1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好！
2. We are delighted that you have chosen to tune in to this program.
我们很高兴你收听这个节目，
3. And we are about to conclude our series of messages entitled, “Ordinary People Who Have Prayed Extraordinary Prayers”
今天我们将要结束《平凡人非凡的祷告》这个专题系列的学习。
4. And we are going to conclude this series of messages by looking at the prayer that is found in Luke chapter 1 beginning at verse 46
我们要看路加福音1:46开始所记载的祷告。
5. Every generation has its own way to describe what’s going on in society at the time
每一个时代都有一套形容社会现象的辞汇，
6. Some words that have been used to describe conditions in the 20th century are as follows
在二十世纪时，所用的字眼有，
7. The underclass
低下阶层、
8. The privileged few
少数特权阶级、
9. The working poor
贫苦的劳动阶层、
10. Social justice
社会公道、
11. The disadvantaged
弱势群体、
12. The disenfranchised
被剥削者、
13. And of course the all too common use of the word “victimized”
还有“受害者＂，这个被过分滥用的名称。
14. These are mostly words that are designed to categorize people into groups
这类的字眼，把人分成不同的群体。
15. In academia this is called social engineering
学术界称之为社会工程学。
16. For those of us who are believers there is a big problem with these words
对于我们这些基督徒来说，这些词汇很有问题，
17. These words most often underestimate and give no consideration whatsoever to the way God operates in his universe
这些名称往往贬低了，甚至否定了神管理宇宙的方式。
18. Why?
为什么？
19. Because the unbeliever does not understand that God operates with a different set of standards
因为不信神的人不了解神使用另外一套不同的尺度；
20. Because the worldly view does not understand that God specializes in lifting up the lowly and humbling the powerful
因为世俗的观念不明白神专门提拔卑微的人，降低有权势的人。
21. There are those who teach that unless you are rich and powerful you do not matter
世界教导说，有钱有势的人才重要；
22. There are those who say that unless you have university degree you are not important
世界教导说，拥有大学学位的人才重要；
23. There are those who would say that unless your family is a prominent family, you are not important
也有人说，如果你不是出身于显赫的家族，你就微不足道。
24. But that’s not how God thinks
神却不这样想，
25. God looks at the heart and not the accomplishments
神是看内心，而不是看成就。
26. And that happened 2000 years ago
两千年前就是这样，
27. God looked down and saw a young peasant girl from Nazareth
神从天上看到一个拿撒勒的农家少女，
28. She was not related to the powerful Roman emperor
她和强盛的罗马帝国毫无关联，
29. She was not rich and famous
她没有钱、也没有名，
30. But she had something none of these people had
可是她有一些别人没有的特质，
31. She was righteous
她是正直的人。
32. 2000 years ago, a young peasant girl in Palestine
两千年前，巴勒斯坦的一个农家少女，
33. Knew what God was looking for much more than all the educated people in this century
比现代所有的饱学之士，更懂得神所看重的是什么。
34. If you really want to understand what it means to have a healthy self-image
如果你真要明白什么叫做“健康的自我形象＂，
35. Study the prayer of praise by Mary in Luke chapter 1 beginning at verse 46
请仔细地读路加福音1:46开始的，马利亚赞美神的祷辞。
36. If you really want to understand what it means to be really secure in who you are in Christ
如果你真要明白什么是在基督里的真我，
37. You need to study the prayer of Mary
你要好好的读马利亚的祷告。
38. Let’s read it
让我们一起来读。
马利亚说：我心尊主为大；
我灵以神我的救主为乐；
因为他顾念他使女的卑微；从今以后，万代要称我有福。
那有权能的，为我成就了大事；他的名为圣。
他怜悯敬畏他的人，直到世世代代。
他用膀臂施展大能；那狂傲的人正心里妄想就被他赶散了。
他叫有权柄的失位，叫卑贱的升高；
叫饥饿的得饱美食，叫富足的空手回去。
他扶助了他的仆人以色列，
为要记念亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，施怜悯直到永远，正如从前对我们列祖所说的话。
39. Mary was a very ordinary young woman
马利亚是一个非常平凡的少女，
40. And yet she prayed an extraordinary prayer
可是她的祷告一点也不平凡。
41. By our modern standards
根据我们今天的标准，
42. Mary would have been considered to be a member of the underclass
