多样性
Kia ora Gracecity. Want to ask a question this morning: what is God’s heart for His church?
What does He want the church to look like?
恩典城市教会的弟兄姐妹们，平安！今天早上想问大家一个问题：上帝对祂的教会的心意是什么？祂希望教会是什么样子的？
In a sense, that’s what this series is about: a church led and empowered by Spirit; a church of deep hospitality and radical generosity; as we heard last week, a church of humble service, everyone serving out of their gifts and abilities.
从某种意义上说，这就是整个讲道系列的内容：一个由圣灵领导和赋予能力的教会；一个热情好客和慷慨奉献的教会；以及我们上周听到的，一个谦卑服事的教会，每个人都根据自己的恩赐和能力来服事。
And today we want to add another piece to this picture – DIVERSITY.
今天，我们想为整幅画面添加另一张图片 - 多样性。
DIVERSITY
多样性
Listen to this description of what the church in eternity, in heaven will be like. This is from Revelation 7.
听听这个关于永恒中的教会的描述，天国里的教会将是什么样子。经文来自启示录第七章。
I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb… And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10.
我观看，见有一大群人，没有人能数得过来，是从各邦国、各支派、各民族、各方言来的。他们都站在宝座和羊羔面前...... 他们大声呼喊，说：“愿救恩归给那坐在宝座上我们的 神，也归给羊羔！”（启七 9-10）
This is a stunning picture of the praises of heaven. And did you catch what was at the heart of the scene?
A multiethnic, multicultural diversity – people from every nation, tribe, people-group, language, all worshipping Jesus together.
这是一幅令人赞叹的天国赞美图。你有没有发现这一幕的核心是什么？一个多民族、多文化的多样性 - 来自每一个国家、部落、民族、语言的人，都在一起敬拜耶稣。
That’s God’s vision for His people. And not just then in the future, but now, in local churches all around the world. And we’ve seen glimpses of that in parts of the book of Acts already. Remember Jesus’ words to His followers in Acts 1:
这是上帝对祂的子民的愿景。不仅仅是在未来，而是现在，在世界各地的教会。我们已经在使徒
行传部分章节中看到了这一愿景的一瞥。记得耶稣在使徒行传第 1 章中对祂的跟随者说的话：
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8
“可是圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必领受能力，并且要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，直到
地极，作我的见证人。”（徒一 8）
Or remember the map that Jonathan showed in week two on Spirit, showing where all the Jewish people had come from for the great feast of Pentecost?
大家是否还记得，乔纳森牧师在系列讲道的第二周”圣灵“中所展示的那张地图，显示了犹太人是
从各个地方来参加五旬节的节庆。
And the gift of tongues or languages was a pointer to this heart of God that ultimately every language, every people group, would hear the news about Jesus. And that’s what we want to explore even more today, as we survey some of the middle chapters of Acts, from Acts 8 to 13. Here’s the key idea:
方言或语言的恩赐是上帝的心意，最终每一种语言、每一个民族都会听到关于耶稣的消息。这也
是我们今天想进一步探讨的，我们查考使徒行传中间的一些章节，从使徒行传 8 章到 13 章。这里
有一个关键的要点：
Diversity: The heart of God is to open the doors to a multi-ethnic, kaleidoscopic church
多样性：上帝的心意是让教会敞开大门，成为一个多民族、有如万花筒般的教会
God’s heart is to swing open the doors of His church, and invite in the rich diversity of human beings fromaround the world – every people group, every language, every skin colour – all are welcome.
