“God’s Agents of Reconciliation”

Be a Part of Something Bigger: God’s Agents of Reconciliation

Isaiah 58:1-12

     Last week, I took the entire message to remind you that our Christian faith always begins with God’s love for you – not with your love for him. “We love because he first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).” Your walk with God always begins with an experience of you responding in faith to God’s grace, mercy and love shown to you in Jesus. This is the reason why, before the Apostle Paul ever called anyone to love God and love people in letters like Romans and Ephesians, he prayed fervently that we would have the power to grasp and to know “how wide and long and high and deep” the love of Christ is for us (Eph 3:17-19).

     Today, you will see that, when you have truly experienced the love of God for you, that experience always flows out into a life of love for God, a love that must be shown toward those who bear God’s image. So, Jesus’ great command is, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it (or, is a necessary corollary of it): ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Mt 22:37).”

     What Jesus was saying was that, since our human neighbors all bear the image of the God we love, we must love them too. No one could put this more starkly that the Apostle John did in his first letter: “We love because he first loved us.  So, whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love his brother and sister, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And God has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love his brother and sister (1 Jn 4:19-21).”

     In the days of the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament, there were people who claimed to love and worship God but were not loving people. You can read about that in places like the book of James or Ephesians or 1 John. Today, we’ll see God address the matter through the prophet Isaiah in Is 58. I’m praying that we will hear the clarity with which God speaks about this – and then respond to it.

The Problem: People thought they were worshiping. God said they were rebelling (58:1-5).

Declare to my people their rebellion… Day after day they seek me out. They seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a people who do what is right. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it?’”

   At first, it looks like there is a contradiction between v. 1 and what follows.   In v. 2, God says he’s speaking to people who “seek him out”. That phrase was a Hebrew idiom for the entire worship life of people. For the people in Isaiah’s day, it included things like going to worship at the Temple, saying prayers, hearing Scripture, and engaging in spiritual disciplines like fasting. So, with that phrase, God is speaking to those we would now call faithful church people – and, not unfaithful church people. Notice that God says in v. 2 that the ones he wants to speak to are engaged in their religious activities “day after day”.

   But, the shock is that these apparently “faithful people” are the very people God says are sinning and rebelling in v.1! It’s so serious – and the people are so callous to it – that God tells his preacher Isaiah to blow trumpets and preach loud because their sin is serious! So, we must ask: Why isn’t God criticizing the people out in the world who did not show up to worship all the strangers who were pouring into Israel’s borders? (That was happening in Isaiah’s day.) Why doesn’t God tell Isaiah to preach to those who are ignoring him? Why is he using such strong words for people who seem to be worshiping him?

   But, notice also that these church-type people are upset with God too! Interestingly, they think God is the one being unjust in v. 2. Why do they think this? It’s because they keep showing up at worship and even trying to be moral people but God is not giving them what they want! See v. 3: “Why, God, are we doing all this good worship for you and you don’t pay any attention?”

       But God says there is something that is central to true worship – but was missing in what they were doing. Yes, they were singing the songs, listening to the sermons and even taking days to fast. But, what God says is that their lives are showing that all their “religion” is not real. What God says is that when we know him personally, we will see the world the way he sees it – we will see people the way he sees people. We will love people as God loves people. And the people in the Temple were not! So, they acted like they loved God but did not love people made in the image of God.

The Essential Truth: Love for God must flow into loving ministries of reconciliation (58:5-7,9b-10a).

“Loose the chains of injustice. Untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free… Share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter. When you see the naked, clothe them…”

     In our Guiding Statement, we say that we are praying that, more and more, we will be a “Reconciling Community” and then we define that in this way: “Pursuing God’s justice, mercy and compassion, we are involved in his ministries of reconciliation.”

