Entering the Peace Where JESUS Is 進入耶穌所在的平安 – Pastor Jade Yi

Psalm 30

2 Corinthians 8:7-15

St. Mark 5:21-43

Our Story

During a Bible study several years ago, one of the questions I asked the class was, “What would you like to ask from God at this time of your life?” The first person said, “Peace!” Another looked around and said, “Peace!” Then the next one looked down and thought for a moment, “Peace is good; yes, I want peace from God!” Then the rest of class unanimously responded as they nodded their heads, “Peace!”  It might have something to do with what we discussed for the lesson we had that day or the song we sang. I don’t remember. What I remember was their yearning to live in the kind of peace that only God can offer.

幾年前，在一次查經課堂中，我向弟兄姊妹們提出的問題之一是：「在您目前人生的這個階段，您想向上帝求什麼呢？」第一位回答說：「平安！」另一位看了大家之後，也說：“「平安！」然後下一位，低下頭想了一會兒，回答說；「和平是挺好的；是的，我想要從上帝那裡得到平安！」 之後，剩下還沒回答的弟兄界妹們，點著頭都說：「平安！」那一天，他們都想要得到平安，也許是和那天課上討論的內容或唱的歌有關。我記不太清楚。但讓我印象很深刻的是，他們都渴望，擁有那個只有上帝才能提供的【平安】。

Last week, I was looking on YouTube for Christian songs for our Thursday morning devotion. Then a song called Peace caught my eye. As I scrolled through the comments, I saw that many people were posting their prayers. There were prayers for current wars, those suffering from illness, those grieving their loss, rain for the forest fire, etc.  

上週，我在 YouTube 上尋找適合週四早上靈修的基督教歌曲時。一首叫做《平安》的歌，引起了我的注意。當我瀏覽評論時，我看到很多人都在發表分享他們的禱告。有為當今的戰爭祈求上帝的禱告、有為那些遭受疾病折磨的人的禱告、也有為失去親人的悲痛者而代禱的、也有為森林火災祈雨等等的禱告。

There was a long prayer written by a widow that I would like to read to you.

“A good husband and father whom God gave me a lifetime, and a good co-worker for more than 50 years! Led by God, we were lifelong spiritual companions. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and rested in peace in the Lord more than two years ago. The grieving has lasted longer than I can bear. I give thanks to God for understanding my weary soul and comfort me at the break of each day by saying these words to me, “I will restore what you have lost.” Such God’s assurance also stated in the Bible helps me see that God’s peace will be with me for the rest of my life. I start each day by praising God who defeats the temptation of Satan for God is my only Lord. May the Holy Spirit be the GPS of my life. May I enjoy God’s peace that surpasses all understanding. May I devote all that I have to the Lord and commit to the Great Commission of Jesus faithfully. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.”

我想唸給你們聽一位寡婦寫的長篇禱文。

『為神所賜一生的好丈夫好父親 、一起同心同行50多年的好同工！在神帶領下使我倆成為一生的屬靈同伴、在兩年多前，他突然因《帕金森氏症》突發、在主內安息歸主懷中，至今已經2年多了。一直常因為失去親愛的丈夫之傷痛，而軟弱！感謝信實的天父體恤孩子的軟弱，常在清晨以安慰之言提醒我：「妳所失去的，我以自已來代替」、也藉著神在新舊約中的應許，知道神要赐下祂的平安在我心中，度過以下的年日、但每早都需要主帶領。我一醒來，開始就以敬拜讚美神來宣告，來得勝撒但的攻擊！可見心中尊主為大的重要性、懇求聖靈作我人生的GPS，常以敬拜讚美，來戰勝撒但的試探！使我享受滿有神所賜，出人意外的【平安】，將余年，全然獻上，為主而活！繼續完成神所賜我倆的大使命、忠心到底是所求，奉主耶穌基督大能的聖名祈求！阿們。』

The story of God

The kind of peace the widow is asking for is the same kind of peace that Jesus offers in Mark 5. Through the two healing stories, we see what God’s saving grace is like.  

這位寡婦所祈求的平安與耶穌在馬可福音第 5 章中所提供的【平安】是一樣的。透過兩個治癒的故事，我們看見了上帝拯救恩典的景象。

For the past twelve years, the hemorrhaging woman spent all that she had for physicians but only got worse. She had no choice but endured a life being labeled as “unclean” by the Jewish purity code stated in Leviticus 15:25-30. 