马利亚是属于低下阶层的，
43. She would have been considered disadvantaged
她也是弱势群体的一份子，
44. She would have been considered poor and disenfranchised
她算得上是贫困，被剥夺权益者，
45. And yes, she would have been considered victimized
当然，她也被看为一个受害者。
46. You might ask why
你可能会问，为什么？
47. Well try to explain to her society her teen pregnancy out of wedlock
那么请问，在她身处的社会里，怎样解释她未婚怀孕呢？
48. You talk about being victimized
你谈论作为受害者的处境，
49. Teen pregnancy out of wedlock was punishable by stoning to death
那个时代，未婚的少女怀孕，她的惩罚就是，被石头打死。
50. And the family of the girl had to throw the stones themselves
而且这少女的家人，会亲自用石头打死她。
51. But Mary’s true healthy self-image was built around her trust in God’s word through the angel Gabriel
但马利亚真实健康的自我形象，是因她相信天使加百列所传神的话语而建立起来的；
52. Her true healthy self-image was built upon her confidence in God alone
马利亚真实健康的自我形象，完全建立在她对神的信心上；
53. Her true healthy self-image was based on the promise of God in the Word of God
马利亚真实健康的自我形象，是建基于神的话和神的应许；
54. Her true healthy self-image was manifested when she did not count the cost for the sake of serving God’s purpose
马利亚真实健康的自我形象，表现在她不计代价的顺服神的旨意。
55. Because of that
正因为如此，
56. Millions of people are honored to call their daughters Mary
数以百万的人都为女儿取名马利亚，以此为荣。
57. In fact there are more than 20 variations on the name Mary
事实上马利亚这个名字，有超过二十种的叫法。
58. Mary’s family was so poor, that the poor called them poor
马利亚的家很穷，甚至穷人也嫌他们穷。
59. But they were not only materially poor
他们不但家产困乏，
60. But their neighborhood was terrible
他们居住的环境也很恶劣。
61. Their neighborhood had such a bad reputation throughout the whole country
他们居住的地区，在全国都是声名狼藉的，
62. So much so that John chapter 1 verse 46 Nathaniel said, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?
所以在约翰福音1:46，拿但业说，拿撒勒还能出什么好的吗？
63. My listening friends, what I am going to tell you next is very important
亲爱的朋友，现在我要告诉你的是很重要的，
64. People may be intimidated by the rich and the powerful
一般人对有钱有势的人有所顾忌，
65. But God only uses the humble
但是，神只用谦卑的人；
66. People may cower before the strong and the mighty
一般人在强而有力的人面前感到胆怯，
67. But God uses the weak and the desperate
但是，神使用软弱无助的人；
68. There are many people who are impressed with culture and class
很多人对有文化而优雅的人印象深刻，
69. But God blesses those who are broken hearted and contrite hearts
但是，神却赐福给伤心痛悔的人；
70. People may be eager to bow to celebrity
许多人一窝蜂地奉承知名人士，
71. But God despises the haughty and the arrogant and the proud
但是，神厌弃高傲自大的人；
72. People may worship at the shrine of materialism
人们崇拜物质主义，
73. But God is looking for the faithful and the contrite
但是，神寻找忠心而又诚心悔改的人。
74. Many artists through the years have improvised in their interpretation and imagination of Mary’s physical beauty
历代以来许多画家凭自己的想象，画出马利亚美丽的像貌，
75. But the Bible only tells us of her beauty of holiness
但圣经只告诉我们她圣洁的美；
76. The Bible tells us of the beauty of her surrender to God’s purpose regardless of the cost
圣经告诉我们，她的美在于她不计代价地顺服神至高的旨意。
77. Mary was told that despite all of her circumstances
天使告诉她，即使她身处恶劣的环境，
78. She was highly favored by the Lord
但她是深深蒙神喜悦的。
79. The virgin birth indeed is a supernatural miracle
童贞女怀孕实在是超自然的神迹，
80. For the divine Son of God could not have been born the natural way
因为神的儿子是不受自然律的限制而降生的，
81. Why?
为什么？
82. Because if he was born the normal way, he could not have been the sinless, divine Son of God
因为如果祂从自然的途径降生，祂就不可能是无罪，圣洁神的儿子；
83. And if he were not the sinless Son of God, he could not have been able to forgive the sins of all those who turn to him
