Experiencing the Kingdom of God! – Pastor Jade Yi

6.16. Sermon

Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15

2 Corinthian 5:6-17

Mark 4:26-34

Title 標題: It Is Good ! 真好 !

Last week, we touched on the topic of God’s Will. This week, St. Mark invites us to process another heavy phrase, “God’s Kingdom.”  “God’s kingdom come” is what we pray weekly as we recite the Lord’s Prayer, which is recorded as Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6, Mark 11, and Luke 11. Jesus himself also prayed the Lord’s prayer in John 17 from his own perspective. In all four gospels, we see that the Lord’s prayer consists of three parts which have to do with God’s glory. The first part is about God-self; the second part is about God’s people; the last part is about God’s reign. 

上個主日，我們談到了【神的旨意】的話題。這個主日，馬可福音作者邀請我們思考另一個嚴肅的詞彙【神的國度】。 【願 神的國度降臨】是我們每週背誦主禱文時，所祈求的內容，這也是耶穌的教導，在馬太福音6章、馬可福音11章和路加福音11章中，都有記載著。在約翰福音17章中，耶穌也從自己的角度，來禱告這個主禱文。在四卷福音書中，我們看到主禱文是由三個部分組成的，這三個部分都與【神的榮耀】有關。第一部分是關於神自己；第二部分是關於神的子民；最後一部分是關於神的掌權。

Jesus doesn’t just remind us that the fulfillment of God’s Kingdom will come in the Lord’s prayer. In Luke 17:21, Jesus also assures us that this Kingdom of God has been residing within us and in our midst. That’s why we often hear this faith slogan, “God’s Kingdom Is Here and Not Yet.” We each play a very crucial role in the “Not Yet” part. 

在主禱文中的教導，耶穌不只提醒我們，【神的國度】會實現。在路加福音 17 章 21 節中，耶穌也向我們保證，【神的國度】一直都住在我們的生命裡面、也住在我們的當中。這就是為什麼我們常聽到這樣的信仰口號：「神的國度已經來臨，但尚未實現」。我們每個人在「尚未實現」的這個部分，都扮演著非常關鍵的角色。

The fulfillment of God’s Kingdom has to rely on the completion of God’s Will.  From Jesus’ definition of God’s will In Luke 6:40, we can say that God expects all humans to experience God’s kingdom through seeing Jesus as the Savior in their lives and that God’s desire is to invite all to live in God’s kingdom eternally.

【神的國度】之實現，必須依靠【神的旨意】的完成。 從路加福音6章40節，耶穌對【神的旨意】的定義，我們可以說，神期盼，所有的人都能，視耶穌為他們的救主，來經歷【神的國度】，並且神的意願是，祂要邀請所有人，永遠地生活在【神的國度】裡。

“God’s Kingdom Is Here and Not Yet.” 「神的國已經來臨，但尚未實現」

In God’s Kingdom, what is the crucial role that we each play in the “Not Yet” part? Jesus’ parable in Mark 4 helps us understand. The seed is the Word of God, namely, it’s our Lord Jesus Christ and everything about his teaching, his ministry, and his accomplishment through the cross for humankind. And the soil represents our readiness to have the seed in our lives to grow and flourish. 

在【神的國度】裡，我們每個人在「但尚未實現」的這個階段中，扮演的關鍵角色是什麼呢？耶穌在馬可福音第四章的比喻，可以幫助我們理解。種子是神的道，也就是說，種子是我們的主耶穌基督，以及所有關於祂的教導、祂的事工以及祂透過十字架為人類所成就的一切。土壤代表著我們的生命，是否我們已經準備好，使種子紮根發芽，成熟興旺。

Now, we have the seed and the soil.  What’s next?  The preparation of the soil and the equipping of the planters or grower. 

現在，我們有了種子和土壤。 下一步是什麼？當然是 土壤的準備和種植者的裝備。

Setting up people for successful planting is important, especially when we are talking about planting for God’s Kingdom to come fully. First, we need to cultivate a piece of land with good soil located in an appropriate environment, and then, we need to equip planters who are willing to join God’s mission that Jesus launched in the 1st century. 

使人們有成功的種植經驗是很重要的，特別是，為了實現【神的國度】的種植。首先，我們需要有環境適宜的土地，來培育一塊擁有良好的土壤，然後，我們需要裝備，那些願意加入耶穌在第一世紀已經開起之使命的人，來一起種植。

We as the people of God, knowing Jesus and being saved through faith, are the extension of God’s Kingdom.  Through us, the extension of God’s kingdom, many can experience the Kingdom of God. Let’s think of how electric extension cords work. If the extension cord itself is not connected with the source power, it is useless. Or maybe the extension cord itself needs to be repaired to work properly.

