| Acts 1:6 |
使徒行传1:6 |
| Text |
经文 |
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| 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” |
6 他们聚集的时候，问耶稣说：“主啊，你要在这时候使以色列复国吗？” |
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| Intro |
引言 |
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| This is the first Sunday of Advent. We must always pause and ask what advent is so that we are not using insider language that is hard to understand. Advent simply means “coming.” Advent is a time when we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of Christ. But it would be a big mistake to think Advent is only about the first coming of Christ. We do not just look back to the first coming; we look forward to the second coming. |
今天是降临节的第一个主日。我们必须经常停下来，问一问降临节是什么，这样我们才不会使用难懂的行话。降临节简单来说就是“降临”。降临节是我们预备庆祝基督降临的日子。但如果认为降临节只是关于基督的第一次降临，那就大错特错了。我们不仅仅是回顾第一次降临，我们更期待第二次降临。 |
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| And O how we need this focus today. We are surrounded by so many things that are hard and confusing and painful. In a world of thick darkness, we need to see a great light to break through the shadows in our souls that shines and says: “Christ has come. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ is coming again.” And suddenly with that light we once again have an eternal perspective that can put all other things in their proper place. |
而我们今天多么需要这种专注啊。我们身边有太多的事情，是艰难的、令人困惑而痛苦的。在这个浓重黑暗的世界里，我们需要看到一束大光，来冲破我们灵魂中的阴影，它照耀着我们说：“基督已经来了。基督已经死了。基督复活了。基督还要再来。”突然间，有了这道光，我们又有了一个永恒的视角，可以把其他所有的事情都放在合适的位置上。 |
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| The very structure of the passage we have been studying in Acts will help our focus for Advent. |
我们在使徒行传中所学习的经文结构，将有助于我们对降临节的关注。 |
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| Overall Structure of this Section of Acts: |
使徒行传这段经文的总体结构： |
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| 1. The First Coming of Christ (verses 1-3) |
1.基督的第一次降临（第1-3节） |
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| 2. The Commission of Christ (verses 4-8) |
2.基督嘱托的使命（第4-8节） |
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| 3. The Second Coming of Christ (verses 9-11) |
3.基督的第二次降临（第9-11节） |
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| This structure reminds us that the Gospel of Luke is the first coming of Christ (1-3). The last part of our passage features the ascension of Christ and the promise of his second coming. Smack dab between them is the reason we are still here: the commission of Christ (4-8). |
这个结构提醒我们，路加福音写的是关于基督的第一次降临（第1-3节）。我们这段经文的最后一部分是基督的升天和祂再来的应许。在这二者之间，是我们还存留在这里的原因：基督嘱托的使命（第4-8节）。 |
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| We have seen we will not accomplish this commission without the Holy Spirit. Now this week we overhear a question from the disciples. Jesus had just risen from the dead. He appeared to them multiple times. He told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit to be poured out on them. In the midst of all of this, they have a question: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” |
我们已经看到，如果没有圣灵，我们将无法完成这个使命。现在我们听到了门徒们问的一个问题。耶稣刚刚从死里复活。祂多次向他们显现。祂告诉他们要在耶路撒冷等待应许的圣灵浇灌在他们身上。在这些事情当中，他们有一个问题：“主啊，你要在这时候使以色列复国吗？” |
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| These four weeks of Advent we will look more deeply into four things: |
降临节的这四个星期，我们将更深入地查考四件事： |
| 1. Nov. 29: Advent and the Question of the Kingdom (v. 6) |
1. 11月29日： 降临节和国度的问题（第6节） |
| 2. Dec. 6: Advent and the Timing of the Kingdom (v. 7) |
2. 12月6日： 降临节和国度的时间（第7节） |
| 3. Dec. 13: Advent and the Commission of the King (v. 8) |
3. 12月13日： 降临节和君王的嘱托（第8节） |
| 4. Dec. 20: Advent and the Reign and Return of the King (v. 9-11) |
4. 12月20日： 降临节和君王的回归与掌权（第9-11节） |
