We’re in the second Sunday of “Prayer & Self-Denial” 2020, 今天是2020年“祷告和舍己”主题期的第二周，please continue to pray for our Tranzsend workers overseas, 请大家继续为海外浸信会的同工祷告，for their needs and their work and that God would open doors for them. 求主为他们的需要和事工开路。And don’t forget the small basket you’ve been given,  请大家不要忘了在8月8日，把上次拿到的小竹篓带过来，we’ll collect it with your small change in it on 8th August and will send them all to NZBMS.我们会收取里面的小奉献全数捐给NZBMS。Let’s look at a video which is introducing the second sub-theme: “Mending The Mess”. 下面我们来看关于第二个副主题的视频 – 修复混乱。

Let’s read today’s main bible verses:来看今天主要的经文: 1 John 3: 18, Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 约翰一书3:18小子们哪，我们相爱，不要只在言语和舌头上。总要在行为和诚实上。1 Thess 5:14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. （帖前5：14）我们又劝弟兄们，要警戒不守规矩的人。勉励灰心的人。扶助软弱的人。也要向众人忍耐。 Life is messy in this world. 这世界的生活是混乱的。In the video, we’re told the mess looks like broken relationships. 视频中，混乱是讲破碎的关系。The mess looks like life is wasted because of drugs, alcohol, addictions, and other problems. 是因毒品，酒精，成瘾或其他问题而旷废的生命。Actually, these problems are everywhere in the world. 事实上这些问题全地到处都在。And we’re told that the mess is like a family that is unable to live together. 我们还看见有的混乱是一家人没办法共同生活 。This happens everywhere in Asia, 这在亚洲到处可见，where people try to look for ways to make a better life,人们为谋求更好的生活， they leave their families behind,离开自己的家人。But God never created family for separation or estrangement. 但神创造家庭绝不是为了分离和疏远。God wants to mend the messes in the world, and give people hope to live. 神要翻转这些困境，好叫人们活着有盼望。 

1, Trust in God to mend the mess. 相信神会修复损毁

 In the book of Joshua, there’s woman called Rahab who was living in Jericho. 在约书亚记里，有个叫喇合的女人住在耶利哥城中。Her life had been messy. 她的生活是一团糟。Rahab had been worshipping idols and sold her body for money as a prostitute. 喇合是拜偶像的，出卖身体做妓女为生。But through her faith in God, 但因着她对神的信心，God turned her mess into something beautiful, 神把她混乱的生命翻转成美好，and she became a wonderful blessing to many. 并成为多人奇妙的祝福。Not only was she herself saved,不单她自己得救了，but also she became the great grandmother of King David.而且大卫王的曾祖母就是她。Therefore, she also became one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ. 因此， 她（还入了耶稣的族谱）还是耶稣的祖先呢。A prostitute, 一个妓女，a messy life was turned into a great blessing in the history of God’s kingdom on earth.  一个曾堕落的生命竟变成神国在地上的一个莫大祝福。 

God is able to mend our messes. 神能改变我们的糟糕境况。But He looks for a man or a woman who has an ear to listen to Him, 但祂寻找的是有能听的耳的人，so that He can make something happen through their faith in Him.因此祂可以借着那对祂有信心的人来做工。 We all are created for a purpose. 我们受造有一个目的。God created us for relationship. 神造我们为要建立关系。 

