SECTION A
甲部
1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. From time to time, people would say to me that there are some words that Jesus said that are very hard to understand;
常常有人对我说，耶稣所说的话中，有些话很难明白；
3. and that is why, today, I want to deal with one of those hard words.
所以，今天我要专门来讲其中一段难明白的话。
4. One of these statements that seem to puzzle a lot of people is in Matthew, Chapter 10, verses 34 to 36;
比如说，马太福音10:34-36的这段经文，就似乎让许多人大惑不解。
5. so let’s read that passage together.
我们一起来读。
6. To understand these verses, we also need to understand the verse that precedes them.
为了明白经文的意思，我们需要先理解这段经文之前的一段。
7. Listen to Matthew 10:32.
请听马太福音10:32。
8. “Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in Heaven,
“凡在人面前认我的，我在我天上的父面前也必认他。
9. but whosoever disowns Me before man, I will disown him before My Father in Heaven.”
凡在人面前不认我的，我在我天上的父面前，也必不认他。”
10. What does it mean to “acknowledge” Jesus before men?
耶稣所说的“在人面前认我”是什么意思呢？
11. It is not just saying, “I am a follower of Jesus.”
并不是仅仅说：“我是跟随耶稣的。”就了事了。
12. It means far more than that.
它的含义远远超出了这个范围。
13. It is more than just recognizing some truth about Jesus and agreeing with it.
它不仅仅是承认，并同意某些跟耶稣有关的真理。
14. Acknowledging Jesus publicly means that I am not embarrassed to confess that Christ is my Lord and Savior,
公开承认耶稣的意思就是，我不以认基督为我的主和救赎主为羞耻。
15. even at the risk of ridicule,
即使被别人嘲笑，
16. even at the risk of financial loss,
即使遭受金钱上的损失，
17. even at the risk of physical injury;
甚至遭受身体上的伤害，也在所不辞；
18. but does that mean that, if a believer lapses in faithfulness and becomes ashamed of Christ at some point, it is the unforgivable sin?
然而，这是不是表明，当一个基督徒因着一时胆怯而信心软弱，不敢承认主名，就犯下了不可饶恕的罪过呢？
19. No.
不是的。
20. Peter denied Christ three times;
彼得虽然三次否认过主；
21. but, when he repented, he was forgiven and restored.
但当他悔改以后，就得蒙饶恕而重被建立。
22. Timothy, who was a leader in the church, became afraid about openly and boldly proclaiming the Gospel;
提摩太作为教会的领袖，曾经因害怕而不敢公开地放胆传讲福音。
23. and so Paul wrote to him the following words, in 2 Timothy 1:8:
因此，保罗在提摩太后书1:8给他写信，说：
24. “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord…”
“你不要以给我们的主作见证为耻……”
25. but there is a world of difference in lapsing and continually being embarrassed about your faith.
但是，“一时的软弱跌倒”和“向来都以承认主名为耻”有着根本的区别。
26. God always forgives lapsing people.
神对那些软弱跌倒的信徒总是有赦罪之恩的。
27. God is always ready to restore lapsers;
神乐意重新建立那些因信心软弱而跌倒的人；
28. and that is why Jesus warns us that He did not come to bring peace on earth.
所以，耶稣提醒我们说，祂来不是要叫世界太平。
29. What does He mean by that?
祂说这话是什么意思呢？
30. Simply put, not everyone will accept Christ,
简单地说，不是每一个人都愿意归顺基督，
31. and that will create a problem for believers in Christ.