身為上帝的兒女，已認識耶穌並透過信仰得救的我們，是【神的國度】的延伸。透過我們，也就是【神的國度】的延伸，更多人可以體驗到【神的國度】。想想電線延長線的用途。如果電線延長線本身不與電源連接，它就沒有任何的用途。或者電線延長線本身可能有損壞需要修復才能再次的正常使用。

God’s Kingdom is here and not yet. A question for us to ponder: how can we be the extension of God’s Kingdom by teaching and sharing what God’s Will is about and play the crucial role in the “Not Yet” fulfilling part?   

神的國度已經來臨，但尚未實現。引出了一個值得我們思考的問題：我們怎樣，才能透過教導和分享【神的旨意】，來成為【神的國度】的延伸，並在「但尚未實現」的這個階段中，來發揮我們身為延長線的用途呢？

I have a story to share. As I am sharing the story, I invite you to pay attention to my attitude. Four weeks ago, The Church Council and I met at Nathan’s house to gather the names of those who are gifted to serve on Sundays so that the team building process can be launched. Before our arrival, a full table of delicious dishes was prepared. My eyes were drawn to the green onion oil. 

我有一個故事可以分享。在這故事中我請你們注意我的態度。四個星期前，教會執事和我，到張健家，一起理清有恩賜且在主日能服務的名單，以便啟動服侍小組的建立過程。在我們到他家之前，桌上已經擺滿了美味佳餚。我的眼睛馬上被一罐蔥油吸引住了。

Since I was convinced that I didn’t have time to make it and couldn’t make it as tasty as the one he made, I said to Nathan, “Can I buy this from you for $10?” He laughed and told me that the process wasn’t that difficult. For me, it sounded very time consuming. As Nathan passionately explained to me how to make it, I didn’t even make any effort to memorize the making process. I thought that I could just wait until he made it again then I could buy it from him. 

因為我確信我沒有時間做，也做不到他做的那樣好吃，所以我對張健說：“我可以用 10 美元，向你買這個蔥油嗎？”他笑著告訴我，做蔥油的過程其實不難。但對我而言，這過程聽起來非常耗時間。當張健熱情地，向我解釋如何製作時，我甚至沒有花任何精力去記住製作過程。我想著，反正我可以等到他下次再做蔥油時，我可以向他購買。

But the truth was that since that day, I hadn’t stopped thinking about how delicious it was. He had given me the leftovers to take home that day. So, after two weeks when the green onion oil was gone, I finally asked him how to make it.

但事實是，從那天回到家之後，我就一直在想著，那蔥油， 真好吃。那天他把剩下的蔥油，給了我帶回家。所以，兩週後，因為蔥油吃完了，我終於開口，請他教我怎麼做蔥油。

Let us go back to the question: how can we be the extension of God’s Kingdom by teaching and sharing what God’s Will is about and play the crucial role in the “Not Yet” fulfilling part?   The common challenge we face has to do with the kind of attitude I had when I wasn’t willing to learn how to make the green onion oil. Let’s relate my attitude to all of us in the process of learning to be the extension of God’s Kingdom.  

讓我們回到剛剛我問的問題：我們怎樣，才能透過教導和分享【神的旨意】，來成為【神的國度】的延伸，並在「但尚未實現」的這個階段中，來發揮我們身為延長線的用途呢？ 我們常見的難題是，與我不願意學習如何製作蔥油時的態度有關。讓我們在學習如何成為【神的國度】的延伸的過程中，來看看我的態度，與我們學習成為【神的國度】的延長線的過程，有麼樣的關連。

Now, I will tell you that to be the extension of God’s Kingdom is not that difficult. Share your life in Christ,  let people taste how good it is, and let them take home something that they can never forget and make them come back to you for more. Eventually, they will do likewise.  They can’t wait to share their lives in Christ; let others taste how good it is and let others take home something that they can never forget and make others come back to them for more.  Actually, this is the process of making disciples who make disciples who continue making more disciples. 

現在，我想要對你們說的是，成為【神的國度】的延伸，其實不難。分享你在基督裡的生活，讓人們嚐到它的美好，讓他們帶回家一些，他們永遠忘不了的滋味，並使他們回去向你尋求更多。最終事成之後，他們也會照著這樣做。 他們會迫不及待地，想分享他們在基督裡的生活；讓別人嚐到它的美味，讓別人帶回家一些，他們永遠忘不了的滋味，並使他人回去向他們尋求更多。 其實，這就是一個使門徒培養門徒，又使門徒培養下一代門徒，並繼續使更多門徒培養下一代的門徒的過程。

Does making Jesus’ disciples sound very time consuming to you? Is it easier to let someone else make disciples instead of making an effort to learn how to make them? And we know that once people taste the sweetness and goodness of God’s kingdom, they will want to have more.