     This brings us back to the first message I did in this series. Let me remind you of part of it: By “justice”, we mean God’s promise to make all things in his creation right with him again. All evil will be judged and dealt with. Al the affects of sin will restored and healed. God will make right all that has become wrong in this world he made and loves – and we get to be involved in his great mission of righting all wrongs. By “reconciliation”, we mean all the processes and ministries that lead to peace being restored and brokenness being made whole. On one side, we call people to be made right with God through faith Jesus as savior. That’s what Pastor Jeff Liou and I spoke about a few weeks ago when I said we will be an “evangelistic community. And this week, we participate in the larger reconciling work of God in a world ravaged in countess ways by sin by going out with the love of Christ in our hearts and engaging in all sorts of reconciling ministries.

     It’s the demonstration of the love of God in practical ways in the midst of the many kinds of pain that sin has brought into our world that the people in Isaiah were not doing. God told Isaiah to call out the kinds of ministries of reconciliation that they should have been doing in their society. Look at his list in vv.6-7:

• Helping set people free when they are shackled – “Loose the bonds of wickedness (v.6)” – from prisons or addictions or trafficking. I think we have lots of those “bonds of wickedness” in our neighborhood too. I want us to seek to set the oppressed free and break every yoke as God called them to do so long ago.
• Sharing food with hungry people – “Share your bread with the hungry (v.7a)” – It’s clear that some people made in God’s image had no food in Isaiah’s day had no food while many who were worshiping had plenty. God said, “Open your eyes to this and learn to share.” I think he almost certainly says the same to us.
• Getting people out of homelessness – “Provide the poor wanderer with shelter (v.7b)” -- This was especially true of the immigrant in Israel – as it sometimes is in our neighborhood. The family was Israel’s social system – and immigrants, orphans and widows were the three groups that had no family. They often were not Israelites but they were people – people made in God’s image whom God is saying that his people were to love and help. When we think of things that are wrong in our world, it is not good for people, especially for children, to be homeless and alone.
• Providing clothing for those with none – “When you see the naked, clothe them
• Care for your family’s needs – “Do not turn away from your own flesh and blood (Anyone who does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” I imagine that’s convicting for some who are here today.

     I imagine that the list God would give to us now at LAC would be similar to the one he gave Israel. He may add things like “mentor the children who have no support at home,” provide support and community for those who are being released from prison, shelter those who are being abused from the womb to the grave…” I’m sure the list could go on and on – but I’m also sure you see what God’s Word is saying to us with regard to the way God calls us to show his care and love to our world in the name of Christ.

       In summary, Isaiah 58 (and Jesus in places like Matthew 25) teaches: If we do not love the poor, the hurting, the hungry, the imprisoned, and the alienated, then we do not really love the God whose image they bear. That kind of love-less worship is religion of the deadest kind. Bottom line: The way we deal with people in distress is an accurate measure of our relationship with God. When we have truly experienced his grace and love personally, we will show it by passing it on to others.

Our Privilege and Calling – When God reconciles us to himself out of love, he sends us to be his ambassadors of reconciliation (58:9b-12) -- You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls; Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

     As I say to you often: When God’s reconciling work is complete, i.e., when all things are reconciled to God (cf., Col 1:19-22), then all things will be made right. When God created the world, it was a beautifully connected fabric of healthy relationships. Our relationship to God is the central thing. That relationship affects our relationship to ourselves and to other people. And then, those relationships affect how we relate to the rest of the created world – to our environment. Like a carefully knit fabric, our world is only beautiful and useful if the fabric holds together.   God’s creation was once a connected and interdependent fabric with each part affecting the whole.

     When the people rebelled against God, the fabric of this created world began to unravel. We feel the affects of sin every day of our lives. No part of this world is all it should be. But God has promised he will make things right. This is the “something bigger” that God is doing.

     Out of love for us, Jesus came into this world to make us right with God. Now, we who follow Jesus are called to do what Jesus did, i.e., look for places where the fabric of our world is broken and use whatever God gives us to repair the damage.