在過去的十二年裡，這位患有出血病的女人，花盡了她所有的錢，給醫生看病，但病情卻越來越嚴重。因為在《利未記》第 15 章中，紀載了有關對患出血症的人該遵循的潔淨详细法规。她別無選擇，只能忍受，被貼上了《不潔》的標籤，度過每一天。

The fact is that ancient Israel was a patriarchal society and the role of women was circumscribed. In the 1st century of the Jewish world, women were little more than servants of their husbands and household, and treated as property. Many Jewish men actually prayed each morning, “God, I thank you that I am not a Gentile, a slave, or a woman.” The life of the Jewish women may seem oppressive to us, but many found great fulfillment in the role of wife and mother. As we can later see in Paul’s writing, he addressed countless women as apostles and his co-workers. 

事實上，以色列古代是一個父權制的社會，婦女的角色受到限制。在第一世紀的猶太世界，婦女只不過是丈夫和其家人的僕人，被視為財產的一部分。事實上，許多猶太男人每天早上都會​​祈禱說：「神啊，我感謝祢，因為我不是外邦人、奴隸或著是女人。」猶太婦女的生活對我們來說似乎很壓抑，但許多人在妻子和母親的角色中，也找到了極大的滿足感。正如我們後來在保羅的著作書信中，也看到了他稱呼無數的女性為使徒和他的同工。

The second healing is about a girl, twelve years old, on her deathbed, dearly loved by her father, a leader of a synagogue. First-century synagogues were actually led by elders and priests instead of Pharisees. The waves created by Jesus’ coming and teaching made many to think Jesus was the one who owned the authoritative teaching and through whom God provided healing. Jairus, the girl’s father, being a leader of a synagogue, in charge of teaching and running the institution, had also turned to Jesus. 

第二位接受到耶穌治療的是一位十二歲的女孩，她臨終前，深受到她的父親的愛戴。這位父親是一位猶太會堂的領袖。第一世紀的猶太會堂，實際上，是由長老和牧者管理，而不是由法利賽人來領導的。耶穌的到來和祂的教導所掀起的波浪，讓許多人認為耶穌是擁有權柄教導的人，神也透過祂提供了醫治。女孩的父親睚魯雖是猶太會堂的領袖，負責教導和管理該機構，他也轉向了耶穌。

Both Jairus and the woman took the risk of their faith as the Jewish faith practices didn’t speak to their desperation in life. The God they believed seemed unreachable to them. Knowing Jesus and meeting him had changed their understanding of God forever. Receiving the healing from Jesus also changed their experiences of God’s saving power.

睚魯和那個女人都冒著信仰的風險，因為猶太人的信仰操練，對他們生命的絕望，沒有幫助。他們所相信的上帝，似乎遙不可及。認識耶穌並遇見祂，永遠改變了他們對神的理解。接受到耶穌的醫治，他們對神的拯救大能，也得到了不同的體驗。

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your disease.” It can also be translated, “Your faith has saved you. Enter the peace. Be freed from your suffering.”  Jesus freely gave his help to any who come in faith, no matter the timing or the complications. While Jairus was told that his daughter was dead, Jesus said to him, “Don’t fear but believe.” In the eyes of God, death means lifeless where people can’t either see God or recognize God’s presence. Jesus isn’t denying that the girl is dead in human terms; rather, he is insisting that with him present, her falling asleep is nothing unresolvable.

耶穌對那女人說：「妳的相信，救了妳。平平安安地去吧，妳的病已經痊癒了。」這句也可以翻譯為：「妳的信心救了妳。走進平安。妳已經從痛苦中，被解放出來了。」 在任何時刻或任何複雜的情況之下，只要是憑著信心來到祂面前的人，耶穌都提供免費的幫助。當睚魯得知他女兒已經死了，耶穌對他說：「不要害怕，只要相信。」在神的眼中，死亡就是沒有生命，在沒有生命中，是看不見神的，也見不到神的同在。耶穌並沒有否認這個女孩以人類的角度來說已經死了。相反，耶穌堅持認為，有祂的同在，這女孩睡著的情況，並不是不能解決的一件事。

The Challenges

Whenever I see people struggling to find peace in life, I pray that God gives me wisdom to find ways to introduce Jesus to them, create great opportunities for us to interact with each other, and through our interaction, may they meet Jesus through his teachings and ministries. 

