| Acts 1:8 |
使徒行传1:8 |
| Text |
经文 |
| 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” |
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？”7 耶稣说：“父凭着自己的权柄所定的时间或日期，你们不必知道。8 可是圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必领受能力，并且要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证人。” |
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| Intro |
引言 |
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| This is the third Sunday of Advent. Let’s take a moment to summarize what we have seen thus far. Advent means “coming.” It is a time in which celebrate the first advent and anticipate the second advent. But what do we do with this in-between time? On the one hand, we have three places we look. We (1) look back (remember and celebrate the first advent), (2) look around (all the things that make us mourn), and (3) look ahead (anticipate the second advent). |
今天是降临节的第三个主日。让我们花点时间总结一下到目前为止我们所看到的。降临节的意思就是“降临”。这是一个庆祝第一次降临和期待第二次降临的节期。但我们该如何对待这中间过渡的时期呢？一方面，我们有三个地方可以看。我们(1)往后看(记念和庆祝第一次降临)，(2)往四周看(所有使我们悲伤的事情)，(3)往前看(期待第二次降临)。 |
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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 Advent (verses 1-3) |
1.第一次降临（第1-3节） |
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| 2. The Commission (verses 4-8) |
2.嘱托（第4-8节） |
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| 3. The Second Advent (verses 9-11) |
3.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：基督委托的使命（第4-8节）。 |
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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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| Our text this morning in verse 8 helps us expand our vision as we look back, look around, and look ahead. When we look around, we do not just see all that is broken and all the people who are lost and lament it all. We do not just throw up our hands and wail. We lift up our voices and witness. The good news of this text is that the Commission is actually a series of two promises plus an explanation of the sphere of where those promises will take shape. |
我们今天早上的经文第8节有助于我们在往后看、往四周看、和往前看时扩大视野。当我们往四周看，并不只是看到所有的破碎和所有失丧的人，并感叹这一切。我们不只是举手哀号。我们大声疾呼，作见证。这段文字的好消息是，大使命实际上是一系列的两个应许，再加上对这些应许将形成的地理范围的解释。 |
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| Outline |
纲要 |
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| 1. The First Promise: You Will Receive Power |
1. 第一个应许：你将领受能力。 |
| 2. The Second Promise: You Will Be My Witnesses |
2. 第二个应许：你们要作我的见证。 |
| 3. The Sphere of the Promise: Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, Ends of the Earth |
3. 应许的范围：耶路撒冷、犹太/撒玛利亚、地极。 |
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| Let us work our way from the disciples’ question to where we are in verse 8. In verse 6, we have a question about the kingdom. In the first sermon of Advent, we noted that this 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. |
让我们理一下从门徒的问题到第8节的思路。在第6节，我们有一个关于国度的问题。在今年降临节的第一次讲道中，我们指出，如果我们沉浸在旧约的期望中，这个问题其实是比较好理解的。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。 |
| But Jesus needed to get out his red pen and correct every part of the question. They do not really understand the verb “restore,” the noun “Israel” or the adverb “at this time.” |
但耶稣需要拿出祂的红笔，纠正问题的每一部分。他们并不真正理解动词“恢复”，名词“以色列”或状语 “在这时候”。 |
| We saw in verse 7 that Jesus corrected their understanding of “at this time,” or the timing of the kingdom by declaring that the timing is not for them to know, but is fixed by the Father alone. He mercifully takes it off their plate so that they can focus elsewhere. |
我们在第7节中看到，耶稣纠正了他们对“在这时候”或国度时间的理解，宣布时间不是他们能知道的，而是唯独天父预定的。祂仁慈地为他们减轻负担，让他们可以把注意力放在其他地方。 |
| Today, we get to see where the focus should be. |
今天，我们就来看看重点应该放在哪里。 |
