喜樂

 

Leader's Notes: Purpose: To understand why the early disciples were so joyful and how we can recapture that joy today. Joy in the New Testament has its source in the Lord rather than in mere physical comfort and well-being. Joy is also grounded in the hope of Christ's return. That is why Paul could rejoice even in prison.

NOTE: Questions in ‘*’ are for Christians only.

 

【打開話閘子】

 

1.當你聽到喜樂這個詞的時候，你會想到什麼？

 

Leader's Notes: These are just some starting questions. Not all questions need to be asked. These questions are just there for people to start thinking about what joy is and whether he or she is a joyful person. Prior to the meeting, you may invite mature believers to start sharing their own personal life first. This way the new comers will be more willing to share their own.

 

2. 喜樂，快樂，和平安有什麼相同或不同的地方？

 

Leader's Notes: Some Christians classify Joy (喜樂) as eternal and Happiness (快樂) as temporal but this distinction is never proven in the bible. However, in this passage the Greek word for "great joy" (1 Pet 1:6, 8) are more intensified comparing to the normal usage. The same word is used in other passages like (Matt. 5:12; Luke 1:47; 10:21; John 5:35; 8:56; Acts 2:26; 16:34; 1 Pet. 1:6, 8; 4:13; Rev. 19:7)

 

3. 喜樂是短暫的還是永久的？

 

4. 喜樂是可以追求的嗎？有什麼事情可以讓你喜樂？

 

5. 當你不喜樂的時候，你怎麼辦？你如何讓你自己常常喜樂？

 

6. 你覺得你自己是不是一個喜樂的人？你是怎麼做到的？

 

【上帝有話說】

 

請閱讀彼得前書１章１－１２節

 

『 1 耶穌基督的使徒彼得寫信給那分散在本都、加拉太、加帕多家、亞細亞、庇推尼寄居的，2 就是照父上帝的先見被揀選，藉著聖靈得成聖潔，以致順服耶穌基督，又蒙他血所灑的人。願恩惠、平安多多地加給你們。 3 願頌讚歸與我們主耶穌基督的父上帝！他曾照自己的大憐憫，藉耶穌基督從死裏復活，重生了我們，叫我們有活潑的盼望，4 可以得著不能朽壞、不能玷污、不能衰殘、為你們存留在天上的基業。5 你們這因信蒙上帝能力保守的人，必能得著所預備、到末世要顯現的救恩。6 因此，你們是大有喜樂；但如今，在百般的試煉中暫時憂愁，7 叫你們的信心既被試驗，就比那被火試驗仍然能壞的金子更顯寶貴，可以在耶穌基督顯現的時候得著稱讚、榮耀、尊貴。8 你們雖然沒有見過他，卻是愛他；如今雖不得看見，卻因信他就有說不出來、滿有榮光的大喜樂；9 並且得著你們信心的果效，就是靈魂的救恩。10 論到這救恩，那預先說你們要得恩典的眾先知早已詳細地尋求考察，11 就是考察在他們心裏基督的靈，預先證明基督受苦難，後來得榮耀，是指著甚麼時候，並怎樣的時候。12 他們得了啟示，知道他們所傳講的一切事，不是為自己，乃是為你們。那靠著從天上差來的聖靈傳福音給你們的人，現在將這些事報給你們；天使也願意詳細察看這些事。』(彼得前書１章１－１２節)

 

【觀察討論】

 

1. 聖經上所說的盼望是什麼？什麼樣的人可以得著救恩？（３－５節）

 

Leader's Notes: The point is to show that Christians will receive salvation, enabling them to be in heaven forever. Christian hope is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus. We can have hope again because we are born again.

 

2. 這個盼望為什麼能夠可以讓人大有喜樂？在憂愁當中如何能大有喜樂？（６－９節）

 

Leader's Notes: Although here it is not discussing about Perseverance of the Saints (一次得救，永遠得救), it does talk about Christian trials can bring much joy, when we wait for the coming glory and the salvation of souls. As Paul points out, temporal suffering is nothing compared to eternal salvation. (2 Cor. 4:17-18)

 

3. 這個能讓人喜樂的救恩有什麼特別？我們如何知道這個救恩？（１０－１２節）

 

Leader's Notes: Leaders may want to explain how the prophets have proclaimed (refer to the book of Isaiah, especially chs. 49-53). You may want to also explain how does the gospel came to people, and it is done "through those who preached the gospel" and "by the Holy Spirit". Christians are means for the gosple to be spread, but it is the Holy Spirit who enables this to happen.

 

【生活應用】

 

1.你擁有聖經上所說的這種喜樂嗎？聖經上的喜樂和世上的喜樂有什麼不同？

 

Leader's Notes: The joy the bible talks about is through faith in Jesus Christ. It is through faith in Jesus Christ, not by our own effort. It is eternal, not termporal, because it lies on an eternal hope. It points towards the final salvation, not towards vanity.

 

2. 你希望得到聖經上說的這種喜樂嗎？從聖經上來看，你要如何得到這種喜樂？

 

Leader's Notes: The answer is faith. (vv.5, 7, 9). Verse 8 explains the object of this faith is Jesus.

 

*3. 你最近有些什麼困難，你如何超越這些？

 

Leader's Notes: The Please note when Peter refers to these trials, he is more refering to the trials of being persecuted as Christians. However, the general principle can still apply.

 

*4. 請分享你過去經歷過的困難如何幫助你更有信心？

 

*5. 想想你現在的生活，你有沒有喜樂的心？如果沒有，為什麼？今天的經文如何幫助你更有信心？

 

*6. 禱告自己更有信心，更有喜樂的心．