9.22.2024
Psalm 54
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
Mark 9:30-37
2Gs - Great Commandments & Great Commission
2Ms - Ministries & Missions
Context
Last week in a conversation with church friends about traveling, I recalled that the only time I traveled the most in a short period of time was when I was *a member of the Youth Goodwill Mission from Taiwan in 1990. The funny thing was that I couldn’t name the countries we visited. All my recollections were about our intensive training before being sent out, each rehearsal we had before the performance on stage, and every debriefing and celebration before leaving each country.
上週與教會朋友談論旅行時，我回想起我唯一在短時間內旅行最多的一次是1990年我擔任*中華民國青年友好訪問團時。我腦中的記憶全部都是差遣前的密集訓練、上台演出前的每一次排練、在離開我們訪問過的每個國家前的匯報和慶祝。
Was there a time when you were a member of a team, knew the purpose and meaning of the team and the role you played, and depended on each other with a sense of respectfulness, excitement, and belonging? That was my first experience where candid hospitality was practiced by team members. We didn’t own the organization that created this group but we took it very seriously, its shared camaraderie and common mission - to make Taiwan known.
你是否曾經是一個團隊的一員，知道團隊的目的和意義以及你所扮演的角色，並且每個人都相互依賴並懷著尊重、興奮和歸屬感嗎？那是我第一次體驗到團隊成員展現坦誠款待之道。我們並不是建立這個團體的組織者，但我們非常認真地對待這團體，在這團體裡擁有共同的友誼和共同的使命——讓台灣為人所知。
God’s Story
We certainly don’t see candid hospitality from the people of God, the religious leaders and Jesus’ own disciples in Mark 9:30-37.
在馬可福音 9:30-37 中，在神的子民、既宗教領袖和耶穌自己的門徒身上，我們確實沒有看到坦誠的款待。
The disciples resisted the message of Christ’s suffering in 8:32–33 and lost spiritual power in 9:28. Then Jesus once again set the message of his suffering before them, foretelling his death and resurrection in 9:31-32. Religious leaders cared about keeping their status quo, their privilege and authority. And what the disciples cared about was not much different. On the way to Capernaum, they argued about which of them was the greatest.
門徒在第 8 章 32-33 節中抵制了基督受苦的信息，並在第 9 章 28 節中失去了屬靈的力量。耶穌再次將祂受苦的信息擺在他們眼前，在第 9 章 31-32 節中預言了祂的死亡和復活。 宗教領袖關心的是維持他們的現狀、他們的特權和權力。而門徒們所關心的，也相差無幾。在前往迦百農的路上，他們爭論誰最偉大。
On our way back to God, for Jesus, being great requires humility in 9:36–37.在我們回歸上帝的路上，對耶穌而言，我們非常需要謙卑 (9 章 36-37 節)。
In James, promoting candid hospitable relationships among disciples is obvious. James pointed out if desires are rightly ordered, they would be brought to God and granted; nonetheless, if desires are wrongly ordered like the conversation among the disciples about wanting to be the greatest in Mark 9:34, we see the absence of the meekness of wisdom in James 3:17-18.
在雅各書中，促進門徒之間的坦誠款待的關係是顯而易見的。雅各指出，如果慾望是合理的訴求，它們就會被帶到上帝面前並得到應許；然而，如果慾望是不合理的訴求，就像馬可福音9:34中門徒之間關於想要成為最大的談話一樣(雅各書3:17-18)，我們便看不見智慧的順從。
It’s said well in James 4:7-8, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and the devil will flee from you. Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you.” We often forget that we don’t own either the earthly world or the heavenly kingdom. Being sojourners, created and entrusted by God to be good stewards, we are to care for all creatures including ourselves. On the same token, though we are the body of Christ, we don’t own the body of Christ for it belongs to Christ.
雅各書 4:7-8 說得好：「你們要順服神。務要抵擋魔鬼，魔鬼就必離開你們逃跑了。 你們親近神，神就必親近你們。」 我們常常忘記，我們既不是這世屆的擁有者，也並不擁有天國。作為寄居者，上帝創造並委託我們成為好管家，我們要照顧所有受造物，包括我們自己。同樣的道理，我們雖然是基督的身體，但我們並不是基督的身體的擁有者，因這身體屬於基督的。
Yes, we are welcomed into God’s kingdom by God’s grace and embodied by Jesus Christ. In which way will we take the body of Christ seriously enough from the bottom of our hearts? What are the things needed for each member of the body of Christ to experience candid hospitality and the meekness of wisdom, and have shared camaraderie and a common mission?
