日期： 11/16/08

經文：瑪拉基書

講題：我們可好嗎？

主旨： 因為神的愛顯現在我們的失敗中，所以我們要竭盡全力回應 衪 。

引言：

你是否曾有超過一天或者一週以上都沒有抱怨的生活？或者一天或一週以上都沒有聽到任何抱怨？我想大多數的人都不喜歡活在把抱怨當作家常便飯的生活裡，因為抱怨讓人覺得筋疲力竭、提不起勁兒來。但是另一方面，我們卻常常向神抱怨：當事情不順己意、超出我們掌控範圍的時候；當久病、失業、感情不順、孩子達不到我們的期望的時候，我們往往向神發出怨言。

在瑪垃基書裡，紀錄的是神向祂的子民，當時的以色列人，所發的怨言。以色列人以為自己的還算是循規蹈矩，但事實卻不然；反觀我們，就國家的層面，我們從這次的選舉結果可以知道，大多數的人都覺得我們的國家像是有哪裡不對勁兒，進而希望能有所改變。就個人層面來說，我們總是容易看到別人、特別是教會的問題，但我們自己呢？若是神檢視了我的生活，祂會不會也要抱怨一番？。

現在我們來看瑪垃基書的內容。瑪垃基書所撰寫的年代和以斯拉書和尼希米記相近。尼希米面對的許多問題在瑪垃基書裡也可以看到，以下一一說明：

1 •  我們未曾察覺到神的愛 ( 第 1 章 :2-5 節 )

神向以色列人表達祂對他們的愛，他們的反應竟是：「 祢 是如何愛我們？ 祢 說 祢 愛我們，但我們卻不認為。」神的回應是將他們回顧歷史。如果以色列人仔細翻閱他們的歷史，他們便會看到神是如何在在地透過祂的話語和行動向以色列人顯明祂的愛。詩篇第 136 篇：「…因為祂的慈愛永遠長存…」這整首詩說的都是祂對祂的子民的愛。以賽亞書 43:1b-4 ：「不要懼怕，因為我救贖了你；我按著你的名呼召了你；你是屬我的。 2 你從水中經過的時候，我必與你同在；你渡過江河的時候，水必不淹沒你；你從火中行走的時候，必不會燒傷；火燄也不會在你身上燒起來。 3 因為我是耶和華你的 神，是以色列的聖者，你的拯救者； …… . 4 因為你在我眼中非常寶貴和貴重，所以我愛你；… . 」因著愛，神揀選以色列人做祂的子民，拯救他們脫離埃及人的 奴役；在曠野中，神供應他們食物和飲水，並日夜保護他們。在他們被流放巴比倫 70 年之後，神帶領他們回到本家，猶大地，並幫助他們建立自己的王國。然而以色列人對過去的這些視而不見，反而抱怨神未曾愛過他們；神以重申祂的愛來回應這樣的抱怨。

至於我們，我們不處在舊約時代，我們可以從很多地方看到神的愛。我們知道「 神愛世人，甚至把他的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信他的，不至滅亡，反得永生。」（約翰福音 3 ： 16 ）耶穌基督在世上的時候，祂愛那些屬於祂的人直到末了。祂在十架上的死，是神愛我們的最終極體現。檢視我們的生活，神親自來到我們的罪惡和殘缺裡，帶我們到祂的面前，接納我們，認我們作祂的孩子；祂原諒我們的過犯，跟我們重修舊好，祂自始至終已完全地，深深地愛著我們。

2  •  我們未曾將最好的獻與主 ( 第 1 章 :6-2 章 :9 節 )

對我們當中比較年長的人，應該會記得 羅德尼丹傑菲爾德 的那句：「沒人尊重我。」這也是神對祂的子民說的話；子女尊敬父母，奴僕尊重主人，然而身為以色列人的神和創造者，卻沒有從他們那裡得到應得的尊敬。以色列人也不甘示弱的地反擊：「我們哪裡沒有尊重 祢 了？」神回應他們說，因為他們把有缺陷的牲畜獻上給神。人們應當把所收的穀物、所養的牲口中最好的獻上給神，然而他們供上的卻是殘弱，瘸腿，瞎眼的動物，而把好的留給了自己。試想當我們打開別人餽贈的禮物，發現這些禮物要不是破損的、就是已經使用過的，我們也會感到不被尊重；若我們收到的禮物，竟是自己在一年前送給眼前這位朋友的同一份禮物時，更是會覺得未被重視。

