親愛的弟兄姊妹平安:
亞伯拉罕救回侄兒羅得，經歷了神的大能和恩典，主動地把戰爭中奪回被擄之物的十分之一，藉麥基洗德奉獻給神，表達對神的感恩。信心之父給我們立下了美好的榜樣。
可惜以色列人在迦南，行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，羞辱了神的名字，以致亡國被擄。在歸回故土後，瑪拉基先知發出最嚴厲的譴責，並命令要在金錢的奉獻表明敬拜主：「萬軍之耶和華說：你們要將當納的十分之一全然送入倉庫，使我家有糧，以此試試我，是否為你們敞開天上的窗庫，傾福與你們，甚至無處可容。」(瑪拉基書3:10)
新約時代的法利賽人是守著十一奉獻的條例，並以此為傲：「我一個禮拜禁食兩次，凡我所得的都捐上十分之一。」（路18:12 ）但主耶穌更喜悅的奉獻，是看重兩個小錢、打破香膏的奉獻, 出於對主的感恩, 敬拜和愛。若今日基督徒敬拜神，只停留在十一奉獻條例的「應否」與「多少」，而忘記了更重要的屬靈操練，耶穌責備法利賽人的「有禍了」，也必臨到我們身上。
保羅教導哥林多信徒每逢七日的第一日，照自己的進項抽出來捐獻。抽出多少呢？各隨本心酌定，不作難、不勉強，因為捐得樂意的人，是神所喜愛的。(林前16:2, 林後9:7)
我們蒙神救贖的人，在主日崇拜齊集在神的面前，以感恩的心把金錢奉獻給主，或在奉獻箱、奉獻袋，或在銀行轉帳，都是甘心樂意奉獻，見證神的恩典。這是基督徒的權利，也是義務，這是我們的福份，也是本份。讓我們一同操練我們的信心，作一個「蒙神傾福」和「得神喜愛」的人！
「所以弟兄們, 我以神的慈悲勸你們, 將身體獻上, 當作活祭, 是聖潔的, 是神所喜悅的; 你們如此事奉, 乃是理所當然的。」(羅12:1)
主內
王 興 7/12/2022
10th December, 2022
Dear brothers and sisters,
After Abraham rescued Lot, he experienced the power and grace of God, and gave one-tenth of everything to God through Melchizedek, expressing his gratitude to God. The Father of Faith has set a beautiful example for us.
But the Israelites did evil things in the eyes of the Lord in Canaan, dishonouring His name. So the nation was destroyed and taken into captivity. After returning to their homeland, the prophet Malachi issued the most severe condemnation and commanded them to worship the Lord through the offering of money: ‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’ (Malachi 3:10)
In the time of the New Testament, the Pharisees kept the rule of giving tithes and were proud of it: ‘I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18:12) But the offering that pleases the Lord Jesus is the offering of the two small coins and the breaking of the jar of perfume, out of gratitude, worship and love to the Lord. Today, when we worship God, if we only focus on whether or not the tithe should be given and how much we should give; but forget the important spiritual practice, Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees, “Woe to you” will also come upon us.
Paul taught the Corinthian believers to set aside and give according to their income on the first day of every week. How much should we set aside? Everyone should give what they have decided in their heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (1Cor 16:2, 2Cor 9:7)
Being saved by God, we gather and worship God on Sundays and offer money to the Lord with a grateful heart, whether in offering box, offering bags, or through bank transfers. Offering is the privilege and obligation of Christians, our blessing and our duty. Let us practise our faith together, and be a person who is ‘blessed by God’ and ‘loved by God’ !
‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.’ (Romans 12:1)
In Christ,
Sam Wong