教會論與教會生活-林慈信(41集) - 12 - 《教會論與教會生活》林慈信博士 -第12講

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Living in Christ’s Church
session 12
引言 introduction
Has the church had it?
教會的有效性已經過時了、沒用了是嗎？
Many people think so.
很多人是如此想的
The church they picture is that
gloomy stone fortress
two blocks from the office
他們心目中的教會就是那座
黑沈沈的
石頭堡壘一樣的建築物
從他們的辦公室只隔兩條街而已
with its doors fast shut against
the life of the city.
門是緊緊地關住的
與城市的生活毫無關係
Only the pigeons
take interest in its grimy spires.
只有鴿子對教會的鐘樓
骯髒的鐘樓
有興趣
Who needs it?
誰需要教會？
A tramp or two might sleep
for an hour in the prayer chapel,
無家可歸的流氓，可能一個兩個
會花一兩個小時睡在教會的
的聖堂裡
but everyone else hurries by.
其他人都走過
就趕緊地離開了
“No,” you say.
你說：不是啦
“That’s just the old downtown building.
這個只不過是教會在市中心
那座建築物而已
The congregation sold it five years ago
會眾已經五年前賣掉了
and moved out to the suburbs.
已經搬到郊外去了
You should see their new church!
你要看他們的新的教堂啊！
The air-conditioned sanctuary seats 800
有冷氣的聖堂，有八百個座位
and there is an educational wing
with twenty classrooms,
教育大樓有二十個教室
all wired for audio visual
equipment and computers.
每一個教室都有視聽教材
都是連線的
On Sunday morning it is full
星期天是坐滿的
and a nursery school
meets there five days a week.”
幼兒園一個禮拜五天在那裡上課
But the critics aren’t satisfied.
但是批評教會的人士並不滿意
“Why has the church fled the city?”
they want to know.
他們要知道的是：
為什麼教會逃離城市呢？
“Do two or three hours of full use
on Sunday morning
justify the luxurious new plant?
一個星期只是用上兩、三個小時
在主日早上坐得滿滿的
就有足夠的理由建這座豪華的
新的設備嗎？
What does the church really mean
to the fashionable suburbanites
who now have it to themselves?”
現在教會這座樓
對那些趕上時髦的、郊外的人士
他們可以完全自己擁有了
對他們來說
教會真正的意義是什麼呢？
So long as the church
is something you go to
教會是一天你去的一個地方
the critics will never be answered.
那一天批評教會的人
不會得到滿意的答案的
We so often think of
the church as a building
我們常常以為教會就是一座建築物
that we find it hard to realize that
因此我們很難去體會到
the word is never used in
that sense in the New Testament.
那個字從來在新約
不是這樣用法的
But if the church is not a building
但是，教會假如不是一座建築物
what is it, a kind of religious club?
那它又是什麼呢？
一種宗教性的俱樂部嗎？
We have organizations
galore in our society
俱樂部在我們社會上
到處都找得到啊
-labor unions
工會
political parties
政黨
gardening clubs
園藝社
health clubs
健身房
country clubs
高爾夫球場
Is the church just a voluntary
organization of people
who share certain
religious convictions?
教會是不是只不過是一個
一般共享同樣的宗教信念的人
的一個自願團體而已呢？
If we try to define the church as
one of the many organizations we form,
we will misunderstand it.
假如我們把教會的定義
作為是人可以組織起來的
眾多的組織之一的話
我們必定會誤解教會
The church is not our church,
教會不是我們的教會
our nation’s church
我們國家的教會
our pastor’s church
我們牧師的教會
or our father’s church
或者我們祖先、我們父親的教會
It is Christ’s church.
教會是基督的教會
Christ is the bridegroom,
the church is his bride;
基督是新郎，教會是祂的新婦
Christ is the head,
the church is his body;
基督是頭，教會是祂的身體
Christ is the king,
the church is his kingdom;
基督是君王，教會是祂的國度
Christ is the shepherd,
the church is his flock.
基督是牧羊人，教會是祂的羊群
Apart from Christ
the church makes no sense.
若沒有基督
教會毫無意義
We cannot start with a building
or a roll of members-
我們不能從一座建築物
或者會友的名單開始
we have to start with Christ.
我們必須以基督開始
Without a shepherd
the sheep are scattered.
沒有牧人，羊必分散
It is the call of the shepherd,
the seeking of the shepherd,
that gathers the sheep
into a flock (John 10).
就是因為牧羊人的呼召
牧羊人的尋求
使羊群聚集起來
成為一群羊
When Jesus said
“I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18)
當耶穌說：我要建造我的教會
馬太福音十六章18節
he was speaking of men and women,
boys and girls
祂在講的是人—男女老幼
to be set upon the
foundation of his apostles.
這些男女老幼
是要建立在祂使徒們的根基上
Christ builds in living stones;
基督是用活石來建造的
the church is not only his possession,
教會不單單是祂所擁有的
it is his creation.
教會是祂創造的
Many organizations bear the stamp
of their founders or their first leaders.
