1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. It is a great encouragement for us to know that you are tuned in to this broadcast;
你能再次收听这个节目，带给我们很大的鼓舞。
3. and it is our hope that you would write to us and tell us how this broadcast is helping you.
盼望你能够来信，告诉我们收听这个节目的收获。
4. Now, this is the second broadcast in a series of messages we call, “Biblical Compassion.”
今天是“上帝的怜悯”这个系列的第二次播出。
5. If you are joining us for the first time, we are looking at the Book of Jonah.
如果你是第一次收听这个节目，我们正在查考圣经中的“约拿书”。
6. In our last broadcast, we learned that Jonah did not like hearing God’s command to go to Nineveh;
上次，我们讲到了，约拿不喜欢神派他去尼尼微大城的命令。
7. and we learned that this was not the first time that Jonah had heard the voice of God.
我们也讲到了，其实，这并不是约拿第一次听到神的声音。
8. Jonah liked the first task that God set before him in II Kings 14.
约拿很喜欢在列王记下14章那里所记载的，神吩咐他的第一个任务。
9. Jonah was happy to tell the people that they are going to receive blessings from God in spite of their wickedness.
约拿很乐意把神赐给以色列人的福传达给他们，尽管他们不遵行神的话语。
10. Why would God do that?
神为什么要那样做呢？
11. Because of the Lord’s compassion.
因为神怜悯他们。
12. Because God wanted His mercy to lead them to repentance.
因为神要借着怜悯，带领他们悔改。
13. God will bless you despite your sin in order to lead you to repentance.
虽然我们犯罪，神仍然赐福，为了要让我们悔改。
14. God desires that His kindness, compassion, mercy and grace might compel you to repentance.
神盼望借着祂的仁慈、怜悯、宽恕和恩典可以促使我们回转。
15. God is blessing you, today.
今天，神正在赐福给你。
16. The very fact that you are alive today means that God is blessing you today;
你今天之所以活着，是神所赐的福分；
17. and God wants to see if this blessing will compel you to repentance, or, propel you to greed.
神要看看，究竟祂的忍耐是促使你回转，还是让你更加放纵。
18. Now, Jonah was delighted to preach about God’s grace to God’s people.
约拿愿意把神的恩典传讲给神的子民听。
19. He knew that he would be popular;
因为，他知道这种信息是受欢迎的；
20. so, you can imagine his initial excitement when the Word of the Lord was coming to him again.
因此，当神的话语再次临到他的时候，他一定很开心。
21. Jonah could sense it.
他意识到了。
22. Jonah could feel it.
他感觉到了。
23. He knew that the Lord was about to speak to him again.
他明白，神要再次和他说话。
24. Jonah probably thought it was going to be more good news to deliver to the people of God.
也许，约拿正等着要从神那里听到比先前更好的消息呢。
25. You would think that the goodness of God should have led the people to repentance;
可能你认为，神的良善就是要带领祂的百姓悔改；
26. but, instead, their blessings made them more greedy and more selfish and more self-absorbed;
可是，他们却把神的宽容变成自我中心、放纵情欲的机会；
27. and the consequences of the people’s sin was the Babylonian invasion.
以至于造成巴比伦人入侵的可怕后果。
28. The horror of that invasion is in the Scripture.
当时，那可怕的情景都记在圣经里面。
29. You can read it.
你可以在圣经里读到这些场面。
30. God is patient, and He will wait;
神忍耐等候；
31. but He will not wait forever.
但是，祂不会永远等下去。
32. The Word of the Lord was coming to Jonah again;
因此，神的话语再次临到了约拿；
33. but Jonah’s excitement soon disappeared.
然而，约拿很快就失望了。
34. You can imagine the let-down that Jonah must have felt when he heard the Lord say to him,
可想而知，当约拿听到神对他所说的话以后，他是多么的泄气。
35. in Jonah, Chapter 1, verse 2,
约拿书1章2节，神对约拿说，
36. “Jonah, pack your bags and take the first boat to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.
“你起来往尼尼微大城，就是亚述帝国的首都，
37. You must preach repentance because it’s wickedness has come up to me...”
向其中的居民呼喊，要他们悔改，因为他们的恶达到我面前。”
38. and, all of a sudden, Jonah develops a hearing problem.
突然间，约拿的听力似乎出了点问题。
39. “What did you say, Lord?
