The Importance of Re-Focusing

{tab-withtab=Pastor's Letter}

The Importance of Re-Focusing - Week 8

After the worship services this week, Chris and I will be heading to Chicago for a three-month sabbatical. During those months, I'll focus on a theme I speak often about here at LAC, i.e., that a local church like ours has been planted in its community to be a place in which God's reconciling work is accomplished. I think that you know what I mean by that: At our church we call people to be made right with God through faith in Jesus, to be reconciled to one another in Christ-centered community across ethnic and generational divides, to be healed inside from all the scars of our past...(I could preach and have preached many sermons about the many ways that we are to experience reconciliation in Christ.) I will have the privilege of collaborating with faculty members and students about the practical outworkings of the beautiful biblical teaching about reconciliation.

After the worship services this week, Chris and I will be heading to Chicago for a three-month sabbatical. During those months, I'll focus on a theme I speak often about here at LAC, i.e., that a local church like ours has been planted in its community to be a place in which God's reconciling work is accomplished. I think that you know what I mean by that: At our church we call people to be made right with God through faith in Jesus, to be reconciled to one another in Christ-centered community across ethnic and generational divides, to be healed inside from all the scars of our past...(I could preach and have preached many sermons about the many ways that we are to experience reconciliation in Christ.) I will have the privilege of collaborating with faculty members and students about the practical outworkings of the beautiful biblical teaching about reconciliation.

But, I must admit that I agonize over being away from LAC. I'm not simply the pastor here. This is my own church family. Chris and I love being here and are always a bit homesick when we're away. Indeed, I already am looking forward to returning on the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Interestingly, in our services this weekend, we will be looking at how Paul talked about his calling to be away from the church in Ephesus he had faithfully served. Of course, his situation was different from ours. He anticipated that his departure would be permanent while we expect mine to be very short term. Still, I find the way he talked with his people to be instructive of how followers of Jesus speak of being away from one another. His words remind me a bit of a parent's speaking to a child headed off to college. What did he say?

• He took time to remember God's leading.
• He reminded his people of what unites God's people across the miles.
• He gave them some instructions about the essential things they had to do as a church whether he was there or not.

What is clear to me is that Paul was convinced that the church was God's church not his. He wanted to be sure that he and they remained faithful to the God who is God. And he wanted all to have the assurance God's people remained united wherever they are because they know that the same Lord is always with them. As he later would write to this same church, we always share one Lord and one faith. Therefore, we are linked across the miles in mission and in prayer.

 

To His Glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor

{tab-withtab=Study Notes}

Acts 20:17-38

We are now in the midst of the time when many parents are sending their kids off to school. My experience is that, whether we're sending them to pre-school, first grade, high school or college, this is a time both of joy and tears. (Here, I'll show a picture of my granddaughter going to first grade.)

When most of us send our kids off to a new place, we stop and give some final instructions, e.g.,:

• What's your new address?
• Listen to God and to yourself—it's ok if the 'thing' you want to do turns out to be something different
• Chase down Christian Community! Don't do this alone!
• It's ok to be angry or discouraged or disappointed. Feel what you feel, but don't do it alone.
• Here's your insurance card
• Call me
• When may I visit?
• (Don't go!)
• I love you. (From Carol Kenyon)

When you are going to be separated for a while from people you love, you always have some important things you want to say. Often, the emotion you feel makes it hard to deliver a focused and organized expression of your love and hopes for the time away from one another. When you grasp that (as I'm sure all of you can), then you will deeply appreciate the passage we come to today.

The Situation

Paul was in a hurry to get from Troas to Jerusalem in time to experience Pentecost (20:16). The trip would take him close to Ephesus. (I'll show a map.) Remember that Paul had spent three years in Ephesus first founding and then pastoring the church there. So, using quite urgent language, v.17 tells us, "Paul summoned the elders of the church" to meet him at the port city of Miletus, about 30 miles from Ephesus. When you read the speech, it's clear Paul thought he might die in Jerusalem and that he would never see his church people again (though he did not die there). It's also unmistakable that Paul loved his church people. And they loved him. There is no speech quite like this one in Acts. Other speeches are written to non-Christian audiences seeking to convince people that Jesus is the savior of the world. But this speech is from a pastor speaking to his church. Deep emotion permeates a speech that 1) tells some of the story of their history together, 2) has shifting and sometimes repetitious subjects (just like our personal conversations do), but 3) highlights the things most important to him.

