上帝在我家

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Why Do You Need to Remain Optimistic about the Future

對於未來為何要保持樂觀

作者

Dr. Michale A. Milton

The best place to start your new year is in the Word of God:
由上帝的話語來開始新的一年是最好的:

"I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel…" (Philippians 1:12).
"弟 兄 們 ， 我 願 意 你 們 知 道 ， 我 所 遭 遇 的 事 更 是 叫 福 音 興 旺 ，" (腓立比書1:12)。

Pessimism is not always wrong. But it is notoriously limiting.
樂觀不見得都是錯誤。但是卻是出名的充滿限制性。

Helen Keller wrote:
海倫凱勒寫到:

"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."
「沒有一個悲觀者曾發現星星的祕密，或航行到未知的地方，或是為人類的心靈開啟一個新的天堂。」

I believe many in the church are pessimists, but today is a day to be an optimist. Is that just a Pollyanna attitude that comes from a fleeting feeling associated with a new year? As we move into a new year together, I challenge you to look upward and forward with me as we turn to one of the most optimistic books in the Bible, the Book of Philippians.
我相信很多教會都是悲觀的，但是今天我們就要當樂觀的人。難道是一種波麗安娜的態度，來自於新年都會有而稍縱即逝的感覺嗎? 當我們一起進入新的一年，我挑戰你與我一起向上看，往前看，當我們閱讀聖經裡最有盼望的一篇書，腓立比書。
 

I recently came across a surprising book titled The Power of Negative Thinking! Julie K. Norem is a psychology professor at Wellesley College who wrote the book and says you could "harness the power of negative energy" to reach your goals. The promo for the book went like this:
最近我看到一個讓人驚訝的書名叫: 負面想法的力量! 茱莉諾門是威爾斯大學心理學的教授，也是本書作者。她說: "駕馭負面力量來達成你的目標。" 書本推銷到:

"Are you tired of always being told to 'look on the bright side?' Are you criticized for imagining worst-case scenarios? Do you wish your optimistic friends would just leave you alone and let you be negative?" If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be one of the millions of people who have learned to cope with the pressures of modern life by using Defensive Pessimism, a strategy of imagining the worst-case scenario of any situation."

"你已經疲倦於聽到樂觀點嗎? 你被批評為總是看到事情最糟的一面嗎? 你希望你樂觀的朋友可以遠離你，讓你負面嗎? 如果你是這種人，你可以就是幾百萬人裡面學會使用防禦性悲觀來處理事情的人，一個在任何情況下都想到最糟糕一面的策略。"

As a pastor, I have seen people with the “gift of discouragement,” but I never knew it was a virtue until I read about this book. I have read that there are church consultants who are telling us the Church in America is not going to make it unless (fill in the blank here):
身為牧師，我看過擁有"使人氣餒的能力"的人，但是我從不知到這是一種美德，直到我看到這本書。我曾讀到，有些教會的顧問告訴我們，美國的教會不會有成就，除非(填入空白):

(1) We speak the language of the culture;
我們用現今文化的語言來溝通；
(2) We tune into exactly which kind of worship the unbeliever wants; or
我們要針對非信徒所想聽的來傳教；或是
(3) We develop the right marketing campaign, program or website, etc.
我們需要發展正確的行銷策略，計畫或是網站，等等。

Amazingly, in many of the cases, the solution for the deathbed situation in the church is available for a small consulting fee from said consultant! To quote the recently passed Stan Lee, "Nuff said.”
很奇妙的是，在很多情況下，教會死水般的情形都可以藉由支付小額顧問費來解決! 引用最近過世的史丹李的名言: "說夠了。"
 

Confidence in the Kingdom of God 對上帝的國有信心

You know, there also may be someone reading this who feels as if he or she is not going to make it, that the journey of discipleship has taken some wrong turns. Maybe you are discouraged by your sins or the situation in which you find yourself or your family. You can't see through the circumstances to see any approaching victory in your Christian life. We all feel these things from time to time.
知道嗎? 正在閱讀本文章的一些人可能覺得無法繼續生活了，身為信徒的人生走錯路了。也許你因為你的罪而受挫，或是因為你自己或是家人的狀況。你的狀況使你無法看到基督徒生命裡即將到來的勝利。我們總會有這種感覺的。

