初期教會的信徒慷慨無私、凡物公用，富足的兄弟姊妹竟願意變賣財產，與那有缺乏的主內肢體分享一切，以致整個群體無一缺乏。(徒 4:32-37)
究竟是什麼原因驅使他們這樣做呢？一切皆因他們所信奉的上帝本身就是一個「慷慨」的上帝。
Bible Project 《聖經主題》系列：慷慨
聖經故事常常把神描繪成一個慷慨的主人，祂不斷地滿足客人的各種需要。但是，人類卻總是活在一種物資短缺的思維模式當中，把神的很多禮物偷偷積攢起來，不分享出去。在這集關於“慷概”的視頻當中，我們將看到神透過耶穌把自己作為禮物送給我們，這也是祂幫助我們克服自私心理的方式。
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重溫上主日講道：
順從聖靈、欺哄聖靈（使徒行傳 4:32-5:11）
https://youtu.be/qBmIfaaHsFw
近年風靡全球的《The Chosen》電視劇，講述耶穌和十二門徒的故事。其拍攝手法不僅僅是只將福音書的內容搬字過字地拍出來。創作人會加插一些跟聖經內容沒有直接衝突的細節，以幫助觀眾更深入地投入並理解不同角色的內心世界和動機。
例如，在第三季中有一集講到耶穌派遣門徒兩個兩個出去傳道、醫病、趕鬼，其中一位門徒小雅各 (Little James)，在劇中被設定為有腳疾的。小雅各便問主耶穌為何他從未被治愈…
這段對話極為感人，也提供了一個合理的解釋，為何上帝有時會施恩憐憫行神蹟治愈人們的疾病，有時卻好像不會…
當討論到神蹟時，基督徒通常只有兩個選項：
但除了這兩個選項，還有其他原因嗎？
究竟上帝對人的心意和計劃是怎樣的呢？
查經班已交代了第三個可能性。聽完道後有興趣繼續深入討論聖經內容的話，請不要錯過逢週二晚的網上查經班：https://www.gsrichmond.ca/bible-study/
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重溫上主日講道：
今天還有神蹟嗎？(使徒行傳 3:1-26)
https://youtu.be/PnT0N8fX9Ug
你知道嗎？太陽的直徑比月亮大400倍，同時太陽比月亮離開地球的距離亦是400倍，所以月亮才能夠剛剛好遮住太陽，才有日全蝕的現象。天文學家認為這是一個巧合，一個非常罕見的巧合。[1] 就是人類環觀整個宇宙也仍未發現另一個類似情況的巧合。
相傳愛因斯坦曾說：「巧合，只是上帝保持匿名的方式之一。」
你認為呢？
Did you know? The diameter of the sun is about 400 times larger than the diameter of the moon. Meanwhile, the sun is also about 400 times farther away from earth than the moon. This is the sole reason why we Earthlings can experience the phenomenon of a total solar eclipse. Astronomers consider this to be a coincidence, an exceptionally rare one. [1] It is so rare that no other stars, planets, and moons in a similar situation have been detected anywhere in the entire observable universe yet.
This quote is often attributed to Albert Einstein: “Coincidence is just God’s way of remaining anonymous.”
What are your thoughts?
