第四週．週五
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晨興餧養
太二六３９『祂［耶穌］…面伏於地，禱告說，我父阿，若是可能，就叫這杯離開我；然而不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。』
弗四３『以和平的聯索，竭力保守那靈的一。』
釘十字架是羅馬政府用來處死犯人的方法。無疑的，對於犯人，十字架是一種受苦，因為不是他選擇釘十字架；相反的，犯人是被迫釘十字架。但主耶穌的釘十字架完全不同，祂不是被迫忍受釘死的苦，而是祂自己揀選的。…祂乃是心甘情願的，因為祂的十字架是神的旨意。因此，祂的釘十字架是為著完成神的旨意。…換句話說，基督不像犯人被迫去受死。相反的，祂願意被釘死，藉著死，使祂的生命得以釋放出來而產生召會。
當主在十字架上時，忍受了極大的痛苦。但那痛苦不是強加於祂的，乃是祂甘願接受的。在馬太二十六章三十九節主向父禱告說，『不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。』同時祂也禱告：『願你的旨意成就。』（42。）主是甘願背起十字架，上十字架，而且留在十字架上，直等到神的旨意成就。這是在聖經中第一次題到十字架的意義。（李常受文集一九七八年第一冊，九七至九八頁。）
信息選讀
我們不是被迫背負十字架，我們乃是甘願背起十字架。請注意，主耶穌不是說，『就當否認己而被釘十字架。』不，祂是說，『就當…背起他的十字架。』［太十六24。］…然而，有些弟兄曾說，『我已多次被我親愛的妻子釘十字架。』這樣的弟兄不是背負十字架的人；他們是罪犯而被他們的妻子處決。假如你說你的孩子一直將你釘十字架，你就不是一個背負十字架的人，而是一個被處決的罪犯。…『你是罪犯，還是背負十字架的人？』我們都必須說，『讚美主，我不是罪犯，我乃是甘願背負十字架的人。我沒有被別人釘十字架；反之，我要拿起十字架而且背負它。』
倘若一位弟兄的妻子使他受苦，既然不許可離婚，對於妻子他只有兩個選擇。他可以像一個在十字架上被處決的罪犯因妻子受苦，或者把妻子當作神的旨意，當作他的業分。他可以說，『神已經把她指派給我。不是我要和她結婚，乃是神要把她給我。這是神的旨意，神的命定。阿利路亞，我甘心樂意背十字架！我不是罪犯，而是快樂的背負十字架的人。』如果我們這樣作，主就與我們同在，我們將享受生命的豐富。而且，我們就有一個建造成為一的剛強見證。
我們需要禱告：『主阿，使我像你一樣作個樂意背負十字架的人。在馬太二十六章，你明白了神的旨意，就甘願去作，歡樂的背起十字架。你能召十二營天使來搭救你，但你不這樣作。…主，感謝你，藉著你甘願背負十字架，我們今天在這裏得以成為召會。現在，主，我們要有分於你的甘願背起十字架，使你的生命可以釋放出來。』
我們必須說，『主阿，你的旨意是在宇宙中只有一個召會，在每一個城市只有一個召會。主，你的旨意也是要我與所有的弟兄姊妹是一。只要是信徒，我就必須接納，沒有任何選擇或偏愛。我喜歡或不喜歡都算不得甚麼。』這是我們能被建造在一起惟一的路。否則，我們的偏愛和口味會不斷的變動。…在召會生活和婚姻生活中，不該上下波動。能使我們穩固並堅定的，乃是背負十字架。（李常受文集一九七八年第一冊，九九、一○一、一○三、一○五頁。）
參讀：李常受文集一九七八年第一冊，國度的操練為著召會的建造，第七至八章。
WEEK 4 — DAY 5
Morning Nourishment
Matt. 26:39 …He fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.
Eph. 4:3 Being diligent to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace.
Crucifixion was the method used by the Roman government to execute criminals. No doubt, to the criminal, the cross was a suffering because he did not choose to be crucified. On the contrary, he was forced to be crucified. The crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, however, was altogether different. He was not forced to suffer crucifixion; He chose it. This was His own preference…He was willing to do so because His cross was God’s will. Hence, His crucifixion was for the fulfillment of God’s will …In other words, Christ was not forced to die like a criminal. Rather, He was willing to be crucified so that through death His life might be released to produce the church.
When He was on the cross, the Lord suffered greatly. But that suffering was not forced upon Him. He took it willingly. In Matthew 26:39 the Lord prayed to the Father, “Not as I will, but as You will.” At that same time He also prayed, “Your will be done” (v. 42). The Lord was willing to take up the cross, to go to the cross, and to remain on the cross until God’s will had been fulfilled. This is the significance of the first mention of the cross in the Bible.
(CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Exercise of the Kingdom for the Building of the Church,” p. 81)
Today’s Reading
We are not forced to bear the cross, but…we willingly take it up. Notice, the Lord Jesus did not say, “Let him deny himself and be crucified.” No, He said, “Let him…take up his cross” [Matt. 16:24]…However, certain brothers have said, “I have been crucified by my dear wife many times.” Such brothers are not cross-bearers; they are criminals executed by their wives. If you say that your children are crucifying you, you are not a cross-bearer, but an executed criminal…Are you a criminal or a cross-bearer? We all need to say, “Praise the Lord, I am not a criminal. I am one who is willing to bear the cross. I have not been crucified by others; rather, I take up the cross and bear it.”
Suppose a brother’s wife causes him to suffer. Since no divorce is permitted, he has two choices regarding her. He may either suffer with her like a criminal being executed on the cross, or he may take her as God’s will and as his lot and portion. He may say, “God has allotted her to me. It was not I who married her; it was God who gave her to me. This is God’s will, God’s ordination. Hallelujah, I am willing and happy to bear the cross! I am not a criminal but a happy crossbearer.” If we do this, the presence of the Lord will be with us, and we shall enjoy the riches of life. Furthermore, we shall have a strong testimony of being
built into one.
We need to say, “Lord, make me a willing cross-bearer like You were. You learned what God’s will was in Matthew 26, and then You were willing to do it. You were glad to take up the cross. You could have summoned twelve legions of angels to rescue You, but You did not do it…Thank You, Lord, that through Your willingness to bear the cross we are here today as the church. Now, Lord, we want to partake of Your willingness to take up the cross so that Your life may be released.”
We need to say, “Lord, Your will is that there be one church in the universe and one church in every city. Lord, Your will is also that I be one with all my brothers and sisters. As long as anyone is a believer, I must accept him without choice or preference. My likes or dislikes do not mean anything.” This is the unique way for us to be built together. Otherwise, our preferences and tastes will constantly fluctuate…Both in the church life and in married life there should be no fluctuation. What can keep us stable and steadfast is the bearing of the cross. (CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Exercise of the Kingdom for the Building of the Church,” pp. 81-86)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1978, vol. 1, “The Exercise of the Kingdom for the Building of the Church,” chs. 7—8
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