This new year, I am more optimistic than ever about the future of the Church of our Lord Jesus, and I am confident about your life and mine in the Kingdom of God no matter what we might be facing. Now, a misplaced optimism would say I am optimistic because I believe “you can hang in there and do it,” or that our leaders are capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound. No, I am not optimistic because of you, another leader, myself or any human part of the church.
在新的一年裡，我對於我們主耶穌的教會的未來比以往更有信心。我也對於你與我在上帝的國的生命有信心，不管我們面對了甚麼。如果我的樂觀的起點錯誤，就會被認為我的樂觀來自於我相信"你可以繼續生活的"，或是我們教會的領導者可以一躍而過所有困難。不是。我並不是因為你，另一個領導者，或是任何人為部分的教會而樂觀。

I am optimistic because, in over 2,000 years of human frailty, satanic opposition, and worldly attack, the promise of our Lord that He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it are as certain today as ever.
我樂觀是因為，2000年來脆弱的人類，撒旦的阻擾，世界的戰爭，我們的上帝應許我們他會興起教會，地獄的大門不會大開，承諾到今日都在。

We see this realized in the early Church. With an apostle in jail, failing to evangelize and reach the Gentiles, the church's future seemed to be in jeopardy. [A possible Western Union telegram from Jerusalem HQ: "Reverend Paul: Your irresponsibility has put you in prison and endangered the Mission!"]
我們看到早期教會的應許的成就。使徒即使在牢獄，也無法將福音傳給外邦人，教會的未來也看起來有危險。(一個可能的西聯電報由耶路撒冷總部傳出: 保羅牧師:你的不負責任讓你入獄以及任務陷入危險。")

The truth is that while Paul was in prison, he wrote a letter of thanksgiving to the church at Philippi about how God was using his situation to advance the kingdom. From the wonderfully encouraging Book of Philippians, especially chapter 1, verses 3-14, I want to encourage you to look through the positive lens of the Bible to see God can build His church through you. Indeed, this is a perfect description of an optimistic Christian and a confident church. This description may be summed up from this passage by the values of a hopeful church and by the affirmation of an optimistic church. Both are firmly grounded in Paul's letter.
事實上，當保羅入獄，他寫了一封信感謝位於腓立比的教會，談到上帝如何使用他的狀況來傳揚福音。腓立比書美好而鼓勵人心，尤其在第一章，第3-14節，我要鼓勵你透過上帝樂觀的角度來看他怎樣使用你來建造他的教會。所以，這就是一個樂觀基督徒以及有信心的教會的完美描述。這個描述可以從這篇文章裡面得到總結，也就是教會的價值，樂觀教會的確信。兩者都在保羅的信裡有確據。
 

The Values of an Optimistic Church (Phil. 1:3-11)樂觀教會的價值 (腓立比書1:3-11)

The Philippian church had given Paul a gift for the other churches, and Paul returned their gift with this letter, which is a remarkable gift of truth that can change lives. First, if we were trying to distill Paul's values from this part of his letter in verses 3-11, we could include these six values. The first value is this:
腓立比教會給了保羅一個禮物交給另一個教會，而保羅寫信給他們作為回禮，也就是一個不可思議的真理的禮物，能夠改變生命。首先，如果我們可以從他信裡面3-11節擷取保羅的價值，我們可以包括六個價值。第一個價值是: 
 

1. Honor the Past (vv. 3-5)尊敬過去(第3-5節)

Paul thanked God upon every remembrance of them. Their ministry had produced some great things in the past; they had helped other churches and had been a blessing to the body of Christ. Paul thanked God for them and for the fellowship they enjoyed in the past.
保羅感謝上帝，當他每次想起教會弟兄姐妹。他們的服事在過去造就了一些偉大的事情；他們曾經幫助其他教會，在教會肢體上成為祝福。保羅感謝上帝有他們的存在，以及過去曾經享受的團契。

