3. Manna issue 94 - The Sacraments and the Lives of the Saints (Part 2): Footwashing 聖徒的聖禮與生活(第二回)：洗腳禮
Boaz—Malaysia 馬來西亞
MAN'S ROLE IN SACRAMENTAL EFFICACY 聖禮有功效人所扮演的角色
In the study of sacraments,
an ongoing debate regarding their efficacy concerns the extent of man's role
—both the persons receiving and executing the sacraments
—to complement the essential part played by the Holy Spirit.
The True Jesus Church's Articles of Faith state
that we are saved by grace through faith
(Eph 2:8).
Salvation grace is freely given to man through the sacraments.
Salvation depends solely on God, the Giver of grace,
not man's good deeds.
Moreover, the Bible clearly states that man will be justified through faith.
Therefore, the person who receives the sacraments must believe in Jesus and His gospel
(Mk 16:14–16).
And the person performing the sacraments must be sent by the church
(Jn 20:21–23).
在研究聖禮的時候，
關於聖禮涉及人角色作用程度的功效，一直有爭論，
—雙方是接受和執行聖禮的人
—補足聖靈所扮演的重要角色。
真耶穌教會的信條說明，
我們得救是本乎恩，也因著信
（弗 2：8）。
救恩的恩典經由聖禮白白賜給人。
救恩完全取決於神，恩典賜予者，
而不是人的善行。
此外，聖經明確指出，人會因信稱義。
因此，接受聖禮的人必須相信耶穌和福音
（可 16：14-16）。
執行聖禮的人必須是教會派來的
（約 20：21-23）。
THE SPIRITUAL EFFECTS OF FOOTWASHING: HAVING A PART WITH THE LORD
洗腳禮的屬靈功效：與主有份
Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!"
Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."
(Jn 13:8)
8彼得說：“你永不可洗我的腳！”
耶穌說：“我若不洗你，你就與我無分了。”
（約 13：8）
When Jesus made this statement,
it would have been best understood by the person it was directed to
—Peter
—and the one who witnessed and recorded the exchange
—John.
To understand the full significance of the original word for "part" (Greek: meros),
we must go back to these two apostles,
Peter and John.
One incident involving both of them is found in the Book of Acts.
當耶穌發表這番言論時，
當然最清楚了解的人，就是接受它的人
—彼得
—以及見證並記錄這次交流的人
—約翰。
要理解“Part”一詞（希臘文：meros）原文的完整重要性，
我們必須回到這兩位使徒身上，
彼得和約翰。
《使徒行傳》記載了一件涉及他們兩人的事件。
"You have neither part nor portion in this matter,
for your heart is not right in the sight of God."
…Then Simon answered and said,
"Pray to the Lord for me,
that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me."
(Acts 8:21, 24)
“21你在這道上無分無關；
因為在神面前，你的心不正。
24西門說：
願你們為我求主，
叫你們所說的，沒有一樣臨到我身上。”
（徒 8：21，24）
Peter and John had been sent to assist in the evangelistic ministry in Samaria.
They encountered Simon, a believer, and ex-sorcerer,
who egregiously offered to buy the power of bestowing the Holy Spirit through the laying of hands.
Rebuked severely by Peter and told he would lose his part (Greek: meris),
Simon's immediate response was to ask for forgiveness.
This indicates the seriousness of this matter
and the vital importance of having a part with the Lord.
彼得和約翰被派往撒瑪利亞地區協助傳福音。
他們遇到西門，一位信徒，一個以前的巫師，
西門很過份的提出想購買經由按手賜予聖靈的能力。
因而受到彼得的嚴厲斥責，並告訴他將失去他的份額（希臘語：meris），
西門第一個反應就是請求原諒。
這說明了這件事的嚴重性
以及與主有份至關重要。
What are the specific ways we can have a part with the Lord?
我們可以通過哪些具體方式與主有份呢？
1. Have a Part with God's Word 遵守神的話語
The True Jesus Church has invested
—and continues to invest
—substantial money, time, and effort in religious education for all ages
so that believers can have a part with God's word.
Learning allows everyone to build a firm foundation in the word.
