2020.03.28/29

Rev. Dr. Simon Lee

Dear brothers and sisters,

Last week we talked about serenity as the real PEACE of God. This is the PEACE of God “which transcends all understanding.” (Phil 4:7)  This PEACE “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We receive this PEACE and so are not “anxious about anything,” that is, not being in a constant mode of uncontrolled anxiety (even when confronting the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic). This is achieved by the spiritual discipline of “in everything by (regular) prayer and (special) petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

This does not mean being on our knees all the times anxiously when we all in all sorts of troubles, but rather, being constantly in a prayerful mode with a thankful heart in our daily lives, living in the presence of God, and sharing our needs to Him, as a child would to his or her loving parents. Daily we are bombarded with new understanding and information of the virus and how to combat it (and for sure, we should closely follow the advice of the experts and the authorities), but the very fact we have a daily portion of new information actually shows the lack of understanding that we have. The wonderful news is that in Christ we have a PEACE that transcends all understanding.

“Anxiety” is “concern that may become fretful and inappropriate if taken too far.” (Constable’s notes in NET Bible) This is because the same Greek verb (a present imperative merimnate) used in “do not be anxious” here is the same verb used by Paul to describe “being anxious” over the welfare of the Philippians (takes a genuine interest in your welfare).” (Phil 2:20) Concerns can either be appropriate or inappropriate, proper or improper (over concern or under concern). Applying it to the current pandemic, we should take care to do everything the experts and authorities tell us, but having done that, not be overly concerned with what is unknown to us (but not unknown to God.) In helping people dealing with anxiety and depression professionally for over 35 years, I have always encouraged people to examine their core beliefs that lead to their anxiety, then to dispute them and replace them with healthy and rational beliefs, so as to change our behaviors accordingly.

As the old hymn “What a friend we have in Jesus” by Joseph M. Scriven (1855) reminds us all of timeless truth with these words:

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

O what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Indeed, “what peace we often forfeit, what needless pain we bear.” Our God is here waiting for us to go to Him in trust, despite the fact that a catastrophe is happening right before our eyes, and we are so helpless, lost and isolated. We who wants to make sure everything is under control are utterly devastated when this pandemic is spinning out of our control. At such time, we must practise how to “pray unceasingly” (constantly in a prayerful mode) and carry everything to God in prayer.

We not just have the PEACE of God; we also have the God of PEACE.  PEACE is not just a product of our prayers and devotion, as it is the very essence and nature of God Himself. We read “the peace of God will be with you.” (Phil 4:9) What a comforting thought to know that Christ “Emmanuel” is “God with us” and that means wherever we are and whenever we be, and in all circumstances, Christ is with us. So especially when we as a Church cannot even meet together because of the call to “physical distancing,” the God of PEACE is always with us, and therefore we always have PEACE from God the Father, in Christ and through the Spirit.

But how do we have the God of PEACE always with us. Paul gives us these clear and unmistakable instructions (Phil 4:9):

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable –

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice.”

The two important verbs are “think” and “put into practice”:

First of all, “think” about whatever is excellent and praiseworthy:

This means to “dwell on” (NASB); filling your minds and meditating on (MSG) “all that is commendable and noteworthy. What do we do with all the time we have on our hands when we have to stay at home? With all the freebies that are offered online at this time, pick those that truly deserve your study and meditation. Don’t waste your time on news and tips that are resent and recycled over and over again online. Above all, soak in the Word of God, by reading, meditating, praying and contemplating the Word in God’s presence.

Secondly, “put into practice” all that you have learned:

The modern church is blessed with so much knowledge, both Biblical and secular, that is so easily accessible, they include things that “you have learned or received or heard from me (Paul and all your teachers and pastors).” The “Future Shock” (Alvin Toffler, 1970) is really now a “Present Shock” that is unfortunately no longer “shocking” as we are used to all the knowledge surrounding us and we are numbed and oblivious to some of the wisdom that maybe hidden within. We know too much and do too little. We need to, practise what we have learned or received, and above all, I need to, practise what I preach and teach. So “put into practice” means to model after our teachers, especially after our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, “to not be anxious for things that I cannot change,” that is accepting the things I cannot change is,  for us Christians, submission to God and surrendering to the sovereignty of God who knows and control all things, both good and bad, even those things that we do not understand and find hard to accept. The prophet Isaiah records these words from God(Isaiah 55:8-9):

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

Neither are your ways my ways,”declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We learn to “let go and let God,” as the saying goes, because it is when we admit we are so limited that we can tap into God’s unlimitedness, and it is in yielding to God that we see God’s mighty hand at work. Amen!

