1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。

2. Today, we come to the end of the road of the series of messages from the book of Nehemiah.
今天是我们查考尼希米记的最后一课。

3. In Nehemiah, Chapter 12, verses 27 to 47,
在尼希米记12章27-47节中，

4. we read of the people of God gathering to dedicate the recently completed wall.
我们看到神的百姓聚集在一起，把刚建造完成的城墙奉献给神。

5. This was a time of excitement and celebration.
这是一个令人兴奋，值得庆贺的时刻；

6. This was a time of joy and happiness.
这是欢喜快乐的时刻；

7. This was a time of rejoicing and renewed vision.
这是充满喜悦，异象更新的时刻；

8. It was a time for victory and dancing.
这是载歌载舞，欢庆胜利的时刻。

9. Why?
为什么？

10. The people of God have gone through a time of humiliation and defeat.
神的百姓经过了卑微和失败，

11. They have been through exile and broken walls.
他们经历了被掳和城墙破裂，

12. They have gone through a time of indifference and resignation.
他们经历了冷漠和屈从，

13. They have been now through a time of mourning and repentance.
他们经历了哀伤悔恨，

14. They have gone through a time of restoration and renewal,
他们经历了重建与更新。

15. and, now, they are going through a time of public celebration and happiness.
如今他们聚集在一起，欢乐庆贺。

16. Their spiritual and national identity has been restored.
他们属灵的和民族的身分地位重新被建立。

17. Their spiritual vigor has been rejuvenated.
他们重振属灵的活力，

18. Their sense of vision has been re-established.
他们的异象更新了。

19. It is time to rejoice again.
这是重拾喜悦的时刻，

20. It is time to be happy again.
这是再度欢乐的时刻。

21. It is time to celebrate God’s presence, power and grace.
这时，他们因着神的同在，神的大能和厚恩而庆贺。

22. Today, in the New Testament, believers have an opportunity to celebrate every week when they meet together on the Lord’s day.
今天在新约时代里基督徒，每个星期天都要聚集在一起庆贺。

23. Every Sunday is Resurrection Day.
每个星期天都是复活日，

24. It reminds us in word and symbols that we are redeemed.
借着听道和各种象征，提醒我们是被救赎的。

25. It reminds us that we are heirs of the Living God.
提醒我们是永活真神的儿女，

26. It reminds us that we are pilgrims on our way to Heaven.
提醒我们是走向天堂的天路客，

27. It reminds us that we do not belong to this world.
提醒我们不再属于这世界。

28. We live in the world but we’re not of the world.
我们虽在世上，却不属这世界。

29. During the week, we may have gone through our Good Friday.
平日我们如同经历受难节，

30. We may have gone through our trials.
我们会经历种种试炼。

31. You may have gone through your pain.
你可能经历伤痛，

32. You may have gone through your agony,
你可能经历苦难，

33. but the day of worship is Resurrection Day.
但礼拜天是复活日，

34. It is Rejoicing Day.
欢喜的日子，

35. It is Celebration Day.
庆贺的日子，

36. It is a happy day.
快乐的日子，

37. It is Victory Day.
得胜的日子，

38. This is God’s Power Day.
神彰显大能的日子。

39. Someone once said,
有人说过，

40. “When you speak of Heaven, let your face light up.”
当你谈到天堂，你脸上散发光彩，

41. “Let it be radiant with a heavenly gleam;”
发出天上的荣光。

42. and these fellows of Nehemiah’s time knew how to celebrate.
尼希米那时代的百姓懂得如何庆贺。

43. In Nehemiah 12:27 and 28 tells us.
尼希米记12章27节说，

44. now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out Levites from their places to bring them to Jerusalem so they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs of accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.”
耶路撒冷城墙告成的时候，众民就把各处的利未人招到耶路撒冷，要称谢、歌唱、敲钹、鼓瑟、弹琴，欢欢喜喜的行告成之礼。