     To use God’s language in Is 58:12, we are to use whatever God has given us to “repair broken walls” and to “restore” what has become marred by sin. We cannot do everything but we look for opportunities of furthering God’s kingdom in the place God has located us. We are to live each day with God’s perspective on the world. The love of Christ that is wide and long and high and deep we experience personally is a love that must flow through us to others.  We who know God’s love are sent by God to engage in ministries of compassion and reconciliation until God’s justice reigns.  

     And let me tell you: When the love you experience from God flows out through you and you bring help and hope to others, it’s good. It’s really good! You will sense deep down inside: “This is how God wants me to live. This is how God made us to live. I don’t live when I live for myself.” How did Paul put it? “I have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live – but not I. Christ lives in me! The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal 2:20).”

     I think God says something similar. He says that when we live with the love of God flowing through us:

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear.

You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail...
You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

                                                                        Isaiah 58:7, 11a-12

      

大使命的一部分：与神和好的使者

以赛亚书58：1-12

            上周主日的整篇信息都在提醒大家，我们在基督里的信仰永远是以神对你的爱为开始的，而不是以你对神的爱为开始。“我们爱，因为祂先爱了我们（约一4：19）”。你在信仰中对神藉着耶稣所赐予的恩典、怜悯和爱的回应，永远是你与神同行的开始。正因如此，使徒保罗在罗马书和以弗所书中呼召人们爱神、爱人之前，热切地为我们祷告，使我们有能力明白和认识到，基督对我们的爱是多么的“长阔高深”(弗：17-19)。

            今天，你会看到，当你真正经历到神对你的爱时，这个经历会流出爱神的生命，这爱必定要向那些有着神形象的人们彰显出来。因此，耶稣给我们的大使命是：“你要尽心、尽性、尽意，爱主你的神。其次也相仿，就是要爱人如己” (马太福音22：37)。

            耶稣的意思是，因着我们周围的人们带着我们所爱的神的形象，我们就一定要爱他们。没有人能够像使徒约翰在约翰一书中所表达的那样清晰：我们爱，因为神先爱我们。人若说，我爱神，却恨他的弟兄，就是说谎话的。不爱他所看见的弟兄，就不能爱没有看见的神。爱神的，也当爱弟兄。（约一4：19-21）。”

            在圣经的时代，包括旧约和新约时代，都有一些说自己爱神和敬拜神、但是却不爱人的人们。你可以在雅各书、以弗所书和约翰一书中读到这样的经文。今天，我们会看到，神在以赛亚书58章中也说到了同样问题。我盼望我们能够在神的话语中认清这个问题，并且做出回应。

问题所在：人们觉得自己是在敬拜神，神却说他们在背叛神（58：1-5）.

”你要大声喊叫，向我百姓说明他们的过犯……他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道，好像行义的国民，不离弃他们神的典章，向我求问公义的判语……他们说，我们禁食，你为何不看见呢？“

            首先，第一节和后面的经文之间似乎有些矛盾。在第二节中，神说，祂要对那些“寻求祂”的人们说话。对于人们整个的敬拜生活来说，这个短句是一个希伯来文的特别用语。对于以赛亚时代的人们来说，”寻求神”包括了去会堂敬拜、祷告、诵读经文，和遵守属灵规条，比如禁食。所以，在这个句子中，神在对那些我们今天称为虔诚信徒的人们讲话，而不是那些不敬虔的人。请留意，在第2 节中，神说，祂要对那些“日复一日”从事宗教活动的人们说话。

            然而令人吃惊的是，这些显然是“敬虔”的人们，正是神在第一节中所说的犯罪和反叛的人们！这很严重。人们对此已经麻木了，所以神晓谕祂的仆人以赛亚，让他吹角、大声宣告，因为他们的罪在神来看很严重！因此，我们必须要问：为什么神不责备那些从不敬拜的人们、和那些涌至以色列边境的寄居者？(在以赛亚的时代经常发生)。为什么神不让以赛亚对那些忽略祂的人们讲道？为什么祂对那些敬拜祂的人们使用如此强烈的字眼？