是的，我們因神的恩典並由耶穌基督的體現而被歡迎進入神的國度。那麼，我們要如何從心底來認真對待基督的身體呢？ 作為基督身體的每個成員，需要什麼才能體驗到坦誠的款待和智慧的順從，並擁有共同的情誼和共同的使命呢？
Conundrum
The Church often preaches on the Great Commandments and Great Commission (2Gs) which have been treated as a pleasing slogan; on the other hand, an intentional curating, equipping, sending, debriefing, and celebrating for any focused missions are actually not implemented. Are we in denial, naively believing that the 2Gs will somehow just happen naturally?
教會經常宣講這被視為令人愉悅的口號: 大誡命和大使命（2Gs)；另一方面，對精心的選擇、裝備、派遣、匯報和慶祝重要使命的過程，卻不執行。我們是否不願面對且天真地相信 2Gs 會自然而然地發生呢？
Compared with creating an environment with a sense of respectfulness, excitement, and belonging, actualizing the 2Gs sounds much more time consuming because leadership is much needed here. Once the church opens up the leadership roles, the meekness of wisdom James talked about and the candid hospitality Jesus talked about are not welcomed anymore. Being noticed and becoming the great start dividing the hearts of people. As a result, there is no longer a shared camaraderie and common mission. Who then will be onboard with the ministries and the missions of the church to actualize the 2Gs?
與創造一個具有尊重感、興奮感和歸屬感的環境相比，實現 2Gs 聽起來要耗時得多，因為這裡非常需要領導力。一旦教會開放了領導角色，雅各所說的智慧的順從和耶穌所說的坦誠的款待就不再受歡迎了。受到關注並成為偉大人物是分裂人們心靈的開始。結果，不再能擁有共同的情誼和共同的使命。那麼誰將參與教會的事工和使命來實現 2G？
Once, I heard a simple definition of ministry and mission (2Ms) from the former Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod. Rev. Miller said that ministries are the things we do for insiders; missions are the things we do for outsiders. The mission statement of a church where I was an interim pastor came to my mind: “Knowing Jesus! Making Jesus known.“ What does the following statement sound like to you? Knowing Jesus through ministries! Making Jesus known through missions.
有一次，我從芝加哥區會前主教那裡聽到了關於事工和宣教的簡單定義。米勒牧師說，事工是我們為教會內部人所做的事；宣教是我們為教會外面的人所做的事。這讓我想起一個我做代理臨時牧師時的一個教會的使命宣言，浮現在我的腦海中：「認識耶穌！讓耶穌為人所知!」對以下陳述，聽起來如何？ 透過事工認識耶穌！透過宣教使人認識耶穌。
This begs the questions: What is the percentage of time your church invests in ministries? And in missions? Are there intentional curating, equipping, sending, debriefing and celebrating processes installed in your church for both ministries and missions (2Ms)? Is candid hospitality practiced and the meekness of wisdom lived out in all things your church does?
這就引出了一些問題：你的教會投資在事工的時間百分比是多少？那麼在宣教上呢？你的教會是否有為事工和宣教做有特意的挑選、裝備、差派、匯報和慶祝的流程呢？你的教會所做的一切是否都體現了坦誠的款待和智慧的順從呢？
Good News
What’s the Good News? The Good News is that God will never say no to our faithful commitment in 2Ms to carry out the 2Gs. Doesn’t Jesus say in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” What might be your responses if God asks for your commitments to the 2Ms & 2Gs, God knocks the door of your church, your home, and your hearts, and God seeks the lost souls through you? May your response to God be the Amen.
好消息是什麼呢？好消息是，神永遠不會拒絕我們對執行 2Gs 的事工和宣教使命的忠誠承諾。 耶穌在馬太福音第 7 章 7-8 節不是說：「你們祈求，就給你們；尋找，就尋見；叩門，就給你們開門。因為凡祈求的，就得著；尋找的，就尋見；叩門的，就給他開門。」 反過來問， 如果神要求你對 2Gs 作出承諾，神叩你教會的門、你家的門和你心砍的門，並且神要透過你尋找迷失的靈魂，你對神的回應是什麼？願你對神的回應是: 「阿們」。
*Youth Goodwill Mission from Taiwan, R.O.C.