上帝的心是要打开祂教会的大门，邀请来自世界各地、丰富多样的人进来，每一个民族，每一种语言，每一种肤色，都欢迎。
And what we see happening in the next portions of Acts, is the Spirit of God swinging open the doors. In fact, I want to suggest that the Spirit opens four specific doors in Acts 8-13. 而我们在使徒行传接下来的部分所看到的，是上帝的圣灵敞开了这些门。我想说，圣灵在使徒行传 8-13 章中打开了四扇具体的门。
The first door is opened a little in Acts 8, and then swung even wider in Acts 10-11. Here’s how the story in Acts 8 begins:
第一扇门在使徒行传第 8 章中被打开了一点，然后在使徒行传第 10-11 章中被开得更大。下面是使徒行传第 8 章的故事开始。
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there…But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women. Acts 8:4-5, 12
那些分散的人，经过各地，传扬福音真道。腓利下到撒玛利亚城，宣讲基督...... 等到腓利向他们传了 神的国的福音，和耶稣基督的名，他们就信了腓利，连男带女都受了洗。
(徒八 4-5, 12)
This great persecution had broken out at the death of Stephen, who Mick talked about last week. And one of his friends, Philip, ended up heading to Samaria. This was a surprise – we’re told in the gospels that Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans. But Jesus had said “Judea and Samaria.” So Philip headed that way. Performed miracles, prayed for people, preached about Jesus, and Samaritans came to faith.
这场大迫害是在司提反死后爆发的，迈克牧师上周讲道谈到过司提反。司提反的一个朋友，腓利，最后去了撒玛利亚。这是一个惊喜，福音书中告诉我们，犹太人不与撒玛利亚人交往。但耶稣说 "犹太和撒玛利亚"。所以腓利往那边走。施展神迹，为人祈祷，传讲耶稣，于是撒玛利亚人信主了。
Suddenly the door was slightly open to non-Jews, although Samaritans were related.
突然间，大门对非犹太人略微开放，尽管撒玛利亚人与犹太人有些关联。
But then at the end of chap.8, Philip then meets a man from Ethiopia. (Don’t have time to read the story, but might have read it if following along in the daily devotion). But he shares Jesus with this royal official, and he comes to faith.
但在第 8 章的结尾，腓利又遇到了一个来自埃塞俄比亚的人。(我没有时间读这个故事，如果大家跟着每日灵修读的话，可能已经读过了）。腓利与这位王室官员分享了耶稣，他就信了。
And in then in Acts 10, Peter receives a vision from God, and in obedience goes to the home of a Roman centurion – one of those hated Roman soldiers. But Cornelius was what was called a “God-fearer” – he believed in the God of Israel. And as Peter shared Jesus with him and his family, and his wider household, the Lord opened their hearts to believe and they all received the Holy Spirit.
在使徒行传第 10 章中，彼得从上帝那里得到了一个异象，并顺从地去了一个罗马百夫长的家，他是那些令犹太人厌恶的罗马士兵之一。但哥尼流是所谓的 "敬畏上帝的人"，他相信以色列的上帝。当彼得把耶稣分享给他和他的家人，以及他更多的家人时，主打开了他们的心，让他们相信，他们都领受了圣灵。
Suddenly the door was flung wide open to Gentiles. And that’s the first of these four doors that open.
突然间，门向外邦人敞开。这就是四扇门中第一个打开的。
1. The door was opened to Gentile converts (Acts 8-11)
1. 教会大门敞开，接纳悔改信主的外邦人（徒 8-11 章）
You see, in the first seven chapters of Acts, the church is completely Jewish. You have to be an Israelite to get in on faith in Jesus. But that now changes in Acts 8,10,11, as the Spirit swings the doors of the church to Gentiles, to people outside the nation of Israel. This is a huge change, and one that will take the church a while to really come to grips with.
你看，使徒行传的前七章，教会完全是犹太人的。你必须是一个以色列人，才能信耶稣。但现在在使徒行传 8、10、11 章中发生了变化，因为圣灵将教会的大门向外邦人、向以色列国以外的人敞开。这是一个巨大的变化，教会需要一段时间才能真正接受。
But I love the way this part of the story ends in Acts 11. Peter goes back to Jerusalem, and hauled over the coals for letting Gentiles trust in Jesus without becoming Jewish. And just shrugs, and tells the story, and says, “it was the Holy Spirit.” And I love this section ends in Acts 11:18.