We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works.我们原是他的工作，在基督耶稣里造成的，为要叫我们行善。 (see Eph 2:10，弗2：10) In the beginning of Human history, in Gen 1, 在创世纪一章，人类历史的起头，God created Adam and Eve in His image, 神照着自己的形象造亚当和夏娃，to enjoy a personal relationship with Him.要叫他们享有与神的亲密关系。And God blessed them and gave them territory to rule over (see Gen 1:28 创1：28) due to their right relationship with Him.因着跟神有对的关系，神赐福他们，并让他们治理全地。But they failed to listen to God,但他们转去不听从神，and they disobeyed the word of God,违背神的命令，so the relationship with God was broken. 与神的关系就破灭了。Romans 5:17,17 罗5：17,19节says, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man…若因一人的过犯，死就因这一人作了王19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, 若因一人的过犯，死就因这一人作了王。 When Adam turned away from God, 当亚当转离神，sin and darkness covered the world,罪与黑暗就笼罩了这世界，demonic spirits began to oppress people,邪灵开始辖制人，sorrows, 忧伤hurt,伤害，violence,暴力，sickness, 疾病，separation, 隔阂，and death entered the world,和死亡就进了世界，making our lives messy.把我们的生活搅得一团糟。But the love of God never gives up rescuing the people He created in His image. 但神从来没有放弃拯救那些照着祂形象所造的人。God gives us His Son to mend our messes.神把祂的儿子赐给我们来修复我们的损毁。God wants us to trust Him with the messes we’ve made with our own pride and sins. 神要我们把因我们的罪与骄傲所致的一切混乱都交托给祂。 

There is a man of God called Samson in the bible,在圣经里有个叫参孙的拿细耳人，he made his life messy because of the desires of his heart were messy, 他顺从心里的私欲，把自己的生活搞得一团糟，he fell into the temptation of lust.他陷在情欲的试探中。He lost the presence of the power of God, 他失去了神同在的大能，and his eyes were put out and he was put into a jail, 他的眼睛被剜，下在监里(see Judges 16:21 士16：21), where he could no longer see, 再也看不见，but Samson understood God’s purpose for his life was to weaken the Philistine nation, 但参孙深知神对他一生的旨意是要他击打非利士人，which directed him to live out his faith. （因知道神对他一生的旨意）这最终带领他活出了信心。Samson asked God for extra strength to fulfil the task he had received from God. 参孙求告神加增他的力量来成就从主领受的使命，saying, “Let me die with the Philistines!” 他说：“我情愿与非利士人同死！”God answered his prayer. 神应允了他的祷告。Samson pushed on the pillars and brought the temple crashing down. 参孙推倒托房的柱子，房子就倒塌了。He killed more Philistines at his death than he had during his whole life until then. 参孙死时所杀的人，比活着所杀的还多。Samson trusted God, and God turned his mess into something beautiful. 参孙信靠神，神就修复他的破败成为美好。 

2, Love by actions with God's love (1John 3:18) 靠着神的爱行出爱

1 John 2:9 says, Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. 【约壹2:9-11】9人若说自己在光明中，却恨他的弟兄，他到如今还是在黑暗里。10爱弟兄的，就是住在光明中，在他并没有绊跌的缘由；11惟独恨弟兄的，是在黑暗里，且在黑暗里行，也不知道往哪里去，因为黑暗叫他眼睛瞎了。 

This is a picture of the invisible reality of what darkness and light is. 这里描述了一幅肉眼不能见的关乎黑暗和光明的真实图画。It tells us that Bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness are of darkness and sin. 它告诉我们苦毒、仇恨、不饶恕都属黑暗和罪恶。Unforgiveness cripples and blinds everyone. 不饶恕使人成为瘸腿的、瞎眼的。Whenever, or for whatever reason we do not forgive, 任何时候或因任何事，我们若不饶恕，we store up pain in our own hearts, 就是把苦积蓄在自己心里，and make messes in our own lives. 让我们的生命一团糟。In the midst of the pain and unforgiveness, 在痛苦和不饶恕中，people attempt to look for ways to relieve the pain themselves. 人会试图去寻找缓解痛苦的方法。They become addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography and gambling, etc.他们沉迷于毒品、酒精、色情和赌博等。The addictions give power to evil spirits to steal their health, 各种的瘾 给了邪灵能力来偷窃他们的健康、 their relationships, and their finances. 他们的人际关系和财务，And their lives become more bitter and messy. 使他们的生活更加痛苦和混乱。 