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| Therefore, in our text today (v. 6), we have a question about the kingdom. Many people assume this question comes out of no where and is further evidence that the disciples are just woefully out of touch. It would be like me saying to you, “Hey, I am going to get some Dominos Pizza. What can I get you there?” Someone who is out of touch or not really paying attention might say, “I will take a Happy Meal (it seems natural for Christian Hedonists to order Happy Meals). Ok, you clearly did not understand what I said. You can’t get happy meals at Dominos because Dominos Pizza is not McDonalds. |
因此，在我们今天的经文中（第6节），我们有一个关于国度的问题。很多人都以为这个问题是无中生有，是进一步证明弟子们实在是脱离现实。这就好比我对你说：“嘿，我要去买点达美乐比萨。我能给你带点什么？”一个脱离现实或心不在焉的人可能会说：“我要吃开心乐园餐（一个基督教快乐主义者点个开心乐园餐似乎很自然）。好吧，你显然没听懂我说的话。在达美乐吃不到开心乐园餐，因为达美乐比萨不是麦当劳。 |
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| In the same way, this question catches us off guard and strikes us as out of touch because most of us know the rest of the story in Acts. We know about the spread of the gospel to all peoples after Pentecost. But let’s try to get into the minds of the disciples to see if we can make sense of their question. |
同样的，这个问题也让我们不知所措，觉得摸不着头脑，因为我们大多数人都知道使徒行传后面发生的故事。我们知道五旬节后，福音传遍万国万民。但是，让我们试着进入门徒们的思维，看看能否理解他们的问题。 |
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| The question actually makes perfect sense if we are steeped in the expectations of the Old Testament. Think about it this way. Jesus has essentially taught them two things in the previous passage: the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3) and the Spirit of God (Acts 1:4-5). It would be natural for the disciples to put those two topics together as part of the Old Testament hope that the Spirit would be poured out in the latter days and the people of God would be restored and the reign of God through the great Messianic Day of the Lord would begin and Israel would be restored to its former glory in the days of the Monarchy of David and Solomon. |
如果我们沉浸在旧约中对弥赛亚的期待，这个问题其实很顺理成章。你可以这样想。耶稣在上一段经文中基本上是教导他们两件事：神的国（徒1:3）和神的灵（徒1:4-5）。门徒很自然地把这两个主题放在一起，作为旧约期望的一部分，希望圣灵在末世被浇灌下来，神的子民将得到恢复，神通过主的伟大的弥赛亚时代的统治将开始，以色列将恢复到以前大卫和所罗门君主时代的荣耀。 |
| In fact, if you look at their question, it seems that every part of it needed to be corrected. |
但实际上，如果你细看他们的问题，似乎每一个部分都需要被纠正。 |
| 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” |
6 他们聚集的时候，问耶稣说：“主啊，你要在这时候使以色列复国吗？” |
| They have a very narrow understanding of the kingdom and it needs to be corrected, expanded, and transformed. That is the main point of this text as we look at this question. |
他们对国度的理解非常狭隘，需要纠正、扩大、和改造。这是我们看这个问题时，这段经文的要点。 |
| Main Point: Jesus often has to take our misplaced hopes about the kingdom and correct, transform, expand, and purify them beyond our expectations. |
要点：耶稣常常要把我们对国度的错误期望进纠正、改变、扩大、和净化，超乎我们的预想。 |
| Some people say there is no such thing as a bad question. That is not the case here. I love the way Calvin commented on this question: “there are as many errors in the question as words.” In fact, in our text today we can look at the parts of speech in this sentence related to the kingdom and see three places where they require kingdom correction. |
有人说，问题没有什么不好的。这里的情况并非如此。我喜欢加尔文对这个问题的评论：“这个问题有多少字就有多少个错误。”其实，在今天的经文中，我们可以看看这句话中与国度有关的语法成分，有三个地方需要纠正。 |
| Outline: |
纲要： |
| 1. The verb: restore |
1. 动词：复国 |
| 2. The noun: Israel |
2. 名词：以色列 |
| 3. The adverb: at this time. |
3. 状语：在这时候 |
| 1. The verb: restore – “Are you going to restore the kingdom?” |
1. 动词：复国——“你要复国吗？” |
| At the heart of the question, is the concept of restoration. Will the kingdom be restored? Restored to what – what it once was? When anyone thought about the kingdom and Israel, they would think back to King David and Israel’s monarchy. It seems like this was promised in Luke’s Gospel as early as the birth of Jesus: |
问题的核心在于复国的概念。国度要恢复吗？恢复成什么——它曾经是什么？当任何人想到王国和以色列时，都会想起大卫王和以色列的君主制国度。好像早在耶稣刚出生的时候，路加福音中就有这样的应许。 |
