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  • Are You Able?

Are You Able?

  • Posted by 杨牧师
  • Categories Pastor Yang's Sermons in English, 杨牧师的主日证道
  • Date June 16, 2019
  • Comments 0 comment

Fifth Sunday in Lent, 2015
Text: Mark 10:32–45
In the name of Jesus, Amen!
In the beginning of today’s Gospel lesson, it was already the third time that Jesus predicted His passion. He said to His followers that the Son of Man would suffer and be killed, and after three days rise again. However, immediately after that came another gross demostration of the disciples’ misunderstanding of Jesus’ mission and His reign. When James and John, the sons of Zebedee came up to Jesus and asked Him to let them sit, one at His right hand and the other at His left in His glory; Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking for.” Basically, Jesus was saying that they didn’t know what they were talking about. They didn’t even know themselves, not to mention the Kingdom of God. That’s why, Jesus asked them a rhetorical question, “Are you ABLE to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” This rhetorical question expected no answer. However, they totally ignored Jesus’ true meaning and answered without hesitation, “We are able.” Today, I would like to ask everyone of us the same question, “Are you able?” “Are you able to follow Jesus all the way?” “Are you able to drink the cup that Jesus drank, or to be baptized with the baptism with which He was baptized?”
Generally speaking, there are three possible reasons why you answer “yes” to a question such as “are you able,”when you are not. We (1) overesitimate ourselves, (2) underestimate the difficulties, or (3) don’t know what’s going on. First, we often overestimate ourselves when it comes to being justified before God. Our self-righteousness not only tries to justify our past behaviors and thoughts, but more importantly, it overestimates our abilities or potentials to do God’s will. Like James and John, we often boast to God subconscieously, presumptuously without any hesitation. “No problem, Lord. I am able to do this and that.” “I am able to love God and others. I am able to keep all the Commandments, and to do whatever you bid us to do. I am able to follow you all the way…” Oh, really? Yes, you come to church. While you are physically sitting on a pew, why is your mind wandering away with other things? Why are you worried about the economy, the stock market and your job security? Aren’t we supposed to fear, love and trust in God above ALL things? People see you helping others. What they can not see may be your reluctant heart, or some other motives. People see your welcoming smiles. But, they can not see how much you may despise that person and want him to go away. You serve the church on a board or in a committee. But have you served diligently, with zeal, without laziness? Overestimating our self is often associated with self-glorification. Being a theologian of glory, people long for honor and glory, and even for the highest place in the kingdom of God. So much so, we ignore our sinfulness and inability. James and John were so eager to gain honor and power above their fellow disciples, that they were ready to promise anything without thinking about the consequences, and to say “We are able.”
However, it turns out everything is not as easy as they seem. This brings out my second point. God requires us to be perfect. As we said before, we should not just love God occasionally, or superficially; we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We should not just love our neighbors, we should love our neighbors as ourselves, not grudgingly, but with a willing heart. We should not just follow Jesus, we should take up our cross daily and follow Him. We don’t realize how hard it is for a sinful human being to fulfill all these. So, let’s go back to Jesus’ rhetorical question, to which James and John answered “yes.” Jesus asked them, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” From the Old Testament and the three predictions of Jesus’ passion, we know that the cup Jesus was going to drink was the wrath