Sheep

2023.01.14/15

From the Pastor’s Desk: Rev. Jason Cheung

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

“For now we see in a mirror dimly…”
1 Corinthians 13:12

As a child, I listened as best I could to the preacher every Sunday.  The red cushioned pews of my childhood church, off Main St., was cushier than our blue ones here at RCAC.  Back then it was much easier to fall asleep.

God in his grace let the preaching words of people pierce my hard heart, over time.  I heard Him, and stepped in faith more than a few times, responding to a call to repent, to love him, to live for him, to serve him.

And yet, listening to a sermon is still difficult.

I am both a preacher, and a listener.  But my big head makes me think I am more important as a preacher.  God has shown me how foremost I am to be a listener.

The preacher is a person, and not perfect.  This is true of all of us, but when a person called, and trained, and even ordained, steps behind the pulpit, that person is still a person.  Called and made an instrument by God – yes! – but still a person like every other.  As a preacher preaches there may develop over years an ego that supersedes the task.  But (I speak as one called to preach) the moment I believe I have more to say than I have to listen, then I’ve lost my call to preach.

Most every vocation requires expertise and skill, a mastery of the task.  Coaches take charge of the team.  CEOs manage large companies.  Surgeons are captains of the operating room.  These are necessary for these roles.  Preachers, too, take years to hone the skill to preach, but preachers have a different aim.  Preachers are never meant to stand out.  The most faithful preachers are forgotten, because when the Word meets the hearer’s heart the lingering ache is for Christ.  When the preacher is remembered, he has failed.

And yet, for some reason, we’ve made pastors to be coaches of people, CEOs of churches and surgeons of souls.  That’s foolhardy because pastors are not called to be any of these.  Pastors are called to preach and get out of the way of the Spirit’s work in hearts.

Kneeling
by R.S. Thomas

Moments of great calm,
Kneeling before an altar
Of wood in a stone church
In summer, waiting for the God  
To speak; the air a staircase  
For silence; the sun’s light  
Ringing me, as though I acted  
A great rôle. And the audiences  
Still; all that close throng
Of spirits waiting, as I,
For the message.

                        Prompt me, God;

But not yet. When I speak,  
Though it be you who speak  
Through me, something is lost.  
The meaning is in the waiting.

In his poem, Kneeling, R.S. Thomas opens within the anticipation of a person in the pew, “waiting for God to speak.”  Every element described of the church is space readying for the Word.  Even the air is “a staircase for silence.”  Then the poem turns, and we learn the person in the pew is actually the pastor about to preach.  And this pastor says something profound:

When I speak,  
Though it be you who speak  
Through me, something is lost.  
The meaning is in the waiting.

These lines capture well the tension of the preacher as person and the preacher as conduit of God’s holy Word.

As a preacher, I have buckled under the pressure of conveying God’s Word to God’s people.  I have  tried various voices to “improve.”  Authority.  Humour.  Knowledge.  But, I used all these only to prove myself worthy.  These voices have a place, for sure, but they can also get in the way.  I was in the way.  When I stopped trying to prove, and rather trusted, paused, and waited, the Spirit worked his meaning into me.

Thomas’ poem reminds us, listeners, that the preacher is merely an interpreter, and every word that comes from his or her mouth will lose something of the divine meaning.  And that’s fine.  The temptation for listeners (as it is for preachers) is to take every word spoken as if it were God’s very Word.  But biblical authority is not transferable from Word to preacher.  The only person where this authority rests perfectly is Jesus – “the Word was God” (John 1:1).

So, listen to the Word.

By all means, listen to preachers.  But, listen with the aim of listening to God.  Discard the chaff, and be nourished by whatever truth comes through.  Be gentle and gracious to preachers who try, but communicate poorly.  Be thankful for faithful preachers who highlight the text for you, for the church, and then step aside.  Be wary of preachers who demand respect based on authority.  Be open, though, to the humblest of preachers who tremble as they step into the pulpit. Be wary of preachers eloquent in speech who gain followers to themselves.

Be open, though, to the Spirit’s voice between Sundays, in the silent and in your waiting.

Listen to the Word.