45. These people had quite a celebration.
他们真是大事庆贺，

46. By design, they wanted this to be an unforgettable day;
他们存心让这一天成为毕生难忘的日子。

47. but it wasn’t merely joy and singing.
不仅欢乐歌唱，

48. Look at verse 30.
请看30节，

49. Before there was a moment of celebration, there had to be purification.
在庆贺之前，他们需要洁净自己。

50. Before there can be true joy, there had to be a time of confession.
在真正的喜乐之前，必须先承认自己的罪。

51. Before there can be the peace that passes understanding,
在获得无法形容的平安之前，

52. there had to be repentance and a commitment to forsake past sins.
必须先悔改，下定决心弃绝过去的罪。

53. Now, we are not told exactly what the rite of purification was;
这里并没有详细说明洁净的礼仪如何，

54. but, from other places in the Scripture, we can surmise that it had to do with personal cleansing through a sin offering;
但从圣经其它地方可以知道，洁净礼仪包括个人献上赎罪祭来洁净自己。

55. and for us as Christians today,
对今天的基督徒而言，

56. before we can truly celebrate the resurrection,
在我们真正庆贺复活之前，

57. before we can truly celebrate the presence of God,
在我们真正庆贺神的同在之前，

58. before we can experience true happiness,
在我们享受真喜乐之前，

59. our hearts have to be pure.
我们的心必须洁净。

60. Remember this:
请记住，

61. holiness always precedes happiness.
圣洁在喜乐以先，

62. Confession and cleansing must proceed true joy.
认罪自洁在真正的快乐以先。

63. My listening friends, please hear me right.
亲爱的朋友，请听清楚。

64. Moral carelessness, borderline sin in your life, gives laughter a hollow ring.
道德松懈，活在罪恶边缘，带来空洞的欢笑。

65. There can be no true happiness and celebration when you laugh off the things that God hates.
如果是神所恨恶的，你却一笑置之，你永远不能欢庆，也得不到真实的喜乐。

66. If you truly want to experience the joy of celebrating God,
如果你真想经历与神同乐，

67. you better begin with the cleansing moment.
你最好立刻开始洁净自己。

68. People look in many places for happiness,
人们到处寻找快乐，

69. but God is the only One Who can really give it to you.
但唯有神能把真喜乐赐给你。

70. Why do we find ourselves chasing after happiness, other than in God?
我们为什么不断追逐快乐，却不寻求神？

71. Because the happiness that we find in God can only come after cleansing;
因为在主里的喜乐，唯有通过洁净，才能得到。

72. and, often, we do not want to go through cleansing.
但往往我们不愿意洁净自己，

73. That is why Nehemiah tells us that, if you truly want to be happy,
因此尼希米告诉我们，如果你真想要得到快乐，

74. come clean before God.
就要来到神面前洁净自己。

75. Once Israel came clean before God, the people climbed the wall.
当以色列民在神面前自洁后，他们就上了城墙。

76. In verse 31 tells us, “then I Nehemiah and the leaders of Judah came up on top of the wall and appointed two great choirs.”
31节告诉我，们尼希米带着犹大支派的首领上了城墙，并组织了两队大诗班。

77. When I heard about Nehemiah climbing the wall, I wanted to imagine him jumping up and down on that wall.
当我看到尼希米上了城墙，我可以想象他是多么雀跃。

78. Do you know why?
你知道为什么吗？

79. Probably he was jumping up and down because of the words of his enemies when they said that the wall will collapse.
他之所以兴奋得手舞足蹈，很可能因为想起了当初敌人曾讥笑他，说他建的城墙不堪一击。

80. Nehemiah probably was jumping up and down to make a point.
尼希米兴奋雀跃，是要表明一件事实。

81. He was saying, “I am bigger than a fox and the wall is not falling,”
他想要说，我比一只狐狸大多了，我这么跳上跳下，城墙都没倒呢！

82. “because God is the One Who built the wall.”
因为是神建造的城墙。

83. Verse 31 tells us that one choir got up on top of the wall and went to the right;
经文31节告诉我们，有一队诗班上了城墙向右走。

84. and, then, in verse 38, a second choir climbed up the wall and turned to the left.
38节说，另一队诗班上了城墙向左走。

