晨興聖言-...啟示包羅萬有的基督(W2-4)

第二週 • 週四

W2-d4-ch

晨興餧養

提前五23  因你胃口不清,屢次患病,再不要照常喝水,要稍微用點酒。

提後四20  以拉都在哥林多住下了。特羅非摩病了,我就留他在米利都。

 

保羅在他晚期職事裏的經歷,幫助我們對基督作信徒的醫生有正確的認識。保羅在提後四章二十節說,『特羅非摩病了,我就留他在米利都。』使徒為甚麼讓這樣親密的人生病,而沒有為他得醫治禱告?他為甚麼不施行他醫病的恩賜(徒十九11~12),治好提摩太的胃病,反倒教導他用自然的方法得醫治?(提前五23)。…聖經沒有記載他為這兩位得醫治禱告,當然他也沒有運用醫病的恩賜。反而,保羅鼓勵提摩太用一點酒,並將特羅非摩留在米利都。保羅用非常屬人的方法照顧他的同工。保羅這樣照顧他們,原因乃是:使徒及其同工們在這段受苦的時期,是在裏面生命的管治之下,不是在外面恩賜的能力之下。前者屬於生命的恩典,後者屬於神奇能力的恩賜。保羅的經歷應當幫助我們看見,基督今天的醫治絕大部分是為着靈和魂。基督是信徒的醫生,是我們靈、魂偶爾也是體的醫治者。我們若看見這異象,就會信靠祂並經歷祂作我們的醫生(新約總論第三冊,九七至九八頁)。

信息選讀

在召會敗落中,並在為召會受苦時,能力的恩賜不像生命裏的恩典那樣需要。…照着新約,召會剛興起時,神奇的恩賜也許有地位。但召會要抵擋敗落或逼迫,神奇的恩賜或能力就不是非常有幫助。唯有我們要持定的永遠生命是得勝的。藉這生命我們纔能抵擋敗落和逼迫(提摩太后書生命讀經,八四頁)。

〔馬可福音的〕這三個病例啟示奴僕救主服事發燒的、癱子與那些患痲瘋的。

第一個是彼得岳母的病(一30~31)。彼得的岳母發燒。…這燒可象徵人不正常、不受約束的脾氣。…我們要幫助這樣發燒的人,必須自己先冷靜下來,然後對方纔會冷靜。

這卷福音書的第二個病例是患痲瘋的(一40~45)。患痲瘋的,描繪出典型的罪人。痲瘋是最污染人、傳染人、破壞人的疾病,使患者與神與人隔離。痲瘋使患者失去與神與人的交通。因此一章四十至四十五節潔淨患痲瘋的,表徵使罪人恢復與神與人的交通。患痲瘋的不僅需要得醫治,也需要得潔淨。

第三個病例是癱瘓(二1~12)。…彼得岳母和癱子的病例指明:男人因罪不能行動,女人因罪發燒。…因此,我們可以說,女人發燒,男人癱瘓不能行動。不僅如此,男人和女人都是患痲瘋的,都需要潔淨。

主用祂赦罪的權柄與潔淨的大能服事我們。祂赦免我們的罪,潔淨我們,帶我們歸向神。祂恢復我們與神與人的交通。因着祂,我們的罪得了赦免,有神作我們的一切。如今,我們享受神作我們的生命、我們的光、我們的一切。…這就是福音,也是完成福音服事的路(馬可福音生命讀經,八八至八九頁)。

參讀:新約總論,第四十六篇;馬可福音生命讀經,第八篇。

WEEK 2 — DAY 4

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Morning Nourishment

1 Tim. 5:23 No longer drink water only, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

2 Tim. 4:20 Erastus remained in Corinth, and Trophimus I left at Miletus sick.

Paul’s experience in his later ministry helps us to have a proper appreciation of Christ as the believers’ Physician. In 2 Timothy 4:20 Paul says, “Trophimus I left at Miletus sick.” Why did the apostle leave such an intimate one in sickness without exercising healing prayer for him? Why did he not also execute his healing gift (Acts 19:11-12) to cure Timothy of his stomach illness rather than instruct him to take the natural way for healing (1 Tim. 5:23)?…There is no record that he prayed for healing, and he certainly did not exercise the gift of healing. Instead, Paul encouraged Timothy to take a little wine, and he left Trophimus at Miletus. Paul cared for his coworkers in a very human way. The reason Paul cared for them in this way is that, in a time of suffering, Paul and his coworkers were under the discipline of the inner life rather than under the power of the outward gift. The former is of grace in life; the latter of gift in power, miraculous power. Paul’s experience should help us to see that, for the most part, Christ’s healing today is for the spirit and the soul. Christ is the believers’ Physician, the Healer of our spirit, our soul, and at times, also of our body. If we see this vision we shall trust in Him and experience Him as our Physician. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 616-617)

Today’s Reading

In the decline of the church and in suffering for the church, the gift of power is not as much needed as the grace in life…According to the New Testament, miraculous gifts may have a place when the church is first raised up. But for the church to withstand decline or persecution, miraculous gifts or powers are not very helpful. Only the eternal life on which we are to lay hold is prevailing. By this life we can withstand decline and persecution. (Life-study of 2 Timothy, p. 69)

Three cases [in Mark’s Gospel] reveal that the Slave-Savior serves those who are sick with a fever, those who are paralyzed, and those who are lepers.

The first case [is] that of Peter’s mother-in-law (1:30-31). Peter’s motherin- law was sick with a fever…This fever may signify an abnormal, unbridled temper…In order to help someone who has a fever like this, we must first be calm ourselves. Then gradually, the other party will calm down.

The second case of sickness in this Gospel is the case of a leper (vv. 40- 45). This leper portrays a typical sinner. Leprosy, the most contaminating, contagious, and damaging disease, isolates a person from both God and man. Leprosy causes its victim to lose fellowship with both God and man. Hence, the cleansing of the leper in 1:40-45 signifies the recovering of a sinner to fellowship with God and with men. The leper needed not only healing but also cleansing.

The third case of sickness…is the case of the paralytic (2:1-12)…The cases of Peter’s mother-in-law and the paralytic indicate that men are disabled by sin and that women have a fever because of sin…Therefore, we may say that women are sick with a fever and that men are sick with paralysis, disablement. Furthermore, both men and women are lepers in need of cleansing.

The Lord serves us with His forgiving authority and His cleansing power. He forgives our sins, cleanses us, and brings us back to God. He restores our fellowship with God and man. Because of Him, our sins are gone, and we have God as everything to us. Now we are enjoying God as our life, our light, our everything…This is the gospel, and this is also the way to carry out the gospel service. (Life-study of Mark, pp. 76, 75-76)

Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msg. 46; Life-study of Mark, msg. 8

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