            然而请留意，这些去教会的人们对神也很失望。有趣的是，在第2 节中，他们认为神是不公平的。他们为什么会这样想呢？这是因为他们坚持去敬拜，甚至努力做有道德的人，但是神却没有将他们想要的赐予他们。请看第3节：我们刻苦己心，你为何不理会呢？

            神说，敬拜神有一个关键，然而在他们的敬拜中，却缺失了这个要点。是的，他们唱诗敬拜，聆听讲道，甚至花时间禁食。但是神说，他们的生命所显明出来的“宗教”是不真实的。神的意思是，当我们亲身经历、认识祂之后，我们就会用祂的眼光去看世界，我们会以祂的眼光去看人，我们会像祂那样爱人。然而会堂里的那些人不是这样的！所以他们好像爱神，但是却不爱有着神形象的人。

重要的真理：爱神就必须进入与神和好的爱的事工（赛58:5-7,9b-10a）

“松开凶恶的绳，解下轭上的索，使被欺压的得自由，折断一切的轭……要把你的饼，分给饥饿的人。将漂流的穷人，接到你家中。见赤身的，给他衣服遮体……”

在我们的事工守则中说，我们要向神祷告，使我们越来越多地成为一个“与神和好的团体”，并且我们这样定义：“我们追求神的公平、怜悯和同情，并且参与祂与人和好的事工。”

            这就回到了我在这个讲道系列中的第一篇讲道。让我提醒大家一下：“公平”的意思就是神应许要让祂一切的创造都重新与祂有正确的关系。所有的邪恶都会被审判和惩罚。所有罪的结果都会被修复和医治。神会修复祂在世上所创造和所爱的那些偏离祂的一切，也让我们参与这个修复的使命，我们所说的“和好”，指的是将一切引向和平、以及修复一切破碎的事工。一方面，我们呼召人们，藉着相信救主耶稣，与神和好，因此，刘杰夫牧师和我在几周前说到，我们要成为一个“宣教的团体”。这一周，我们要带着爱基督的心，走出去，在一个被无数的罪所摧残的世界里，参与一个更大的与神和好的事工。

这在罪所带给我们各样痛苦中，实实在在彰显了神的爱，而以当时以赛亚书中的人们并不曾犯这样的罪。神告诉以赛亚，要去呼召那些做与神和好的工作的群体，请看在6-7节中所列出的事项：

• 帮助那些被囚的人得自由----“解下罪的捆绑”（6节），从监狱里、毒瘾中或从非法交易中释放他们。我想，在我们周围，也有很多被各样“罪恶捆绑”的人。我希望我们能按照很久以前神所吩咐他们去做的那样，使被欺压的得自由，并且折断一切的锁链。
• 与饥饿的人分享食物 - “把你的饼分给饥饿的人（v.7a）” - 很显然，在以赛亚的时代，有许多按神的形象所造的人没有食物吃，而那些敬拜神的人则有丰富的食物。神说，睁开眼睛看看这样的现实，并且学会与人分享你所拥有的。我想，祂也一定会同样告诉我们。
• 让人们摆脱无家可归 - “为穷苦的流浪者提供庇护所（v.7b）” - 这对于以色列的寄居者来说尤其实在，在我们的周围也是如此。以色列的社会制度以家庭为单位，但是寄居者、孤儿和寡妇这三种人却没有家庭。他们往往不是以色列人，但他们是人，是按照神的形象所造的人，神曾说，凡属祂的人都要去爱和帮助他们。当我们思索到世上许多错误事情的时候，当知道无家可归和孤苦无助是不好的，尤其是对儿童来说。
• 为缺乏的人提供衣物：“见赤身的，给他衣服遮体，（
• 要关心你家庭的需要 - “顾恤自己的骨肉而不掩藏”(7d)。我们应当以实际的方式来显明爱心，满足所有人的需要。然而，圣经说到了我们必须要照顾到家庭的特殊责任。正如保罗在提摩太前书5：8所说的：“若有任何人不看顾亲属、尤其是不看顾自己的家庭，他就是背离了真道，比不信的人还糟糕。今天在座的人中，可能有人就是这样的。

