1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. Today, we are going to commence a new series of messages.
从今天开始，有一个新的系列要与你见面了。
3. We are calling this series of messages, "Twelve Steps for Growing Up,"
这个系列就是“生命成长的十二个步骤”，
4. and it comes directly from the Epistle of James;
它是根据雅各书展开的一系列信息。
5. and, today, I will only introduce the subject to you.
那么，今天呢，我只把这封书信的主题介绍给你。
6. I want to begin by telling you a family story.
这要从一个家庭说起。
7. No matter who you are, or what you are, or how old you are, whenever you return to your hometown, you are looked upon as that little boy that they knew,
无论你是谁，或什么身份，年龄有多大，当你回到你的故乡，你永远都是乡亲眼中所熟悉的那个小男孩儿。
8. especially if you are the youngest brother in a large family.
尤其，如果你是一个大家庭中的老么的话，情况就更加如此了。
9. To them, you are still the little boy who used to get into trouble, or fighting with older siblings;
对他们来说，你还是那个老爱惹麻烦，或和哥哥姐姐打架的小男孩儿。
10. the little boy who said things that he shouldn’t have said and did things that he shouldn’t have done.
你还是那个说话不得体、做事不牢靠的毛躁小子。
11. No matter how successful you become, they still treat you the way they used to.
不管你是多么的功成名就，他们还是用他们习惯的眼光看你。
12. They want to tell you what to eat or where to go and who to see.
他们还是要唠叨你说：应该吃什么、该到哪儿去、该去看望谁。
13. Now, this gives us a whole new insight into the Epistle of James, who was the Lord Jesus’ half-brother.
从这个观点来看，我们对主耶稣的兄弟雅各所写的雅各书，就会有一个全新的认识。
14. We will be spending several messages looking into this magnificent Epistle.
我们将会用好几次的节目时间，来看这卷了不起的书信。
15. To understand James’ Epistle, you must understand how it feels growing up in a home where Jesus is your older brother.
要明白雅各书，你首先要了解，在耶稣作为兄长的家庭里长大的滋味和感觉。
16. Jesus was perfect.
耶稣是完美的，
17. He could do no wrong.
祂是不会犯错误的。
18. My big brothers thought that they were perfect, but they were not, really.
我的哥哥们总是以为他们是完美的，其实他们并不是。
19. In Jesus’ home, nothing was ever Jesus’ fault.
然而在耶稣的家里，耶稣从没有犯过错。
20. James must have done every bad thing.
而雅各一定做过许多错事。
21. No doubt, James saw how different Jesus was.
毫无疑问，雅各看到了耶稣是怎样的与众不同。
22. It would be wonderful to think that James believed in his brother right away;
也许我们会想，雅各一定是第一个相信大哥耶稣的人；
23. yet, John 7:5 tells us that not even his brothers were believing in Him;
然而，约翰福音7：5节告诉我们：连他的弟兄也不信他；
24. but, one day, all of that changed.
可是有一天，一切都改变了。
25. A cruel crucifixion silenced Jesus,
钉十字架的酷刑虽夺去了耶稣肉身的生命，
26. but the grave could not contain Him;
但是，死亡却不能拘禁祂；
27. and, on the third day, He got up out of the grave;
祂在第三天，从死里复活；
28. and, for forty days, He appeared in person to hundreds of eyewitnesses. Among them was his half-brother, James.
有四十天之久，耶稣向好几百人显现。其中，就有祂的兄弟雅各。
29. 1 Corinthians 15:7 tells us of an encounter between James and Jesus.
在哥林多前书15：7节那里，我们看到耶稣曾经向雅各显现。
30. The Bible does not tell us about the content of this meeting;
虽然圣经并没有告诉我们其中的详情，
31. yet, we know enough to know that James was a changed man afterward.
但是我们知道，从此以后，雅各完全改变了。
32. He was no longer cynical or skeptical.
他不再嘲笑、怀疑，
33. He was no longer critical or unbelieving.
他不再批评、不信。
34. According to Galatians 2:9, he became a pillar of the church in Jerusalem.
根据加拉太书2章9节，他成为耶路撒冷教会的柱石。
35. He totally embraced Jesus.
他完全地接纳了耶稣。
36. He gave Jesus his all, including his very life;
他将一切奉献给主，包括他的生命；
37. for tradition tells us that James died a martyr for the cause of Christ.
