Loading Player...

SECTION A
甲部

1. Hello, listening friends, and welcome to this last in our series of messages entitled, “Portrait of Grace.”
亲爱的朋友,你好,很高兴你能收听这系列信息的最后一讲,题目是“恩典的描绘”。

2. Today, we will be looking at Genesis 35, verses 1 to 15;
今天我们要读的经文是创世记35章1到15节;

3. but I want to begin by telling you something that probably is familiar to most students.
首先,我要告诉你一个许多学生都很熟悉的定律。

4. In school, you may have studied the second law of thermodynamics;
读中学时,你可能已经学过热力学第二定律了;

5. but, if you haven’t, I want to explain it to you.
如果你没有学过的话,不要紧,我现在来告诉你。

6. The second law of thermodynamics declares that matter always proceeds from order to disorder.
热力学第二定律指出,一切物质都是从有序渐渐地变成无序的。

7. The second law of thermodynamics affirms that everything ultimately decays and falls apart.
这个热力学第二定律,告诉人们,一切物质到最后都将会腐化和分解的。

8. For example, bread does not stay as fresh as on the day it was baked.
举个例子吧,面包不会总是像刚出炉的时候那样新鲜。

9. Clothing becomes faded and threadbare and, ultimately, returns to dust.
衣服也会慢慢地褪色,破旧,直到最后化成灰烬。

10. Everything ages and wears out;
万事万物都会变得老旧和残破。

11. but, today, I’m going to introduce you to another law that has the opposite effect of the second law of thermodynamics.
但是今天,我要向你介绍另外一个,与热力学第二定律截然相反的规律。

12. It is what I call the “first law of God-dynamics.”
我把这个规律称作“上帝力学第一定律”。

13. The first law of God-dynamics” says, “In the life of God’s children, things go from disorder to order.”
“上帝力学第一定律”指出:“在上帝儿女的生命中,事物是从无序渐渐地变得有序”。

14. For believers, things go from the pit to the highest mountain.
对信徒而言,也是从谷底慢慢地走向山顶。

15. For God’s obedient children, they progressively become less like themselves and more like Christ.
对顺服神的儿女来说,他们将慢慢地脱离老我,变得更像耶稣基督。

16. God’s obedient children gradually go from disobedience to total surrender.
听从神的儿女们,是从不顺服渐渐变得完全降服的。

17. The bodies of the children of God may decay, but their spirits soar like eagles.
属神儿女的肉体生命,虽然一样会渐渐地衰残,但是他们的灵魂将如鹰展翅飞翔。

18. God’s children’s lives go from power to power.
他们的人生充满着一个接一个能力更新的经历,

19. They go from glory to glory.
他们经历着一个又一个的荣耀。

20. As you and I face challenges of life, we face the ups and downs of life, but we go forward.
你和我的人生都会面临很多挑战,以及生活中的高高低低,但我们却不断地迈步向前。

21. We may have joys and sorrows, but we always march upward.
我们会有欢笑和眼泪,但却一直向高处走。

22. We may experience failure and success, but we’re always improving.
我们会经历失败和成功,但我们的生命却被提升。

23. That is God’s first law of God-dynamics in the believer’s life;
这就是在信徒生命中起作用的“上帝力学第一定律”。

24. and we’re going to see this in Jacob’s life.
今天,我们会在雅各的一生中看到这条定律。

25. God speaks to him and he becomes passionate about God;
上帝亲自对雅各说话,使他对神充满了热情。

26. then, he gets busy making a living and he forgets about God;
可是不久之后,忙碌的生活使他忘记了神。

27. then, he faces a crisis in his life and he comes running back to God.
当面临人生的危机时,雅各回到神的身边。

28. God renews him and blesses him;
神更新了他的生命,并且赐福给他。

29. and, soon, he is back into his old ways of taking things into his own hands.
可惜没过多久,他故态复萌,又想把一切都抓在自己手中。

30. Does this describe your life?
是否这也是你人生的写照呢?

31. Without a doubt, Jacob is a portrait of many Christians today.
毋庸置疑,雅各的一生正是今天很多基督徒的真实写照。

32. I don’t know about you, but I often ask myself the following question:
我不知道你的情形如何,不过我自己常常扪心自问:

33. why does it take a crisis in my life to make me a powerful prayer warrior?
为什么只有在面对人生的危机时,才会造就我成为有能力的祷告勇士呢?

