Recently, I had the privilege of attending a devotional gathering with the choir of a church in Xinjiang. The pastor led the choir members to reflect on Genesis 3 from the perspective of service, drawing valuable lessons and insights from this chapter.
Genesis 3 recounts the origin of sin, where Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From that moment, sin entered the world, and humanity came under a curse. In this passage, the snake Satan is extremely cunning, using the inherent flaws in human nature to tempt people to view matters from a self-centered perspective.
The pastor emphasized that God created each of us differently, but each with His perfect design. We need to learn to appreciate everything God has created from His perspective. "God made us different from one another, but when we depart from God, these differences can become our weaknesses."
The pastor shared three points from this chapter. First, Satan’s attacks are constant and can come when we are unprepared. Therefore, the Lord reminds us to stay vigilant at all times. The Bible also mentions the parable of the ten virgins, encouraging us to stay alert and keep our lamps filled with oil.
Secon, do not add your own interpretations of God's word, added the pastor. Christians must read the Bible accurately. When we are not fully prepared with heart and mind, Satan distorts God's word. Satan's work is to twist God's word. For those serving in leadership, it is especially important to read the Bible carefully.
Third, Adam and Eve were a team. God gave them authority to maintain, cultivate, and guard, but instead, they shifted the blame onto each other. "We must understand that we are not individuals but part of a collective, and we need to look out for and cover one another. Pushing a companion away in times of trouble reveals an inability to bear their weaknesses. In reality, the success or failure of one affects the whole, embodying the concept of community." The pastor reminded believers that a team must support one another and take responsibility rather than shirk it.
After Adam and Eve sinned, God first questioned Adam, teaching us that if a staff worker in the church encounters a problem, it is related to us as well. "Have you been caring for them? We are whole, and we must have a sense of the bigger picture." In God's eyes, when one member falters, the whole church is weakened. Whether it is a choir, a fellowship group, or the entire church, we need to recognize that we are a collective. When a church worker faces an issue, it is not something to ignore; rather, we should pray for them and point out their problems. The Bible says, "Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
Adam failed to watch over Eve; the Bible says that a woman is the bone of a man’s bones and flesh of his flesh. No one can separate themselves from others; this is the bigger picture, and we must watch over one another. On that day, some choir members were absent due to illness, and the pastor reminded church members to pray for their health, also mentioning that there are not only physical illnesses but also spiritual illnesses and weaknesses. He urged them to care for those around them: "If someone is absent, did you call to check on them? If you saw it and did nothing, that is sinning against God. Not only are they 'sick,' but you are ‘sick’ too."
In fact, there is unspeakable pain in sin. The result of sin is death, which separates people from each other and from God. But we are grateful that God, through Jesus Christ, has opened up the way to life for us. So in another sense, death is also a blessing; it allows us to escape the sinful world, though judgment follows death.
In God, weakness becomes strength. But if we depart from God, we are like a tree in the desert, utterly helpless. Finally, the pastor encouraged Christians to cherish the moments when God is with us, to come to worship Him, and to serve Him. He reminded them to hold on to the opportunity to serve and not give up because of a little difficulty. In the end, Adam and Eve were driven out, losing the responsibility of tending and keeping the Garden of Eden, which was a great pain and pity.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
近日，笔者有幸参加了新疆某教会一场诗班灵修聚会。牧者带领诗班成员站在服侍的角度，去查看创世纪3章带给我们的宝贵教导和启发。
创世纪3章中记载了罪的根源，亚当和夏娃违背神的命令，吃了善恶树上的果子。自此罪进入世界，人也受到咒诅。在这里，蛇成为撒但的代言人，并且可以看出撒但是非常狡猾的；它利用人里面本性的缺欠，引诱人站在自我的角度看问题。
牧者指出，神把我们造的都不一样，但都有他的完美；我们要学会用神的眼光去欣赏他所创造的一切。“生命里的差异在神眼中都是甚好，但离开神，差异就会成为我们的软弱。”
牧者围绕这章经文分享了以下三点：第一，撒但的攻击都是随时随在的，在我们没有做好准备的时候就来了。所以主提醒我们要时时警醒。圣经中也提到十个童女的比喻，劝勉我们要警醒，预备灯油。
第二，面对神的话语，不要添加自己的意思。基督徒读经要很精确，当我们没有尽心尽意预备，撒旦就改了神的话语。撒但的工作就是扭曲神的话语。尤其主礼的同工，读经要很仔细。
第三，亚当夏娃就是一个团队。神给人的权力是用来维护、修理和看守的，但亚当和夏娃却是相互推卸责任。我们要知道我们不是个体，而是一个团体，要相互看顾遮盖维护。面对问题把同伴推出去，这是因为不能承担他的软弱。实际上，两人是一荣共荣，一损俱损，这就是共同体的概念。牧者提醒大家一个团队要彼此维护，勇于承担责任，而不是推卸责任。
