与我们有益
起初听到耶稣这番话时，我们或许不明白，祂离开我们，岂会是与我们有益的。事实上，祂也常常教导我们，跟随祂可能会带给我们麻烦和困难。这件事怎么会对我们有益的呢？
这个疑问似乎特别切合今天的境况。世界各地很多基督徒，因为跟随基督，正在面对逼迫和甚至死亡；而在逼迫不甚明显的地方，跟随基督仍然需要牺牲，就如彼得曾向耶稣说：“我们已经撇下所有的跟从你！”（马太福音 19:27）。
然而，耶稣升天后，祂的肉身已经不再与祂的跟随者一起了，这怎可能是一件好事呢？回顾往事时，那些最早蒙召的门徒便想起，耶稣在受死前一晚谈到他们的忧虑时所说的话。祂说祂升天后，便会打开圣灵降临之门，跟随耶稣的人不再需要祂的肉身留在世上了，因为肉身毕竟是会受到限制的。
某本新书的副标题这样解释说：“有圣灵在你里面，胜过有耶稣在你身旁。”由于耶稣已经回到父那里，当圣灵到来住在我们里面时，我们就能够更有力地感受到神的同在了。
面对生活上的困难时，我们往往感到很难这样相信。然而这是神的应许，是与我们有益的。你相信吗？
主耶稣，求你以你的灵充满我们，又帮助我们看到你在我们里面。求你引领我们，为父的荣耀而活。阿们。
约翰福音 16:1-15
1“我已将这些事告诉你们，使你们不至于跌倒。
2人要把你们赶出会堂，并且时候将到，凡杀你们的就以为是侍奉神。
3他们这样行，是因未曾认识父，也未曾认识我。
4我将这事告诉你们，是叫你们到了时候，可以想起我对你们说过了。我起先没有将这些事告诉你们，因为我与你们同在。
5现今我往差我来的父那里去，你们中间并没有人问我：‘你往哪里去？’
6只因我将这事告诉你们，你们就满心忧愁。
7然而我将真情告诉你们，我去是于你们有益的。我若不去，保惠师就不到你们这里来；我若去，就差他来。
8他既来了，就要叫世人为罪、为义、为审判，自己责备自己。
9为罪，是因他们不信我；
10为义，是因我往父那里去，你们就不再见我；
11为审判，是因这世界的王受了审判。
12“我还有好些事要告诉你们，但你们现在担当不了。
13只等真理的圣灵来了，他要引导你们明白一切的真理，因为他不是凭自己说的，乃是把他所听见的都说出来，并要把将来的事告诉你们。
14他要荣耀我，因为他要将受于我的告诉你们。
15凡父所有的，都是我的，所以我说，他要将受于我的告诉你们。
For Our Good
“Very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.” - John 16:7
When we first hear these words of Jesus, we may wonder how his going away could be for our good. He often taught, in fact, that following him can bring trouble and hardship. How can that be good?
This question may seem especially relevant today. Many Christians around the world face persecution and even death for following Jesus. And in places where persecution is not so obvious, following Jesus still means sacrifice. As Peter once said to Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you!” (Matthew 19:27).
But when Jesus ascended to heaven, he was no longer physically present with his followers. How could that be a good thing? Looking back, his first disciples would remember Jesus’ words on the night before his death, when he addressed this concern. He said that his ascension would open the way for the Holy Spirit to come to them. Jesus’ followers would no longer need him to be physically present on earth, with all the limits that his humanity imposed.
The subtitle of a recent book explains, “The Spirit inside you is better than Jesus beside you.” Because Jesus has returned to the Father, we feel God’s presence even more powerfully as the Spirit comes to live in us.
This is sometimes hard to believe when we face the hardships of life. But it is God’s promise, for our good. Do you believe this?
Lord Jesus, fill us with your Spirit and help us to know your presence within us. Guide us to live for the Father’s glory. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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