二○二一年一月十六／十七日
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使徒保羅對崇拜的提醒
羅惠芬牧師
你們要讓基督的道豐豐富富地住在你們心裡，以各樣的智慧，彼此教導，互相勸戒，用詩章、聖詩、靈歌，懷著感恩的心歌頌神。（歌羅西書三 16，新譯本）這是保羅對當時信徒聚集一起敬拜神的指示，以弗所書五 19 也有相同的指導，當中的教導對今天教會仍是很好的提醒：
1. 崇拜是信徒群體的整體行動
你們⋯⋯你們心裡⋯⋯懷著感恩的心歌頌神。保羅的指示是向整個信徒群體發出的，三 15 也強調：你們蒙召歸為一體。信徒須留意聖經展示的一體觀念，神的子民從來不是指個人，教會是一群的信徒。所以，崇拜是信徒群體的整體行動，不是各自的參與；崇拜時一起敬拜，應是大家追求的目標。目前因疫情影響，致使大家不能走在一起崇拜，但我們仍可在相同的時間，以「一起」的心參與網上崇拜。
2. 崇拜的兩個焦點：神與信徒群體
彼此教導，互相勸戒，是指向信徒群體；懷著感恩的心歌頌神，是指向神。信徒一起崇拜，就是要透過滿心的感恩和喜樂的歌唱，表達對神的愛和讚頌，而信徒的生命亦得到建立。
3. 基督的道是崇拜最主要的關注
要讓基督的道豐豐富富地住在你們心裡。我們安排崇拜內容時有否這個關注？崇拜的各個環節，是否都能使人明白基督的救恩和福音，包括天父的整個救贖計劃，以及當中最重要的：神對人永恆不變的愛？
4. 歌唱在崇拜中具重要的角色
經文顯示，在崇拜中，除了彼此教導，互相勸戒，詩章（psalms）、聖詩（hymns）、靈歌（Spirit-inspired songs）這些歌唱亦可讓基督的道豐豐富富住在信徒心裡。這三種歌曲，很難作出界定，若透過新約初期教會的歌唱例子來理解，不論形式如何，歌唱也是在表述基督的救恩和教義（弗五 14；提前三 16；西一 15-18）。另外，歌唱是一種藝術形式，容易傾向經驗和互動上的作用，多於在真理上的學習，保羅也提醒要在這兩方面取得平衡（林前十四 14-15）。
5. 崇拜中的三一神觀
西三 16 蘊含了三一神觀：基督的道透過聖靈感動的歌唱，豐豐富富住在信徒心裡，信徒都懷著感恩的心歌頌神；所以教會的崇拜是敬拜三一神。現今有人強調聖靈在崇拜中的角色，這並無不妥，聖靈確實是信徒在崇拜中的必要幫助（參弗五 18-19），但不能成為單一的敬拜對象，只有三一真神才是信徒的敬拜對象。
Pastor's Sharing
The Apostle Paul on Worship
Rev Catherine Law
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:16). This was Paul’s teaching to believers on how to worship God together. The same teaching is found in Ephesians 5:19. Both are very good reminders for the church today:
1. Worship is the corporate act of the faith community: Note that Paul was addressing the entire faith community in “you,” “in your hearts” and “singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Likewise, he also emphasized in Colossians 3:15: “...as members of one body you were called to peace.” One body – “the people of God” in the Bible does not refer to individuals, but the entire faith community. The church is a community of believers. Therefore, worship is a collective act by the faith community, not the participation by individual believers. Worshiping together is a common goal. Although we are unable to worship in-person together in the pandemic, we can still worship simultaneously online with a heart of togetherness.
2. Two focal points – God and the faith community: “Teach and admonish one another” refers to the faith community. “Singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” refers to God. In worshiping together, believers should sing to God with gratitude and joy to convey adoration and praise. Spiritual lives are built up in the process.
3. The word of Christ as the main emphasis: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.” Is this considered in the content of our worship? In each part of the worship service, can we help the congregation understand Christ’s salvation and the gospel, including the Heavenly Father’s entire redemption plan, and, most important of all, God’s everlasting and unchanging love?
4. The important role of songs in worship: The Bible tells us that in worship, besides teaching and admonishing one another, psalms, hymns and spirit-inspired songs can also let the word of Christ dwell richly in our hearts. It is difficult to define these three types of songs. But judging from the examples of songs used by the early church, singing in whichever form is invariably about Christ’s saving grace and doctrines (Ephesians 5:14, 1 Timothy 3:16, Colossians 1:15-18). Meanwhile, singing is an artistic expression and more often associated with experience and interaction than learning the truth. In fact, Paul also reminded us to strike a balance between these two (1 Corinthians 14:14-15).
5. The Trinity in worship: There is reference to the Trinity in Colossians 3:16: The message of Christ dwells among believers richly as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude. We therefore worship our trinitarian God during the worship services at church. Some people have stressed the role of the Holy Spirit in worship. There is nothing wrong with that. The Spirit’s help for the believer in worship is indispensable (see Ephesians 5:18-19). Nevertheless, the Spirit should not be the only one we worship. The Triune God should be whom believers worship.
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