我豈是 看守 我弟兄的嗎？ 創世紀 4:9 Geb Sydney Sunday talk; Genesis q5   Slide #1: Genesis 4:9–10 (NKJV): 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. Just as God had asked Adam “Where are you?”, He now asks Cain “Where is your brother?” If the first question asked by God was the great theological question, this is the great social question. God is concerned not only with how we relate to Him, but also with how we relate to our brother. And the two issues are inextricably linked. We cannot love God without loving our neighbour. Slide #2: The cross reverses two ‘falls’ ii)            Sin leading to my separation from my brother. i)              Sin leading to my separation from God “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness” (1 John 2:9). “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2). Cain, in a bitter and cynical mood, replies to God’s enquiry thus: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9). It is a defiant response and, in Eugene Peterson’s words, “a flip and lonely question that already shows how alienated he is from community”. A. W. Tozer said, “If you want to evaluate how close is your relationship with God then look at how close you are to others, especially those to whom you relate on an ongoing basis.” Slide #3: Question 1: The internal issue. The narcissus principle. Acts 8. Philip: the caring for others model Have I been set free from Simon living to Philip living? i) to Samaria. Not natural. Post persecution and Samaritans. The compassion of the Lord V8. Brought great joy. Mark of real Christianity ii) v26. The Ethiopian Eunuch iv) Acts 21:8 c.f. v9 iii) vv39-40 Plucked away to win folk to Christ V9. Simon. Claiming that he was someone great. Vv10-11. He wanted to be the centre Vv20-23 Peter’s analysis V12 and following. Philip takes over; Vv18-19. Simon wants it back Slide #4: Question 2: The outer issue. The Romans 12 issue Good Samaritan Luke 10:29-37 Am I surrendered to God for anything or anyone He requires? A lifestyle that is: i)              Responsible for anyone and everyone; it is indiscriminate as to race and origin. ii)            Spiritually opportunistic. The Samaritan happens upon the wounded traveller by sheer chance. He had not planned it. God does that regularly. He loves to put bodies on the road we are travelling. In fact it is a major part of what He does. iii) Giving – of time and finance. Slide #5: 2 more facts: The outcast was the hero. No one liked or respected Samaritans, but Jesus is saying that the outcast is able to understand and express God’s love better than anyone else, including the religious experts. Christian faith about being willing to receive God’s love and forgiveness and then being able to express those reali­ties to those around us. i)                     Ordinary people rule OK. ii)                   Mercy men and women are real family. The second principle, as well as the punchline of the story, is that true neighbours are those who show mercy. The word ‘mercy’ carries with it both the idea of a feeling of empathy and compassion, and taking action on behalf of those who are helpless. A Christian who has all the right answers but who does not show mercy is not an effective witness for God (Luke 6:36). Slide #6: The choice: 1)   Choice 1: Also prodigal son’s elder brother In response to the father’s entreaty, he used a phrase that tells us a lot about what he really felt: “When this son of yours who has squandered your property … comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!” (v30). This son of yours. One can imagine him spitting out those words contemptuously. The elder son expressed fierce opposition to his father, yet the father went out to him in the same way that he had gone to greet the prodigal. 2) Choice 2: The sting in the Good Samaritan tale: Go and do thou likewise. 創世紀 4:9

創世紀 4:9–10 ： 他說：“我不知道！我豈是看守我兄弟的 嗎﹖ ” 9 耶和華對該隱說：“你兄弟亞伯在哪 裡﹖” 9 耶和華對該隱說：“你兄弟亞伯在哪 裡﹖” 他說：“我不知道！我豈是看守我兄弟的 嗎﹖ ” 10 耶和華說：“你做了什麼事呢﹖ 你兄弟的血有聲音從地裡向我哀告。 ”

5 是什麼主導我們的選擇？ 在創世紀中有 是 神向 世界上第一對夫婦 所發出的 這些重要的問題 能幫助我們做 對的決定 Question 1 個重要的問題 是 神向 世界上第一對夫婦 所發出的 5 Question 1 Question 2 Question 4 這些重要的問題 能幫助我們做 對的決定