Remembering is a sacred act in the Bible, one commanded by God. The Passover was an observance in which Israel was to remember how God had liberated them from an oppressive life of bondage and into freedom. The Lord's Supper is a commandment to remember that Christ is our Passover for us, that in His body and blood we have our freedom and are on the way to our promised land. The Book of Psalms is filled with the command to remember. David, in Psalm 77:1, honors what God has done in the past: "I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old."
記念在聖經裡是一個神聖的行為，上帝所誡命的。逾越節是一個以色列人記得上帝如何將他們從綑綁中釋放的節日。上帝的晚餐也是要我們記得上帝帶我們通過，而他的身體以及寶血使我們擁有自由，我們正在往應許之地的路上前進。詩篇充滿要我們記念的誡命。大衛，在詩篇77:11裡面，尊敬上帝過去所作的: "我要提說耶和華所行的，我要記念你古時的奇事。"

Failure to remember what God has done is sinful: "Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; they did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, but rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea" (Ps. 106:7).
沒有記念上帝所行的是一種罪: "我們的祖宗在埃及不明白你的奇事，不記念你豐盛的慈愛，反倒在紅海行了悖逆。"(詩篇106:7)。

So it is right, good, and glorifying to God to remember on this day. You know God has used your church in powerful ways in the past. I am sure there are people here who have been blessed by this church. I suspect there will be people in heaven because of the past teaching ministry of this congregation. Like Paul, we can look back and remember the great times together. We can be thankful for ministry. We can be grateful for good friends, for godly pastors who have passed through these halls. As you move forward, do not disconnect from the past, but honor the history of God's activity in even the smallest details of life.
所以，現在記念上帝是正確的，好的，榮耀上帝的。你知道上帝過去藉由強而有力的方式使用你的教會。我很確定有人因為這間教會而感到恩典。我懷疑有人會因為這個會眾在過去的服事而上天國。就像保羅，我們可以往回看，記念美好時光。我們可以感謝服事。我們可以感謝好朋友，曾經走過教會長廊的神職牧師。當你往前走，不要與過去斷了聯結，尊敬上帝在過去生活上至小的細節的作為。

Pastor, it is the same way for you. You can move into the future by honoring the past. God has used you to bless the saints in your ministry in your previous charges. You can be thankful, for all things have worked together for you to come to this place in your life, and it would not have occurred without all of the joys, sorrows, people, places, and events of what has gone before.
牧師，也是一樣。你可以透過尊敬過去往未來前進。上帝使用你來祝福你教會過往的聖者。你可以感激，所有互相效力帶你到人生此時此刻的事情，如果沒有過去所有的快樂，哀傷，人事物，你就到不了現在這裡。

You know, as a pastor who was only the 12th pastor in 163 years of history, there was a lot of past to honor! A few years ago, I returned to a centenary celebration of that church's sanctuary. It was an excellent time for us all, and I have learned it is essential for people to feel that what has gone before is not lost. It has meaning.
你知道，身為一百六十三年來第十二位牧師而已，過去有很多值得尊敬。幾年前，我回去參加了教會的百年慶祝會。那對我們來說是個很棒的時光，我學到讓人感到不曾失去過去很重要。

In a way, Paul began his letter by honoring the past. However, we cannot live in the past. To do so is to erect a mausoleum and live among the dead. Paul lifts their eyes to the glorious present and future in verse 6, and this is a second value of the optimistic church or Christian:
透過一種方式，保羅藉由記念過去來開始他信的內容。但是，我們不能活在過去。這樣做等於建立一座陵，在死人中活著。保羅在第六節打開他們的眼雙，看到榮耀的現在還有未來，這也是樂觀的基督徒教會第二個價值:
 

2. Build for the Future (v. 6)建築未來 (第6節)

Verse 6 is one of the greatest verses in the Bible. Paul begins by speaking of "Being confident of this…" God had done some great things in the past, but there were great things to come. The Christian life is dynamic, alive and moving through history to reach every new generation that comes along. Likewise, God is not finished with you yet. You honor the past, but now God is calling you into a future with Him. The reign of the Lord Jesus guarantees He will see you through.
第六節是整本聖經裡面最棒的其中之ㄧ。保羅首先提到: "我深信.." 上帝在過去成就了許多偉大的事情，但是仍有更多偉大的事情。基督徒的生活是活躍的，充滿生命與藉由歷史演變來觸碰新世代的人。同樣的，上帝對你的造就還沒有完成。你記念過去，但是上帝現在呼召你走向未來。掌權的上帝保證會帶領你走過的。