34. Now let’s go to Genesis 35.
现在让我们一起来看创世记35章。

35. There, we find Jacob in one of those crises that will ignite his passion for God.
那时,雅各就处在一个危机之中,因而点燃了他心中对上帝的热情。

36. At this point in his life, Jacob allowed the material attraction of Shechem to keep him from being at Bethel.
那段时期,雅各受示剑地物质繁荣的吸引,而没有留在伯特利。

37. Bethel, in Jacob’s life, represents God’s presence in his life.
在雅各的生命中,伯特利代表着神与他同在。

38. Bethel, in Jacob’s life, represents God’s blessing and God’s leadership.
对雅各而言,伯特利象征着神的赐福和引领。

39. On the other hand, in Shechem, there may have been material gain, but there was spiritual loss.
与此相反,示剑是一个追求物质满足,却使灵魂失落的地方。

40. In Shechem, there were so many business deals that Jacob forgot his parental responsibilities.
当雅各住在示剑的时候,他忙于做生意,完全忽略了作父亲的职责。

41. In Shechem, there were many opportunities to go upward and forward, humanly speaking, but his family completely fell apart;
从属世的角度来看,示剑是个一个充满机会,可以飞黄腾达的地方,但是雅各的家庭却在这里变得四分五裂。

42. and, so here, once again, we see God’s first law of God-dynamics in operation.
就在此刻,“上帝力学第一定律”再次产生了功效。

43. God manifests His grace yet again,
神再次向雅各彰显了祂的恩典,

44. and God’s grace overwhelms sin and grief yet again.
神的恩典再次化解了罪恶和痛苦,

45. God’s grace calls Jacob back once again.
神的恩典把雅各再次带回自己身边。

46. My listening friend, wherever you are right now,
亲爱的朋友,不论你目前的处境如何,

47. whether you are in deliberate sin or whether you are in deliberate disobedience,
无论你是有意地犯罪,或是故意地不顺服神,

48. whether you are in an ungodly relationship or whether you are taking things into your own hands,
无论你是处于一段神所不喜悦的人际关系中,或是执意偏行己路,

49. whether you are doing your will instead of the will of God,
无论你是否正在坚持自己的意思,而不愿顺服神的旨意,

50. wherever you are, God is calling you yet again.
无论你的处境如何,神再一次地呼唤着你,

51. God’s arms are open to you once again.
祂再次向你张开双臂。

52. You may be too busy for God.
或许你太过忙碌,而不理会神。

53. You may be too busy doing your thing, while your family is spiritually disintegrating.
或许你忙于处理自己的事情,而没有注意到你的家人正处于灵性瓦解的地步,

54. You may be too busy doing what pleases you, while your soul is rusting out.
你为了满足自己而忙碌,但你的灵魂正在生锈。

55. No matter where you are, the God who called Jacob is calling you.
无论你身处何地,那位呼唤雅各的天父,此刻正在呼唤你,

56. In Genesis 35, verse 1, God said to Jacob, “Go up to Bethel and settle there,
创世记35章1节,神对雅各说:“起来!上伯特利去,住在那里。

57. and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother, Esau.”
要在那里筑一座坛给神,就是你逃避哥哥以扫的时候向你显现的那位。”

58. My listening friend, let me tell you three ways to appropriate the blessing of the first law of God-dynamics.
亲爱的朋友,我要告诉你三个方法,可以从“上帝力学第一定律”受益蒙福:

59. Number one, remember God’s past blessings.
首先,记住上帝从前所赐的福。

60. Number two, release your false idols.
其次,拿走心中的偶像。

61. Number three, reaffirm God’s covenant.
第三,重申与神所立的约。

62. Let’s look at number one, remember God’s past blessings.
先来看第一点,记住上帝从前所赐的福。

63. At this point in Jacob’s life, he was cut off from behind by Laban.
当时,在雅各的身后被舅舅拉班阻断了退路,

64. He did not want to go forward toward Esau;
而他又不想往哥哥以扫那里去,

65. and where is he now?
那么他现在在哪里呢?

66. His sons made enemies in the land of Shechem;
他的儿子们与示剑人结仇为敌;

67. and, when you are penned in from the back and from the front, what should you do?
如果是你,后有追兵,前无去路,你会怎么办?