| Main Point: Jesus gives his disciples power to be his witnesses by his Spirit so that his kingdom will reach to the very ends of the earth. |
要点：主耶稣赐给门徒能力，让他们靠着圣灵作祂的见证，使祂的国度直达地极。 |
| 1. The First Promise: You Will Receive Power (Who?) (v. 8a) |
1. 第一个应许：你将领受能力（谁？）（第8a节） |
| 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you |
8 可是圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必领受能力， |
| Everything in verses 1-7 have all been leading up to this point. These disciples had already received the direct call of Jesus to be his disciples. They were chosen and authorized! They had heard the teaching of Jesus. They had seen the miracles of Jesus. They had received training from Jesus and had been sent out on mission from Jesus. They had witnessed the death of Jesus. They had undeniably experienced the resurrection of Jesus proven through the appearances of Jesus. You would think they would be ready. But he tells them to wait. Why? What do they lack? They lack power. How will they get this power? |
从第1到第7节的一切，都导向这一点。这些门徒已经接受了耶稣的直接呼召，成为祂的门徒。他们是经过拣选和授权的！他们听过耶稣的教导。他们见过耶稣的神迹。他们曾受过耶稣的训练，也曾被耶稣派去执行任务。他们目睹了耶稣的死亡。他们已经不可否认地经历了耶稣的复活，通过耶稣的显现证明了这一点。你会认为他们已经准备好了。但祂告诉他们还要等。为什么？他们还缺什么？他们还缺少能力。他们如何获得这能力？ |
| The power is connected to a Person: the Third Person of the Blessed Holy Trinity. You have had my presence with you. But now this will be even better. The Very Person of the Holy Spirit will come upon you. That is why you will have power. You can never untangle the power from the Person. They will not receive power without the coming of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the empowering presence of God. Jesus spoke of the baptism of the Spirit. He spoke of being clothed with power from on high. These are all expressions of the Spirit. Divine power is received from the divine visitation of the Spirit. |
这能力与一个位格关联，那就是圣三一的第三位格。你已经有我与你们同在。但现在还有更好的。圣灵会亲自降临在你们身上。这就是为什么你会有力量。你永远无法解开能力与位格的关联。没有圣灵的降临，他们就不可能得到能力。圣灵是神赋能的同在。耶稣讲到了圣灵的洗礼。祂说过你们要得着从上面来的能力。这些指的都是圣灵。属神的能力来自圣灵的亲自降临。 |
| The first point we see is that this Power is connected to a Person. The second thing we see is that this promise is connected to a Task. |
我们要看到的第一点是，这能力是和一个位格联系在一起的。我们要看到的第二点是，这个应许是和任务相关连的。 |
| 2. The Second Promise: You Will Be My Witnesses (for What?) |
2. 第二个应许：你们要作我的见证（为了什么？） |
| The power is directly connected to the task of being Christ’s witnesses. We are going to be talking later about reasons why often fail to be witnesses for Christ. One answer that many give is a fear of being asked something that you cannot answer. What if they ask me about the age of the earth or the Nephilim or the sealing of the 72,000 in Revelation. Number one, most people you witness to will have never heard of the Nephilim. But more importantly, a witness is called to the witness stand to declare the things that know – not what they don’t know. |
这能力与为基督作见证的任务直接关连。我们后面要讲到为什么常常不能为基督作见证的原因。很多人给出的一个答案是害怕被问到一些自己无法回答的问题。要是他们问我关于地球的年龄或圣经中的巨人族尼非利人或启示录中的七万二千人的封印的问题呢？第一，你作见证面对的大多数人都不会听说过尼非利人。但更重要的是，证人被叫上证人席，是要宣布所知道的事情—而不是不知道的事情。 |
| We are in the position of being like the demoniac in Mark 5. Jesus healed him and he did not tell the man to go and debate and write a dissertation. Jesus words to the demoniac – “go tell your family what great things the Lord has done for you.” Witnessing is not just something we do; it is first something that we are. |
我们的处境就像马可福音第五章中被鬼附的人一样。耶稣医治了他，祂并没有叫那人去辩论，去写论文。耶稣对那被鬼附的说—“你回家到你的亲属那里去，把主为你作了多么大的事，并他怎样怜悯你，都告诉他们。”做见证不仅仅是我们做什么事，它首先关乎我们是什么人。 |
| "A church which is not actively propagating the truth, witnessing to it and concerned about the lost, is unworthy of the name of the church of Jesus Christ." Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Romans - God's Sovereign Purpose) |
“一个教会如果不积极宣传真理，不为真理作见证，不关心失丧的人，就不配称为耶稣基督的教会。”钟马田（《罗马书——神的至高旨意》） |