这就使许多基督徒感到困惑了。
32. Some may say, “But did not the angels say at Jesus’ birth, ‘Peace on earth and goodwill toward men?’
也许有人说：“在耶稣降生的时候，天使不是高唱着‘在地上平安归与祂所喜悦的人’ 吗？”
33. Did not Isaiah prophesy about Jesus and call Him the ‘Prince of Peace?’
以赛亚不也曾经预言，称耶稣是“和平之君” 吗？”
34. Did not Jesus say to His Disciples, in John 14:27, ‘Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.
耶稣在约翰福音14:27里也曾经应许祂的门徒说：“我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。
35. I do not give to you as the world gives.
我所赐的不像世人所赐的，
36. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’
你们心里不要忧愁，也不要胆怯。’
37. Did not Jesus Himself say, ‘I have told you these things so that in Me you will have peace…?’
耶稣不是也亲口说过：‘我将这些事告诉你们，是要叫你们在我里面有平安吗？”
38. Don’t we witness to family members, neighbors and friends about peace that God gives?
我们不是要对我们的家人、邻舍和朋友证明，神的平安临到了我们吗？
39. Don’t we tell them that, when they come to Christ, He gives them peace that passes all comprehension?
我们不是告诉他们说，假如他们愿意跟随基督的话，神就会将出人意外的平安赐给他们吗？
40. Don’t millions of Christians testify that the Gospel of Jesus Christ brought them inner peace that cannot even be explained?”
成千上万的基督徒不是用事实证明，耶稣基督的福音带给他们内心那难以言喻的平安吗？
41. So what’s happening here?
那么，这到底是怎么回事呢？
42. What did Jesus mean by saying, “I did not come to bring you peace, but a sword?”
耶稣在这里所说的：“我来并不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上动刀兵”到底是什么意思 呢？
43. Some people may misunderstand these words of Jesus.
有些人可能会误解耶稣的意思。
44. Some people may say, “If that is the case, I don’t want to be a Christian.
有些人也许会说：“假如真是这样的话，我宁可不做基督徒。
45. The world is full of swords and I am looking for peace in my life.
这个世界，已经够多战争了，我一直都在寻找和平。
46. The world is full of anger and hatred, but I want to live in peace.”
这个世界，愤怒和仇恨比比皆是，我只想寻求一个宁静的港湾。”
47. So many people are weary of the stresses and the demands of life and are searching for peace.
许多人都厌倦了生活带来的压力和挑战，一心寻找世外桃源。
48. Just about everyone is seeking for that inner peace;
就像许多人正在寻找内心的平安一样；
49. so, once again, what does Jesus mean when He said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword?”
因此，我再问一次，耶稣所说的：“我来并不是叫地上太平，乃是叫地上动刀兵”到底是什么意思呢？
50. Oh, my listening friend, if you look at these words of Jesus on the surface,
我亲爱的朋友，假如你只注意到这句话表面的意思，
51. you have to conclude that this is the worst advertising of all times.
你必然认为，这是有史以来最糟糕的广告词了。
52. If you look at these words of Jesus on a superficial level,
如果你只是很肤浅的了解耶稣这句话，
53. you have to conclude that Jesus was not trying to get people to follow Him;
你就会觉得，耶稣并不打算要人跟随祂作祂的门徒；
54. but the truth, my listening friend, is this:
但我亲爱的朋友，事实却是：
55. these words of Jesus have nothing to do with inner peace.
耶稣在这里所说的这些话，并不涉及内心平安的问题。
56. These words of Jesus have nothing to do with the peace and the joy that only Jesus can give you;
耶稣所说的话与祂要赐给你的平安与喜乐毫无关系；
57. so, what do they mean?
那么，这话究竟是什么意思呢？
58. First, you have to understand that Jesus was not speaking about the inner peace that only He can give.
首先，你要知道，耶稣在这里并不是谈论那唯有祂才能赐与的内心平安。
59. Jesus was speaking to the Disciples, who had come to know inner peace because they had met and followed Jesus;
耶稣在这里是跟已经作祂门徒，并因信祂，已经有了内心平安的那些人说的。
60. and, therefore, they understood that He was not speaking of the inner peace that only He could give;
因此他们明白，耶稣所说的，不是指那唯有祂才能赐与的内心平安；
61. and, so, what is Jesus speaking about?