| 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33). |
32 他将要被尊为大，称为至高者的儿子，主 神要把他祖大卫的王位赐给他，33 他要作王统治雅各家，直到永远，他的国没有穷尽。”（路加福音1:32-33） |
| In the days of David and Solomon, it was a territorial kingdom. There was a kingdom stretching from shore to shore. It could be drawn on a map with borders. This was the Messianic hope of Psalm 72: |
在大卫和所罗门的时代，那是一个有领土的王国。有一个王国从海岸延伸到海岸。可以在地图上画出边界。这就是诗篇72篇对弥赛亚的盼望。 |
| 8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth! |
8 他要执掌权柄，从这海到那海，从大河直到地极⾀ |
| 9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust! |
9 住在旷野的人必向他屈身，他的仇敌必舔尘土。 |
| 10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! |
10 他施和海岛的列王都必带来礼物，示巴和西巴的列王都必献上贡物。 |
| 11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him! |
11 众王都必向他俯伏，万国都必服事他。 |
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| Will Caesar and Herod and Pontius Pilate fall before him? Will the Romans serve him? And the kingdom certainly hinges on the King, but it also involves the people that belong to him. That is the next part of the question that needs correction. |
凯撒、希律和本丢彼拉多会在祂面前俯伏吗？罗马人会服事祂吗？而国度固然取决于国王，但也涉及到属于国王的人民。这是接下来需要纠正的问题。 |
| 2. The Noun: Israel - Are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel? |
2. 名词：以色列——你要使以色列复国吗？ |
| The noun “Israel” shows that the disciples were still expecting a national kingdom. The kingdom (territorial) would be a national and political kingdom. If the Spirit has come, doesn’t that mean the reign of the Messiah has begun and thus the time has come for the nation to be restored from its ruins? They thought the restoration of Israel must mean a return to national independence in which they are slaves on no one and rulers over others. It means they will be finally free from the Romans. It would be a reversal that the Old Testament had promised: Israel would be the head of the nations and no longer the tail. They would be ruling over the Romans rather than the Romans ruling over them. |
名词“以色列”表明门徒们还在期待一族之国度。王国（领土）将是一个民族性的和政治性的王国。如果圣灵已经降临，那岂不是意味着弥赛亚的统治已经开始，因此以色列民族从废墟中恢复的时间已经到来？他们认为，以色列的复国一定意味着恢复民族独立，他们在其中不做任何人的奴隶，也不做他人的统治者。这意味着他们将最终从罗马人手中解放出来。这将是旧约所应许的一个逆转。以色列将成为万国之首，而不再是末尾。他们会统治罗马人，而不是罗马人统治他们。 |
| And let’s remember what these very same disciples had asked back in the gospels. They had the expectation that they would have places of authority in this restored kingdom (sit at your right hand and left hand in your glory). If the kingdom were restored, they were going to have the top government jobs (Mark 10:36-37). The government will be on his shoulders and we will be sitting pretty up their with him. And they believe the time is now. That is the third part of their question that needs correction. |
让我们记住同样这些门徒在福音书中的请求。他们期望在这个恢复的国度里有权柄的位置（在你的荣耀里坐在你的右边和左边）。如果国度恢复了，他们将拥有政权的最高职位（马可福音10:36-37）。政权必担在祂的肩膀上，而我们会和祂同坐。而他们认为，现在是时候了。这是他们问题中需要纠正的第三部分。 |
| 3. The Adverb: “at this time” – Are you going to restore the Kingdom to Israel at this time? |
3. 状语：“在这时候”——你要在这时候使以色列复国吗？ |
| The disciples are asking if all of that is now. Will the kingdom be immediately established in accord with their expectations? Remember that they have been on a roller coaster of emotions with shattered expectations. Nothing that happened in the previous three weeks (or three years for that matter) really fit with their expectations. They thought they were signing up for a Jewish renewal movement – a restoration, a renewal of the monarchy. They thought Jesus was the true king. Many Israelites had been suspicious of him. Many had turned against him. But now he was risen. It would be obvious to all that he is the true king. |
门徒们都在问，这一切都是现在吗？国度是否会按照他们的期望马上建立呢？请记住，他们已经坐上了情绪的过山车，期望就要破灭。之前三周（或者说三年）发生的任何事情都没有真正符合他们的预期。他们以为自己投身于一场犹太人的复兴运动—一场复国运动，一场君主王国的复兴。他们以为耶稣是真正的王。许多以色列人一直怀疑祂。许多人都反对祂。但现在祂复活了。这对所有人都明摆着，祂才是真正的王者。 |