“主啊，你说什么？
40. What is this all about?
什么意思？
41. Did I hear you right?
我是不是听错了？
42. What is this all about?
这，到底是怎么一回事？
43. I have never been out of my town -- let alone, out of the country!
我可从来都没有离开过我的家乡，更别说离开我的国家啦！
44. Do you mean I’m going to get a passport and get through customs and immigration and go to the big, bad city?
你是要我拎起护照，穿过海关，到一个又大又充满罪恶的城市去吗？
45. God, let me remind You. We are Your people.
神哪，别忘了，我们可是属于你的子民呀。
46. We are the only ones who should receive all of Your blessing.
我们，才是理所当然应该蒙你赐福的一群人呀。
47. We are the only ones favored by You.
我们，才应该得到你的恩宠呀。
48. Why do the Assyrians have to repent?
难道这些亚述人也可以悔改吗？
49. Why don’t You just burn them, like You did with Sodom?
为什么不干脆一把火烧了他们，就像你从前对待所多玛人那样呢？
50. Why don’t You flood them, like You did in the days of Noah?”
为什么不让洪水把他们淹死算了，就像在挪亚的日子一样呢？”
51. My listening friends, you are not to be blamed, if you feel sorry for Jonah,
我亲爱的朋友，假如你为约拿感到难过，没有人会责怪你的，
52. or think that he was apprehensive about preaching in a big, wicked city like Nineveh.
假如你觉得约拿为了要向尼尼微那样邪恶的大城市传道而担忧害怕，
53. You are not to be blamed, if you are sympathetic with Jonah,
假如你同情约拿的话，没有人会责备你的，
54. because of his reluctance or fear of ridicule.
因为你理解约拿是不愿意或者害怕被别人嘲笑才这样做的。
55. After all, you are in the same predicament.
毕竟，你和他都处在同样的困境中。
56. You don’t want to witness to your co-worker or your neighbor for the same reasons;
你之所以不肯对你的同事、邻居传福音，也是基于同样的理由；
57. but, guess what?
然而，你知道吗？
58. That was not Jonah’s problem.
这其实不是约拿的问题。
59. Let me tell you something that is very important.
我来告诉你一件非常重要的事。
60. If fear is holding you back from testifying to your Savior, then, shame on you.
假如你因为害怕而不敢在人面前为主作见证，那才是最大的耻辱。
61. Pray that God will give you boldness and courage, and He will.
你需要向神祈求为祂作见证的勇气和胆量，神一定会赏赐给你的。
62. There are also some that have thought that Jonah was afraid that he would prophecy and speak against Nineveh,
有些人以为，约拿不敢对尼尼微人预报恶讯，
63. and his prophecy would not come to pass;
因为他怕他所讲的不会实现；
64. and Jonah did not want to look foolish;
约拿不希望别人当他是傻瓜；
65. but that is not true, either.
这也是不正确的想法。
66. Here are the facts.
事实上，
67. Jonah was no doubter.
约拿毫无怀疑，
68. Jonah knew the voice of God.
约拿熟悉神的声音。
69. He knew God to be the God Who keeps His word.
他明白，神是信守诺言的主。
70. Jonah knew God to be a God of mercy;
他也知道神是充满怜悯的神；
71. therefore, the reason why Jonah did not want to go
因此，约拿不愿意去的原因，
72. was because he knew that God was going to have mercy on the Assyrians.
是因为他明白，神要对亚述人施行怜悯。
73. Jonah knew that God would forgive them, if they repented,
约拿明白，如果他们愿意悔改的话，神就要赦免他们，
74. and he did not like this one bit.
这是他最不愿意看到的事。
75. Can you imagine witnessing to your neighbor whose son is beating your child?
假如你邻居的孩子曾经欺负过你的孩子，你还愿意把福音传给他吗？
76. Can you imagine witnessing to your shopkeeper who cheated you?
假如商店的老板曾经欺骗过你，你还打算给他传福音吗？
77. Can you imagine witnessing to your co-worker who just stopped you from getting that promotion that was rightly yours?
假如你的同事曾从中作梗，使你失去了升迁的机会，你还想给他传福音吗？
78. Can you imagine witnessing to someone who had just insulted you and called you bad names?
假如有人刚刚辱骂过你，你还打算传福音给他吗？
79. No, Jonah’s attitude was this:
绝不会的，约拿的态度就是：
80. “I would rather be punished before I preach to my enemies.
“我宁愿受到惩罚，也不愿意把福音传给我的仇敌。
81. I do not want these hateful people to be saved and go to Heaven.”
我不想看到这些可恶的家伙得蒙拯救而进入永生。”
82. It is easy to pray for the salvation of your family members.
为家人得救祷告并不困难。
83. It is easy to pray for your friends and loved ones.
为朋友或你所爱的人祷告也没问题。
84. It is not often easy to pray, let alone reach out to, those who hate you.
可是，对那些恨你的人来说，为他们祷告已经很不容易了，更不用说向他们传福音了。
85. Now, let’s look at what Jonah actually did in verse 3 of Chapter 1.
现在，我们来看看约拿在1章3节那里，作了些什么。
86. "But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD."
“约拿却起来，逃往他施去躲避耶和华。下到约帕，遇见一只船要往他施去。他就给了船价，上了船，要与船上的人同往他施去躲避耶和华。”
87. My listening friends, listen carefully to what I am going to tell you.
亲爱的朋友，请仔细听我说。
88. I feel sorry for anyone who can sufficiently fool himself into thinking that he can flee from the face of God.
有些人欺骗自己，以为可以逃避神的面，我为这些人感到难过。
89. I pity that person.
我甚至可怜他们。
90. I genuinely feel sorry for the person who is indifferent to the love of God that was poured out to him on the cross of Calvary.