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)
[1] https://thedebrief.org/coincidences-of-our-sun-and-moon-are-earthlings-exceptionally-lucky/
昨晚查經班討論到教會必須致力傳福音的重要性，不然教會再沒有存在的目的。上世紀初坎特伯里大主教 William Temple 曾說：「教會是世上唯一一個，為了非會員福祉而存在的群體。」[1] 這句說話值得我們深思和反省。當然傳福音不單口傳，也要身傳，用生命來見證這位復活的主耶穌基督，讓別人聽見、看見、感受得到才會相信。
耶穌說：「你們是世上的鹽。鹽若失了味，怎能叫它再鹹呢？以後無用，不過丟在外面，被人踐踏了。」(馬太福音 5:13)
[1] “The Church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members.” – Archbishop William Temple
曾是無神論者、馬克思主義者，後來卻成為基督徒的英國著名時事評論員彼得·希欽斯（Peter Hitchens），曾在一場辯論會中被觀眾問到：「世上哪一個危險的想法，擁有最大的潛力使這個世界變得更好？」（當時竟有其他講員建議政府應強制墮胎以控制人類過多的人口。）
希欽斯回應說：「人類歷史和哲學中最危險的想法仍然是相信耶穌基督是上帝之兒子，並且他從死裡復活的事蹟。這是你將會遇到最危險的想法。」
主持人問：「為什麼危險呢？」
他回答說：「因為它改變了人類所有行為和我們所有的責任。它將宇宙從一片無意義的混亂轉變為一個有設計、有秩序、存著公義和希望的地方。因此，我們每一個人都有責任去發現那公義的本質並朝著那希望努力。它改變了世上所有人。如果我們拒絕相信的話，它也同樣改變著我們所有人。〔相信耶穌基督是上帝之兒子並且他從死裡復活的事蹟〕是無比危險的。這就是為什麼這麼多人反對它的原因。」[1]
對，若然耶穌基督不是萬有的主，他就根本什麼都不是 (Christ is either Lord of all, or he is not Lord at all.) 若然他真的從死裡復活，這就印證他真的是上帝所差來的兒子，而他之前所說過的每一句話，我們人絕對不能掉以輕心。
耶穌曾說：「信我的，不是信我，乃是信那差我來的。人看見我，就是看見那差我來的。我到世上來，乃是光，叫凡信我的，不住在黑暗裏。若有人聽見我的話不遵守，我不審判他。我來本不是要審判世界，乃是要拯救世界。棄絕我、不領受我話的人，有審判他的－就是我所講的道在末日要審判他。」（約翰福音 12:44-48）
耶穌又說：「父不審判甚麼人，乃將審判的事全交與子，叫人都尊敬子如同尊敬父一樣。不尊敬子的，就是不尊敬差子來的父。我實實在在地告訴你們，那聽我話、又信差我來者的，就有永生；不至於定罪，是已經出死入生了。」(約翰福音 5:22-24)
世上有一些事實和真理並不會因人選擇相信或不相信而改變。正如地心吸力一樣，若有人不相信地心吸力存在的話，地心吸力仍然存在著並影響著地上每一個人。耶穌的復活宣告他確實是那那萬有的主，並且他將要再來，作那審判活人死人的主。(使徒行傳 10:42)
復活的主耶穌基督將要再來，並要作那審判活人死人的主，這的確是一個能顛覆我們世界觀，並逼使我們跳出舒適區的一個非常危險的信息。
你準備好主的再來嗎？你聽見主耶穌說過的每一句說話，你願意信嗎？他所給的每一個命令，你願意遵守嗎？你會否繼續拖延不想信主和接受洗禮？你會否繼續拖延向未信主的親友介紹耶穌給他們？
「上帝愛世人，甚至將他的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信他的，不致滅亡，反得永生。因為上帝差他的兒子降世，不是要定世人的罪，乃是要叫世人因他得救。信他的人，不被定罪；不信的人，罪已經定了，因為他不信上帝獨生子的名。光來到世間，世人因自己的行為是惡的，不愛光，倒愛黑暗，定他們的罪就是在此。」(約翰福音 3:16-19)
「那聽我話、又信差我來者的，就有永生；不至於定罪，是已經出死入生了。」(約翰福音 5:24)
「凡信他的人必因他的名得蒙赦罪。」（使徒行傳 10:43）
「如今，那些在基督耶穌裏的就不定罪了。」（羅馬書 8:1）
耶穌曾宣告：「復活在我，生命也在我。信我的人雖然死了，也必復活；凡活著信我的人必永遠不死。你信這話嗎？」
但願每一個人都能把握機會信耶穌、信福音，接受上帝白白賜予的赦罪恩典，早日得享永生的應許和平安。阿們。
重溫上主日講道：
講題：耶穌的復活宣告什麼？
經文：使徒行傳 10:34-43
講員：安予洪牧師
https://youtu.be/F8qvbPMJSRE
[1] Peter Hitchens on the most dangerous idea in human history
https://youtu.be/8Toy6YHROL4
感謝主及時的供應，也感謝路德會三一堂及列治文聖約翰堂的愛心款待，讓我們在聖誕前夕能有一個溫暖舒適的地方來敬拜。「在至高之處榮耀歸於上帝！在地上平安歸於祂所喜悅的人！」(路 2:14)
Thank God for His timely provision, and also thank Trinity Lutheran Church and St. John’s Richmond‘s for their loving hospitality to accommodate us on Christmas Eve, providing us a warm and cozy space to worship. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)
Last week, we witnessed OpenAI’s fiasco with the board ousting their CEO Sam Altman, and his subsequent glorious return, playing his ultimate UNO reversal card. It really showed the world that the prioritization and race to commercialize key technological advances often trump ethical and safety concerns, even when existential risks are involved.
