你是否有过这样的想法:“我希望耶稣现在就在我身边”? 每个星期天我们都聚集在一起,敬拜一位我们“爱着的”神,尽管我们看不见祂,也摸不着祂。说实话,这并不是一件容易的事。
我们祈求神指引方向,或供应我们的需要,有时候这就好像对着空气说话。有时,我们可能会认为门徒们的信仰更容易,因为他们能和耶稣一起行走,吃饭,面对面说话。
在祂受死的前一晚,耶稣告诉门徒们,他们将要受圣灵。根据不同的圣经译本,圣灵又叫做保惠师,帮助者,策士或安慰者。每个名字都帮助我们理解了圣灵是谁以及祂所做的。
圣灵不是一个抽象的概念。祂是有位格的,和圣父、圣子一样是完全的神。神的圣灵住在信徒的里面,表明神和祂的子民的亲密关系进入了一个新的阶段。
因此,在我们这个多疑的时代,我们可以得到安慰,知道无论我们的感受如何,神已经与我们同在了。实际上,藉着圣灵,神已经以前所未有的方式靠近我们了。
父啊,求将你的圣灵指示我。帮助我感受你的同在,在生活中听见你的声音。阿们。
约翰福音 14:15-31
15你们若爱我,就必遵守我的命令。
16“我要求父,父就另外赐给你们一位保惠师,叫他永远与你们同在,
17就是真理的圣灵,乃世人不能接受的,因为不见他,也不认识他。你们却认识他,因他常与你们同在,也要在你们里面。
18我不撇下你们为孤儿,我必到你们这里来。
19还有不多的时候,世人不再看见我,你们却看见我,因为我活着,你们也要活着。
20到那日,你们就知道我在父里面,你们在我里面,我也在你们里面。
21“有了我的命令又遵守的,这人就是爱我的。爱我的必蒙我父爱他,我也要爱他,并且要向他显现。”
22犹大(不是加略人犹大)问耶稣说:“主啊,为什么要向我们显现,不向世人显现呢?”
23耶稣回答说:“人若爱我,就必遵守我的道,我父也必爱他,并且我们要到他那里去,与他同住。
24不爱我的人就不遵守我的道;你们所听见的道不是我的,乃是差我来之父的道。
25“我还与你们同住的时候,已将这些话对你们说了。
26但保惠师,就是父因我的名所要差来的圣灵,他要将一切的事指教你们,并且要叫你们想起我对你们所说的一切话。
27我留下平安给你们,我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的不像世人所赐的,你们心里不要忧愁,也不要胆怯。
28你们听见我对你们说了,我去,还要到你们这里来。你们若爱我,因我到父那里去,就必喜乐,因为父是比我大的。
29现在事情还没有成就,我预先告诉你们,叫你们到事情成就的时候,就可以信。
30以后我不再和你们多说话,因为这世界的王将到;他在我里面是毫无所有,
31但要叫世人知道我爱父,并且父怎样吩咐我,我就怎样行。起来,我们走吧!”
"The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." - John 14:26
Have you ever thought, “I wish Jesus was physically here right now”? Each Sunday we gather to worship a God we are “in relationship” with even though we can't see him or touch him. And, to be honest, that's not always an easy thing to get our minds around.
We pray to God for guidance and direction, or to provide for our needs, and sometimes it can feel like we are talking to empty space. Sometimes we might think faith was easier for the disciples because they could walk and talk and eat with Jesus in person.
On the night before he died, Jesus told his disciples that they were going to receive the Holy Spirit. Depending on what version of the Bible you are reading, the Spirit is called the Advocate, Helper, Counselor, or Comforter. And each title helps to explain who the Spirit is and what the Spirit does.
The Spirit is more than just an abstract concept. He is a person, as fully God as the Father and the Son. The Spirit of God comes to dwell within believers, representing a new level of intimacy between God and his people.
So, in our times of doubt, we can take comfort knowing that no matter what it feels like, God is in fact present with us. In fact, through the Spirit, God has come closer to us than ever before.
Father, make your Spirit known to me. Help me to sense your presence and to hear your voice in my life. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