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Jason Cheung

2023.1.14/15

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

「我們現在是對著鏡子觀看，模糊不清…」(哥林多前書 13:12)

小時候，我每個星期天都盡我能力去聆聽牧者講道。我兒時的教堂位於 Main St. 附近，我坐在紅色墊子的長椅，比我們列宣的藍色長椅更舒適，那時候入睡要容易得多。

隨著時間漸漸過去，上帝在祂的恩典裡讓牧者的教導刺穿了我堅硬的心腸。我聽到了祂的聲音，並多次憑著信心踏出，回應上帝的呼召，要悔改、要愛祂、為祂而活、服侍祂。

然而，聆聽一篇講道仍然很困難。

我既是一位牧者，又是一位聆聽者。但我腦袋裡讓我覺得作為牧者更重要。上帝已經向我展示作為一個聆聽者是多麼重要的。

牧者是一個人，並不完美。我們所有人也是，當一個人被呼召、接受訓練、甚至被按立，但離開講台，那個人仍然是一個人。他被上帝呼召成為祂一個器皿，但仍然是一個人，與其他人沒有分別。當一個講員不停講道，經年累月後或許會展現出一種自我而失去其講道的真義。對我作為講員而言，當我察覺到我要說的比我必須要聽的更多時，我就失去了被呼召去講道的真義。

大多數職業都需要專業知識和技能，可以精準地掌握其職務。教練負責他的隊伍，大公司主席管理公司，外科醫生是手術室的隊長，這些角色都是理所當然的。講員也一樣，需要時間磨練講道技巧。但講員有不同的目標，他絕對不是為了脫穎而出。最忠心的講員常會被遺忘的，因為當道觸及聽者的心時，那揮之不去的痛楚是為了基督。當講員會被人們記住時，他就失敗了。

然而，某些原因，讓牧者成為人的教練、教會的主席和靈魂的外科醫生。這是愚蠢的，因為牧者沒有被呼召成為任何的一個。牧者被呼召去講道是要讓聖靈在人心中的工作。

Kneeling《跪等》R.S. Thomas

大有寧靜的片刻，
跪在木頭祭台前，
一座石頭教堂裡，
夏日，等候上帝
發聲；空氣是樓梯
伸向靜寂，太陽的光
將我環系，倒像是我出演了
一場大戲。而觀眾們
止息；所有那些聚攏近前的
靈魂們等候著，像我一樣，
為那信息。
給我提示，上帝，
但還不急。當我開口，
雖將是你通過我發聲，
仍已有部分被丟掉了。
意義在這等候裡。

R.S. Thomas的詩《跪等》中，開始時是指向在坐長椅上的一個人的期待，「等候上帝說話」。所有描述教堂內的每一個元素空間都是為聖言而準備。甚至空氣也是「寂靜的階梯」。然後這首詩轉向，我們了解到坐在長椅上的人實際上是即將要講道的牧者。這位牧者說了一些震撼的話：

當我開口，
雖將是你通過我發聲，
仍已有部分被丟掉了。
意義在這等候裡。

這些詩句很清楚表達作為人的講道者和作為上帝聖言的管道的講道者之間的張力。

作為一位講員，我在向上帝的子民傳達上帝的話語的壓力下屈服了。我嘗試用各種聲音來“改進”。 權威、 幽默、 知識。 但是，我用這一切只是為了證明自己的價值。 這些聲音肯定有一席之地，但它們也可能成為障礙，我就是被這障礙擋住了。當我停止嘗試去證明，反而是相信、止息、及等候時，聖靈就將祂的意思賜給我。

Thomas的詩提醒我們聆聽者，講員只不過是一個傳譯員，從他或她口中說出的每一句話都會失去一些神聖的意義，這也沒錯的。對聆聽者的誘惑（就像對講員的誘惑一樣）是把所說的每一句話都當成是上帝的話。但聖經的權威不能從道轉移到講員身上。唯一完全擁有這種權威的人只有是耶穌－「道就是神」（約翰福音 1:1）。

所以，要聽道。

無論如何，聆聽講員的話。但是，要帶著聆聽上帝的目的去聆聽。丟掉糠秕，被真理去滋養。講員或許溝通不流暢，我們要以溫柔和恩慈的心對待講員。我們要感謝默默耕耘、忠心服侍的講員。要提防那些基於權威追求自己名聲的講員；要小心警惕那些口若懸河，為自己贏得追隨者的講員。要包容那些謙卑、戰戰兢兢地踏上講壇講道的講員。

每一天，我們都要安靜和等候，敞開我們的心被聖靈的聲音去充滿。

主僕
張志成牧師

January 7/8, 2023

From the Pastor’s Desk : Pastor Alex Poon

Dear brothers and sisters of RCAC,

May we pursue wisdom this new year. Grow to deepen your heart and mind knowledge of Christ our Savior. This is growing Christian maturity.