我喜欢使徒行传第 11 章中，这部分故事的结束方式。彼得回到耶路撒冷，因为让外邦人相信耶稣而不需要成为犹太人，被推到风口浪尖上。他只是耸耸肩，讲述了这个故事，并说，"这是圣灵的工作"。我喜欢 11 章 18 节故事结束的方式。
When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.’ Acts 11:18
众人听见这些话，就默然无声，把荣耀归给 神，说：“这样看来， 神也把悔改的心赐给外族人，使他们得生命。”（徒十一 18）
But in the next passage in Acts 11, which maybe should be a new chapter, the 2
nd door swings open.
在使徒行传第 11 章接下来的经文中，这也许应该是一个新的章节，第 2 扇门打开了。
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Acts 11:19-21
那些因司提反事件遭受苦难而四散的门徒，一直走到腓尼基、塞浦路斯、安提阿；他们不对别人传讲，只对犹太人传讲。但其中有些塞浦路斯人和古利奈人，来到安提阿，也对希腊人传讲主耶稣。主的手与他们同在，信而归主的人就多起来。（徒十一 19-21）
This amazing new work of evangelism begins, in a very important city of the Roman Empire. Antioch was the third largest city in the empire at this point, after Rome and Alexandria. Cosmopolitan; sophisticated; strategic; large. And the gospel arrived, and a new church is planted. Not planned; seems to be spontaneous. Not done by leaders or apostles, but by ordinary believers filled with Spirit.
这次奇妙的新的传道工作始于罗马帝国的一个非常重要的城市。安提阿在那时是帝国的第三大城市，仅次于罗马和亚历山大城。它是世界性的、复杂的、有战略性的、大的城市。福音到来，一个新的教会被建立起来。不是出于计划，似乎是自发的。不是由教会领袖或使徒完成的，而是靠被圣灵充满的普通信徒。
But when apostles hear the great work going on, they send someone to lead it – Barnabas. Met him in the message on generosity; now becomes a key leader in an ongoing story. Becomes senior pastor, and goes and gets Saul/Paul to come and join staff team. And so at the end of v.26 we read:
当使徒们听到正在进行的伟大事工时，他们派巴拿巴去领导这项事工。我们在关于慷慨的讲道中认识了巴拿巴，现在他成为正在进行的故事中的关键领袖，成为了主任牧师，并去找扫罗（保罗）来加入服事团队。因此，在第 26 节的结尾，我们读到：
So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. Acts 11:26b
足足有一年，他们一同在教会聚集，教导了许多人。门徒称为基督徒，是从安提阿开始的。（徒十一 26b）
This moment, and this observation, is so incredibly important. “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch”. Now that’s not just a cool piece of Bible trivia; that’s a profoundly important comment on this new church. Because this is the first time Jews and Gentiles have gathered together in one local church. They were fellowshipping together, and worshipping together, and praying together, and eating together, and loving each other.
这是极其重要的时刻。"门徒称为基督徒，是从安提阿开始的。"现在这不仅仅是一段很酷的圣经事件，这是对这个新教会的深刻的重要评论。因为这是犹太人和外邦人第一次聚集在一个地方性的教会中。他们在一起团契，一起敬拜，一起祷告，一起聚餐，彼此相爱。
And community around them, the people outside the church look in at this fellowship of Jews and Gentiles, Phoenicians and Greeks and Arabs all hanging out together, and they’re amazed. And the only thing they can see that this diverse group has in common, is their faith in the One they call “the Christ,” the Messiah. So they get nicknamed, “Christ-ones” – “Christians.”
在他们周围的社区，教会外的人看着这个由犹太人和外邦人、腓尼基人、希腊人和阿拉伯人共同组成的团契，他们感到惊讶。他们唯一能看到这个不同群体的共同点，就是他们对他们称之为 "基督 "的弥赛亚的信仰。所以他们被昵称为 "基督的人" - "基督徒"。
And this is the 2nd door that the Spirit has swung open. Sure, Gentiles have been converted to following Jesus – that’s awesome. But here in Antioch, Jews and Gentiles are now together in one community.