  神已給了我們最好的，祂差派祂的獨生子來到世上為我們死，只為了要重建與我們的關係。我們有沒有回給他最好的？不知道你是否曾聽過這樣的一個故事，雖然這個故事的真實程度無從考證，但這個故事所要表達的意涵也相去不遠：「有一位母親，望著自己的四個兒子，說道：『老大最聰明，所以我要送他上醫學院。老二最誠實、勤奮，他可以當個工程師或律師。老三的腦筋動得快，反應好，可以當個生意人。老么是誠實，但是表現不怎麼出眾，如果他願意的話，可以去作傳道人。』」我們把好的留給自己身邊，把沒那麼好的獻給神。很多教會也有這樣的經驗，當教會向大家募捐家具或廚具的時候，猜猜大家都帶了些什麼來？老舊或破損的家具，還有燒黑了的鍋碗瓢盆，大多都是連救世軍都不願收的東西。

我曾經在其他場河裡和大家分享過這件事。根據我對於北美洲的華人教會的觀察，我發現常常聽到有人說他們要提早退休，投身全職的事工，到當地教會服事或者到外地宣教。原因呢？因為到時候他們確定有足夠的錢養老、供應子女的教育支出。若你真是在這時候才受到神的呼召，那我們當順服。問題在於大多數的人，在年輕的時候就受到呼召，但他們卻以要先把自己的生活版圖穩定下來再說；他們想先存夠錢，保證有能力繳得出貸款、養老金、和子女的教育基金。一旦達到這個目標，才願意投身侍奉。

到我們有條件提前退休的時候，我們的健康、精神狀況都不如年輕的時候好了；要花長一些的時間調整時差、該記的常記不住、不能吃得太甜、太鹹或太辣，所有的一切都大不如前。去年，國內的一個學生跟我說：「我們很謝謝你能來，但是為什麼來的牧者們頭髮都頂白的啊？」當然，他是指年輕的牧者到哪裡去了？

當我看到那些年輕的夫妻，像是 David 和 Alice ，或 Wailim 和 Vicky 願意順服神的呼召到亞洲宣教，我常常覺得十分感動。他們要學習不同的語言、習慣不同的文化、適應不同的生活水準；他們把自己最好的獻予神。神值得我們獻上最好的。我們也當把自己一天的黃金時段獻予神，讀祂的話語、向祂禱告。當神呼召我們，我們當把一生的黃金歲月獻給祂。

3 •  我們未曾遵守婚姻之約 ( 第 2 章 :14-15 節 )

「 14 … 因為耶和華在你和你年輕時所娶的妻子中間作證；她是你的伴侶，是你立約的妻子，…」神抱怨許多猶太人對他們的妻子不忠，遺棄了他們的妻子而娶了外地的女子；神為了這些離婚的人而發怨。為什麼神看重這件事？簡而言之，因為婚姻是祂所設立的，並且祂所設定的婚姻是一個終身的承諾。

在這一段經文中，神明白地指出離婚問題的根源，在於祂的子民沒有把婚姻看做是一個約。這也是我們的問題。我們的社會傾向把婚姻看做一份合同。一對男女新婚，或者交往初期，你愛我我也愛你，一切都是美好的。漸漸地，這樣的概念開始浮出檯面：我愛你是因為你也愛我，如果有一天，不知道為了什麼，你不再愛我了，那我也失去了繼續愛你的理由；這也是為什麼大家之所以離婚。如果這是一個約，那就大不相同了。這就代表像神和祂的子民所立的約一樣，其中心思想是：我無條件地愛你。這是夫妻雙方都同意的，是雙方都無條件地愛彼此。當我們持續在這樣的相愛關係中，我們對對方也有了不同的責任。尤其是要永遠互相扶持，不論 生病或健康、貧窮或困苦 都要患難與共。當我們不小心惹另一方生氣，也要懇求或給予對方原諒。這是一個約，是愛的單向表達。因為這個緣故，在婚禮上要交換婚約；我無條件地愛你，你也同樣無條件地愛我。不是因為你愛我所以我也愛你。