Jesus came 耶稣来了，to love and save sinners. 为爱和拯救罪人。 This is the hope of the world. 这是世界的盼望。If we confess our sins, 我们若认自己的罪，He is faithful and just to forgive us, 神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们，and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:8-9). 洗净我们一切的不义(见约一1:8-9)。The blood of the Lamb has made us able to walk in the light. 羔羊的血使我们得以在光明中行走。 

This is God’s love for us 这就是神对我们的爱，that He gave his one and only Son to die for us. 祂将祂的独生子赐给我们、为我们死。God didn’t just say He loved us, 神不单说祂爱我们，He send His Son to suffer for us the pain of sin and of death.更差祂的儿子为我们承受了罪和死的痛苦。 

Isaiah 53:6, We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 【赛53:6】我们都如羊走迷，各人偏行己路，耶和华使我们众人的罪孽都归在他身上。 He came to love us who are broken, 祂来爱我们这些破败的，disobedient, stubborn and blind 悖逆的，顽梗的，瞎眼的，by suffering pain for our sins, 为我们的罪受痛苦，and laying himself down on the cross, 舍命在十字架上，to give us new life and great hope. 赐我们全新的生命和极大的盼望。A study shows, 有一个研究表明，that humans prefer to give money to rescue dogs rather than people. 人和狗相比，人们更愿意捐钱去救助狗。Because abandoned or wounded dogs will repay you with faithfulness and obedience, after you make an effort to rescue and love them. 因为你若努力去救助和爱护那些被遗弃或受伤的狗，它们会以忠诚和顺服来回报你。But broken-hearted people are disobedient and stubborn, 但是伤心的人却是悖逆顽梗的，they may repay you with resentment. 他们或许会以怨恨回报你。People fail to love the disobedient. 人无法去爱那悖逆的人。But Jesus came to save the disobedient, 但耶稣来却要拯救那些悖逆的，the unlovable and the stubborn.不可爱的、顽梗的人。The more we recognize how stubborn and broken the sinful nature is, 当我们越多认识到肉体的顽梗和破碎，the deeper we are cleansed by the power of God’s forgiveness. 我们就越深被神饶恕的能力洗净。

In the bible, 在圣经中，there is a Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner,有一个法利赛人邀请耶稣吃饭，couldn’t love Jesus much, 他没有那么爱耶稣，because he didn’t see his own sins,因他没有看到自己的罪，but passed judgement on the woman, 却判断那个女人，and he didn’t ask Jesus to forgive him.他没有求耶稣饶恕自己的罪。 

Then our Lord said,但我们的主说， Whoever has been forgiven little loves little (Luke 7:47). 【路7:47】那赦免少的，他的爱就少。 But the woman was willing to wash Jesus’ feet with her hair – 而那个女人却愿意用她的头发给耶稣洗脚——hair represents human glory. 头发代表人的荣耀。She loved Jesus much. 她非常爱耶稣。Because she recognised her own sins. 因她认识了自己的罪。The heaviness of pain and fear, guilt and shame weighted her down. 痛苦和惧怕、罪恶感和羞耻感的重担将她压垮。But she confessed 但她认自己的罪，and was forgiven by the Lord. 就得着主的赦免。 

The same for us.我们也一样。Things like fear or shame or pride could block us from recognising our own sins, 惧怕、羞耻或骄傲会拦阻我们认识自己的罪，and the need to ask for forgiveness, 使我们不去寻求主的饶恕。so even if we’ve invited Jesus into our houses, 所以即使我们已经邀请耶稣进入我们的心，we still couldn’t love Jesus much. 我们还是没有那么爱耶稣。But if we trust in God’s unfailing love, 但我们若信靠神永远的慈爱，and we keep turning from the self to the truth of God, 继续悔改，从自己转向真理的神，we’ll love Jesus much. 我们就会更爱耶稣。For His peace and wonderful healing will satisfy our hearts.因祂的平安和奇妙的医治能使我们心得满足。 1 John 3: 18, Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 【约壹3:18】小子们哪，我们相爱，不要只在言语和舌头上，总要在行为和诚实上。Love requires action. 爱需要付上行动。Jesus came to love us not just with words, 耶稣不只在言语上爱我们，but by his actions. 更是在行为上爱我们。We are also called to follow him我们也被呼召跟随祂，by loving God and people with action. 以行动去爱神爱人。