很多的組織都有著他們的創辦人
或者他們第一批領袖們的印記
IBM, for all of its size, still reflects
the personality of Thomas Watson.
譬如說IBM
都反映出它的創辦人華生的性格
Abraham Lincoln left his mark
on our nation, not just on our pennies
林肯總統不單單是
林肯總統不單單是
在美國一分錢的銅幣上
留他的印記
他的印記是留在整個美國國家上的
In totalitarian politics
在集權的政治
the leader becomes
an idol for the masses
政治領袖就成為群眾的偶像
Stalin
史達林
Hitler
希特勒
Mao
毛澤東
built cults of leader-worship
to serve their thirst for power.
他們建造了偶像敬拜的一個制度
敬拜領袖
來滿足他們的權力慾
Yet there is no party, nation
or movement that is centered on a man
in the way that the church
is centered on Christ.
但是沒有一個政黨
沒有一個國家，沒有一個運動
集中在一個人的身少
好像教會集中在基督身上那樣
Human tyrants may build
a personality cult
人類的暴君可以
製造一個偶像敬拜的
一種的所謂宗教
but they remain mere men.
但是他們仍然是凡人而已
Their power is drawn
from the people they deceive.
他們的權力是來自他們所欺騙的
人們那裡來的
The dictator may be
contemptible as a person-
暴君、獨裁者這個人可能是
非常令人厭棄、藐視的
think of the screaming rages of Hitler
想一想希特勒那種的喊叫
but his mystique is drawn
from his role as a symbol.
但是他那種神秘感
是來自他身為象徵人物那個角色
But Christ is not a symbol.
但是基督不是象徵
He is the reality.
基督是實在
reality
祂是真實
He is not a great man:
祂不是一個偉大的人
he is the God-man.
祂是神人
Before Jesus declared
“I will build my church”
當耶穌宣告
「我必建造我的教會」之前
he asked his disciples
who people said that he was.
祂問祂的門徒：
人們說祂是誰呢？
The disciples reported views that
any rabbi would think incredibly flattering.
門徒報導了一些對基督的觀點
任何拉比都會覺得這是非常
奉承他的
Some said he was the great prophet
Elijah returned to earth
before the coming of the Lord.
有些門徒們說祂就是那位
偉大的先知以利亞
現在回到地上
很快地，耶和華就要來了
Others thought he was Jeremiah,
the most respected of the prophets.
也有其他的人會覺得耶穌是耶利米
先知中最受尊敬的那一位
King Herod, 希律王
who had beheaded John the Baptist,
就是那位砍了施洗約翰的頭的那一位
had his own reasons for fearing
that Jesus might be John,
back from the grave to seek
out his murderer.
有他自己的理由為什麼他怕
耶穌就是施洗約翰
從墳墓中再回來
來尋求謀殺他的，就是希律王自己
But Jesus had asked,
但耶穌問：
“Who do men say that the Son of Man is?”
(Matt. 16:13).
馬太福音十六章13節：
人們說人子是誰呢？
He identified himself
as the Son of Man,
耶穌稱自己為人子
the mysterious figure
in the vision of Daniel
就是但以理書裡那位
神秘的人物
who came on the clouds of heaven
to sit on the right hand
of the Ancient of Days
and receive an eternal kingdom
(Dan. 7:13, 14).
Even in the way he asked his question
Jesus claimed to be more than a prophet.
耶穌就在祂問問題的問法
就表明祂宣稱自己不僅僅是一位先知
He then put the question
directly to his disciples:
然後耶穌直接問祂的門徒們：
“But who say ye that I am?”
但是你們說我是誰呢？
In answer Peter (as spokesman
for the twelve) makes the confession
that binds the church to the Lord:
彼得的回答
他是代表這十二位門徒
他是他們的代言人
這個回答就宣告了
使教會與主耶穌連結的那個信念
“Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.”
你是基督，是永生上帝的兒子
When Peter gave that answer
當彼得做出這個答覆的時候
he knew that many had
stopped following Jesus
他知道有好些人都已經
不再跟隨耶穌了
because he would not become
the political Christ they wanted.
因為耶穌不願意作他們所想要的
政治的彌賽亞
But Peter remained loyal:
但是彼得仍然是忠誠的
he could not go away with others
他不能和別人一樣離開耶穌
for he knew that Jesus
had the words of eternal life,
因為他知道耶穌有永生之道
that he was the Son of God
(John 6:67-69).
耶穌是神的兒子
Jesus declared,
耶穌宣告：
“Blessed are thou, Simon Bar-Jonah:
西門—約拿的兒子，你是蒙福的
for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee,
因為不是屬血肉的向你啟示的
but my Father who is in heaven.”
乃是我在天上的父向你啟示的
For Peter to recognize that Jesus
of Nazareth was the very Son of God
was to display God-given faith.
彼得之所以能夠認出
拿撒勒人耶穌就是上帝親自的兒子
是表明出上帝給他信心
That faith was necessary for the
formation of the New Testament church.
