Pulpit Message Introduction for Dec. 2

Pulpit Message Introduction for 1st Sunday of Advent
Christmas is coming. Are we anticipating it with hope or are we enduring it with despair? Look at Mary. She has so much to teach us about real hope. The mission God chose her to fulfil was not an easy task. What she went through was incredibly difficult. She was just a teenage girl from a poor family who lived in an obscure village in a tiny nation. Then one day an angel came to her with a message from the Lord: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold you will conceive and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great. He will be the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world…” And all this was going to happen when she was still a virgin. It was a tough situation for Mary. If we were she most of us would have asked the Lord to find someone else to do this job. But not Mary. Her answer to the angel was a model of real faith and real hope. She said, “I am the Lord’s servant; let it be to me according to your word.” Here in Mary we see the powerful witness of Christian hope.

講壇信息介紹
聖誕節快來臨了。我們是用一個仰望的心去期待它，還是一個失望的心去應付它呢？請看馬利亞。她給我們一個很好學習仰望的功課。上帝給她的差使是一個不容易的差使。她所經歷的是不好受的經歷。她是一個十多歲的女孩子，在一個小國窮鄉長大。一天天使帶來上帝的信息，對她說：“馬利亞不要怕！你在神面前已經蒙恩了。你要懷孕生子，可以給他起名叫耶穌。他要為大，他要做彌賽亞，是神的兒子，是世界的救主。。。”而這一切事成就是要在她還沒有出嫁之前發生的。這是一件令馬利亞最難接受的事。如果我們是她，很多人會叫神另找賢能，我就無能為力了。但馬利亞並不是這樣。她的回應能夠顯出真信心和真仰望的品質，她對天使說：“我是主的使女，情願照你的話成就在我身上。”在馬利亞身上我們看見了基督徒仰望神最有力的見證。

Pulpit Message Introduction for Nov. 25

Pulpit Message Introduction
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
We are all concerned about how to find life. Sometimes we thought we will find it by preserving it and maintaining it. But this is not what Jesus says. Jesus tells us if we want to save life, we will lose it. If we lose it for him we will find it.
A candle has to be burned before it gives out light. Salt has to be dissolved before it sends out its saltiness. Similarly a person has to lose himself/herself before he/she finds life.
The following is an excerpt from the sermon Martin Luther King, Jr. preached at Ebenezer Baptist Church on February 4, 1968, two months before he was assassinated, and which was played at his funeral.
“Every now and then I guess we all think realistically about that day when we will be victimized with what is life’s final common denominator—that something we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral. And I don’t think of it in a morbid sense. Every now and then I ask myself, “What is it that I would want said?” And I leave the word to you this morning.
If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.
I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King tried to give his life serving others. I’d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King tried to love somebody. I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try, in my life, clothe those who were naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try, in my life, to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace, I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won’t have any money to leave behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. I just want to leave a committed life behind.
And that’s all I want to say…if I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain.
If I can do my duty as a Christian ought, if I can bring salvation to a world over wrought, if I can spread the message as the Master taught, then my living will not be in vain.”
講壇信息介紹
於是，耶穌對門徒說：“若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。因為凡要救自己生命的，必喪掉生命；凡為我喪掉生命的，必得著生命。”馬太16：24-25
我們都想得著生命。我們以為保存生命，維持生命就能得著生命。但這不是耶穌所說的。耶穌告訴我們如果我們想救自己生命，我們就會喪掉生命；如果我們為主喪掉生命，我們才會得著生命。
正如蠟燭要燃燒自己才能發出亮光；鹽要消失自己才能發出鹹味；人要盡用生命才能找著生命。
以下是一篇馬丁路德金博士講章的摘錄，是他於1968年2月4日在Ebenezer浸信會崇拜的講道，之後兩個月他被刺身亡，在喪禮中這講章重播出來：
“久不久我們都會現實地想到每人都難逃一死之那天的光景。久不久我也想到我自己的死和我自己的喪禮。我毫無忌諱的想：“那一天我喜歡人講些甚麼呢？”今天早上讓我把這些話告訴你們吧。
倘若那天你在場的話，我不想喪禮太長。如果你要找人述說生平的話，請叫他們不要講得太多。久不久我會想我喜歡他們講些什麼呢。告訴他們不要說我是諾貝爾和平獎的得主，那是不重要的。告訴他們不要說我得過三四百樣其他的獎項，那是不重要的。告訴他們不用提我在那間學校讀過書。
我希望有人在那一天說馬丁路德金曾用他的生命去服侍別人。我希望有人在那一天說馬丁路德金曾嘗試去愛人。我想你那一天說我嘗試在戰爭的問題上做對的事情。我想你那一天說我的確有嘗試給饑餓的人吃。我想你那一天說我的確曾在我的生命中嘗試給赤身露體的人穿。我想你那一天說我的確曾在我的生命中嘗試看在監裏的人。我想你會說我曾嘗試去愛和服侍人類。是的如果你要說我是個鼓樂隊隊長，請你說我是個鼓吹公道的鼓樂隊隊長。請你講我是個鼓吹和平的鼓樂隊隊長，我是個鼓吹正義的鼓樂隊隊長。至於其他淺薄的事，也無關重要了。我不會有錢留下。我沒有生活上豪華講究的東西留下。我只想留下一條盡忠職守的生命而已。
這就是我所要說的。。。如果我可以在生命過程中幫助別人，如果我可以用說話或歌聲鼓勵別人，如果我能在人走錯路時引領他返回正途，那我就是不枉此生了。
如果我能做基督徒應該做的事，如果我能把救恩帶給一個走錯路的世界，如果我能把主耶穌教我的道理傳開，那我就是不枉此生了。”

