United by Love在愛裡合一

United by Love在愛裡合一

Scripture: Acts使徒行傳 2: 42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

42都 恆 心 遵 守 使 徒 的 教 訓 ， 彼 此 交 接 ， 擘 餅 ， 祈 禱 。 43 眾 人 都 懼 怕 ； 使 徒 又 行 了 許 多 奇 事 神 蹟 。 44 信 的 人 都 在 一 處 ， 凡 物 公 用 ；

45 並 且 賣 了 田 產 ， 家 業 ， 照 各 人 所 需 用 的 分 給 各 人 。46 他 們 天 天 同 心 合 意 恆 切 的 在 殿 裡 ， 且 在 家 中 擘 餅 ， 存 著 歡 喜 、 誠 實 的 心 用 飯 ，

47 讚 美 神 ， 得 眾 民 的 喜 愛 。 主 將 得 救 的 人 天 天 加 給 他 們 。

Sermon Outline: 講道大綱

• There is a coexisting need for the church to reach inward, to establish a core value, as it seeks to reach outward.
• 當教會尋求達成對外宣傳的目標，教會有一共存的必要以達到向中心 移動，就是建立核心價值。

• Acts 2: 42-47 describes the condition of the earliest church when it experienced the explosive outpouring of the Holy Spirit, accompanied by an explosive growth in the followers of Jesus.
• 使徒行傳2：42-47描述了最早期的教會的情形，當時教會經歷了爆炸性的聖靈澆灌，伴隨著耶穌追隨者的爆炸式增長。

• The clarity and solidarity of this first church was amazing. They met together daily, broke bread together, prayed together, and shared their wealth together. They literally had ‘all things in common’, and they did so with ‘glad and sincere hearts’.
• 第一個教會的團結與清楚明白救恩是驚人的。他們每天聚集，一起擘 餅，一起祈禱，凡物公用。他們是真正有 “共同點”，他們存 著 歡 喜 、 誠 實 的 心 這樣做的。

• In our language today, we call this ‘DNA’. The early church was clear about their mission, vision, core values, and core beliefs.
• 在現代的語言裡，我們稱其為DNA基 因，早期的教會他們都清楚明白傳道使命、異象、核心價值、核心信仰。

• Three models of church: 三種不同型態的教會

1. Bounded – a border is created to differentiate those who are in from those who are out.

間限分明的教會---有一界線被用來區分哪些人在界內，哪 些人在界外.

2. Fuzzy – no border and no core value; ‘all roads lead to Rome’.

模糊不清的教會---沒有界線也沒有核心價值，人人自尋到 羅馬的路 。
(“條條大路通羅馬”)

3. Centered – a core value is defined, and invitation is given all to move towards that centre.

朝向中心的教會---有明確定義的核心價值，所有的人都被 邀請向信仰中心移
動。

• Moving from a bounded church to a centered church requires repentance of those inside the church! We are not entitled to God’s love and grace. God gave those to us only so that we can pass them on!
• 從一個間限分明的教會移動到朝向中心的教會，這些教會內部需要悔 改！我們不是有權佔據上帝的愛和恩典。上帝給我們愛和恩典，是要我們能夠繼續傳下去！

• Redefining the DNA of TRC by the Great Commandment – to love God and to love others – so that everyone will know we are Christians by our love.
• 用宣揚福音大使命來重新定義蒙特婁台灣基督長老教會的DNA---愛神和愛世人 ---讓人人都知道我們是有愛的基督徒。

Questions for Discussion:

1. What are the difficulties for us to move from a ‘bounded church’ to a ‘centered church’? 我們由一個 “間限分明的教會” 進展成為一個 “朝 向中心的教會” 會遭遇哪些困難？

2. What is the current DNA of our church? What should our DNA be in order to give glory and honour to God? 什麼是我們教會現有的DNA？什麼是我們教會應有的DNA，才能彰顯和榮耀神呢？

3. What specific practices do we need to change or improve; so that everyone will know we are Christians by our love? 有什麼樣的具體做法，我們需要改變或改 進；讓世人知道我們是有愛的基督徒？

Translated into Mandarin by Teresa Yang