牧者心聲
從沉鬱中見主恩光
周曉暉牧師
2024 年 1 月 6 日 / 7 日
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假如你請人用 16 色中的一種來代表這幾年的感受，相信不同色彩都會有人選，而較多人所選的大概會是灰或黑。除了自身的情況之外，外在大環境也是原因之一。感受無力、需要療癒和選擇躺平，是面對傷創與黯淡處境時常聽到的言詞。
信主前，我們原是行在黑暗中、住在死蔭裡的人，現在被神恩光照。路加福音說：「因我們神憐憫的心腸，叫清晨的日光從高天臨到我們，要照亮坐在黑暗中死蔭裡的人，把我們的腳引到平安的路上。」（路一 78-79）我們所信的，不是附加在我們人生的一件事，而是我們徹底而要緊的重大事件。這是光明與黑暗的分別，是生與死的分別啊！
舊約的第二卷書——出埃及記——記錄了神怎樣藉摩西將以色列人領出埃及，那是一趟出死入生、出黑暗入奇妙光明的旅程。到達旅程的終點固然重要，但旅程中所發生的事情——十災、過紅海、天降嗎哪、磐石出水、上主在西奈山降臨、頒佈十誡等經歷，都足以讓出埃及記成為一本「奇妙」的故事集。
其實，不同的舊約經文貫串到福音書、直至啟示錄，都一再重複出埃及事件的描述：進入奴役、經歷困難和苦難、被拯救、成為神的子民。出埃及記之所以至關重要，除了因為當中說出了以色列民的故事外，更因為這卷書叫人看見我們的神、這位上主在作甚麼事。
新約裡關於主耶穌基督的記事中，祂的出生、成長、死亡、復活，都有出埃及記的元素。耶穌的降生應驗了舊約所盼望著的第二次出埃及。主耶穌登山變像時，摩西和以利亞在山上與耶穌談論祂「去世的事」（路九 31），這個詞語的希臘原文就是exodus「出埃及」。耶穌與新的出埃及事件是息息相關的。
各位，主耶穌就是世界的真光，祂拯救我們，領我們出黑暗入奇妙的光明。今天，信祂的人，也因祂成為神光明的兒女。
實際上，基督徒的生命故事，就是一個出埃及的故事。我們信主之後所經歷的立約、洗禮、聖餐、成為神的子民、與神同行等等，在在表達出，我們都在這個最終的出埃及旅程上。
北宣家本年度的年題是「跟基督，成為光」。第一季會以出埃及記作為起點，幫助大家多一點認識我們的上主、和祂與子民這個奇妙的旅程。在新一年，就讓我們以一個微笑、一個微小行動，讓人從沉鬱中見主恩光。
If you invite people to choose one of the twelve colors to represent their feelings over the past few years, I believe a whole range of colors would be chosen. Relatively more people would likely choose grey or black. This can be attributed to both personal circumstances and the external environment. Feeling helpless, needing healing and recovery, and choosing to lie flat are often heard from those faced with traumatic and glooming situations.
Before coming to Christ, we all walked in darkness and dwelled in the shadow of death. Now we have received the light of grace. The Gospel of Luke says: "…because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace" (Luke 1:78-79).
What we believe in is not an event appended to our life. Rather, it is a thorough, serious and important matter. It is the difference between light and darkness, between life and death!
The second book in the Old Testament, Exodus, records how God led the Israelites out of Egypt through Moses. It was a journey out of death into life, out of darkness into the marvelous light. While it is important to reach the destination in the end, all the things that happened during the journey – the ten plagues, crossing the Red Sea, the manna from heaven, water from the rock, God's presence at Mount Sanai, proclamation of the ten commandments – they all make Exodus a "marvelous" book.
As a matter of fact, the portrayal of the journey out of Egypt is repeated time and again from the Old Testament all the way to the gospels and Revelation: brought into slavery, experiencing hardship and distress, being saved and becoming the people of God.
The significance of Exodus lies not only in its being the story of the Israelites. More importantly, it enables us to see what our God, and what the LORD has been doing.
Throughout the New Testament accounts of the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, from His birth and growing up to His death and resurrection, we can see elements of Exodus. The birth of Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament hope of the second Exodus.
During the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus, Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about his "departure" (Luke 9:31). The word in the original Greek is "exodus." We can see the close relevance of Jesus and the new Exodus.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is the true light of the world. He saves us and leads us out of darkness into marvelous light. Today, all who believe in Him become the children of God because of Him.
In fact, the life stories of Christians are a story out of Egypt. All the experience after our conversion to Christ, including covenant, baptism, holy communion, becoming the people of God and walking with God, etc., tells us that we are in the ultimate Exodus journey.
The theme of the NPAC family for this year is "Follow Christ and Be the Light." We start with the Book of Exodus in the first quarter to help us better understand our LORD and the miraculous journey between Him and His people. With a smile and a small act, let us help others see the LORD's gracious light in this new year.
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