Confidence for the future that is grounded in God's faithfulness in history conditions the heart that says with Paul, as the late Eugene Peterson puts it in The Message:
對於未來的信心是基於上帝透過歷史的景況展現的信實，與保羅同心，就像已經過世的歐仁皮特森說的:

"I'm not saying that I have this all together that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out to me. Friends, don't get me wrong. By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal where God is beckoning us onward to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back."
"我不是說我對是個狀態都很好或是成就很高的人。但是我正在人生的路上，接觸上帝，就是那位透過奇妙方式接觸我的神。朋友們，不要誤會我。我不是說我在這方面是專家，但是我眼光放在上帝呼召我們去認識耶穌的目標上。我要出發奔跑了，然後我不會往回看的。"
 

Now a third value is in verse: "you all are partakers with me of grace" (Phil. 1:7)
現在，本經文第三個價值是"我 為 你 們 眾 人 有 這 樣 的 意 念 ， 原 是 應 當 的 ； 因 你 們 常 在 我 心 裡 ， 無 論 我 是 在 捆 鎖 之 中 ， 是 辯 明 證 實 福 音 的 時 候 ， 你 們 都 與 我 一 同 得 恩 。" (腓力比書1:7)

 

3. Glory in Grace (v. 7) 在恩典中擁有榮耀 (第7節)

The central theme of the writings of Paul is what God has done in Christ through the divine truth of grace. God has done what we cannot do through sending His Son to live the life we cannot live and die a death for our sins. He offers eternal life to all who call upon Him by faith. This act of God is grace and Paul affirmed in Galatians 2:21: "I do not set aside grace, for if righteousness came by the law, then Christ died in vain." Beloved in Christ, we are saved by grace, kept by grace; and it must in this gracethat you begin your ministry together.
保羅書信的中心主題是上帝在基督裡透過恩典的神聖真理成就了甚麼。上帝藉由帶他的兒子來這個世界上成就我們所不能做的，活出我們所不能活出的生命，然後為了我們的罪而死。他給予願意相信他的人們永生。上帝這樣的舉動是恩典，而保羅在加拉太書2:21確認說: "我 不 廢 掉 神 的 恩 ； 義 若 是 藉 著 律 法 得 的 ， 基 督 就 是 徒 然 死 了 。" 上帝厚愛我們，我們因為恩典得到救贖與存留；我們一定要在這樣的恩典裡一同開始團契。

Here is the fourth value of optimism embedded in the text:
以下是第四個嵌在經文裡樂觀的價值:
 

4. Abound in Love and Knowledge of Jesus (vv. 8-9)在耶穌的愛與知識裡豐盛 (第8-9節)

In these verses, Paul shows that his own heart is for loving the saints with the "compassion of Christ Jesus." Then Paul says his prayer is that the love of the saints may overflow increasingly with "knowledge and full insight" to help you to determine what is best.
在這些經文內，保羅透露他要以"耶穌的憐憫之心"來熱愛聖者。然後保羅說了禱文，讓對於聖者的愛更加滿溢，還有知識與眼光，幫助我們決定甚麼是最好的。

My family and I vacationed in California a few years ago. One thing we did was go up through the Carmel Valley, into the Sierra Mountains on a hike. As we went, we went with hearts filled with joy at being with each other, with souls filled with the beauty of creation—but we also had a map! God wants you to go forward with love. God wants you, dear pastor, to love these people through the compassionate heart of their Savior. He wants all of us to follow Him in love wed to knowledge and insight of His Word.
我家人與我在多年前去加州度假。我們上去了卡梅爾瓦利，進入賽拉里昂山建行爬山。我們一邊走一邊充滿彼此陪伴的快樂，靈魂因為上帝造物之美而喜樂，但是我們也有拿一個地圖。上帝希望你帶著愛往前。牧師們，上帝希望你們用一顆救贖者般的憐憫之心愛眾人。他希望我們在愛裡跟隨他，與他話語的知識還有眼光聯結。