| 3. The Sphere of the Promise: To the Ends of the Earth (to Where?) |
3. 应许的范围：直到地极（到哪里？） |
| Jesus gives them a road map not only in terms of what they will do, but where they will go. They will start in Jerusalem. They will be his witnesses there (Acts 1-7). But it will not stop there. They will also be his witnesses in Judea and Samaria (Acts 8-12). But it will not stop there. They will even be his witnesses to the very ends of the earth (Acts 13-28). This is really a road map for the rest of Acts. |
耶稣不仅在他们要做的事情上，而且在他们要去的地方上给了他们一个路线图。他们要从耶路撒冷开始。他们要在那里为祂作见证（使徒行传1-7章）但不会停留在那里。他们也要在犹太地和撒玛利亚为祂作见证（使徒行传8-12章）但不会停留在那里。他们要为祂作见证，甚至直到地极（使徒行传13-28章）。这其实是使徒行传其他章节的路线图。 |
| And where did this idea originate? Did Jesus make it up? Friends, Isaiah has something to say! In football, a coach has a play book and they run plays out of it. Isaiah is like the play book for the New Testament. In Isaiah 32, the prophet foretells the desolation of Israel. No one really believes that judgment is coming. Israel is such a fruitful field and prosperous place. But judgment will come. And Israel will be in desolation. How long will the desolation last? Isaiah answers. |
这个想法又是怎么来的呢？难道是耶稣编造的？朋友们，以赛亚有话要说!在球赛中，教练有一本战术书，他们根据它来执行战术。以赛亚书就像新约圣经的战术书。在以赛亚书32章中，先知预言了以色列要变为荒凉。没有人真的相信审判会到来。以色列就是这样一个丰饶的田野和繁荣的地方。但审判会到来。而以色列将陷入荒凉。荒凉会持续多久？以赛亚回答： |
| 14 For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks; |
14 因为宫殿必被丢弃，热闹的城市也被撇下，山冈和守望楼必永远成为洞穴， 作了野驴喜欢的地方和羊群的草场。 |
| 15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, (Isa 32:14-15). |
15 等到圣灵从高处倾倒在我们身上，旷野变为肥田， 肥田被看为树林的时候（以赛亚书32:14-15）。 |
| The servant is coming – Isaiah 42. God delights in him and God’s Spirit will rest upon him (42:1). He will not break a bruised reed or snuff out a faintly smoking flax (42:3). He will bring justice (42:3-4). He will also not grow discouraged or weary and he will not rest until his work is done (42:4). He will be a covenant for the people and a light for the nations (Is. 42:6). |
那个仆人就要来了——以赛亚书42章：神喜悦祂，神的灵临到祂（42:1）。压伤的芦苇，祂不折断；将熄灭的灯火，祂也不吹灭（42:3）。祂要带来公理（42:3-4）祂不灰心，也不沮丧，直到祂的工作完成（42:4）。祂要为子民立约，作列国的光（赛42:6）。 |
| And when the servant comes, there will be a renewed people with a mission to be his witnesses. Listen to Isaiah 43. The nations will gather. They will have questions that will rise up and there will be a need for witnesses (Isa. 43:9). In response, God says, |
当仆人来的时候，就会有一个更新的族类，其使命就是做祂的见证。请听以赛亚书43章。列国都要聚集在一起。他们在问谁能起来，因为他们需要见证人。神回答说： |
| 10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. |
10 “你们就是我的见证人，我所拣选的仆人， 为要使你们知道，并且相信我， 又明白我就是‘那位’；在我以前没有神被造出来， 在我以后也必没有。 |
| 11 I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. |
11 唯有我是耶和华；除我以外，并没有拯救者。 |
| 12 I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. |
12 我曾预告，我曾拯救，我曾说给你们听，在你们中间没有别的神。” 耶和华说：“你们是我的见证人， 我就是 神。 |
| This is exactly what the Father said to his Son, the servant, in Isaiah 49. |
这正是天父在以赛亚书49章中对祂的儿子—仆人所说的话： |
| 6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6) |
6 祂说： “你作我的仆人，使雅各众支派复兴，使以色列中得保全的归回，只是小事， 我还要使你作列国的光， 使我的救恩传到地极。” （以赛亚书49:6） |
| Do not miss the transition here from the Gospels to Acts. Jesus can say as the Father sent me so now I am sending you. Jesus was anointed with the Spirit (Luke 3:21-22; 4:18-21; cf. Isa. 42:1; Isa. 61:1-2). Now he promises that they will continue his work as they are empowered by the same Spirit so that they come to share in the ministry of the servant. |
不要忽略这里从福音书到使徒行传的过渡。耶稣可以说，既然父差遣了我，现在我也差遣你们。耶稣被圣灵膏抹（路加福音3:21-22；4:18-21；参：以赛亚书4:21; 61:1-2）现在，祂应许他们要继续祂的工作，因为他们被同一位圣灵所赐予的能力，使他们来分享仆人的事奉。 |
| How else do you explain Acts 13? |
不然你怎么解释使徒行传13章？ |
| 46 And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “ ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” |
46 保罗和巴拿巴却放胆说：“ 神的道，先讲给你们听，是应该的。但因为你们弃绝这道，断定自己不配得永生，所以我们现在就转向外族人去了。47 因为主曾这样吩咐我们说：‘我已立你作外族人的光， 使你把救恩带到地极去。’” |