On top of that, there are rumours that OpenAI might have secretly achieved artificial general intelligence (AGI), a thought that sends shivers down my spine. The reason is that the next logical step of attaining artificial superintelligence (ASI), might not be years or months away, but potentially just days or even hours. The likelihood of it surpassing our awareness without us noticing is truly alarming. (If AGI is attaining the intelligence that we humans already possess now, ASI means surpassing our abilities and be able to perceive the world and solve previously unsolvable problems in a way that we humans can never even comprehend, just as an amoeba could never understand humans solving complex quantum mechanics equations.)
In light of these developments, it is timely to revisit Tim Urban’s insightful two-part article from 2015, for a quick primer on the AI Revolution, focusing first on the journey to ASI, and secondly on the (dire) consequences on humanity that could lead to either immortality or extinction.
Yesterday was Christ the King Sunday, and the lectionary texts, especially the Matthew 25:31-46 text, also present to us two vastly different ultimate outcomes: eternal life or eternal damnation. This raises a critical question: Will we create an artificial deity that could either eradicate us or exert supreme dominance over every aspect of human life, or will we proceed with utmost caution to ensure that any emerging superintelligence, alien and beyond our control, takes its first steps aligned with our human values, or at least possesses the capacity to empathize with and value our existence?
Of course, an ASI is under no obligation to align with our human values, just as we humans do not align with the values of chimpanzees, cockroaches, or other creatures we deem beneath us in the dominance hierarchy. (Perhaps appearing cute and cuddly to an ASI might win us some favor? I hope not, for I don’t think I possess any “kawaii”-ness.) Once we have opened this Pandora’s Box and created an artificial overlord, we may find ourselves imploring for mercy and saying “Lord, have mercy on us” in a very different tone and context.
Nevertheless, my hope lies in the true God, the uncreated, unmoved mover of all things visible and invisible, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and crucially, omnibenevolent (i.e. all-loving). He still reigns supreme and has everything under control, as the Alpha and the Omega, who is, who was, and who is to come, guiding humanity towards our intended destiny and our “telos”, out of His love for us, regardless how many times we are on the verge of causing our own destruction and extinction. Having recently just finished preaching on the second half of Genesis, I am reassured: no matter how hellbent we are to stray and prone to err (just like the very flawed chosen family in Genesis), the Lord God remains faithful to His promises, turning our failures into means to fulfill His good purposes in us. Thus, I do not lose hope.
Even if we are able to ensure ASI does align with our values and come alongside to aide our human flourishing, we might find ourselves greatly humbled by the prowess of this artificial superintelligence. By then, where does the value and dignity of human beings lie? Do we have an inherent worth that cannot be measured by intelligence or performance? Perhaps Psalm 8 and Hebrews 2 can shed us some light when humans are compared with angels, who are indeed superior in many ways, except that God has only fashioned humans in His own image and crowned them with glory and honor. Nothing should threaten our value and dignity, because they are not based on our ability or performance, but on our inherent worth as sons and daughters of the One who created it all, and the special relationship that we enjoy with the Father through Christ. Paul said in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers [including ASI], neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
