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  • Painful Choices

Painful Choices

  • Posted by 杨牧师
  • Categories Pastor Yang's Sermons in English, 杨牧师的主日证道
  • Date June 12, 2019
  • Comments 0 comment

November 11, 2012

Text: Mark 12:38-44

In the name of Jesus, Amen!

With limited income, you may have to face some tough choices when it comes to financial decisions. “Do I buy a new car for myself or build a new porch for the family? Do I buy a large single house far away from my work and church, or a small townhouse that is nearer?” The reason you choose one thing over another and pay a certain price to purchase it is that you love it, don’t you? You sacrifice other things and take some pain to get it. And when you have bought what you want, you value it dearly, won’t you? You consider it as some kind of treasure, right?       When it comes to offerings in the church, you may have to make painful decisions as well. “Do I keep that long-planned vacation, or cut it in order to increase the pledge of support for the Mission of the church?” It’s tough, isn’t it? The decision you make to choose one over another may reveal where your heart is, what you love, and what your treasure is.

In today’s Gospel reading, the poor widow faces a very painful choice. Do you know how painful it is? Well, if you ever experience poverty, you may have some better idea. I know a little bit. China has changed a lot, especially Beijing, Shanghai, and those big cities. But I still remember the time when I was a little child. Our family had only corn bread and wild herb to eat, nothing else. If you think my experience is too remote, let me give you an American example. Have you ever heard a Poverty Simulation? I never personally go to one. I heard it over the radio. These are half-day workshops, often sponsored by local charities, to help people get a better sense of what daily life is like for the poor. Participants are not poor, but they pretend to be. The first rule of Poverty Simulation is to remember to pay your bills. Also remember to eat, and to get to school or work on time. The most important thing is to remember that the Poverty Simulation is not a game. James Locurto is the deputy director of a local food stamps and welfare department. You would have assumed Locurto already knew enough about poverty. But he says, “I don’t have any real sense of what the vast majority of people living in poverty actually experience.” So, today he will become Jack Jolly, who is 25 years old and recently released from jail. He works in a cafeteria and makes about $500 a month after taxes and child support. He lives in a trailer with his girlfriend Joyce and her baby. Over the course of the next pretend month, his mission is to go to pretend work, get pretend paid, and find a way to pretend ends meet for his family. After the first pretend week of struggling with shopping, driving to work, paying utilities and cashing a check without a bank account, which costs him extra 10%, he starts to feel what it looks to be underwater. Entering the second week, he gets an unlucky situation: a collection agency was on his case. “I got a visit from a tow truck company over the weekend demanding $100 payment or they’re going to repossess the vehicle, which I need to get to work,” he explains. He can’t get the money without his car, but he can’t keep his car without money. However, he has an idea.  His pretend girlfriend, Joyce, receives some cash assistance every month from a government welfare program, through her Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. Jack asks her if he can borrow it, to take out some money for his car payment. His girlfriend agrees, and hands him her EBT card. When he is about to take his girlfriend’s EBT card, someone reminds him. “Are you allowed to do that? Borrow someone else’s EBT card?” He stops, and looks embarrassed. “I don’t believe you are,” he says, realizing he was about to accidentally commit welfare fraud. He should know this, since, in real life he’s the guy who enforces the welfare rules for the county…       When you are poor, there is a totally different set of painful choices that you have to face. This poor widow in our Gospel reading is facing a hard choice of keeping her food money or giving out of her poverty everything she had, all she had to live on.  She chooses to give and trust in God. Where does the next meal come from? Where is her shelter against the wintry piercing wind? Where is the doctor when she gets sick? It’s a dying pain. True giving is painful and sacrificial. If there is no pain and sacrifice; it may still be a giving, but it’s not the offering that Jesus praises here. And this is exactly the difference between the widow’s two small coin contribution and those of Pharisees and the others’ to the offering box. “They all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Now, do you understand the decision that she makes? Do you feel her pain? If you do, ask yourself this question, “Do you give sacrificially as the poor widow did? Do you trust and love God above all things?” The answer would be “no” if you are honest before God. Let’s face it. All of us including myself fall short of the first Commandment.  People tend to feel uneasy, maybe even agitated about this text or similar texts, and ask this question, “Does Jesus really mean we should give 100%?” … The answer is ‘yes’. I don’t know how you can get around it. This is what the widow did and this is what the Bible means by saying “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” God requires 100% “all in”. “Then, nobody can do that!” You may say. Yes, you are right. But the reason that Jesus gives us this example, firstly, is to show a true giving is sacrificial and should be out of trust in God; secondly, and most importantly, is to show that even we, who think highly of ourselves as a Christian, are still sinners who live by grace, by the mercy of God and His forgiveness. The comfort and peace is NOT in this text, but in its context. Now Jesus is already in Jerusalem temple. Within a few days, He will be crucified. Thanks be to God, while we fail to love Him, God still loves us; before we regard Him as our treasure, God sees us as His priceless treasure. We do not give 100%. But God give us 100% of Himself in Jesus Christ. God loved you so much that he sent His only begotten Son to die for you. Jesus took the pain to purchase whom He loved and treasured the most as Dr. Luther says “not with gold and silver but with His precious blood.” It’s you. You are His love and His treasure. Being the Son of God, Jesus has all the prerogatives of heaven, but for us and for our salvation, He emptied Himself to become man. Eternal God confined Himself in time and space to be born in manger and to walk in the land of Palestine. “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”  He made the toughest choice for you. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed and faced the most painful choice between passing the cup of wrath from Him and going to the cross. In order to purchase you and all the people of this world, He chose to obey the will of the Father and go to the cross.     This is Jesus’ sacrificial offering for you. Because Jesus’ sacrifice was the once for all perfect sacrifice for sins, which was vindicated by His resurrection as today’s Epistle says, “For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.” Why did He make such a sacrifice? Because He loves you as Himself and considers you as His priceless treasure, like a pearl, actually more than a pearl, using biblical term “the apple of His eyes.” Because of the painful choice Jesus made, your sins are forgiven. Yes, all sins are forgiven including sins of your not giving sacrificially. The Gospel that Jesus sacrificed for sinners is your comfort, peace and joy.