每當我看到人們在生活中尋找【平安】時，我就祈求神賜予我智慧，找到方法向他們介紹耶穌，並為我們彼此製造好的機會，讓我與他們有互動，透過我們的互動，讓他們能透過耶穌基督的教導和祂行的事情，來認識到耶穌。

My ultimate hope and prayer is that they will turn to God by realizing nothing and no one in the world is able to lead them to enter the peace that only God can provide. “Don’t be afraid! Believe in Jesus!” That’s what Jesus wants them to hear.  People need to hear the assurance from God who cares for the lives that God has created and redeemed. They will be made well simply by believing. In other words, they will be saved and freed from suffering because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

我的最終的盼望和禱告是，讓他們認知到，世界上沒有人或任何事物，能帶領他們進入只有上帝才能提供的【平安】，以致使他們轉向上帝。 「別害怕！相信耶穌吧！」這就是耶穌要他們聽見的話。 人們需要聽到上帝的應許，上帝關心祂所創造和救贖的生命。他們會因相信而痊癒。換句話說，他們將會獲得拯救並脫離痛苦。

What’s your prayers when you see people struggling in life without the kind of peace that only God can offer? Whatever your prayer to God would be and how God would guide you to lead others into the life of Christ, we share the same Great Commission of Jesus. We are not alone.  Because under the power of the Holy Spirit, our mutual prayers to God and dedication to the mission of spreading the gospel can definitely enrich our lives together.

當你看到人們在生活中掙扎而得不到只有上帝才能提供的平安時，您們向神的禱告是什麼呢？無論您們向上帝所祈禱的是什麼，也無論上帝是如何引導您們帶領他人進入基督的生命，我們為耶穌的偉大使命的同工，是事實。我們並不孤單。因為在聖靈的帶領下，我們彼此對神的禱告和為傳福音的使命的付出，絕對能豐富我們彼此的生命。

GOOD NEWS

What’s the Good News, our takeaway, for today?  Curses are reversed by Jesus.

今天我們要分享的福音，也既是好消息，是什麼呢？ 耶穌扭轉了咒詛。

Last Sunday, I mentioned that St. Mark focuses on who Jesus is from chapter 1 to 8 and what Jesus can do from the end of chapter 8 to 16.  

上個主日，我提到，馬可從第 1 章到第 8 章的重點，是關注耶穌是誰，從第 8 章後面到第 16 章的重點，是關注耶穌所能做的是甚麼。

Mark’s narrative presents Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah who has the power to reverse the curse at the fall (Gen 3:15). Mark also presents Jesus as sovereign over illness (1:30–31; 5:25–34), demons (1:34; 5:1–20), sin (2:1–12), hostile natural forces (4:35–41), and now Jesus’ stunning power is exercised for believers, in his ability to overcome even the fall’s greatest curse – death (Gen 2:17).

馬可，描述拿撒勒人耶穌為應許的彌賽亞，祂有能力扭轉人類墮落時的咒詛（創 3:15）。馬可也紀載耶穌的主權，超越了疾病（1：30-31；5：25-34）、撒旦魔鬼（1：34；5：1-20）、和罪惡（2：1-12）、也能敵對大自然的力量（4：4 ： 35-41），耶穌向信徒展現了更驚人的能力，祂有能力克服人類墮落後最大的咒詛，那就是－死亡（創2:17）。

The peace Christ brings is for the relationship between humans and God, the vertical relationship of the cross, and between Jews and Gentiles, the people of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, united into a new humanity, the reconciled horizontal relationship of the cross in his Church (Ephesians 2:14-17).  Entering the peace where Jesus Christ is a gift from God.

基督所帶來的【平安】是為了人類與上帝之間的關係，即十字架中的垂直關係，以及猶太人與外邦人之間的關係，也既是舊約人民與新約人民之間的關係，在屬基督的教會裡，將他們聯結成一個新的群體，即是十字架中的橫向和睦關係（弗2:14-17）。進入耶穌基督所在的平安，是上帝所賜的禮物。

Let us pray. 讓我們禱告。

May we go above and beyond to meet those who are suffering and desperate, introduce Jesus to them and tell the stories of what Jesus can do. May we be the example of believing in Jesus Christ for such believing is the most adequate and the best response to all things that God has promised to us. We pray in the name of Jesus by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us say: Amen.

願我們盡我們的所能，能與那些正在受苦和絕望的人相遇，向他們介紹耶穌，並講述耶穌行大能的故事。願 身為基督徒的我們，活出有〖相信基督〗的榜樣之生命，因為〖相信基督〗是對神所應許給我們的一切事情，最充分最好的的回應。我們憑著信，靠著聖靈的能力，奉耶穌的名求。讓我們一起說: 阿們。