Revd Andrew Woodward於二〇二六年八月二日在聖馬田堂之講道
經課：創世記32.22–31，羅馬書9.1–5，馬太福音14.13–21
A Sermon preached at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 2 August 2026 by Revd Andrew Woodward
Reading for address: Genesis 32.22–31, Romans 9.1–5, Matthew 14.13–21
願我奉創造之主、救贖之主、賜生命之主的名説話。阿們。
人生總有些時刻，一切在一夜之間全然改變。
雅各正經歷這樣的一夜。他讓家人先渡河而去，自己獨留在後。他一生大部份時間都努力想要掌控一切——欺騙兄長、與上帝討價還價、積聚財富，總是要領先一步。
但如今已無路可退。前方是以掃，就是他二十年前所背叛的兄長；後方則是他所熟悉的人生。他無法回頭，也不知道明天是否還會來臨。
就在那個孤獨的夜晚，有一個人與他摔跤。
這是聖經中其中一個最神祕的故事。那是天使嗎？是上帝嗎？雅各自己也説不清楚。他只知道，到了早晨，他已不再是從前那個人。他的大腿瘸了，但他得着祝福。他得着一個新名字：以色列——「與上帝較力的人」。
或許，這正是對信心其中一個最好的描述。
信心不是假裝一切安好。
信心不是要贏得每一塲爭論。
信心不是得到所有答案。
信心是緊緊抓住上帝，尤其是在人生令人看不明白的時候。
我猜想，在座許多會眾對「摔跤」（掙扎）都不會陌生。
有些人在學習新語言上掙扎過。
有些人來到英國後，在孤單寂寞中掙扎過。
有些人在兩種文化之間掙扎着養育兒女。
有些人心裏牽掛着遠在千里之外的父母親人。
有些人在疾病、傷痛、未知，或對將來的疑問中掙扎。
有時候，我們會以為這些掙扎代表上帝已經離棄了我們。
雅各卻發現恰恰相反。
正正是在掙扎之中，上帝最為親近。
雅各在仍然摔跤之際，就已求取祝福。這祝福並非在一切都解決之後才來臨，而是在掙扎正酣之時來到。
或許，上帝許多最大的祝福，並非在我們的疑問消失之後才臨到，而是在我們仍然發問之時，已經來臨。
上週末，我有幸出席了長子的婚禮。我與伴侶Neel一同出席，但與Alexander的母親相處了一段時間——那是一段帶來治愈與更新的相處，因為在我們早年的關係中，曾經歷過一段艱難時期，那時我們一同掙扎，思考怎樣做才最有利於整個家庭。婚禮過後，Alexander寄了一張卡給我，感謝我一直作他的父親，在人生高低起伏之中，一直與他和弟弟同在。
保羅在今天羅馬書的經課中，也曾經歷掙扎的時刻。
他心碎欲裂。
他渴望自己的弟兄能夠認識基督。他以非常坦率的話説：「我非常憂愁，心裏時常傷痛。」
保羅沒有隱藏他的痛苦。
有時候，基督徒會以為信心就是要時時刻刻臉帶笑容。當我在白禮頓(Brighton)擔任聯區主任牧師(Rural Dean)期間，我到訪過一些這樣的敎會——它們以成功為導向，難以面對差異或失敗。保羅卻向我們展示了另一種景象。
愛，總會使我們變得脆弱。
如果我們愛得深，我們有時就會傷得深。
但保羅並沒有因此而停止愛他的弟兄。即使失望，他仍然選擇與他們同在。
這正是我們這個世代迫切需要的東西。
我們活在一個鼓勵人與任何意見不合者劃清界綫的時代。若關係變得困難，我們索性一走了之；若羣體令我們失望，我們就將他們拋諸腦後。
但福音告訴我們另一個故事。
在上帝改變我們之先，上帝已經與我們同在。
在上帝解決我們的難題之先，上帝已經與我們分享生命。
在上帝向我們有所要求之先，上帝已經藉着耶穌，親自來到我們中間居住。
這正是基督徒生命的核心——不是要逃離世界，而是要發現基督已經完完全全進入了這個世界。
現在我們來到今天的福音經課。
門徒看見一個難題。
五千人。
食物卻很少。
他們的解決方法十分實際：「叫眾人散去。」
這往往看似是理智的做法。需求太大，資源太少，不如讓別人去處理。
耶穌卻説出一句令人震驚的話。
「你們給他們吃吧！」
門徒立刻開始盤算。
五個餅、兩條魚。
不可能。
但耶穌卻從另一處開始。
他不是從匱乏開始，而是從感恩開始。
他拿着他們僅有的。
祝謝了。
擘開了。
分給眾人。
於是，竟然變得足夠了。
留意，這神蹟並非單單在於變出更多餅來。
更深一層的神蹟，是沒有一個人被叫去離開。
人人都有歸屬。
人人都有領受。
人人一同進食。
在我們這樣一個城市裏，被富裕與貧窮、成功與孤獨圍繞着，這個神蹟説出了強而有力的信息。
人在許多方面都在飢餓着。
有人渴求友誼。
有人渴求人生目標。
有人渴求得蒙饒恕。
有人渴求盼望。
有人渴求一個能被人記得名字的地方。
敎會無法解決倫敦每一個難題。
但我們可以成為上帝國度的記號。
每一次我們歡迎新朋友⋯⋯
每一次我們分享一餐飯⋯⋯
每一次我們探訪孤單的人⋯⋯
