願你們有平安 May Peace Be With You

在霧中依然感到平安，來自月明洞的邀請

(新加入英文版在底下喔!!)

講話的時候應該要總是說出「帶給人平安的言語」。~20140824主日話語

人不論追求些什麼，最終會發現，要的就是平安。

追求愛情，是想要因著那份愛情感到平安；追求金錢，是想要藉著大把鈔票感到平安；追求名譽，是想要透過權勢榮耀感到平安…

終究，想要的就是平安。

因此，帶給人平安，是多麼了不起啊。要是有人，總是說出「帶給人平安的言語」，想必該成為最受歡迎的那一位吧。

弔詭的是，事實似乎並非如此。

什麼樣的言語是帶給人平安的言語呢？

雖說見面時，會說：「平安。」如此來打招呼，還有，也會說：「願你們平安。」來表達祝福，但是，並不是嘴裡發出「平安」這兩個字的聲音，就是說出帶給人平安的言語，就能帶給人平安。

舊約時代，　神多次指責已變得假冒為善的先知和祭司們，嘴說平安，其實沒有平安。

他們輕輕忽忽地醫治我百姓的損傷，說：「平安了！平安了！」其實沒有平安。~耶利米書6:14、8:11

因為他們誘惑我的百姓，說：「平安！」其實沒有平安，就像有人立起牆壁，他們倒用未泡透的灰抹上。~以西結書13:10

因為唯一能夠以言語來成就一切事物的，唯有全能者　神而已。真正能口說平安，就達到平安之效果的，唯有　神和受　神差遣的使命者而已。

所以當法老王急急忙忙地詢問約瑟有關自己所做的怪夢是什麼意思時，深知　神才是一切主宰的約瑟回答說：「這不在乎我，　神必將平安的話回答法老。(創世記41:16)」

能說出「帶給人平安的言語」，必要的條件就是　神同在。

不是主人，就算主張一百次、一千次，仍然不能把那東西變成自己的。即使非常樂意帶給人平安，若非平安的根源者所賜，意願上達於天也是無法成就。就算能給人一時的安慰，姑且也只是茍安而已，並非真正的平安。

想要平安，賜下平安的　神和被　神使用來賜下平安的人，不可或缺。

只是，當　神真正派人來賜下平安時，人們卻不見得認得出來。

因為那帶給人平安的言語，乍聽之下，有時並不是那麼合乎自己的心意。

凡管教的事，當時不覺得快樂，反覺得愁苦；後來卻為那經練過的人結出平安的果子，就是義。~希伯來書12:11

不覺得快樂時，有多少人還能夠虛心地接受呢？往往油蒙了心的人是更多。

兩千年前，耶穌出現在這世上，帶來了和平的福音，然而，因為與舊時代宗教人所主張的不同，帶給人平安的言語被批評成異端的言論。在衝突當中，仍舊接受了耶穌的人，其後代成為了平安的子孫，而鄙棄了耶穌的民族，到現在卻都還處在烽火戰亂中，平安遙不可及。

發人深省啊，恐怕自己成為推開平安的人嗎？

如同過去的每個時代一樣， 神派使命者來賜下平安的言語，這時代也有　神賜下的平安言語正在傳達著。　

乍聽或許不是那麼順耳，反覆地咀嚼卻能體會箇中滋味，也不知不覺就迎接到平安的降臨。

公義的果效必是平安；公義的效驗必是平穩，直到永遠。~以賽亞書32:17

此刻，平安的言語在　神的時代歷史中流倘著。

聽聽看吧。

願你們有平安。

When you converse with other, you must speak in word of peace to one another.

2014.08.24 Sunday Message

No matter what we are looking for in life, at the end, peace, is what we all are searching for.

We may be looking for love, but what we really want is having peace through love. We may be looking for money, but what we really hope for is having peace through loads of wealth. We may be going after fame, but what we really desire is having peace through power and glory of this world.

At last, what we all want in life is peace.

Therefore, to bring one another peace, is an amazing gift. Ideally, if someone can always converse in word of peace to one another, then he or she must be popular wherever he or she goes.

Sadly, that isn’t the case in the real world.

What can we say to bring peace to one another?

We may greet one another with phrases such as “hello”, “peace”, or “may peace be with you”, but just because we use the word “peace” in our greetings, it neither makes it word of peace, nor brings people peace.

God called prophets and priests of the Old Testament hypocrites: they speak of peace, but there is no peace among the people.

They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 6:14

They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace.

Jeremiah 8:11

 “‘Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, ¹¹ therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. ¹² When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

Ezekiel 13:10

Why there is no peace among the people? That’s because only the all knowing, all mighty God can let things be done with his word. Only the man of mission who is sent by God can bid one another peace through the word he proclaims.

This is why when the Pharaoh of Egypt anxiously asked Joseph about the meaning of dreams he had and what they represent, Joseph said to the Pharaoh:

““I cannot do it…but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.””

Genesis 41:16

The irreplaceable condition to be able to converse in word of peace is to have God by his side.

No matter how many times and how hard we may emphasize, when we do not have ownership of something, we cannot claim the ownership of whatever we try to claim. Though we want and are willing to bring each other peace, unless this peace is given from where it comes from, this request cannot be done. We may be able to comfort one another temporary; however, that is not the eternal peace.

If we are looking for peace, God, the ultimate being who owns peace and the man of mission who God uses to proclaim word of peace are both essential. However, how many people can recognize the man of mission who is sent by God?

The reason we cannot recognize him is because, his word can and will bring us peace, but, sometimes, isn’t what we would like to hear.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

Hebrews 12:11

When the situation is not pleasant, how many people can and will accept disciplines? Most of our hearts chose to be calloused.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus brought the gospel of peace when he came to this world. However, his gospel of peace was labeled as the teaching of heresy because it seemed to be different from the teaching of priests and prophets of Old Testament. In the midst of religious conflict, the offspring of people who accepted Jesus’ gospel built nations of peace. As for people who abandoned Jesus’ teaching, they are still under the pain of war and tribulations until this day. Peace seems to be nothing but a dream to them. 

Now, this is a question we should ask ourselves, “Are we pushing away peace that could be upon us?”

Just like what God had done in the past, the man of mission of this time period is proclaiming the word of peace to us based on God’ s will right now. It may not be what we would like to hear, but, if we repeatedly listen to and accept it, we will receive peace in our life. 

The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.

Isaiah 32:17

The word of peace is flowing in the God’s history right now.

Listen to it.

“May peace be with you.”

Translated by R. C.