Some think laying the foundation
—learning the basic doctrines
—is dry and dull.
However, the loftiest and most magnificent towers are built from the ground up.
Successful apprenticeship starts from mastering basic menial tasks.
真耶穌教會早已投資，
—並且會繼續投資，
—大量的金錢、時間和努力，給所有年紀來參與宗教教育，
使信徒能夠得到一份神的話語。
學習可讓大家打下道理堅實的基礎。
有些人認為打基礎，
—學習基本教義
—枯燥而無聊。
然而，最挺拔宏偉的高塔都是從平地往上開始建造的。
成功的學徒過程開始於掌握基本卑微的任務。
Today, if we were required to hand-copy the Scriptures without making the slightest mistake
(or risk having to start anew),
would we have the patience to complete the task?
Yet this is what the Lord commanded all future kings of Israel to do at the start of their reign:
今日，如果要求我們手抄聖經，卻不能有絲毫錯誤
（或者要冒著重新開始抄寫的風險），
我們有耐心能夠完成任務嗎？
然而，這是耶和華，命令所有以色列未來的君王，登基之時所要做的事情：
"Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom,
that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book,
from the one before the priests, the Levites.
And it shall be with him,
and he shall read it all the days of his life,
that he may learn to fear the LORD his God
and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes."
(Deut 17:18–19)
“18他登了國位，
就要將祭司利未人面前的這律法書，
為自己抄錄一本，
19存在他那裡，
要平生誦讀，
好學習敬畏耶和華─他的神，
謹守遵行這律法書上的一切言語和這些律例，。”
（申 17：18-19）
God knew the temptations that would come with wielding power
—the desire to follow their own ways, form allegiances with other nations,
and follow false gods.
So He instructed the king to write his own copy of the law and read it daily.
Why did the king have to copy the law by his own hand?
Why was this seemingly menial and time-consuming task not assigned to the priests and scribes?
It was so that the king's reign would be established on the firm foundation of God's word.
This process enabled the king to internalize God's word
so that he would carefully observe it and learn to fear God.
It would prevent him from becoming proud and diverging from God's will.
In doing so, God promised to bless him with a long and peaceful reign
(Deut 17:20).
神知道掌握權力會帶來什麼樣的誘惑，
—渴望走自己的路，與其他國家結盟，
並且追隨假神。
因此，祂命令國王寫下自已的律法抄本，並且每天閱讀。
為什麼國王必須親手抄寫律法呢？
為什麼這個看起來很瑣碎又耗時的任務，沒有交辨給祭司和文士呢？
這樣作，國王的統治才能建立在神話語的堅實基礎上。
這個過程使國王能夠內化神的話語，
使他能仔細考察，學會敬畏神。
這會防止他變得驕傲，並偏離神的旨意。
這樣做，神應許祝福他有一個長期和平的統治
（申 17：20）。
The world values quick wins and short-term rewards.
Such influences may inadvertently lead us to over-emphasize immediate outcomes
and overlook God's plan for our future.
In summary, we must not lose patience
and focus regarding this fundamental stage.
We do not yet know what role God will send us to fulfill in the future.
So whatever God commands and entrusts to us, we must do with all our hearts.
世界看重速效和短期回報。
這些影響可能會無意中導致我們過分強調即時的結果，
並忽略了神給我們未來的計劃。
綜合來說，在這個基本的階段，
我們不要失去耐心和注意力。
我們還不知道，神將來會託負我們什麼角色，以後要去進行。
因此，無論神吩咐或託付給我們什麼任務，我們都必須盡心盡力。
Apostolic spirit: teaching, preaching, and defending the word
使徒的精神：教導、傳道和捍衛真理
"[B]ut we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
(Acts 6:4)
“4但我們要專心以祈禱、傳道為事。”
（徒 6：4）
Having a part with the word of God includes teaching the word
(1 Tim 2:7),
defending the word
(2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 3:15–16),
and preaching the word
(2 Tim 4:2, 5).
When we do these well,
we contribute to building a solid foundation for future generations of believers.
The objective of religious education is to ensure
that the truth committed to the true church can be passed to the next generation
as the unaltered pattern of sound words.