你覺得培養耶穌的門徒是不是很花時間？讓別人培養門徒比自己努力學習如何培養門徒，更容易些，是吧？而我們都知道，一旦人們嚐到了【神的國度】的甜蜜和良善，他們就會想要擁有更多。

There is a famous proverb that we all know. We use this proverb to demonstrate the point of learning something new that matters to our lives. It involves three phases and goes like this. The first phase: there is a high possibility of forgetting if we just hear about the subject of a lesson. The second phase: But we might remember better if we get to see how important the subject of the lesson matters to the lives of others. Lastly, we finally understand why the subject of the lesson matters because we actually experience it in our own lives.

有一句我們都知道的著名諺語【聽了就忘了；看了就記住了，做了就懂了】。我們用這句諺語來指出，在學習對我們生活重要的新事物的一個過程。這句諺語涉及到了三個階段，過程如下。第一階段：如果我們只聽到課程主題，忘記的可能性很高。第二階段：但是，如果我們看見課程主題對人類的生活有多重要，我們可能會記得住。最後，我們終於能夠理解課程主題的重要，是因為我們在自己的生活中實際經歷過它。

Learning something that matters in our lives is a process from forgetting to remembering, and from remembering to understanding. It’s an important process for people not to take precious things for granted, like the Kingdom of God. People need to hear about God’s kingdom, see what God’s kingdom is like, then experience God’s kingdom themselves.

學習對我們生活重要的事物的任何課程，是一個從忘記到記住、從記住到理解的一個過程。這是一個重要的過程，讓人們不會把珍貴的東西視為理所當然，例如【神的國度】這件事。人們不只是需要聽到有關【神的國度】的事，也需要看到【神的國度】是什麼樣子，然後最重要的是，要親自經歷【神的國度】。

Being the extension of God’s Kingdom, first, we want to check constantly if we are connected with the source of power, the Word of God, who is our Lord Jesus Christ, Savior. Second, we want to check constantly if the extension cord for the Kingdom of God is working properly. If we are not doing well spiritually and not connecting with our Triune God well, we might do bigger damage to the mission of God. If it’s connected and used well, sooner or later, people will come back to God for more!

身為【神的國度】的延伸，首先，我們要不斷檢視我們是否與力量的泉源連接著，即上帝的話語，也就是我們的救主耶穌基督， 要連結在一起。其次，我們要經常檢視身為【神的國度】的延伸的我們，是否有正常在運作。如果我們在靈性的生命有了缺失，與三一神的連結又不好，我們可能會對【神國的使命】造成更大的損害。如果這延長線連接得好並且使用得當，遲早人們會回到上帝那裡尋求更多！

What’s the Good News we share? 甚麼是我們要分享的福音呢?

First, the Seed of God’s Word is buried in us, the old self, awaiting to grow and flourish each day that makes us the extension of God’s Kingdom. God’s Kingdom has been residing within us and in our midst.

首先，上帝話語的種子，已埋藏在我們的舊體內，每日等待紮根發芽，成熟興旺，使我們成為【神的國度】的延伸。【神的國度】一直都住在我們的生命裡面、也住在我們當中。

Second, the Holy Spirit constantly works in us to make us new each day and helps us better understand Jesus’ teaching, his ministry, and his accomplishment through the cross for all. Whenever we feel disconnected with God, we pray.

其次，聖靈不斷地在我們生命裡面作工，使我們每天都煥然一新，並幫助我們更好地理解耶穌的教導、祂的事工以及祂透過十字架為人類所成就的一切。每當我們感到與主隔絕時，我們就祈禱。

Whenever we pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” may we remember God doesn’t ask us to build His Kingdom but ask us to pray for His Kingdom to come fully within us and in our midst. That means, God takes us, the extension of God’s kingdom, very seriously, and so should we. For St. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that since anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!  Being able to experience God’s Kingdom is a wonderful thing. Indeed! It is good. Thanks be to God. Amen.

每當我們祈禱，“願祢的國降臨，願祢的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。” 我們必須清楚，上帝並沒有要求我們建立祂的國度，而是要求我們祈禱祂的國度完全降臨在我們的生命裡面、也降臨在我們當中。這意味著，神對身為【神的國度】的延伸的我們，非常的重視， 身為【神的國度】的延的 我們，也應當重視 我們是【神的國度】的延伸的這件事。因為聖保羅在哥林多後書 5:17 中說，「既然人在基督裡，就有了新造的人：一切舊事都已過去，都變成新的了。你看，一切都變新了！」能 經歷【神的國度】，真的是件好事。 真好 ! 感謝神。阿們。願神的旨意幫助我們分辨善惡好壞。阿們。