当我的父母渡假、把料理家庭农场的责任交给我时，他们总会把细节写下来，好让我能依循指示去做。
耶稣升天后，门徒聚集一起祷告（使徒行传1:14），他们也谨记耶稣给他们的教导和指示：从多年之后写成的新约福音书，我们清楚看见，初代教会跟随耶稣的人记得他们的身份和使命，他们是耶稣的门徒，他们要去使万民作耶稣的门徒。
门徒以神子民的身份开始了历史新的一页，他们也知道，他们不是孤军作战的，因为他们记得耶稣“临别”时的话，祂告诉他们，天上地下所有的权柄都赐给祂了，他们也听到一个应许：“我就常与你们同在。”但是，如果耶稣是在天上，祂又怎能同时与他们同在，又怎能今天与我们同在呢？
当信徒接受圣灵时（使徒行传2），他们部份的疑问便得到答案了。但是，他们仍然要继续保持信心，他们仍然有未解答的难题，有些人甚至仍然心生疑惑。
在今天，我们有时也会有疑惑的地方，但这并不表示我们不再是信徒了，而这也肯定不表示耶稣没有履行他常与我们同在的应许！然而，凭着信心，又仰赖住在我们心里的圣灵，我们必定能够跟从祂的指示和信得过祂的应许的。
亲爱的神，我们需要祢帮助我们去面对恐惧和疑惑。惟愿基督藉着祂的灵与我们同在，叫我们因此得力！阿们。
马太福音 28:16-20
16 十一个门徒往加利利去，到了耶稣约定的山上。
17 他们见了耶稣就拜他，然而还有人疑惑。
18 耶稣进前来，对他们说：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了。
19 所以你们要去，使万民做我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗，
20 凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守。我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。”
“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Matthew 28:20
When my parents left on a vacation and put me in charge of the family farm, they wrote out instructions for me to follow.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples gathered together and prayed (Acts 1:14). They also kept in mind all the teachings and instructions Jesus had given them. It’s clear from the New Testament gospel accounts, written down some years later, that Jesus’ followers in the early church remembered their identity and mission. They were disciples of Jesus, and they were to go and make disciples of Jesus from all nations.
As the disciples began this next chapter as the people of God, they also knew they were not alone. They remembered Jesus’ “last words” telling them that all authority in heaven and earth had been given to him. They also heard a promise: “I am with you always.” But if Jesus was in heaven, how could he also be with them—and today with us?
When the believers received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), that would help to answer some of their questions, but they had to continue in faith, with other questions unanswered. Some even doubted.
Today we may also have doubts from time to time. That doesn’t mean we are no longer believers, and it certainly doesn’t mean Jesus isn’t keeping his promise to be with us always! But in faith, and with his Spirit living in our hearts, we can follow his instructions and trust his promises.
Dear God, we need you to help us face our fears and doubts. May the presence of Christ by his Spirit empower us! Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