Now, look at verse 10: "to help you determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless." The fifth value is this:
現在，來看看第十節: "使你們能分辨是非，好在基督的日子裡是純潔、無可指責的。"第五個價值就是這個:
 

5. Keep Your Eyes on the Eternal (v.10)把眼光放在永恆上 (第10節)

God wants you to remember you are on a journey—a journey of faith in Christ—which is going somewhere, to the new promised land, the very abode of almighty God. Some of us will get there when we pass from this life, others when Christ comes again, and all of us will see that great Day of Resurrection.
上帝要你記得你正在一個旅途上-一個基督信心的旅程-帶你到應許之地，偉大上帝的住所。我們之中有些人過世後會前往那地方，有些則是要等基督再來的時候，我們全部都會看到復活的日子。

Preach it, pastor. Encourage each other, people of God. If you are here this morning, please remember the Word of God is telling us the Day of Christ is coming. How will you appear before His throne, pure and blameless except through the righteousness of Christ?
牧師們，傳這個福音吧! 鼓勵彼此，上帝的子民。如果你早上還在這裡，請記得上帝告訴我們他來到的日子已經不遠。在他寶座前，除了透過基督的公義，你可以無所指謫嗎?

Moreover, I think Paul is dealing here with the Christian life. He is saying to remember we are on a journey. When we are overflowing with love and God's Word that gives knowledge and insight, we will begin living for eternity today. Finally, we read this sixth value of Biblical optimism in verse 11: "Having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God."
況且，我認為保羅是在討論基督徒的生活。他告訴我們，我們是在旅途上。當我們充滿神的愛與給了我們見識還有眼光的話語，我們今天就開始為了永生而活。最後，我們讀到聖經關於樂觀的經文的第六個價值，在第十一節: "並 靠 著 耶 穌 基 督 結 滿 了 仁 義 的 果 子 ， 叫 榮 耀 稱 讚 歸 與 神 。"

6. Practice His Praise (v. 11)練習他的讚美 (第11節)

Paul said all of our lives are moving toward praise. The values of this optimism are grounded in God and applied in living life as an act of worship. Our worship services will be filled with expectation and wonder if we come to see we are practicing our praise for heaven
保羅說我們的人生是往讚美之地而行。這些價值的樂觀是基於上帝，實際用在生命中，成為一種敬拜的行為。我們的敬拜服事將充滿期望與驚奇，如果我們知道我們是在讚美神的國:

So, these are the values:
所以，就是這些價值:

1. Honor the past.
記念過去。
2.  Build for the future.
建築未來。
3.  Glory in grace.
恩典中的榮耀。
4.  Abound in knowledge and love of Jesus.
在知識與神的愛中豐盛。
5.  Keep your eyes on the eternal.
把眼光放在永恆上。
6.  Practice your praise.
練習你的讚美。

When by faith you receive God's Word you will experience a transformation from the inside-out. This transformation will grant you vision to look through the storms of life to see the image of One walking on water. Such new life brings an optimism shaped by promises of God not the wishes of self.
當你信靠神而得著他的話語，你將會從裡到外的整個轉變。這個轉變能夠讓你透視生命的暴風與而看到耶穌走在水面上。這樣的新生命能帶來上帝允諾的樂觀而不是源於自己。

The Vision of an Optimistic Church

Paul’s Spirit-given Vision is not optimism born out of sentiment. Paul is a realist. He knows his condition. “My chains …” But Paul knows the ruling motif of the Gospel is the preeminent power at work in his life and the world. “What has happened to me will turn out for good.”
保羅充滿聖靈的眼光並不是因為感觸而樂觀。保羅是實踐主義者。他知道他的狀況。"我受的捆鎖.."但是保羅知道福音的中心思想就是在他生命中與世界運行的超群的力量。
"

Paul’s Vision is God’s gift to you. Your vision for your life, the lives of your loved ones, and the mission of God in the World, in Christ Jesus, will be empowered by the divine realities of the Gospel. What are those Christ-connected realities at work in your life?
保羅的眼光就是上帝給你的禮物。你對於你自己生命的眼光，對於你愛的人生命的眼光，還有上帝在世界的宣教，將被福音的實踐而得力。你生命中有哪些與基督相關聯的正在運行呢? 
 