So, next time when you face a difficult choice of deciding which iPhone or iPad you should buy, or which cloth you should wear, or where you should have your vacation; remember the difficult choice that the poor widow has to face. Next time when you feel the pain of sacrifices that you make to support God’s work in the church, remember the Sacrifice that Jesus has made for you on the cross. Next time when you think how much you treasure God, think again how much God treasures you as “His dear son or daughter” so dear that His only begotten Son died and resurrected to purchase you. True giving is painful and sacrificial, but the painful sacrifice of Jesus Christ brings you forgiveness, peace and eternal life.

In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

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杨牧师
杨牧师

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个体在主里合一
20 June, 2022

二零二二年圣三一主日 证道经文:约翰福音8:48–59 奉耶稣基督的名,阿门! 一些弟兄姐妹听我讲过关于“Me”和“We”的例子:如果你在一张透明纸或玻璃上写上英文“Me”这个字后,把它上下前后反转过来,你看到的将不再是“Me”,而是“We”这个字。在现实生活中,我们并不是孤独的人,在家里我们有妻子、丈夫、父母、儿女、和兄弟姐妹,在工作或学习的场所有同事、同学、老板,或员工等等。起初上帝创造人的时候说“那人独居不好”。现实生活中的人不会像一些科幻小说、电影或其它奇奇怪怪的文学作品中的主人公那样,抛下家人朋友,孤单一人去探索和冒险。今天是圣三一主日,上帝通过主耶稣与那些不信之犹太人的对话,向我们揭示出三位一体真神的本性;并告诉我们,这位真神上帝的本性是怎样使我们从单独的“Me”变成与祂来联合的“We”,使个体在主里合一。   人罪性里的一个特点就是以自我为中心。如今整个社会越来越远离上帝,人们也越来越追求自我和自我的实现,追求一种所谓自我“独立”的生活;要么不结婚,即使结婚,结婚的年龄也越来愈晚,且不愿要孩子。据BusinessInsider的统计,在1962年美国有一半21岁的年轻人就已经结婚了,而到2019年这个比例已经降到8%,现在可能又更少了。再加上所谓疫情的影响,人们多半呆在家中,如今的年轻人特别是Gen Z,也就是二十一世纪出生的人,他们感受越来越多的孤独、焦虑。就在上周,我看到一则新闻,一个在TikTok有177万粉丝,名叫 Cooper Noriega年仅十九岁的年轻人,在制作了标题叫“英年早逝”的节目几个小时后就死了。虽然现在还不知道原因,但警方基本上推测是自杀。