| 48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49 And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. |
48 外族人听见了就欢喜，赞美主的道，凡指定得永生的都信了。49 于是主的道传遍那地。 |
| The Servant of the Lord calls his disciples and empowers them to be servants like him. That is why the apostle Paul can quote Isaiah 49 with reference to his own work. These are the Acts of Jesus. The Servant of the Lord continues his work through his servants. |
主的仆人呼召祂的门徒，使他们有能力成为像祂一样的仆人。这就是为什么使徒保罗可以引用以赛亚书49章来说明自己的使命。这是耶稣行传。主的仆人通过祂的仆人们继续祂的工作。 |
| Now let us go back and observe something significant about both geography and culture in this verse. Notice that they will start in a place where they are comfortable. They will speak to their own people – geographically near and culturally near. Then they will go to Judea. Geographically still near, but also still culturally near. Then they will have to go to the Samaritans. There were big racial and cultural barriers that the gospel would have to tear down. They are geographically near, but culturally far. Then they must go to the Gentiles and the ends of the earth: geographically far and culturally far. |
现在让我们回过头来，观察一下这节经文中关于地理和文化的一些重要内容。注意，他们会从一个舒适的地方开始。他们会对自己的同族说话—地理和文化上都近。然后他们会去犹太地。无论是地理还是文化上都还比较近。然后他们就不得不去找撒玛利亚人。那里有很大的种族和文化障碍，是福音所要拆除的。他们在地理上很近，但在文化上却很疏远。那么他们必须到外邦人和地极去：无论是地理还是文化上都远。 |
| We are called to share the gospel here in the Twin Cities as our Jerusalem. There will be friends and family and those that feel like a natural bridge for us. Do not sidestep the mission by failing to go to those that may feel more culturally unlike you than like you. The barriers that prejudice puts up need to be torn down by the gospel. They are in the same position as you. God is our Creator and we are all made in his image, so we declare that all humans have equal dignity and worth in his sight. God is also their Judge and our Judge. Therefore, Christianity can declare that every culture and race stands equally condemned before the Judge because of sin. Because Christ died for every tribe and tongue and nation, no one is beyond the reach of salvation. It is only in his name. |
我们被呼召在明州双城分享福音，作为我们的耶路撒冷。这里有亲朋好友和那些觉得是我们的天然桥梁的人脉。不要回避使命，不去找那些可能觉得与你文化不同的人，而只找那些文化与你相似的人。偏见所设置的障碍，需要用福音来拆除。他们的处境和你一样。神是我们的造物主，我们都是按照祂的形象造的，所以我们宣布，在祂的眼中，所有人都有平等的尊严和价值。神既是他们的审判者，也是我们的审判者。因此，基督教可以宣称，每一种文化和种族都会因为罪而在审判者面前受到同等的谴责。因为基督为每一个族、每一个语言、每一个国家而死，所以没有人够不到救恩的机会。这救恩只在祂的名下。 |
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| Transition: Acts as a New Conquest Narrative |
过渡：使徒行传作为新的征服故事 |
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| But Acts does not just draw from Isaiah. What book in the Old Testament does Acts most resemble? The answer is Joshua. Acts is a new conquest narrative. In the Old Testament, it begins with a foundational story (the Pentateuch – the five books of Moses) with the 12 tribes of Israel and the need for a conquest. Joshua is the book that answers that call. The New Testament begins with a foundational story – indeed a fulfillment story (the Four Gospels) and a need for conquest. Acts is the book that answers that call. Joshua is a conquest narrative in which the 12 tribes of Israel conquer the Gentile nations with a physical sword. The book of Acts has the 12 disciples as a reconstituted Israel conquering with the sword of the Spirit: the word of God. Luke has many different ways of documenting the word’s conquest |
但使徒行传江只是和以赛亚书有关联。旧约中哪一卷书和使徒行传最像？答案是约书亚记。使徒行传是一部新的征服故事。在旧约中，它从一个奠基性的故事（摩西五经），以色列的12个支派和征服迦南地的需要开始。约书亚记就是一部回应这一呼召的书。新约圣经也从一个奠基性的故事—其实是一个实现应许的故事（四福音书）和征服的需要开始。使徒行传就是一部回应这一呼召的书。约书亚记是以色列十二支派用铁剑征服外邦国家的征服故事。使徒行传中，12个门徒代表重建的以色列人，他们用圣灵的剑：神的道征服世界。路加有许多不同的方法来记录这个道的征服过程 |
