八福
憐恤的真義

經文
詩篇八十五1-13
1(可拉後裔的詩,交與伶長。)耶和華啊,你已經向你的地施恩,救回被擄的雅各。
2你赦免了你百姓的罪孽,遮蓋了他們一切的過犯。(細拉)
3你收轉了所發的忿怒和你猛烈的怒氣。
4拯救我們的神啊,求你使我們回轉,叫你的惱恨向我們止息。
5你要向我們發怒到永遠嗎?你要將你的怒氣延留到萬代嗎?
6你不再將我們救活,使你的百姓靠你歡喜嗎?
7耶和華啊,求你使我們得見你的慈愛,又將你的救恩賜給我們。
8我要聽神─耶和華所說的話;因為他必應許將平安賜給他的百姓─他的聖民;他們卻不可再轉去妄行。
9他的救恩誠然與敬畏他的人相近,叫榮耀住在我們的地上。
10慈愛和誠實彼此相遇;公義和平安彼此相親。
11誠實從地而生;公義從天而現。
12耶和華必將好處賜給我們;我們的地也要多出土產。
13公義要行在他面前,叫他的腳蹤成為可走的路。
信息分享
我們要繼續研究八福──有關耶穌教導我們怎樣才能成為「喜樂的人」。今天我們讀到著名的第五福:「憐恤人的人有福了!因為他們必蒙憐恤」(太五7)。
主耶穌用「憐恤」這個詞兒是什麼意思?牠背後的思想是憐憫和關心別人的困苦。原來,在第五福所使用的希臘詞語,亦是希伯來書二章17節用來形容基督的大祭司事奉所用的詞語。權威學者瓦因(W.E.Vine)說,「憐恤的人不單擁有同情心,也積極地憐憫別人」。
然而,我們必須再次強調──主耶穌所說的憐恤這性情,不是源自我們自然的個性,而是當我們住在基督裡時主所給我們的賞賜。正如鍾馬田博士(Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)說:「福音並不是為某些特定氣質的人而設,當我們與神面對面時,沒有人會比別人特別有優勢。」再者,憐恤並不是無視道德的淪亡,而採取一種假裝看不見的態度。當我們發現「憐恤」這個形容詞,也特別和特定地用在神自己身上的時候,就可以說明,無論這詞語怎樣運用在神身上,亦同樣可運用在人身上。神是憐恤的,但他也是真理,這便是「慈愛和誠實彼此相遇」的意思。如果我們需要以犧牲真理和律法來達成憐恤,那就不是真正的憐恤,那隻是一種諷刺。
「憐恤的人有一顆積極憐憫的心」
進深研究
多三1-7;詩一零三17,一零八4;哀三22
1.神的憐恤有什麼特質?
2.你有多憐恤別人?
祈禱
神啊,求您幫助我內裡同時重視憐恤和真理,並且在當中取得平衡,不會在培養一種特質時卻犧牲了另外一種。奉耶穌的名祈求,阿們。
The Beatitudes
The meaning of mercy

Bible reading:
Psalm 85:1-13
1 You, Lord, showed favor to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins.[b]
3 You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.
Message
We continue our study of - the study of Jesus' declarations of how to become "the happy ones". Today we come to the fifth of Christ's famous sayings: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matt. 5:7).
What does our Lord mean when He uses the word "merciful"? The thought underlying the word is that of compassion and concern for the plight of others. The Greek word used in this fifth Beatitude is also used to describe the high priestly ministry of Christ in Hebrews 2:17. One authority, WE. Vine, says that a "merciful" person is "not simply possessed of pity but actively compassionate".
It is important to stress once again that the characteristic of being merciful of which our Lord spoke here is not something that arises from our natural temperament, but something that is endowed on us when we abide in Christ. As Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones said: "This is not a gospel for certain temperaments - nobody has an advantage over anybody else when they are face to face with God." Again, mercy is not turning a blind eye to moral violations - the attitude that pretends not to see things. This can be seen most forcefully when we consider that the term "merciful" is an adjective which is applied especially and specifically to God Himself. This means that however the word applies to God, it applies equally to man. God is merciful, but He is also truth: "Mercy and truth are met together." If we think of mercy at the expense of truth and law, then it is not true mercy, it is merely a caricature.
"A merciful person is actively compassionate"
Prayer
O God, help me, I pray, to have within me the right blend of mercy and truth. Save me from becoming a lopsided Christian - someone who manifests one characteristic at the expense of another. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Further study
Titus 3:1-7
Psalm 103:17; 108:4
Lamentations 3:22
1. What is the quality of God's mercy?
2. How merciful are you?
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