I'll be leaving for sabbatical after the services are over this weekend. I'll only be gone three months (Lord willing). But, I do have some things I want to say to you all before I go. So, I'll use Paul's speech as an example to guide me. What things did he talk about in his parting words with his church leaders?

#1: Reflections on Life Together (20:18-21, 27, 31, 33-35).

Throughout his speech, Paul kept circling back to memories, to telling them about what happened during his time with the church in Ephesus. Some have criticized Paul because, reading his words from our cultural viewpoint, he sounds like he's being arrogant. Paul declared more boldly than we're used to that he had not coveted anyone's silver or gold and that the way he worked was the way a person should work. But, this was not pride. Paul always knew that he was not all that God would have him to be (Phil 3:12) and that he was the person in the world most needy of God's mercy (1 Tim 1:15-16). No, what Paul was doing in this meeting with his beloved church leaders is what all followers of Jesus should do, i.e., he was passionately following Christ personally and calling others to follow him as he followed Christ.

That's what I've sought to do these years with you as well – to be a shepherd who follows the Great Shepherd and calls you all to follow with me. I too have sought to preach the Word faithfully and as courageously as God enables me and to call all to repent and believe in Jesus. And I want to remind you of something that those of you who were here before me might remember. I want to remind you that God led us together to this church family. (Here, I'll tell the story again of God's leading.)

So, because we know God has led us together, we also believe he will lead us back together after this sabbatical is over. Of course, as I often have said in sermons, "We don't even know what will happen tomorrow (Js 4:13)." So, over these months, we will pray as the Bible teaches us, "If it the Lord's will, we will be alive --and do this or that (Js 4:15)." Let us seek and trust the Lord together across the miles.

#2: Reminders of What Holds God's People Together

Throughout his speech, Paul then touched upon several things that he knew always hold God's people together in this world. I'll summarize his thoughts with two words: truth and tears.

• Truth (20:20-21, 29-31)
In his time with the elders, Paul said over and over that he had taught "the good news of God's grace (20:24) and the "whole council of God's will (20:27)." In his absence, the same things had to happen. So, Paul urgently called the elders of the church to teach the truth and watch out for those who distort the truth of the gospel (20:30-31). I know that many people in our culture think that truth divides. The spirit of our age is, "Let people believe whatever they want to believe. Religious doctrine divides!" But, let me say a few words about what can happen when people sincerely seek what is true. If we believe that there is anything that is actually true in this world, then those who pursue truth will come closer together as they do what Paul did, i.e., take time with one another and engage in reasoning together about what is true and what is false, what is right and what is wrong.
Illustration: If you came up and said that Duane Funderburk is a Ugandan sumo-wrestler brought up in Siberia, you could believe that if you want. You could also say that you believe such things in our country. But it still wouldn't be true. To know Duane, you have to seek the person as he really is
I believe that every responsible human being should seek what is true about the most important things in our universe, like 1) what is true about God, 2) about our world, and 3) about ourselves. The Bible declares that when we sincerely seek what is true, we will come to Jesus, the one who is the way, the truth and the life. That truth will always bring us to what Paul calls the gospel of Jesus Christ in 20:24, the good news that is at the heart of our "Shared Faith" as expressed in our LAC Statement of Faith that we will be focusing on in the coming months at LAC. We are united by the truth of Jesus and his gospel that unites us across the usual human divisions such as race and ethnicity, generation gaps, money – and, over these next months for me personally, geographical distance. So, I want you to come to understand more and more about the truth of Jesus and the gospel over these next three months. The more you understand the gospel and experience its truth, the more united we will be.