竟然有人把主在加略山上流出的宝血当作平常，我真的感到很难过。
91. I genuinely feel sorry for the person who is living his life or her life in the neutral position;
有些人认为自己可以活在一个中立的地位上，我为他们感到害怕；
92. but I can also testify to the fact that disobedience can fool believers into thinking that we can flee.
不过，我可以证实一点，那就是，悖逆神的结果，真的会让我们自以为可以逃避神的面。
93. I have seen it happen over and over again.
这种事经常在我们身边发生。
94. Someone once said,
有人曾经说过：
95. "When you flee from the face of God, you pay the full fare.
“如果你想要逃避神的面，你就得付上全额的旅费。
96. You never complete the journey
你既走不到旅途的目的地，
97. and you never get a refund;
也得不到旅费的退款；
98. but, when you travel with the will of God,
但是，当你按照神的旨意而行时，
99. God pays the full price.
神要为你付清全程的费用。
100. You will always complete the journey."
你永远都能够抵达你的目的地。”
101. Poor Jonah.
可怜的约拿，
102. God told him to go east,
神要他往东边走，
103. and he got on a boat that was going west.
他却搭上了往西边行驶的船。
104. He was going as far west as he could go in those days.
他想远远地躲避神的面，有多远走多远。
105. He was going all the way to Spain.
他想一直逃到西班牙去。
106. Jonah was determined to go to the farthest city away from where God told him to go.
约拿决定朝相反的方向，逃到最远的一座城市去躲避神。
107. Foolish Jonah! He thought that no one is the wiser.
愚蠢的约拿！他自以为很聪明。
108. “Who will know? It’s my secret sin.
“有谁会知道呢？这是我暗地里的罪。
109. Who will know? It’s my secret thought.
谁会知道呢？这是我心底的意念。
110. Who will know? It’s my secret rebellion.
谁会知道呢？这是我秘密的叛逆。
111. Who will know? It is my secret flight from God.
谁会知道呢？我只不过是暗暗地逃离神的面。
112. Who will know? It is my secret adventure.
有谁会知道呢？这是我私自的冒险行为。
113. Who will know? It is my secret habit.
谁会知道呢？这是我隐藏的习性。
114. Who will know? It is my secret disobedience.”
有谁知道呢？这是我私底下的不顺服。”
115. Now, there is one problem with this logic.
但有一个问题存在，
116. God knows.
这一切，神都知道。
117. God is the One Who really matters,
神才是最关键的，
118. and God is the One to be reckoned with.
有一天，我们都要向神交账的。
119. Jonah went his own way.
约拿一意孤行。
120. Jonah paid his own fair.
所以，约拿必须付出代价。
121. Jonah never finished the journey,
约拿根本到不了他旅途的终点，
122. and Jonah got nothing but heartache;
除了悲哀，约拿一无所获；
123. but, remember, when you go the Lord’s way,
但是，要记住，当你顺服神的时候，
124. you will always get to where you are going,
你一定会马到成功，
125. and God pays the fair.
神也会帮你付旅费。
126. Let me repeat the question with which I began this series of broadcasts.
现在，我要再问上次提过的问题。
127. The question that you must always ask yourself is this:
这个问题，你必须要不断地问自己：
128. “Am I traveling with the will of God,
“我是按照神的心意来完成人生的旅途呢，
129. or, am I traveling against the will of God?”
还是违背神的心意呢？”
130. After experiencing the pain of traveling against the will of God,
经历过违背神心意所带来的伤痛之后，
131. you might try praying this simple prayer:
你要学会这样祷告：
132. “Lord,
“主啊，
133. I give You permission to make me travel with Your will,
我愿意按照你的心意来走我人生的旅途，
134. even if You have to drag me kicking and screaming.
纵使有时我又哭又闹，你总会把我拉回正路上来。
135. Amen.
阿们。
136. Now, I am not talking about making mistakes and errors in judgment.
听着，我并不是说你在判断上的错误，
137. I am talking about being, personally, at the very center of the will of God.
我的意思是说，你必须以神的心为心。
138. I can truthfully testify to you on this.
我诚心地向你做见证。
139. There is unspeakable joy in the journey when you are traveling with God’s will.
假如你按照神的心意行事为人，你一定会充满无法言喻的喜乐平安。
140. Oh, it does not mean that you will not have any difficulties.
然而，并不意味着你会一帆风顺。
141. It does not mean that you will have no pain;
也不是说，你不会遇到任何伤痛；
142. but I am talking about joy -- unspeakable joy.
我乃是说，你会有喜乐──不可言喻的喜乐。
143. I want you, please, to join us in our next broadcast as we find out what consequences Jonah must face when he disobeys the Lord.
在下次节目中，我们要讲约拿因着背逆神而遭遇到的后果，盼望您到时候收听。
144. Until then, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
好，下次节目再见，愿神大大地赐福给你。