of God that He would experience on the cross. Jesus bore the wrath of God against the sins of the whole world on the cross.The baptism that Jesus was going to be baptized with was the ultimate baptism of dying to sin and living to God, the complete washing away of sins, and the precious pouring of water, blood and the Spirit from the Cross. This was NOT easy. No one was able to do it except Jesus Christ, true man and true God. Not only was He able, but He also did it. He loved the Lord God with all His heart, mind, soul, and strength. He regarded everyone as His neighbors and loved us so much that He obeyed the Father’s will and went to the cross to die for us. He drank the cup of God’s wrath against sin, and went through the baptism of death and life. Furthermore, He did it for YOU. He knew we were not able. So, He did all these for us, and for all humanity. What Jesus was going through was difficult. Neither you, nor I, nor Jame, John, nor anyone else is able to accomplish it. But, Jesus did it in our place.
This brings out the thrid point that I want to make about why Jame and John thought they were able. It’s simply because of their ignorance. They didn’t have any clue. They didn’t know God’s wonderful plan of salvation for us in Christ Jesus. They didn’t know how the kingdom of God would operate, and how Jesus would reign in His kingdom. However, not just these two brothers, all the disciples had the same problem. That’s why “when the rest of disciples heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.” Jesus hinted that they would not have the places of honor they were requesting if they continued to think this way. Right before our text for today, He had already said , “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Again, He spoke to His disciples then and to all of us now, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” This is how the kingdom operates. It overturns our thinking. But It is true. Do you remember what happened to all the disciples when Jesus was arrested? They all fled and were scattered. Do you know who was the most prideful and the most presumptuous disciple of all? A hint, it was not one of the two brothers. It was Peter. Remember what he promised he would do even when others were not able to? He said he would NOT fall away from Jesus. But what happened? He denied Jesus three times. Nevertheless, by the greace of God, after Jesus’ resurrection Peter repented and received the forgiveness from Jesus. And Jesus restored Peter’s leadership of the church by gently asking him three times, “Do you love me?” The kingdom of God is not about who is able to do anything for God, it’s about what Jesus has done for us, His forgiveness, His redeeming love, and eternal life. That’s why Jesus continued saying at the end of our text, “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Thanks be to God, our own ability doesn’t count for our standing in the kingdom of God. Otherwise, everyone would fail and perish. Only by the grace of God in Jesus Christ can we have ANY standing before God. The interesting thing is that after James and John answered “yes,” saying that they were able to drink the cup that Jesus was going drink and to be baptized in the baptism that Jesus was going to be baptized; Jesus did not comment on whether they were able to do this or not. He simply proclaimed a statement of fact using future indicative verbs saying, “The cup that I drink you WILL drink, and the baptism with which I am baptized, you WILL be baptized.” In Christian baptism, we are baptized into Jesus’ baptism, and into His death and His resurrection. Through repentence and faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the judgment and wrath of God on all our sins, which are nailed on the cross of Jesus who takes away the sin of the world. When we drink the cup of the Holy Communion, we drink the blood of Christ from the cup of our salvation. Therefore, we give thanks and praise to God for all of these because it’s not about our own abilities, it’s all about what Jesus has done for us, and about how it’s delivered to us in the Word and Sacraments.