與神的話語有份，包括了去教導神的話語
（提前 2：7），
捍衛真理
（提後書 2：15；彼前 3：15-16）
並傳揚真理
（提後 4：2，5）。
當我們好好完成這些事的時候，
我們給後代信徒付出貢獻，建立堅實的基礎。
宗教教育的目標是要確保，
負託給真教會的真理可以傳遞給下一代，
成為不受竄改健全真理的標準樣式。
Towards the end of his life,
Paul's greatest priority was to ensure
that his son in faith would faithfully pass on what he had learned from Paul
(2 Tim 2:2).
The church then faced vehement attacks,
both internally and externally.
Those who faithfully taught the word were dwindling in number.
Paul knew that after his death,
people would rise in the church to speak perverse things
when he could no longer pastor them.
So in his last conversation with the elders in Ephesus,
he entrusted them to God (Acts 20:30, 32).
The elderly apostle John
(the last of the apostles to die)
too could only entrust the church to the Holy Spirit for preservation
(1 Jn 2:26–27). [1]
直到他生命的結束時，
保羅最大的任務是確保，
他信仰上的兒子會忠實傳承從保羅那裡學到的真理，
（提後 2：2）。
隨後教會受到內外雙方猛烈的攻擊。
那些忠實教導神話語的人越來越少。
保羅知道他離世之後，
那時他可能不再牧養他們的時候
教會中有人會起來說怪異的事情。
因此，他與以弗所長老的最後一次談話中，
他將他們交託給神（徒 20：30，32）。
年長的使徒約翰，
（最後死去的使徒）
也只能將教會託付給聖靈來保守
（約壹 2：26-27）。 [1]
After the apostles' deaths,
when there were no more faithful men who could teach,
the church was truly helpless under the onslaught of heresies.
When the word of God is "attacked" by heresy,
every believer is responsible for defending the word.
Therefore, our pursuit and knowledge of the word
must match the level of heretical attacks on the truth
so that we are adequately equipped to
"[cast] down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God,
bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ"
(2 Cor 10:5).
使徒離世之後，
那時不再有忠實的工人可以教導，
教會在異端的攻擊下，確實束手無策。
當神的話語受到異端的“攻擊”時，
每位信徒都有責任起來捍衛真道。
因此，我們追求和認識道理，
必須比得上異端攻擊真理的程度，
以便我們充份裝備好，
“5將各樣的計謀，各樣攔阻人認識神的那些自高之事，一概攻破了，
又將人所有的心意奪回，使他都順服基督。”
（林後 10：5）。
Besides teaching and defending the word, evangelism is also key.
The commission to preach was given by Jesus to the disciples
before He ascended to heaven
(Acts 1:8).
To execute the mission, the apostles made preaching the gospel their top priority
(Acts 6:2).
Not even imprisonment could deter them from fulfilling this resolution.
Just like Stephen, who was martyred,
they preached boldly, enduring persecution even to the point of death.
除了教導捍衛神的道理之外，傳福音也是關鍵。
在耶穌升天之前，
他託負給門徒傳道的使命，
（徒 1：8）。
為了執行任務，使徒們把傳福音視為首要的任務
（徒 6：2）。
即使是監禁，也無法阻止他們實現這種決心。
就像殉道的司提反一樣，
他們勇敢傳道，忍受逼迫，甚至死亡。
2. Having a Part with the Lord's Holy City 與主的聖城有份
[A]nd if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part from the Book of Life,
from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
(Rev 22:19)
19這書上的預言，若有人刪去甚麼，
神必從這書上所寫的生命樹
和聖城刪去他的分。
（啟 22：19）
To have a part with the holy city, we must play a part in mending its gaps
(Ezek 22:30).
This entails being able to see where these gaps exist.
Mending the gaps in the holy city means bearing the weaknesses of the church
(2 Cor 11:29).
While carrying our brethren's burden may be troublesome or even painful,
Apostle Paul reminds us that those who endure together with the Lord will reign with Him
(2 Tim 2:12).
Seeing the gaps does not mean merely observing what problems exist in our community of faith.
