（Kurt Lantz著，任不寐 译）

这篇讲章是路德教会的牧长Kurt Lantz弟兄的“祝酒词”，发表于我神学院一本内部学术刊物上。我近水楼台地推介这篇文章给博客里的读者，有两个原因。第一，这绝对是一篇别开生面的“婚礼布道”，她将圣经真理生动地溶入了我们每个人的生存现实；第二、虽然这篇讲道所包含的神学逻辑绝对是路德宗的，但其形式仍然特立独行，并具有跨宗派的意义。所以，我认为这篇文章所贯彻的布道神学是值得中国教会参考的：以道为中心，同时逼入时代和人心。毫无疑问，我们都站在这个婚礼的现场。我也常常听见一些同道感慨：人的闲谈甚至胡说已经占据了讲道台，现在是将神的真理置于崇拜中心的时刻了。愿这样的焦虑能蒙神的保守，并祈祷神将我们每个人归入祂的教会。显然这是一篇“版权”文章，仅供博客里的读者学习参考，请勿转载。——任不寐2009年7月12日星期日

亲爱的各位来宾，你们奉新郎的召聚来祝福这对新人；愿恩典平安从父神和主耶稣基督归于你们。婚礼如此完美，诸位尊贵的客人应邀来此分享婚庆的喜乐。正如我们所盼望的，我们将进入盛大的筵席；为铭记这最难忘的一天，请允许我讲几句话。

这已然是一个美好的婚礼，而且毫无疑问，由于我们已经同作见证，新娘和新郎已经在天父面前结为一体。庆典完美无缺，场景如此奇妙，言辞情真意切，充满恩惠的应许，以及从神来的话语赐予婚姻以权威的印证。“所以神配合的，人不可分开”。

此时此刻，我想我们应当纪念新娘和新郎所走过的漫长道路，纪念他们怎样抵达此时此地、来享受他们如今得到的不离不弃的阖合之福。虽然起初爱就在那里，但是，那是一个艰难的旅程，充满忧伤、眼泪和心碎。这条道路不总是阳光。它不总是开放着玫瑰，飘舞着白色的婚纱。不过，它是两人之间的爱情之旅，以至于今天，我们才有幸在这里出席他们盛大的婚礼。

我们不仅不应该自欺，也不当陷入这样彻底的谎言：我们表演说，双方关系的历史除了彼此忠贞相爱以外一无所有。坦率地说，这远不是真的。因为起初之时，双方并非都是信实的。一方是不信的。不洁的威胁要永远拆毁双方。这不是一个虚构的故事，它蕴藏着扎心的真理，充溢着人类犯罪的事实。

但是，首先，曾有一次奇妙的拯救。新郎英雄般地将祂的新娘从最悲惨的处境拯救出来，事实上，她那时沦入绝境。今天你们所见的充满爱意和喜乐的新娘，一度曾那样悲苦和绝望；她陷入一种放纵的深渊，一切梦想灰飞烟灭：她不能指望过一种蒙祝福的生活，被那位永远寻找她的所爱，盼望祂的保守和看顾，让她的生命获得意义。于是，正当希望的光焰泯灭之际，祂来烧旺了那信心之火。仿佛穿戴闪亮盔甲的骑士，祂将她从苦难中背负而去。祂将她从奴役和不洁中解救出来，向她表明真正的爱情。她的忧愁转为喜乐，她由哀哭转为跳舞，她从绝望进入欢欣。

但是，她很难适应这种新的关系，因为现在的一切与她过去所经历的如此不同。她不能习惯她的一切所需已经预备整齐。她不知道爱是什么，她不知道怎样被爱，也不知道怎样去爱。这样，面对她的救主，她变得如此奢求。她不满意祂为她所供应的一切；她抱怨祂爱她的方式。

最后，悲剧就这样发生了。我们愿意说那是不可思议的，尽管我确信，我们都那样思想过。不过无论如何，必须注意，这样讲不是要弄脏我们面前这位新娘的圣洁之名，而是为了让你们所有人知道，现在这两人之间的爱情是何等奇妙。她曾不忠与祂。虽然祂将她从最可怕的境遇中拯救出来，为她提供了所需的一切，将祂自己单单赐给她；她仍然背叛祂并把自己献给别人。并且不是献给一个人，而是很多人。她把本应当单单献给祂的送给他们。虽然祂是信实的，她离弃了他们第一次的结合。这就是为什么，今天我们聚集在这里去祝福新郎和她的爱人的第二次结合。

