Author: Pastor Timothy Tin
Translator: Mandy Kwan
This year’s world cup, the 22nd one since its inception, was hosted for the first time in a Muslim country –namely Qatar. Since 2002’s world cup in Korea, this is the second time the world cup has been held in Asia. Qatar also beats Switzerland in being the host country with the smallest surface area. However, during the opening game of Ecuador vs. Qatar, Qatar stumbled into a defeat, breaking from the tradition of host countries winning home games. Over the past decade, Qatar has invested and prepared to take a foothold on the world sports scene. Despite criticism from the western media, Qatar has hosted nearly 600 athletic meets and competitions to steadily establish and solidify its Arabic culture and influence globally. As COVID-19’s restrictions eased, tourists from all over the world flocked to Qatar to attend the games, which cost nearly $220 million. Neighboring nations like Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia welcome thousands of tourists, leading to a surge in flight and hotel bookings, leading the Middle East into a wave and surge in tourism. Why does the world cup have such a ripple effect and draws so many spectators?
Stretching back to the ancient times, in every culture or country, whether you are a king or a peasant, people simply love to spectate different kinds of sports and competitions. Kings or emperors would use the victories of competitions to boast their self-importance and the country’s prowess. Constituents would likewise be entertained by these competitions, and even idolize or bet on these competitors! Whether we are talking about the Kentucky Derby, the Daytona 500, the Olympics, or the World Cup—if we remove the competitive aspects of them and just view the athletes or events as simply entertainment, this will lose the interest of spectators. Therefore, the rules of the game, the fairness of the referees, the prize money, the competitors’ performance, and the sponsors become how victory is decided.
Aren’t our lives like a competition too? Since the moment you were born, your weight has been measured and you would have gone through years of being compared with other children, and your parents will prepare you for all sorts of competitions, whether it is to get into a good school, a decent job, a suitable mate. Life is full of competitions and our society tends to reward the strong and mighty and ignore the weak. Sometimes we might face injustice or judgment, or get sidelined due to cheating. The moral decay and sinful nature of mankind fills this world with darkness and grief! If there is no judgment after death, then there is simply no incentive for people to lead decent and moral lives. Life on earth would be the same as in hell! If what we do now has no bearing on what’s to come, then there is no need for us to try the best.
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27) Even though life can feel like a treacherous journey, we still have to face the final judgment with God. (1 Corinthians 4:9; Romans 2:6)
Dear friends, we ought to give our best to each competition, confess our sins, and lead a life that honors God.
Author: Pastor of Christian Alliance Bible Church in Los Angeles, CA
Tin, Timothy (translated by Mandy Kwan). “The DART Mission & Apocalyptic Crisis.” NYSTM Truth Monthly, January, 2023.
https://nystm.org/from-world-cup-to-the-race-of-life/
《泰北漣漪》滕張佳音序言
漣漪漸漸擴大,心理學上用於形容一個行動或行為帶來持續的影響。細閱《泰北漣漪》30多篇見證文章,正好反映一位宣教士投身在一個宣教禾塲上逾40年來所帶出的生命影響,像漣漪般一代一代地延續下去!
【人生天地線】巴黎奧運開幕式與末世預言
第33屆奧運會雖然已經在巴黎落幕,但在開幕儀式所引發的國際輿論與批評的聲音並未平息,特別是那一幕引起天主教極為反感的「最後的晚餐」時裝秀,甚至連回教徒也認為這是對基督的羞辱⋯⋯
復活和生命
簡介
▪︎講員:滕張佳音博士
▪︎主題:復活和生命
▪︎經文:(約十一25新譯本)(詩篇十六11和合本)
▪︎語言:粤語
▪︎性質:復活節福音主日
▪︎地點:宣道會宣嶺堂
▪︎日期:2024年3月31日
【人生天地線】新春談龍
十二年一回的龍年又來了,恭祝大家龍馬精神、新春蒙福!提到「龍」字,古人把龍安排在十二生肖中的第五位,所相應的時辰正好是這個「辰」時,表明在這「一日之計在於晨」的重要時刻⋯⋯
【問得好】為何這個世界有那麼多的苦難?(二)
有關苦難的來源,上期文章我們探討過是由於有魔鬼撒旦的工作,尤其是在世界末日之前,聖經告訴我們「地與海有禍了!因為魔鬼知道自己的時候不多,就氣忿忿地下到你們那裡去了。」(啟示錄12:12)除了魔鬼能使人陷在苦難中之外,聖經記載,人本身也要為苦難的出現負上責任⋯⋯
末世預兆與福音廣傳 The Sign of The-end-of-age and Evangelism(華語/英語)
講員 Speaker:滕張佳音博士 Dr. K. Y. Cheung Teng
主题 Title:末世預兆與福音廣傳 The Sign of The-end-of-age and Evangelism
經文 Scripture:(太廿四 3-14) (Matthew 24:3-14)
日期 Date:2023.12.31
語言 Language:華語/英語 Mandarin/ English
地點 Venue:芝城西北郊華人浸信會 Chinese Baptist Church of NW Suburbs
【問得好】為何這個世界有那麼多的苦難?