85. Try to imagine that scene.
你能不能想象？

86. All of the people were the choir.
所有民众都是诗班员。

87. This wasn’t the kind of stiff and somber marching.
这可不是严肃而僵硬的游行，

88. No.
不是，

89. Listen to verse 43.
请看43节，

90. When believers celebrate, they share these same traits.
当基督徒欢庆时，他们都具有同样的特点。

91. They celebrate before the Lord.
他们在神面前庆贺，

92. They focus on His presence among them.
他们庆祝的中心点就是神与他们同在。

93. Their celebrations are marked by rejoicing.
他们的庆典充满欢乐，

94. This was a parade of all parades.
真是盛况空前的游行。

95. They were blowing the trumpets and shouting.
他们吹号呼喊；

96. They were dancing and singing and celebrating the presence of God.
他们载歌载舞，庆贺神与他们同在；

97. They were declaring the victory of God.
他们宣告神的胜利；

98. They were rejoicing in God and they were loud;
他们因神而欢乐，锣鼓喧天。

99. so much so that verse 43 said that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.
因此43节那里说，甚至耶路撒冷中的欢声听到远处。

100. In Proverbs 17:22 says,
箴言17章22节说，

101. “A joyful heart is a good medicine.”
喜乐的心乃是良药。

102. Proverbs 15:13 says,
箴言15章13节说，

103. “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face; but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.”
心中喜乐面带笑容，心里忧愁灵被损伤。

104. Joyful hearts are contagious.
喜乐的心具有感染力。

105. In the past message, I mentioned that, when you get bogged down with life’s problem,
在过去的节目里我曾说过，当生活的重担使你陷入困境，

106. look back at what the grace of God has done for you.
要回想神的恩典如何临到你，

107. Remember what God did for you in the past.
牢记神过去为你成就的一切。

108. My listening friends,
亲爱的朋友，

109. don’t let anything stop your heart from singing.
不要让任何事止息了你心中的歌声。

110. Remember, Nehemiah did not say the song was heard from afar.
尼希米并不是说他们的歌声传到远处，

111. No.
没有，

112. Verse 43 says, “The joy was heard from afar.”
43节乃是说，他们的欢声听到远处。

113. People did not have to hear the words or see the lips moving.
人们不需要听见歌词或看我们的口形，

114. They can feel the joy of the heart.
他们感受得到心中的喜乐。

115. If there are people near you who are lonely and desperate and empty,
如果你身边有人很孤单无助，并感到空虚，

116. think of what your joy would do to them.
想想，你的喜乐可以如何的帮助他们！

117. It can tell them volumes about your faith without having to open your mouth.
你不用开口，他们就知道你多么有信心。

118. Happiness does not depend on the outward circumstances.
喜乐不是来自外在的环境，

119. Happiness depends on your inner focus.
喜乐是因为你内心有焦点。

120. My listening friend, let me ask you, as I conclude,
亲爱的朋友，结束前让我问你，

121. what is your inner focus?
你内心的焦点是什么？

122. Well, you may be a person who does not know the Lord, Jesus Christ.
也许你还不认识主耶稣基督，

123. He is not the focus of your life.
祂不是你生命的焦点，

124. You may be feeling empty and depressed.
你可能感到空虚和沮丧，

125. You may be a person who feels like you are running around in circles, getting nowhere.
也许你觉得自己的人生不断地兜圈子没有目的地，

126. The Lord, Jesus Christ, can fill you with joy today if you ask Him to become your focus;
主耶稣基督今天就能满足你，赐给你喜乐，只要你向祂求，以祂为你生命的焦点。

127. or, you may have been a believer for many years,
或者你已经是多年的基督徒，

128. but you have lost your inner focus.
但却失去了内心的焦点，

129. You may have lost your rudder.
你失去了生命的舵，

130. Your compass is out of order.
你的罗盘失效了。

131. Like David of old, you can ask the Lord,
就像年老的大卫向神祈求，

132. “Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation,”
求你使我仍得救恩之乐。

133. and, then, thank Him for His gift of salvation.
然后感谢神，赐予救恩。

134. Until next time, when we bring you a new series of messages,
下一次我们要开始新的专题系列信息，请不要错过，

135. I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你！再会！