害怕死去的麦子
神与人之间的伙伴关系
经文
歌罗西书一15-29
15爱子是那不能看见之神的像，是首生的，在一切被造的以先。
16因为万有都是靠他造的，无论是天上的，地上的；能看见的，不能看见的；或是有位的，主治的，执政的，掌权的；一概都是借着他造的，又是为他造的。
17他在万有之先；万有也靠他而立。
18他也是教会全体之首。他是元始，是从死里首先复生的，使他可以在凡事上居首位。
19因为父喜欢叫一切的丰盛在他里面居住。
20既然借着他在十字架上所流的血成就了和平，便借着他叫万有，无论是地上的、天上的，都与自己和好了。
21你们从前与神隔绝，因着恶行，心里与他为敌。
22但如今他借着基督的肉身受死，叫你们与自己和好，都成了圣洁，没有瑕疵，无可责备，把你们引到自己面前。
23只要你们在所信的道上恒心，根基稳固，坚定不移，不至被引动失去（原文是离开）福音的盼望。这福音就是你们所听过的，也是传与普天下万人听的（原文是凡受造的），我保罗也作了这福音的执事。
24现在我为你们受苦，倒觉欢乐；并且为基督的身体，就是为教会，要在我肉身上补满基督患难的缺欠。
25我照神为你们所赐我的职分作了教会的执事，要把神的道理传得全备，
26这道理就是历世历代所隐藏的奥秘；但如今向他的圣徒显明了。
27神愿意叫他们知道，这奥秘在外邦人中有何等丰盛的荣耀，就是基督在你们心里成了有荣耀的盼望。
28我们传扬他，是用诸般的智慧，劝戒各人，教导各人，要把各人在基督里完完全全的引到神面前。
29我也为此劳苦，照着他在我里面运用的大能尽心竭力。
信息分享
今天我们要继续思想日前讨论过的问题：自我降服是否表示我们变成被动和盲从？表面看来似乎是这样，因为我们听命于「别人」。那么，我们是否顺从于任何出现的东西，让「别人」来为我们做一切的事情？
数天前我们提到杜威认为「科学」鼓励控制，而「宗教」则鼓励顺从。事实上当我们降服于基督的时候，我们的经历不是被动，而是一种新的控制。耶稣说：「我父作事直到如今，我也作事」（约五17）。在神的宇宙中，总有一些富有创意的事情必须完成，但到底是哪一种富创意的事情呢？留意罗马书八章28节说：「我们晓得万事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处」。
怎会如此？我们知道万事本身是不会为了好的目的而互相效力的。修订本圣经这样翻译说：「在所有的事情上，神与那些爱祂的人一起为了善而工作。」请注意这其中的分别──「神与那些爱祂的人」，不是「神向」，而是「神与」。你看到这经文背后的真理吗？只要我们愿意和合作，神就能够从发生在我们身上的一切显示祂的美善。所以，关键就是在乎我们的愿意和合作。为了从坏中实现善，神要求我们与祂「一起」工作，这不是顺从，而是控制。再来看看今天的经文：「我劳苦，竭力」，那指的是人；「照着祂在我里面运用的大能」，那是指神；这是一幅多美好的图画，人和神在「控制」中一起工作。
「神要求我们与祂一起工作」
进深研究
弗三1-19；约十四20，十七23；启三20
1. 保罗为以弗所人的祈祷是甚么？
2. 这产生了甚么结果？
祈祷
我的父，我的神，我知道只要降服于您，我就能够与您合作。这实在是美好得不像真的，却又实在太美了而不能不是真的。天父，我感谢您。阿们。
The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die
The divine - human partnership
Bible reading:
Colossians 1:15-29
15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior.
22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord's people.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.
Message
We spend another day focusing on the question: Does self-surrender mean that we become passive and acquiescent? At first sight, it seems to be so - we surrender to Another. Do we resign ourselves to whatever comes, letting this "Another" do everything for us?
We talked a few days ago about John Dewey's suggestion that "science" encourages control, while "religion" encourages acquiescence. Actually, when we surrender to Christ, we experience, not passivity, but a new type of control. Jesus said: "My Father is always at his work...and I, too, am working" (John 5:17). In God's universe, there is always work to do - creative work. But what sort of creative work? Listen to this: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28, AV).
How can that be? We know that all things do not of themselves work together for good. The Revised Standard Version puts it like this: "In everything God works for good with those who love him." Note the change - "with those who love him". Not "to", but "with". Can you see the truth underlying this text? Given our consent and co-operation, God is able to retrieve some good out of everything that happens to us. Given our consent and co-operation - ah, there's the rub. In order to achieve good out of bad, God requires us to work "with" Him - this is not acquiescence, but control. Look again at the text for today: "I labour, struggling" - the human; "with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me" - the divine. What a picture the human and the divine working together - in "control".
"God requires us to work with Him"
Prayer
My Father and my God, what can I say? I surrender to You, and the next thing I know is that I am taken into partnership with You. It just seems too good to be true - but too good not to be true. Thank You, Father. Amen.
Further study
Ephesians 3:1-19
John 14:20; 17:23
Revelation 3:20
1.What was Paul's prayer for the Ephesians?
2. What does this produce?
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背景音乐版权属 赞美之泉音乐事工 所有，承蒙允准使用。