Jesus Calls Us to a New Life

Study Notes

Jesus Calls us to New Life - Week 3 - Study Notes

 

Jesus calls us to new life

Mark 8:34-38

On this third Advent week, that we call “angels and shepherds week”, I have been thinking about a man who had to believe God without having an angelic visitor.  His fiancé, Mary, had an angel visit her to prepare her for the fact that she was going to be pregnant without ever having had relations with a man.  But, when Joseph first heard about Mary’s pregnancy, he had not yet received a visit from an angel.  At first, all he had was Mary’s word.  In his book, Christmas Joy, Mel Lawrenz helps us imagine what that meeting might have been like when Mary told Joseph the big news:

What was that first conversation like?  No, she hadn’t slept with another man.  Yes, she was pregnant.  And yes, a spiritual being had told her she would conceive by a unique act of God.  And, as if that were not enough – the child in her would be the Savior of the world.

     Would you have believed her?  Most of us would probably say no.  But, what if this young woman saying such things had always told you the truth?  Then what? Envision a person you know well telling you something that seems unbelievable. You would have to ask if that person is trustworthy.  If she is a truthful person, then you might have to re-think your preconceptions about what is believable and what is not.  She’s either 1) lying to you (which, from your experience with her, is unlikely) or 2) she is a lunatic (and she may seem to be completely sane) or she is telling the truth!

     That brings us today to the promise in the Bible that God will eventually make all things right.  God will reconcile all things in creation to himself in Jesus Christ (Col. 1:19-23).  The claim that Jesus makes personally in today’s text is related to that divine promise to make all things right – and Jesus’ words are extraordinary.  Jesus claims that he and he alone is the person who can give eternal life – and that’s to to anyone.  He says in v.38 that the future destiny of all the people in the world depends on how we respond to him.  As we know, millions and millions of people have responded in faith to Jesus’ call over the centuries. 

     How did Jesus go about getting a hearing for this message?  Why have so many people (including your pastor) come to the conclusion that he is to be believed when he makes such claims?  How should we respond to Jesus’ call in our day?  And how should our own witness to the world be shaped by the example of Jesus?  I want to think about those questions today.

Question #1:  How did Jesus go about his work?

     I have often reflected on the fact that Jesus waited a long time in his ministry before he called people to follow him in the clear way he does in Mark 8:34-38.  The way the story is told in Mark is that for almost 8 chapters, Jesus makes his identity known.  He shows that he has the power to do anything in the world, to do what only God can do.  There is nothing – no evil powers, no natural disasters, no disease, and not even death -- that falls outside Jesus’ power and authority. 

     And, in addition to his power, Jesus demonstrated to the world his goodness and love for all people.  He offered hope to all who came to him in faith.  Jesus’ life is so beautiful that when people read about the way Jesus entered into the lives of people – especially hurting people or marginalized people – they are almost always drawn to him.  This fact has struck me in a new way in recent years since I’ve had grandchildren and I watch how they react when I read the stories about Jesus to them.  They love him.  (And I do too!)

     So, Jesus took a lot of time to demonstrate that 1) he has the strength to do anything and 2) he is good and is willing to use his strength to bless the lives of people who trust him.  Jesus is exactly what David said God is in Psalm 62:11-12: 

One thing God has spoken; two have I heard:

That you, O God, are strong, and that to you, O Lord, are good.

     What Jesus did was first to enter into the world and who what he is like.  By doing so, he established the kind of credibility that evoked trust.  Then, with that trust established, he called people to follow him and thereby to have their lives transformed by him.  In today’s text, Mark 8:34-38, Jesus made huge claims, claims that forced hearers to ask, “Is this man a liar?  He doesn’t seem like it.  Is he crazy?  No, he isn’t that either.  Then, many eventually said we should we trust him when he calls us to follow him in faith?  And, as we know, many eventually did – and many more have done so over the past two millennia.  How did Jesus do his work?  He entered into lives and proved himself to be trustworthy.  Then, one day, he called all people to trust him by surrendering their lives to them.  If you had been one of them, would you have trusted Jesus?   

#2:  How should this affect you?

