路得記
2:1 拿俄米的丈夫以利米勒的親族中，有一個人名叫波阿斯，是個大財主。
2:2 摩押女子路得對拿俄米說：容我往田間去，我蒙誰的恩，就在誰的身後拾取麥穗。拿俄米說：女兒啊，你只管去。
2:3 路得就去了，來到田間，在收割的人身後拾取麥穗。她恰巧到了以利米勒本族的人波阿斯那塊田裡。
3:1 路得的婆婆拿俄米對她說：女兒啊，我不當為你找個安身之處，使你享福嗎？
3:2 你與波阿斯的使女常在一處，波阿斯不是我們的親族嗎？他今夜在場上簸大麥；
3:3 你要沐浴抹膏，換上衣服，下到場上，卻不要使那人認出你來。你等他吃喝完了，
3:4 到他睡的時候，你看準他睡的地方，就進去掀開他腳上的被，躺臥在那裡，他必告訴你所當做的事。
3:5 路得說：凡你所吩咐的，我必遵行。
4:13 於是，波阿斯娶了路得為妻，與他同房。耶和華使他懷孕生了一個兒子。
4:14 婦人們對拿俄米說：耶和華是應當稱頌的！因為今日沒有撇下你，使你無至近的親屬。願這孩子在以色列中得名聲。
4:15 他必提起你的精神，奉養你的老，因為是愛慕你的那兒婦所生的。有這兒婦比有七個兒子還好！
4:16 拿俄米就把孩子抱在懷中，作他的養母。 4:17 鄰舍的婦人說：拿俄米得孩子了！就給孩子起名叫俄備得。這俄備得是耶西的父，耶西是大衛的父。
講道大綱Sermon Outline
1.律法和恩待之間Between Law and Kindness (路得Luth, v.2：1-3)
2.在危機中尋找轉機Taking Risk for Restoration (路得Luth,v.3：1-5)
3.神的眷顧God Enables (路得Luth, v.4：13-17)
Risk and Restoration
Scriptures: Ruth 2:1-3, 3:1-5, 4:13-17
2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. 2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor." Naomi said to her, "Go ahead, my daughter." 3 So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she found herself working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech.
3:1 One day Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, should I not try to find a home for you, where you will be well provided for? 2 Is not Boaz, with whose servant girls you have been, a kinsman of ours? Tonight he will be winnowing barley on the threshing floor. 3 Wash and perfume yourself, and put on your best clothes. Then go down to the threshing floor, but don't let him know you are there until he has finished eating and drinking. 4 When he lies down, note the place where he is lying. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down. He will tell you what to do." 5 "I will do whatever you say," Ruth answered.
4:13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. 14 The women said to Naomi: "Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! 15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth." 16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. 17 The women living there said, "Naomi has a son." And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Notes:
- Between Law and Kindness (2:1-3)
In the Law of God, as revealed in the Ten Commandments, quite a few of them can be understood from the perspective of ‘property rights’. ‘Thou shall not murder’ can be rephrased as ‘you shall not take a life that does not belong to you’. ‘Thou shall not commit adultery’ can be rephrased as ‘you shall not take a woman (or a man) who does not belong to you’. ‘Thou shall not steal’ and ‘thou shall not covet’ are all concerned with reinforcing the rights of owners to enjoy the people and the properties that belong to them.
However, within the application of such Law, there exist also the ‘law of gleaning’, which states, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:9-10, see also Leviticus 23:22 and Deuteronomy 24:19) This ‘law of gleaning’ is the primary way by which those on the margin of the society who cannot support themselves may live. The interaction between these two sides of the Law reveals this truth about God – The Law of God reveals God’s justice and righteousness; the application of such Law reveals God’s kindness (‘hesed’).
Ruth certainly took advantage of this ‘law of gleaning’ as it was within her rights. But the Scripture text is written from Ruth’s limited perspective. As far as she was concerned, she randomly picked a spot in the field. But God was providentially at work and led her to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who, as a near relative of Elimelech, was a potential benefactor.
