1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. We are delighted that you’ve joined us in this third message in the series of the names of Jesus,
欢迎你收听“耶稣的名字”这个系列的第三讲。
3. and I want to begin by saying that, to a non-believing, secular-minded individual,
首先让我告诉你，对于一个还没有信主的朋友来说，
4. Christianity appears to be very contradictory;
基督教看起来好像很矛盾；
5. and, in many ways, their perceptions are right.
其实，很多时候，他们的观点似乎很对。
6. You say, “How come?”
也许你会问：“为什么呢？”
7. Because human logic cannot accept divine premise.
因为人类的逻辑难以理解神的事。
8. Let me give you some examples.
我来举几个例子。
9. The human mind cannot comprehend that God, who created all things,
人用头脑不能理解，这位创造世界的神，
10. became a man and died on a cross.
是如何变成了人的样式，死在十字架上。
11. Human logic would not accept the premise that says that, if you want to save your life, you must lose it.
人类的逻辑思维不能接受，失去生命的反要得着生命的道理。
12. It does not make sense to non-believers’ eyes.
从一个不信上帝的角度来看，这是说不通的。
13. Human logic would not accept the premise that says, in order to be glorified, you must humble yourself;
人的头脑也不能接受：必须先要谦卑，才能得荣耀的道理；
14. or that the high and mighty would wash dirty feet;
或者，有地位有能力的要替人洗脚；
15. or the way to success is surrender;
或者，先顺服才能成功；
16. or in order to get, you must give;
或者，要有收获，必须先付出；
17. the way to live is to die;
要活命，必须先死去；
18. or the way to lead is to serve.
要作领袖，就要先服事。
19. In fact, many people reject Christianity because of those apparent contradictions;
事实上，很多人就因着这些看起来很矛盾的现像而拒绝耶稣基督；
20. but, to the eyes of faith,
但是，如果用信心的眼光来看，
21. these are not contradictions at all.
这些事一点也不矛盾。
22. These are God’s logic.
这些是神的逻辑。
23. These are God’s rules.
这些是神的规则。
24. These are God’s blueprints.
这些是神的计划。
25. These are God’s premises.
这些是神的物业。
26. These are God’s ultimate purpose of mankind’s true happiness.
这些是神为了让人类得到真正幸福而定的最终目的。
27. These are God’s way for our true and ultimate fulfillment,
这些是神让我们得到彻底满足的方式，
28. and that is why they appear contradictory to man’s way.
所以从人的角度来看，这些事情真是矛盾重重。
29. One passage in the Bible critics point out to as contradiction in the Bible is found in Isaiah 9:6.
批评圣经的人曾经指出，以赛亚书9：6所说的就很矛盾。
30. Let me stop here for a moment and tell you that we are in the midst of a series of messages from Isaiah, Chapter 9, verse 6;
说到这里，我想提一提，有关以赛亚书9章6节的一系列信息，我们已经讲到一半了。
31. so, if you have a Bible, please turn to Isaiah 9:6.
如果你有圣经的话，请翻到以赛亚书9：6。
32. “For unto us a child is born,
“因有一婴孩为我们而生，
33. and to us a Son is given,
有一子赐给我们，
34. and the government will be upon his shoulders.
政权必担在祂的肩头上。
35. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor,
祂名称为奇妙，策士，
36. Mighty God,
全能的神，
37. Everlasting Father,
永在的父，
38. Prince of Peace.”
和平的君。”
39. In my previous messages, we saw why Jesus Christ is called “Wonderful Counselor” and “Mighty God.”
我在前两次的信息中已经讲过，耶稣基督为什么会称为“奇妙的策士”和“全能的神。”
40. Today, I want to tell you about the most controversial description of the Lord Jesus Christ:
今天，我要告诉你有关对耶稣基督最具争议性的描述。
41. Everlasting Father.
永在的父。
42. Critics have said,
批评家说：
43. “How can Jesus be called the "Son" and a "Father," all at the same time?
耶稣怎么可能同时被称作“儿子”和“父亲”呢？
44. Let me ask you a question.
让我问你一个问题。
45. What do we call the founders of a country?
你怎么称呼一个国家的创始人呢？
46. Founding Fathers.
国父。
47. What do we call city elders or leaders?
你怎么称呼城市乡镇的元老或领袖呢？
48. City Fathers;
乡亲父老。
49. and where do you think they got this concept?