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杨牧师
杨牧师

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基督受难的声音
19 April, 2022

二零二二年棕枝主日 证道经文:申命记32:36–39,腓立比书2:5–11,路加福音22:1–23:56 今天的福音经文很长。我们为什么要读那么长的经文呢?教会传统是在圣周特别是受难日时,要读福音书中耶稣基督受苦受死的经历。我们每周都会宣讲主耶稣为我们的罪受苦受死以及祂死而复活的意义,但实际上主耶稣是怎么死的,祂死之前和死的时候发生了什么事情,祂当时说了什么话,关于这些有的弟兄姐妹可能很少听到,(部分原因是因为我们中文堂的情况,弟兄姐妹很少参加英文堂在圣周期间周四周五和周六的敬拜,所以每年中文堂的许多弟兄姐妹都错过了圣周和受难日;)而它们却是很好地了解主耶稣实际受难经历的机会。今天我们就借用棕枝主日来记念主耶稣为我们受苦受死的这段经历,并且特别突出当时的一些声音—就是基督受难的声音。   这个世界有太多各式各样杂乱的声音,使我们无法听到主耶稣的声音,更难听到主耶稣为我们受苦的声音,但那声音太重要了,它关乎我们的罪的赦免与永生。首先,我们听到迫害耶稣和敌对者的声音:听到出卖耶稣的犹大与祭司长并守殿官商量,怎么可以把耶稣交给他们。“事成之后,给我多少银子?”“三十两。”“好的,成交。”我们听到门徒之间起了争论,争论他们中间哪一个可算为大。我们听到撒旦对耶稣说,“给我西门彼得,我要像筛麦子一样把他们筛出来。”又听到撒旦试探耶稣说,“你不必上十字架,听我的,一切都会好起来。”听到犹大对兵丁说,“我与谁亲嘴,谁就是那个你们要抓的人。”听到彼得说,「女子,我不认得他。」三次否认后,听到了鸡叫的声音。听到看守耶稣和戏弄并打祂的人问祂说:「你是先知,告诉我们打你的是谁?」听到公会里的人说:「你若是基督,就告诉我们。」听到彼拉多问耶稣说:「你是犹太人的王吗?」听到希律王说,“给我显个神迹,让我看看。。我问你这么多问题,你为什么不回答呢?”听到众人喊著说:「钉他十字架!钉他十字架!」,并且最后他们的声音得胜了。听到官府的人嗤笑耶稣说:「他救了别人;他若是基督,神所拣选的,可以救自己吧!」兵丁也说:「你若是犹太人的王,可以救自己吧!」你也许会发现,类似的声音也会在如今纷乱的世界中听到。“耶稣不是基督,神迹不会发生”;“一个慈爱的上帝怎么能允许世界上有灾难呢?所以没有上帝”;“我的罪太深重,上帝不可能赦免我”;“如果我也向彼得那样不认主,怎么办?”“听了那么多的道,我还是没有感觉,所以这一切都是虚的”;“2000年前发生的事情跟我有什么关系呢?”相反的,我们当然也能听到“哈利路亚!感谢主!我的罪得赦免了,我有永生了。”在耶稣当时也有这样信心的声音,就在十字架上,那两个与主耶稣同钉十字架的其中一位强盗的声音说,「耶稣啊,你得国降临的时候,求你记念我!」然后耶稣对他说:「我实在告诉你,今日你要同我在乐园里了。」   同样地,就在世界一切的吵杂与罪恶和魔鬼威胁我们的声音之上,有来自主的声音,来自基督受难时发出的声音。耶稣对门徒们说,“我在你们中间如同服事人的”,所以如今祂也在用祂的圣道,圣体和宝血服事你。耶稣对彼得说,“我已经为你祈求,叫你不至于失了信心”。耶稣说,“我告诉你们,经上写著说:『他被列在罪犯之中。』这话必应验在我身上”。祂向天父祷告说:「不要成就我的意思,只要成就你的意思。」因此,我们也坚信上帝在耶稣基督里对我们的意思一定是好的,祂的旨意必然成就。主对前来抓祂的人说,“现在却是你们的时候,黑暗掌权了。”之后,在大祭司的院子里,主转过身来,一个无语的眼神就使彼得想起主对他所说的话:「今日鸡叫以先,你要三次不认我。」耶稣回答彼拉多所问「你是犹太人的王吗?」耶稣回答「你说的是。」但当主面对众人高喊“钉祂十字架,钉祂十字架”的时候,祂却沉默无语,像羊羔被牵到宰杀之地,替我们承受上帝的刑罚。耶稣对那些为祂哭泣的妇女说,“耶路撒冷的女子,不要为我哭,当为自己和自己的儿女哭。”在十字架上,耶稣说:「父啊!赦免他们;因为他们所做的,他们不晓得。」如今祂也一次又一次地为我们向天父祷告说,“父啊!赦免他们”。耶稣对那个悔改的强盗说,“今日你要同我在乐园里了”。而最后,耶稣大声喊著说:「父啊!我将我的灵魂交在你手里。」在这一刻,我们的救恩成就了,完全了。   今天,超越一切世界的声音之上,我们听到了耶稣基督的声音。祂没有解释为什么世上有苦难,而是用自己的受苦受难,为我们解决了罪恶与死亡并一切苦难根源的问题。没有任何罪比上帝在耶稣基督里的恩典更大,“父啊,赦免他们”。耶稣对你说:“我已经使你归于我,成为上帝的儿女,你的罪被赦免了,你有永远的生命。我将被放进坟墓,你也将有这么一天,我将从坟墓里出来,你也将与我一同复活,与我一同在乐园里了。不要相信自己的感觉,应当相信我的话语,相信上帝的应许,聆听我的声音。”   求主的圣灵在今天,在这圣周,在受难日,在复活节,在今后的每一周、每一天,都使我们能听到主受难的声音:“这是我的身体,为你舍的;这是我的宝血为你流出,使罪得赦。”听见这声音并相信的人有福了,因为你拥有了在耶稣基督里永恒的新生命!   奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名,阿门!