• Tears – Our heartfelt compassion for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
The truth about Jesus that unites us is not just an intellectual exercise. No, when we trust in Jesus, we are made alive to God as our Father and we experience being brought into the family of God. What happens is that we can meet a person from another culture and even who speaks a different language, and we know we have a deep and intimate bond with them. Have you experienced that? It's one of the most beautiful parts of our faith. And, deep love for people always leads to some shared tears – sometimes of joy, others of sorrow, and yet others of pain. Let me tell you two ways this bond of tears actually happens for believers.
1. Tears for brothers and sisters in Christ broken and in distress (20:21,24)
I don't want you to miss the importance of v.21 in relationship to Paul's letter to the Ephesians. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Remember that Paul is meeting with the elders of the Ephesian Church. When he later wrote the letter to the Ephesians, the biggest issue he had to deal with was that the Jews and the Gentiles in Ephesus still didn't want to be in one church together. Paul would say, "Not one of us – Jew or Gentile -- deserves to be in our Father's Church. It is only by the grace of God received through faith in the crucified Jesus that any of us are in God's family! So, be grateful to your Father for his mercy to you. And, love the others who have also received mercy. Speak the truth in love to one another but always live in unity (se Eph 4)!!" So, it's to that same church that Paul says definitively in v. 21, "I have declared to both Jews and Gentiles..." When we place our faith in Christ, we are brought into a family relationship with a family made up of all people groups!
Make note of this: When we enter into a relationship with people very different from ourselves as happens in the church, then we can be quite sure we will have very different perceptions of things and experiences in the world. This happens in marriages too, doesn't it? If we will have a lasting relationship, we must learn to listen with humility in order to understand where the other person is coming from. In most marriages, when there is a problem, men have tended to simply listen for the facts and then to fix the problem. "Facts; then fix!" – That's most men's approach. What most of us men have to learn is that there is often a long history of things that have led to the problem. For example, words we say to our spouses may bring up years of abuse, abandonment or anxiety that, unless we take time to listen to our spouses carefully, we may never understand. (You can see how Bryan Lorritz talks about this at ow.ly/Aytr6.) We need to grasp the facts – but also the history and the feelings that are going on. Men – mark that down and your marriages will be better.
I believe we need to apply this to what is happening in Ferguson, MO right now and how the shooting of Michael Brown there is affecting our brothers and sisters of color all over our nation. Many of us tend only to want to get the facts of the case and then fix the problem by keeping everyone calm. But, we may forget – or may not even know -- there are years of violence against young black men in our country and there are non-stop episodes of killing of young unarmed black men in our cities. There is one unarmed African American man killed every 28 hours in our country. Did you know that?
When an unarmed 18-year-old man of color is shot in our nation, "Facts and fix" is not the way we should walk with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We must listen. Learn. Care. Weep together. And always pray with one another as one family prays, i.e., 1) for this situation to uncover all that is wrong, 2) for a deeper understanding of what causes the anger that we see, for a profound repentance to take place, and 3) (above all things) for our just, loving and reconciling Father to be glorified.
The church of Jesus Christ is the place where the world is to see that brokenness along all lines – and now especially across racial line – finds reconciliation. We must seek God together. We must weep together and then walk together in a divided world.

2. Tears for brothers and sisters we love whom we will miss when they are away (20:37-38)
Read 20:37-38. It's clear that Paul loved his people and his people loved him. So, when they thought about being apart, they felt a deep gnawing inside. I tell you candidly that I feel right now what they felt as I think about being away for three months. Most of you have noticed that when I have someone else preach on a weekend, I come to LAC anyway. I love being here with you!
I hope you feel some of that – for anyone who is away for a period of time from your class or small group at our church. A church should not simply be a teaching center or an activities location. In his letter to this Ephesian Church, Paul called them "a household" of faith (Eph 2:19), "no longer strangers but God's people (Eph 2:19), "people built together by God as a dwelling in which God lives" (Eph 2:22), and a "family kneeling together before our Father from whom we all receive our name" (Eph 3:14).
When you read how he spoke about his church people, you can grasp why they fell down and prayed together, wept together, embraced one another, and kissed." As we grow together as a local church family, we too ill see a lot more of that kind of emotion. I feel it today. And, I know that I'll be back in November!
We are knit together both by truth and by tears.