Mar 28-29, 2020
李耀全牧師

親愛的弟兄姊妹：

上週，我們談到寧靜是神給予真正的平安。這平安「超過人能了解的平安」（腓4:7），這平安「必在基督耶穌裡，保守你們的心思意念」。我們既領受這平安，我們「應當毫無憂慮」，也就是說，不要常常被不能控制的憂慮困擾 (即是面對新冠肺炎大流行也是) 。我們不憂慮，只要靠著屬靈的操練:「只要凡事藉著禱告祈求，帶著感恩的心，把你們所要的告訴神。」（腓4:6）

我們不要時時刻刻都為煩惱而憂心，而是在日常生活中帶著感恩的心禱告、祈求，活在主裡面，向父神分享我們的需要，就好像兒女倚賴父母親一樣。每天我們都被關於病毒的新形勢及如何抵抗病毒的新信息的轟炸（當然，我們應該密切聽從專家和官方的建議），但事實上，每日都有新資訊顯示我們知識的有限，而我們每天追逐新信息顯示出我們缺乏平安。令人振奮的是，我們在基督裡的平安超過人能了解。

「憂慮」是「若我們對某事情過份的關注，可能會令我們變得煩躁不安或有不適切的反應」“concern that may become fretful and inappropriate if taken too far.”（NET聖經中Constable的註釋）。因為「不要憂慮」中使用的希臘動詞（merimnate當前的命令式）也是保羅用來描述對腓立比教會的事「正在憂慮」的同一個動詞（新譯本：「真正關心你們的事」）（腓2:20）。關心可以是適當或不適當，合宜或不合宜（過份關心或置之不理）。將其應用在目前的大流行中，我們應該小心跟從專家和官方的建議，不要過份憂慮我們未知的事（上帝卻是無所不知）。在我超過35年專業處理焦慮和抑鬱的病人，我時常鼓勵病人找出導致焦慮的核心信念，然後提出反問並以健康、理性的信念取代，從而相應地改變他們的行為。

正如Joseph M. Scriven（1855年）撰寫的詩歌《耶穌恩友》，提醒我們永恆的真理：

「耶穌是我親愛朋友，背負我罪擔我憂，

何等權利能將萬事，帶到主恩座前求！

多少平安屢屢失去，多少痛苦白白受，

皆因我們未將萬事，帶到主恩座前求。」

確實，我們「多少平安屢屢失去，多少痛苦白白受。」災難臨到，我們卻如此無助、迷失和被分隔，我們的上帝在等候我們憑著信心去尋求祂。人人都希望一切事情都在人掌控之中，大流行病毒肆虐，一切都被徹底破壞。這時候，我們必須學習如何「不斷禱告」（時常禱告），將一切藉著禱告帶到神面前。

我們不僅擁有神的平安，我們也擁有賜平安的神。平安不僅僅是我們的祈禱和靈修所領受得到的產品，它是神自己的本體。我們讀到「賜平安的神就必與你們同在」（腓4:9），何等欣慰的是，基督「以馬內利」就是「神與我們同在」，無論我們身在何處，何時、何地，何境況，祂都與我們同在。因此，特別當我們作為教會，應呼籲「身體距離」(physical distancing)而無法聚會時，賜平安的神常與我們同在，我們從父神，在基督裡和透過聖靈，得享平安。

但是，平安的神如何常與我們同在。保羅給了我們明確的指示：

「最後，弟兄們，凡是真實的、莊重的、公正的、純潔的、可愛的、聲譽好的，無論是甚麼美德，甚麼稱讚，這些事你們都應當思念。你們在我身上所學習、所領受、所聽見、所看見的，這些事你們都應當實行；那麼，賜平安的神就必與你們同在。」（腓4:8-9）

兩個重要的動詞是「思念」和「實行」：

首先是「思念」無論是甚麼美德和稱讚：

這就是「停留」(在主裡面)(“dwell on” NASB); 「充斥著你的思想和默想沉思」(“filling your minds and meditating on “MSG)所有值得讚揚和值得關注的事情。在這些時日當我們留在家裡的時候，我們可以作甚麼事？透過現時網上的免費服務，選擇真正值得你學習和思念的。不要浪費時間在網上反復和重複傳遞無關痛癢的信息上。拋開一切，求神與你同在，閱讀、祈禱和默想祂的話語。