Instead, we must perceive and resolve to fulfill
—not shirk
—our responsibility to the church and to restoring our brethren
(Gal 6:1–2).
Daniel and Nehemiah were righteous men who enjoyed high social status,
being employed in trusted positions in the palace.
But they grieved for the state of Israel and Jerusalem.
When they interceded for the people,
they did not dissociate themselves from the situation
as though they were the self-righteous interceding for the weak.
Instead, they humbly regarded themselves as part of God's erring people
(Dan 9:8, Neh 1:6–7).
要進入聖城，我們必須在彌補缺口方面發揮作用
（結 22：30）。
這需要能夠看到這些缺口存在之處。
彌補聖城的缺口，就代表了承擔教會的軟弱
（林後 11：29）。
雖然承擔我們弟兄的重擔，可能會很麻煩，甚至很痛苦，
使徒保羅提醒我們，凡與主一同忍耐的，必與他一同作王
（提後 2：12）。
看到缺口並不是代表，僅僅看著我們信仰團體存在的那些問題。
相反的，我們必須察覺，並決心去彌補
—不推卸
—我們教會的責任和挽回我們的弟兄
（加 6：1-2）。
但以理和尼希米都是義人，享有很高的社會地位，
在宮殿擔任得到信任的職務。
但他們為以色列國和耶路撒冷感到哀傷。
當他們為人民求情的時候，
他們並沒有抽身離開這種情況
就好像他們自以為是，為弱者代求一樣。
相反的，他們謙卑自認是神犯錯的子民的一份子
（但 9：8，尼 1：6-7）。
Priestly spirit: bearing the weaknesses of the church 祭司的精神：承擔教會的軟弱
Five types of sacrifices are recorded in the Book of Leviticus.
One of the sacrifices the priests could eat was the sin offering
(Lev 6:26, 29–30).
These were sacrifices offered on common occasions,
and the male priests were allowed to eat them.
The people making the sacrifice put their hands on the animal
to signify that the animal would bear their sins.
So when the priests ate the sin offering, they also bore the people's sins
(Lev 10:17).
利未記記載了五種獻祭。
祭司可以吃的祭物之一是贖罪祭
（利 6：26，29-30）。
這些都是在平常場合所獻的祭品，
只有男祭司可以吃。
獻祭的人把手放在動物身上，
來表示動物將承擔他們的罪孽。
所以祭司食用贖罪祭的時候，他們也承擔了百姓的罪孽
（利 10：17）。
In other words, the role of the priests
included bearing the sins of the entire house of Israel.
Throughout the Scriptures,
we see God's workers who epitomized this.
In the Old Testament,
God's righteous judgment would have long destroyed the recalcitrant Israelites
had it not been for generations of intercessors.
For example, Moses was willing to sacrifice his soul in exchange for God's forgiveness of Israel
(Ex 32:31–32).
Another example is Samuel, who
—even in his twilight years
—never stopped praying for the people.
Although these two saints were long gone,
God remembered their intercessions of love
and specifically made mention of them to subsequent generations
(Jer 15:1)
換句話說，祭司的角色，
包括了承擔整個以色列家的罪孽。
縱觀整本聖經，
我們看見神的工人，集中表現了這一點。
在舊約中，
神公義的審判早已消滅了悖逆頑固的以色列人，
若沒有一代又一代的代禱者祈求的話。
例如，摩西願意犧牲自己的生命，來換取神饒恕以色列人
（出 32：31-32）。
另一個例子是撒母耳，他
—即使在他的晚年的時候，
—從未停止為百姓祈禱。
雖然這兩位聖人早已離世，
神記念他們慈愛的代求，
並且特意向後代提到他們
（耶 15：1）
Paul recognized this priestly role when he said,
"Who is weak, and I am not weak?
Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?"
(2 Cor 11:29).
He made the problem of the church his own,
he treated the weak and lost brethren as the nursing child in his bosom
(1 Thess 2:7–8; Num 11:11–12).
保羅承認了祭司的角色，他說：
“29有誰軟弱，我不軟弱呢？
有誰跌倒，我不焦急呢？”
（林後 11：29）。
他把教會的問題當作自己的問題，
他對待軟弱迷失的弟兄，就像是自已懷中吃奶的嬰兒一樣
（帖前 2：7-8；數 11：11-12）。
I now rejoice in my sufferings for you,
and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ,
for the sake of His body, which is the church.
