從天上賜下的復興
為甚麼我們需要復興？
經文
哥林多後書一3-14
3願頌讚歸與我們的主耶穌基督的父神，就是發慈悲的父，賜各樣安慰的神。
4我們在一切患難中，他就安慰我們，叫我們能用神所賜的安慰去安慰那遭各樣患難的人。
5我們既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。
6我們受患難呢，是為叫你們得安慰，得拯救；我們得安慰呢，也是為叫你們得安慰；這安慰能叫你們忍受我們所受的那樣苦楚。
7我們為你們所存的盼望是確定的，因為知道你們既是同受苦楚，也必同得安慰。
8弟兄們，我們不要你們不曉得，我們從前在亞西亞遭遇苦難，被壓太重，力不能勝，甚至連活命的指望都絕了；
9自己心裡也斷定是必死的，叫我們不靠自己，只靠叫死人復活的神。
10他曾救我們脫離那極大的死亡，現在仍要救我們，並且我們指望他將來還要救我們。
11你們以祈禱幫助我們，好叫許多人為我們謝恩，就是為我們因許多人所得的恩。
12我們所誇的是自己的良心，見證我們憑著神的聖潔和誠實；在世為人不靠人的聰明，乃靠神的恩惠，向你們更是這樣。
13我們現在寫給你們的話，並不外乎你們所念的，所認識的，我也盼望你們到底還是要認識；
14正如你們已經有幾分認識我們，以我們誇口，好像我們在我們主耶穌的日子以你們誇口一樣。
信息分享
我們已經知道，復興是「因與主同在，而靈性得以更新的時刻」。今天我們要討論的問題是：為甚麼我們持續不斷地需要這種經歷？為甚麼我們不能穩站屬靈的高峰，抓著屬靈的高點不放？為甚麼在1904年威爾斯大復興的時期，當時的基督徒會容許橫掃全國的靈性烈火熄滅呢？
要解答以上的問題，我們可從聖經及教會的歷史紀錄，仔細去尋找答案。在舊約，我們看見神的子民有時候被提升到靈性的高峰，但隨後又落在屬靈的幽谷及沮喪中。即使聖靈在五旬節期間大大的傾注教會，但經過一代以後，教會又變得冷漠，以致我們在啟示錄第二至三章看到神要求小亞細亞的七間教會悔改，重拾他們當初對神的愛。歷史向我們印證，在屬靈更新的時刻以前，教會需經過一段屬靈腐敗的時期，就像中世紀初期的一樣。
我們要記得，所有屬靈上的倒退都是源自於對依靠自己的渴求。起初，當我們與神進入一段新的關係時會強烈的意識到需要倚靠祂，但不幸的是，過了一段時間後，我們心裡就有一種強烈要求獨立的呼聲，而這比任何事情都更容易令我們放棄神所給予我們的一切。
「為甚麼我們不能穩站屬靈的高峰？」
進深研究
王上十八1-39；賽三十五6-7；哀三40-42
1. 以利亞的經驗如何令我們更理解靈性的復興？
2. 試寫出你對靈性復興的定義。
祈禱
天父，求您幫助我今天察驗自己的內心，反省一下我是否過份依靠自己。親愛的主，倘若我沒有放下自恃的心、沒有尊你為大，求您讓我看見。阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
Why we need revival
Bible reading:
2 Corinthians 1:3-14
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.
9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[b] and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace.
13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that,
14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Message
We have seen that revival is "a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord". Today we examine the question: Why do we keep on needing such experiences? Why can't we hold on to the spiritual highs when they come and not let them go? Why, for example, did the Christians in Wales during the revival in 1904 allow the fire that swept the Principality to die out?
We can find the answer to these questions by looking more closely at the history of God's people as found in the Scriptures and in the records of the Church. In the Old Testament we see that there were times when God's people were lifted to the heights of spiritual blessing, only to plunge later into spiritual apathy and despair. Even after the great outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost the Church one generation later lapsed into coldness so that in Revelation 2 and 3 we see our Lord confronting the seven churches of Asia with the challenge to repent and return to their first love. History tells us that there have been periods when the Church has experienced spiritual decay, for instance in the early Middle Ages, before a time of renewal occurred.
Note carefully what I am now about to say: the cause of all spiritual lapse is rooted in the desire for independence. Initially, when we enter into a new relationship with God, we are conscious of a great sense of dependence upon Him, but unfortunately after a while something rises up within us and clamours for independence. And it is this, more than any other single thing, that causes us to let go of what God gives us.
"Why can't we hold on to the spiritual highs?"
Prayer
O Father, help me to look within my own heart today and evaluate to what extent the desire for independence rules my life. Show me, dear Lord, that if I do not crown You Lord of all, I do not crown You Lord at all. Amen.
Further study
1 Kings 18:1-39
Isaiah 35:6-7
Lam 3:40-42
1. In what way is Elijah's experience a picture of revival?
2. Write out your definition of revival.
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。