人犯罪之后，神先来问亚当。这也告诉我们教会里如果有同工出现问题，这是与你有关系的。“平时你是否在关心看顾他？我们彼此是一个整体，要有大局意识。”在神眼中，一个肢体出问题，整个教会都有了软弱。小到一个诗班，到其他团契小组，大到整个教会；都需要认识到，我们是一个整体。面对同工的问题，不是事不关己；而是要为他祷告，指出他的问题。圣经说，“当面的责备，胜过背地的爱情。”
亚当没有看顾保守夏娃，圣经说，女人是男人骨中的骨，肉中的肉。谁也不能把自己隔开，这就是大局观，要彼此守望。当天有些诗班成员因为生病没有来，牧者提醒大家为了这些肢体的健康祷告外，也提到除了肉体的生病，还有灵里的生病和软弱。提醒大家要关顾周围的肢体：“有人没来，你有没有打电话去问一下；你看到了不去做，这就是犯罪得罪神。不只他‘有病’，你也‘有病’。”
其实人在犯罪当中，有说不出来的痛苦。罪的结果就是死，死让人与人隔离、与神隔离。感恩的是神藉着耶稣基督，给我们打开了生命的道路。所以从另一个角度来说，死也是祝福；可以脱离罪恶的世界，只是死后有审判。
在神里面，软弱变刚强。但人离开神，就像树在沙漠地，非常无奈。最后牧者劝勉大家珍惜神与我们同在的时刻，愿意来到神面前，敬拜他服侍他。抓住服侍的时间，不要因为一点困难就放弃了服侍。最后亚当夏娃被赶出去，失去了在伊甸园修理看守的职责，这是非常痛苦和可惜的。
牧者劝勉服侍同工彼此看顾遮盖，珍惜服侍的机会
Recently, I had the privilege of attending a devotional gathering with the choir of a church in Xinjiang. The pastor led the choir members to reflect on Genesis 3 from the perspective of service, drawing valuable lessons and insights from this chapter.
Genesis 3 recounts the origin of sin, where Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command and ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From that moment, sin entered the world, and humanity came under a curse. In this passage, the snake Satan is extremely cunning, using the inherent flaws in human nature to tempt people to view matters from a self-centered perspective.
The pastor emphasized that God created each of us differently, but each with His perfect design. We need to learn to appreciate everything God has created from His perspective. "God made us different from one another, but when we depart from God, these differences can become our weaknesses."
The pastor shared three points from this chapter. First, Satan’s attacks are constant and can come when we are unprepared. Therefore, the Lord reminds us to stay vigilant at all times. The Bible also mentions the parable of the ten virgins, encouraging us to stay alert and keep our lamps filled with oil.
Secon, do not add your own interpretations of God's word, added the pastor. Christians must read the Bible accurately. When we are not fully prepared with heart and mind, Satan distorts God's word. Satan's work is to twist God's word. For those serving in leadership, it is especially important to read the Bible carefully.
Third, Adam and Eve were a team. God gave them authority to maintain, cultivate, and guard, but instead, they shifted the blame onto each other. "We must understand that we are not individuals but part of a collective, and we need to look out for and cover one another. Pushing a companion away in times of trouble reveals an inability to bear their weaknesses. In reality, the success or failure of one affects the whole, embodying the concept of community." The pastor reminded believers that a team must support one another and take responsibility rather than shirk it.
After Adam and Eve sinned, God first questioned Adam, teaching us that if a staff worker in the church encounters a problem, it is related to us as well. "Have you been caring for them? We are whole, and we must have a sense of the bigger picture." In God's eyes, when one member falters, the whole church is weakened. Whether it is a choir, a fellowship group, or the entire church, we need to recognize that we are a collective. When a church worker faces an issue, it is not something to ignore; rather, we should pray for them and point out their problems. The Bible says, "Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
Adam failed to watch over Eve; the Bible says that a woman is the bone of a man’s bones and flesh of his flesh. No one can separate themselves from others; this is the bigger picture, and we must watch over one another. On that day, some choir members were absent due to illness, and the pastor reminded church members to pray for their health, also mentioning that there are not only physical illnesses but also spiritual illnesses and weaknesses. He urged them to care for those around them: "If someone is absent, did you call to check on them? If you saw it and did nothing, that is sinning against God. Not only are they 'sick,' but you are ‘sick’ too."
In fact, there is unspeakable pain in sin. The result of sin is death, which separates people from each other and from God. But we are grateful that God, through Jesus Christ, has opened up the way to life for us. So in another sense, death is also a blessing; it allows us to escape the sinful world, though judgment follows death.
In God, weakness becomes strength. But if we depart from God, we are like a tree in the desert, utterly helpless. Finally, the pastor encouraged Christians to cherish the moments when God is with us, to come to worship Him, and to serve Him. He reminded them to hold on to the opportunity to serve and not give up because of a little difficulty. In the end, Adam and Eve were driven out, losing the responsibility of tending and keeping the Garden of Eden, which was a great pain and pity.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Xinjiang Pastor Encourages Ministry Workers to Support Each Other
