八福
從你的內心開始
經文
雅各書三1-18
1我的弟兄們，不要多人作師傅，因為曉得我們要受更重的判斷。
2原來我們在許多事上都有過失；若有人在話語上沒有過失，他就是完全人，也能勒住自己的全身。
3我們若把嚼環放在馬嘴裡，叫他順服，就能調動他的全身。
4看哪，船隻雖然甚大，又被大風催逼，只用小小的舵，就隨著掌舵的意思轉動。
5這樣，舌頭在百體裡也是最小的，卻能說大話。
看哪，最小的火能點著最大的樹林。
6舌頭就是火，在我們百體中，舌頭是個罪惡的世界，能污穢全身，也能把生命的輪子點起來，並且是從地獄裡點著的。
7各類的走獸，飛禽，昆蟲，水族，本來都可以制伏，也已經被人制伏了；
8惟獨舌頭沒有人能制伏，是不止息的惡物，滿了害死人的毒氣。
9我們用舌頭頌讚那為主、為父的，又用舌頭咒詛那照著神形像被造的人；
10頌讚和咒詛從一個口裡出來！我的弟兄們，這是不應當的！
11泉源從一個眼裡能發出甜苦兩樣的水嗎？
12我的弟兄們，無花果樹能生橄欖嗎？葡萄樹能結無花果嗎？鹹水裡也不能發出甜水來。
13你們中間誰是有智慧有見識的呢？他就當在智慧的溫柔上顯出他的善行來。
14你們心裡若懷著苦毒的嫉妒和紛爭，就不可自誇，也不可說謊話抵擋真道。
15這樣的智慧不是從上頭來的，乃是屬地的，屬情慾的，屬鬼魔的。
16在何處有嫉妒、紛爭，就在何處有擾亂和各樣的壞事。
17惟獨從上頭來的智慧，先是清潔，後是和平，溫良柔順，滿有憐憫，多結善果，沒有偏見，沒有假冒。
18並且使人和平的，是用和平所栽種的義果。
信息分享
我們要繼續來研討和睦這個話題：我們自己內心先有平安，才能夠成為一個使人和睦的人。有一位心理醫生正在給一個內心充滿衝突的人看病，這時電話響起，雖然他已經指示職員不要打擾他，但是來電還是被轉進他的診室來，他因此生氣的咒罵起來。他的行為不但失去了自己內心的平和，也失去了那個病人。因為那病人看在眼內，明白到醫生除了作口頭建議外，不能再給他甚麼切實的幫助。
事實上，當我們失去與別人相處的和平時，這往往就是我們自己內在衝突的投射。在遠東有一家教會門上刻著這麼一句話：「讓每個基督徒由自己內心開始，展開合一的工作。」你的內心就是開始的地方。正如中國的古語所說：「修身便能齊家；齊家便能平天下。」
英國有一位著名的和平運動者說自己致力推動和平，卻寫了一封尖刻的信給一位國會議員，結果那封信被報紙刊登了出來，讓他在和平的宣揚工作上蒙上了污點。社會上的人評論他說：「這個人的和平觀念需要全面的檢討，因為他言行不一。」有一位宣教士說：「神與我的關係並不和諧，我們似乎有不同的目標；也因此我和別人的關係也變得越來越困難。」當然，我們與神的關係不和諧時，跟別人也不可能和諧。
「在自己內心開展合一的工作」
進深研究
約十六25-33；路一78-79；羅八6，十四17
1.和平源自什麼？
2.為什麼我們可以鼓起勇氣？
祈禱
天父，我渴望與您建立起和諧的關系，好讓我能成為別人的榜樣。求您使我成為一個和平以及能夠給人帶來和平的人。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。
The Beatitudes
Let every Christian begin...
Bible reading:
James 3:1-18
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness.
10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
Message
We continue making the point that we cannot be peacemakers until we first find peace within ourselves. A psychiatrist was interviewing a man full of conflicts. In the middle of the interview the telephone rang, and because the receptionist had put a call through to him when he had given instructions not to be disturbed, the psychiatrist swore. He lost his peace and he lost his patient, for the patient saw that he had little to give except verbal advice.
The fact is that when we lose our peace with others, it is usually the projection of an inner conflict within ourselves. A church in the Far East has this statement engraved over the door: "Let every Christian begin the work of union within himself." This is the place to begin - within yourself. For, as the Chinese saying puts it: "He who has peace in himself has peace in the family, he who has peace in the family has peace in the world."
A prominent member of a peace movement in the British Isles who said he was dedicated to peace wrote a stinging letter to a member of the British Parliament which was published in the press. As a result, his advocacy of peace was blurred. People said: "This man's idea of peace needs an overhaul. It is simply verbal, and not vital." A missionary said: "God and I are not at peace; we seem to be at cross purposes. And my relationships with others are becoming more and more difficult." Of course - for when we are not in harmony with God, then we are not in harmony with ourselves or others.
"Begin the work of union within yourself"
Prayer
O Father, I long to become so harmonised with You that my life becomes an example of harmony to others. Make me a peaceful and peaceable person. For Jesus' sake. Amen.
Further study
John 16:25-33
Luke 1:78-79
Romans 8:6; 14:17
1. What does peace spring from?
2. Why can we take heart?
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