如果祂不是无罪的圣子的话，祂就不能赦免那些归向祂的人的罪孽。
84. This is a historical fact
这是历史的事实，
85. This is the heart of the gospel
这是福音的中心。
86. Now let me tell you about other miracles that happen every day
现在让我告诉你，还有许多每天所发生的神迹，
87. These miracles have taken place every day in the past 2000 years
这些神迹在过去两千年来，每一天都发生；
88. These are miracles that are equal in supernatural intervention of God as the virgin birth
这些神迹和童贞女怀孕这超自然的现象同样奇妙。
89. What am I talking about?
我所讲的，
90. I’m talking about the miracle that takes place in the lives of all born again believers
就是在每一个重生得救的信徒身上，所发生的神迹。
91. The miracle of Christ being born in the hearts of repentant men and women throughout the ages ever since the resurrection of the Lord
自主耶稣复活以后，基督在认罪悔改的人心中降生，这就是神迹。
92. But the problem is this
问题是，
93. Unlike Mary
不像马利亚，
94. We do not value the miracle that has taken place in our lives
我们没有好好珍惜在我们生命中的神迹；
95. Unlike Mary
不像马利亚，
96. We take the miracle for granted
我们把这神迹等闲视之，当作理所当然；
97. Unlike Mary
不像马利亚，
98. We try to take credit for the miracle that God performed in our lives
我们把神在我们身上行的神迹，归功于自己。
99. Let me explain this
让我解释一下，
100. Because Christ is born in us, we too are highly favored
因为基督降生在我们心里，所以我们也是蒙神喜悦的；
101. Because Christ dwells in our hearts, we too are highly favored
因为基督住在我们心里，所以我们也是蒙神喜悦的；
102. Because Christ called us, he loved us, he redeemed us, we too are highly favored
因为基督呼召我们，祂爱我们，拯救我们，所以我们也是蒙神喜悦的。
103. And the reason why every born again Christian must have a healthy self-image
每个重生得救的基督徒，都应该有一个健康的自我形象，
104. Is because he or she is highly favored
因为我们是蒙神的喜悦的。
105. How do we express this?
我们怎样表现出健康的自我形象？
106. The way Mary expressed it
就像马利亚所表达的，
107. She said
她说，
108. My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
我心尊主为大，我灵以神我的救主为乐。
109. Now the soul is the seat of our will and all of our emotions
“心＂就是我们的意志和情感之所在，
110. When you will in your heart and your mind to magnify the Lord
当你存心立志尊主为大，
111. When you purpose in your heart that all of your life’s focus is the bring glory to the name of the Lord
当你定意在你生命中，凡事都荣耀神，
112. Then you are going to find it easy to be a joyful Christian
那么，你就会成为一个喜乐的基督徒。
113. Do you know why some Christians look sad and miserable
你知道为什么有些基督徒面带愁容？
114. It is because their life’s purpose is something other than magnifying the name of the Lord
那是因为他们生命的目标，不是荣耀神的名。
115. The reason some Christians look like they are dower and miserable
为什么有些基督徒整天愁眉苦脸的？
116. Is because their life’s focus is something besides the glory of the Lord
那是因为他们生命的重点，不是将荣耀归给神。
117. A joyful Christian is a Christian whose deepest concern is the glory of God
一个喜乐的基督徒，他最关切的就是要荣耀神的名。
118. Whether you are a housewife or a student
不论你是家庭主妇或是学生；
119. Whether you are an engineer or a doctor or a businessman
不论你是工程师、医生或是商人；
120. Whether you are a lawyer or whatever your profession may be
不论你是律师或是从事其他专业的，
121. If God’s name, God’s glory, and God’s purpose is first and foremost in your heart
如果神的名、神的荣耀和神的旨意成为你心中最重要的事，
122. You will be a joyful Christian
你就是一个喜乐的基督徒。
123. This is a disposition that is valuable to every Christian
这是对每个基督徒都很宝贵的一种气质，
124. This is a disposition that is available to every Christian
这是每个基督徒都能拥有的一种气质，
125. Rich or poor
不论贫穷或富有，
126. Men or women
男人或女人，
127. Young or old
年轻或年长的，
128. Because they all have one thing in common
因为他们具备同样的气质，
129. They are highly favored by the Lord
他们都是大大蒙神喜悦的，
130. To magnify the Lord is the secret to your spiritual rejoicing
尊主为大就是灵里喜乐的秘诀。
131. Imagine if something like this had happened to you what your reaction would be
想象一下，如果马利亚的遭遇发生在你身上，你会怎样反应？
132. Oh, boy, how am I going to explain this to Joseph
怎么办，我该如何跟约瑟解释？
133. Oh boy, how am I going to explain this to the village people in Nazareth
怎么办，我怎么跟拿撒勒的村民解释？
134. Oh Lord, I am not ready for this
神阿，我还没有准备好！
135. Oh Lord, how am I going to provide for this baby
神阿，我怎么养育这孩子呢？
136. And then later on, when we cannot do anything about it we might say, well, God might have a purpose in this
然后，当我们什么都做不了时，我们可能会说，神有祂自己的旨意吧！
137. But that was not Mary’s reaction
然而，马利亚不是这样回应的。
138. We think of all the problems first, then we give in