| It would be easy to see him in terms similar to King David. David was a kind of king-in-waiting for a few years. Samuel anointed him as the rightful king in 1 Samuel 16. But he was opposed and on the run for his life. He has a small band of mighty men that traveled with him and waited for the time that he would be seen as the rightful king and then they would reign together. It was not until after the death of Saul and 2 Samuel 2 that David was proclaimed the king over Judah. And even then Ish-bosheth was declared to be the King over Israel. There was more fighting and bloodshed until 2 Samuel 5, when David finally began to reign over all of Israel and he ruled for forty years. Would Jesus now restore the kingdom as the king of all of Israel and rule over all the nations? |
如果用类似于大卫王的词语来看待祂，那是没什么问题的。大卫也曾在几年时间里算是一个候补王。撒母耳在撒母耳记上16章中膏他为合法的王。但他遇到逼迫，四处逃命。他有一小队勇士与他同行，等待着他被视为正王的时候，然后他们一同掌权。直到扫罗死后，撒母耳记下2章，大卫才被宣布为犹大的王。即便如此，伊施波设也被拥立为以色列的王。经过了更多的争战和流血，直到撒母耳记下5章，大卫终于开始统治整个以色列，他在位40年。现在耶稣会不会恢复国度，成为全以色列的王，统治万国呢？ |
| Transition: Shattered Dreams and Misplaced Hopes |
过渡：破碎的梦想和错位的盼望。 |
| Jesus had to correct the misplaced expectations of the disciples several times in his ministry. In fact, when the disciples were arguing over who would be the greatest, Jesus did not rebuke them and say that they should not want to be great. He corrected their quest by redefining for them what true greatness was: the greatest shall be your servant, the first shall be last. Do not seek to rule over all; seek to be servant of all. That is what Jesus did. He did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom – a payment for many. |
耶稣在祂的传道过程中，不得不多次纠正门徒们错误的期望。事实上，当门徒们争论谁是最大的时候，耶稣并没有责备他们，说他们不要想成为大人物。祂纠正了他们的请求，为他们重新定义了什么才是真正的伟大：最大的要成为众人的仆人，首先的要成为末后的。不要求统治众人，只寻求做众人的仆人。这正是耶稣所做的。祂来不是要受人的服侍，而是要服侍人，并舍命作为赎价—为许多人赎罪。 |
| He told them that if they wanted to save their lives, then they would actually have to lose their lives. If they tried to call the shots and take charge and attempt to save themselves, they would lose the life they were trying to save. It would fail. But, if they gave over control to him (lose their lives), they would save their lives because he alone can save them. |
祂告诉他们，如果他们想保住自己的生命，那么他们就真的要失去生命。如果他们想发号施令，自作主张，试图自救，就会失去自己想要挽救的生命。将以失败告终。但是，如果他们把控制权交给祂（失去生命），他们就会救自己的生命，因为只有祂能救他们。 |
| They were disillusioned by the cross. As the disciples on the road to Emmaus said, “we had hoped he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” And now the resurrection has rekindled those same hopes. |
他们被十字架弄得心灰意冷。正如门徒在去以马忤斯的路上说的那样，“我们素来盼望要救赎以色列的就是祂。”而现在祂的复活也重新点燃了这些希望。 |
| Now he is telling them something profound. If you want to see your kingdom dreams fulfilled, you first have to lose them and die to them. You must die to the dream of an ordinary earthly kingdom with normal governmental power like you have known before. He had to take their narrow hopes and correct, transform, expand, and purify them beyond their expectations. |
现在，祂正在告诉他们一些意义深刻的事情。如果你想看到你的王国梦实现，你首先要失去它们，对它们死心。对一个像你以前知道的那样拥有正常政府权力的尘世国度的梦想，你必须死心。祂必须把他们狭隘的希望，加以纠正、改造、扩大、和净化，超出他们的预想。 |
| And we are in this same position today. Some may have nationalistic hopes for America. You may need to die to those today. Some can’t believe Trump was ever in office, while some can’t believe he is not in office anymore. Our nation is a divided nation with many different expectations and dreams. Perhaps today you need to give those to the Lord and let him correct or transform those dreams and refuse to hope in horses, chariots, elephants, or donkeys and remember that the kingdom of God does not arrive on Air Force One. |
而我们今天的处境也是如此。有些人可能对美国抱有民族主义的希望。你今天可能需要对这梦想死心。有人不相信特朗普还会在位，而有人不相信他将不在位了。我们的国家是一个分裂的国家，有很多不同的期望和梦想。也许今天你需要把这些交给主，让主来纠正或改变这些梦想，拒绝把希望寄托在马匹、战车、大象或驴子身上，记住神的国度不会在空军一号上降临。 |
| But this goes way beyond politics and our national hopes. We must be willing to take all of our dreams and hopes and expectations to Jesus – and then be open to how he may transform all the categories of our questions. |