     It’s very clear in the Bible that the same call that Jesus made to people that day reported in Mark 8:34-38 is be passed on through those who believe in him to all people in our world.  We who experience him by faith are to be his witnesses.  And our message still is:  “Anyone who follows Jesus by faith will find life…” So, life begins when you and I respond to the call of Jesus in the same way the people he spoke to that day in Galilee were called to respond.  Your personal response starts when you acknowledge candidly that the problem with our broken world is not simply that something out in the world is broken.  No, there is something in your own life that is broken too.  You need to be forgiven of past sins, healed of what is broken in your life and restored in your relationship to God.  Do you accept that?

     One of the greatest text about reconciliation in the Bible – based on what Jesus claims in Mark 8 -- is found in Colossians 1:19-23.  We find the Bible’s analysis of our condition in v. 21:  You were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.  Ooh – that’s exactly what we don’t want to talk about in our day.  This is the very problem we don’t want to identify and own up to.  But honest people know the Bible is telling the truth here.  Jesus loves you and came into this world to rescue you from your own sins.  When Joseph finally did get a visit from an angel, he received this directive, “Joseph, you are to call the boy Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins (Mt 1:21).”

       Christmas is all about God’s solution to the real problems that we human beings have. For you to live – really live – you must have God at the center your life.  Life begins when you are reconciled to God.  In that same powerful text in Colossians, God’s Word says, “God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13-14). 

       And, this need of rescue and forgiveness and reconciliation is true of anyone.  As I think of the Christmas stories, Ebenezer Scrooge needed it – but so did Bob Cratchet.  The Grinch needed it but so did Mary Lou Who. And, your reconciliation begins when you acknowledge your problem and own it – saying, “It’s true of me.  I need to be forgiven of my sins and reconciled to God.”

     That brings us to the specific call that Jesus made.  Jesus doesn’t forgive us from sin and send us back into a life of sinning.  No, he calls us to have a new life in him. As Paul put it in Romans 1:5 & 16:26: Faith in Jesus leads to obedience.  Notice the directives Jesus gave when he called you to entrust your life to him:

1. Deny yourself – As I sought to make clear last week, deny yourself means no longer to put those things that you think you simply must have at the center of your life.  He calls you to surrender what you might crave deep inside to seek whatever God wants. If those things that you once thought you simply have to have are taken away, then Jesus promises you will still have life when you trust him.  Personally, I find this is a daily activity.  Sometimes it feels like a death to what I usually want to dream of.  Indeed, that’s what it is – a death to self.  But, as John Calvin wrote, “The human heart is an idol factory.”  Every day, we humans wake up longing to put something first in our lives other than God.  So, let me ask you right now:  What competes with Jesus in your heart for first place?  What would be the hardest thing to surrender to him if he called for it?
2. Take up a cross – Do you remember that when Jesus went to the die for our sins on a cross, he had to carry his cross through the crowds who misunderstood him and who scorned him?  A man who carries a cross does not seem to be heading toward life – but toward death.  But, as you know, it was in his death that Jesus fulfilled his Father’s calling life.  When you follow Jesus, you too may make decisions that, to a watching world, seem to be anything but life-giving. But Jesus says here that when you follow him, you may pass up a lot of things that our consumerist world cannot fathom a person giving up.  But, Jesus promises, you will find life.  Do you believe him?  Do you believe that Jesus is trustworthy when he makes such a promise?
3. Follow Jesus– This is the phrase that Jesus used when he called people to faith, "Follow me."  This particular call in Mk 8:35 came just after Jesus said that the destination of his own journey would be death.  You shouldn’t be surprised to discover that those closest to him were shocked by this.  In my home, I’ve sometimes shouted out, “I’m headed out. Anyone want to go with me?”  Almost always, the family has yelled back, “Maybe.  Where are you going?”  What would they say if I answered, “I’m probably going to be killed and if you go, the same might happen to you.  But, it’s OK.  Death won’t be the end.  Trust me on this.  Want to come?”  They might go because they love their Dad.  But, they would think about it carefully.

    Last week, I posed a question on social media and asked for response.  Here was the question:  What stops us from surrendering the broken areas of our life to Jesus?  Let me show you a few of the rather profound responses that were given:

• Fear of the unknown.  We know our own brokenness and have adapted to it.
• Fear that we will be judged and condemned for the exposure.  And the point was that, even though the church is meant to be a people among whom we can share brokenness and find grace, it often is not. 
• Embarrassment, shame, guilt.  Fear of what people will think of us.
• Fear of failure again.
• The fact that the “enemy” does not want us to expose our sin.  He knows that the first step in healing is that things in our lives come out into the light.