4 •  我們未曾將神應得的歸回給 衪 ( 第 3 章 :6-12 節 )

在這裡神向以色列人抱怨，指控他們掠奪祂的財物。此話怎講？原來他們對於應納的奉獻有所保留，以為他們所有的應該歸於他們，是他們自己的財產，因為這一切都是他們辛苦工作掙來的，所以該是他們的。然而，神在起初就教導他們，他們所有的一切都是來自於神。是以，為象徵他們對神所表示的謝忱，他們把所有的十分之一獻上給神。現在，他們把所有的全數留給自己，這樣的行為就像是把該給神的那份給搶走一樣。

我們呢？在我們成為信徒之前，我們也把我們所有的東西當作是我們自己努力得來的報償：這是我一手創立的生意、事業和家庭，我現在擁有的一切都是用這麼多年來的血汗辛苦換來的。現在我們認識了主，我們知道我們所有的一切 : 家庭和所擁有凡一切 都是由神而來，若不是祂，我們不會有今天的成就。是的，理智上我們知道這件事，但我們是怎麼以行動表示我們這信念？ 我們怎麼表示我所擁有的都是來自神？聖經對於這件事有很明確的教導。當我們將所得的十分之一獻上給神，就表示我們認定我們所擁有的一切是來自於神。當然，我知道這件事是說起來容易，做起來難。

  要奉獻十塊裡的一塊，或者一百塊裡的十塊當然簡單；但若是一千塊裡的一百塊、一萬塊裡的一千塊、四萬塊裡的四千塊就困難得多了。金額本身不是什麼問題，問題在於，當我們想到可以用那筆錢做些什麼的時候，就開始有些心痛了，是吧？當我們把它看做一百塊、一千塊、或者四千塊的時候，就不禁想到我們可以拿這筆錢來買車，旅行，回家等等，然後掙扎就來了；我們可以同理當年那些以色列人為什麼把所得的一切據為己有。神對他們的回應是：當你把當納的一切據為己有的時候，就是 搶奪屬我之物 。我們也要捫心自問，我們是不是也搶奪了屬神之物，未把當納之物獻上與神？

5 •  我們未曾察覺到神的屬性 ( 第 2 章 17-3 章 5: 節 ; 第 3 章 :13-18. 節 )

人們又問：「 公義的 神在哪裡呢？作惡的，耶和華都看為善，並且喜悅他們；事奉 神是白費的；遵守他的吩咐，在萬軍之耶和華面前哀痛而行，有甚麼益處呢？ 」神說：「 你們用自己的言語使耶和華厭煩。 」神對於他們不斷指控神未他們當中秉持公義的事感到厭倦。神於是抱怨並指控以色列人，因為他們不信神的公義；之後神便向他們顯現過去歷史裡所做的一切。

我們不也在我們的生活中聽到這樣的話嗎？若神是公義、是正直，那世上為什麼還有那麼多狗屁倒灶的事在發生？如果神是忠實、是仁愛，那為什麼還有這樣多的災難和苦痛圍繞著我們？如果真有一位神，那祂一定是既疏離又殘忍。

神如何回應？我知道你們周遭發生的一切，有一天我會來，懲罰惡者，為正義的人復仇；審判之時終會到來。我們身邊有許多的邪惡勢力，然而神要我們相信祂的忠實、恩惠和良善；即便我們的處境艱難，即便驚濤駭浪、地動天搖，神依舊高坐在祂的寶座上，祂是天地的主宰。這是信心，神要我們即使在逆境中也要對祂有信心，相信祂是公義和公正的神。

結語：

若我們要到外地出差一段長的時間，在臨行的前一晚跟配偶和孩子們的互動裡我們會充滿抱怨嗎？就算真有一些小摩擦和不愉快，我們多半也會壓抑下來，不讓這樣的氣氛壞了臨別前的家庭相聚，是吧？因為我們想要留下好的感覺和回憶。

瑪垃基書是舊約的最後一部書。在這本書撰寫完畢之後，沒有任何來自於神的啟示長達四百年之久，直到耶穌基督降臨。然而，在瑪垃基書裡，在神暫別祂的子民前所給他們的最後一段啟示，卻是祂的抱怨。為什麼？為什麼不以正面的方式結束這段啟示 ?

