從天上賜下的復興
感染四周的熱潮

經文
詩篇一四五1-13
1(大衛的讚美詩。)我的神我的王啊,我要尊崇你!我要永永遠遠稱頌你的名!
2我要天天稱頌你,也要永永遠遠讚美你的名!
3耶和華本為大,該受大讚美;其大無法測度。
4這代要對那代頌讚你的作為,也要傳揚你的大能。
5我要默念你威嚴的尊榮和你奇妙的作為。
6人要傳說你可畏之事的能力;我也要傳揚你的大德。
7他們記念你的大恩就要傳出來,並要歌唱你的公義。
8耶和華有恩惠,有憐憫,不輕易發怒,大有慈愛。
9耶和華善待萬民;他的慈悲覆庇他一切所造的。
10耶和華啊,你一切所造的都要稱謝你;你的聖民也要稱頌你,
11傳說你國的榮耀,談論你的大能,
12好叫世人知道你大能的作為,並你國度威嚴的榮耀。
13你的國是永遠的國!你執掌的權柄存到萬代!
信息分享
不知你有沒有每天都使用《與耶穌同行》來靈修,我們正在研討的問題是:復興是不是群眾的一種歇斯底里的行為?我們知道雖然表面上看來,在復興降臨時,那些聚會所描述的情景和今天流行的搖滾音樂會的狂熱和興奮沒有多大的區別,但是它們的背後卻隱藏著相當巨大的差異。
讓我們只來思想一個差別──最後的成果。一群聚集參加流行音樂會的人,在經歷了極度刺激和興奮的感官後會有甚麼結果?我有一位不是基督徒的家人在參加過流行音樂會後對我說:「沒錯那地方令人感到極度興奮,但當曲終人散後,那種興奮也就蕩然無存。」若把這種感受與五旬節所帶來的興奮和狂熱相比較的話,我們看到五旬節的興奮和狂熱是能夠流傳到其他地方去。
一位美國舊約聖經學者肯特(Charles Foster Kent)說:「在五旬節那天,那種抑制的感覺被釋放出來,形成不可抗拒的屬靈熱潮,標誌著全球基督教宣教運動的開始。」我對他這句話有一點補充:「那種抑制的感覺被釋放出來,形成不可抗拒的屬靈熱潮」,這股熱情的產生,不是來自環境,而是來自聖靈的澆灌。不過他說:「標誌著全球基督教宣教運動的開始」倒是正確的。當神激發起復興的力量時,那狂熱和興奮湧向四面八方,不僅僅是感染和影響現在,也要影響未來的世代。
「復興的力量影響現在和未來」
進深研究
詩三十三11,四十五17,七十二5,七十九13;徒二1-21
1. 詩人的見證是甚麼?
2. 彼得重新肯定了甚麼?
祈禱
神啊,當我因著親近您而心靈滿溢興奮和熱情時,讓它流傳出去,感染別人。求您讓這些感受不要只停留在我的內心,而要轉化成為光和能量,好讓我可以靠著前行。奉耶穌的名祈求,阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
An excitement going somewhere

Bible reading:
Psalm 145:1-13
1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b]
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.[c]
Message
I remind you that the question we are looking at is this: Is revival a manifestation of crowd hysteria? We have seen that though on the surface there may appear to be little difference between the scenes reported at meetings where revival has broken out and the frenzy and excitement observed in many of today's pop and rock concerts, underneath there are great differences.
Let me deal with just one difference - the matter of final outcome. A crowd coming together for a pop concert experiences a high degree of emotion and excitement, but what does it result in? A family member of mine who is not a Christian and who attended a pop concert said to me afterwards: "It was tremendously exciting being there but the trouble is, the excitement doesn't go anywhere." Compare this with the excitement and fervour that was evident on the Day of Pentecost. It was excitement and fervour that went somewhere.
Charles Foster Kent says: "On the Day of Pentecost this pent up feeling broke out into an irresistible wave of spiritual enthusiasm that marked the beginning of the world-wide Christian missionary movement." I have a little problem with his phrase, "a pent up feeling broke out into an irresistible wave of spiritual enthusiasm", for it was not an enthusiasm worked up by circumstances but an infusion of the Holy Spirit. However, he is right when he says it "marked the beginning of the world-wide Christian missionary movement". When God moves in revival power the fervour and excitement goes somewhere - it influences and affects not just the present but also the coming generations.
"Revival power affects the present and future generations"
Prayer
O God, whatever excitement or fervour fills my soul as a result of my contact with You - let it go somewhere. Grant that it might not stay in my feelings but be translated into light and energy by which I might walk. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.
Further study
Psalm 33:11; 45:17; 72:5; 79:13
Acts 2:1-21
1. What was the psalmist's testimony?
2. What did Peter reaffirm?
本文英文版權屬 CWR 所有,承蒙允准刊載。
背景音樂版權屬 讚美之泉音樂事工 所有,承蒙允准使用。