新約教會的形成
必須要有這個信心
或者信仰
f Jesus were merely a prophet
like Isaiah
假如耶穌只不過好像以賽亞一樣
是個先知的話
he could gather disciples
as Isaiah had done (Is. 8:16, 17).
祂可以招聚門徒的
以賽亞也是這樣做的
門徒，以賽亞也有門徒的
Indeed Jesus did gather disciples.
是的，耶穌的確招聚了一些門徒
He could say as Isaiah did,
祂也可以好像以賽亞這樣說：
“Behold, I and the children whom the Lord
hath given me … ” (Is. 8:18, Heb. 2:13).
看哪，我和上帝給我的兒女們
主耶穌親自說的呢
是在希伯來書第二章13節
耶穌也可以這樣說的
But Jesus was not gathering disciples
to wait for the Lord (Is. 8:17):
但是耶穌招聚門徒們
不是要等候、預備耶和華的到來
不是的
(Is. 8:17)
「我也要仰望他」
以賽亞書八章17節
he was gathering disciples
as the Lord.
祂不是招聚門徒們來等候上主
祂是以主的身份來招聚門徒的
The church is his church
because it is God’s church,
教會是基督的教會
因為教會是上帝的教會
and he comes to fulfill all the promises
of God toward his people.
基督來，是要實現上帝對祂子民
所賜下所有的應許
基督都要實現
Any gifted leader could gather
followers and start a new movement
任何有恩賜才幹的領袖
都可以招聚一些跟隨者
開拓一個新的運動
or establish a new organization.
或者建立一個新的組織
But the New Testament
bears witness to Jesus
not as leader or as prophet
but as Lord.
但是新約聖經見證耶穌
不只是領袖、不是先知
乃是主
Angels announce the
birth of Jesus as the Lord:
天使們宣告那位出生的耶穌是主
He is not only the Lord’s Christ
(Luke 2:26),
祂不僅僅是耶和華
主所差來的基督、彌賽亞、被膏者
祂就是基督、彌賽亞、被膏者
主自己
he is Christ the Lord-Lord of the angels
as well as the shepherds.
天使的主，牧羊人的主
耶穌基督不單單是主耶和華
所立的基督彌賽亞
祂是基督彌賽亞，祂就是主
Christ the Lord
His name is called Jesus, Savior,
祂的名字是耶穌，是救主
因為
for it is he who shall save his people
from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
因為是祂來拯救祂的子民
脫離他們的罪惡的
God’s people are his people,
God’s work is his work,
上帝的子民就是彌賽亞的子民
上帝的工作就是彌賽亞的工作
for he is God the Son
因為祂—彌賽亞就是神，聖子
聖子神
the eternal Word made flesh
(John 1:1-4, 18).
就是永恆的道
道成肉身的永恆的道
The prophets promised that
God must come to redeem his people:
先知們應許
上帝必要來救贖祂的子民
The voice uttering that cry
喊叫的聲音
s the voice of John the Baptist
proclaiming the coming of Jesus,
就是施洗約翰的聲音
宣告耶穌的來臨
whose sandals he is not worthy
to untie (Matt. 3:1-3, 11, 12).
連耶穌的鞋帶子
施洗約翰都不配去解開的
馬太福音三章1~3節，11~12節
Because the false shepherds
have not cared for the people,
因為假牧羊人沒有照顧百姓
the Lord God will come to
be their shepherd.
耶和華上帝要親自來
作他們的牧羊人
Jesus comes as the good Shepherd
耶穌就是好牧羊人
祂來
who looks with compassion
on the scattered flock and
who gives his life for the sheep
(John 10:11, Matt. 9:36, Ezek. 34:11, 12, 23).
耶穌來，帶著憐憫的心
使那些分散的羊聚集起來
耶穌為這些羊捨命
約翰福音第十章11節
馬太福音九章36節
以西結書三十四章11,12,23節
我們下次繼續來講
耶穌是這位好牧人
耶穌是神的兒子
相信承認這個，是什麼意思

林慈信

林慈信博士在台灣錄製《教會論與教會生活》系列，這專題是林牧師特別為教會中的平信徒、長老、與執事預備的，是對教會的建造有益的。這專題是出於威敏斯特神學院，克羅尼院長的著作。克羅尼院長也曾是林牧師的老師。《教會論與教會生活》Living in Christ’s Church (Great Commission Publications)這本書是眾多成人主日學教科書之一，由PCA(美國改革宗長老會)與OPC(信正長老會)兩宗派合辦的主日學教材出版社所出版的書，也是專為平信徒而寫的書。

林慈信博士，西敏神學院神學碩士，天普大學歷史系哲學博士，加州洛杉磯「中華展望 China Horizon」創辦人。致力於護教與神學信仰的工作，在神學、宣道學、及歷史學等都有相當的造詣。林牧師不僅著力於出版歸正信仰的書籍，並且發表至少500篇的論文。著重系統神學、護教學、清教徒的成聖神學與聖經輔導學等；同時任教於美國國際神學院、西敏神學院、聖約神學院等校。推動聖經輔導不遺餘力。