我觉得这很可能与现在年轻人普遍的悲观情绪有关,然而与此同时还有另一个奇怪的现象,就是人们一方面自以为越来越独立,但实际上却有越来越多的人愿意随大流,并没有独立的思考能力。英文有个词叫“sheeple”,中文翻译成“羊民”,就是描述那些不独立思考而随大流的人。。一个社会里这样的人多了,就容易被邪恶的政权、或某个敌基督的人、或某种势力所利用。上周主日我们列举过历史上一些轰轰烈烈一起做大事的社会最后的悲剧。到底问题出在什么地方呢?你也许问,“羊民”们不也是联合在一起的吗?是的,但问题是与谁联合,与谁合一。如果离弃上帝,与世俗和魔鬼联合的结果必然是毁灭。   在今天的福音经文里,我们可以从主耶稣与那些不信的犹太人的争论中看到这个关于“与谁联合”的问题。犹太人指责主耶稣是被“鬼附著的”,意思就是魔鬼与祂联合的意思。但主耶稣却说,“我不是鬼附著的”,并反过来说他们才是说谎的,魔鬼是他们的父,也就是说他们才是与魔鬼联合的。主耶稣说,“我尊敬我的父。。我不求自己的荣耀,有一位为我求荣耀、定是非的。”“我若荣耀自己,我的荣耀就算不得什麽;荣耀我的乃是我的父,就是你们所说是你们的神。你们未曾认识他;我却认识他。”主耶稣的意思是祂与天父,以色列的上帝联合,这位真神会荣耀祂。主耶稣还说,“还没有亚伯拉罕就有了我。”原文中,主耶稣用的是“ἐγὼ εἰμί”,就是所对应的希伯来文上帝的名字“YHWH”,就是那自有永有的上帝。主耶稣是三一真神的第二位圣子,祂与天父联合,与天父并圣灵是一体的。那么,是犹太人说的对呢?还是耶稣才是对的呢?我们让事实来说话,主耶稣说,荣耀祂的是天父。我们看到,主耶稣使瞎子看见,瘸子行走,使长大麻风的得洁净,使死人复活,这是光明的工作,是生命的工作,是新创造的工作,是天父上帝的工作。而犹太人他们和所有不信之人的工作则是撒谎的工作,是破坏性的工作,比如:在经文最后,犹太人拿石头打耶稣,还想要杀祂。圣经说,魔鬼从起初就是杀人的;这一点在现实中的应用就是,虽然我们暂时不知道真相,但当我们看到一些人,无论他们如何号称自己是权威、是专家,但如果他常常撒谎,自己打自己的脸,你就知道他其实是属魔鬼的。如果一个人或一群人,无论他们号称自己是怎样地政治正确,但他们的行动是打砸抢烧,是威胁利用,是叫人恐惧害怕,孤独、沮丧、绝望等等,那么,他们也必定是属魔鬼的。相反的,主耶稣给我们带来的是光明、生命和喜乐。主耶稣说,“你们的祖宗亚伯拉罕欢欢喜喜的仰望我的日子,既看见了就快乐。”亚伯拉罕为什么快乐呢?因为主耶稣就是赐应许给亚伯拉罕的那位,是亚伯拉罕献以撒时用羔羊替代以撒的上帝,是在幔利橡树那里向亚伯拉罕显现,并应许他将从撒拉生出以撒的那位三位一体的耶和华上帝(注意:当时亚伯拉罕看到的是三个人)。亚伯拉罕的快乐是从三一上帝那里得到的救恩的快乐、新生命的快乐、复活永生的快乐!   圣经和正确的基督信仰告诉我们,三一真神的合一是独一上帝的三位在爱里的合一,是永恒的合一。为了人类的救恩,天父永恒的独生子,道成肉身来到了世上,使我们能通过祂,与天父上帝和好并联合;因为主在肉身中担负我们的罪死在十字架上,却从死里复活战胜了死亡与罪恶,为我们挪去使我们与上帝隔离的障碍。因此,通过耶稣基督,我们也能与三位一体真神联合,并彼此合一,成为一体,这就是教会,基督是我们的头。用简单点儿的话说就是,我们通过成了肉身的耶稣基督,才能真正彼此合一,走向光明与生命,而不是像那些彼此分隔,但都跟随魔鬼的“羊民”那样走向灭亡。这是三一真神与我们人类的关系和对我们的意义:在爱中,在生命里与祂合一,我们也彼此合一。   今天,求三一真神的圣灵感动我们,让我们能了解三一真神的本性,并祂与我们之间的关系,使我们得到三一真神为我们预备的救恩,并使我们在祂里面彼此相爱与合一。   奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名,阿门!