線索是在 1 ： 2 ：「 我愛你們。 」神告訴以色列人，即便你們遠離我、不愛我、不尊重我、不相信我，在你們的失敗中，我仍然非常非常愛你們。我愛了你們的先祖，我會繼續的愛你們。 400 年後，藉著耶穌基督基督的降生，祂繼續地在愛祂的子民，包括了你和我。祂要在我們的中留下一個不可消滅的印象 : 祂已深深的愛了我們。

面對這愛，祂要我們將生命中最好的奉獻給祂，作為回應。對有些人，當祂呼召我們時，無論在生命的那一個階段，我們要立刻的回應。另有人當看見所有一切都是神所賜，就要開始什一的奉獻。我們要將最好的時間給神。我們或有人正在一些很艱難的處境，你覺得被上司錯待，或有長期病痛，感覺世界和神對你都是很不公平。在這些時刻你要求神幫助你持續相信祂的公義，公平，慈愛，憐憫，恩惠和主權。

Date:   11/16/08

Text:   Malachi

Title:   Are We OK?

Theme: Since God demonstrates his love in the midst of our failures, we are to respond

by giving our utmost to Him .

Introduction:

  In this day and age, we want to hear messages that are uplifting. We want to hear sermons that will bring out the best in us. We want to hear messages that will make us feel good and positive about ourselves.

  However, when we turn to the scriptures, its messages are quite different from our expectations. Before being lifted up, encouraged and bring out the best in us, the scriptures want us to face up to who we really are. Yes, there are virtue and beauty within each of us because we are made in God's image. Yet, because of sin, we are also ugly and sinful. The scripture is ruthlessly honest about this. I wonder if we are to remove all the passages relating to human evil and sinfulness, how much of the scripture would be left. Genesis, the first book in the OT is about how a perfect creation gone bad. It then traced the expression of men's imperfection and God's desire and design to bring men back to him. Now, Malachi, being the last book in the OT, ends with a picture depicting human sinfulness and continual straying away from God. When we glance through this book of Malachi, we realize that it is a book of complaints and accusations.

  We are used to complaints. Have you ever lived a day or week without complaining? Or lived a day or week without hearing complaints? Not too many of us like to live in situations where complaints are common place. It wears us out and turn us off. Yet on the other hand, we do complain to God. We complain when things don't go our way, when they are out of our control. We complain about prolonged illness and loss of jobs or a relationship gone sour. We complain when our children don't turn out the way we want.

  Yet, when we look at this book of Malachi, it is a record of God's complaints towards His people, the Israelites. The Israelites thought they were ok, but in reality they were not. How about us? At the national level, the recent election clearly demonstrated that most Americans feel there is something wrong with the country, we're not ok and therefore we need a change. How about at a more personal level? It is always easy to see others, or the church is not ok. But how about me? When God sees what is going on in my life, will there be any complaints? If we are honest with ourselves, we are not doing well either, we are not ok.

  Now, let's take a closer look at this book. Malachi was in the same era as Ezra and Nehemiah. Many of the issues facing Nehemiah were found in Malachi. First,

I.   Our failure to recognize God's love. 1:2-5.

  God told the Israelites that He has loved them. Their response was: “how have you loved us?” You said you love us, but we don't think so. God responded by pointing them to their history. If the Israelites would review their history, they would know how God has shown his love for them in words and deeds. In Psalm 136: “…. for his steadfast love endures forever;…” The entire Psalm is about his love towards his people. Isaiah 43: , “ Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel , your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you,…” God loved them by selecting them to be his people. He delivered them from slavery in Egypt . In their journey through the wilderness, God provided them with food and water, and protected them. He helped them set up their kingdom. After 70 years of exile in Babylon , he brought them back to their homeland, land of Judah . With this behind them, they complained that God has not loved them. God responded by stating that he did love them.