每一天當我們打開報紙或者電視,大家都會發現這個世界充滿了苦難,很多新聞都是叫人十分難過心酸的⋯⋯
生命影響生命(滕近輝牧師的宣教生命)[華語]
▪︎主題:生命影響生命(滕近輝牧師的宣教生命)
▪︎講員:滕張佳音師母
▪︎語言:華語 (有字幕)
▪︎聚會:中國福音大會 2023 宣教之夜
▪︎日期:2023年12月29日
▪︎地點:美國芝加哥
▪︎参考:中國福音大會 2023
https://www.gospel4china.org/
▪︎後期製作:宣道傳意台
【人生天地線】希臘夜貓助人解困的奇妙故事
筆者在2023年10月27日曾參加了一個聖經古蹟進深考察團,共有27名團員⋯⋯
God’s Creation of Life & Man’s Choice of Death
Every person in this world has the freedom to choose; however, this personal freedom is limited and conditional. We all can choose what we like and how we do things, when it is bound by the situation or legal constraints.
【問得好】信主有甚麼喜樂?
人人都很想得到快樂,無論在家庭、工作、生活或娛樂中,人不斷的尋求快樂⋯⋯
【問得好】改信耶穌會得罪其他神靈嗎?
有些人知道信耶穌好,但是因為一直在拜其他的神靈,恐怕改信耶穌後,那些神靈會不高興。人們因怕得罪其他神靈會受罰而不敢信耶穌,這樣的想法對嗎?請看看以下的回答。
[Storm Buster] Storm Surge
Storm surge causes inundation of large swaths of coastal land. Eleven years ago, storm surge from Hurricane Sandy havocked large damages in New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ). Today, some of those destructions are still noticeable and remain unrepaired.
【人生天地線】創造生命的神與選擇死亡的人
我們每個人活在這個世界上都有選擇的自由,但是人的自由是有限度與有條件的。人可以選擇自己喜愛的東西,做自己想要做的事,可是當人在運用這個自由做出選擇的時候,就必須服從環境限制與法律的約束。
【問得好】為何信主有平安?
今天世人缺乏甚麼?其中一種是平安。世局的動盪、意外的發生、各種苦難的臨到。世人如何才能得到平安呢?基督徒常說信主有平安,到底是甚麼一回事?請看下文分享。
[Storm Buster] Autumn Foliage Forecast
Autumn is pleasant. It has many public holidays for the most populous countries in the northern hemisphere. In the U.S. we have Labor Day, Columbus Day and the Veterans Day. In China there are Mid-Autumn Festival and Double-Yang Festival.
The Eternal Meaning Behind Thanksgiving
When people think of Thanksgiving, we often think of the bountiful feast with turkey and other dishes. How often do people remember the treacherous journey of the Puritans, who came upon the shores of North America on the Mayflower and their harrowing experience as they settled upon Provincetown, Massachusetts?
【人生天地線】感恩節背後的永恆意義
當人們提到感恩節的時候,我們常會聯想起美國人的火雞大餐,但是又有多少人會記得四百年前,第一批清教徒由英國乘坐「五月花號」船,在美國麻州普羅旺斯鎮(Provincetown, Massachusetts)上岸時所發生的驚險故事呢?
[Good Questions] What is Truth? Part 2
In the article I wrote last time, I shared three characteristics of truth with you. First, the truth is fact. Second, truth is trustworthy. Third, truth is correct. Besides these, truth has the following characteristics as well:
[Good Questions] What is Truth?
“What is truth?” Pontius Pilate, the Governor who judged Jesus, had also asked this question. The Bible records that Pilate returned to the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
滕張佳音博士
國宣創辦人
▪︎美國芝加哥三一福音神學院文學碩士(宣教)及教牧學博士(宣教學)
▪︎前建道神學院跨越文化研究部副教授
▪︎牧職神學院榮譽創院院長
▪︎國際短宣使團創辦人