你认为是从哪里开始这种观念的呢？
50. From the Bible.
是从圣经里面。
51. Let me give you some examples.
我举几个例子。
52. In Genesis 4:20,
在创世记4:20，
53. Jabal was the father of all those who dwell in tents and have cattle.
雅八就是住帐篷牧养牲畜者之父。
54. In Genesis, Chapter 4, verse 21,
在创世记4:21，
55. Jabal’s brother, Jubal, was the father of all who played the harp and the flute.
雅八的兄弟名叫犹八，他是一切弹琴吹箫者之父。
56. In I Chronicles, Chapter 4, verse 14,
在历代志上4：14，
57. Joab was the father of all the craftsman;
约押是一切匠人之祖；
58. so, the whole concept of referring to a pioneer or a founder or an originator as "father" of what he pioneered, founded or originated --
因此，“父亲”这个概念就是指着开创一件事情的先驱、奠基人或发明者而言的──
59. that is all as old as the Book of Genesis.
和创世记同样古老的习俗。
60. Far from being confused, Isaiah was prophesying seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ,
以赛亚毫不含糊地在耶稣降生柒佰年以前就预言了，
61. that Jesus will be the Founder of everlasting life.
耶稣就是永恒生命的创始者。
62. Jesus is going to be the Pioneer of the new revelation;
耶稣就是新启示的先驱；
63. that Jesus is going to be the Founder of the new covenant with God;
耶稣就是神与人之间新约的根基；
64. that Jesus is going to be the Originator of eternal life.
耶稣就是永远生命的启动者。
65. Without Him, no one can have eternal life.
若不是籍着祂，没有人可以得到永生。
66. Isaiah was telling us seven hundred years before Bethlehem,
以赛亚早在耶稣降生于伯利恒的柒佰年前就告诉我们，
67. that Jesus is going to be the Revealer of eternal light;
耶稣将要开启永远之光；
68. that Jesus is going to be the Revealer of eternal love;
耶稣将要开启永远之爱；
69. that Jesus is going to be the Father of a new race of people from every language, every tribe and every nation.
耶稣将要成为从万国、万族、万民中所建立的新国民之父。
70. Isaiah was not confused about the first two members of the trinity: God the Father and God the Son.
以赛亚并没有混淆三位一体之圣父与圣子的地位。
71. He was using a language that was common to his day.
他只是用了在当时所通用的语言来描述。
72. I want us to focus on three of the revelations that Isaiah gives us.
请大家注意以赛亚在这里所给我们的三点启示。
73. First,
第一点，
74. Jesus is the Revealer of God’s new creation.
耶稣启示了神的新创造。
75. Secondly,
第二，
76. Jesus is the Revealer of God’s new covenant.
耶稣启示了神所立的新约，
77. Thirdly,
第三，
78. Jesus is the Revealer of God’s new clan;
耶稣启示了神的新子民；
79. so, what is this, God’s new creation?
那么，神的新创造又是什么呢？
80. In the Old Testament,
在旧约中，
81. the children of Israel knew about God;
以色列人只知道有神；
82. but they did not know God.
但他们并没有真正认识神。
83. A few of them were the exceptions.
当然，他们中间有几个例外。
84. Abraham was privileged to know God,
亚伯拉罕有幸认识了神，
85. and he was called “a friend of God.”
而且，他被称为是“神的朋友。”
86. Moses communed with God like a friend with a friend.
摩西，像朋友般的和神说话。
87. David, Daniel, Elijah, Isaiah: they were all privileged to know God;
大卫、但以理、以利亚、以赛亚：他们都蒙恩得以认识神；
88. but it was not possible for the whole community to know God.
但是，对全会众来说，并不是每一个人都能认识神的。
89. Why?
为什么呢？
90. Because there was a veil on their faces.
因为，他们脸上都盖了面纱。
91. That veil, the Bible said, was lifted when Jesus the Everlasting Father was revealed.
圣经告诉我们，当耶稣这位永在的父向他们显现时，他们脸上的面纱才被揭开。
92. The mystery was revealed by Jesus the Everlasting Father.
耶稣这位永在的父揭晓了神的奥秘。
93. The Apostle, John, said,
使徒约翰说：
94. “No one has seen God at any time.”
“从来没有人看见神。”
95. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has seen Him.
