從天上賜下的復興
五旬節──唯一的典範
經文
使徒行傳四23-37
23二人既被釋放，就到會友那裡去，把祭司長和長老所說的話都告訴他們。
24他們聽見了，就同心合意的高聲向神說：主阿！你是造天、地、海，和其中萬物的，
25你曾藉著聖靈，託你僕人我們祖宗大衛的口，說：外邦為甚麼爭鬧？萬民為甚麼謀算虛妄的事？
26世上的君王一齊起來，臣宰也聚集，要敵擋主，並主的受膏者（或作：基督）。
27希律和本丟彼拉多，外邦人和以色列民，果然在這城裡聚集，要攻打你所膏的聖僕（僕：或作子）耶穌，
28成就你手和你意旨所預定必有的事。
29他們恐嚇我們，現在求主鑒察，一面叫你僕人大放膽量講你的道，一面伸出你的手來醫治疾病，並且使神
蹟奇事因著你聖僕（僕：或作子）耶穌的名行出來。
30a31禱告完了，聚會的地方震動，他們就都被聖靈充滿，放膽講論神的道。
32那許多信的人都是一心一意的，沒有一人說他的東西有一樣是自己的，都是大家公用。
33使徒大有能力，見證主耶穌復活；眾人也都蒙大恩。
34內中也沒有一個缺乏的，因為人人將田產房屋都賣了，把所賣的價銀拿來，放在使徒腳前，
35照各人所需用的，分給各人。
36有一個利未人，生在居比路，名叫約瑟，使徒稱他為巴拿巴（巴拿巴翻出來就是勸慰子）。
37他有田地，也賣了，把價銀拿來，放在使徒腳前。
信息分享
我們在之前幾天曾談到必須正確地認識聖靈的工作和本質,，也提到在神曾在五旬節降下聖靈，今天我們要繼
續來思想關於五旬節──神給教會的復興模式，不單在舊約的復興裡看到。我們必須掌握這個要點，因為很多基督徒祈求復興的時候，都將視線集中在舊約所發生的事情上，儘管當中有其趣味性以及啟發性，但並不應該成為我們祈求的典範。
我們曾說過，復興的模範樣式是在五旬節。由於在舊約時代神沒有完全賜下聖靈，所以若以此作典範是錯誤的；同樣的，在主受辱的日子，聖靈亦不可能被賜下。只有在基督得勝的日子，在祂回到永恆的寶座以後，聖靈才被賜下，而這才是正確典範。故此，我們為復興的禱告、對復興的期望，都必須以五旬節為基礎，因為在五旬節有世人所看到的聖靈最偉大的彰顯。
也許有人會告訴你說五旬節只是一次性的事件，請不要相信這樣的說法，不要以為神不希望重複這種復興的經歷。正如我說過，在整個教會的歷史中，每一次復興都包含了五旬節的一個或多個的元素，有一些的主要特點是認罪，另一些是充滿喜樂，還有一些是透過超自然力量帶來奇蹟。倘若神認為這個世界或某些地區需要再一次復興的話，那麼這一次的復興將會具有五旬節的所有元素。我不知道你有些甚麼想法，但這是我自己衷心渴望看到的事情。
「五旬節是神給教會的復興典範」
進深研究
徒十九1-41；結三十六27；徒十44-46
1. 當聖靈降在那十二個人身上時，給他們的生活帶來了甚麼改變？
2. 這些改變如何影響了整個群體？
祈禱
天父，求您讓我把對另一個五旬節的渴望，轉化成與您更深入和親密的同行，藉著禱告、默想聖經的教導，以及更多與別人分享您的偉大和能力。奉耶穌基督的名祈求，阿們。
Heaven-Sent Revival
Pentecost - the only pattern
Bible reading:
Acts 4:23-37
23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.[a]'[b]
27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all
34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35 and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"),
37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.
Message
We continue exploring the thought that Pentecost, and not the Old Testament revivals, is God's norm for the Church. It is imperative that we grasp this, because when they are praying for revival many Christians set their sights on happenings in the Old Testament. But while these contain interesting and helpful insights, they ought not to become our pattern.
As we have seen, the pattern for revival is Pentecost. The Spirit could not have been fully given in the Old Testament dispensation as this would have set a wrong pattern, and for the same reason He could not have been given in the day of our Lord's humiliation. The Spirit could only be given in the time of Christ's triumph - after He had returned to the eternal throne - for that alone was the right pattern. That is why our prayers for revival and our expectation of it must be based on Pentecost - the greatest manifestation of the Holy Spirit the world has ever known.
Do not be swayed by those who tell you that Pentecost was a one-off experience which God does not want to repeat. As I have said, throughout the history of the Church every revival that has taken place has contained one or more of the ingredients of Pentecost. In some the dominant feature has been conviction of sin, in others, abounding joy, and in others, amazing miracles brought about through supernatural power. If God sees fit to send another revival to the world, or parts of the world, perhaps the next one will contain all the ingredients of Pentecost. I don't know about you, but this is something I find myself longing for with all my heart.
"Pentecost is God's norm for the Church"
Prayer
O Father, let my longing for another Pentecost be translated into a deeper and closer walk with You - by prayer, meditation on the Scriptures and sharing with others the concept of Your greatness and power. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
Acts 19:1-41
Ezekiel 36:27
Acts 10:44-46
1. When the Holy Spirit fell on the 12 men, what were some results in their lives?
2. How did this affect the community?
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