68. You don’t panic and you don’t fret;
你不要惊慌,也不要烦躁,

69. but you begin to remember God’s past blessings;
就在此刻,要回想从前上帝所赐的福;

70. and that is why, as soon as Jacob heard the call of God’s grace,
这就是为什么,当雅各一听到神恩典的呼唤,

71. he immediately responded by calling to his family.
他马上响应,招聚全家,

72. He told them to turn from idols and impurities to the true worship of God.
告诉家人要除掉他们中间的偶像,也要自洁,敬拜真神。

73. Here, we see the first law of God-dynamics.
在这里,我们看到了“上帝力学第一定律”在起作用。

74. Jacob did not take long to respond to God.
雅各对上帝的响应是很迅速的,

75. His life, like our lives, moved from disintegration to wholeness;
他的生命,与我们一样,由破碎变得完整。

76. from slowness to immediate response to God;
对神的响应也从懈怠,变得迅速。

77. and, so, Jacob remembers God’s vision in Bethel some 20 years earlier;
雅各想起20年前在伯特利,神给他看见的异象。

78. and, there, he remembered God’s dream.
想起神给予他的梦。

79. There, he remembered his vow to the Lord.
想起自己向神许过的愿。

80. There, he remembers how God kept His promise to him.
想起神怎样持守对自己的应许。

81. Jacob can look back and say, “God is good all the time.”
回首往事,雅各由衷地说:“神的慈爱善良永远长存。”
82. Let me ask you this, my friend.
亲爱的朋友,让我来问你,

83. When you look back at your life, can you see God’s hand of blessing?
当你回首往事的时候,是否看见天父的手一直在赐福你?

84. Can you see God’s hand of protection?
是否看见天父的手一直在保护你?

85. Can you see God’s hand of faithfulness?
是否看见天父信实的手?

86. Can you see God’s patience with you?
是否体会过上帝对你的忍耐?

87. I sure can.
我确定我体会过。

88. First, remember God’s past blessings.
第一,回想从前上帝的赐福。

89. Secondly, release your false idols.
第二,除去心中的偶像。

90. One of Jacob’s shortcomings was that he failed to instruct his family.
雅各的弱点是他没有好好地教导家人。

91. He failed to do his part in modeling worshiping God for his family.
他既没有在家里建立起敬拜神的榜样,

92. Jacob failed to instruct his household by words and example about the one true God;
也没有以身作则来教导他的家人,要敬拜独一的真神。

93. but Jacob also failed in another area of his life.
除此以外,他还在生活的其它方面有亏欠。

94. Jacob failed to keep his promise of giving back ten percent of everything that God has given him;
他没有信守诺言,将神赐给他各样财物的十分之一奉献给神。

95. and, so here, in Genesis 35, God graciously gives him another opportunity;
但在创世记35章,神还是仁慈地给了他第二次机会。

96. but, this time, Jacob does the right thing.
这回雅各选择了做正确的事情,

97. In verse 2, he turns to his family and he says, “All right, I may have messed up in the past, but now I want to get it right this time.
第二节,雅各对他的家人说:“好吧,从前我把事情弄砸了,不过这次我要做正确的事。

98. Hand over all of the idols and the earrings and the clothings of sin,
交出一切外邦的神像和耳环,还有不洁的衣服。

99. because, from now on, we are going to give up false idols.
因为从此以后,我们要除掉一切的偶像。”

SECTION B
乙部

1. We are going to give up false belief systems.
我们要除掉心中错误的信仰。

2. We are going to give up false ideas about who God is.”
我们要除掉心中有关神的错误的观念。

3. How do people know that God has changed your heart?
人们怎么能知道上帝已经改变了你的内心?

4. By the change in your behavior.
是从你行为的改变而得知的。

5. The only way the world is going to know whether you are a believer in Jesus Christ or not is by your behavior.
世人了解你是否跟随了耶稣基督的唯一方式,就是看看你的行为举止。

6. Let me ask you, my listening friend, is your behavior different after you became a believer?
亲爱的朋友,让我来问问你,信主以后你的行为举止有变化吗?