#3: Directives to Do the Most Important Things
Let's go back to those parting words that parents give our children when we send them off to school. They always include a few parting directives. I love what my daughter Heather told her oldest child, Riley, when Heather dropped her off for her first day of 1st grade: "You're going to have so much fun! I love you! I'm so happy you're getting so big. I'll be here to meet you as soon as school is over. If you have to blow your nose, make sure you grab a Kleenex from Mrs. Karlsson's box."
Paul gave his church people all sorts of directives in his time with them. I want to do the same. So, what do I want you to do while I am away? I have three things:

1. Be more faithful to your LAC family than you ever have been before. This is the church that God has led you to – every bit as much as it is the church God has led me to. I pray that church attendance will grow enormously while I'm away. Support and pray for Pastor Jeff Mattesich as he leads in my absence. He is a remarkable man called by God to this role. Support and encourage the entire pastoral staff in the ways you encourage me. God loves faithfulness. I'll be so encouraged when I see that you are continuing to worship together, to brings friends with you to church, to being active in your church community and small group, and in service.
2. Make progress in your faith and doctrine while I am away. That's what Paul told Timothy in 1 Tim 4:15-16. I envision tis fall will be a life-changing season for many of you as you walk through the church through the essentials of the gospel. In Paul's speech to the elders, he kept saying that false teaching would come in and destroy the work of God (see 20:28-31). To keep that from happening in your life, in your families, and in the church, we will spend this fall learning and experiencing anew the essential matters of our faith. Our worship times will teach and be drawn to worship God about these essentials. Our classes and mid-size groups will provide more complete teaching about them. Our small group will provide opportunities to discuss and apply them. And personal devotional written by your pastors will facilitate meditation and deepening of the beautiful truths about God and his work into your hearts and lives. We'll do this from childhood to senior adulthood. When I return, I believe I will come back to people who know the Lord more fully and love him more deeply.
3. Watch out for people in distress (20:28,35). As happened so often in the life of Jesus and then again in the early church as reflected in Acts, Paul simply took it for granted that anyone who loves Jesus will care for people who are hurting. Acts 20:35 is so clear. Paul said, "In everything I did, I showed you that God's people must help those who are weak." I know this already is deep in the heart of LAC. It's one of the things I love most about our church. I see the love of Jesus flowing through you. So keep praying for those who face crises in our world, our nation and our community. Extend help in the name of Jesus as God enables you. Weep for those who weep. If you think a person in church seems down or hurting, go and ask. Then, walk with them. And, if you have a need, let me give you the contact information for our Care Deacons. (Put that up.) I agree with Paul, i.e., that people in a church family never have to walk alone. And, of course, Paul said this on the authority of Jesus himself. 20:31: The Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

I want to close with the words Jeremy and Vanessa Rose gave to Jacob when they left him off at Kindergarten this past week: "We will be back to pick you up soon. Before you know it, you'll see us again!" So, walk with the Lord, love people, and be faithful to your church family. Before you know it, we will see one another again.

 

To His glory,

Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor

Greg Waybright • Copyright 2014, Lake Avenue Church

{tab-withtab=Chinese Translation}

The Importance of Re-Focusing - Week 8 - Study Notes - Chinese Translation

迸發：臨行贈言
使徒行傳20:17-38

        現在，正值很多父母要把他們的孩子送去上學的時候。我的經驗是，無論是送去上學前班、一年級、高中或是大學，這是個亦喜亦憂的時刻。

當送孩子到一個新環境，我們當中多數人會給他們一些最後的指示，比如：

• 你的新住址在哪裡？
• 當要做一些新事情的時候，要傾聽神，然後自己做判斷。
• 要努力尋找基督徒團體！不要單獨行動！
• 生氣、沮喪、失望都沒有關係。接受這些感受，但不要單獨行動。
• 這是你的保險卡。
• 給我打電話。
• 我什麼時候可以探望你？
• （不要走！）
• 我愛你。

