HOPE

新時代的挑戰

                    01-23-2011

經文 : 申命記 1:1-8

大綱 :

    一 .神向祂的百姓說話 ( Deut.1:1-3)

       1. 神自已 – 向眾人 ( Rev.2:7; 2Tim.3:15-17 )

       2. 藉由先知 – ( 1Thess19-20;Eph.2:19-20 ) 

       3. 第二次說話 – Deuteros, nomos ( Heb.1:1-2)

    二 . 神給新一代人的挑戰 ( Deut.1:3-4)

       1. 過去時代 -  ( Deut.1:31-35 )

       2. 新的世代 – ( Deut.1:36-39 )

       3. 新的使命 – ( Prov.29:18 )

    三 . 神的話帶着啟示及應許 ( Deut.1:5-8)

       1. 神的時間 – 歷史 ( Rev.1:8; Dan.4:17)

       2. 人的責任 - 行動

       3. 我們的方向 – 神的應許

信息題目：新時代的挑戰

引用經文：申命記 1:1-8

信息總結﹕

這一季的主日講台, 也是今年第一季教會的目標 “認識聖經”, 會著重於申命記的經文。 要讀懂申命記, 我們需要也同時讀在它之前的三本書; 出埃及記, 利未記, 以及民數記。 申命記是神的律法, 也是神啟示的根基, 新約聖經有兩百多次引用申命記的經文。 在今天所讀的經文中的第八節, 中文和合本的翻譯是 “如今, 我將這地擺在你們面前 …”, 但是英文 NIV 的翻譯略有不同, “See, I have given you this land. …” 也就是 “看哪, 這些地都賜給你們了。” 但是, 這些地不是每個人都能進入的。 摩西向以色列人說這些話的時間是猶太曆的十一月, 也就是新曆的一月份 (我們現在的這個月份), 說完這些話之後一個多月, 摩西過逝, 再過一個多月, 約書亞帶領以色列人進入迦南。 所以摩西的這段話可以看成是他的遺言。 摩西的主旨, 也是本書的主題, 是 “全心信靠神並遵守祂的誡命就是蒙福的人。” 95% 甚至98% 的 “信” 是不夠的。 歷史中神允許以色列被外邦剿滅, 因為神立約, 祂也守約, 而神也要求祂的百姓守約。 不能守約的人, 神讓他們隨波逐流而去。 讀申命記, 使我們學會接受歷史。

神向祂的百姓說話, 而且是不斷的說, 直到世界的末了 (啟 2:7) 。 摩西帶領以色列人從蘭賽出了埃及之後, 用了一年的時間走到西乃山, 停留一年之後繼續往東北走, 到了加底斯巴尼亞。 從這裡到迦南, 有十一天的路程 (1:2), 也就是 260公里。 但是從加底斯巴尼亞到以色列人終於在什亭集結, 準備進入迦南, 卻花了38 年的時間。 許多基督徒的光景也是這樣。 希伯來書第三章告訴我們, 以色列人之所以如此, 是因為他們不信靠神的緣故。 的確, 立約容易, 守約難。 神也透過先知說話 (帖前 5:19-20 弗2:19-20) 。 申1:5 說摩西 ”講” 律法; 可見講解神的話是先知的責任 (比如希伯來書的 “曉諭”; 來1:2) 。 申命 (Deuteronomy) 的字根是 deuteros (第二次) 與 nomos (律法), 所以摩西是再一次的講, 為了使這個新的世代得到神的祝福。 仔細查考 “申命” 這個詞, 我們發現其實中英文對整本書的標題的翻譯都還不精準。 希伯來原文的意思約略的可以在 NIV 的翻譯中找到 Deu. 1:1 “These are the words Moses spoke to … (NIV)”, 而本書在希伯來聖經裏的標題, 就是 “The Words” (神的話) 。 這是神向新一代 (四十年之後, 申1:3) 的人所說的話。

既然有新的一代, 那麼, 神對過去的一代有甚麼評語呢? 申1:31-35 告訴我們這是一個不信的世代。 唐太宗說 “以銅為鏡, 可以整衣冠; 以史為鏡, 可以知興衰; 以人為鏡, 可以知得失。” 所以我們以以色列人為鏡, 可以知道誰才能得到神的祝福。 提到新的世代, 昨天晚上, 有一些弟兄姊妹和牧師到 Norco 的基督徒禮拜堂參加一個福音特會。 這是一個 Rowland Heights 的基督徒禮拜堂在 Norco 的植堂事工, 由侯君麗牧師和黃長老帶領。 為甚麼會有這個事工呢? 因為去年搬到 Norco 的 900 戶人家裏有600戶是華人; 這是一個 “新” 的世代。 另外從今年開始, 每天有 10萬的 baby boomer (二戰後出生的嬰兒潮人口) 退休, 為了養老, 可能有許多人會到加州來。 所以社區的需要增加了。 面對這一切, 我們的使命感在哪裡? 我們的方向在哪裡? 箴 29:18 提到沒有方向的話, 我們就漂流無定 (“沒有異象, 民就放肆”)。 今年教會打算訓練很多的 “十夫長”, “百夫長”, “千夫長”, 也打算更強化文字事工, 推出 Newsletter。 求主在這些工作上帶領我們。