每一次我們選擇聆聽而非批判⋯⋯
每一次我們拒絕放棄彼此⋯⋯
神蹟就再次發生。
作為聖馬田堂內的中文堂，你們肩負着一個獨特的使命。
你們當中許多人明白跨越文化是甚麽一回事。
你們明白在不止一處地方尋找歸屬感，當中的喜樂與代價。
那種經歷不是軟弱，而是恩賜。
你們可以幫助他人發現，敎會是一個比國籍、語言或背景更廣闊的家。
坐席於主的筵席，我們首先並非華人、英國人、香港人、大馬人、星加坡人、中國大陸人，或任何其他身份。
我們首先是基督的子民。
正因為我們屬於基督，我們就彼此相屬。
雅各瘸着腿走向未來。
保羅縱然傷痛，仍然繼續去愛。
門徒在預期匱乏之處，發現豐盛有餘。
這些故事沒有一個是以完美的人物作結。
它們都是以信心的人物作結。
這些人明白到，上帝的大能不在於避開軟弱，而在於在軟弱之中仍然臨在。
不久，我們就要來到這聖壇前。
如同門徒一樣，我們將要帶來我們僅有的一點點。
我們的盼望。
我們的失敗。
我們的憂慮。
我們的感恩。
最大的神蹟，是上帝選擇與我們同在。
與我們同在掙扎之中。
與我們同在傷痛之中。
與我們同在飢餓之中。
與我們同在喜樂之中。
正因為上帝與我們同在，我們也可以與彼此同在。
這就是上帝國度成長的方式。
就在一次又一次信實的同在之中。
阿們。
May I speak in the name of God, Creator, Redeemer, and Life Giver. Amen.
There are moments in life when everything changes overnight.
Jacob has one of those nights. He sends his family across the river. He is left alone. He has spent much of his life trying to control events: deceiving his brother, bargaining with God, accumulating wealth, always trying to stay one step ahead.
But now there is nowhere left to run. Ahead of him is Esau, the brother he betrayed twenty years before. Behind him lies the life he has known. He cannot go backwards, and he does not know whether there will be a tomorrow.
And in that lonely night, someone wrestles with him.
It is one of the most mysterious stories in the Bible. Is it an angel? Is it God? Jacob himself can hardly say. All he knows is that by morning he is no longer the same man. He walks with a limp, but he carries a blessing. He receives a new name: Israel, ‘one who struggles with God.’
Perhaps that is one of the best descriptions of faith.
Faith is not pretending everything is fine.
Faith is not winning every argument.
Faith is not having every answer.
Faith is holding on to God, especially when life makes no sense.
Many in this congregation, I guess, will know something about wrestling.
Some have wrestled with learning a new language.
Some have wrestled with loneliness after coming to Britain.
Some wrestle with raising children between two cultures.
Some carry worries about parents and relatives thousands of miles away.