——  (來自Carol Kenyon)

當你要與你所愛的人分開一會兒，你總是有些重要的事情想說一說。通常，在這個時候，因為情緒激動，你很難集中地、有條理地向對方表達你的愛和期望。而當你體會到這一點時，你就能理解我今天的這篇講章。

當時的情況

保羅從特羅亞急急忙忙出發，為要趕到耶路撒冷去過五旬節（20： 16）。路途上要經過以弗所。請記住，保羅在以弗所呆了三年，是他建立了以弗所教會，並在那裡牧養。因此，聖經在17節用了非常急促的話告訴我們，保羅要召集教會的長老到米利都來見他，米利都距離以弗所大約30哩。當你讀保羅的話時，你就知道，保羅認為他可能會死在耶穌撒冷，他不會再見到以弗所教會的人（雖然他並沒有死在那兒）。並且顯而易見，保羅愛教會的人，他們也愛他。使徒行傳裡再沒有類似這樣的話。其他的話是寫給非基督徒聽眾的，那些話是為了讓人們明白耶穌是世界的救主。但是這段從牧者而來的話，是在講教會。這段講話充滿了情感：1）講述了一段他們在一起的歷史，2）有些變化和重複的主題（就像我們的個人交談），但是，3）為了突出某些他認為重要的事情。

這個週末的服事之後，我要開始歇安息年。我只歇三個月（這是神的意思）。但是，我臨行之前，有一些話要對你們說。因此，我用保羅的話作為前導。他在這段臨別贈言裡，對教會的領袖都講了些什麼呢？

#1:  回顧在一起的日子 (20:18-21, 27, 31, 33-35)。

縱觀保羅的講話，他追憶往昔，告訴這些領袖他在以弗所教會時所發生的事情。有些人是批評保羅的，因為如果從現在的文化觀點來看，保羅看起來有些傲慢。保羅很大膽地宣稱，他不貪圖任何人的金銀，他做事的方式是一個人本當如此的方式。但這不是傲慢。保羅始終明白他並沒有完全（腓立比書3:12），他是一個需要神的憐憫的人（提摩太前書1:15-16）。保羅與這些教會同工開會是耶穌的追隨者應該做的，就是說，他不僅個人熱切地追隨基督，也號召其他人與他一同追隨基督。

這也是我這些年與你們在一起所追隨的——做一個追隨大牧者的牧者，並且號召你們所有人和我一起追隨祂。我努力忠實地傳講神的話，照著神所加給我的，呼喚人悔改信耶穌。我想回憶一些事，你們當中那些比我先來的人也許會記得。我想提醒你們，是神讓我們組成一個教會的大家庭。

所以，我知道是神帶領我們到一起，我們也相信，在安息年結束後，祂還會再把我們帶回到一起。然而，就像我在講道時常說的那樣，“其實明天如何，我們並不知道。”當然，在這幾個月裡，我們會向聖經所教導的那樣禱告，“主若願意，我們就可以活著（雅各書4:13）。”雖然我們彼此分離，但我們一起尋求、信靠主。

#2: 幾點提醒：是什麼讓神的子民聯合在一起

        在保羅的講道中，他提到了好幾條他所知道的原則，這些原則總是能夠將神在世界上的子民聯合在一起。我將用兩個單詞總結他的思想：真理與眼淚。

Ÿ真理（20：20-21，29-31）

在與長老們相處的時間裡，保羅一遍又一遍地說他已經傳授了“神恩惠的福音”（20：24）與“神完全的旨意（20：27）”。在他離開期間，同樣的事情一定會發生。所以，保羅殷勤地勸勉教會的長老傳授真理，並警惕那些會歪曲福音真理的人（20：30-31）。我知道我們文化中的一些人認為真理會導致分裂。而我們時代的精神是，“讓人們相信他們想要相信的。宗教的教條主義才會導致分裂！”但是，請允許我說幾句話，關於當人們真切地尋找什麼是真理的時候會發生的事情。如果我們相信在這個世界上有一些東西其實是真理的時候，那麼當那些追尋真理的人們遵循保羅的行為去做的時候，他們就會走得更近，也就是說，花時間在一起，並一起探討什麼是真的，什麼是假的，什麼是正確與錯誤的。