  How about us? For us living on this side of the OT, there is much more for us to see God's love. We learned that God so loved the world that he gave us his only son, so those who believed in him should not die but have eternal life. While on earth, Jesus loved those belong to him to the end. His death on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of God's love for us. As we look at our own life, in our sinfulness and brokenness, God came to us, took us as is and brought us to him. He forgave our sins and reconciled us to him, to be his children. He has already loved us deeply.

II.   Our failure to give the best to God. 1:6-2:9

  To the more mature ones among us, we may remember Rodney Dangerfield's famous quote: I don't get no respect. This is what God was telling his people. Father gets his respect from the son. Master gets his respect from the servant, but as their God and creator, He gets no respect from His people. The Israelites argued back, “when did we not give you respect?” God's response was when you offered me the animals with blemish. The people were supposed to offer to God the best from their crops and animals, instead they offered to God the lame, the blind and the sick animals. They kept the best for themselves. When we open a gift and realized that it is either broken or had been used, we feel we get no respect. When we see the gift and realized it is the same one given to this person about 1 year ago, it is a recycled gift, we feel we get no respect.

  God has given us his best, sending his one and only son to earth and died for us, in order to reconcile us back to God. He has already completely and deeply loved us. In response, He wants us to give our best to him. Have you heard of this story? I don't know how much of it is true, but the sentiment is certainly not off the mark. A mother, looking at his 4 sons, said, “the first son is the smartest, so I'll send him to medical school. The second one is honest and hard working, he can be an engineer, or lawyer. This third son is quick thinking and street smart, will make a good businessman. The fourth one is honest, not really outstanding, if he wants to, he could go into the ministry.” We want to keep the best for ourselves, and the not so good to God. In many churches, when an announcement is made about the need for some furniture and utensils, what would people bring? Their used and half broken tables and chairs, burnt pots and pans. Items even Goodwill may not accept.

  I have shared this with you on different occasions. There is something I observed among the Chinese Christians in N. America . Often we hear individuals sharing that they will take early retirement so they can go into ministry, either in a local church or as a missionary. The reason? By then they would have enough money for retirement, taking care of children's education. Certainly, if this is when God calls you, we have to obey. What is troubling is that many have heard the call earlier on in life. They responded to God by mapping their life first. They want to make sure enough money is made to take care of their mortgage, retirement fund and children's education. Once these are done, then they would go into ministry.

You see, by the time we take early retirement, our health, our energy level is not as good as before. It will take us longer to overcome the jet lag. We may not remember things as well as we used to. We are set in our own ways of doing things; cannot eat food that are too sweet, too salty or too spicy. Very different from the time when we are younger. Last year, a student in China said to me, “ we appreciate your coming very much. But how come only those with white hair are coming?” of course, he meant where are the younger ones?

  I am always touched when I see young men and women, like David and Alice, Wailim and Vicky, obeying God's call and serving in Asia . They had to learn a difficult language, adapting to a different culture with a different living standard. They had given their best to God. God deserves the best from us. We are to give our best time of the day to God in reading His word and praying to Him. When God calls, we are to give the best time of our life to Him.

III.   Our failure to keep the marriage covenant. 3:14-15

  “Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant…” God is complaining the many of the Jewish men have been unfaithful to their wives. They had deserted their wives and married women from foreign countries. God was complaining about the divorce among them. Why was God concerned about this matter. Simply put, He was the one who instituted this marriage and it was his original design that marriage is to be a lifelong commitment.

  In this passage, God pointed out to his children that the root of the problem of divorce is that they failed to see marriage as a covenant. This is our problem too. Our society tend to see marriage as a contract. When we first got married, or started dating, I love you and you love me, and everything is fine. Then slowly, the contractual idea begins to surface. I love you because you love me. And if one day, for whatever reason, you stop loving me, then why should I continue to love you? This eventually leads to divorce. If it is a covenant, then this is different. This idea of covenant is a copy of God's covenant with his people. The central meaning is: I love you unconditionally. Both husband and wife agree to this. It is an unconditional love towards each other. As we continue to live in this loving relationship, we also have different responsibilities towards each other. Such as staying together through sickness and health, poverty and wealth, and the ups and downs in life. When we have offended the other person, there is the giving and receiving of forgiveness. This is a covenant. It's a one way expression of love. For this reason, in a wedding ceremony, we have this exchange of vows. I love you unconditionally, and you also love me unconditionally. Not if you love me then I'll love you…