Reflection: People generally have no problem with using the Law of God to measure the action of others, but how could we incorporate also the kindness of God in the application of the Law?
- Taking Risk for Restoration (3:1-5)
Boaz was described in v.2:1 as a ‘man of standing’ (or ‘man mighty in substance’ in Hebrew). He was a relative (or a ‘kinsman’) of Naomi’s deceased husband, from the clan of Elimelech. Boaz was also described as the ‘kinsman-redeemer’ of Naomi and Ruth. In this context Boaz, as a ‘redeemer’, functions as a guardian of the family interests who has responsibility for caring for the widows of his deceased kinsmen. He also has the right to ‘redeem’ property belonging to relatives when they had to sell land or goods and even their persons when they had sold themselves into slavery.
However, having responsibilities and rights do not always result in actions of kindness. As Ruth 3 begins, Naomi and Ruth plan what they might do for the sake of their future security. In 3:3, Naomi proposes action filled with double meanings. “Do not make yourself known...” uses a verb ‘to know’ that can also mean sexual intimacy (see Genesis 4:1 in King James version). “Feet” can be a euphemism in Hebrew for genitals. “Threshing floor” has an association with illicit sexual activity (see Hosea 9:1). For the sake of restoration, Naomi took a great risk by sending Ruth into a murky situation in the eyes of the Law. There is no way of knowing how Boaz may react - with honour, or with outrage? Will he protect the vulnerable young widow, or will he take advantage of her situation?
Risking offence for the sake of restoration was something that Jesus often did. He healed on Sabbath on various occasions. He forgave the sin of the woman caught in adultery. He overturned tables of moneychanger in the Jerusalem’s temple. Restoration out of love was his intention.
Reflection: Have you ever set aside the question of right or wrong, and simply seek to restore relationship with others?
- God Enables (4:13-17)
These sexual undertones move the text’s interpretation into a reflection on what it means to risk offence for the sake of survival. Ruth follows Naomi’s counsel. Boaz acts with kindness as a ‘kinsman-redeemer’ and marries Ruth. God gives conception.
Throughout the book of Ruth, Naomi and Ruth are models of persistence and loyalty (or ‘hesed’) . As the narrative closes, we learn how their relationship expands into a larger community of women. These women recognize the child’s importance to Naomi. “He will renew your life” (4:15). The women, not father or mother, name the child Obed. The name “Obed” means “one who serves,” perhaps anticipating how he would serve God’s greater purpose of salvation.
A story of widows who have no living children becomes a story of birth. A struggle to survive becomes the means by which God restores hope to these women and to Israel’s unborn generations. God sets into motion a promise – who will be David – through
Ruth, the Moabite. The book of Ruth affirms that God works through surprising people and in unexpected ways in order to bring restoration to God’s people.
Reflection: In what way do I need to trust God as the enabler and restorer of my life, the lives of my family and community? (Think in concrete examples.)