神的話也是神的能力, 啟示, 權柄。 基督教在中國曾經遭遇許多困難, 許多基督徒殉道。 但是今天我們看到神的教會在中國復興。 現今的位置, 是百年難得的機遇。 所以我們更願意協助侯牧師植堂的工作。 我們的責任必須帶出我們的行動, 而我們的方向則是神的應許。 讓我們今年與神立約, 願我們全心信靠神, 今年結出豐收的果子。

我們深思的問題:

1. 你今年如何與神立約? 你願意主日不遲到嗎?

2. 你願意參加今年教會的各種訓練, 裝備自己, 讓神使用嗎?

Topic: Challenges of a New Generation

Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:1-8

Summary:
Sunday sermons of this quarter, also the goal of this church for this period: to know God, will focus on scriptures from Deuteronomy. To understand this book, one needs to also study the three preceding books (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers). Deuteronomy is God’s law and the foundation of His revelation. Scriptures in Deuteronomy were quoted by New Testament more than 200 times. Deuteronomy 1:8 reads “See, I have given you this land. …” But this is not a land everyone can enter. It was in the eleventh month, about the January time frame, when Moses spoke to Israelites (1:3). A little over a month later, Moses passed away. In another month, Joshua led Israelites crossed the River of Jordan. What Moses proclaimed in Deuteronomy can be regarded as his last words and his purpose was “blessed are those that put their entire trust to God and obey His commands”. A partial faith, whether it is 95% or 98%, is not sufficient. In history, God allowed Israelites to be conquered by Gentiles for God establishes covenants, He also keeps covenants, and He requests that His people do the same. Those who can not keep the covenants will be “let go”. Through Deuteronomy we learn to accept lessons in history.
God speaks to His people and He is doing so until the end of the world (Rev. 2:7). As Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt at Rameses, they spent a year on the road to Mt. Sinai, where they stayed for a little over a year. After which they marched to Kadesh Barnea. But the following journey to the promised land took the Israelites 38 years, although scripture tells us that it should have taken only 11 days (1:2) to cover a distance of 260km. Many Christians’ experience is similar to this journey. Hebrews Ch. 3 says that the long delay was because the Israelites did not trust God wholeheartedly. As it turns out, it is easy to establish a covenant but difficult to keep it. God also speaks through prophets (I. Thess. 5:19-20, Eph. 2:19-20). Deu. 1:5 says “Moses began to expound this law ...” and it should be clear that a prophet’s responsibility is to explain God’s words. The roots of the word “Deuteronomy” are “deuteros (second)” and “nomos (law)”. Moses spoke a second time, in order that the new generation be blessed. Moreover, careful study shows that neither Chinese nor English correctly translated the title of this book, because the title of this book in the Jewish Bible is simply “The Words”. This book is a collection of God’s words to a new generation 40 years later.
With this “new” generation, what was God’s comment of the “old” generation? 1:31-35 reveals that that was an unbelieving generation. The founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Shi-Ming Lee, once said “With a bronze mirror, one can straighten his robes and crowns; with history as mirror, one can learn prosperity and declination of an era; with man as mirror, one can decipher gain and loss.” It is true that as we reflect on the ancient history of Israelites, we learn how to be blessed by God. Speaking of the new generation, some brothers and sisters and pastor of this church participated a special meeting at Norco last evening. The work at Norco, led by Rev. Jun-Li Hou and Elder Huang, is a church planting ministry by the Rowland Heights Community Christian Church. This ministry was prompted by the fact that of the 900 new households in Norco last year, 600 of them are Chinese. This is a “new” generation. Also, starting this year, there will be 100,000 baby boomers reaching the age of retirement every day, and many of them may move to California to spend the rest of their years. The need of our community is increasing. Facing all this, what is our sense of mission and where is our direction? Prov. 29:18 reminds us that without directions we will “cast off restraint” and easily drift away. The church plans to train many small group leaders and to take the literary ministry to a new level by having quarterly newsletters. May God lead us in all these new ministries.
God’s word is also God’s power, revelation, and authority. Christianity suffered great tribulation in the past in China, while many Christians were martyred. However, we witness a revival of God’s church in China nowadays. The position we stand today is a “once in a hundred year” chance. Therefore, we are all the more willing to assist Rev. Hou in her church planting work. Our responsibility should bring forth actions, while our direction is God’s promise. Let us establish covenants with God this year, let us trust God wholeheartedly, and let this year be the year that bears much fruit.