IV.   Our failure to give back to God what belongs to him. 3:6-12

  Here God was complaining, accusing that the Israelites had robbed him. How so? Because they had withheld their tithing. They thought all that they had belong to themselves, its their possession. They had worked hard to gain what they had, it's theirs. But God's original teaching was that all they had was from God. Therefore, as a token of expressing this acknowledgement, they gave to God 1/10 of what they had. So now, when they kept all they had to themselves, they were behaving like robbers.

  How about us? Before we become believers, we consider everything we have resulted from our own efforts. I created this business, this career and this family. What I have today results from many years of sweat and tears. Now, having come to know Christ, we learn that all we have is from God. Without Him, we would not be where we are today. Yes, intellectually we understand and during the thanksgiving season we would probably through prayers and testimonies show our gratitude to God for what he blessed us with. However, how are we demonstrating this conviction? How do I show that all I have is from God? The scripture's teaching is clear. When we give God 1/10 of what we have, it is an expression that we acknowledge everything we have is from God. I understand this is easier said than done.

  When we give $1 out of $10; $10 out of $100, it is ok; not that hard. Now, when it is $100 out of $1000, $1000 out of $10K, or $4000 out of $40K, it is different. The amount may not be a problem, but when we think what we can do with $100, $1000 or $4000, it begins to hurt, right? When we calculate that with $100, $1000, or $4000 I can use it to pay for a car or children's tuition, this becomes a struggle. Now, we can understand why the Israelites kept all that for themselves. God's response to them: when you keep to yourself what belongs to me, you are robbing me. Am I robbing God by not giving to him what belongs to him?

V.   Our failure to recognize God's attributes. 2:17-3:5; 3:13-18.

  The people were asking, “where is God's justice and righteousness? Why the wicked are prospering while the godly are being punished with all kinds of hardships?” God says that you have worn me out with your complaints. I am tired of hearing such accusations about my being indifferent to injustice in your world. God was complaining and accusing the Israelites for not believing in His righteousness and justice. He then proceed to show them all that he had done in their history.

  Don't we hear that around us? If God is righteous and just, how come there are so many injustice in this world? If God is truly faithful and loving, how come there are so much disasters and suffering around us? If there is a God, he must be distant and cruel.

  God's response? I know what is going on. I will come a day when the wicked will be punished and the righteous will be vindicated. There will come a time of judgment. There are much evil around us now, but God wants us to believe in his faithfulness, mercy and goodness, even in such dire hard situations. Yes, the waters are raging and the earth may be shaking, God still sits on his throne, he is still the lord of heaven and earth. This is faith. God wants us to have faith in him in the midst of adversities.

Conclusion:

  When we are on the eve of a long business trip, we want to spend the evening with the family in a peaceful and happy manner. We don't want to bring up the unpleasant things; complaints and accusations in those moments.

Malachi is the last book in the OT. After this book was written there was no more revelation from God for 400 years until Jesus came. Have we wonder why would God give His last revelation to His people in the form of complaints and accusation? Why not end in a more positive note?

  The clue is found in 1:2, “I have loved you.” God is telling the Israelites that even in the midst of your failures and disobedience, I still love you. I have loved your ancestors, now I will continue to love you. 400 years later, he continued to show his love to his people with the birth of Jesus Christ . His love is not just for the Israelites, but it also includes you and me. He wants to leave an indelible mark in us that he has already completely and deeply loved us.   

His expectation to the Israelites and us is the same. As a response to His love, he wants us to give our utmost to Him. To some, it means when he calls us, no matter what stage of life we are in, we'll obey him immediately. We may want to recognize that all we have is from him. Therefore as a token of expressing this, we will begin to give 1/10 of what we receive to Him. We may want to give the best of our time to Him. Some of us may be in some very difficult situations. You feel being mistreated by your supervisors, or experiencing prolong sickness, you feel the world or even God is so unfair to you. In such moments, you are to ask God to give you faith to continue to trust in his justice, righteousness and sovereignty.