     I am going to pause for a moment right now to give you a chance to make a new commitment to Jesus.  Is there anything you are finding it hard to surrender to him?  Maybe it’s a sexual practice or relationship that is so engrained in you that you cannot imagine life without it.  It could be anything.  It’s often a sin that you’ve grown callous about its seriousness.  Maybe it’s something good that has become what I called last week an “epithumia” – an over-desire.  Something good that you have made into an idol.  Jesus says, “Deny yourself, take up a cross and follow me wherever I lead you.  I promise you, you will find life.”  Do you believe him?  Do you believe Jesus is believable?  Will you trust him?

Question #3:  How should we go about our callings to be Jesus’ ambassadors of reconciliation?

     Do you think we might learn something from Jesus’ approach as we seek to be his ambassadors of reconciliation in this world?  We’ve looked at two steps so far this Advent season:

First -- enter in.  When you see brokenness, first enter in to the lives of people with respect and with a longing for their lives to be better.  That’s what Jesus did.  He entered into people’s lives, loved and respected people and established trust.  It seems to me that there will be no reconciliation of any of our broken relationships without doing this. 

     And, make note of this:  This is not what we see modeled in our world today.  Whether it’s in the media or in online discussions, people do not listen – except to those we already agree with.  We do not find many people speaking to one another – but only at one another.  What happens is that the divisions become ever more deeply entrenched.  Anger and hatred proliferate.

     When I was a young pastor, I would have a husband or wife come and talk with me about marriage problems.  When I would hear the husband describing the problem, I would be convinced of how problematic his wife was.  It all was crystal clear.  It all made so much sense.  Then, when the wife would come in, it was like a wholly different world was opened up to me.  It wasn’t always that the husband had tried to deceive me.  It was just that my information and perspectives were limited.   When we enter in and listen to what people have experienced, then we begin to see a little bit more like the only One who has ever had a complete perspective on human struggle, i.e., Jesus, sees.

     I’ve been trying to apply this to my own calling to be your pastor in our country that is so divided in responses to the shooting of unarmed black men like Eric Garner in New York, Michael Brown in Ferguson and 12 Year old Tamir Rice in Cleveland.   I decided I couldn’t preach this sermon without calling some pastor friends of color in our city and around the country – and asking them to help me understand more than I understand.  Should I tell you some of what I heard?  (I won’t use names.)

#1: Fallenness -- That things are messed up in our world.  The kingdoms that war against the kingdom of God are alive and ready to battle the Church of Jesus Christ.  We all agreed that it’s wrong for unarmed black people to be killed all across our country and often, it seems, for the matter not even to be able to get to trial.  And, we agreed on the flip side that it’s wrong for protestors to rob and destroy their own neighborhoods simply for their own gain in the name of justice.  Sin is so messy.  And, my brothers said they are praying that the churches committed to Jesus in local neighborhoods will prove to be the places where we can come together and one person will say, “This is what I think and what I’ve experienced” – and be heard.  And another will say, “But what about this.  My convictions are different.”  And she’ll be heard too.  And we’ll seek Scripture together and find reconciliation and perspective that we can carry to the world.

#2: Vicarious trauma -- They tried to help me understand something one pastor called “vicarious trauma”.  By that, they meant that, when the stories come out as they have about shooting in our country, that all the pastors had experienced something like that in their families, their churches and often in their own lives.  One pastor, who had been one of the best students at the seminary I once served, drove off campus on his last day in school and, with an MDiv in his hand, was pulled aside, held at gunpoint until two other squad cars arrived, and then cuffed and taken to jail all because of a perceived registration violation with his car.  He said, “Doc, when I heard of the young men who were accused and dealt with forcefully with in our country, all those feelings of that experience rose up within me.  I felt what I knew they must have felt.  And this has gone on a long time.  So, I’ve asked myself, “Do I who have never experienced that believe my brothers?  Can I truly “mourn with those who mourn (Rom 12:15) and look to “their interests and concerns as greater than my own (Phil 2:3-4)???  I know this is what the Bible commands me to do.

