2022 年 1 月 8 日／9 日
Click here for English
重整我家的敬拜生活
周曉暉牧師
我們踏進新的一年了，原來在疫情中已過了整整兩年的日子。
一方面，你會發現，大家都適應了這種疫病流行的生活，但另一方面，不知不覺的，疫病卻改變了我們許多的習慣，驅使人越來越融入網絡的世界，就連科技界都紛紛朝向發展虛擬世界與現實世界融合的元宇宙。
在可以選擇時，你會否選擇來到現場與弟兄姊妹一同敬拜？當然，有人是因著防疫需求或個人健康狀況，只能留在家中作網上崇拜。然而，會否有更多的人，是不自覺地被那種便捷可控、可隨己意安排的特點規訓了？早前一項網絡數據報告顯示，因著疫情的影響，單在2020年，人均每天使用手機的時數，已升至接近六小時，佔去了一整天四分一的時間。既然網上活動那麼方便，足不出戶就可以上班、上學、叫外賣和購得生活百貨，那麼崇拜和聚會，只要有網絡就可隨傳隨到，方便快捷。
即使疫情放緩、可以選擇，我們也可能寧願留在家中，少了回來現場參與崇拜。雖然，疫情還是反彈了，大家務要提高警惕，只是，我們更要為自己的靈命保持儆醒，不容疫病令靈命產生質變——美其名是虛實融合，實情是被世界溶掉了，被網絡馴服了。
在「持定使命，進新領域」這五年計劃的總綱下，我們知道要放膽走進經歷劇變的新環境，也要捉緊從上主領受的福音使命。但「進新」，不就等於必然要「棄舊」。昔日的屬靈傳統，仍是北宣家實踐信仰的方式。
這一季所選讀的歷代志上、下，是講壇甚少講及的經卷。近代釋經學者大都認為這兩卷書成於公元前五世紀。被擄多年後，部分猶大人歸回聖城，那些年間，他們活在這熟悉又陌生的家鄉，既要重建聖殿和城牆，又要重建生活與生計。在反覆的時勢中，子民如何保持心中對神的信靠，過聖潔敬虔的生活？歷代志上、下重述了列王的歷史（即第一聖殿時期），其中多有著墨於聖殿的禮祭，也描繪了群體敬拜與讚頌對屬神子民生活的影響，以此教導第二聖殿時期（歸回重建的年代）的子民，要有「一切以神為中心」的生命取態。可見崇拜與生命息息相關。
就讓歷代志上、下的篇章，在堂慶 70 週年的第一季，率先喚醒你我的心，無論疫情怎變，仍舊一切以神為中心，並以生命為祭「獻呈感恩」。
Pastor's Sharing Come Renew the Worship Life of Our Home
Rev Arnold Chow
As we enter the new year, we have, in fact, spent two full years under the pandemic.
On the one hand, you would realize we have all gotten accustomed to the life under the pandemic. On the other, the pandemic has also changed many of our habits, making people more and more integrated into the online world. Some tech companies are even working on a metaverse that integrates the physical world with virtual reality.
If you have a choice, would you choose to worship in person with brothers and sisters? Of course, some can only stay home to worship online due to anti-pandemic or personal health reasons. But isn't it true that, unknowingly, many more are lured by the convenience and maneuverability of online worship? According to a digital data report released earlier, because of the impact of the pandemic, the average time each person spent on their mobile phone had increased to almost six hours a day. This represents one-third of the time when they are awake. The idea is that since the Internet is so convenient and you can work and study at home, order delivery meals and do shopping without going out, then worship service and church meetings can also be made available online anytime as long as there is the Internet. That would be fast and convenient.
Then even when the pandemic situation improves, if there is a choice, we may still prefer to worship at home and participate less in onsite worship service. It is true that we must be vigilant as there may be resurgence of the pandemic. But we need more vigilance for our lives and guard against deterioration of our spiritual lives – augmented reality is only a disguise. The reality is that we can easily be controlled by the digital world and our spiritual lives are consumed.
Under the five-year plan "Steadfast Mission in New Horizons," we know that in venturing into a new environment that is undergoing drastic changes, we must hold fast to the gospel mission entrusted to us by the Lord. However, "venturing into the new" does not necessarily mean "giving up the old." Our spiritual legacy is still how the NPAC family would practice our faith.
This quarter, we study selected passages from 1 and 2 Chronicles. These books are seldom the subject for sermons. Most recent Bible scholars consider that the two books were completed in 5th century BC. After years in captivity, some Jews returned to the holy city. That year, living in their home city which was both familiar and unfamiliar to them, they had to rebuild the temple and the wall. They also had to rebuild their lives and livelihood. In volatile times, how do the people of God maintain their trust in Him and lead holy and godly lives? 1 and 2 Chronicles recount the history of the kings (i.e. the First Temple Period). A lot of narrative is about temple rituals. Also portrayed is the impact of corporate worship and praise on the lives of God’s people. With this, they teach the people of the Second Temple Period (i.e. the time of return to rebuild), stressing the importance of a life attitude that "everything is God-centered." The close relationship between worship and life is notable.
During the first quarter of the 70th anniversary, let 1 and 2 Chronicles wake up our hearts – come renew the worship life of our home. Let us "reconnect" with God and man and, with our lives as sacrifice, let us "give thanks" to the LORD.
|