(Col 1:24)
24現在我為你們受苦，倒覺歡樂；
並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，
要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠。
（歌羅西書 1:24）
In this verse, the afflictions of Christ refer to His suffering on the cross.
He had once and for all offered the perfect sin offering without blemish.
This was Christ's role in the salvation plan.
However, in terms of the entire process of salvation,
Jesus' sacrifice is just one part of the plan.
The remaining part is for the gospel of God's salvation
to be preached throughout the world.
在這節經文中，基督的苦難是指他十字架上的痛苦。
祂只一次獻上了完美無瑕的贖罪祭。
這就是基督救贖經綸中的角色。
然而，就整個救贖的過程來看，
耶穌的犧牲只是計劃的一部份。
而剩下的部分就是神救恩的福音，
可以傳到全世界。
Today, the church's mission on earth is to exalt Christ, preach the gospel,
and endure various afflictions and persecutions.
Christ, the head of the church, suffered afflictions in order to fulfill salvation.
The body of Christ, the church, suffers afflictions
in order to exalt this salvation and make it known.
Although what the church suffers can never compare to the sacrifice Christ made,
we have a part in His sufferings
(1 Pet 4:13; Rev 1:9).
今日，教會世上的使命就是高舉基督，傳揚福音，
並忍受各種苦難和迫害。
基督作為教會的元首，為了完成救恩而承受苦難。
基督的身體，教會，會遭受苦難，
是為了高舉這份救恩，並且使救恩廣為人知。
雖然教會所承受的苦難，無法與基督的犧牲相比，
但我們與祂一起承受苦難
（彼前 4：13；啟 1：9）。
Not only was Paul willing
to suffer physical afflictions and persecution for the gospel of Christ,
but he was also willing to endure the mental pressure
arising from the weaknesses (the gaps) in the church.
In other words, he used the sufferings in his own body and soul
as ointment to apply to the wounds on the body of Christ.
不僅保羅樂意，
為了基督福音的原故，而遭受肉體的痛苦和迫害，
而且他也願意承受精神的壓力，
那些來自於教會軟弱（缺口）的壓力。
也就是說，他用了自己肉體和靈魂的受苦，
來成為藥膏，塗抹於基督身體的傷口。
3. Having a Part in the Function of the Tree of Life 與生命樹的功效有份
Believers ought to be like the tree of life, bringing healing to the nations
(Rev 22:2).
The tree of life bears fruit every month; its leaves are good for medicine,
and its fruits are good for food
(Ezek 47:12).
信徒應該像生命樹一樣，為萬國帶來醫治
（啟 22：2）。
生命樹每月結果子；它的葉子帶來醫治，
它的果實可作食物
（結 47：12）。
Bringing warmth and life to the world 為世界帶來溫暖和生命
As its name implies, the tree of life is an evergreen tree that does not grow old.
Only those whom the Holy Spirit has regenerated can, in turn,
bring life and nourishment to others.
Consider two aspects of the Dead Sea as a contrast to the tree of life.
顧名思義，生命之樹是一棵常青樹，永遠不老。
只有那些讓聖靈重生之人才能，反過來，
給別人帶來生命和滋養。
可以進行比較死海兩個方面與生命之樹。
First, due to the high salinity of the Dead Sea
(8.6 times more than normal sea water),
organisms cannot live in it.
The ecosystem is adversely affected, and only certain plants can survive.
Ezekiel chapter 47 recorded
that the water flowing from under the temple's threshold toward the east flowed into the Dead Sea,
turning the bitter water sweet and bringing life to every living thing wherever the rivers go.
The function of the trees growing along the banks of this river
is consistent with the vision in Revelation chapter 22.