这是圣灵打开的第二扇门。当然，外邦人已经悔改信了耶稣，这很了不起。但在安提阿这里，犹太人和外邦人现在在一个社区里。
2. The door was opened to a genuine, multi-ethnic church community (Acts 11)
2. 教会大门敞开，成为一个真正的、多民族的教会团体（徒 11 章）
This church began to live out the theology that Paul would explain a couple of decades later:
这个教会开始活出保罗在几十年后解释的神学理念：
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility... His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. Ephesians 2:13-16
你们从前远离的人，现今在基督耶稣里，靠着他的血已经可以亲近了。基督就是我们的和平：他使双方合而为一，拆毁了隔在中间的墙，就是以自己的身体除掉双方的仇恨，并且废掉了律法的规条，使两者在他里面成为一个新人，这样就缔造了和平。基督既然借着十字架消灭了仇恨，就借着十字架使双方与 神和好，成为一体。（弗二 13-16）
This “one new humanity, one body” is the church. And what Paul was arguing is that in the church, Jesus has brought Jews and Gentiles together as one united community of faith. And that was exactly what had happened in the church at Antioch.
这个”成为新人、成为一体“就是教会。保罗所论证的是，在教会中，耶稣将犹太人和外邦人聚集在一起，成为一个合一的信仰团体。而这正是在安提阿教会中发生的事情。
The door had not only opened to Gentiles becoming followers of Jesus; the door in Acts 11 had also opened to Jews and Gentiles together being a genuine multi-ethnic church community., united by their faith and trust in Jesus. One writer, Mark Deymaz, sums it up this way:
大门不仅为外邦人敞开，使他们成为耶稣的信徒，使徒行传第 11 章的大门也为犹太人和外邦人一起敞开，使教会成为真正的多民族团体，他们因为对耶稣的信仰而团结在一起。一位作家，马克·德伊马兹（Mark Deymaz），这样总结道。
Jews were loving Gentiles, Gentiles were loving Jews, and they were all worshipping God together as one in the local church at Antioch. This was unprecedented, remarkable, amazing, and miraculous, for only a Prince of Peace can bring peace to historically estranged people groups… It is not coincidental that the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. -Mark Deymaz
犹太人爱着外邦人，外邦人也爱着犹太人，他们都在安提阿的地方教会中作为一个整体一起敬拜上帝。这是前所未有的、非凡的、惊人奇妙的，因为只有和平之君才能给历史上疏远的人群带来和平...... 门徒们在安提阿第一次被称为基督徒，这不是巧合。（作家 Mark Deymaz）
In the story of Acts, Antioch becomes the church that exhibits most powerfully this glorious picture from Revelation of the church being made up of every nation, tribe, people and language. This is diversity.
在使徒行传的故事中，安提阿最有力地展示了启示录中的荣耀画面，教会由每个国家、部落、民族和语言组成。这就是多样性。
Diversity: The heart of God is to open the doors to a multi-ethnic, kaleidoscopic church
多样性：上帝的心意是让教会敞开大门，成为一个多民族、有如万花筒般的教会
But another door also gets swung open by the Spirit in Antioch. Come over to Acts 13:1.
在安提阿，另一扇门也被圣灵打开了。请看使徒行传 13 章 1 节：
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. Acts 13:1
安提阿教会中，有几位先知和教师，就是巴拿巴、名叫尼结的西面、古利奈人路求、与分封王希律一同长大的马念，和扫罗。（徒十三 1）
This is probably the leadership team of the church in Antioch. And what is staggering here is the multicultural diversity of the team.
Barnabas – a Jew from tribe of Levi; a Greek-speaking Jew from island of Cyprus
Simeon – nicknamed “Niger” which meant “black”; probably darks-skinned African; Gentile
Lucius – also from Africa, from province of Cyrene next to Egypt; name is Latin; a Roman Gentile?