Some wrestle with illness, grief, uncertainty, or questions about the future.
Sometimes we imagine that these struggles mean God has abandoned us.
Jacob discovers the opposite.
It is precisely in the struggle that God is nearest.
Jacob asks for a blessing while he is still wrestling. The blessing does not come after everything has been sorted out. It comes in the middle of the struggle.
Perhaps many of God’s greatest blessings arrive not after our questions have disappeared, but while we are still asking them.
Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending my eldest son’s wedding. I went with my partner, Neel, but spent time with Alexander’s mum in a way that was healing and life-giving after a difficult period in our earlier relationship, when we wrestled with what we should do that was best for the whole family. Alexander sent me a card after the wedding thanking me for being his father and being with him and his brother through the ups and downs of life.
Paul, in today’s reading from Romans, knew times of struggle.
His heart is breaking.
He longs for his own people to recognise Christ. He speaks with extraordinary honesty. ‘I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish.’
Paul does not hide his pain.
Sometimes Christians think faith means smiling all the time. When I was Rural Dean in Brighton, I visited churches like that, which were success-orientated and were challenged in dealing with difference or with failure. Paul shows us something different.
Love always leaves us vulnerable.
If we love deeply, we will sometimes suffer deeply.
But Paul refuses to stop loving his people. Even when disappointed, he continues to belong with them.
This is something our world desperately needs.
We live in an age that encourages us to separate ourselves from anyone who disagrees with us. If relationships become difficult, we simply walk away. If communities disappoint us, we leave them behind.
But the gospel tells another story.
Before God changes us, God is with us.
Before God solves our problems, God shares our life.
Before God asks anything from us, God comes to dwell among us in Jesus.
This is the heart of the Christian life—not escaping the world, but discovering that Christ has entered it completely.
And so to today’s Gospel.
The disciples see a problem.
Five thousand people.
Very little food.
Their solution is practical. ‘Send the crowds away.’
That often seems like the sensible answer. The need is too great. Resources are too small. Let someone else deal with it.
Jesus says something astonishing.
‘You give them something to eat.’
The disciples immediately begin calculating.
Five loaves. Two fish.
Impossible.
But Jesus begins somewhere else.
He begins not with scarcity but with thanksgiving.
He takes what they have.
He blesses it.
He breaks it.
He gives it away.
And somehow there is enough.
Notice that the miracle is not simply about producing more bread.
The deeper miracle is that nobody is sent away.
Everyone belongs.
Everyone receives.
Everyone eats together.
In a city like ours, surrounded by wealth and poverty, success and loneliness, this miracle speaks powerfully.
People are hungry in many ways.
Some hunger for friendship.
Some for purpose.
Some for forgiveness.
Some for hope.
Some for a place where they are known by name.
The church cannot solve every problem in London.
But we can become a sign of God’s kingdom.
Every time we welcome a newcomer…
Every time we share a meal…
Every time we visit someone who is alone…
Every time we listen instead of judging…
Every time we refuse to give up on one another…
The miracle begins again.
As a Chinese congregation within St Martin-in-the-Fields, you have a particular vocation.
Many of you know what it means to cross cultures.
You understand both the joy and the cost of belonging in more than one place.
That experience is not a weakness. It is a gift.
You can help people discover that the Church is a home larger than nationality, language or background.
Around the Lord’s Table, we are not first Chinese, British, Hong Kongers, Malaysians, Singaporeans, mainland Chinese, or anything else.
We are first the people of Christ.
And because we belong to Christ, we belong to one another.
Jacob limps into the future.
Paul continues loving despite sorrow.
The disciples discover abundance where they expected scarcity.
None of these stories ends with perfect people.
They end with faithful people.
People who have learned that God’s strength is found not in avoiding weakness, but in remaining present within it.
Soon we shall come to this altar.
Like the disciples, we shall bring what little we have.
Our hopes.
Our failures.
Our anxieties.
Our gratitude.
The greatest miracle is that God chooses to be with us.
With us in our wrestling.
With us in our sorrow.
With us in our hunger.
With us in our joy.
And because God is with us, we can be with one another.
That is how the kingdom grows.
One act of faithful presence at a time.
Amen.