一、由於死海的高鹽度
（是正常海水的 8.6 倍），
生物無法生存其中。
生態系統受到不利的影響，只有某些植物才能生存。
以西結書 47 章記載，
水從聖殿門檻下，流向東方進入死海，
使苦水變甜，給河水流過之處的一切生物帶來生命。
樹木沿著這條河兩岸生長的功能，
與啟示錄 22 章的異像是一樣的。
As the vegetation around the Dead Sea failed to flourish because of the high salt levels,
our lives were once withered and oppressed by sin
(Rom 7:24).
But when the Holy Spirit comes
(Rom 8:2),
He frees and renews us.
We receive abundant life in Jesus because His Spirit helps us to stop sinning
(1 Jn 3:9),
to put to death the evil deeds of the flesh
(Rom 8:13),
and finally, enables our corruptible flesh to overcome death
(1 Cor 15:54).
由於死海周圍的鹽度過高，植被無法茂盛生長，
我們生命曾因罪惡而枯萎和受壓抑
（羅 7：24）。
但當聖靈來到的時候
（羅 8：2），
祂釋放並更新了我們。
我們在耶穌裡獲得了豐盛的生命，因為祂的聖靈幫助我們停止犯罪
（約壹 3：9），
治死肉體的惡行
（羅 8：13），
最後，使我們敗壞的肉體戰勝死亡
（林前 15：54）。
Second, the Dead Sea is the lowest body of water on the earth's surface.
Located south of the Sea of Galilee,
it takes in the minerals injected by the upstream Sea of Galilee and Mount Hermon
but does not have an outlet for the water.
After a long period of accumulation,
a huge amount of minerals has sunk to the bottom of the lake, increasing its salt content.
其次，死海是地表最低的水域。
位於加利利海南部，
它匯聚了上游加利利海和黑門山注入的礦物質，
但是卻沒有出水口。
經過長時間的積累，
大量的礦物質沉入湖底，增加了鹽含量。
We lived like the Dead Sea in the past,
receiving without knowing how to give.
However, we must now live like the healing leaves on the tree of life,
in sharp contrast to the nature of the Dead Sea.
Believers exude bright rays of love in this cold and indifferent society.
Do your friends around you feel blessed because you are a Christian?
There are people in the world lying wounded.
Do we stop to care for them like the good Samaritan,
or do we hurry past like the indifferent priests?
Many may see us as good believers based on the number of services we attend
or the deep knowledge of the Bible we demonstrate.
But in reality, have we lost our love and concern for the spiritual lives of the people of the world?
Are we cold and unwilling to restore our weak and dying brethren?
過去我們的生活就像死海一樣，
只會接受，而不知道如何付出。
然而，我們的生活現在必須像生命樹治癒的葉子，
與死海的自然性質完全相反。
在這個冷漠的社會裡，信徒散發愛的亮光。
你自周圍的朋友是否因為你是基督徒而感到蒙福？
世界上有人受傷倒地。
我們是否就像好心的撒瑪利亞人一樣，停下來照顧他們，
還是像那些冷漠的祭師一樣匆匆經過？
根據參加聚會的次數，或是我們展現深厚的聖經知識，
大家可能會認為我們是好信徒。
但實際上，我們是否已經遺失對世人靈命的慈愛和關心呢？
我們是否很冷漠，而且不願意拯救我們軟弱和垂死的弟兄呢？
We often feel our hands are tied as we undertake our labor of love.
The "healing" that we bring to others is limited by our finite resources or ability.
However, hands raised in supplication are more powerful because healing comes from God,
who is infinite.
We must never underestimate the power of prayer.
We ought to make every effort to intercede for people around us, believers or non-believers.
We may not know if God wants to heal them
and how or when He will heal them.
What we do know is that
if we intercede for them according to God's will,
it will be acceptable to Him.
In this way, we can be healing as the tree of life.
當我們付出愛的努力時，是否常常覺得自己的雙手受到束縛。
我們給予他人“治療”受限於自已有限的資源或能力。
然而，舉起祈禱的雙手則更有能力，因為醫治來自於神，
祂是無限的。
我們絕不能低估禱告的力量。
我們應該盡一切的努力，為我們周圍的人代禱，無論是信徒還是未信主的人。
我們可能不知道，神是否想要醫治他們，
以及神何時會如何醫治他們。
我們所知道的是，
如果我們按照神的旨意為他們代求，
祂就會悅納。
這樣，就像生命樹一樣，我們就可以得到醫治。
CONCLUSION 結論
In John F Kennedy's inaugural address as the thirty-fifth president of the United States in 1961,
he spoke the famous line:
"Ask not what your country can do for you
—ask what you can do for your country."