7. Is your behavior different from non-believers when it comes to moral purity?
在道德品行方面,你的行为举止与不信主的人相比,是不是已经不同了呢?

8. Is it different when it comes to cheating and lying?
涉及欺骗和谎言方面,是不是已经不同了呢?

9. Is it different when it comes to gossiping and backbiting?
在传闲话和中伤别人方面,是不是已经不同了呢??

10. Is it different because you do not live in fear and anxiety?
因为你不再生活在恐惧和焦虑之中,这是不是也和以前不同了呢?

11. All these idols must be buried, just like Jacob buried those of his household.
所有这些偶像都要被埋葬,就像雅各除掉家里的偶像一样,

12. Jacob called his family to purify themselves.
雅各要求全家自洁。

13. Remember God’s past blessings.
回想从前上帝的赐福,

14. Release false idols.
除去一切的偶像,

15. Thirdly, reaffirm God’s promises.
第三点,重申与神所立的约。

16. After Jacob led his family to repentance, worship, and obedience to the one living God,
雅各带领全家悔改、敬拜并顺服独一真神以后,

17. God affirms to him the promises that He gave to him.
神再次确认了给雅各的应许,

18. These are the same promises that God gave his father before him and his grandfather, Abraham, before that.
这是相同的应许,就是当年神曾应许他祖父亚伯拉罕和父亲艾萨克的。

19. What was the promise?
这个应许的内容是什么呢?

20. That the Messiah will come through his descendants.
那就是弥赛亚要从他的后裔而出,

21. If you have a Bible, you can read the list of [the] genealogy of Jesus.
如果你有圣经的话,请读一读耶稣的家谱,

22. It is found both in Luke, Chapter 3, and in Matthew, Chapter 1.
记载在路加福音三章和马太福音第一章,

23. There, you can trace the physical line of Jesus to Jacob;
如果你去追溯耶稣的家谱,就可以找到雅各的名字。

24. and, so, Jacob built an altar and, there, he changes the name that he gave to that place 20 years earlier.
雅各在伯特利筑了一座坛,就是20年前神曾向他显现的地方,又给那地方起名。

25. You remember he called the place where he saw the Lord “Bethel,” or, the “house of God?”
你还记得雅各称神显现的地方为“伯特利”,或是“神的殿”吗?

26. Now, he calls it “El Bethel,”
现在他给那地方起名,叫“伊勒伯特利”,

27. the “God of the house of God;”
就是“伯特利之神”的意思。

28. but, before renaming the place, Jacob keeps the vow that he had made to the Lord 20 years earlier.
不过在雅各给那地重新命名之前,他先还了20年前向神许过的愿,

29. He offers the Lord the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
他向神献上感谢和赞美的祭,

30. My listening friend, please listen carefully, as we conclude.
亲爱的朋友,在结束的时候,请你留心听,

31. I want to come back to where I began.
我要回到今天信息开始所说的,

32. The second law of thermodynamics may say that matter deteriorates and goes from order to disorder,
热力学第二定律指出:所有物质都是从有序变得无序,

33. but the first law of God-dynamics says, “My children will go from glory to glory.
但是“上帝力学第一定律”是说:“我的孩子们一生将经历一个又一个的荣耀,

34. My children will move from good to great.
我的孩子们会从优秀进展到最优秀,

35. My children will soar like eagles to greater heights.
我的孩子们将如鹰展翅高飞,

36. My children will not deteriorate;
我的孩子们不会衰残,

37. but they will be daily renewed.”
反而一天新似一天。”

38. The first law of God-dynamics says,
“上帝力学第一定律”还说:

39. “Even youth shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
“就是少年人也要疲乏困倦,强壮的也必全然跌倒,

40. but they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
但那等候耶和华的必从新得力,

41. They shall mount up with wings like eagles.
他们必如鹰展翅上腾,

42. They shall run and not be weary.
他们奔跑却不困倦,

43. They shall walk and not faint...”
行走却不疲乏……”

44. and, so, my dear listening friend, my prayer is that you will remember God’s past blessings,
亲爱的朋友,我的祷告是,愿你们牢记从前天父所赐的福,

45. that you would release your false idols and affirm your covenant with God;
除掉心中的偶像,确认与神所立的约;

46. then, He will have His heart’s delight to bless you with the first law of God’s dynamic;
那么,神必然满心喜悦,按照上帝力学第一定律来赐福你。

47. and, as we conclude this whole series of messages on Portrait of Grace,
好,我们“恩典的描绘”系列信息到这里就全部结束了。

48. we look forward to bringing you a new series of messages the next time;
下次我们将开始一个新的系列;

49. so please join us next time;
所以请你一定要收听;

50. and, until then, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福与你,下次节目再会!