舉個例子：如果你上前來說Duane Funderburk（LAC敬拜負責人之一）是一位在西伯利亞長大的烏干達相撲運動員，只要你想，你就可以相信。你也可以說你相信在我們的國家有這樣的事情。但是那仍然不會是真的。要瞭解Duane，你就得去看他本人是什麼樣子。

我相信每個負責任的人都應該尋找我們的宇宙中最重要的真理，比如1）關於神，2）我們的世界，3）我們自己。究竟哪些是真理？聖經宣告，當我們真誠地尋找什麼是真理的時候，我們就會來到耶穌面前，祂就是道路、真理、生命。這個真理總是會把我們帶入保羅在20章24節中稱作耶穌基督的福音裡面。這個好消息是我們教會信仰宣言中“共同信仰”的核心，也是我們教會未來幾個月要集中學習的。我們因著耶穌的真理而聚在一起，祂的福音使我們聯合，幫助我們跨越了普遍的人類隔閡，比如種族、代溝與金錢——並且也幫助我個人克服未來幾個月要面臨的地理分隔。所以，我很希望你們在未來的三個月中越來越理解關於耶穌的真理與福音。你們越理解福音，經歷真理，我們就能越聯合。

Ÿ眼淚——發自內心地同情我們在主內的弟兄姐妹

連接我們的關於耶穌的真理不僅是一種理性上的知識。不，當我們信任耶穌，我們就活生生地來到神——我們的天父面前，我們就會被帶入神的家庭。經常發生的是我們會遇到來自不同文化、說不同語言的人。而我們知道，我們與他們有深深的、親密的紐帶。你有經歷過這樣的感受嗎？這是我們信仰最美麗的部分之一。並且，對人們的深切的愛總是會帶來一些共同的眼淚——有時是喜樂的，有時是遺憾的，甚至還有一些時候是痛苦的。請讓我告訴你這個眼淚的紐帶會在相信者身上發生的兩種方式。

1.為主內的弟兄姐妹受損傷和遭遇困境而流淚（20 ：21，24）

我不希望你們忽略一個要點，就是21節與保羅寫給以弗所教會的信有很重要的關聯。“又對

猶太人和希臘人證明當向神悔改，信靠我主耶穌基督。” 請記住保羅正在與以弗所教會的長老們見面。當他後來寫信給以弗所教會的時候，他必須要處理的一個很大的問題，就是在以弗所的猶太人與外邦人仍然不願意在同一個教會聚會。保羅會說，“我們中的任何一個——無論是猶太人還是外邦人——都不配進入天父的教會。只有籍著神的恩典，接受相信被釘十架的耶穌，我們才得以進入神的家庭！所以，因為神憐憫我們，請向我們的天父表示感恩。並且，愛護其他同樣接受憐憫的人。用彼此用愛心說誠實話，但總要聯合在一起（請參考以弗所書4章）!!”所以，在21節中保羅肯定是在對同一個教會說話，“又對猶太人和希臘人證明……”當我們將信心建立在基督身上，我們就被帶入了一個由各種人群組成的家庭關係當中。

記錄下這些：當我們走進與自己有諸多不同的群體當中，這在教會很常見，我們對世界的體驗就會愈漸豐富，我們對事物的看法就會大大改變。在婚姻當中也一樣，不是嗎？如果我們要維繫婚姻，就必須帶著謙卑的心聆聽對方，只有這樣才能洞察另一半的心聲。在大多數婚姻中，一旦問題來臨，男人們常常這樣：聽取事實，然後立即著手解決問題。“事實與解答”模式是大多數男人的方法。然而，我們男人需要瞭解的是：問題產生可能是一個漸漸演變的過程。例如我們向配偶所用的言辭可能喚起對方經年的被虐待感，被遺棄感，或憂慮感。這些，除非耐心仔細聆聽，我們無從理解配偶的真實感受。（你可以去ow.ly/Aytr6.看一看Bryan Lorritz 的觀點）我們的確需要依據事實——但是也要瞭解其歷史背景以及人們的內心感受。男士們，牢記這些，你的婚姻關係就能得到改善。