我想，神给湖边大道教会开出的清单，一定和祂给以赛亚的清单相似。祂可能会加

上：“引导那些在家庭中无人支持的孩童，支持和接纳那些从监狱中释放的人们，护庇那些受虐待的……”。这个清单是没有尽头的，然而我也确定，从神的话语中，你可以看到，神如何呼召我们，奉基督的名，向世人显明祂的关心和慈爱。

    总之，以赛亚书第58章(和马太福音25章)教导我们，如果我们不爱那些贫穷的、受伤的、饥饿的、被囚的和疏离的，那么，我们就不爱神，因为那些人有着祂的形象。这种没有爱的敬拜，就是最没有生命的宗教。底线：我们与苦难之中的人们之间的关系，准确衡量了我们与神之间关系。当我们真正亲身经历到祂的恩典和慈爱时，我们就会将这爱传递给他人。

     

我们的权柄和呼召：当神因着祂的慈爱，而与我们和好的时候，祂就差遣我们做祂与人和好的使者(58：9b-12)----你必称为补破口的，和重修路径与人居住的。

      我常常说：“当神与人和好的工作完成的时候，也就是万物都与神和好的时候（林1：19-22），所有的事情都将和神心意。神创造世界时，一切都由健康的关系编织而成为美好的整体，我们与神的关系是一切的中心。这个关系会影响到我们与自己以及与他人之间的关系。然后，这些关系会影响到我们与整个世界的关系，比如我们与环境的关系。我们的世界就像一匹精心织成的布，只有成为一个整体，才会美丽和有益处。神的创造曾经是互相连结、依靠、彼此影响的。

      当人们反叛神的时候，祂所创造的整体就开始破碎。我们每天都会感觉到罪对我们生命的影响。这个世界没有一个部分是原本应有的样子，然而神应许说，祂要让一切都恢复正确。这就是神所说的“大使命”。

      因着爱我们，耶稣来到世上，为要使我们与神和好。现在，耶稣呼召我们这些跟随祂的人效法祂所做的，让我们要在世上寻找断裂之处，用神所给我们的恩赐来修复那毁坏之处。

    用以赛亚书58：12中的话来说，我们要用神所给我们的一切能力来“修复破损的破口”，和“复兴”被罪损坏的一切。我们无法做所有的事情，但是我们可以在神将我们所安置的地方寻找机会，扩展祂的国度。我们亲身经历的基督长阔高深的爱，必定要通过我们流到他人。我们这些认识神慈爱的人们，是被神所差遣的，为要参与神与人和好的事工，直到神的公义执掌王权。

      让我告诉你，当你在神里面所经历的爱通过你流出、使你为别人带来帮助和希望的时候，那实在是美善的。你在内心深处会感到：“神就是希望我这样生活。这也正是神创造我们时对我们的期盼。如果仅仅为自己而活，我们就不算真正活着。”保罗是怎样说的？我已经与基督同钉十字架，现在活着的，不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活着。并且我如今在肉身活着，是因信神的儿子而活，他是爱我，为我舍己。（加拉太2：20）

      我想，神也说过类似的话。祂说，当我们的生命中有神的爱流过时，

你的光就必发现如早晨的光。你所得的医治，要速速发明……

你必像浇灌的园子，又像水流不绝的泉源。

你必称为补破口的，和重修路径与人居住的。

以赛亚书58：8,11a-12

荣耀归给神，

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧师

 

祂的荣耀，

格雷格Waybright博士
主任牧師

Greg Waybright • Copyright 2015, Lake Avenue Church