1. The pain of our past is being transformed into the power for ministry (v. 12).
我們過去的痛苦被轉化成團契的力量(第12節)
 

I cherish this passage: "I want you to know that what has happened to me actually has helped to spread the gospel."
我珍藏這段經文: "弟 兄 們 ， 我 願 意 你 們 知 道 ， 我 所 遭 遇 的 事 更 是 叫 福 音 興 旺 。"

The beatings, false trials, and imprisonment were not stopping the gospel, but advancing it! I am optimistic because God is sovereign even when I am helpless. I know My God is causing all things to work together for good for those who are His. If God is for us, who can be against us?
挨打，錯誤的審判，監禁並不會停止福音，但是將它傳開來!  我很樂觀，因為當我無助的時候，上帝還是掌權。我知道上帝讓萬物都為了他的美意而做工。如果上帝站在我們這裡，誰能對抗我們?

In my own life, this truth liberated and freed me. I was orphaned as a child. After having endured no small amount of abuse and heartache, I was relieved of the source of the pain while lamenting the loss of what could have been. I later ran from the pain and my misunderstanding of it; but when I learned about the glory of God, the God who is sovereign in love, I discovered that the very things that had sought to destroy me had become the things that led me to see my need of a Savior. It is not that I embrace my pain in a sadomasochistic way, but I am now at peace with it. God has used it to advance His gospel. The University of North Carolina Charlotte Department of Psychology is researching a phenomenon called Post-Traumatic Growth Syndrome. The same incidents that can cause trauma, as in the Nazi bombings of London, can cause superhuman-like courage and new spiritual resiliency among certain survivors.
在我的生命裡，真理讓我自由。我自幼是孤兒。也經歷了許多虐待與心痛，當我從痛苦源頭釋放時，我也哀嘆失去的可能。我後來逃避痛苦，還有我對痛苦的了解；但是當我知道上帝的榮耀，上帝掌權的愛，那毀滅我的東西成了讓我看到我需要一個救贖者。這並不是我透過一個自虐的方式來擁抱我的痛苦，但是我已經學會與它和平共處。上帝用我的痛苦來傳福音。北卡羅來納大學的心理學系正在研究一個現象叫做創傷後成長症狀。同樣的事件可能造成創傷，就像納粹轟炸倫敦，可以造就一些生還者的超人類的勇氣與新的靈性復原力。

Christianity has taught this from its inception. God is doing that with each of us and with all of us. What have you gone through as a church that was painful? Or in your life? God has revealed this truth of Word and His Ways so that you appropriate this affirmation of Paul for your life. In reciting this exciting affirmation with an authentic voice, you will receive the glorious gift of certainty.
基督教從開始就這樣教導。上帝也這樣帶領我們每個人。你在教會裡經歷甚麼痛苦? 或是你生命裡? 上帝透過他的話語與他的運行顯明了真理，你可以複製保羅這樣的確信到你的生命中。用真實的聲音來朗誦這喜悅的確信，你就會收到那確實的榮耀禮物。

2. The predicament of our present is being translated into a testimony for outreach (vv. 13-14)
我們現在的困境會變成以後外展的見證

Paul is saying that all the events that led to his bondage led to his ministry. If you are not familiar with God's ways, you might think that the Church is done-for. The Plan of God certainly seemed sunk in the Garden of Eden, but God gave a promise in Genesis 3:15 that the Redeemer was coming, and as the angel escorted our first parents out of Eden, a covenant promise was already afoot. God's steadfast love is turn-around energy that not only changed the course of human history but restored with His Son what we relinquished by our sin.
保羅說讓他受困的事情讓他得以傳教。如果你對上帝的方式不熟悉，你可能以為教會已經到了盡頭。上帝的計畫肯定在伊甸園就已經化為泡影，但是上帝在創世紀3:15承諾我們有救贖者會來，當天使護送我們祖先出伊甸園，一個盟約已經開始了。上帝穩妥的愛有能力讓人回轉，不只讓人類歷史改變，也透過他獨生子讓我們可以脫離罪。
 