The Friday before前个星期五, I received a video call,我接到了一个视频电话, but I turned it into a voice call as I was in the bathroom.我把它转成了语音电话，因我在浴室。The reason I did that was that I perceived something urgent was happening.这样做是因我感觉到有紧急事发生。Then I heard sounds like a riot on the phone,然后我听见电话里好吵, the voices of talking and crying were combined.有讲话声和哭闹声混杂。The dad was talking about something,那爸爸在讲什么事，and the mum was crying while she was talking as well. 那妈妈一边讲一边哭。Because she concerned about her teenage daughter being with her ‘bad’ friends,因她担心自己的十几岁的孩子和一些坏孩子在一起。so she didn’t allow her to go out with them. 所以就不给孩子和他们出去。And their girl was crying loudly and sadly.那孩子就大声的伤心的哭。  

I had no idea,我也不知道怎么办, but I asked God for wisdom in my heart for their situation.只能在心里为他们的事求主赐智慧。God’s love is unfailing to those who trust in Him.神对信靠祂的人的慈爱存到永远。Immediately, I received an instruction.立马我收到指示。So I said to the mum,就对那妈妈说 “Stop crying.别哭了。Take action by loving your daughter.去行动爱你的女儿。Put your hand on her head把你的手放在她头上, and say that you love her and pray for her.然后告诉她你爱她并为她祷告” Then, I immediately ended the call and started to pray for them again.然后，我就立即挂了电话为他们祷告。The other day,第二天, the sister told me a wonderful testimony.那姊妹告诉我一个奇妙见证。when she had put her hand on her daughter and started to pray, 当她为女儿按手并开始祷告时,the Holy Spirit had taken over her prayer, 圣灵就带领她祷告, helped her, 帮助她, and she said, 她说： “Lord, forgive me, “主啊,赦免我,I didn’t know how to love her before , 我从前不晓得该如何爱孩子, but because of Your love, 但因着你对我的爱,I’m willing to lay down my life to rescue her soul.” 我愿意为救她灵魂的缘故死了我自己。”That’s a powerful prayer, 这是一个非常有能力的祷告，and suddenly the girl calmed down. 女孩突然就安静下来了。 

The mess was mended by the love of God. 这混乱在神的爱中被修补。This is an act of love: 这是一个爱的行动:dying to the self, 向自己的意思死，living in God’s love, 向神的爱活，which can powerfully drive out fear and darkness. 就有能力赶出惧怕和黑暗。Divine love enables us to walk in the light. 神的爱使我们能在光中行走。When light comes, 光明一来，darkness runs away.黑暗就逃跑了。 

3, Love by actions with God's heart 以神的心为心，行出爱

1 Thess 5:14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 信心软弱的，你们要接纳，但不要辩论所疑惑的事。 (罗马书 14:1 和合本) God’s love is not blind love. 神的爱不是盲目的爱。In the fallen world, 在这堕落的世界，God’s love saves His people from sin and the curse of sin and death through His Son Christ Jesus, 神藉着爱子耶稣，拯救祂的百姓脱离罪孽，脱离罪和死的咒诅，so that they may be restored to His image,使祂的子民重新得着神的形象，as well as in relationship with Him, 恢复和神的关系，and complete His purpose for creation,完成祂创造世界的目的，– to bring many sons  into glory (see Heb 2:10) 乃是领许多儿子进荣耀里去（来2：10），and to be with Him forever (see Re 21:3). 并与祂同住到永远（启21：3）。 

