cover of episode Runaway Believer
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Timothy Keller 在这节讲道中深入探讨了约拿书的核心主题：约拿逃避上帝的呼召，前往他施，最终被上帝追寻并经历了一系列的事件。他指出，约拿的故事是理解罪的深度和上帝恩典的丰盛的绝佳例子。罪被定义为逃避上帝，而恩典则是上帝追寻并阻止自我毁灭行为的努力。Keller 牧师进一步解释说，在纽约这样的大城市，几乎每个人都能与约拿产生共鸣，因为人们常常以各种方式逃避上帝，无论是否有宗教背景。他强调，基督教的第一步是承认自己逃避上帝，并认识到这种逃避是人的本性。Keller 牧师还分析了约拿逃避的动机，指出约拿并非害怕失败，而是害怕成功，害怕尼尼微人悔改。他认为，约拿的动机根源在于自义，这是一种普遍存在于人心中的倾向，即试图通过某种方式（种族、宗教、社会地位等）来抬高自己，贬低他人。这种自义阻碍了约拿对尼尼微人的怜悯，也让他无法真正传讲恩典。Keller 牧师进一步阐述了福音的本质，即所有的人都完全远离了上帝，只有通过上帝的怜悯才能被接纳。他指出，自义会阻碍恩典的临到，只有承认自己的罪恶和软弱，才能真正领受上帝的恩典。他用钻石的比喻来说明，人们常常因为骄傲而拒绝上帝的恩典，就像拒绝一份宝贵的礼物一样。Keller 牧师还谈到，如果想要逃避上帝，总会有方法和机会，但逃避上帝实际上是违背自身本性的。他用服从医生医嘱的比喻来说明，逃避上帝的命令最终会带来内心的风暴和痛苦。最后，Keller 牧师解释了上帝的恩典是何等地充满爱和力量，即使人们逃避上帝，上帝仍然会追寻他们，用风暴来唤醒他们，用大鱼来拯救他们。他强调，上帝的审判和拯救都是出于爱，目的是让人们认识到自己的软弱和对上帝的依赖。他以一个童话故事为例，说明上帝允许风暴进入人的生命，是为了让人们在痛苦中醒悟，最终转向上帝。他总结说，只有承认自己的罪恶，并通过耶稣基督来到上帝面前，才能真正找到避难所。耶稣基督是真正被抛入上帝愤怒风暴中的人，因为他，风暴平息了。无论内心有什么样的风暴，耶稣基督都能使之平静。

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The sermon introduces the concepts of sin as running away from God and grace as God's pursuit to intercept self-destructive behavior. It emphasizes the need to admit our running and hiding from God.

Shownotes Transcript

We all run away from God. It’s in our nature. And the book of Jonah is all about Jonah running and God pursuing.

Most of us are familiar with the words sin and grace, but what they mean is another thing. And here it is: essentially sin is running away from God, and grace is God’s effort to pursue and intercept self-destructive behavior. That’s it. Running and chasing. And the first step in any relationship with God is to admit you’ve run and that even now, to some degree, you’re running.

So let’s look now at how 1) Jonah is called to do something, 2) Jonah runs away from it, and 3) God pursues him.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on July 22, 1990. Series: Jonah. Scripture: Jonah 1:1-10.

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