「道成肉身」之地點

無處降生的耶穌卻住在人心 (路加福音2:7)

伯利恆猶大小城迎接新生王 (彌迦書5:2）

羊羣高臺山脈都歸權柄與你 (彌迦書4:8)

噢洞穴以得臺帳棚中的馬槽 (創世記35:21)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus#Date_and_place_of_birth

靜覺誠「住」之「道成肉身」（未然）

上次分享到「道成肉身」是一個既定的事實/真理（incarnation as "already-given"）。基督徒普遍體會到的問題在於我們有否樂於，並懂得如何「住在」上帝裡面，在實際的情況裡操練並體驗「道成肉身」。後者相對是一個從主觀/感受的經歷（experiencing the incarnation as"but-not-yet")。

這是耶穌與門徒臨別對話中的重點：「常在我裡面的、我也常在他裡面」 (約14:23; 15:4, 5, 7; 16:4; 17)。「道成肉身」就是基督「住在」（σκηνοω， to tabernacle, dwell）人間「充充滿滿的有恩典有真理」（1:14 ）。「住在」「μενω」在約翰福音中出現了40次，也是約翰一書的重要主題 (Gk: menō, to abide, to be in close and settled union, to indwell)。

福音書所描述的是耶穌親身（describing a physical experience）「住在」人間，而約翰一書所傳講的是基督徒如何透過聖靈和聖言「住在」耶穌的生命裏面（prescribing a spiritual experience)。前者是已成的「充充滿滿地有恩典有真理」，後者是靠著這恩典和真理，經歷基督「住在」我裏面，我「住在」基督裡面。這「住在」是靈性操練的基礎，也是靈性操練的目標。

默想有關「住在」的經文：

我是葡萄樹、你們是枝子．常「住在」我裡面的、我也常「住在」他裡面、這人就多結果子．因為離了我、你們就不能作甚麼。（John 15:5 和合本2010）

凡說自己「住在」他裏面的，就該照着他所行的去行。 (1 John 2:6 和合本2010)

那愛弟兄的，就是「住在」光明中，他不會使人失足犯罪。  (1 John 2:10 和合本2010)

論到你們，務要將那從起初所聽見的常存在心裏；若將從起初所聽見的存在心裏，你們就會「住在」子裏面，也會「住在」父裏面。  (1 John 2:24 和合本2010)

至於你們，你們從基督所受的恩膏常存在你們心裏，並不用人教導你們，自有他的恩膏在凡事上教導你們。這恩膏是真的，不是假的，你們要按這恩膏的教導「住在」他裏面。 (1 John 2:27 和合本2010)

孩子們哪，你們要「住在」基督裏面。這樣，他若顯現，我們就可以坦然無懼；當他來臨的時候，在他面前不至於慚愧。  (1 John 2:28 和合本2010)

靜觀操練：

現在想像一下，主「住在」你裡面是怎樣的？你怎樣「住在」在主裡面？

靈性生活的內在元素: （當然也有外在元素，下回分享）

從「靜」「聽」到「覺」「醒」

從「誠」「實」到「住」「在」

參考：
基督徒日常生活的靈性修持

Christian Leadership: Inspiration

TED TALK: HOW GREAT LEADERS INSPIRE ACTION

 By Simon Sinek

Adopted: https://www.thechangery.com/how-great-leaders-inspire-action/

Two ideas stood out from Sinek’s TED talk, The Golden Circle and the law of Diffusion of Innovations. Inspiring leaders like Martin Luther King, the Wright Brothers, or Steve Job did not change the world by “What they do” or “How they do what they do”. Other leaders in their time protested, innovated, made computers, but what set them apart was their core-belief, “Why they do what they do”. 

King did not deliver the famous speech with “I have a Plan” but “I have a Dream”. As many that stood there, a crowd of 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial on a hot summer day in 1963, they did not come out for what King believed but what they personally believed. They are the Early Adopters and Early Majority. They were the tipping point. 

Coming back to Christian leadership, I believe local church leaders can inspire their congregation if they can articulate and communicate what they believe. They will answer for themselves this question, “why they do what they do”. In light of this, I also believe there is an embedded Golden Circle regarding the church found in the Apostles' Creed. The following phrases begin with I believe, "in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of the saints...". Matin Luther believed in the priesthood of all believers (the why part) which eventually gave laypersons and the clergy equal rights and responsibilities (the how part) in governing the church (the what part). It was Luther’s inspiration that brought forth the Protestant Church as a great “innovation”.

I believe every Christian leader, being innovated through the Spirit, discipled by the great Church tradition, can inspire others to become the Saints and leaders that God intended us to be. 

After thought: 

Thanks God for bringing me to think alongside the CSPG of SCAC as church leaders. When we talked about leadership I thought of two particular books that shaped me. The first one was used when I was mentored by a pastor and the second one was used to develop leaders in my previous church with very positive results. Maybe these two books will worth to keep in the tool box.