QT 16/12/2024 Mon. Church Camp Day 04. Joy of Serving Together: Same & Different. 共同事奉的喜乐——相同与不同。
QT 16/12/2024 Mon. Church Camp Day 04. Joy of Serving Together: Same & Different.
We are blessed to have to the opportunity to savour food from various cultures—Italian Pizza, Indian Prata, Sushi with wasabi. Cheese and more types of cheese. Same flour types yet prepared and cooked differently. Ingredients from the morning market might look the same, but the dishes that result from that can be vastly different in texture, taste and tenderness. All these differences add to the spice of the occasion, variety in creativity, and repel boredom of the next meal.
Some of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of serving God within church have been those times when there was variety in participants. Some of the heartiest laughs were in late night supper conversations with fellowship people with vastly different origins, education and wealthiness.
As I looked back at these good experiences, I saw that the participants in these rewarding ministry experiences were very very different from one another.
Paul noted that "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them ..." (Romans 12:6a ESV).
As we rethink renewed services this year and how it should affect us in 2025 and beyond, let us be reminded that the idea of "different" is rooted in the Trinity God Himself—God the Father is NOT God the Son, God the Son is NOT God the Spirit, God the Spirit is NOT God the Father.
Knowing this theological truth (this truth about who God is and how He acts in the world) should affect the way we see each other in ministry. The difference among those who serve God is a GIVEN, full stop. Can't run away from that—just as God is Three Persons one God, which is also a GIVEN.
REFLECTION: Do we embrace people who are "different" to participate in ministry? Can we appreciate other believers in church who do not sound, speak, think or act like us totally? Is your heart wide enough to accept them?
Paul exhorted readers to use their gifts that was bestowed by God even if these were not the same gifts (Romans 12:6). They were to do it with faith, cheerfully, generously and with zeal (Romans 12:6-8).
Even though we were very different, I nevertheless felt the sense of unity in the midst of those memorable past service experiences. The differences in contribution or participation types did not divide us but gelled us together.
Indeed, the "sameness" we feel in ministry even though we contribute differently has its basis in the Trinity God too. God the Father IS God. God the Son IS God. God the Spirit IS God too.
The fact that God the Father sends the Son into the world does not make the Son any less Divine. That the Spirit was sent into the hearts of believers did not make the Sender "more God" or the one being sent "less God".
REFLECTION: Paul did command readers to "avoid" those who "cause divisions" and "create obstacles contrary to the doctrine" that they have been taught (Romans 16:17). But for the rest of the brothers and sisters in church, do you look at them in the "same" way, equally valuable, equally human, equally being able to contribute in the church of God?
QT 16/12/2024 星期一. Church Camp Day 04. 共同事奉的喜乐——相同与不同。
我们很幸运能有机会品尝来自不同文化的美食——意大利比萨、印度普拉塔、芥末寿司。奶酪和更多种类的奶酪。同样的面粉，却有不同的烹饪方法。早市上的食材可能看起来一样，但做出来的菜在质地、味道和嫩度上却大相径庭。所有这些差异都会增加场合的趣味性、创造力的多样性，并消除下一顿饭的无聊感。
在教会中事奉神的一些最有价值、最难忘的经历，就是参与者多种多样的时候。在深夜的晚餐会上，与出身、教育程度和富裕程度大相径庭的团契成员交谈时，有些人发出了最好笑的大笑声。
当我回顾这些美好的经历时，我看到这些有益的事工经历的参与者彼此都非常不同。
保罗指出：“按我们所得的恩赐，各有不同。或说预言，就当照着信心的程度说预言.”（罗马书 12:6）。
当我们重新思考今年更新事奉及它在 2025 年及以后对我们的影响时，让我们记住 “不同 ”的概念植根于《三位一体》的神本身的教义——圣父不是圣子，圣子不是圣灵，圣灵不是圣父。
了解这一神学真理（这一关于上帝是谁以及祂如何在世界上行事的真理）应该会影响我们在事工中看待彼此的方式。事奉神的人之间的差异是必然的，这是铁定的事实。不能逃避这一点——就像神是《三位一神》一样，这也是必然的。
反思：我们是否接纳 “与众不同 ”的人参与事工？我们能欣赏教会中其他在声音、语言、思想或生活表达上与我们不是完全相同的信徒吗？你的心胸是否足够宽广来接纳他们？
保罗劝勉读者要使用神所赐的恩赐，即使这些恩赐并不相同（罗马书 12：6）。他们要带着信心、愉快、慷慨和热心去做（罗马书 12：6-8）。
尽管我们有很大的不同，但在过去那些难忘的事奉经历中，我还是感受到了合一的感觉。贡献或参与方式的不同并没有将我们分开，而是将我们凝聚在一起。
事实上，尽管我们的贡献不同，但我们在事工中感受到的 “同一性 ”也是以《三位一神》为基础的。圣父是神。圣子也是神。圣灵也是神。
父神差遣圣子来到这个世界，并不会使圣子的神性降低。圣灵被差遣到信徒的心中，并没有使差遣者 “更加神”，也没有使被差遣者 “变成少一点神性”。
反思：保罗确实命令读者要 “留意躲避” 那些 “离间你们，叫你们跌倒，背乎所学之道的人（罗马书 16：17）。但对于教会中的其他不是这样的弟兄姐妹，你是否以 “同样 ”的方式看待他们，同样看重他们，同样看重他们是人，同样的能够在神的教会中做出贡献？