很多人会说，重复这些事情已无必要，特别是在婚礼上。我不同意。我认为我们了解这些事情是非常重要的。你们当知道，这个婚姻并非始于完美的爱情。我们都当铭记，不信可以被饶恕，破碎的婚姻可以恢复，被蔑视的丈夫仍然爱那否认自己的新娘，并且能够赢回她已经给予了别人的爱。

正因为如此，这对看似不可能和好的伴侣今天成为我们婚爱和至福的图景。祂耐心地等候着合适的时间。祂允许她再一次陷入绝望。这一次绝望并非源自别人对她的纵情，而是她看见了自己对自己的放纵。她开始意识到，她的罪已将自己弄脏，她的圣洁已经失丧，她已经失去了她曾经拥有的独一真爱。正是在这个时候，祂将自己举起在她的面前，为要将她救回归向自己。再一次，祂以无以伦比的方式宣明了祂对她的爱。祂再一次英雄般地将她从绝望中救赎出来。这一次，祂不是把她从外在的奴役中拯救出来，而是解救她脱离她自己里面的仇敌。祂掠走了她的羞耻和不义。祂洗净了她所有的不洁。祂为自己将她赎回，除去了她一切行淫之罪。

现在她知道了什么是爱，怎样被爱和怎样去爱。因为她不仅已经用自己的眼睛见证了祂所赐予的伟大救赎，她也用心灵感受到了。因为祂已经用新的爱行深深地触动了她。祂已经用新的约嵌入了她的灵魂。她不再需要被教导什么是爱。现在，她知道，因为现在她真的认识了祂。

你注意到了吗，她为今天的婚礼创作了一首歌，歌词说：

My song is love unknown, My Saviour’s love to me/Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be./Oh, who am I That for my sake/My Lord should take Frail flesh and die? (LW 91)

所以我们今天才聚集在这里，去庆祝一个没有穷尽的婚礼。在这里，新娘拥有了她的新郎的完美爱情。祂已经赦免了她每一个不信的罪，并且已经以她为信。她正是这样站在我们面前，披戴白衣，见证她的每一个不洁已经在她的丈夫的爱情里被除去了。她知道祂的大爱，而她也将脱离一切的罪，并在祂的爱中，直到永远。

所以，我请求你们所有出席婚礼的，众天使，众位天使长，所有的天使天军，特别是最可爱的新娘，来赞美和称颂新郎最荣耀的名，祂已经和祂的新娘另立新约；这新约是用祂的血和十字架所立的，祂吩咐我们在这里庆祝基督和祂的教会的永远合一。

呵，新娘，接下来让我们举杯畅饮，为纪念新郎赐给我们的大爱，一如我们都受了祂无尽的恩惠和怜悯；我们热望那新约的完全成就。神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里，保守你们的心怀意念。

*耶利米书 31:31-34 耶和华说，日子将到，我要与以色列家和犹大家另立新约，不像我拉着他们祖宗的手，领他们出埃及地的时候，与他们所立的约。我虽作他们的丈夫，他们却背了我的约。这是耶和华说的。耶和华说，那些日子以后，我与以色列家所立的约乃是这样，我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上。我要作他们的神，他们要作我的子民。他们各人不再教导自己的邻舍和自己的弟兄说，你该认识耶和华，因为他们从最小的到至大的都必认识我。我要赦免他们的罪孽，不再记念他们的罪恶。这是耶和华说的。

SERMON:A MARRIAGE TOAST (JER. 31:31-34)*

Kurt Lantz

Dear guests of the bridegroom, assembled to celebrate the blessed union: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome to the Reception

The ceremony is complete and you honoured guests have been invited to share in the joy of this occasion. As we anticipate the great feast we are about to receive, please allow me to say a few words to mark this most memorable day.

It was a beautiful ceremony and there is no doubt, for we have all witnessed, that the bride and the bridegroom have been joined together before God. Nothing was omitted. The rite was full of wonderful imagery, heartfelt words, gracious promises, and the authoritative voice of God sealing the union. And “what God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”

At this time I think it is appropriate for us to remember the long road that brought the bride and bridegroom to this time and place where they now enjoy the blessings of the indissoluble union into which they have now come.

Although love was there from the beginning, it has been a hard journey filled with worry, tears and heartache. It was not all joy. It was not all roses and white gowns. But it was a journey of love between these two that has resulted in the grand celebration we are privileged to participate in this day.