只有在父怀里的独生子看见过神。
96. Jesus the Everlasting Father is the One Who revealed the heart of God.
耶稣作为永在的父向人透露了神的心意。
97. Jesus the Everlasting Father is the One Who revealed the hope of His people.
耶稣作为永在的父向人彰显了祂子民的盼望。
98. Jesus the Everlasting Father revealed the nature and the character of God.
耶稣作为永在的父向人启示了神的性情。
99. Jesus the Everlasting Father revealed the mind of God.
耶稣作为永在的父向人启示了神的意念。
100. Jesus the Everlasting Father is the One Who revealed the way to eternal life.
耶稣作为永在的父向人指明了通往永生的道路。
101. Jesus the Everlasting Father is the only One Who is able to reveal the holiness of God,
耶稣作为永在的父是唯一能够彰显神圣洁的那一位。
102. and the righteousness of God,
彰显神的公义，
103. and the justice of God.
彰显神的正直。
104. Jesus is the only One Who revealed every aspect of sinfulness and wickedness of man.
只有耶稣才能指出人类各方面的罪孽和邪恶。
105. He is the only One Who could reveal the power and the might of God to deal with the sinfulness of man.
唯有祂能够彰显神的全能来解决人的罪。
106. He is the only One Who could reveal the eternal love of God.
只有祂才能向人显明神的永恒的爱。
107. Why?
为什么呢？
108. Because He experientially and empirically revealed the love of God,
因为祂亲自体现，并显示了神的爱：
109. when He paid for the wages of the sin of all who believe in Him;
祂为一切相信祂的人付清了所有的罪债；
110. and the Bible says:
圣经告诉我们：
111. that everyone who will accept this revelation shall be a new creation;
所有接受耶稣启示的人都要成为新造的人；
112. and that is why the Bible calls Jesus “the author and the finisher of our faith.”
这就是为什么圣经说祂是“为我们信心创始成终的耶稣。”
113. Secondly,
第二，
114. He is called Everlasting Father because He is the Revealer of God’s new covenant.
祂被称为永在的父，因为祂启示了神与人所立的新约。
115. The new covenant, which we call the “New Testament” of the Bible,
新约，就是圣经里的新约全书，
116. is contrasted with the Old Testament in the Book of Hebrews.
在希伯来书里，将新约和旧约做了对比，
117. It concludes by saying that the new covenant is far superior.
希伯来书的结论是，新约远比旧约更美、更好。
118. In fact, the Old Testament does not make sense without Christ.
实际上，旧约如果与基督无关，就没有意义。，
119. The Old Testament is just a shadow,
旧约只不过是个影子，
120. but the New Testament reveals the Person behind the shadow.
而新约向我们彰显了影子前的实体。
121. The Old Testament is the announcement of the coming of the Messiah.
旧约向我们宣告那将要来的弥赛亚。
122. The New Testament is the fulfillment and realization of that announcement.
而新约则应验，并实现了旧约里的预言。
123. The Old Testament is the expectation and hope for the coming Messiah.
旧约是对弥赛亚的一种期盼和希望。
124. The New Testament says, in Jesus Christ, the expectation is fulfilled.
而新约说，在基督里，这盼望成了事实。
125. John said,
约翰曾说，
126. “The law was given through Moses,
“律法本是借着摩西传的，
127. but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ,”
恩典和真理都是由耶稣基督来的，”
128. and, because He is the Truth,
因为，祂就是真理，
129. not that He was searching for the truth,
这不是说，祂寻求真理，
130. not that He was hoping to find the truth,
也不是说，祂希望发现真理，
131. not that He needed the truth --
也不是说，祂需要真理──
132. no. Jesus is the Truth, and the truth is Jesus;
这乃是说：耶稣就是真理，真理就是耶稣；
133. and that is why only Jesus can establish God’s new covenant;
因此只有耶稣才能建立神的新约；
134. so, what is that covenant or contract?
那么，这个“约”意味着什么呢？
135. It’s very simple.
很容易理解。
136. Your side of the covenant is to acknowledge that you are a sinner by birth,
你作为合约的一方，应当承认自己生来就是一个有罪的人，
137. and a sinner by practice,
并且不断地犯罪，
138. and that the sentence for that sin is eternal damnation;
罪的结局就是永远的咒诅；
139. and that you can never placate yourself from that judgment.
你自己永远都无法逃脱将要受的审判。
140. Furthermore, you acknowledge that there is only one perfect God-Man,
然而，当你承认只有一位道成肉身，完全的人，
141. Who paid for your death sentence by dying for you on the cross;
已经为你的罪而钉死在十字架上面；
142. then, you turn from your sin,
然后，你离开自己的罪，
143. receive God’s gift of forgiveness,
接受神的赦罪之恩，
144. and walk with Jesus Christ by faith;
并且以信心与耶稣基督同行；
145. and you will be assured of Heaven.