我们先考虑所有的困难，不得已才顺服。
139. She could have thought of all the problems like we do
马利亚也可以忧虑所有的问题，就像我们一样，
140. But instead she magnified the name of the Lord
但是她没有，她尊主的名为大。
141. Secondly, healthy self-image always points to the mercy and the grace of God
第二，健康的自我形象，常常指向神的恩典和慈爱。
142. Listen to what she said
请听马利亚所说的，
143. For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden
因为祂顾念祂使女的卑微。
144. This is the Bible from cover to cover
圣经从头到尾都这么说，
145. What is it
说什么？
146. That God honors the humble and he detests the haughty
神高举谦卑的人，却厌恶骄傲的人；
147. That God lifts up those who put him first in their lives
神提升那些以祂为首的人，
148. And he puts down the self-promoters
祂贬低自我吹擂的人；
149. That God never rejects the contrite hearted
神决不会拒绝悔改的心，
150. But he does reject the arrogant
但祂拒绝傲慢的心。
151. Mary was conscious of the fact that she was the recipient of the grace of God
马利亚确实知道神的恩典临到她身上，
152. And nobody can deflate that
没有人能贬低这件事实。
153. Jesus said
耶稣说，
154. Blessed are the poor in spirit
虚心的人有福了。
155. Who are the poor in spirit?
谁是虚心的人？
156. They are the ones who genuinely say to God
就是那些真心真意对神说，
157. God, without you, I am nothing
神阿，除你以外，我一无所有；
158. God, without you, I would have accomplished nothing
神阿，离开你，我什么都做不到；
159. God, I owe you everything
神阿，我的一切都是你的。
160. Healthy self-image always magnifies the Lord
健康的自我形象，就是常常尊主为大；
161. Healthy self-image always points to the grace and mercy of God
健康的自我形象，常是指向神的恩典和慈爱的。
162. Thirdly
第三，
163. Healthy self-image always recognizes the faithfulness of God
健康的自我形象，就是认定神的信实。
164. In Mary’s prayer she remembered that throughout history God has been faithful to his promises
在马利亚的祷告里，她记得神在历史中一向持守承诺，
165. He promised Abraham that he would deliver his descendants from slavery of Egypt
神曾经应允亚伯拉罕，会把他的后裔从埃及为奴之地拯救出来，
166. And he did
神做到了。
167. He promised Moses that he would get the people out into the promised land
神应允摩西，他将带领以色列人进入应许之地，
168. And he did
祂也做到了。
169. He promised the Israelites protection from their enemies
神应允以色列人要保护他们，免受敌人的侵害，
170. And he did
祂也做到了。
171. Hundreds of times
有几百次，
172. He told them if they would be obedient to the covenant that he would bless them
神告诉他们，如果他们遵守所立的约，神就会赐福他们；
173. And every time they were obedient, God did
每次他们顺服神，神就赐福给他们。
174. And here Mary points out God faithfulness in always keeping his promises
马利亚指出神的信实，在于祂持守祂的应许。
175. Look at verse 51
请看路1:51，
176. He showed strength to the humble and scattered the proud
祂用膀臂施展大能，那狂傲的人，正心里妄想，就被祂赶散了；
177. Verse 52
路1:52，
178. He put down the mighty
祂叫有权柄的失位，叫卑贱的升高；
179. Verse 53
路1:53，
180. He fed his people in the wilderness with Pharaoh’s army’s drowning
叫饥饿的得饱美食，叫富足的空手回去；
181. In verse 54
路1:54，
182. In his mercy he kept on loving Israel even when they did not love him back
祂扶助了祂的仆人以色列；
183. In verse 55 he spoke to Abraham and told him that through his seed a Messiah would come
路1:55，为要记念亚伯拉罕和他的后裔，施怜悯直到永远，正如从前对我们所说的话。
184. And 2000 years later, Mary was privileged to carry him
过了两千年，马利亚蒙神恩宠，从圣灵怀了亚伯拉罕的后裔，也就是弥赛亚救世主。
185. God is faithful and he will always keep his promises
神是信实的，祂总是持守祂的应许，
186. But the question is this
但问题是，
187. Are you willing to trust him?
你愿意信靠祂吗？
188. Are you willing to fully obey him?
你愿意完全顺服祂吗？
189. Are you willing to give him the control over your life?
你愿意让祂掌管你的生命吗？
190. Are you willing to place his glory, his name, his kingdom, his work, his rule in your life?
你愿意祂的荣耀、祂的尊名、祂的国度、祂的事工、祂的权柄进入你的生命吗？
191. First and foremost
最重要的是，
192. Your answer to these questions will determine not only the state of your joy
你的回答不但关乎你是否能获得喜乐，
193. But also whether you will accomplish anything for God or not
也决定你能否为神成就大事。
194. Let me summarize those three points as I conclude
在我结束时，让我再指出这三个重点：
195. Healthy self-image always magnifies the Lord
健康的自我形象，就是常常尊主为大；
196. Healthy self-image always points to God’s grace and mercy
健康的自我形象，常是指向神的恩典和慈爱的；
197. Healthy self-image always trusts in God’s faithfulness
健康的自我形象，就是认定神的信实。
198. I hope that you have now beginning to develop a healthy self-image.
我希望你现在就开始建立一个健康的自我形象，
199. Until we meet again, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大的赐福给你，下次节目再会。