我認為看待密蘇裡Ferguson所發生的事件也是同樣道理。我們應當試著理解為什麼Michael Brown的射擊會如此強烈地撞擊全國有色弟兄姐妹的神經。我們當中許多人以為僅僅依據片面的“事實”去解決問題就可以平息一切。但是我們忘記了——也許根本就不知道——在我們國家針對年輕黑人的暴力源遠流長；就在我們這所城市，也不斷有未持武器的年輕黑人的死亡事件。在我們國家，每28小時就有一個未持武器的美國黑人被殺。你知道這些嗎？

在我們國家，當一個未持武器的18歲年輕人被殺的時候，“事實與解答”模式就不足以成為我們弟兄姐妹在基督裡同行天路的方式。（一個未持武器的18歲年輕人在我們國家被殺的事件提醒我們：當我們弟兄姐妹在基督裡同行天路的時候，“事實與解答”模式是不夠的。）我們必當互相聆聽，互相學習，互相關心，一同哀哭。並且要永遠互相代禱，例如1）為所有錯誤之真相及其根源的大白而禱告；2）為著能更深理解憤怒背後的淵源，並為著徹底的悔改而禱告；3）最重要的，為我們天父的公正、慈愛與和諧被榮耀而禱告。

當各樣的衝突——當前尤其是種族間的衝突——尋求和睦的時候，耶穌基督掌權的教會當為世界作出榜樣。我們當共同尋求神。在這分裂的世界上，我們當同哭泣，同行天路。

2. 為那些我們所愛的，不在身邊會讓我們掛念的弟兄姐妹們流淚（20:37-38）   

請看20:37-38。很明顯，保羅愛他的會眾，會眾也愛保羅。因此，一想到離別在即，他們內心就十分煎熬。坦白說，想到我要離開三個月，我現在的感受就和他們當時一樣。你們大多數人可能會留意到，在我邀請其他講員來講道的那些週末，我也還是會來LAC，因為我喜歡和你們在一起！

我希望你們也能有相同的感受——當你們教會的班級和小組中有誰要離開一段時間時。教會不應該只被當做是一個 教學中心或是活動場所。在給以弗所教會的信中，保羅稱他們為一個信仰的“家庭”（以弗所書2：19），“不再作外人，是神家裡的人了。”（以弗所書2:19）“你們也靠祂同被建造，成為神借著聖靈居住的所在。”（以弗所書2:22），並且“在父面前屈膝，天上地上的各家都是從祂得名。”（以弗所書3:14）

當你讀到保羅是如何談到他的教會會眾的時候，你就會明白為什麼他們會一起俯伏禱告，一同痛苦，彼此擁抱，互相親嘴。”當我們作為一個地區教會大家庭一起成長時，我們也會更多地看到那種情感。我今天就能夠感受得到。而且我知道11月我還會回來！

 我們是用真理和淚水聯結在一起的。

#3：有關最重要的事情的囑咐

         讓我們回到那些父母在送孩子去學校時的送別贈言。他們通常會包括一些離別前的叮囑。我喜歡我的女兒Heather對她最大的孩子所說的。當Heather送她去上一年級的第一天時，她說：“Riley，你會很開心的！我愛你！我真開心你已經長這麼大了。一放學我就會在這等你。你要擤鼻涕的話，記住要去Karlsson太太那裡拿紙巾哦。”   