1961 年，約翰．F．甘乃迪 成為美國第三十五任總統，發表就職演說，
他說了一句名言：
“不要問你的國家能為你做什麼，
—問問你能為國家做些什麼。”
The footwashing sacrament allows us to have a part with Jesus Christ.
This is the grace we have received from the Lord.
Rather than being satisfied with having a part,
or asking what we gain from having a part,
we ought to think about the responsibilities that having a part entails.
Heirs have a part in their father's inheritance,
but they are also responsible for safeguarding and growing this inheritance.
As the children of God, who have a part with Christ through footwashing,
let us cherish the salvation grace we have received and walk forward with the commitment
to play our part in the ministry of the word,
in building up the holy city, and bringing healing to the world.
洗腳聖禮讓我們能夠成為耶穌基督的一份子。
這是我們從主所領受的恩典。
與其滿足於得到參與，
或者要問自已能夠從參與中得到什麼，
我們應該思考參與其中所需要承擔的責任。
繼承人享有父親遺產的一部份，
但是他們也有責任保護壯大這一份遺產。
作為神的兒女，藉著洗腳禮而與基督有份，
讓我們珍惜自已所領受的救恩，帶著使命前進，
發揮我們的作用推動真理的事工，
建立聖城，為世界帶來醫治。
APPENDIX: NEHEMIAH: THE COMFORT OF GOD 附錄：尼希米記：神的安慰
Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the Persian king, Artaxerxes.
The favor he enjoyed from the king was indicated in his position as well as the king's concern for him
(Neh 2:2, 6).
Despite these, his heart still yearned after Jerusalem and the children of Israel
(Neh 1:2, 6).
He saw the part he had to play in the holy city;
this spurred him to relinquish his high-level job to return and rebuild Jerusalem,
which was in ruins.
There were many sacrifices he made.
He did not take the governor's pay
(Neh 5:14–15).
He paid for meals out of his pocket
(Neh 5:18),
and he did not take advantage of the situation by buying up land
(Neh 5:16).
The holy city and holy temple were actually "foreign" places to Nehemiah.
But his heart was there.
His high position, busyness, and distance from the city
neither removed nor reduced his concern for God's temple and work.
He had great compassion for brethren he had never seen.
He treated the holy city's problems as personal, weeping and interceding for it
(Neh 1:4–5).
With such a heart, he truly was not only the comfort of God
(the meaning of his name)
but also comfort to God.
尼希米是波斯亞達薛西王的酒政。
他得到國王的寵愛，表現於他的職位，和同時國王給他的關心。
（尼 2：2，6）。
儘管如此，他的內心仍然渴望耶路撒冷和以色列子民
（尼 1：2，6）。
他看見了自己於聖城中必須扮演的角色；
這促使他放棄了自已的高階職位，返回重建耶路撒冷，
那時是一片廢墟。
他做出了很多犧牲。
他沒有拿州長的俸祿
（尼 5：14-15）。
他自掏腰包自給自足
（尼 5：18），
他並沒有利用這種情勢大肆購買土地
（尼 5：16）。
聖城和聖殿對尼希米而言，實際上是“外國的”土地。
但是他的心就在那裡。
他的地位高、忙碌、遠離城市，
重來沒有消除或減少他對神聖殿工作的關心。
他對自已從未見過的弟兄充滿憐憫。
他認為聖城的問題是自已個人的問題，為之哭泣，為它代禱
（尼 1：4-5）。
有這樣的心思，他果然不只是神的安慰，
（他名字的意思）
也是給神的安慰。
[1] When John tells believers that they “do not need that anyone teach” them，
he is referring to those who are trying to deceive the believers
(1 Jn 2:26–27).
[1] 當約翰告訴信徒，他們“不需要別人教導”他們時，
他指的是那些試圖欺騙信徒的人
（約壹 2：26-27）。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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