So God created each of us, you and me, on purpose. 这样，神在祂的旨意中创造了我们每个人，你和我。You are not an accident. 你生在世上不是偶然，You have a purpose in life.  你的人生有一个目的。That purpose in life is to get close to God. 这个人生目的，就是为亲近神、靠近神。Because we are created for God’s glory. 因我们是为神的荣耀而造。We are created to spread the gospel. 是为传扬福音而造。We are created to be Jesus’ hands and feet to reach out to the broken world. 受造是为成为耶稣的手与脚去带领破败的世人归回， We're uniquely made to represent God on the earth. 受造是特为在地上做神的代表。 

For this purpose, 为这个旨意，today, we are taught four actions to apply in 1 Thess 5:14: “warn”, “encourage”, “help”, and “be patient.” 今天，帖前5：14节，告诉我们有四个行动：“警戒”“勉励”“扶助”“忍耐”， 我们需要去操练。Paul the apostle called on Thessalonians Christians, 使徒保罗呼召帖撒罗尼迦的信徒，to warn those who weren’t producing fruit in keeping with repentance, 去警戒不结出悔改的果子的人，so that they would repent and turn to living God’s way.好使他们悔改并转向神的道而活。

And also, he calls us to encourage and assist those whose faith has been weakened to trust the Lord in every situation, 他还呼召我们鼓励扶持信心软弱人去在各样环境中信靠神，and to be very patient with them. 并耐心对待他们。Because God’s heart is merciful. 因神的心是慈怜的，God patiently awaits His people to turn to Him, 祂忍耐等候人回转向他，so that He is able to set them free from sorrow and all kinds of sinful bondage.这样祂就能释放人脱离痛苦和各样罪的捆绑。 

Romans 14:1, Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 信心软弱的，你们要接纳，但不要辩论所疑惑的事。 (罗马书 14:1 和合本) Romans 15:1, We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 我们坚固的人应该担代不坚固人的软弱，不求自己的喜悦。 (罗马书 15:1 和合本) We aren’t told to despise or judge those whose faith is weak or failing,神教导我们不去藐视或论断那些信心软弱或跌倒的人，but to accept them. 而是接纳他们。Not only to accept them,不单只接纳他们，but also to deny pleasing the self by bearing with their failings in our  prayers.还要在祷告里否定自己，一同担待他们的软弱。as our God is able to turn their messes around因神可以翻转他们。In Acts 20:35-36, Paul says, 保罗在 (徒 20:35-36 )说， In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 我凡事给你们作榜样，叫你们知道应当这样劳苦，扶助软弱的人，又当记念主耶稣的话，说：‘施比受更为有福。’”保罗说完了这话，就跪下同众人祷告。Paul knows that church is not some random group of people gathering together and having fun. 保罗明白教会不是一群人随便聚在一起找好玩的，It’s the family of God purposely brought back by the blood of Jesus. 而是借耶稣的宝血赎回的神的家。They’re set apart for His saving work in this lost world. 是在这世上为拯救而分别出来的一群人。But the enemy is waging war against them by any means,但仇敌想尽办法来和他们打仗，to draw them away from the purpose of life God has for them. 使他们偏离神所赐的人生目的。  

So after Paul finished his speech, “help the weak, to ‘give’ rather than to ‘receive’, 故此，保罗说完“扶助软弱的”“施比受有福”后，he ended his farewell to the Ephesian Elders by kneeling down and praying. 就以跪下祷告，来结束与以弗所教会长老的告别。Because he knew that as Christians, we labour in vain by the old flesh. 因保罗知道基督徒靠肉体劳力是徒然的。 

