神的作為
使徒行傳一章1至12節
1提阿非羅阿，我已經作了前書，論到耶穌開頭一切所行所教訓的，
2直到他藉著聖靈吩咐所揀選的使徒，以後被接上升的日子為止。
3他受害之後，用許多的憑據將自己活活的顯給使徒看，四十天之久向他們顯現，講說神國的事。
4耶穌和他們聚集的時候，囑咐他們說：不要離開耶路撒冷，要等候父所應許的，就是你們聽見我說過的。
5約翰是用水施洗，但不多幾日，你們要受聖靈的洗。
6他們聚集的時候，問耶穌說：主阿，你復興以色列國就在這時候麼？
7耶穌對他們說：父憑著自己的權柄所定的時候、日期，不是你們可以知道的。
8但聖靈降臨在你們身上，你們就必得著能力，並要在耶路撒冷、猶太全地，和撒瑪利亞，直到地極，作我的見證。
9說了這話，他們正看的時候，他就被取上升，有一朵雲彩把他接去，便看不見他了。
10當他往上去，他們定睛望天的時候，忽然有兩個人身穿白衣，站在旁邊，說：
11加利利人哪，你們為甚麼站著望天呢？這離開你們被接升天的耶穌，你們見他怎樣往天上去，他還要怎樣來。
12有一座山，名叫橄欖山，離耶路撒冷不遠，約有安息日可走的路程。當下，門徒從那裡回耶路撒冷去，
信息分享
使徒行傳與路加福音有幾項共通點：它們都是出於路加的手筆，都是獻給一個名叫提阿非羅的大人；而兩者的內容，亦同樣是關乎耶穌基督。所不同者，是路加福音記述了耶穌由降生，一直至到受死和復活的過程。至於使徒行傳，則是記述耶穌在升天之後，由聖靈和教會接續祂在地上的工作。
我們今天選讀的經文，分別在第2、9、11和22節提到基督升天。祂此刻升到天上的身體，當然是那復活後得了榮耀的身體；可是，祂的身體可能還帶著加略山上被羞辱和被釘十架的標記。將來我們到了天上，發現那惟一帶有釘痕的身體，可能就是主基督了。
基督在升天前的六週，曾經把祂的計劃告訴門徒，並且囑咐他們在祂升天以後要做些甚麼。祂鄭重提出了兩個事實：
第一，門徒將要作祂的見證。
第二，他們不是靠著自己的力量去作見證，而是要靠著聖靈的能力去作見證。
聖靈終於在五旬節降臨在使徒的身上，他們因而出現了非常奇妙的改變。除了是聖靈的能力藉著使徒工作之外，實難再找出其他原因去解釋他們向群眾講道後，怎麼會產生如此驚人的效果。
昔日的群眾，在使徒身上看見了聖靈的能力、勇氣、生命力和--可能是最重要的--愛心。試問今天的世人，能否在我們的教會或我們的生命中，同樣看見聖靈的工作呢？
禱告：
親愛的主耶穌，求你幫助我，使我每天都懂得順服聖靈在我身上的工作。
A STORY OF WHAT GOD CAN DO
Acts 1: 1 – 12
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.
Message
This is the second book written by Luke. The first one is the gospel of Luke. In both books we have the same writer, the same reader (Theophilus) and the same subject, Jesus Christ. In the first book, Jesus comes down to earth to work and to die here. In the second book, he goes back to heaven but continues his work on earth through the Holy Spirit and the church.
The ascension of Christ is mentioned four times in this chapter in verses 2, 9, 11 and 22. He was ‘taken up’ in his physical body and has that body in heaven now. It is his resurrected, glorified body of course, but it still bears the marks and scars of Calvary. It is possible that the only body which will have scars in heaven is his body. Did you ever think of that?
In the six weeks before he went back to heaven, Christ gave to the disciples his program and told them what he wanted them to do after he was gone. He emphasised two facts:
1. The disciples would be his witnesses.
2. This would not be in their own power, but that of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost and what a wonderful difference his coming made in the disciples. There is no other way to explain the marvellous results of the apostles’ preaching. It was the power of the Holy Spirit working through them.
And that is what the world saw – the Holy Spirit giving them strength, power and courage and perhaps most of all, love. Can the world see anything like that in our church or in our lives today?
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, help me to learn how to let your Holy Spirit do his work in me each day.