從天上賜下的復興
神透過教會工作

經文
以弗所書一3-10
3願頌讚歸與我們主耶穌基督的父神!他在基督裡曾賜給我們天上各樣屬靈的福氣:
4就如神從創立世界以前,在基督裡揀選了我們,使我們在他面前成為聖潔,無有瑕疵;
5又因愛我們,就按著自己意旨所喜悅的,預定我們藉著耶穌基督得兒子的名分,
6使他榮耀的恩典得著稱讚;這恩典是他在愛子裡所賜給我們的。
7我們藉這愛子的血得蒙救贖,過犯得以赦免,乃是照他豐富的恩典。
8這恩典是神用諸般智慧聰明,充充足足賞給我們的;
9都是照他自己所預定的美意,叫我們知道他旨意的奧祕,
10要照所安排的,在日期滿足的時候,使天上、地上、一切所有的都在基督裡面同歸於一。
信息分享
神賜下復興,並讓祂的百姓共同參與,其中另一原因是祂承諾透過祂的教會來工作,而不是在教會的背後操縱。你可記起我較早前曾說過,我們對教會的看法會大大影響我們對復興的看法,現在我必須重申這一點。
教會是神在世界的代表,神透過教會去彰顯自己的旨意,向世界展示神國度的模樣。神承諾透過教會,而不是繞過教會工作。無論祂的百姓變得多麼的委靡不振,祂都不會違背這承諾。若神願意行使祂的主權,祂大可以不理會任何人,在教會衰微時突然臨到。但我們也知道,除了主權外,神還有其它屬性──愛和尊重就是神的其中兩種屬性。
若要在聖經中選擇一件令我印象最深刻的、關於神與人交往的事,那就是祂十分尊重祂所委派去掌權的人,儘管他們沒有如祂所願的去執行任務。其實,神輕易的就可以將舊約那些沒有服從祂吩咐的君王和祭司消滅,但祂還是有耐性、有愛心地讓祂的子民去參與並實現祂的計劃。倘若神可以如此慈愛的對待祂那地上的百姓──以色列,那我不能想像祂不會照樣對待祂那屬天的百姓──教會;神必然會確保教會在每一個屬靈計劃中都有代表及參與的機會。
「教會是神的代表」
進深研究
何十1-15;申四29;詩一零五4;賽五十五6
1. 先知勸以色列的子民做甚麼?
2. 我們可以如何開墾荒地?
祈禱
慈愛的天父,感謝您承諾永遠不會在您教會的背後去實行您的計劃,而是要讓我們有分參與。我衷心的告訴自己:這樣行事的神,必定擁有我所需要的一切。阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
God works through authority

Bible reading:
Ephesians 1:3-10
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
5 he[a] predestined us for adoption to sonship[b] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding,
9 he[c] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Message
Another reason why God takes great care to involve His people when He initiates a revival is because He is committed to working through His Church - not behind her back. I said earlier, you might remember, that our view of the Church will greatly influence our view of revival, and now I must make the point again.
The Church (so I believe) is God's agent in the world through which His purposes are demonstrated. She is here to model the kingdom of God to the world. God is committed to working through her and not around her, and no matter how lethargic His people become, He will not withdraw from that commitment. If God wanted to exercise His sovereignty (and nothing else) then He could burst in upon His Church in times of declension without regard to anyone. But, as we have seen, there are other characteristics in God beside sovereignty - love and respect being just two.
If there is one thing above all others that impresses me about God's dealings with people in the Bible it is the fact that He greatly respects the authority He establishes, even though that authority does not act in the way He desires. It would have been easy for Him to have swept aside the Old Testament kings and priests who failed to do His bidding, but patiently and lovingly He worked to involve them in His purposes. If God did that with His earthly people, Israel, then I cannot conceive of Him doing any less with His heavenly people, the Church. He will make sure the Church is represented and involved in every single spiritual project in the universe.
"The Church is God's agent"
Prayer
Gracious Father, Your commitment never to go behind the back of Your Church to accomplish Your purposes amazes me. My heart says: a God who works like this can have all there is of me to have. Amen.
Further study
Hosea 10:1-15
Deuteronomy 4:29
Psalm 105:4
Isaiah 55:6
1. What did the prophet exhort the children of Israel to do?
2. How can we break up our fallow ground?
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