其次是「實行」，將你學習到的付諸行動：

現代的教會擁有豐富的聖經和學術知識，這些知識都是垂手可得，包括「你們在我身上所學習、所領受、所聽見的（保羅和所有的教師和牧者）」。 「未來的衝擊」（Alvin Toffler，1970）實際上是「當前的衝擊」，不幸的是它不再是「衝擊」，因為我們已經習慣了圍繞著我們周圍的一切知識，甚至已經麻木了，和忽視了一些隱藏在裡面的智慧。我們知道許多，卻知而不行。我們需要實行所學習到的，所領受的，更重要的是，我需要實踐教導。因此，「實行」意思是要效法我們的老師，尤其是效法我們的主耶穌基督。

最後，「不要為我無法改變的事而充滿焦慮」，就是接受我們無法改變的事，對我們基督徒來說，順服於上帝，降服於上帝的主權下，因為祂認識和掌管萬物，包括好與壞，甚至那些我們不理解和難以接受的事。神藉先知以賽亞曾經這樣說：

「我的意念不是你們的意念，你們的道路也不是我的道路。天怎樣高過地，我的道路也怎樣高過你們的道路，我的意念也怎樣高過你們的意念。」(賽55:8-9）

我們常常說「放手交給神」(Let go and let God)，因為只有我們承認自己的有限，才能讓神的無限被彰顯，唯有順服於上帝就讓我們看到上帝大能的手在工作。Amen!

2020.03.21/22

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK:

The Serenity Prayer (1)

Dear brothers and sisters,

In this difficult time of facing the COVID-19 pandemic, when we as a Church (the called-out gathering of God’s people) is isolated and scattered, may we all gather in the presence of God, each in his/her own space, and be united in the Spirit as the universal church. We are still the community of God’s people even though all our activities are suspended.  We also should be the shining beacon in a dark world of worry and fear.

The Serenity Prayer (Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)) is a prayer that comes to mind at such time of fear and worry, and I have taken the liberty to adapt it for us to meditate on in the midst of the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis.

“God grant me the serenity

to not be anxious for things that I cannot change;

courage to care (be concerned) and do the things I can,

at this time of the Coronavirus pandemic;

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

enjoying one moment at a time;

accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

that I may be reasonably happy in  this life

and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

Amen.”

We see in the first section of this beautiful prayer the combination of three important spiritual qualities: serenity, courage and wisdom. Indeed, we need God to first grant us “serenity,” that is, real peace, in this pandemic that is affecting all our lives.

First of all, “serenity” is granted by God. He is the Lord of the universe, of history and the Lord of our lives. He is the creator of all things, and He is sovereign over all, including the negative things that is happening and have happened throughout history. Above all, God so loved the world, that He gave us His Son to die for us so we may have life, life abundant. Christ is our Saviour, our Sanctifier, our Healer, and our Coming King. The four-fold gospel we have assures all of us who follow Christ that we all have hope, ultimate hope, even in the midst of deep despair and crisis that we have no control over.

Jesus clearly assures the disciples (and us) while preparing them before he goes on his road to Calvary, “…that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33)  In fact, Jesus has said a little earlier, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be trouble and do not be afraid.” (Jn. 14:27)  It is interesting to note that after the crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ, when he appeared to Thomas and the other disciples, he said, “Peace be with you.” (Jn. 20:26) Having given the Great Commission to the disciples, Jesus reassures us again, “And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age.” (MT. 28:20b)  Need we say more? Shalom!

Rev. Simon Lee

Mar 21-22, 2020
李耀全牧師

親愛的弟兄姊妹:

在這個對抗冠狀病毒COVID-19大流行的艱難時期，我們作為教會（被召聚神的子民）正在被分散和隔離，讓我們每一個人在自己的空間，一起走到神面前，在聖靈裡合一，成為普世教會的一份子。即使所有的聚會都暫停，我們仍然是神的子民。我們卻在這灰暗充滿焦慮和恐懼的世代要成為明亮的導航訊號燈。

在恐懼和擔憂時想到的祈禱就是寧靜祈禱（Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)）。我把它作了一點點的重譯與修改，應用作為我們在冠狀病毒COVID-19大流行緊急時期的默想和祈禱。

「神啊，求祢賜給我寧靜的心，讓我不要為我無法改變的事而充滿焦慮，

而賜給我勇氣去關心，並做我能做的事，(在這次冠狀病毒大流行時；)

更要賜給我智慧去分辨取捨。

每一天過得快活，每一刻盡情享受，把苦難視為通往平安之途徑，

效法耶穌，從祂的角度看這罪惡世界，認清它的真相，非按我個人的願望；

信賴祂會使萬物互相效力，在我們降服在祂的旨意下，

讓我們每天能快樂地生活，並在永恆裡得享與祂永遠同在的大喜樂。阿們。」

在這一個美麗的禱文的第一段，結合了三個重要的屬靈素質：寧靜、勇氣和智慧。確實，在影響著全人類生活的疫症大流行中，我們首先需要神給予我們「寧靜」，這才是真正的平安。