#3:  Empathy -- I asked them what they would want an old white pastor like me to say to the church people I love.  They said, “It would be beautiful if there would be more empathy and compassion coming from our non-black brothers and sisters in Christ.  We think our only hope in our world is the church of Jesus Christ.  We’ve all humbled ourselves before the same Lord.  We would love to have more or our brothers and sisters engage with us so that we can walk together toward righteousness and justice.  We feel that if that would happen more, the world would see the reconciling power of God through the love and unity of his people.”

     I think that I need to do more of that kind of “entering in” to the various kinds of brokenness of families, ad friendships and work relationships.  This is where Jesus always started.  So should we.

Second – call to. You must find the right time and the courage to call people to make Jesus the Lord of their lives.  When we truly know people’s needs and love people, we will know that the time will come for us as it came for Jesus.  When it does, we will need not only to enter in and build trust but also to call people to make Jesus the Lord of their lives.  Some will have to be called to change the way they do business.  Some will have to make a commitment to get off their addictions to drugs or to gambling.  Some will have to surrender their sexual preferences and practices to the Lord.  In Jesus’ dealing with people, he constantly came to a time in which he had to say, “If you will live, you must deny yourself, take up a cross and follow me.  I do not condemn you, but if you will truly live, you must go and sin no more.”  I urge you to pray that God will give you the wisdom, the love for people, the humility, and the courage to do the same.

     And now, very personally, I ask you:  Are you a follower of Jesus?  If you want to be a follower of Jesus, you dare not minimize the cost that decision may bring with it. Following Jesus is not safe for your comfort zones.  In the light of Jesus’ call to follow him anywhere, any rational person would have to ask, “Why would any person commit himself to such a call?” There is so much in terms of what most people in our world value that might be lost if you become a fully committed Jesus-follower.  Jesus never pretended otherwise. But there is everything to gain -- everything that really matters.  Whoever holds onto his “life” will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it (v. 35). 

     This is a paradox, of course.  And yet, isn't it true? Life isn't worth living unless you have something worth living for.  And, ironically, you can't be sure you've found something worth living for, until you have something worth dying for.  And in Jesus you will meet Someone worth living and dying for.

 

To His glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor

Greg Waybright • Copyright 2014, Lake Avenue Church

Chinese Translation

Jesus Calls us to New Life - Week 3 - Study Notes - Chinese Translation

神與罪人和好                                                                                   耶穌進入呼召我們跟隨（降臨節第三週）
馬可8：34-38

        在降临节第三周，"天使牧人周"，我思想一个人，他要在没有天使来访的情况下相信神。他是玛利亚的未婚夫约瑟。玛利亚有天使看望她，预备她接受怀孕生子，却全然不是通过和男人的关系产生的事实。但是，当约瑟最先听说玛利亚怀孕的时候，他还没有接受天使的来访。开始，他所知道的都是从玛利亚的话中得知。在Mel Lawrenz的写的《圣诞喜乐》这本书中，他帮助我们来想像玛利亚告诉约瑟这一天大消息的时候他们见面的场景。
        第一句对话是怎样的？不，她不会和另一个男人有性的关系。是的，她怀孕了。而且是由灵来告诉她的，她的受孕乃是从神的作为而来。还不止如此，这个孩子要成为世界的救主。
        你可以相信她吗？我们当中的大部分人恐怕都不能。但是如果这个年轻的女子她都是说真话的？那又会怎样？想像一個你瞭如指掌的人告訴你聽來難以相信的事。你一定会问那个人是否可靠。如果她是可信的，你可能要三思你对什么是可信什么不可信存在的偏见。她不是1）对你撒谎（就你认识她的经历，不太可能）就是2）她是疯子，不然她说的就是真话！
        这带我们到今天的信息，圣经中的应许，神最终将会拨乱反正。将叫创造的万物在基督里与神和好（歌罗西书1：19－23）在今天的经文中耶稣个人性的宣称与祂神圣的应许有关，万物都将归正－这对每个人都有关。祂在38节中说，世界将来的结局是世界所有的人对祂的回应。

