讓福音的大能彰顯 (趙武夷長老)
上次我們談到教會今年的主題「興起發光」,今天我們要從另一個角度來看如何為主發光。
我們來看一位對初代教會帶來極大的影響的人物,為什麼他這麼有能力,雖然這是發生在兩千年前的事,但是神的道不會改變,人性也不會改變。在今天的經文中我們看到保羅心中的矛盾,他處於誇口、不誇口的兩難中,因為在當時的哥林多教會信徒信仰的純正性受到一些假使徒的影響,這些假使徒不傳正確的福音、吹噓自己的屬靈經歷、貶低保羅使徒的身分,所以保羅必須勸勉哥林多的信徒回到福音的正道上,而不是倚靠這些假的「明星」講員。保羅為了這些信徒的緣故,別無選擇而必須為自己辯護。我們可以在今天的經文中看到保羅事奉傳福音的能力所在,也是我們可以效法的。
一、 在每一天生活裡(1-6)
二 、在軟弱與順服中(7-9)
三 、在謙卑依靠主時(9-10)
神要保羅謙卑倚靠主,這就是保羅得力量的秘訣,這也是為什麼他在牢中,卻還能去安慰那些在牢外的弟兄姊妹的原因,福音就是神的大能,對保羅來講就是他自己生命的經歷。
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哥林多後書 12:1-10 (和合本)
- 我自誇固然無益,但我是不得已的。如今我要說到主的顯現和啟示。
- 我認得一個在基督裡的人,他前十四年被提到第三層天上去(或在身內,我不知道;或在身外,我也不知道;只有神知道。)
- 我認得這人(或在身內、或在身外,我都不知道,只有神知道)
- 他被提到樂園裡,聽見隱祕的言語,是人不可說的。
- 為這人,我要誇口;但是為我自己,除了我的軟弱以外,我並不誇口。
- 我就是願意誇口,也不算狂,因為我必說實話;只是我禁止不說,恐怕有人把我看高了,過於他在我身上所看見、所聽見的。
- 又恐怕我因所得的啟示甚大,就過於自高,所以有一根刺加在我肉體上,就是撒旦的差役要攻擊我,免得我過於自高。
- 為這事,我三次求過主,叫這刺離開我。
- 他對我說:「我的恩典夠你用的,因為我的能力是在人的軟弱上顯得完全。」所以,我更喜歡誇自己的軟弱,好叫基督的能力覆庇我。
- 我為基督的緣故,就以軟弱、凌辱、急難、逼迫、困苦為可喜樂的,因我什麼時候軟弱,什麼時候就剛強了。
2 Corinthians 12:1-10 (NIV)
- I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
- I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
- And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—
- was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.
- I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
- Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,
- or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
- Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
- But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
- That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.