传统上认为，雅各最后为主而殉道。
38. First, he was shoved off the pinnacle of the Temple;
他先是从圣殿顶被推下来；
39. then, he was stoned,
后来人们用石头打他，
40. and, finally, when he still showed sign of life, he was beheaded;
最后，在他奄奄一息时，他被砍头；
41. but, thank God, before he died, the Holy Spirit used him to write this great Epistle which bears his name,
然而，感谢神，在他去世以前，圣灵感动他写下了这卷以他的名字命名的伟大书信。
42. and he was writing this Epistle to Christians who are facing tough times.
这封书信正是写给那些遭遇患难的基督徒的。
43. These Christians were going through trials and testing.
这些信徒正在经历试炼和考验。
44. James’ purpose was to help them mature in the faith through the trials;
雅各写信的目的，就是要帮助他们通过信心的试验以后，能成熟起来；
45. so, he writes in James 1:1, saying, “James, bondservant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. To the twelve tribes—those in dispersion—be rejoicing.”
因此，他在雅各书1：1说：“作神和主耶稣基督仆人的雅各，请散住十二个支派之人的安。”
46. Many companies display their corporate logo on their seal or on their letterhead.
许多公司在他们的图章上，或在信函上都刻印着公司的徽号。
47. "Bondslave" is James’ seal.
“奴隶”就是雅各的图章。
48. This was his title.
这是他的头衔。
49. This is his credential.
这也是他的介绍信。
50. He is confessing publicly that he is the property of another.
他公开承认他属于另外一个人。
51. I want to pause here for a moment to tell you something-
在这里，我想停一停，让我告诉你一些事──
52. James had spent more time with Jesus than most people over thirty years in family life.
雅各是耶稣的亲人，在三十多年家庭生活里，他比别人有更多机会和耶稣相处。
53. Wouldn’t you think that it would be impressive to the new believers that James would display these credentials?
你会不会觉得，如果雅各提出这项资格，岂不是让那些新的基督徒对他刮目相看吗？
54. People are often impressed by who you know, not what you know;
人们往往很在乎你认识某某名人，而不在乎你懂些什么；
55. and James could have played on this intimate knowledge of Jesus.
雅各可以利用他和耶稣是亲人的关系来炫耀自己。
56. He could have emphasized his family relationship to Jesus and amazed his audience, but he didn’t.
他可以强调他是耶稣的家人，以此来吸引他的读者。然而，他没有这样做。
57. He introduced himself as James, a bondslave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
他介绍自己是雅各，是神和主耶稣基督的奴隶。
58. If I was writing this letter and trying to get the attention of my readers, who might not know who exactly I was, I would have emphasized my half-brother relationship with Jesus to the fullest.
如果是我写一封书信给那些对我并不很熟悉的读者，为了引起他们的注意，我会强调我和耶稣是亲兄弟的关系。
59. I would want the readers to know that I am, spiritually speaking, a very important person.
我要让我的读者知道，从属灵意义上说，我是一位很重要的人物。
60. I wouldn’t want anyone to be asking, "James who?"
我不希望别人说：“雅各？哪一个雅各？”
61. I would have emphasized the family connection for all its worth;
我会刻意强调这种家属关系的重要性；
62. but, no, the one who gets the prominence is not James, but the Lord Jesus.
但不，著名的不是雅各，而是主耶稣。
63. James gives Jesus the full messianic title, "the Lord Jesus Christ,"
雅各使用了弥赛亚的尊称来介绍耶稣：称祂为“主耶稣基督”，
64. as if to say, "As for me, James, I am a bondslave of him."
这就表明：“我，雅各，是祂的奴隶。”
65. What does that mean?
这意味着什么呢？
66. The slave has no choice but to obey his master.
奴隶除了顺从他的主人以外，别无选择。
67. "Oh, yes, that’s me—James."
雅各说：“是的，这就是我。”
68. The slave only does the will of the master.
奴隶只能够遵行主人的意愿。
69. "Yes, that’s me—James."
雅各说：“是的，这就是我。”
70. The slave must give total submission and control of his life to his master;
奴隶必须完全顺服，并将一切自主权交给他的主人；
71. and James is saying, "That’s me—James."
雅各说：“这就是我。”
72. The slave must not equivocate or have divided allegiance or mixed loyalty or look out for his own interests.
奴隶必须对他的主人绝对效忠，不可马马虎虎，三心二意，或为自己的利益着想。
73. "Yes, that’s me—James—bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ."