You might have thought the kingdom of God was sunk when a mad king in Egypt issued a diabolic edict to kill all the little boys of the Hebrews, but God's faithfulness and His covenant promise were working through the predicament to bring the promise.
你可能以為上帝的國在一個埃及王下了魔鬼般的命令要殺光所有希伯來的小男孩，但是上帝的信實與他所立的約正在困境中運行，帶來允諾。

Maybe you thought when an ambitious but brutish bureaucrat named Haman conceived a plot to exterminate the Jews, the chosen conveyers of God's Messiah for the world; such evil would spell the end. However, in the Book of Esther, an optimistic book if ever there were one, God was working out the promise in the predicament. At the end of that historical irony, the lovely Esther saved the day; the sacred promise persevered; and the Satan-figure, Hamon, hung from the gallows he had constructed for the Jews.
也許你以為當一位殘暴的貴族哈曼想計畫消滅猶太人，也就是上帝選擇傳遞上帝的彌賽亞的人；那樣的邪惡可能就讓一切結束了。但是，以斯帖記，一本很樂觀的經書，上帝在困境中運行。在這個歷史的矛盾結束後，以斯帖轉危為安；神聖的允諾被保留；而魔鬼般的哈曼則死在原本要消滅猶太人的絞台上。

The predicament of Jesus' birth might have signaled to the angels that it was all over. A new madman in a long line of diabolically-directed beasts of the earth and sea, Herod, sought to kill Jesus. There was providence in a predicament, and the infant God-Man was saved.
耶穌的降生時的困境有可能對天使來說代表一切都結束了。希律，也就是在天地間來自惡魔獸性般的多位狂人之ㄧ，想要殺死耶穌。困境就是一種天意，幼小的道成肉身的上帝之子被拯救了。

Tell me this: What do you see at the cross but the very same phenomenon? You know the dilemma very well. To look upon the scene by the mind's eye is to observe the utter horror of the cosmos. There you see Him: the King of glory attached by Roman nails and a cruel cross, "stapled" to an instrument of torture and death fashioned from a tree that the Sufferer-God had once created. There, there you see Him! The unlikely conspirators, Romans and Jews—thus, all of humanity, Hebrew and Gentile—have positioned the Righteous One of God between a brutish murderer and a rogue-thief in an attempt to magnify the indignity and mock His majesty. Jesus the righteous, the King of Shalom, is nailed to a Roman cross outside the Holy City, which had turned against Him. Surely, here, finally, the predicament will prove the glass is half empty and draining rapidly! Here the plan unravels, and the Son of God fails! But as Pharaoh's court magicians displayed their cultic arts by turning a staff into a snake and Aaron's snake-staff devoured all of the magicians' tricks, so, too, God worked paradox by the occultic plan of the devil.
告訴我: 你在十字架看到的不就是同樣的情形? 你很清楚這個難題。在腦海中看這齣悲劇就是觀看宇宙間最大的恐懼。你看到了: 榮耀的王被訂在羅馬人的釘子還有殘酷的十字架上，被"訂上"仿造之前因為信上帝而被處死的人所用的凌虐死亡的工具。不太被懷疑的謀逆者，羅馬人與猶太人- 甚至所有的人類，猶太人與外邦人- 把義人上帝放在殘酷的謀殺者與小偷中間，更加凸顯嘲笑他。耶穌，身為義人，猶太之王，被釘在羅馬人的十字架上，就在背叛耶穌的聖城之外。當然，最後這個困境將證明杯子是半滿的，而且水一直流出來! 這裡，上帝的計畫解開了，而上帝之子失敗了! 但是當法老的術士用技巧把一個杖變成蛇，而亞倫的蛇把術士的都吞吃了，而上帝同樣也利用了邪惡的邪術之矛盾。

