杯,千叮嚀走位,萬交代防守;隨著球賽的進行,我們來回走動,或舉手、或頓足,眼睛盯著孩子的身影,吶喊指揮、握拳嘆息,差點沒衝入球場,抱起孩子灌籃得分。

接下來,我們躍入球場內,成了孩子的隊友,牽手搭背圍圈圈,大喊三聲「嘿!嘿!嘿!」,一起加油;隨著球賽的進行,我們試著阻擋、抄截、跳傳、助攻,就是想把球傳給孩子,等著看孩子投球,一刷進網得分。

然後呢,我們坐在觀眾席,化身孩子的球迷,或許我們會跳腳大吼對手犯規、越位,但是鼓掌紅了手,嘶喊失了聲應該是我們的經常;隨著球賽的進行,

我啥事都不會做

馬太福音25:40  我實在告訴你們,這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是做在我身上了。

有次到高雄市參加一個政府部門的開標審查會,遇見同校教書的老師也參與審查,他是教會的弟兄,也是我在西北的老同學。審查會結束一齊搭火車回台南,途中他興奮的分享:「我去年到柬浦寨短宣。」我眼睛一亮,說:「你到詐騙園區短宣!大挑戰!」「沒有!我們去偏遠貧困的區域。」他咧著嘴笑說:「我啥事都不會做,我教他們摺紙。」這位弟兄是學校的特聘教授,是政府的環評委員、是國內空氣汙染的頂尖專家,但是,他在偏鄉的短宣裡,教「摺紙」。

年輕的時候習慣在繁雜的教會服事中,抽空去探視長者。進入長者的居家或養護之家,蹲下來,唸一處經文(總是詩篇第23篇),唱一首聖詩(清唱,還會走調),長者揮動枯槁的手,低語感謝,泛紅的眼睛簌簌滴下淚珠;在哽咽中為長者禱告,心裡莫名地感受到他們透露出“ 近鄉情怯 ”、或是前路茫茫的落寞,我體會到「老」的感覺,那個瞬間似乎很貼近神。

What Kept Jesus Going

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 14:12-25.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 14:12-16 (NIV)
12  On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
13  So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.

On verses 12-16:  Before his disciples made any preparations for the Passover, Jesus was already prepared and had a plan.  Great leaders don’t just rise to the occasion.  Great leaders also anticipate and plan ahead.