但这远远超出了政治和我们国家的希望。我们必须愿意把我们所有的梦想、希望和期待带到耶稣面前—然后敞开心扉，接受祂如何改变我们所有类别的问题。 |
| Application: Our Shattered Dreams and Misplaced Hopes |
应用：我们破碎的梦想和错位的盼望 |
| We can all identify a gap between what we have and what we hoped for, where we are and where we thought we would be, our experience and our expectation. The distance between what we expected and we are experiencing is called disappointment. The greater the distance, the greater the disappointment and disillusionment. |
我们都能发现自己所拥有的和自己所希望的，自己所处的位置和自己所想的位置，以及自己的经历和自己的期望之间的差距。我们所期望的和我们正在经历的之间的差距叫做失望。差距越大，失望和幻灭感就越大。 |
| I do not know what the gap is for you in particular, but I have some guesses. Some of you are single and you thought you would be married by now. Some of you are childless and you thought you would have children by now. Some of you thought you would have a better job or (have a job at all). And in some ways, Christianity makes it harder to deal with these disappointments. |
我不知道你具体的差距是什么，但我有一些猜测。有些人是单身，但你觉得你现在应该已经结婚了。有的人没有孩子，但你以为你现在应该已经有孩子了。有的人认为自己应该有一份更好的工作，或者（根本没有工作，而应该有一份工作）。而在某些方面，基督教让人更难处理这些失望。 |
| Here is what I mean. Sometimes, explicitly or implicitly, we think that if we are a Christian and God is our Father and he loves to give good gifts to his children, then our lives will look different than they do. The dream of Christianity that we have does not involve a hard marriage or a failed marriage or a marriage that never happens. We do not expect that the Christian dream will involve a hard job or a failed job or no job. We do not expect that we will have children that constantly challenge us or reject us. We do not expect that the people who are supposed to love us, end up hurting us most. We do not expect that loved ones will be wayward and walk away from the Lord. |
我的意思是这样的：有时，我们或明或暗地认为，如果我们是一个基督徒，上帝是我们的父，既然祂爱把好的礼物赐给祂的孩子，那么我们的生活就会和其他人的生活有所不同。我们所做的基督教的梦想，不涉及艰难的婚姻，不涉及失败的婚姻，也不涉及永远不会发生的婚姻。我们并不期望基督教的梦想会涉及一份艰苦的工作或失败的工作或甚至没有工作。我们不期望我们的孩子会不断挑战我们或拒绝我们。我们不期望，本该爱我们的人，到头来伤害我们最深。我们不期望所爱的人会反复无常，离主而去。 |
| We certainly do not expect our children will die suddenly and without warning. We do not expect car accidents, pandemics, job loss, and miscarriage. And none of us can answer why these things happen with unmistakable clarity. |
我们当然不会期望自己的孩子会在毫无征兆的情况下突然死亡。我们不期望车祸、瘟疫、失业、流产。而我们谁也无法明确无误地回答这些事情为什么会发生。 |
| But here is what we can do. Three things: (1) lament, (2) look, and (3) lean |
但我们能做的有三件事：（1）哀叹，（2）仰望，和（3）倚靠。 |
| 1. Lament the Loss |
1. 哀叹损失 |
| First, lament the loss. We can look on the unfulfilled longings, the gap between what we expect and what we experience, and grieve the gap, lament the loss, mourn the painful moment. I invite you to do that. The Bible calls us to do it. It has been said that complaining about God is a sin, but complaining to God is a Psalm. He invites us to bring our questions and doubts and complaints and lament them in his presence. |
首先，哀叹损失。我们可以看着那些未被满足的憧憬，期望与经历之间的差距，为这差距而悲伤，为失去而哀伤，为痛苦的时刻而哀恸。我鼓励你们这样做。圣经也呼召我们这样做。有人说，抱怨上帝是一种罪恶，但向上帝抱怨是一首诗篇。祂邀请我们带着我们的问题、疑惑和抱怨，在祂面前哀叹。 |
| 2. Look to the Suffering Savior |
2. 仰望受苦的救主 |
| We can lament those things in his presence, because we have the promise of his presence. This is what Advent is all about. He never promised it would be easy. He only promised we would never be alone. He is God with us. |
我们可以在祂面前哀叹那些事情，因为我们有祂的应许。这就是降临节的意义所在。祂从来没有应许过生活会很容易。祂只应许我们永远不会孤单。祂是神与我们同在。 |
| I have said this many times, but again and again and again, in suffering, we need to start not with the abstract sovereignty of God, but with the specific suffering of God. God did not spare his Son. He suffered in excruciating ways. He was slandered, reviled, mistreated, oppressed, forsaken, and abandoned and all alone so that you will never have to be alone. He died so you can live. He paid the penalty for sins so you could be set free. The very thing that caused the disillusionment of the disciples is the decisive hope for us. Jesus was temporarily forsaken so that we would always be accepted. The Father turned his back on his only Son, so that he would never turn his back on his children. |