那么，耶稣谈论的是什么呢？
62. Jesus was preparing them to understand that the very Gospel of peace that brought peace between the Holy God and a sinful people,
耶稣是要他们明白，这个在圣洁的神和有罪的人之间缔造和平的福音，
63. the very Gospel of peace that brought them inner assurance of forgiveness and joy,
这个和平福音能为他们带来得救的确据和赦罪的喜乐，
64. the very Gospel of peace that made peace between two former enemies and made them brothers and sisters,
只有这和平的福音，才能让人化干戈为玉帛，成为主内亲爱的弟兄姐妹。
65. that very Gospel of peace will be rejected by others;
但这平安的福音会被某些人拒绝；
66. and those who reject the Gospel of peace will also reject those who believe that Gospel;
那些不接受平安福音的人，就会排斥相信这福音的人；
67. and the rejection of the Gospel of peace by some will bring conflict between them and those who have accepted It,
所以，在拒绝和接受福音的人之间就产生了矛盾和冲突，
68. even and especially between family members.
就算在自己家里，也不例外。
69. How does this work?
冲突表现在哪些方面呢？
70. Those who reject Jesus will reject those who have accepted Jesus;
就是：拒绝耶稣的人，要抵挡信从耶稣的人；
71. and that, in itself, will cause disturbance.
这本身就引起争端和分歧。
72. Those who reject the claims of Jesus -- that He is the only way to Heaven–
那些拒绝耶稣是唯一道路的人，
73. will view those who accept His truth as arrogant;
就会觉得接受耶稣的人太过自大；
74. and that will disturb the peace with them.
从而引起不和睦。
75. Those who are too prideful to acknowledge that only Jesus can save them,
那些自以为，没有耶稣照样可以得救的人，
76. they will reject those who do accept Christ’s salvation;
他们会抵挡接受耶稣救恩的人；
77. and that will disturb our peace with them.
这就会破坏他们之间的和平。
78. In other words, believers and non-believers will be in opposition;
换句话说，信徒和非信徒其实是站在对立面上；
79. and the closer non-believers are to us, the more likely we are to feel the loss of our peace.
我们越与那些抗拒耶稣的人接近，我们就越感到失去平安。
80. When members of our family are not believers, they may mock us.
如果我们的家人不信耶稣，他们也许会嘲笑我们。
81. They may alienate us.
他们也许会疏远我们。
82. Imagine if that person was your father or mother.
设想一下，假如这个人是你的父亲或母亲。
83. Imagine if that person is your husband or wife.
或是你的先生或太太。
84. Imagine if that person is your son or daughter.
或是你的儿子或女儿。
85. I want you to imagine if you had to live with this person every single day.
而你每天都必须和他住在一起。
86. Imagine if you had to have difficult conversation with that person every single day.
很可能每天你跟他交谈都会有麻烦。
87. Now, imagine if this were somebody who is dear and near to you.
假如这个人是你生活中很亲密的人。
88. I can’t imagine what my life would be like under these circumstances,
我不敢想象，如果是我在这种环境中生活会是个什么样子，
89. life with constant discord about my faith,
为了信仰，生活中一定充满了不和谐，
90. and with constant anger, and constant snickering and bickering, and constant needling.
充满愤怒、耻笑、口角和讽刺挖苦。
91. Now, my listening friend, remember that Jesus has already given the believers inner peace,
亲爱的朋友，要知道，耶稣已经把内心的平安赐给了属祂的人，
92. and no one can take that away from them;
这种平安无人可以夺去；
93. and this kind of sword of separation between those who believe and those who don’t is what Jesus is talking about.
耶稣在这里所说的“动刀兵”就是这种因信仰而引起的分离之争。
94. This separation between believers and non- believers creates outward loss of peace.
这种因信仰的分歧而引起的疏离就产生了外面的争战。
95. In 1 Corinthians 7, the Apostle Paul says
在哥林多前书7章，使徒保罗说，
96. that the believing spouse should live with the unbelieving spouse;
信主的配偶要按情理和不信主的配偶同住；
97. but, if the unbelieving spouse refuses to live with the believing spouse,
但是，假如不信主的配偶拒绝和信主的配偶同住的话，
98. don’t force him or her.
