害怕死去的麥子
恩上加恩
經文
約翰福音一1-17
1太初有道，道與神同在，道就是神。
2這道太初與神同在。
3萬物是藉著他造的；凡被造的，沒有一樣不是藉著他造的。
4生命在他裡頭，這生命就是人的光。
5光照在黑暗裡，黑暗卻不接受光。
6有一個人，是從神那裡差來的，名叫約翰。
7這人來，為要作見證，就是為光作見證，叫眾人因他可以信。
8他不是那光，乃是要為光作見證。
9那光是真光，照亮一切生在世上的人。
10他在世界，世界也是藉著他造的，世界卻不認識他。
11他到自己的地方來，自己的人倒不接待他。
12凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就賜他們權柄，作神的兒女。
13這等人不是從血氣生的，不是從情慾生的，也不是從人意生的，乃是從神生的。
14道成了肉身，住在我們中間，充充滿滿的有恩典有真理。我們也見過他的榮光，正是父獨生子的榮光。
15約翰為他作見證，喊著說：這就是我曾說：那在我以後來的，反成了在我以前的，因他本來在我以前。
16從他豐滿的恩典裡，我們都領受了，而且恩上加恩。
17律法本是藉著摩西傳的；恩典和真理都是由耶穌基督來的。
信息分享
今天我們嘗試思考一個問題：神帶領我們進入一些不能確定、含糊不清的境況有甚麼目的？神這樣做的目的是讓我們學習倚靠祂而不是靠我們自己；在孤單的時候，我們要學習察覺祂的同在；在不能確定的時候，我們要學習察覺祂的能力。
我們的生命不結果子的主要原因在於：我們倚靠自己的力量多於神的力量。神如何教導我們倚靠祂？就是使我們置身於不能確定的境況下，來促使我們選擇沮喪或者是信心的道路。如果我們從這些境況中退縮，便會錯過寶貴的屬靈教導，我們的生命便會顯得膚淺和幼稚。
我曾聽過一句話，這話總結了我對所有含糊和不確定的看法。那句話是：「神的目的總是藉此來賜下能力。」換句話說，神引領你進入陌生和不確定的境況時，祂也許不會讓你知道祂的目的，但祂不會令你缺少祂的恩典。神的目的和神的恩典是一個硬幣的兩面。如果你接受那目的，你便得到那恩典；如果你拒絕那目的，你便失卻那恩典。無論神在你生命中定下甚麼目的，祂都會給你足夠的恩典去完成。今天的經文提到「恩上加恩」，我認識一位傳道人將經文翻譯為：「運用我給你的恩典，並肯定將來還會源源不絕地賜下。」
「神的目的相等於神的能力」
進深研究
林後十二1-10；弗二6-7；腓四19
1. 保羅怎麼看「他肉體中的刺」？
2. 他的態度怎麼樣？
祈禱
天父，求您幫助我懂得掌握今天的教訓，活出神所應許「恩上加恩」的人生。願榮耀和尊貴都歸與您那無可比擬和寶貴的名字。阿們。
The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die
"Grace upon grace'
Bible reading:
John 1:1-17
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is the one I spoke about when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'")
16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Message
Today we ask: What purpose does God have in leading us into situations which are uncertain and ambiguous? He does so in order that we might learn to depend on Him and not on ourselves. Just as in times of loneliness we learn to realise His presence, so in times of uncertainty we learn to realise His power.
The major reason why our lives are unfruitful lies right here: we depend more on our own strength than we do on His. How can God teach us dependence unless He puts us into situations which are so uncertain that we are compelled either to choose the way of frustration or the way of faith? And if we draw back from entering such situations, we will miss a valuable spiritual education and our lives will become barren.
A statement I came across some time ago sums up what I want to say concerning ambiguity and uncertainty. It is this: "God's purposes are always God's enablings." In other words, when God steers you into strange and uncertain situations, He will keep you very much in the dark concerning His purposes, but He will not leave you bereft of His grace. The purpose of God and the grace of God are two sides of the one coin. If you accept the purpose, you get the grace; if you refuse the purpose, you annul the grace. Anything God purposes for you, He gives you the grace to perform. John speaks in our text for today of "grace upon grace". One preacher I know translates that text like this: "Use the grace I give you and rest assured - there will always be more to follow."
"God's purposes are always God's enablings"
Prayer
O Father, how wonderful it would be if I could master this lesson today, and become a living illustration of "grace upon grace". May it be so, to the honour and glory of Your peerless and precious Name. Amen.
Further study
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Ephesians 2:6-7
Philippians 4:19
1.How did Paul view his "thorn in the flesh"
2. What was his attitude?
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