Pulpit Message Introduction for Nov. 18

Pulpit Message Introduction
We are “the salt of the earth” (vs. 13). In days before refrigerators were invented, salts was used to keep meat from going bad. Christians are called to keep society from decay. More positively, we are called to be “the light of the world” (vs. 14) and to light up the darkness around us. Jesus, of course, is our model. He described himself as “the light of the world” (John 8:12) and here tells His disciples that they are “the light of the world.” Jesus was the most influential person who has ever lived. The historian K. S. LaTourette wrote, “Measured by His effect on history, Jesus’ life is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.”
In order to have an influence on society it is vital, first of all, for Christians not to withdraw from the world into a Christian sub-culture but to get involved in our society. God sent Jesus to get involved in society. He could have remained aloof and safe in heaven, but He chose to get His hands dirty and become immersed in our world. Being “the salt of the earth” (vs. 13), we should not conserve ourselves inside the four walls of our church. Since we are called to be “the light of the world” (vs. 14), we must not put the light in a valley where it cannot be seen, but on a hill (vs. 14). We do not put lamps under bowls but on stands, so that they can give light to the whole house (vs. 15).
So, Jesus says, we must be out there in society letting our lights shine before others so that they may see our good deeds and give praise to God (vs. 16).
講壇信息介紹：我們是世上的鹽（13節）。在雪櫃還未發明之前，人們是用鹽來防止肉類食物腐爛的。同理基督徒是被呼召做社會的防腐劑。積極方面來說我們是世界的光（14節）並且要光照周圍的黑暗。主耶穌祂是我們的榜樣。祂說我是世界的光（約翰8章12節）這裏經文祂告訴門徒他們是世上的光。主耶穌是世界上最有影響力的一個人。歷史學家K. S. LaTourette也承認人類歷史中能夠影響世界最深的，除了耶穌之外再沒有別人了。基督徒要對世界有影響力，首先必須不能回避世界或離群獨處。他們必須參與社會。神差耶穌來世是要祂溶入社會。主耶穌本可以留在天堂不吃人間煙火的。但祂選擇了參與世情。作為世上的鹽（13節）我們不應該躲在教會的裏面。（14節）我們的光不是在谷底而是在山上的。我們點燈不是放在斗底下而是放在登臺上的。好叫能夠照亮一家的人。所以耶穌說我們一定要把光照在人前，叫人看見我們的好行為，便將榮耀歸給我們在天上的父（16節）。

講壇信息介紹

Pulpit Message Introduction
Jesus said, “ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness.” We might well think that if we live the kind of life that Jesus advocated we would be universally popular. In fact this is not the case. Jesus never guaranteed popularity. In fact, He warns us to be on our guard if everyone thinks highly of us and says that there is bound to be opposition. He never said, “Come to me and your troubles will be over.” We are the conscience of mankind and that can be very unpopular. We may have to endure insults and ridicule or even worse.
Jesus said, “ Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you..
Jesus never told us to seek persecution, but He did say that when it comes, we are to regard it as a blessing. We are “to rejoice and be glad” (vs.12) . Jesus gives three reasons for doing so. First, because of our reward in heaven. Those who are persecuted because of righteousness are “blessed” because “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (vs. 10), and in a similar way He says to His disciples, “Great is your reward in heaven” (vs.12). Secondly, our joy comes from identifying with Jesus. It is “because of me” (vs. 11) that they are persecuted. Thirdly, it is a sign that our faith is genuine, since the prophets were persecuted in the same way (vs. 12).
講壇信息介紹
耶穌說：為義受逼迫的人有福了因為天國是他們的。我們或以為如果我們照耶穌教我們的方法做，我們必受歡迎。但事實並非如此。耶穌從來沒有保證我們備受愛戴。相反他警告我們當眾人都讚賞我們的時候，我們要特別小心。因為必有反對。耶穌從來沒有說：來我這裏，你的麻煩就會消失得無影無蹤。我們既是人類的良心，就會常常不受歡迎。我們可能要忍受辱罵，逼迫，毀謗，或者更甚的事情。
耶穌說： 人若因我辱罵你們逼迫你們，捏造各樣壞話毀謗你們，你們就有福了。應當歡喜快樂，因為你們在天上的賞賜是大的。在你們以前的先知，人也是這樣逼迫他們。
耶穌沒有叫我們去自找逼迫。但當逼迫來臨時，我們可以看它是福。我們要歡喜快樂（12節）。這裏耶穌給我們三個快樂的原因：第一，因為我們在天上的賞賜。為義受逼迫的人有福了，因為天國是他們的（10節）。同樣地祂告訴祂的門徒：你們在天上的賞賜是大的（12節）。第二，我們快樂因為我們與主認同。人若因我。。。（11節）意思是說門徒是因主而受苦的。第三，這是真正信仰的明證，因為以前有真誠信仰的先知也是這樣受逼迫的啊（12節）！