神為我們擋子彈 --- 德福威的故事不要隨便論斷人第99封信鴨子的故事---罪的捆綁種什麼，收什麼乞丐與經理的故事---上帝的救贖「星空下飛翔的教授」
一位年輕的大學教授，除了曾獲得十大傑出青年、屢次得到國科會傑出獎，短短十二年的教書生涯中，薪水的八成全給了有需要的學生，在生命臨終之際，存款簿上留下的是「零」。他是日前病逝的台大工商管理系教授翁景民；台大生物環境系統工程系教授張文亮見證他努力活過的歷程，寫成一本「星空下飛翔的教授」，說盡師生對他無限的懷念。
台大師生也募集了一百萬，準備成立翁景民 獎學金，以紀念這位令人尊敬的傑出學者、好老師；台大工商管理系並將在最近舉辦一場紀念翁景民的學術研討會。
台大工商管理系教授翁景民去年九月四日突然因中風住進台大醫院，後來被檢查出罹患末期的肺腺癌，於今年三月中病逝。好友張文亮在翁景民生命最後一九七天所寫的代禱文章，集結成書，並將在今日於台大管理學院發表，作為對翁景民的紀念。
張文亮表示，他與翁景民同時於十二年前自美國回台大任教，兩人教的學系雖不同，卻因同是虔誠的基督教徒，一起領著當時台大法商學院約三十位學生常讀聖經，而結為好友。
翁景民專長在行銷管理，在學術圈頗有名氣，所編輯的管理科學雜誌被視為台灣最高標準的學術期刊；他個人除連年獲得國科會傑出獎，更曾在一九九九年獲得十大傑出青年獎。在學術研究以外，翁景民對教育的付出更令人動容。張文亮形容，翁景民可說是一位「用生命教學」的老師，他每次上完課，必定汗流浹背，「連內衣褲都會濕透」，只因過份投入，付出全部精神；台大近年來由學生評選的教學優異老師中，翁景民經常是名列前茅。
張文亮還說，翁景民因自小家境很苦，高中到大學七年中，都是靠著擺地攤賺取學費，直到考取台大商學研究所，有了獎學金生活才好些。為此，翁景民對有經濟難題的學生，都是全力幫助，任教台大十二年來，只要學生想深造、有需要的，翁景民毫不考慮就拿錢幫助他們。張文亮說，翁景民過世前存款薄上只剩六千元，剛好有位學生要結婚，翁就把所剩的六千元全當了禮金，因此他過世後，存款薄上的數字竟是「零」。
翁景民病中，張文亮定期去陪他，並將其近況、翁景民的病中想法寫成代禱文，以e-mail 轉給關心他的人；翁景民過世後，有學生建議將這些文章出版成書，成為今日將問世的「星空下飛翔的教授」。翁景民結婚才兩年，其遺孀毛曉梅昨日表示，翁景民是個生命鬥士，希望這本書能夠幫助社會上遇到苦難的人渡過難關。
贏得一生 （一）--- 翁景民 教授贏得一生 （二）--- 翁景民 教授 絕望與盼望 台語 （一）--- 翁景民 教授絕望與盼望 台語（二）--- 翁景民 教授 2009/11/06 週五 青年聚會---敬拜讚美
點擊程序可以聽到錄音
1. 愛是不保留.
2. King of Majesty
3. 我的救贖主活著
4. 專題-- 上帝的救贖 --- 吳柏翰牧師
2009/11/08 週日 主日崇拜
點擊程序可以聽到錄音
1. 詩歌讚美 Praise 領詩: 顏偉哲
2. 讚美 Praise “ 不要放棄 Do Not Give up!”
3. 證道 Sermon 「你往哪裏去，我也往那裏去」 Rev. Paul Wu 翻譯: Daisy Tsai
4. 帶平安去，祝福，默禱,後奏 --- 蔡丞妤
活動佈告欄
為教會
-- 為本教會吳柏翰牧師的牧會
-- 為教會的青少年事工禱告
-- 為各團契新的輔導及11月底各團契將改選新同工禱告
-- 求神復興我們同工開始 求神復興同工禱告的心（TRC禱告部落格）
-- 為12月20日預備的慕道受洗的朋友---高美秀，Melody，Hilary Chen, Jessica 蔡，11月8日截止報名
-- 請多鼓勵您身旁的年輕人來加入靈修默想禱告的行列！
-- 為新一年度各團契新的輔導服事禱告
為肢體
-- 為社青面對事業上和工作上的壓力
-- 為大專團契許多契友這幾天要面對考試禱告
-- 繼續為Ivy 的眼睛眼角膜的損傷禱告
-- 為國庭晚上能有好的睡眠禱告
-- 為Iren 因搬東西導致坐骨神經受傷禱告
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