問題1：耶穌怎樣進行歸正的工作？
耶穌用了很長的時間來證明這點1），祂有力量成就萬事2）祂是慈爱而且乐意用祂的能力祝福世界上信靠祂的人。耶稣是大卫在诗篇62：11－12节中所写的：
神说了一次，两次，我都听见，就是能力都属乎神。主呀，慈爱也是属乎你。"
        耶稣所做的是首先进入世界。这样做是首先建立祂的可信度，叫人可以信靠。建立了信靠，他呼召人民来跟随他，生命才得以改变。看今天的经文，马可 8：34－38，耶稣的宣称大到叫人不得不竖起耳朵来听："这人是个骗子吗？他看起来不象。他是个疯子吗？不对，也不是。然后，许多人渐渐说，我们是应该要相信他，他呼召我们的时候来跟随他。我们都知道，得确后来很多人跟随他。在过去的两千年中更多的人来跟随他。耶稣是怎样行的？他进入人的生命，证明祂的信实。然后，有一天他呼召所有的人来跟随，将他们的生命降服给祂。如果你是其中的一位，你信靠耶稣吗？

＃耶穌的進入如何影響我們
圣经清楚告诉，马可8：34－38节中耶稣呼召相信他的人，同样的呼召要传给世界各民族相信祂的人。我们在信心中经历祂他的人要成为他的见证。我们的信息还是："凡在信心中跟随耶稣必得着生命。。。"生命从你我回应耶稣的呼召开始，和当时耶稣在加利利传讲呼召人们来回应是一样的。你个人的回应从你坦率地承认破碎世界的问题不只是外在世界的东西的破碎，而是你个人生活也是一样的破碎。你需要从以往的过犯中得赦免，你破碎的生活要得医治，恢复与神的关系。你可以接受吗？
        圣经中一个有关和好的伟大经节之一，在歌罗西书1：19－23－根据马可8章耶稣的宣称。找到圣经21节分析我们的境况：你们从前与神隔绝，因着恶行，心里与他为敌。"阿，這正是我們當今不想涉及的話題。正是癥結所在，我們不想承認。但诚实的人明白圣经这里所讲是真理。耶稣爱你，来到世上为要将你从罪中拯救出来。约瑟后来直接接受天使的来访，他亲身领受，"约瑟，你要给他起名叫耶稣，因他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来。（马太1：21）
        圣诞节的全部意义都在于神对人类面对的实际问题的解决办法。你要生活－真正的生活－你必须将神放在你生命的中心。生命从你和神和好开始。在歌罗西书同一节强有力的圣经经节中，神的话说，"他救了我们脱离黑暗的权势，把我们迁到他爱子的国里。我们在爱子里得蒙救赎，罪过得以赦免。"（歌羅西書1：13-14）
        人需要被拯救，赦免，以及和好对每个人都是真实的。和好起于你认识到自己的问题并且承认－說“在我這是真實的境況。我的罪需要得赦免，與神和好。
        这就说到耶稣具体的呼召。耶稣不是救了我们，再把我们送回犯罪的老路上去。不是的，他呼召我们在他里面有一个新的生活。保罗在罗马书1：5和16:26節中說：在耶穌裡面的信心帶來順服，注意你將生命信靠耶穌的時候他的命令：
        1）放下自己－上个星期我竭力要阐明这一点，放下自己指的是你不再将那些你以为非要不可的东西，放在神的中心位置上。他呼召你降服可能是你内心深处渴望的东西，而寻求神到底要什么。如果这些你曾经是非要不可的东西被取走，耶稣的许诺是只要你信靠他，你还有生命。对我个人来说，这生命在每天的事务中获取。有时候觉得对着我梦想的东西死去，的确就是－对自己死。但是约翰加尔文写到，"人类的心是偶像的工厂。"每天，我们人类张开眼就渴想将生命中的某件东西放在首位，而不是神居首位。所以我现在问你：是什么东西在你生命中与神争夺首位。如果他呼召你来降服他，什么是最困难的事？
        2）背起十字架 - 你是否记得当耶稣为我们的罪背起十字架去接受死亡的时候，他必须背着他的十字架穿过那些误解并嘲笑他的人群？一个背着十字架的人看起来并不是走向生命 - 而是走向死亡。但是，正如你知道的，正是在死亡中，耶稣完成了父神对他生命的呼召。当你跟随耶稣，你也许也会做出决定，对周围的世界来说，那看起来不是一个给予生命的决定。但是耶稣在这里说，当你跟随他，你也许会拒绝很多在消费主义的世界看来无法想象一个人会放弃的东西。但是，耶稣应许说你会找到生命。你相信他吗？你相信当他做这个应许的时候，他是值得信靠的吗？
        3）跟隨耶穌 - 这是耶稣呼召人们信靠的时候所使用的短语，“跟随我”。这个在马太福音8章35节的特殊呼召就出现在耶稣说他生命的目的地正是死亡之后。当你发现他身边最亲近他的人听到他这么说很震惊的时候，你应该不会惊讶。在我的家里，我有时候会叫道，“我要出门了。有谁想和我一起去吗？”幾乎每一次家人都會叫著回答，“也許，你去哪裡呢？”如果我这样回答，他们会说什么呢：“我也许会被杀，如果你去的话，同样的事情也许也会发生在你身上。但是，这没有关系。死亡并不是终结。请信任我。想和我一起去吗？”他们也许会一起去，因为他们爱他们的爸爸。但是，他们也会仔细的思考一下。
        上一星期，我在社会媒体上提出一个问题，请大家回答。这个问题就是：是什么阻止我们将我们生命中破碎的地方交托给耶稣？请让我向大家介绍几个普遍的回答：
•害怕未知的領域。我們了解自己破碎的地方並且已經適應它了。
•害怕我们因为暴露这个问题而受到谴责甚或审判。关键点是，尽管教会应该是一个人们分享破碎并找到恩典的地方，但教会经常不是。
•感覺尷尬，恥辱以及內疚。害怕人們對我們產生想法。
•害怕再次失敗。
•事实是“敌人”并不希望我们暴露我们的罪。他知道得到医治的第一步就是我们生命中的一些东西得以显露出来。
        我现在想要停下来给大家一个机会向耶稣做出新的承诺。你生命中有没有任何东西觉得很难向神承认的？也许某种性生活或者关系在你生命中是如此根深蒂固，以致于你无法想法想象如果缺少它会是什么样子。那可能会是任何东西。它经常会是一种根深蒂固的罪，使你变的麻木而认识不到它的严重性。那也许也会是一个好的东西，像我上周称为“强烈欲望”的东西—一种过度的欲望。一些好到让你把它变成偶像的东西。耶稣说，“否定你自己，拿起十字架，跟随我，去任何我带你去的地方。我向你保证，你会发现生命。”你相信他嗎？你相信耶穌是可信任的嗎？你會信任他嗎？

