牧者心聲
艱難世代需要主的愛
莊明偉牧師
2022 年 9 月 17 日 / 18 日
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世界這麼亂，香港這麼亂，怎麼還關心差傳？
假若你覺得這世代艱難，其他未信耶穌的人必只會感到更艱難。試看看現今世界的境況：全球流離失所的人和難民的數字續攀新高；俄烏戰事和不同國家的內戰持續；工人因面對通貨膨脹而大罷工；新冠疫情持續危及老幼；全球暖化導致天氣反常⋯⋯
面對世界困境，人的心靈怎樣才可安穩和輕省？答案是：在艱難的世代中仍認定耶穌是主！是的，主耶穌掌管一切！我們作為信徒，就是有這份肯定的確信。相反，未信的人在動盪不安的世代中容易迷失，難於找到人生意義，也難有力量面對人生。我們既是耶穌的門徒，就要關懷這些人，並將可倚靠、有能力的主耶穌傳揚給他們。
關顧人的需要、傳揚主的福音，一直都是教會首要的工作！差傳月期間，教會鼓勵弟兄姊妹回應參與前方和後方的服事，同時亦鼓勵大家作出信心認獻，以金錢支持全球福音和關懷的事工。俄烏戰事導致無數烏克蘭人逃離家園，這些難民身處東歐多個國家，他們有很多需要，弟兄姊妹較早前的奉獻，就是用來幫助當地興建難民營，讓難民有容身之處，以及得到所需物資，這些奉獻相信也能激勵當地信徒繼續以實際的愛心行動彰顯主耶穌的愛。
世上很多困難不是單靠人的道理就能解決，人的盡頭就是神的起始。在艱難中，人會更容易看到自身的限制，會更願意倚靠慈愛真神。求神幫助基督徒不只看到自身的需要，反而更多體會到這不信世代的艱難，因而更願意付出生命，付出主所交託的資源，參與主耶穌的普世福音與關懷工作，讓艱難的世代多一點愛，讓苦困中的人得著最終極、最寶貴的真理。
今年是北宣家 70 週年，70 年來，神的恩伴隨著我們，教會既然領受了主恩，就更要將恩典分享出去。當然，教會必小心分辨，然後才透過合適渠道，多做神所喜悅的福音和關懷工作。北宣家從起初就已經本著主耶穌的教導，鼓勵我們「以神的愛燃點生命，實踐施比受更為有福的生活」，而「施比受更為有福」（徒二十 35），正是主耶穌的教導，是祂親自體現的榜樣。我們不敢遺忘主的教訓，願神繼續感動北宣家的弟兄姊妹，一同參與天國的服事，將真理和愛傳揚到本地和世界去。
The world is in chaos. Hong Kong is in chaos. Why do we still care about mission?
If you find this generation difficult, non-believers will certainly only find it even more difficult. Look at the situation in the world today: the figures for internationally displaced people and refugees hit new highs; the Russia-Ukraine war and the civil wars in various countries continue; massive strikes are staged among workers in protest against inflation; the COVID pandemic continually threatens the elderly and young children; global warming brings abnormal weather...
In the face of all the troubles in the world, how can one’s heart be calm and relieved? The answer: keep firmly believing in Jesus as Lord in a troubled generation! It is true – the Lord Jesus is in control of everything! That is our conviction as Christians. On the other hand, in the midst of a turbulent generation, non-believers can be easily lost, being unable to find the meaning of life or to find strength to deal with life. As disciples of Jesus, we should care for them and tell them about the Lord Jesus who is trustworthy and powerful.
It has all along been the church's priority to care for people’s needs and preach the gospel of the Lord! During Mission Month, the church encourages brothers and sisters to respond and participate in ministries in the frontline and back home. At the same time, we encourage everybody to make faith offering pledges to financially support global gospel and caring ministries. The Russia-Ukraine war has displaced countless Ukrainians from home. They are now refugees in many Eastern European countries and have plenty of needs. The offering made by brothers and sisters earlier was used to help build refugee camps to provide shelter and supplies for them. I believe the offering will also encourage the local brothers and sisters to continue to show God’s love with practical actions.
Many problems in the world cannot be solved by man's reason alone. The end of man is the beginning of God. In times of hardship, it is easier for people to see their own limitations and rely on the loving, true God more readily. May God help Christians to not only see their own needs but also to better understand the hardship facing the unbelieving generation so that they will be more willing to give their lives and resources entrusted to them by the Lord to participate in the Lord Jesus’ ministries of the gospel and care in the world. This will bring love to a troubled generation so those in adversity can receive the ultimate, most precious truth.
This year sees the 70th anniversary of the NPAC family. For 70 years, God's grace has been with us. Having received His grace, the church needs all the more to share it out. Of course, the church needs careful discernment and do works of the gospel and care that please God through appropriate channels. Ever since inception, the NPAC family has encouraged us to "Light up lives with God’s love and live out 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" based on the Lord Jesus' teaching. And "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35) is the teaching of the Lord Jesus, which He Himself exemplified. We dare not forget the teaching of the Lord. May God continue to move brothers and sisters of the NPAC family to participate together in the ministries of the Heavenly Kingdom, to bring the truth and love to this land and the world.
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