領受喜悅和能力Receiving Joy and Strength
[每日靈修] 1/1/2019, 駱鴻銘編譯
耶穌「為什麼」離開，還有另一個重要層面。祂說，「我若不去，保惠師（Paraclete）就不到你們這裏來；我若去，就差祂來。」耶穌的離開與五旬節是分不開的。沒有升天就沒有五旬節。作為被授權的君王，耶穌與天父一起擁有權力，以新而有力的方式差遣聖靈臨到教會。耶穌談到了祂的離開是必然的，好叫聖靈可以降臨。這是另一個很大的優勢。祂宣稱：「但聖靈降在你們身上，你們就必得著能力」（徒一8）。
耶穌離開後門徒發生了兩件明顯的大事。首先是他們「大大的歡喜，回耶路撒冷去」（路廿四52）。他們對耶穌的離開並不感到沮喪。顯然他們終於明白了祂要離開的原因。他們明白了教會從那時起就無法明白的大部分內容。我們的生活過得好像耶穌離開並沒有讓我們過得更好那樣。
門徒生活的第二個明顯變化是他們的屬靈能力。在五旬節之後，他們成了不同的人。他們不再四散逃跑，像沒有牧人的羊一樣。相反，他們把世界搞得天翻地覆。他們把世界搞得天翻地覆，是因為他們完全理解了兩件簡單的事情：耶穌離開的「去哪裏」和「為什麼」。
活在神的面光中（在神面前禱告）：
極大的喜樂和屬靈的能力是聖靈事工的兩個好處。讓祂在你今天的生活中釋放這些好處。
進一步研讀：
徒四29 他們恐嚇我們，現在求主鑒察，一面叫你僕人大放膽量講你的道，一面伸出你的手來醫治疾病，並且使神蹟奇事因著你聖僕（僕：或作子）耶穌的名行出來。
徒四31 禱告完了，聚會的地方震動，他們就都被聖靈充滿，放膽講論神的道。
徒四33 使徒大有能力，見證主耶穌復活；眾人也都蒙大恩。
Receiving Joy and Strength
There
is still another vital aspect to the “why” of Jesus’ departure. He said, “If I
do not go away, the Helper (Paraclete) will not come to you; but if I depart, I
will send Him to you.” Jesus’ departure was tied to Pentecost. There is no
Pentecost without ascension. As the invested King of kings, Jesus had the
authority together with the Father to send His Holy Spirit in a new and
powerful way upon the church. Jesus spoke of a certain necessity of His leaving
in order for the Spirit to come. Herein was another great advantage. He
declared, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you”
(Acts 1:8, KJV).
Two
remarkable things happened to the disciples after Jesus departed. The first is
that they “returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). They were not
despondent over the departure of Jesus. Obviously they finally understood why
He was leaving. They understood what, for the most part, the church since then
has failed to understand. We live as if it would not have been better for Jesus
to leave.
The
second obvious change in the lives of the disciples was in their spiritual
strength. After Pentecost, they were different people. No longer did they flee
like sheep without a shepherd. Instead, they turned the world upside down. They
turned the world upside down because they fully understood two simple things:
the “where” and the “why” of Jesus’ departure.
Coram
Deo
Great
joy and spiritual strength are two of the benefits of the ministry of the Holy
Spirit. Let Him release these benefits in your life today.
Passages
for Further Study
Acts 4:31
Acts 4:33
Acts 4:29