問題3：我們如何回應耶穌的呼召，成為他恢復關係的大使呢？
        你认为当我们努力成为耶稣在这个世界中恢复关系的大使时，我们可以从耶稣的方式中学习到什么呢？我们在这个基督降临节期已经看了两个步骤：
第一 - 进入。当你看到破碎的关系，首先以尊重与渴慕他们的生命变好的态度进入他们的生命。这就是耶稣所做的。他进入人们的生命，爱他们，尊重他们并建立信任。在我看起来，不这么做的话，我们任何破碎的关系都不可能得到恢复。
        请注意：这并不是我们在世界上看到的模式。无论是在媒体中，或是在网络上的讨论，人们都不注意倾听—除非是那些我们已经同意的信息。我们发现很多人并没有真正的彼此沟通 - 而只是在互相指责。事实是这种分裂会越来越根深蒂固。愤怒甚至仇恨都会蔓延。
        我年轻的时候做牧师，总有丈夫和太太来和我谈婚姻的问题。我听丈夫一方跟我谈话的时候，我都会被说服相信太太有很大的问题，而且觉得再清楚不过了。等他太太跟我谈的时候，整个就是一个不同的世界向我打开。这也不是说做丈夫的要骗我，而是我得到的信息和视角有限。当我们进入倾听人们经历的时候，开始有点耶稣的眼光，唯有耶稣对人类的挣扎具备全然的视角。
        我试图运用在我牧会的当中。我们的国家因为黑人被枪杀的事件而产生的分争。我决定给一些黑人弟兄牧师打电话，听取他们的声音后再来讲今天的这篇道，要不要告诉你们一些我听到的声音？我不提他们的名字。
＃1：墮落 - 我們的世界已經一團糟世界的國抵擋神的國度，蠢蠢欲動預備好要和耶穌基督的教會進行一場爭戰。全國各地發生槍殺手無寸鐵的黑人且無法被指控的事件，我們都認為這是錯誤的。而另一方面我們認為，抗議者們以正義的名義為了一己私利而搶劫和破壞社區也是錯誤的。罪惡已經一發不可收拾。我的弟兄們說他們正在為地方社區委身耶穌的教會禱告，希望在那裡人們可以走到一起而且當有人站出來說“這是我所想的和我所經歷的”時 - 會有人聆聽。另一個人會說，“這一點你們怎麼看？我不相信這一點。”這個時候，人們也會傾聽她的解釋。然後我一起尋求聖經的話語、達成和解，和展望，帶給這個世界。
＃2：替代性創傷 - 他們試圖幫助我了解被一位牧師稱為“替代性創傷”的東西。意思是，當這樣的槍擊事件在我們的國家發生后，那裡的所有牧師，他們的家人或者教會，甚至經常在他們自己的生活中都曾經歷過類似的事情。在我曾經事奉的神學院，有一位牧師，他是最好的學生之一，在離校的那天他開車離開校園，手中拿著他的道學碩士學位，被警察強制停車，用槍口指著直到另外兩輛巡邏車趕到，然後被銬住送往監獄，僅僅是因為警察們認為他的車有違法註冊的可能。他說，“老師，當我聽到在我們的國家，那個年輕人遭遇到那樣的指控和那般的武力對待時，我當年的那番經歷全都湧上了心頭，我感覺他們一定感同身受望當年的經歷。雖然這已經是很久以前的事了。於是我問自己：“如果我不曾親身經歷過，我會相信我弟兄所說的話嗎？我能真正做到“與哀哭的人同哭”（羅馬書12:15），並看“別人的利益和事比自己強”（腓2：3-4）嗎？我知道這是聖經命令我去做的。
＃3：同理心 - 我問他們，對於我的教會中我所愛的會眾們，有什麼是他們希望我這樣一位老齡的白人牧師能說的。他們說，“如果從我們主內的非黑人弟兄和姐妹們這裡能夠得到更多的理解和同情的話，這將是非常美好的。我們在同一位主面前謙卑我們自己，我們希望有更多的弟兄姐妹們與我們一起，向著正義和公平同行。如果這漸進成為可能的話，這個世界將會透過神子民的愛和合一看到神和解的大能。”
     我認為我需要做更多“進入”的工作，進入到各種破碎的家庭、友情和關係中去。耶穌一直以來就是這樣做的，所以我們也應該如此行。