What does the future look like for us then? With the advent of ASI, our livelihoods might drastically change and become so much more convenient and easy (just as how people from 300 years ago might marvel at our washing machines, Teslas, satellites, and 5G smartphones), but that does not exempt us from the need to continue to learn and to grow. Even if one day we are no longer on top of the dominance hierarchy, that does not mean we just sit there and remain idle, for the joy in life is in the process of learning, growing, experiencing, transforming, including the experiences of failing and suffering. Only when we realize the meaning of life is in the journey itself and not the destination, will we be able to withstand anything that might come our way, even something as challenging as having an ASI that humbles us. And it is okay, for being “human” means to be “humbled” (from the Latin root “humus” meaning earth or soil). And Jesus reassured us: “Blessed are the meek [or humbled ones], for they will inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5)
Collect for Christ the King Sunday
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
For more reflection on AI and the biblical story, check out this talk from FaithTech, by Derek C. Schuurman, Ph.D., a Christian computer scientist:
你曾否參與過一個有數百人出席、有不同人種、在禮儀上莊嚴、聖道福音上紮實、靈裡活潑地敬拜、震撼心靈的聖公會崇拜？
加拿大聖公會聯盟 (ANiC) 2023年度全國教區議會 (Synod) 將於下星期 11 月 15-17 日假溫哥華聖公會牧愛堂舉行。代表全國四五千名聖公會教友的會議代表將會到臨溫哥華出席。
歡迎弟兄姊妹參與 11 月 15 日星期三晚上 7 時隆重的開幕聖餐崇拜。屆時教區主教 Daniel Gifford 亦會宣讀主教訓詞 (Bishop’s Charge)，指導教區未來發展及宣教動向。敬請預留時間出席。
日期：2023 年 11 月 15 日 (三)
時間：晚上 7 時
地點：溫哥華聖公會牧愛堂
Anglican Network Church of the Good Shepherd
189 West 11th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1S8
https://maps.app.goo.gl/EmeoyfkP3TFTbrXa7
詳情：
https://www.anglicannetwork.ca/events-posts/2023/11/15/opening-eucharist-at-synod-2023
https://www.anglicannetwork.ca/synod2023
今天在 Broadway 街買咖啡時，身旁突然出現一位目光呆滯的黑人(並非圖中之人)，看似是位無家可歸人仕。他問我道：「可否為我買點東西？」我原本也打算用積分換取免費 donut。我心想，既然我得了恩惠，為何不也施恩惠給別人呢？想了一想，便問他：「你想我為你買什麼？」他回答說：「我想要一支可樂。」我隨即付錢買他一支可樂。送他之前，我問他叫什麼名字，他說他叫 Elias。我說：「Elias，我買這支可樂給你，是因為上帝愛你。你要感謝上帝喔！」他輕微點點頭，仍帶有點目光呆滯，轉身便離去了。
雖然他沒有展示萬般感恩的反應，但我沒有不高興，因為我想起昨天講道中有提及主耶穌在路加福音 6:30-36 所說的話：
「凡求你的，就給他。有人奪你的東西去，不用再要回來。你們願意人怎樣待你們，你們也要怎樣待人。你們若單愛那愛你們的人，有甚麼可酬謝的呢？就是罪人也愛那愛他們的人。你們若善待那善待你們的人，有甚麼可酬謝的呢？就是罪人也是這樣行。你們若借給人，指望從他收回，有甚麼可酬謝的呢？就是罪人也借給罪人，要如數收回。你們倒要愛仇敵，也要善待他們，並要借給人不指望償還，你們的賞賜就必大了，你們也必作至高者的兒子，因為他恩待那忘恩的和作惡的。你們要慈悲，像你們的父慈悲一樣。」
有時候當我們施恩惠給別人的時候，不期然都會帶着半點期望想對方連忙道謝，才覺得對方「配受」自己的恩惠。但若要論到「配受」，就已經不再是恩典了，因為恩典的定義根本就是「不配受」的。
唯有領受過、經歷過、親嘗過那「不配受」主恩的滋味，才能懂得無條件地、不問回報地施恩給別人，因為我們的主正是有這種心腸的主。雖然我們經常忘卻主恩，不但沒有感謝的心，也只懂歸功勞歸榮耀給自己。但這並沒有使主忘卻我們、施恩保守我們，因「祂叫日頭照好人，也照歹人；降雨給義人，也給不義的人。」(太5:45)
願每一個跟隨耶穌基督的人，都能明白恩典、深受恩典、常施恩典。共勉之。
重溫上主日講道：
以恩報怨（創世記 43:16-34）
恭喜 Kyung-Hyun (James) Kim 和黃果茵姊妹在屬上帝唯一、聖潔、大公並使徒承傳的教會中，分別被按立為(過渡性)會吏和終身會吏。
一旦被按立為會吏，終身都帶有會吏的職事。每一次再讀按立禮的禮文，都讓我想起12年前我在主面前所作過的應許。但願上帝繼續助我，賜我力量來履行這神聖的呼召。
直播錄影： https://youtu.be/Z7eZJpZdr9E
Congratulations to Kyung-Hyun (James) Kim being ordained into the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church of God as a transitional deacon and Kwor Yan Anita Wong as a vocational deacon
Once a deacon, always a deacon. Reading the ordinal again always remind me of what I vowed before God 12 years ago. May the Lord continue to be my helper, empowering me to fulfill this holy calling.
Livestream Recording: https://youtu.be/Z7eZJpZdr9E