Manaen – grew up with King Herod; possibly Jewish or mixed-blood
Saul (later Paul) – Jew, from tribe of Benjamin; born in Tarsus in Turkey; educated in Jerusalem
这可能是安提阿教会的领袖团队。令人吃惊的是，这个团队的多文化多样性。
巴拿巴 - 来自利未支派的犹太人，来自塞浦路斯岛说希腊语的犹太人；
西面 - 又称 "尼结"，意思是 "黑人"，可能是皮肤黝黑的非洲人，他是外邦人；
路求 - 也来自非洲，来自埃及旁边的古利奈省，名字是拉丁文，可能是罗马的外邦人；
马念 - 在希律王身边长大，可能是犹太人或混血儿；
扫罗（后来的保罗）- 犹太人，来自便雅悯支派，出生于土耳其的大数，在耶路撒冷接受教育；
With this diverse leadership team, a third door was opened – not only were Gentiles welcome to follow Jesus and be part of the church community, now in Antioch they were welcomed into leadership.
有了这个多元化的领导团队，第三扇门被打开了，不仅欢迎外邦人跟随耶稣，成为教会团体的一部分，现在在安提阿，他们被欢迎成为教会领袖。
3. The door was opened to shared leadership (Acts 13)
3. 教会大门敞开，分享领袖职责（徒 13 章）
It is a hugely significant move to willingly share power, and bring diversity into leadership. Listen to the comments of one church leader from Sri Lanka, Ajith Fernando:
这是一个非常重要的举措，愿意分享权力，并将多样性带入领袖团队。这是来自斯里兰卡的一位教会领袖阿吉斯·费尔南多（Ajith Fernando）的评论：
It is significant that the church in Antioch had such a culturally diverse leadership in keeping with the diversity of the population of the city…Fostering leaders from different cultural backgrounds is a goal to work at in all churches that have diversity in their membership. Ajith Fernando
重要的是，安提阿的教会有这样一个文化多样性的领袖团队，与该城市人口的多样性相一致...... 培养来自不同文化背景的领袖是所有多元化的教会要努力的目标。（Ajith Fernando）
So we have a door opened to Gentiles coming to faith in Acts 8,10. Then a second door is opened in Antioch to Gentiles being a genuine part of the church community, creating a genuine, multi-ethnic church. And then a third door is swung open as Gentiles are welcomed as equal members in leadership. And then all of that results in a fourth door that the Spirit swings open in the rest of Acts 13-14, the door to intentional, international missions.
我们有一扇门在使徒行传 8、10 章中为外邦人信主而打开。第二扇门在安提阿被打开，外邦人成为教会信仰团体真正的一部分，教会成为一个真正的、多民族的教会。然后第三扇门被打开，外邦人作为平等的成员被欢迎参与领袖职责。所有这些都导致圣灵在使徒行传 13-14 章的其余部分打开了第四扇门，即国际宣教之门。
4. The door was opened to intentional, international missions (Acts 13-14)
4. 教会大门敞开，有意图地参与世界宣教（徒 13-14 章）
Here’s what it says in the very next verses in Acts 13:2-3:
使徒行传 13 章 2-3 节这样说：
While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2-3
他们事奉主，并且禁食的时候，圣灵说：“要为我把巴拿巴和扫罗分别出来，去作我呼召他们作的工。”于是他们禁食祷告，为两人按手，就派他们去了。（徒十三 2-3）
This is the beginning of what we call the first missionary journey, as Barnabas and Saul take the gospel to the island of Cyprus, and then right around what we call modern Turkey. And then in Acts 16, they separate, and Paul and another leader named Silas make two more great journeys, bringing the gospel into Europe, and ultimately Rome and the world.