         保羅在和他的教會會眾們在一起時給她他們各種叮囑。我也想這樣做。那麼當我不在的時候我想要你們做什麼呢？有三件事：

 1．要更加忠於你LAC的大家庭。這是神引導你走進來的一家教會—— 教會 的每一個部分都是神對我的帶領。我禱告在我離開的日子裡，來教會的人數能夠大大地增加。我不在的這段時間Jeff Matteich牧師會來領導教會，請支持他並為他禱告。他是被神呼召來到這個職位上的一位優秀的牧師。請大家支持並鼓勵我們所有在做牧養工作的員工，就像你們鼓勵我一樣。神喜悅忠誠。當我看到你們繼續一起敬拜，繼續帶你的朋友來到教會，繼續在你教會的大集體、小組和服事中保持活躍時，我會大受鼓舞。

2．我不在的這段日子裡你們在信心和教義上能有所進步。這就是保羅在提摩太前書4:15-16節中告訴提摩太的。我看到這樣的異像，當你們在教會中與福音同行時，今年秋天對於你們很多人來說將會是一個改變生命的季節。保羅一直對長者們說，錯誤的教導會進來破壞神的工作（20:28-31）。為了防止那樣的現象在你的生活、家人和教會中發生，我們要用這個秋天來重新學習體驗我們信仰中重要的問題。我們的敬拜時間會用來在這些重要問題上進行教導和敬拜。我們的課程和中型小組將會提供關於這些問題的更完整的教導。我們的小型小組將會提供機會來探討和應用這些知識。牧師們個人的敬虔的書面文字將會有助於你沉思神的美好真理並深化祂在你心靈和生活中的動工。我們會在這些方面幫助所有的人，從孩子到年長者。當我回來時，我相信我會看見大家對主的認識更加全面，對主的愛更加深刻。

3．留心在困難中的人（20：28，35）。正如在耶穌生平和使徒行傳所反映的早期教會生活中經常發生的那樣，保羅認為一個愛耶穌的人一定會關心那些受傷害的人。使徒行傳20:35中非常明確地指出了這點。保羅說，“我凡事給你們作榜樣，叫你們知道，應當這樣勞苦，扶助軟弱的人。”我知道在LAC這一點早已深入人心了。這也是我們這個教會最讓我喜歡的一點。我看見耶穌的愛在你們的生命中流動。所以請為那些在我們的世界中、國家和社區裡正在遭遇危機的人們持續代禱。奉耶穌的名將幫助傳播出去，神也賦予了你們這樣行的能力。與那些哭泣的人同哭。如果你看到教會裡的某個人似乎很沮喪或是很受傷，請走過去問問情況。然後請與他們並肩同行。如果你有什麼需要，我會把我們負責關懷事工的執事們的聯繫方式給你。我認同保羅所說的，教會家庭裡的人們永遠不必孤獨前行。當然，保羅這樣說是奉著耶穌祂自己的權柄。20:31：主耶穌祂自己這樣說：“施比受更為有福。”

        我想用上周Jeremy和Vanessa Rose把Jacob送去幼稚園時所說的話來結束：“我們很快就會回來接你。在你還沒有察覺之前我們就又見面啦！”所以，與主同行，愛人如己，對你的教會家庭忠心。在你還沒有察覺之前，我們彼此就會又見面了。

榮耀歸於神，

葛列格博士

主任牧師

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The Importance of Re-Focusing - Week 8 - Study Guide

 The Importance of Re-Focusing - Week 8

Acts 20:17-38

1. Paul bravely headed to Jerusalem even though he was not promised a warm welcome there. How do you find courage to face the trials of life? How can you help others find courage in their lives?

 

 

2. Humility, tears, testing, opponents, wolves, and hard work. These are not "fun" words, but these are the words that Paul used to describe his ministry. If this is what Paul faced, why are we surprised when things aren't "fun" in our lives?

 

3. The kingdom of God, which basically means God's exercising his reign on earth, is a theme in this passage and the dominant theme of Jesus' preaching. How are you participating in the reign of God where you work, live, and play?

 

4. Acts 20:35 says that "we must help the weak." Who are the weak among us? How are we to help them? What are some practical steps you and your community can take in the next few days to help the weak in our midst?

 

 

2014 Study Series • Copyright © 2014, Lake Avenue Church