Not Like the Old Covenant

We would not only be kidding ourselves but also proclaiming outright deceitful lies if we were to pretend that the history of this relationship consisted of nothing but faithful adoration of each one for the other.Honestly, that is far from the truth. For faithfulness was not present in both parties in the beginning. One party was unfaithful. Infidelity threatened to tear these two apart for ever. It is not a fairy tale story but one full of the hard truth and reality of mankind’s sin.

But at first there was a wonderful rescue. The bridegroom heroically delivered His bride from the most desperate of situations. She was in dire condition indeed. The lovely and joyously happy bride you see today was dejected and depressed, trapped in an abusive relationship, and had all but given up hope of the dream of living a blessed life, loved by One who would always look out for her, protect her, take care of her, and make her life worth living.

Then when the smouldering wick of hope had almost lost its glow, He came to fan alive the flames of faith. As a knight in shining armour He carried her away from her tormentors. He delivered her from oppression and abuse to show her true love and affection. Her sorrow was turned to joy, herweeping into dancing, and her despair into delight.

Yet it was hard for her to adjust to this new relationship, so different from anything she had experienced before. She was not used to having her every need provided. She did not know what love was. She did not know how to receive it or to give it. And so towards her rescuer she became demanding. She was not content with the things He provided for her. She complained about the way He showed His love for her.

And finally it happened. We would like to say it was unthinkable although I’m sure that we are all thinking it. Nevertheless it must be mentioned, not to slander the name of this pure bride before us, but to let you all know what a wondrous love there is between this couple now.

She was unfaithful to Him. Although He rescued her from the most deplorable conditions, provided for her every need, pledged Himself to her and her alone, she turned away from Him and gave herself to others. And not just one other, but many others. She gave them what should have been given to Him alone. Although He was faithful, she broke their first union.That is why we find ourselves here today celebrating another union between this bridegroom and His beloved bride.

Signed on the Heart

Many people will say that these things should not be retold, especially at the wedding reception. I have to disagree. I think these things are most important for us all to know. It is essential that you understand that this union did not start off with a perfect love. It is necessary for us all to remember that unfaithfulness can be forgiven, that a broken union can be resealed, that a scorned husband can still pledge His love to the bride who has forsaken Him and win again for Himself the love she had given to others.

For that is how this seemingly irreconcilable couple has come to be the picture of wedded love and bliss for us today. He waited patiently for the right time. He allowed her once again to fall into despair. This time it was not despair from others abusing her, but despair from her knowledge that she had abused herself. She came to realize that her sin had spotted and stained her, that she had lost her purity, that she had turned away from the one true love that ever there was.

When the hour had come He lifted Himself up before her in order to draw her to Himself. Once again He demonstrated His love for her in incomparable terms. He again heroically rescued her from her despair. This time He did not deliver her from an outside oppression, but from the enemy within her. He took away her shame and disgrace. He cleansed her of every impurity. He adorned her for Himself, having taken away every spot and stain of her adulterous sin.

Now she knows what love is, how to receive it and how to give it. For she has not only seen with her eyes the great deliverance He has provided; now she feels it in her heart. For He has touched her that deeply with this new act of love. He has reached to her very soul with His new pledge. No longer will she need to be taught what love is. Now she knows, for now she truly knows Him.

Did you pay attention to the words of the song she composed for thiscelebration?

My song is love unknown, My Saviour’s love to me,

Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be.

Oh, who am I That for my sake

My Lord should take Frail flesh and die? (LW 91)

So it is that today we gather to celebrate a union without end. Here is the bride perfectly loved by her bridegroom. He has forgiven her every act of unfaithfulness and that has made her faithful. She fittingly stands before us robed in pure white to reflect that her every spot and stain has been taken away in the love of her husband. She knows His great love and she will flee from every form of evil and cling to His loving embrace for evermore.

So I ask all of you present (angels, archangels, all the company of heaven), and especially you most beloved bride, to laud and magnify the most glorious name of the bridegroom, who has established a new covenant with His bride, sealed it with His blood and the cross, and bidden us here to celebrate the eternal union of Christ and His Church.

O bride, let us in a few moments raise a cup and drink in remembrance of the great love of the bridegroom for us, as we even now receive His inestimable grace and forgiveness and anxiously await the consummation of this new covenant.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.