我已经说过很多次了，但还要一而再，再而三地说，在苦难中，我们需要的不是从神抽象的主权开始，而是从神具体的苦难开始。上帝不爱惜自己的儿子而不给我们。祂受尽了痛苦的折磨。祂被诽谤、被唾弃、被虐待、被压迫、被抛弃、被遗弃，全然孤独，所以你永远不必孤独。祂死了，是为了让你能活。祂为罪孽尝清了惩罚，所以你可以得自由。引起门徒理想幻灭的东西，正是我们决定性的希望所在。耶稣暂时被抛弃，使我们永远被接受。父遗弃了祂的独生子，所以祂永远不会遗弃祂的儿女们。 |
| I read this week about a pastor who lost their son in a farm accident as he fell into an auger and his body was torn apart. What are you going to say at the funeral of your only son? You have to start with how the Father saw his only Son be torn apart on the cross. He can walk with you in suffering because he not only knows about it in theory, but because he knows it in experience and can sympathize with us in our weakness. |
我本周读到一位牧师在农场事故中失去了他的儿子，因为他掉进了一个钻头，他的身体被撕碎了。在你唯一的儿子的葬礼上，你打算说什么？你必须从天父如何看祂的独生子在十字架上被撕碎开始。祂能和你一起走在苦难中，因为祂不仅在理论上知道苦难，更因为祂在经历中亲尝苦难，能同情我们的软弱。 |
| 3. Lean on the Everlasting Arms |
3. 倚靠永恒的臂膀 |
| Lament the Loss, Look to the Suffering Savior, and lean on the everlasting arms. The high king of heaven is high and exalted and reigning in heaven. But do not think that because he is high and exalted that you have to someone climb up to reach him. He is gentle and lowly in heart. Rather than climb up to reach him, you can collapse down to him. He will catch you. He will carry you. You can lean on the everlasting arms. Do not doubt in the dark what you have seen in the light. We have to hold on to what we know in his presence, even when we have many other things that demand our attention in the dark. |
哀叹损失，仰望受苦的救主，倚靠永恒的臂膀。至高君王坐在高天之上，从天上执政掌权。但不要以为祂高高在上，你就必须自己爬上去才能够着祂。祂的内心柔和谦卑。你不用爬上去找祂，却可以跌落在祂身上。祂会一把抓住你。祂会抱着你。你可以倚靠在祂永恒的臂膀上。不要在黑暗中怀疑自己在光明中看到的东西。我们必须坚守我们在祂面前所知道的，尽管我们在黑暗中还有许多其他事情需要我们注意。 |
| What I mean by Advent can be further clarified with a word picture from Eastern Airlines Flight 401. |
我所说的降临节是什么意思，可以用东航401航班的一个形像比喻来进一步说明。 |
| Conclusion: What Is Advent? |
结语：什么是降临节？ |
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| This flight took place on Dec. 29, 1972. This flight departed from New York for Miami. At 11:32 p.m., the Captain attempted to lower the landing gear. There is a light on the instrument panel that was supposed to turn green to confirm that the landing gear was extended and locked. It did not turn green. The Captain decided to call the air traffic control tower and tell them they need to circle until they could get the confirmation on the landing gear. |
这个航班于1972年12月29日起飞，从纽约出发前往迈阿密。晚上11点32分，机长试图放下起落架。仪表板上有一个灯，本来应该变成绿色的，以确认起落架已经伸出并锁定。但它没有变绿。机长决定给空中交通管制塔台打电话，告诉他们需要绕行，直到他们能得到起落架的确认。 |
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| The plane climbed back up to 2000 feet. The captain ordered the first officer to turn the autopilot on and they attempted to fix the problem. The cockpit crew tried to slide in a replacement bulb (a two-square-inch bulb with a green plastic lens), but it kept jamming. At some point, the captain accidentally bumped the control wheel, which disconnected the autopilot. That accidental bump caused the nose of the plane to tilt down a few degrees. The plane started to drop at a rate of 200 feet per minute. |
飞机又爬升到2000英尺。机长命令大副打开自动驾驶仪，他们试图解决这个指示灯的问题。驾驶舱的工作人员试图滑入一个替换的灯泡（一个两平方英寸的灯泡，有一个绿色的塑料镜片），但它一直卡住。在某个时候，机长不小心碰到了控制盘，这下断开了自动驾驶仪。那次意外的误触导致飞机机头向下倾斜了几度。飞机开始以每分钟200英尺的速度下降。 |
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| Then there was the chime of an alarm alerting them to a 250 foot drop, but by this time the captain, the first officer and the second officer were all preoccupied with replacing the bulb. At 11:42, the first officer said, “We did something to the altitude.” The captain said, “What?” The first officer said, “We’re still at 2000 feet right?” “Hey, what’s happening here?” The captain shouted. Those were the last recorded words. |