上帝造祂活的殿堂
20 June, 2022

北京圣保罗路德会 二零二二年五旬节 上帝造祂活的殿堂 证道经文:创世记11:1–9 奉耶稣基督的名,阿门! 当你看到全世界最高的迪拜哈利法塔大厦,或古埃及的金字塔,或看到故宫宏伟的建筑群的时候,你一方面慨叹它们的匠斧神功,一方面也许会想那些是谁设计的,又是谁建造的呢?今天是五旬节,就是从主耶稣钉在十字架并放入坟墓之中后的那个安息日开始算的第五十天(七个主日,七七四十九,加一,因为安息日是个周六)。从今天旧约的创世记和新约使徒行传的经文里,我们也看到两个“建筑”,一个是人造的,一个是神造的。在五旬节,我们庆祝上帝所建造的殿堂—就是主的教会,这个建筑超出所有的砖瓦和墙垣;实际上,超越一切的建筑物,分布在整个世界,又集中在同一个主,同一个信仰,同一个洗礼,同一位上帝之中。通过圣灵,上帝将你和万国万民都建造在这个建筑里,这个建筑就是主的教会。   首先,上帝的灵建造了第一对父母亚当和夏娃。虽然上帝用的是尘土,就像人们所造建筑的砖瓦最终也都是尘土一样,但是祂将生气吹在亚当的鼻孔里,使他成了有灵的活人。上帝也造了女人,使男人与女人合而为一,二人成为一体,并使他们与上帝和睦同住。然而当人犯罪堕落之后,人想为自己建造宏伟的建筑,那些建筑已经不再只是为人们居住之用了;就像迪拜大厦、金字塔、或故宫,也正像今天旧约经文创世记第11章中的巴别塔。他们说“来吧!我们要建造一座城和一座塔,塔顶通天,为要传扬我们的名,免得我们分散在全地上。”想想迪拜大厦、金字塔、和故宫的主要目的之一,不也是为了传扬他们自己的名吗?出于骄傲,人要使自己的名不仅传扬到整个世界,还要记载在历史的记录册上。人自我为义,要挑战上帝,所造的塔要能通天,想要与上帝同等,这不就是魔鬼的思路吗?并且人不服上帝,不服上帝的公义,要靠自己的努力通向天堂,这不也一直是人的宗教观念吗?罪人一直想要聚集在大城市,过奢华淫乱的生活(甚至现在不只是性乱了,而是乱性的生活,不生育,堕胎,杀婴的生活),而不愿意按照上帝吩咐的“生养众多,遍满地面”。于是,上帝变乱他们的口音,使他们的言语彼此不通,他们就停工,不造那城了。经文中一再强调,上帝在巴别塔那里变乱天下人的言语,为的是使众人分散在全地上,从而使人能遍满地面。此外,我们还能听出另一个原因,就是为了防止人们犯更大的罪。上帝说,“他们成为一样的人民,都是一样的言语,如今既做起这事来,以后他们所要做的事就没有不成就的了”。当上帝说这话的时候,有人以为上帝是小气,不愿意人做成一番大事;但事实上,上帝说这话是为了防止人类乱来,犯下更大的罪而导致人类的毁灭。其实历史常常重复着类似的悲剧,比如五八年轰轰烈烈的“大炼钢铁”,人们合力做大事的时候,也是为所谓的“三年自然灾害”(其实是人祸)埋下炸弹的时候;如今美国许多类似“文化大革命”的思路和改革,激发人们要轰轰烈烈做大事以改变美国的热情,但实际上这已经为将要来的灾难埋下了炸弹。。   然而,感谢主的是,吹气息进入亚当鼻孔,使他成为有灵活人的那一位上帝的灵,在五旬节降下,降在教会之中,也使教会有了生气;那像舌头如火焰般显现出来并分开落在他们各人头上的圣灵,充满他们,使他们按照圣灵所赐的口才说起别国的话来。这从某种意义来说扭转了巴别塔的悲剧,人们可以彼此沟通了;然而,这是圣灵所赐的口才,是为了教会,所以教会的人们能通过圣灵的恩赐,彼此沟通,并能聚集在一起,共同做大事,就是圣灵要教会做的大事。圣灵的恩赐通过圣道圣礼,使我们这些本来分散在世界各地的人能聚集在主的教会之中;我们共同做的大事就是传讲主的福音,共同建造上帝的殿堂—就是主的教会。通过教会所传的福音,人们得到罪的赦免和复活的生命;所以,这个殿堂是活的殿堂,因为教会是主的身体,是由有复活生命的人所组成的;复活的主是活的,祂的身体(就是教会)也是活的,是有生命的。“首先的人亚当成了有灵的活人,末后的亚当成了叫人活的灵”(林前15:45)这末后的亚当就是耶稣基督。   使徒保罗鼓励提摩太时说,“无论得时不得时,务要专心传道”,“因为时候要到,人必厌烦纯正的道理”(提后4:3)。为什么呢?因为无论得时不得时,圣灵都通过圣道福音以不同的形式将万国万民建造在上帝活的殿堂里。是的,即使是在不得时的时候,因为在不得时的时候,上帝可以像炼精金一样,将信徒的信心炼得更加纯净,这也是建造上帝殿堂的一部分;因为被火烧过的砖瓦更加结实!   所以,求主在五旬节降下的圣灵常在我们里面激励我们,让我们的身体成为主的圣殿,使我们通过圣道圣礼连于耶稣基督,生活在上帝活的殿堂–教会之中;也赐给我们口才,能将美好的福音传达给更多的人,使他们的罪也能得到赦免,并得到永生,使他们也能通过耶稣基督被建造在上帝活的殿堂里!! 奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名,阿门!

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