“享受”预苦期
19 April, 2022

二零二二年预苦期第五主日 证道经文:腓利比书3:4b–14,以赛亚书43:16–21,路加福音20:9–20 奉耶稣基督的名,阿门! 今天是预苦期第五主日,是的,我们还在预苦期里。说实话,四十天的预苦期对于很多基督徒来说,太长了,盼望能早点儿过去。人们更喜欢圣诞节和复活节,并不那么喜欢预苦期和受难日。我的回答是,我也不那么喜欢,但我们非常需要它。预苦期是悔改、祷告和信靠的季节,我们回想自己的罪,用上帝的律法,自己责备自己;意识到自己必然灭亡的命运,我们悔改,向上帝认罪;但更重要地是记念耶稣基督为我们所受的一切苦难,祂在十字架上受死,为我们成就的救恩。所以,我们需要“预苦期”和预苦期的经历,是因为耶稣基督的缘故,我们当学会“享受”预苦期。   无论什么事情,我们享受不享受在于享受的对象。当你吃的是美食是好吃的,自然你就享受它,如果你吃的是不好吃的食物,自然你就不享受了。既然,预苦期如此重要,既然最终预苦期给我们带来的是美好的救恩与永生的祝福,那么,我们不够享受,可能是因为我们应当享受的对象错了。   这是什么意思呢?我们先来看,使徒保罗是怎么说的。其实腓利比书的一个重要主题是喜乐,在这段经文之前,保罗刚刚再一次强调要喜乐,第三章第一节,保罗说,“弟兄们,我还有话说,你们要靠主喜乐”。所以看来,我们不够享受预苦期可能是我们自己的原因。说完“要靠主喜乐”之后,保罗马上提醒腓利比教会的弟兄姐妹,今天也类似地提醒我们,“应当防备犬类,防备作恶的,防备妄自行割的。”那时教会主要的问题之一是犹太人要求外邦人基督徒行割礼,保罗称他们是作恶的,熟悉圣经的人知道,行割礼是律法主义在当时的体现;而如今其它形式的律法主义也依然在困扰基督徒。律法主义的要点是将我们得救的确据从耶稣基督转移到我们自己身上,这就是为什么保罗继续说,“因为真受割礼的,乃是我们这以神的灵敬拜、在基督耶稣里夸口、不靠著肉体的。”紧接着就是今天书信经文的开始部分:“若是别人想他可以靠肉体,我更可以靠著了。”然后,他列数了他在肉体上的优秀,和“就律法上的义说”他是如何地“无可指摘”。保罗不是自夸,也不想自夸。他的逻辑是,像我这样在肉体和律法上有东西可以倚靠的人都不靠自己的肉体和律法称义得救,更遑论其他人呢。这就是为什么他紧接着说,“只是我先前以为与我有益的,我现在因基督都当作有损的。不但如此,我也将万事当作有损的,因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。”为什么那些“先前以为有益的”现如今却当作是有损的呢?因为那些我们在肉体上认为有益,引以自豪的事情,会成为我们认识耶稣基督,信靠耶稣的障碍。用今天的话来对比保罗的经历,那些东西可能是出身、学历、地位,成就等等,和在世上在基督之外甚至敌对基督的努力和辛劳。有些事本身看上去不是罪,甚至无法改变,比如出身;关键是我们怎样看待这些事。你也许会问,你讲这些或保罗讲这些事与今天的主题“享受”预苦期有什么关联呢?问题正在于此。