这是我们所说的第一次宣教旅行的开始，巴拿巴和扫罗把福音带到塞浦路斯岛，然后就是我们现在土耳其附近地区。然后在使徒行传第 16 章，他们分开了，保罗和另一位名叫西拉的领袖又进行了两次伟大的旅行，把福音带到了欧洲，并最终带到了罗马和整个世界。
But don’t miss this – it’s the multi-ethnic church in Antioch, that is led by the Spirit to begin a new, intentional mission of evangelism and church planting around the Roman Empire. Why? Because they already had a heart for the world. They had welcomed the world into their church. And now this multi- ethnic, kaleidoscopic church sent their best leaders back out into the needy world.
不要错过这个，是安提阿的多民族教会，在圣灵的引导下，开始在罗马帝国周围进行新的、有意图的，传福音和建立教会的任务。为什么？因为他们已经有了一颗面向世界的心。他们已经欢迎世界进入他们的教会。而现在，这个多民族的万花筒式的教会派出了他们最好的领袖，回到了有需要的世界。
You see there’s a progression in the doors that are opened by the Spirit in these middle chapters of Acts.
1. The door was opened to Gentile converts (8-11)
2. The door was opened to a genuine, multi-ethnic church community in Antioch (11)
3. Then the door was opened to shared leadership of the church (13)
4. And that led to the door swinging open to intentional, international missions (13-14).
你看，在使徒行传的这几章中，圣灵所敞开的门有一个过程：
1. 教会大门敞开，接纳悔改信主的外邦人（徒 8-11 章）
2. 教会大门敞开，成为一个真正的、多民族的教会团体（徒 11 章）
3. 教会大门敞开，分享领袖职责（徒 13 章）
4. 教会大门敞开，有意图地参与世界宣教（徒 13-14 章）
And all of this happens around and in the church in Antioch.
而这一切都发生在安提阿教会的周围和里面。
In fact, I would argue, that as the book of Acts unfolds, the epicentre of the story moved from the church in Jerusalem to the church in Antioch. It begins in Jerusalem; that’s the base for the first few years. But the gospel, and the church, and the mission goes global from this multi-ethnic church in Antioch. It’s the new epicentre of the seismic shifts that God is bringing about.
我认为，随着使徒行传的展开，故事的中心从耶路撒冷的教会转移到安提阿的教会。它开始于耶路撒冷；那是最初几年的基地。但福音、教会和宣教使命从安提阿的这个多民族教会走向世界。它是上帝所带来的巨大转变的新中心。
It is the church at Antioch and not the church in Jerusalem that is the most influential church of the entire New Testament. Mark Deymaz
安提阿的教会才是整个新约圣经中最有影响力的教会，而不是耶路撒冷的教会。（作家 Mark Deymaz）
Why? Because it’s the church in Antioch that first grasps this beautiful vision of God for a church made up of people from every nation, tribe, people and language. They grasp the vision of diversity.
为什么？因为正是安提阿的教会首先抓住了上帝对由来自各个国家、部落、民族和语言的人组成的教会的这一美好愿景。他们抓住了多样性的愿景。
Diversity: The heart of God is to open the doors to a multi-ethnic, kaleidoscopic church
多样性：上帝的心意是让教会敞开大门，成为一个多民族、有如万花筒般的教会
So as we finish, I want us to stop and reflect on these extraordinary chapters, and this extraordinary church in Antioch. What do we learn about God’s heart and their heart for diversity. Let me suggest 3 lessons we finish. How should we respond?
在我们即将结束的时候，我希望我们停下来，反思这些震撼的章节，以及安提阿这个非凡的教会。我们从上帝的心意和安提阿教会对多样性的心意学到了什么。让我们思考下面三点，我们应该如何回应？
1. Be encouraged about our church. I am absolutely convinced that this is one of the great strengths of Gracecity. We have over 55 different ethnicities and people groups represented in our church. Gracecity is already a model of this beautiful multicultural kaleidoscope that the church is meant to be.