Every Christian needs to encounter God’s love, 每个信徒都需要经历神的爱，so that their life changes. 以至于生命得改变。If we fear or become intimidated by people or situations, 我们若惧怕，因人和环境胆怯，if we allow fear to get hold of us , 我们若让惧怕掌控，we’ll be busy trying to protect ourselves and save ourselves,就会忙于自我保护和自救，rather than living out the purpose of being uniquely made to represent Jesus on earth. 就不能在地上活出我们是主耶稣在地上的代表，这独特受造的目的。

It’s by God’s love and grace, 因神的爱和恩典，that we no longer fear to see our guilt and shame sitting in our hearts like lumps, 我们不再害怕看到自己心里的罪和羞耻，好像一个个肿瘤一样，the more we’ve exposed ourselves to God’s holiness by the light of truth , 我们越蒙真理光照，越多向神的圣洁袒露，the  more we see our need for a righteousness,就越知道我们何等需要基督的义，that we don’t have and can’t achieve by our own works.这义我们自己没有，也不可能靠立功得到的。 

God’s mercy leads us to repentance, 神的恩慈领我们悔改，which means turning from sin to God. 悔改就是由罪转向神。This is an ongoing thing throughout our faith journey. 这是我们信心路上当持续的事。Faith heals and saves, 信医治我们，也能救我们，which leads us to look to Christ for righteousness, 信导致我们盼望从基督得到义，in whom our messes can be mended and resolved. 在基督里面我们的糟糕可以得到解决。Paul knows that only in God’s safe presence can a messy life be mended. 保罗深知唯有在神平安的同在中，糟糕的生命才可被修补。 

Last week, a brother testified to me, 上周五，一位弟兄见证说，that during the period when he had been relying on his own strength, 过去他一直靠自己，he had feared lots of things, 害怕很多事，and dared not to give a full tenth to God. 不敢足额给十一奉献。But last week after he had repented of his independence on God by the grace of God, 感谢神的恩典，上周他为自己不靠神悔改， he transferred a full tenth of their income to the church, 并且把十一奉献足额转到教会账上，and they immediately received an unexpected income from their business,马上就意外地赚了一笔，which covered all the extra giving they made. 这正好支付了多给的那十一奉献的部分！As if God was telling them,神好像在对他们说, “Don’t worry,不必担忧，I’m the Giver and Your Provider.我是给予者，我是供应者。” Only in God’s gracious and safe presence our messes can be mended. 在祂的恩典和安全的同在中，我们的混乱可以被修补。Praise the Lord! 

Now let’s end this message with our prayers, 让我们以祷告来结束这信息，you may find someone in your family has a messy life, 你可能会有家庭成员活在混乱中，or you have a messy relationship with them... 或者你和他们的关系是破碎的…Let’s close your eyes, and pray for yourself, and pray for them…请闭上眼，为自己，为他们祷告……you are called for a purpose…你蒙召有一个目的……to be God’s mouths, hands and feet in your family, in your workplace, in your school…是为在家里、单位里成为神的口，神的手，神的脚……ask God for a humble heart to forgive and love those who are weak…你求主赐给你谦卑的心饶恕和爱软弱中的人……you may pray for our Tranzsend workers overseas, 你可以为TRANZSEND的海外同工祷告，that they all will grow in love as they serve , 使他们在服事中在爱上成长，may the love of God deeply touch their hearts, 愿神的爱深深地触摸他们的心，and overflow to others…并从他们里面满溢，流淌到他人…and also pray for the mess in those places in terms of relationships and personal lives , 也请为那地的人际关系和生命方面的混乱祷告，that the love of God may invade their lives , 求主的爱进入他们的生命中，the power of the Holy Spirit may work through the workers to change and transform people’s lives , 求圣灵的能力藉着同工来更新改变人的生命，may the kingdom of light cast out darkness in the hearts of the people求光明国度驱走人心里的黑暗，where the workers are working so that they also may be encouraged by the work of God and the love of God. 让与神同工的人也因神的工、神的爱被激励。After all the prayers, Let’s sing the last song: “By our love.”祷告之后，让我们来唱“By our love”。