我们不够“享受”预苦期就是因为我们在心理上不愿舍弃保罗所说的这些属肉体和律法的事情,我们的眼光不能从这些事情上转移到耶稣基督和祂为我们成就的救恩上。想想看,让你割舍一些你不愿割舍的东西,你当然不会高兴啦,当然会觉得是一种负担,不够享受啦。   然而“享受”预苦期的秘诀正是“丢弃万事,看作粪土,为要得著基督”。这难道说我们什么都不做,什么都不要了吗?像“出家的和尚”,像中世纪的苦行僧那样,这不能做,那不能做吗?不是的,因为保罗曾警告过我们不要那样,“苦待己身”,因为那样反而是律法主义,就像歌罗西书第二章中说的“这些规条使人徒有智慧之名,用私意崇拜,自表谦卑,苦待己身,其实在克制肉体的情欲上是毫无功效。”秘诀在于我们所作一切都要“得以在基督里面,不是有自己因律法而得的义,乃是有信基督的义,就是因信上帝而来的义,使我认识基督,晓得他复活的大能,并且晓得和他一同受苦,效法他的死,或者我也得以从死里复活。”这正是我们因信称义,仰赖基督死而复活大能的福音,在一切事上生活在洗礼之中,与基督同死同复活的福音。后面,保罗用运动员赛跑的比喻来说明,我们当定睛在耶稣基督身上,因为祂才是我们的标杆,我们的一切努力的目标与奖赏。   是否尊重耶稣基督,是否接受耶稣基督,是否结出来自上帝和我们主耶稣基督的果实来,这也正是今天福音经文中主耶稣所讲比喻的关键,因为那些园户要结属于他们自己的果实,甚至不惜杀害葡萄园主人的爱子,他们彼此商议说,“我们杀他吧,使产业归于我们!”就是这个意思。这爱子当然是主耶稣祂自己,当时的犹太人与主耶稣的分歧,不正在于此吗?是接受上帝在基督里的恩典呢,还是坚持律法主义,靠自己好行为称义呢?这也仍然是如今人们信仰的关键和试金石,这个石头既可以成为救恩的房角石和磐石,也可以成为使人跌倒的绊脚石与最后审判时砸在人身上的石头。   感谢主耶稣基督!祂已经为我们一切的罪死在十字架上,一切就是一切,在救恩的问题上,不需要我们自己的什么东西,因为那些东西都是粪土。主作为活着的,如今依然统管一切的主宰,祂会在我们实际的生活中,将一切事物赋予崭新的意义,带领我们,在祂里面将一切事物改换一新,使我们不断经历预苦期悔改与信靠的历程,就像祂当年带领以色列民出埃及,过红海时所经历的那样。实际过红海的经历只有那一次,但它所预表的洗礼的经历,就是埋葬罪恶并与主同死同复活的经历,却可以在任何信徒生命生活中反复出现。“看哪,我要做一件新事;如今要发现,你们岂不知道吗?我必在旷野开道路,在沙漠开江河。野地的走兽必尊重我;野狗和鸵鸟也必如此。因我使旷野有水,使沙漠有河,好赐给我的百姓、我的选民喝。这百姓是我为自己所造的,好述说我的美德。”这话是以赛亚对当时的人说的,今天也对我们说:我们可以不断经历救恩的新事,但仍然歌颂赞美同一个救恩,同一位救主。所以求主圣灵在这个预苦期里,在我们生活的每一天,使我们不断经历上帝的救恩,因为这才是我们“享受”预苦期的关键。   奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名,阿门!

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