God causes that which was an instrument of death to become the sign of life. From the mouth of final defeat came forth the unblemished beauty of ultimate victory! Early the next morning, on the first day of the week, right on time, just as Jesus foretold, God spoke life into death and light into darkness, and it was good. For the insurmountable problem of the grave, casketing the cold body of Almighty God the Son, withered and died on the Day that God sent His light into that thick darkness. Jesus received the bright beam of incredible power, and that God-man who was dead became alive forevermore! The immovable seal of the beastly empire of Rome snapped like a twig; the immovable stone seal rolled away like a spinning penny. And He arose! Thank God Jesus arose.
上帝使用原本死亡的工具變成生命的象徵。由最後的失敗口中，傳出毫無瑕疵的最後勝利之美! 第二天一大早，那個禮拜的第一天，就像耶穌說的，上帝將死亡轉為生命，黑暗化成光明，一切都好。至於無法解決的問題，像是墳墓，包裹全能上帝之子的冰冷屍體，也隨之凋謝與消失，就在上帝將黑暗化成光明那天。耶穌接收了強大力量的光芒，這位道成肉身的上帝之子永遠的活了! 殘暴如獸的羅馬帝國無法移動的封印就像樹枝斷裂；無法移動的石頭封印就像錢幣一樣滾落。他復活了! 感謝上帝的救贖。
 

It's a glorious time to be alive! 活著是一件很榮耀的事情

Because of this, my dear friends, and because the central message of the cross of Jesus Christ became the life story of the Apostle Paul, the prisoner can rejoice in his chains. By faith, you, too, my dear friend, must acknowledge the Lord's sovereign hand: in your own life, in our nation, and your church. In so many ways, it seems our country has broken bones. Our creed has cracked, and our code is crumbling. When the Church gets a headline in the paper, these days, you can count on it being a bad one. But my dear friend, revivals have appeared in the worst of times. When we come to see we have no solution, we begin to acknowledge that we are in need of salvation. In that, we live in a day of great opportunity and expectation.
因為如此，親愛的朋友，因為耶穌釘上十字架的中心訊息就是使徒保羅的人生故事，這位囚犯可以在被捆鎖時歡喜。透過信心，我親愛的朋友，你也可以知道上帝掌權的手: 在你自己的生命，在我們的國家，還有你的教會。我們的國家從很多方面來看都好像殘破不堪。我們的法令瓦解，我們的律法崩解。近期當教會上頭條，你就知道一定是因為不好的事情。但是我親愛的朋友，在最糟的時候就會有重生。當我們看到我們沒有辦法解決，我們才承認我們需要救贖。因為這樣，我們活在好的機會與期望的時代。

Dear pastor and people of God, what a glorious time in your lives! God has worked all things together for such a time as this. Whatever predicaments you may face—in your church, in your life—say with Paul, "This is working out for the advance of the gospel." 親愛的牧師與上帝的子民，這是在你生命中榮耀的時刻! 上帝使萬物互相效力，在這樣的時代裡。不管你可能面對怎樣的困境-在你的教會，你的生命-跟保羅一起說，"這是為了傳揚福音。"
 

Let us pray.讓我們禱告。

Almighty God and heavenly Father, as You gave Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to become the atonement for our sins, the righteousness that we must have to stand before You, and as You raised Him from the dead, everything has changed. You are working all things, now, toward Your own glorious aim. Nothing can stop the advancement of Your kingdom! By Your Spirit and Your Word, transform and renew our minds in this glorious gospel truth that we may rest in your wonderful gospel promises and so learn to live, not oblivious to suffering, unaware of tragedy, unmindful of the snares of sin, inattentive to the pain of others, but with an optimism based on faith in the finished work of Christ and in Your redemptive plan for Your heaven and earth. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
親愛的上帝與天賦，你賜給我們你的獨生子，耶穌基督，替我們贖罪，給了我們要站立在你面前所需的公義，你讓耶穌死裡復活，改變了所有。你讓萬物互相效力，為了你自己的旨意。沒有甚麼可以阻止天國的傳揚! 透過你的聖靈與話語，改變與更新我們對於這個榮耀的福音的思想，讓我們可以在你福音的允諾裡學習與存活，不要逃避痛苦，不要對悲劇視而不見，不要忽視罪的陷阱，不要不注意他人的痛苦，但是在基督已經完成的工作，還有在你為了天國與地球的贖罪計畫裡保持樂觀。以上奉靠主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿門。