就不要勉强他们。
99. Why?
为什么呢？
SECTION B
乙部
1. First Corinthians 7:15 says for the sake of the believer’s peace;
哥林多前书7:15告诉我们，这样做是为了信主之人的平安；
2. and so, when Jesus speaks of His coming “not to bring peace,”
因此，当耶稣谈到祂来“不是叫地上太平”这句话，
3. it is a Semitic way of expressing what is going to be done to the believer by those who reject the peace of Christ,
这是希伯来人的一种表达方式，说明那些拒绝基督之平安的人将要对信主之人所做的。
4. that they will cause them to temporarily lose their peace;
以致于他们暂时失去和睦；
5. that they will cause them to temporarily lose their joy;
暂时失去欢笑；
6. that they will temporarily lose their serenity;
暂时失去平静；
7. so, the question, my listening friend, is what should we do in the face of family opposition?
因此，我亲爱的朋友，假如我们处在家人反对的情况下，应该怎么办呢？
8. Should we hide from those family members who reject Christ?
是不是离开他们，躲得远远的？
9. Not really.
没有这个必要。
10. Just because the sword divides,
就算是有分歧，
11. and just because the sword cuts,
就算是彼此不合，
12. it does not mean that we walk away from the unbelieving family member, friend or neighbor.
也并不意味着我们一定要躲开我们不信的家人、朋友或是邻舍。
13. We are to keep on loving them.
我们还是要爱他们。
14. We are to keep on praying for them.
我们要为他们不断的祷告。
15. We are to keep on serving them.
我们还要继续地服事他们。
16. We are to keep on ministering to them.
我们还要继续向他们传福音。
17. We are to keep on reaching out to them.
我们还要继续和他们有来往。
18. The Apostle Paul said that the unbelieving spouse or family member is sanctified in the believing spouse or family member.
使徒保罗告诉我们说，不信的配偶就因着信主的配偶而成为圣洁。
19. What does that mean?
什么意思呢？
20. It means that, somehow, when God brings to Himself one member of the family,
就是说，当神在一个家庭里带领某个人归向祂以后，
21. He has a plan for that whole family,
神对这个家庭就有了一个拯救的计划，
22. and so, my listening friend, if God has placed someone in your heart to pray for, fervently and consistently,
所以，我亲爱的朋友，假如你心中一直在为某人迫切祷告，
23. it’s an indication that God has a plan for that person,
那就表明，神在这个人身上有祂的计划，
24. and your prayer for that person is part of God’s plan.
你的祷告也成为神计划中的一部分。
25. In humility, therefore, we love everyone, even those who hate us;
所以，我们应当以谦卑的心来爱每一个人，包括那些恨我们的人；
26. and the cost of the disturbance of our peace is nothing in comparison to the joy of seeing that person come to Christ.
要知道，看见一个人归向基督所带给我们的喜乐要远远大于因意见分歧所付出的代价。
27. There may be someone listening to us today who would say,
也许有的听众朋友会说，
28. “I have seen that inner peace in my friend or co-worker.
“我发现，我朋友心中是何等的平安，
29. I have watched how Christian friends so lovingly reach out to me,
我也看到，基督徒朋友对我是何等的有爱心，
30. and I don’t know why they love me.”
我不明白，他们为什么要爱我呢。”
31. They love you because of the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives,
他们爱你，是因为主耶稣基督住在他们生命当中；
32. and they want you to have that inner peace in your life.
他们愿意你也得到这种内心的平安。
33. God wants you to have that inner peace in your life today.
神今天就要你得到这种平安的生命。
34. Will you open your heart to Him?
你愿意打开你的心吗？
35. Will you receive His peace that passes understanding;
你愿意接受祂那难以言喻的平安吗；
36. and, if you are a person who is living with disturbed peace,
假如你至今还没有得到这种平安，
37. remember that Jesus Christ is your Peace.
不要忘记，耶稣基督就是你的平安。
38. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
好，我们下次节目再见，愿神大大赐福给你。