将来，你肯定可以在天堂永远与神同在。
146. You can either sign the covenant or not sign the covenant.
你要么就在合约上面签字，要么，就拒绝签字。
147. You cannot half-sign.
不能模棱两可。
148. You are either in the covenant or out of the covenant.
不是在合约之内，就是在合约之外。
149. If you have not signed the covenant with Jesus Christ and accepted His gift of eternal life,
假如你还没有在这个合约上面签字，并且接受耶稣所赐给你的永生的话，
150. you can do that today.
今天，你就可以完成这件事情。
151. Jesus is called the “Everlasting Father”
耶稣是“永在的父” ，
152. because He is the Revealer of God’s new creation,
因为祂启示了神新的创造，
153. and because He is the Revealer of God’s new covenant.
祂也启示了神与人所立的新约。
154. Thirdly, Jesus is called “Everlasting Father” because He is the Revealer of God’s new clan of people.
第三，耶稣之所以被称为“永在的父”，是因为祂建立了神新的子民。
155. What is that new clan?
这一群新的子民又是哪些人呢？
156. It’s made up of all who have signed God’s new covenant.
就是凡在神的合约上签字的那些人。
157. It’s made up of all who have accepted God’s redemption.
这一群人接受了神的救赎。
158. It is made up of all who have accepted the Founder’s conditions.
这一群人接受了创始人所提的条件。
159. The Bible calls that new clan “the church of Jesus Christ,
圣经告诉我们，新的子民就是“耶稣基督的教会，
160. from every nation, tribe and tongue.”
是从各国、各民、各方所召聚来的。”
161. Christians are sometimes misunderstood by the world.
基督徒有时会被世上其它的人误会。
162. Do you know why?
你知道为什么吗？
163. Because they have decided to come to God God’s way,
因为他们已经决定要遵从神的方式来跟从神。
164. not on their own terms;
而不是随他们自己的心意而行；
165. because they have decided to come to God on God’s terms, not according to their own ideas;
因为他们已经决定要按照神的条款来跟从神，而不是一意孤行。
166. because they have accepted the declaration of the Everlasting Father Who said that He is the full Truth and the only Truth,
因为他们已经接受这位永在的父所宣告的话说：唯有祂才是独一无二，完整的真理。
167. and, apart from Him, there can be no full Truth.
离开了祂，世界上就没有真理。
168. Those who misunderstand Christians do so because they want to go to God only on their own terms.
那些误解基督徒的人，是因为他们要照自己的意思来对待神。
169. They have deceived themselves into thinking that God doesn’t care how they come to Him.
他们认为神不介意他们凭己意行事，那只不过是自欺欺人罢了。
170. If that is the case, then God would not have died on a cross;
如果真是这样，神就不需要死在十字架上了；
171. and that is why we must explain that we do not make the rules. God does.
因此我们必须说清楚，是神定的条款，不是我们。
172. We only have just accepted God’s rules;
我们只需要接受神的条款就行了；
173. and you will have no hope for eternal life unless and until you do.
除非你愿意接受，不然，就得不到永生。
174. There may be someone listening today who would say,
我相信，有些朋友会说：
175. “I thought that all ways lead to God.
“我曾经认为，条条道路通罗马。
176. I thought that Jesus was just a way.
我曾经认为，耶稣只不过是其中的一条道路罢了。
177. I thought that I can be accepted by God,
我曾经认为，神可以接纳我，
178. if I am a good person,
只要我作个好人就可以了。
179. and never hurt anybody;
只要我不伤害别人就行了；
180. but, now, I know that the Everlasting Father Jesus Christ,
但今天，我明白了，耶稣才是永在的父，
181. the Founder and the only Giver of everlasting life,
只有耶稣才能赐给我永远的生命，
182. is inviting me to come to Him,
祂正邀请我到祂的面前来，
183. on His own terms;
按照祂的心意；
184. and that’s the only way I can come to Him.”
而且，只有祂才能带领来到神的面前。”
185. If you have come to this realization,
假如你已经认识到这一点，
186. you can simply come to Him today
你现在就可以来到祂的面前，
187. and He will accept you,
主耶稣一定接纳你，
188. because He promised so.
因为祂是这样应许的。
189. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
我们下一次节目再见，愿神大大地赐福给你。