這五個問題 應該是人生中最重要的問題。 (1)“你在哪裡？”； (2) “誰告訴你？”； (3) “你做的是什麼事呢？”； (4) “你為什麼發怒呢？”； (5) “你兄弟在哪裡？”

“問對問題跟找對答案一樣重要。” 導論: 例一 徒 9:4 “掃羅！掃羅！你為什麼逼迫我﹖” 例一 徒 9:4 “掃羅！掃羅！你為什麼逼迫我﹖” 這是耶穌問保羅的問題。 例二 創 32:27 “你名叫什麼﹖” 這是神問雅各的問題(當 “那人”與雅各摔角後)。 “你要如勇士束腰；我問你，你可以指示我。” (約伯記 38:3) Henri Nouwen: “問對問題跟找對答案一樣重要。”

當教會貼近父 神 以禱告和敬拜， 就能聽見祂的心跳… 當教會貼近父 神 以禱告和敬拜， 就能聽見祂的心跳… 使徒行傳 2:1-4 五旬節到了，門徒都聚集在一處。 忽然，從天上有響聲下來，好像 一陣大風吹過，充滿了他們所坐 的屋子， 又有舌頭如火焰顯現出來，分開 落在他們各人頭上。 他們就都被聖靈充滿，按著聖靈 所賜的口才說起別國的話來。

使徒行傳 2:5-7 2:5 那 时 ， 有 虔 诚 的 犹 太 人 ， 从 天 下 各 国 来 ， 住 在 耶 路 撒 冷 。 2:5    那 时 ， 有 虔 诚 的 犹 太 人 ， 从 天 下 各 国 来 ， 住 在 耶 路 撒 冷 。 2:6    这 声 音 一 响 ， 众 人 都 来 聚 集 ， 各 人 听 见 门 徒 用 众 人 的 乡 谈 说 话 ， 就 甚 纳 闷 。 2:7    都 惊 讶 希 奇 说 ， 看 哪 ， 这 说 话 的 不 都 是 加 利 利 人 吗 ？

使徒行傳 13:1-4 在安提阿的教會中，有幾位先知和教師，就是巴拿巴和稱呼尼結的西面、古利奈人路求，與分封之王希律同養的馬念，並掃羅。 他們事奉主、禁食的時候，聖靈說：要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去做我召他們所做的工。 於是禁食禱告，按手在他們頭上，就打發他們去了。 他們既被聖靈差遣，就下到西流基，從那裡坐船往居比路去。

第1 個問題: 使徒行傳第8 章中的議題 - 自我中心 我是否已脫離了西門式的生命，轉而為腓利式的生命？ 徒 8. 腓利: 關懷他人的模式 向著撒瑪利亞，並不容易。後期的逼迫與撒瑪 利亞人；乃因著 神的憐憫。 v8. 就有大喜樂 – 真正的基督徒的印記。 v26. 埃提阿伯的太監 v39-40 被提走並為基督贏得更多靈魂 使徒行傳 21:8 參看 v9 

第9節 西門 – 妄自尊大。 第10-11節 他要成為所有目光的焦點。 第12節 緊接著，腓利接手。 第18-19節 西門想奪回眾人的眼光 第20-23節 彼得的洞見。

馬太福音24:14: 這天國的福音要傳遍天 下，對萬民作見證，然後末期才來到。 第2個問題: 路加福音第10章 的外在議題 誰是我的鄰舍？ 當我看著人，每一個人， 是否是以 神的心來看他們呢？ 馬太福音24:14: 這天國的福音要傳遍天 下，對萬民作見證，然後末期才來到。 路加福音10章29-37節  

一種生活型態是： 1. 願意被 神使用 2. 屬靈的機會主義者； 尋找 神所賜予的機會 1. 願意被 神使用 2. 屬靈的機會主義者； 尋找 神所賜予的機會 撒瑪利亞人是偶然遇到那位受傷的旅人， 神常 常如此安排。他喜歡在我們的旅程中安排類似的 機會。 3. 認識自己的身分： 被撇棄的曾是位英雄 4. 明白 神所看重的：愛與憐憫與關係。“你也照 樣去行吧” 5. 永遠不忘記約翰福音 14:6 &約翰福音 3:16