我們要謹記，「寧靜」是神賜予的。祂是宇宙之主，歷史之主和我們生命之主。祂是萬物的創造者，他掌管萬物，包括正在發生或已經發生成為歷史的的惡事。更重要的是，神如此愛我們，甚至把祂的獨生子賜給我們，為我們而死，叫我們得生命，豐盛的生命。基督是我們的救主，我們的成聖者，我們的醫治者及我們的再來之王。我們擁有的四重福音向所有跟隨基督的人保證，即使在我們無法控制的患難絕望中，我們仍然有盼望，永恆的盼望。

耶穌在步上髑髏地之前，清楚地向門徒（和我們）保證，為他們預備，「… 是要使你們在我裡面有平安。在世上你們有患難，但你們放心，我已經勝了這世界。」（約16:33）事實上，耶穌早已說過：「我留下平安給你們，我把自己的平安賜給你們；我給你們的，不像世界所給的。你們心裡不要難過，也不要恐懼。」（約14:27）有趣的是留意到基督耶穌被釘十字架和復活之後，當祂向多馬和其他門徒顯現時，祂說：「願你們平安。」（約20:26）耶穌把大使命交給門徒，再次向我們保證：「我就常常與你們同在，直到這世代的終結。」（太28:20b）

我們還需要多說嗎？願你們平安 (Shalom)！

Mar 14-15, 2020
李耀全牧師

上星期教會用特別獨立二合一的聖餐包裝舉行聖餐，是教會在現時新冠肺炎疫症蔓延中作出的衛生防備措施，讓弟兄姊妹可以安心分享聖餐，記念主耶穌基督為我們受死贖罪、並由死裡復活升天，直等到祂再來。

 在崇拜中我聯想到耶穌昔日對尼哥底母說的一句話：「摩西在曠野怎樣把銅蛇舉起，人子也必照樣被舉起來、使所有信他人都得永生。」(約3:14-15)「人子被舉起來」不單單是指耶被釘字架，也可指耶穌從死裡復活、升天、得榮耀。這是因為約翰福音裡「被舉起來」是指連續上升的行動，由十字架開始，直到在父右邊結束。 (約12:32) 無論如何，「主耶穌被舉起」最直接是指耶穌為我們代罪被釘十架，正如彼得所言：「他在木頭上親身擔當了我們的罪，使我們既然不活在罪中，就可以為義而活。因他受的鞭傷，你們就得了醫治。」(彼前2:24) 這話也曾出現在舊約：「… 因他受(了)的鞭傷，我們(才)得醫治。」(賽53:5b)

 其實耶穌的話(約3:14-15) 引自民31:7-9。當日以色列人埋怨摩西為何帶領他們離開埃及到曠野等死，連糧食和飲水都沒有。神便打發火蛇咬他們，而一些人就被火蛇咬死！當時以色人悔罪求神憐憫，而摩西便照神的吩咐，做了一條銅蛇把牠舉起，「被咬的一望這銅蛇，就活了。」(民21:9)

 以上的經文給我們幾個重要的教導：

1. 犯罪(埋怨神)的罪帶來神的審判(民21:4-6)

神用火蛇咬傷咬死怨天尤人的百姓是一種懲罰。不少時當疫症、瘟疫和各樣天災人禍出現時，都會有人問這是否神對犯罪的人或離開神的國家之懲罰。事實上這故事的確是一個好的例子。但我們要小心，亦不能取代神的角色。我們卻可以此為鑑，在疫情中深作反思自我檢討！

2. 悔改的心帶來神的寬恕(民21:7-8)

百姓悔罪的心引致神的寬恕，並且化詛咒為祝福像昔日火蛇變為銅蛇！有時我人們遇上困難，反而最後發現是變相的祝福！正如昔日約伯的經驗，他經歷了神所容許(撒但)慘重的考驗，到最後他對神宣稱：「我從前只風聞有你，但現在親眼看見你。」(伯42:5) 在疫情中，讓我們相信並體會「萬事互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處。」(羅8:28)

3. 仰望基督帶來醫治與生命(民21:9)

耶穌用了火蛇/銅蛇作比喻形容「人子」掛在十架而帶來拯救 ―「使所有信他的人得永生」(約3:15)。我們所信的基督不單是醫治者，也是再來之君，不單要醫治我們的病痛與創傷，更要給我們永生，只要我們「信」。我們都(頭腦上)「相信」，但我們是真正「信靠」或「信從」嗎？在疫情中我們要轉眼仰望耶穌，在做足應做可做的，不用過分憂慮。