 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” – Proverbs 9:8-10

This is wisdom: to love God as God. Wisdom is the way we want to live and move towards Him.

And it takes the work of pursuing learning.

The Apostle Paul writes to his disciple Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-2…

 “¹ You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

Then he continues later in chapter 3 in 2 Timothy 3:14-17…

“¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it ¹⁵ and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Follow the train of thought: The source of strengthening is first the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Then the second source of strengthening is learning; “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed”. And the source of this learning is the teaching of Scripture – which is God breathed, and good in every way. It is profitable for the equipping of every good work.

So, for us, as maturing children of God: It is good work to pursue God, to know him as Lord of all, and to continually grow in maturity in him through heart and mind. As we deepen our understanding, we deepen our experience. As he provokes our thoughts, as he tunes our attention, and refines our pondering – we will learn to commune with him deeper and deeper and be satisfied more and more.

Naturally, the question is “How do we start?”

I’m sure you already know how.

First through prayer. Prayers of dependence. And prayers which ask God to create in us a renewing mind, and heart which desires and matures.

Then, through diving in the deep strengthening teachings of Scripture. When do you read God’s Word to us? When do you dive into the depth of his love explained? What sources help illuminate your reading – so you see what you did not see at first? Who are your good teachers? And who are your conversational partners who help to strengthen and encourage your pursuit of wisdom? But the ultimate question is this: do you give priority to the Scriptures, so that you are formed and shaped in your thinking?

All of this, so we may praise our God, who came – as the embodiment of wisdom – to reveal to us the wisdom of the cross. That is, the wisdom of our suffering servant who is the righteous dying for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Alex Poon

2023.01.07/.08

親愛的列宣家弟兄姊妹：

 願我們在新的一年追求智慧，在心靈和思想行為上對我們的救主基督有更深的認識，成為一個越來越成熟的基督徒。

箴言9:10 「敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端」。智慧就是愛主，生活和行事為人要討主喜悅，這是需要學習的功課。

使徒保羅在提摩太後書2:1-2 寫信給他的門徒提摩太…

「所以，我兒啊，你應當在基督耶穌的恩典裡剛強起來，又應當把你在許多見證人面前從我這裡聽見的，交託給那些又忠心又能夠教導別人的人。」

然後，他在3:14-17 繼續…

「你應當遵守所學和確信的；你知道是跟誰學的，並且知道自己從小就明白聖經，這聖經能夠使你有智慧，可以因信基督耶穌得著救恩。全部聖經都是神所默示的，在教訓、責備、矯正和公義的訓練各方面，都是有益的，為要使屬神的人裝備好，可以完成各樣的善工。」

按經文教導：剛強的源頭首先是在基督耶穌裡的恩典，第二個是學習，「繼續你所學到的和堅信的」。而這樣學習的源頭是聖經的教導－聖經是神所默示的，在各方面都是好的。裝備各樣善工都是有益的。

至於我們，作為成長中神的兒女，要渴慕神，認定祂是萬有之主，並且心靈和思想行為要在祂裡面不斷地成長。隨著我們對神有更深入的認識，我們也加深對祂的經歷，祂會激發我們的思想，調整我們的專注力，煉淨我們的思考，當我們學會越深入地與祂交流，我們就越得到滿足。

好自然就會問「我們如何開始？」，我相信你已經知道怎樣做了。

首先是禱告，就是倚靠神的祈禱，祈求神更新我們的心思意念，賜我們渴慕神成長的心。然後，深入研讀聖經的教導。你什麼時候閱讀聖經？你什麼時候感受到祂的愛的長闊高深？有那些資源幫助你明白，讓你看到你最初沒有看到的東西？誰是你的好老師？誰是幫助你加強和鼓勵你追求智慧的夥伴？但最終的問題是：你有否把聖經放在首位，以致你的思想行為被祂塑造？

所有的一切，讓我們讚美我們的神，耶穌基督，智慧的化身，祂向我們展示十字架的智慧，也就是“我們受苦的僕人的智慧，就是義的代替不義的，為要領你們到神面前。（彼得前書3:18）

主僕
潘啟華傳道