親愛的弟兄姊妹平安:
感謝眾弟兄姊妹都一起同心合意以禱告守望香港，為香港700萬市民祈禱，為決策香港的「執政的，掌權的，和一切在位的」祈禱。
香港重病了，香港重傷了。但我們仍然深信耶和華坐着為王，祂是發閃電降春雨的耶和華，祂護理大地，祂眷顧自己的羊群，祂是耶和華我們的神，祂必應允我們的禱告。萬軍之耶和華說：「我要發嘶聲，聚集他們，因我已經救贖他們，他們的人數必加增，與從前加增一樣。」（ 亞10:8) 「我必再領他們出埃及地，招聚他們出亞述，領他們到基列和黎巴嫩，這地尚且不夠他們居住。」（亞10:10）
這個主日崇拜的信息，撒迦利亞先知發出一首哀歌：「黎巴嫩啊! 開開你的門，任火燒滅你的香柏樹。 松樹啊! 應當哀號，因為香柏樹傾倒，佳美的樹毁壞。巴珊的橡樹啊! 應當哀號，因為茂盛的樹林已經倒了。聽啊! 有牧人哀號的聲音，因他們榮華的草場毁壞了; 有少壯獅子咆哮的聲音，因約旦河旁的叢林荒廢了。」（亞11:1-3)
香柏樹，樹中之王，萬軍之耶和華聖殿的棟樑，任火焚燒。嗚呼!哀哉! 是的，撒迦利亞先知發出預言，惡牧當道，偷竊，殺害，毁壞，生靈塗碳，可悲，可憐，可嘆。善牧來了，卻被棄絕, 並且被賣30兩銀子。耶穌說：「我是好牧人，好牧人為羊捨命。」（約10 :11 ）人的盡頭之處，重現生機，耶和華說：「我必牧養這將宰的群羊，就是群中最困苦的羊，我拿着兩根杖，一根我稱為榮美，一根我稱為聯索，這樣，我牧養了群羊。」（亞11:7)
英國脫歐在即， 10月31日就是死線，人心紛亂，不知前面方向，政治和經濟走上一個變局，真正的平安喜樂從來不是地上的產物，而是天父的賞賜。
「撒迦利亞」這個名字最近都在我們的主日崇拜信息中，他的意思就是「耶和華顧念」。是的，我們要將一切憂慮卸給神，因為祂顧念我們。（彼前5:7)
主內
王 興2019年8月16日
<撒迦利亞Zechariah>16th August, 2019
Dear brothers and sisters,
Thank you for praying for Hong Kong, for her 7 million people, and those in the authority.
Hong Kong is severely ill and wounded, but we still trust that the Lord is sitting on the throne. He strikes lightning and sends rain. He watches over the earth and His flock. He is the Lord our God and He answers our prayers. The Lord Almighty said, ‘I will signal for them and gather them in. Surely I will redeem them; they will be as numerous as before.’ (Zech 10:8) ‘I will bring them back from Egypt and gather them from Assyria. I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon, and there will not be room enough for them.’ (Zech 10:10)
In the message of this Sunday Service, Zechariah announced, ‘Open your doors, Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! Wail, you juniper, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down! Listen to the wail of the shepherds; their rich pastures are destroyed! Listen to the roar of the lions; the lush thicket of the Jordan is ruined.’ (Zech 11:1-3)
Cedars, the king of trees, the pillars in the Temple, are devoured by fire. Alas! Yes, Zechariah prophesied that the bad shepherd would come to steal and kill and destroy. Then the Good Shepherd came but was rejected and betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus says, ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) There is hope when people find no way out. The Lord said, ‘So I shepherded the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favour and the other Union, and I shepherded the flock.’ (Zech 11:7)
31st October is the deadline for Brexit. People are troubled and lose their direction. There is uncertainty in both the politics and the economy. Real joy and peace cannot be gained on earth but a blessing from the Heavenly Father.
We hear the name of ‘Zechariah’ in every Sermon in the past few months. It means ‘The Lord cares’. True, we can cast all our anxiety on God because He cares for us. (1Pe 5:7)
In Him,
Sam Wong