Pulpit Message Introduction for Nov. 4

Blessed are you when people speak evil against you

Jesus said, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Why did Jesus disciples have to be hated so?
The writer of the book of Peter gives us a good explanation.
In I Peter 4:1-4 it says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.”
True followers of Christ are hated by the world because they do not conform to the world. Their unconformity makes the world feel uncomfortable. That is why they are insulted, persecuted, and falsely said all kinds of evil against. If you are a true follower of Christ you are bound to receive such abuse in the world and in the church as well.
What? In the church as well? Yes, in the church as well! This is because the church has been conformed by the world unaware. Many people who join the church are originally people from the world. They were born and raised in the world. After they joined the church they brought with them worldly thoughts and worldly standards. This is called secularization of the church. A secularized church hates true followers of Christ. Martin Luther described the Roman Catholic Church in the middle ages as that kind of a church. It was the church in exile and was taken captive into Babylon.
Have you been said falsely all kinds of evil against in the church? If so, rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.
In the Nov- Dec issue of our Chinese devotional the ‘Proclaim’ bimonthly, there is an article entitled, “Building a loving community” by Xiao Dao Sheng. It talks about how church secularization has hampered the building of a loving community. I have made 50 copies of it. I hope each and every one of us will take a copy and read it carefully at home.
Hatred rings out in the world like the shrill clash of metal against metal; the hammer against the nail. Hatred is the force of darkness that covers the face of the earth, reaping destruction where it goes. Hatred is most often aroused by our self-righteous resentments. It is easier to shoot the bad guys, to seek retribution for the satisfaction of our moral feelings, than to get at the root of the bad guys or to transform them. It is easier to kill bad people than to build loving community to embrace them. The actions of that hatred often create judgment, condemnation and church division. What a difference it would make if our hatreds were redirected to love. Hatred grows out of a limitation which is forced upon us by having to live with one another even with people we don’t like. Hatred is the force and power of destruction. It leads away from happiness to living hell. The world loves to tell us that what is most important is what makes "me" most important. The world loves to tell us that value is measured by the strength of my voice, the size of the group which will come and hear it; the world loves to tell us that value is determined by success, not meekness. Success is the ability to stand while others fall, the ability to climb over and above the others. Christ came preaching a different message. "Deny yourself," he said. In humility count others better than yourself. Look not merely to your own interest, but to the interests of others. Be even like me ... who came not among you to display power and glory, but to empty myself, to take the form of a servant. Does the world like this standard? No, it loves only those who abide by the world's standards. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I choose out of the world, therefore the world hates you." "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." Anger, resentment, bitterness; slander; power, conflict, hatred ring out like a noisy gong, a clanging cymbal; the harsh sound of metal against metal; the hammer against the nail-disrupting, bleeding, destroying human relationships. But the power that heals, that reconciles, that blesses us is more like the silence of happiness, interpreted by LOVE.
Amen.

被毀謗之福
主耶穌說：人若因我辱罵你們，逼迫你們，捏造各樣壞話毀謗你們，你們就有福了。應當歡喜快樂，因為你們在天上的賞賜是大的。在你們以前的先知，人也是這樣逼迫他們。
為甚麼做耶穌的門徒會被人憎恨，毀謗的呢？原來是因為耶穌的門徒不效法這個世界，世界便辱罵他們，逼迫他們，捏造各樣壞話毀謗他們。如果你是基督的真正門徒，你也必會受到同樣的來自世界和教會而來的逼迫和毀謗的。
為甚麼教會也會逼迫毀謗基督徒呢？這是因為教會的人都是從世界來的，他們不知不覺地把世俗的思想和標準也帶進教會來。教會變成世俗化就憎恨那些價值觀與他們不相同的人。
蕭道生在今期的傳遞生命雙月刊裏有一篇文章叫做【建立愛的群體】提及教會世俗化是妨礙建立愛的群體之最大阻力。
世界所用的方法是辱罵，逼迫，毀謗，憎恨。
基督門徒的方法是溫柔，憐恤，和睦，相愛。
耶穌說為義受逼迫的人有福了，因為天國是他們的。
阿門。