然后是警报的响声，提醒他们有250英尺的落差，但这时船长、大副和二副都在专心致志地更换灯泡。11点42分，大副说：“我们在高度上有了变化。”机长说：“什么？”大副说：“我们现在还在2000英尺的高度吧？”“嘿，这里发生了什么？”机长喊道。那是最后记录下来的对话。 |
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| The plane crashed into the Florida Everglades. The entire cockpit crew (the pilots and the flight engineer) died, along with 2 of the 10 flight attendants, and 96 of the 163 passengers on board. There were 75 survivors and 101 fatalities. The plane crashed because of preoccupation with a $12 bulb. |
飞机坠毁在佛罗里达州的沼泽地。驾驶舱全体机组人员(飞行员和飞行工程师)，以及10名空乘人员中的2名和机上163名乘客中的96名死亡。有75人幸存，101人死亡。飞机坠毁是因为对一个12美元的灯泡的过分关注。 |
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| Advent calls our attention away from all the blinking warning lights around us and it warns us against trying to jam all of those things into place. It calls our attention back to the main thing. Do not lose sight of your Savior. I am not saying that the warning lights around us are insignificant. They may feel really big. They maybe really painful things, but they are not the main thing. |
降临节呼召我们的注意力从周围所有闪烁的警示灯中移开，它警告我们不要让所有这些东西挡住视线。它呼召让我们的注意力回到首要的事情上。不要看不到你的救主。我不是说我们身边的警示灯微不足道。它们可能会让人觉得真的很重要。它们也许真的是很痛苦的事情，但它们都不是首要的事。 |
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| There are some things that we just cannot jam into place. They just do not seem to fit. I do not know why you are still single. I do not know why you are still childless. I do not know why you lost your job. I do not know why you are divorced. I do not know why you were abused. I do not know why your loved ones have wandered away from the Lord. I do not know why your loved one died. I do not understand when they died or how they died anymore than I understand why that Tractor rolled over on my beloved uncle this year. I do not know why parents ever have to bury their children. |
有些事情，我们就是不能让它们挡道。它们似乎不合时宜。我不知道为什么你还是单身。我不知道你为什么还没有孩子。我不知道你为什么丢了工作。我不知道你为什么会离婚。我不知道你为什么被虐待。我不知道为什么你的亲人会离主而去。我不知道你的至亲为什么死了。我不明白他们是什么时候死的，也不明白他们是怎么死的，就像我不明白今年那辆拖拉机为什么会轧在我敬爱的叔叔身上一样。我不知道为什么父母要给自己的孩子送葬。 |
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| But this I know. I know that I do not want to become preoccupied with lesser things so that I lose the most important thing for all eternity. I know the things that gloriously cannot change. I know that Christ has come. I know that Christ has died. I know that Christ is risen. I know that Christ will come again. I know that He is working all things for good even now. I know that these hard things are producing for us a peculiar glory that we will get because of that. I know he is with us always. I know he will set all things to right and make all things new. I know the sufferings of this life cannot compare to the glory that will be revealed. I know that even though creation is groaning, one day it will be set free from its bondage to corruption and enjoy the freedom of the glory of the children of God. And I not only know what I have believed, I know whom I have believed and I’m persuaded that he is able to keep my life which I have committed to him. I know that the protection of his child and treasure is a charge that on himself he laid. I know that neither death nor life nor angels nor demons nor things present nor things to come nor any powers. Neither height or depth or any flashing light in all creation could ever separate me from his love. |
但我知道的是——我知道，我不应该捡了芝麻而丢了西瓜。我知道那些永不改变的荣耀之事。我知道基督已经来了。我知道基督已经死了。我知道基督已经复活了。我知道基督会再来。我知道，即使是现在，祂也在让万事互相效力，使人得益处。我知道，这些艰难的事情正在为我们产生一种奇特的荣耀，我们将因此而得着。我知道祂永远与我们同在。我知道祂会让一切都归正，让一切都更新。我知道今生的苦难不能与将来要显现的荣耀相比。我知道，即使受造物在呻吟，但总有一天，它将从败坏的束缚中解脱出来，享受神儿女荣耀的自由。我不仅知道我所信的，我还知道我所信的是谁，我深信祂能保守我交托给祂的生命。我知道，保护祂的儿女和财宝，是祂给自己定下的责任。我知道无论生、死、天使、魔鬼、现在的事、将来的事，或任何权势，无论是高低深浅，还是万物中的任何闪光，都无法将我与祂的爱分开。 |