雅各说：“是的，我就是雅各，是主耶稣基督的奴仆。”
74. The fact that James affirms the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ is a tremendous thing here.
其实，雅各在这里承认主耶稣基督的神性，这是一件意义很重大的事情。
75. Think about it.
想想看，
76. No one knows your weaknesses and your shortcomings better than a member of your family,
没有人比你的家人更了解你的弱点和短处，
77. yet James recognizes that his half-brother is no other than God incarnate;
然而，雅各承认他的兄长不是别人，正是道成肉身的神；
78. and that is why he goes on in verse 2 and 3 and says, “Deem it pure joy, my brethren, whenever you fall into various kinds of trials, knowing that the testing of your faith is producing endurance.”
这就是为什么在第二、第三节中，他说：“我的弟兄们，你们落在百般的试炼中，都要以为大喜乐；因为知道你们的信心经过试验，就生忍耐。”
79. Let me ask you a question-
让我问你一个问题──
80. How do you respond when the hurt is so real to you?
当你受到切肤之痛的时候，你会怎样做呢？
81. How do you respond when the walls close in on you?
当你四面楚歌的时候，你会怎样反应呢？
82. James starts his letter by telling us how to respond.
雅各在信的开头就告诉我们应当如何反应。
83. For some, his words are bitter medicine and very hard to swallow.
对有些人来说，他的话有点像苦药，难以下咽。
84. His words run contrary to what we think we really want.
他所说的，完全不是我们喜欢听的话。
85. Trials in life, for the unbeliever, often come to nudge them to turn to God.
对非基督徒来说，生活中的试炼，常常成为他们归向神的机会。
86. For the believer, trials are God’s way of helping you to grow up.
对于基督徒来说，试炼是神帮助你生命成长的途径。
87. I often say that trials don’t have to be your undertaker. They can be your teacher.
我常常说，试炼不是来埋葬我们的殡葬人员，而是栽培我们的老师。
88. James said we are to consider it pure joy whenever we fall into various trials.
雅各说，当我们落在百般的试炼中，都要以为大喜乐。
89. Not if we fall into trials, but whenever we fall into trials.
他不是说，假如 我们落在试炼中，而是说，每当 我们落在试炼中。
90. How you react to your trials should distinguish between the believers and the unbelievers;
信徒和非信徒在试炼中的反应是截然不同的，你是怎样反应的呢？
91. and James is writing to people who are really facing bad times here,
在这里，雅各写信给那些正在经历试炼的人，
92. and he’s saying to them that, despite of that, you must count it joy.
他说，无论如何，你总要喜乐。
93. What is he suggesting?
什么意思呢？
94. Does he mean that I would put on a big smile on my face and show everyone how spiritual I am by holding back tears?
他是不是说：我应当强颜欢笑，掩饰内心的悲哀，来显示我是多么的属灵呢？
95. Does it mean that I exclaim cheerfully, "Oh, good. Now, I lost my job!"
他是不是说：我要欢呼雀跃地喊叫说：“太好了，我终于失业了！”呢？
96. or, "I had a heart attack and I’m very happy about it."
或者说：“我真高兴我得了心脏病。”
97. No, no, no, no. He’s not saying that at all.
不，不，不，他完全不是这个意思。
98. God does not want us to display a hypocritical, happy face.
神不要我们摆出虚伪的笑脸。
99. God does not want us to put on a mask, disguising our hurts.
神不要我们带着面具来掩饰我们的伤痛。
100. God is not looking for steel-clad saints who refuse to feel, who deny their sorrows, or who never own up to their struggles;
神不是要我们做一个穿着盔甲，毫无感情、避免悲痛、或否认内心挣扎的圣人。
101. but He is looking for us to reach the point in our walk with Him where we can have un-fluttered hearts in the midst of tragedy.
祂乃是盼望我们，借着与祂同行可以学会，在苦难中保持内心的平静；
102. We can have peace in the midst of uncertainty.
在反复无常的风暴中有平安；
103. We can have calm assurance in the midst of disaster and loss.
在灾难和挫折中能平静安稳。
104. The joy that James is talking about is not your show of phony bravado or fake happiness;
雅各所说的喜乐不是打肿脸充胖子或虚假的快乐；
105. but, rather, it is the right attitude of a heart of contentment and honest submission to the Father’s plan.
相反的，他所说的喜乐乃是从一颗知足的心，以及对天父的计划心悦诚服而流露出来的正确心态。
106. In the next broadcast, I want to tell you about the secret code that will unlock the peace of God in the midst of trial;
在下一次的节目里，我会告诉你，在试炼中打开神平安之门的秘诀。
107. and that is why I want to urge you to tune in and listen to the next program, because it’s very important.
所以我邀请你继续收听这个节目，因为其中有很重要的信息。
108. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
我们下次节目再见，愿神大大赐福给你。
