晨興聖言-信徒(一)-(W03-6)
第三週 • 週六
晨興餧養
太四19 耶穌對他們說,來跟從我,我要使你們作得人的漁夫。
二四14 這國度的福音要傳遍天下,對萬民作見證,然後末期纔來到。
主耶穌對彼得和安得烈說,『來跟從我,我要使你們作得人的漁夫。』(太四19)他們就立刻撇下網,跟從諸天之國的王,好作得人的漁夫。至終,彼得在五旬節那天,成了頭一個建立諸天之國的偉大漁夫(徒二37~42,四4)。
作得人的漁夫,就是將人從世界(由海同其死水所表徵)帶出來,帶到諸天的國裏。這就是說,捕捉人,『得人』(路五10),叫人得生命(徒十一18),就是將他們帶到國度裏。在五旬節那天,彼得開始了將人帶到諸天之國裏的職事。他帶進各種的人,就是猶太人和外邦人。他是真正得人的漁夫(新約總論第五冊,一一○頁)。
信息選讀
得人需要忍耐。彼得這急性的人,也許在馬太十七章二十四至二十七節學會了這事。彼得急躁地答覆關於基督納殿稅的事以後,主耶穌問他:『西門,你怎麼看?地上的君王向誰徵收關稅或丁稅?向自己的兒子,還是向外人?』彼得一說,向外人,耶穌就對他說,『既然如此,兒子就可以免了。』(25~26)然後主繼續說,『但為免絆跌他們,你要到海邊去釣魚,拿起先釣上來的魚,開它的口,就必找到一塊錢,可以拿去給他們,作你我的殿稅。』(27)彼得必須去釣魚,並且等候一條口含
一塊錢的魚出現;毫無疑問,這必使他難為。結果,彼得也許學知得人的漁夫必須有忍耐。我們若要作得人的漁夫,為着基督的擴增去得人,我們也需要忍耐。我們無法迅速得着擴增,繁增。
將人從世界帶出來,而進入諸天之國的路,不是藉着今天膚淺的福音,乃是藉着諸天之國的福音〔參二四14〕。…國度的福音,不僅包括赦罪(路二四47)及分賜生命(約二十31),也包括諸天的國,具有來世的能力(來六5)趕鬼並醫病(賽三五5~6,太十1)。
國度的福音,也包括恩典的福音(徒二十24),不僅把人帶進神的救恩,也把人帶進諸天的國(啟一9)。恩典的福音重在罪的赦免、神的救贖和永遠的生命;國度的福音重在神屬天的管治和主的權柄。
新約說到生命的福音、恩典的福音和救恩的福音。然而,這些都是國度不同的方面。國度乃是中心、輪軸,一切其他的項目可視為以輪軸為中心的輪輻。生命的福音是為着國度,救恩的福音是為着國度,赦罪的福音也是為着國度。…國度乃是真正的福音。…我們若要完全認識福音,就必須領悟,國度是包羅萬有的福音。在今世的末期來到以前,這國度的福音要傳遍天下,對萬民作見證。天下的意思是人所居住的每個地方。我信主恢復裏的眾召會都有負擔,將這福音帶到整個居人之地。恩典的福音已在各大洲傳揚,國度的福音卻沒有。…這更高〔之國度〕的福音,必須藉着主恢復裏的眾召會,帶到全球各大洲(新約總論第五冊,一一○至一一二頁)。
參讀:基督是道路真理和生命,第二篇。
WEEK 3 — DAY 6
Morning Nourishment
Matt. 4:19 And He said to them, Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.
24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the
whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the
end will come.
The
Lord Jesus said to Peter and Andrew, “Come after Me, and I will make
you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). Immediately they left their nets and
followed the King of the kingdom of the heavens to be fishers of men.
Eventually, on the day of Pentecost, Peter became the first great fisher
for the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens (Acts 2:37-42;
4:4).
To
be a fisher of men is to bring men out of the world, signified by the
sea with its death waters, into the kingdom of the heavens. This means
that to fish for men, “catching men alive” (Luke 5:10), that is, unto
life (Acts 11:18), is to bring them into the kingdom. On the day of
Pentecost Peter began his ministry of bringing people into the kingdom
of the heavens. He brought in all kinds of people, Gentiles as well as
Jews. He was a real fisher of men. (The Conclusion of the New Testament,
p. 1155)
Todays Reading
To
fish for men requires patience. Peter, a quick person, may have learned
this in Matthew 17:24-27. After Peter gave a hasty answer concerning
Christ’s paying the half-shekel, the Lord Jesus asked him, “What do you
think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive custom or poll
tax, from their sons or from strangers? And when he said, From
strangers, Jesus said to him, So then the sons are free” (vv. 25-26).
Then the Lord went on to say, “But that we do not stumble them, go to
the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. And
when you open its mouth, you will find a stater; take that and give it
to them for Me and you” (v. 27). Peter, no doubt, was troubled that he
had to go fishing and wait for a fish to appear with a stater. As a
result, Peter may have learned that a fisher of men must have patience.
If we would be fishers of men, gaining others for Christ’s increase, we
also need patience. We cannot have the increase, the multiplication, in a
quick way.
The
way to bring others out of the world and into the kingdom of the
heavens is not by today’s superficial gospel but by the gospel of the
kingdom of the heavens [cf. Matt. 24:14]…The gospel of the kingdom
includes not only forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47) and the impartation
of life (John 20:31) but also the kingdom of the heavens with the power
of the coming age (Heb. 6:5) to cast out demons and heal diseases (Isa.
35:5-6; Matt. 10:1).
The
gospel of the kingdom, which also includes the gospel of grace (Acts
20:24), not only brings people into God’s salvation but also into the
kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The emphasis of the gospel of grace
is on forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life, whereas
the emphasis of the gospel of the kingdom is on the heavenly ruling of
God and the authority of the Lord.
The
New Testament speaks of the gospel of life, the gospel of grace, and
the gospel of salvation. However, all these are different aspects of the
kingdom. The kingdom is the center, the hub, and all the other items
may be considered the spokes, which are centered on the hub. The gospel
of life is for the kingdom, the gospel of salvation is for the kingdom,
and the gospel of forgiveness is for the kingdom…The kingdom is the real
gospel…If we want to know the gospel in a full way, we must realize
that the kingdom is the all- inclusive gospel. This gospel of the
kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to
all the nations before the end of this age comes. The inhabited earth
means every place inhabited by man. I believe that the churches in the
Lord’s recovery will bear the burden to bring this gospel to all the
inhabited earth. The gospel of grace has been preached in every
continent but not the gospel of the kingdom…This higher gospel [of the
kingdom] must be brought to every continent through the churches in the
Lord’s recovery. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 1155-1157)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 36, pp. 73-83
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