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| Advent says, do not be so preoccupied with the warning light, come behold the wondrous mystery of the main thing once again. Christ has come. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.” |
降临节说，不要那么专注于那些警示灯，回过来看看首要之事的奇妙奥秘吧。基督已经来了。基督已经死了。基督复活了。基督还要再来。 |
| Closing Song: Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery |
结束歌曲：《来看看那惊人奥秘》 |
| Sermon Discussion Questions |
讲道讨论问题 |
| Title: Advent and the Question of the Kingdom |
标题：降临节和国度的问题 |
| Text: Acts 1:6 |
经文：使徒行传1:6 |
| Main Point |
要点： |
| Jesus often has to take our misplaced hopes about the kingdom and correct, transform, expand, and purify them beyond our expectations. |
耶稣常常要把我们对天国的错误期望进纠正、改变、扩大、和净化，超乎我们的预期。 |
| Outline: |
纲要： |
| We can look at the parts of speech in this question related to the kingdom and see three places where they require kingdom correction. |
我们可以看看这句话中与国度有关的语法成分，有三个地方需要纠正。 |
| 1. The verb: restore |
1. 动词：复国 |
| 2. The noun: Israel |
2. 名词：以色列 |
| 3. The adverb: at this time. |
3. 状语：在这时候 |
| General Questions |
一般性问题 |
| 1. What were your initial responses to the sermon? What was the Holy Spirit doing in your heart during or after the sermon? Was there a new insight gained? Any questions prompted? What did you find convicting, helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain. |
1. 你对讲道的初步反应是什么？在讲道时或讲道后，圣灵在你心中做了什么？是否有了新的感悟？想到什么问题了吗？你觉得哪些地方让你信服，哪些地方对你有帮助，哪些地方让你大开眼界，哪些地方让你烦恼？请解释。 |
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| 2. What point from the sermon landed on you with the most weight of joy or conviction? What things did you see and savor that you feel like you need to share with others? |
2. 讲道中的哪一点让你感到最大的喜悦或为罪沉痛？你看到了什么，品味了什么，让你觉得需要和别人分享？ |
| Discussion Questions |
讨论问题 |
| 1. What does the word “advent” mean? What are we supposed to be doing during Advent? |
1. “降临节”是什么意思？在降临节期间，我们应该做什么？ |
| 2. Why was this question from the disciples such a natural question in response to Jesus’ teaching in Acts 1:3-5 concerning the kingdom of God and the Spirit of God? |
2. 为什么门徒的这个问题是对耶稣在使徒行传1:3-5中关于神的国度和神的灵的教导如此自然的回应？ |
| 3. What did Jesus have to correct from their question about the verb “restore”? |
3. 针对他们的问题中“恢复”这个动词，耶稣要纠正的是什么？ |
| 4. What did Jesus have to correct from their question concerning the noun “Israel?” |
4.针对他们问题中“以色列”这个名词，耶稣要纠正的是什么？ |
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| 5. What did Jesus have to correct from their question concerning the adverb “at this time?” |
5. 针对他们问题中“在这个时候”这个状语，耶稣要纠正的是什么？ |
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| 6. What are three things we can do when we see the gap between what we experience and what we expect? |
6. 当我们看到我们的经验和我们的期望之间的差距时，我们可以做哪三件事？ |
| Application Questions |
应用问题 |
| 1. Where do you see a gap between what you expect and what you experience? Are you willing to share the things that are really hard with other people like your small group? |
1.你认为你的期望和你的经历之间的差距在哪里？你是否愿意和其他人，比如你小组里的其他成员分享那些真正困难的事情？ |
| 2. Have you taken time to lament, grieve, and mourn? What does that practically look like for you? Have you shared it with others and invited them to mourn with you? |
2. 你有没有抽出时间来哀叹、悲伤、哀恸？对你来说，这实际是什么样子的？你有没有和别人分享，邀请他们和你一起哀恸？ |
| 3. What would it look like right now to look to Jesus in the midst of your lament? Can you believe his promise “blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” (Matt. 5:4)? |
3. 现在在你的哀叹中仰望耶稣，会是什么样子？你能否相信祂的应许：“哀痛的人有福了，因为他们必得安慰”(马太福音5:4)？ |
| 4. How can you lean on the everlasting arms and stand on the promises that are sure today? |
4. 如何倚靠那永恒的臂膀，站在今天肯定的应许上？ |
| Prayer Focus: Pray for a grace to not lose sight of Jesus even as he has to correct and transform our expectations |
祷告焦点：求主赐恩，即使耶稣必须纠正和改变我们的期望，也不要看不到祂。 |
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