青訪團全名為「中華民國青年友好訪問團」，由教育部主辦、救國團承辦，自1974年起，從各大專院校甄選優秀學生，經過多次的篩選後，再經由2個月宛如魔鬼的密集嚴格培訓歷程後，分為3團。以2個月時間前往美東、美西、歐洲，中東非洲多個國家訪問和登台表演。旨在促進國際交流。在訪問期間，青年代表們不僅進行了文化交流，還展示了台灣的多元文化和風土人情。這樣的活動不僅助於增進國際間的友誼和理解。在國際情勢艱困的年代中，也扮演了重要的文化外交角色。
The Youth Goodwill Mission from Taiwan, the Republic of China was the full name. It was sponsored by the Ministry of Education and hosted by the National Salvation Corps. Since 1974, outstanding students were selected from various colleges and universities. After multiple screenings, they then underwent a 2-month process. After an intensive and rigorous training process, they were divided into 3 groups. In 2 months, they traveled to the Eastern and Western United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa for visit and perform on stage. It aimed at promoting international exchanges. During the visit, the youth representatives not only conducted cultural exchanges, but also demonstrated Taiwan's diverse culture and customs. Such activities not only help enhance international friendship and understanding. In an era when the international situation was difficult, it also played an important role in cultural diplomacy.
青訪團成員是在大家二十歲左右時相遇, 超過半年的相處，再加上出國前，2個月朝夕相處的密集培訓，讓學生培養出深刻的革命情感。
The members met at their early 20s. The over six months of knowing each other and the intensive training for two months before going abroad, allowed the students to develop profound connections and share camaraderie and a common mission.
集訓期，他們住宿於復興高中宿舍。每日清晨 6 點前就起床，晨跑 5,000公尺，吃完早飯後，接著一連串的課程安排到半夜。除了學習舞蹈排練、驗收成果，每天也穿插分組學習外語，文化禮儀相關課程，以便與當地民眾交流。除了少數學生是舞蹈科班出身，大多數來自外交、政治、醫學、企管、體育、等不同科系。
Their intensive two-month training was at Fu-Xing High School where they stayed in the dormitory at night. They got up before 6 a.m. and ran 5,000 meters each day. After breakfast, they followed a series of classes until midnight. In addition to learning dance and having rehearsals each day, they studied foreign languages and cultural etiquette-related courses in order to communicate with local people who they would visit. There were a few students majoring in dance, most of them from different departments such as diplomacy, politics, medicine, business management, and physical education.
為了建立起團隊精神，在集訓中，若有違規紀律的，晚上吃宵夜前，都會領罰。在兩個月的密集訓練中，各隊必須學習90分鐘的舞蹈表演。 如任何舞碼有一個團員沒過關，所有人都要陪著練習，熟悉肢體律動，直到熟練為止。
During the intensive training, in order to strengthen the spirit of their team building, if there are any violations of discipline, they got punished right before their late-night snack. Each team had to learn a 90-minute dance performance in the two months intensive training. If a group member failed to pass any movements of dancing, everyone had to practice with the member over and over again.
Some photos taken in 1990. I am the fifth one from the right.
I am in the middle in front of the two great guys, the ambassador of Taiwan and the king of the ...
I am the one wearing the green on the right.
I'm in the middle at the last row right behind the ambassador and his wife of Taiwan
I'm the second one from the left.
我當年是被分配至中東非洲團。但出發前的幾個月， 1990 年 8 月 2 日 伊拉克 Iraq入侵 科威特 Kuwait 引發了國際衝突，既是波斯灣戰爭（Persian Gulf War,1990-91）。造訪國家臨時被更改為以下國家：斯里蘭卡Sri Lanka、模里西斯the Republic of mauritius、馬拉威 Malawi、史瓦濟蘭王國 the Kingdom of Swaziland、賴索托王國 the Kingdom of Lesotho、南非共和國 Republic of South Africa。
I was assigned to the Middle East and Africa group. But a few months before departure, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990 triggered an international conflict, the Persian Gulf War (1990-91). We then were assigned to visit the following countries: Sri Lanka, the Republic of Mauritius, Malawi, the Kingdom of Swaziland, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of South Africa.
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