第二 - 呼召。你必須找到合適的時間和勇氣去呼召人們接受耶穌成為他們生活的主。當我們真正的愛他人，了解到他們的需要時，我們就會明白時機會臨到我們如同臨到耶穌一樣。當時機來臨時，我們不僅需要進入和建立信任，同時更要呼召人們要以耶穌為生活的主。有些人需要呼召他們改變做生意的方式。有些人需要呼召他們戒掉毒癮和賭博。有些人需要呼召他們將性愛好和性行為降服給主。耶穌在結交眾人時，他時常告誡人們：“若要得著生命，必須捨己，背起十字架來跟從我。我不定你的罪，但若要真正得著生命，你必不能再犯罪。”我督促大家為自己禱告，同樣的事，求神加添給你們智慧、愛心，謙卑和勇氣。
        現在，問大家一個非常個人的問題：你們是跟隨耶穌的嗎？如果你想跟隨耶穌，你不敢低估這決定帶來的代價。跟隨耶穌可能會打破你的舒適疆界。不論到哪裡，永遠跟隨耶穌，任何一個理性的人都會問：“為什麼會有人委身這樣的呼召？”如果我們委身成為耶穌的跟隨者，用世界上大多數人的眼光來看將是很大的損失。耶穌也從未試圖假裝或否認。但真正有益的事情--真正重要的事情在這裡。凡要救自己生命的，必喪掉生命，凡為我和福音喪掉生命的，必救了生命（V.35）。
        當然，這是一個弔垝。然而，難道這不是事實嗎？除非你找到值得為之而活的事情，否則生命就不值得活。而諷刺的是，除非你找到值得為之而死的事，當然，這是一個悖論。然而，難道這不是事實嗎？除非你找到值得為之而活的事情，否則生命就不值得活。而諷刺的是，除非你找到值得為之而死的事情，否則你就不能確定是否找到了值得為之而活的事情。然而在耶穌里，你將會遇見一位值得為之活且為之死的那一位。

荣耀归给神，

Greg Waybright 博士

主任牧师

 

Greg Waybright • Copyright 2014, Lake Avenue Church