1. 为我们的教会感到鼓舞。我绝对相信，这是恩典城市教会的巨大优势之一。我们的教会有超过55 个不同种族和人群的代表。恩典城市教会已经是这个美丽的多文化万花筒般教会的典范，而教会本来就是这样。
We’re not perfect – there’s still more to be done – but w should actually pause and celebrate what God has already done here. We should be encouraged by the richness and diversity already here at Gracecity, while at the same time longing for more. But let’s pause and be encouraged.
我们并不完美，还有更多的工作要做，但我们实际上应该停下来，庆祝上帝在这里已经成就的事情。我们应该为恩典城市教会这里已有的丰富性和多样性感到鼓舞，同时也渴望得到更多。但让我们暂停一下，彼此勉励。
2. Be diligent about our attitudes. Let me be really clear on this – I believe that if this is the heart of God, for a richness of diversity in local churches, then an attitude of racism is sin. Racism is sin. And the problem is that racism and prejudice and bigotry can actually lurk in all of our hearts. Doesn’t matter whether we’re part of the majority culture, or part of a minority. We’re all capable of racism and prejudice. And need to be diligent about the beliefs and attitudes that we might be carrying in our hearts.
2. 对我们的态度要警惕。让我明确这一点，我相信，如果这是上帝的心意，为了教会的丰富多样性，那么种族主义的态度就是罪。种族主义是罪。而问题是，种族主义、偏见和偏执实际上可以潜伏在我们所有人的心中。无论我们是多数文化的一部分，还是少数文化的一部分，我们都有可能产生种族主义和偏见。我们需要对心中可能携带的信仰和态度保持警惕。
Love what well-known pastor John Piper says,
我很喜欢著名牧者约翰-派普说的：
Every aspect of the way God views and saves sinners is designed to undermine racism and lead to a reconciled and redeemed humanity from every people group in the world. John Piper
上帝看待和拯救罪人方式的每一层面，都是为了破坏种族主义，使得来自世界上每一个民族群体，成为和解和救赎的团体。（约翰-派普）
1. Be encouraged about our church. 对我们的教会要勉励
2. Be diligent about our attitudes. 对我们的态度要警惕
3. Be deliberate about our actions. We all need to ensure we foster and continue to grow this beautiful diversity. That may mean practically inviting others from Gracecity from other countries or ethnicities over for a meal when can begin meeting again in larger groups. Might mean volunteering to serve one of the groups that are part of the Gracecity community.
3. 对我们的行动要慎重。我们都需要确保我们促进并继续发展这种美丽的多样性。这可能意味着，在疫情结束大家能够再次聚集时，邀请来自其他国家或族群的人聚餐。可能意味着自愿为属于恩典城市教会某个事工团队服事。
And in the wider community, might mean inviting neighbours over from another culture for meal or bbq or drinks. Might mean we are the one to walk across the room to meet a work colleague from another culture than ours. In multiple ways – big and small – we need to be deliberate in our actions to break down the walls and love people whoever they are and wherever they’re from.
而在更广泛的社区，可能意味着邀请来自另一种文化的邻居来吃饭、烧烤或喝酒。可能意味着我们是走过办公室，去见一个来自另一种文化的工作同事。在多个方面，大的或小的，我们需要在我们的行动中深思熟虑，打破墙壁，爱人们，无论他们是谁，无论他们来自哪里。
Because that’s the heart of God for His church – to open the doors to be a multi-ethnic, kaleidoscopic church community. As we do that, we point forward to that incredible day, when all of us will stand before the throne of God – people from nation and tribe and ethnicity and language group and skin colour – and we will praise our Lord and Saviour forever and ever and ever. Amen.
因为这是上帝对祂的教会的心意，敞开大门，成为一个多民族、万花筒般的教会。当我们这样做的时候，我们指向那不可思议的一天，当我们所有人都站在上帝的宝座前，来自不同国家、部落、民族、语言群体和肤色的人，我们赞美我们的主和救主，直到永远。阿门