| This time the conquest of the nations comes by the word of God (the sword of the Spirit), not the physical sword. The disciples do not bring bloodshed upon humanity because their message is that the blood has already been shed for the redemption of the nations. As Jesus suffered rejection and death to accomplish redemption in the Gospels, his disciples suffer similarly in Acts so that this redemption may be applied to the nations by the power of the Holy Spirit. |
这次征服万国是靠着神的道（圣灵的剑），而不是铁剑。门徒并没有给人类带来流血，因为他们的信息是，基督已经为救赎万民而流血了。如同耶稣在福音书中为了完成救赎而遭受排斥和死亡一样，祂的门徒在使徒行传中也遭受了类似的痛苦，使这种救赎可以通过圣灵的力量施行到万民身上。 |
| Acts does not simply attribute the spread of the gospel to the power of the Spirit. It is vitally important to note that Acts follows the rest of the Scriptures in linking both the Spirit of God and the word of God. In what follows, I will highlight three ways Luke makes this point. |
使徒行传并没有简单地把福音的传播归功于圣灵的能力。极为重要的是，使徒行传在将神的灵和神的道都联系起来的时候，遵循了其他的经文。在下面的内容中，我将强调路加提出这个观点的三种方式。 |
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| First, Luke uses summary statements of spreading at key places in the narrative that stand out to the reader. These statements follow the road map and section divisions. The testimony of Jesus fills Jerusalem in Acts 1-7. Luke says in chapter 6: |
首先，路加在叙事的关键位置插入了福音传播的总结性语句，让读者眼前一亮。这些总结语句按照路线图和章节划分。在使徒行传1-7章中，耶稣的见证充满了耶路撒冷。路加在第6章中说： |
| And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7). |
神的道传开了；在耶路撒冷，门徒人数大大增加，有很多祭司也信从了真道。（使徒行传6:7） |
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| Their witness to Jesus fills up Judea and Samaria in Acts 8-12. So Luke tells us in chapter 9 and chapter 12. |
在使徒行传8-12章中，他们对耶稣的见证充满了犹太地和撒玛利亚。所以路加在第9章和第12章告诉我们。 |
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| So the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied (Acts 9:31). |
那时犹太、加利利、撒玛利亚各处的教会，都得到平安，被建立起来，存着敬畏主的心过生活，并且因着圣灵的激励，人数增多起来。（使徒行传9:31） |
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| But the word of God increased and multiplied (Acts 12:24). |
神的道日渐兴旺，越发广传。（使徒行传12:24） |
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| Their witness for Jesus then spreads to the end of the earth. Luke summarizes this spread in Acts 13, 16, and 19. |
他们为耶稣的见证就传遍了地极。路加在使徒行传13、16、19章总结了这一传播。 |
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| And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region (Acts 13:49). |
于是主的道传遍那地。（使徒行传13:49） |
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| So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily (Acts 16:5) |
于是众教会信心越发坚固，人数天天增加。（使徒行传16:5） |
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| So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily (Acts 19:20). |
这样，主的道大有能力地兴旺起来，而且得胜。（使徒行传19:20） |
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| Second, Luke gives examples of specific sermons and shows the impact of the word (ex., Acts 3:12–26; 10:34–43;13:16–41; 17:22–31). Peter’s sermon in chapter two is word picture of the word’s conquest. Acts 2:5–13 highlights the presence of devout Jews from “every nation under heaven” (2:5). The multitude heard the sound of the disciples speaking the mighty works of God in their own languages and they responded with both amazement/perplexity (2:12) and mocking (2:13). These Jews from the nations have not been conquered by the word yet because it has not been preached. Look at the difference after Peter preaches the word in the power of the Spirit! 3000 Jews from every nation under heaven are “cut to the heart” (2:37) and they responded by receiving the word and being baptized (2:41). Verse 38 made it clear that it was baptism into “the name of Jesus Christ” (2:38). |
其次，路加举出具体布道的例子，并显示出道的影响（例：徒3:12–26；10:34–43；13:16–41；17:22–31）。彼得在第二章的讲道是道的征服的生动例子。使徒行传2:5–13强调了来自“天下各国”的虔诚犹太人（2:5）。众人听见门徒用自己的方言说神大能的作为，他们就以惊讶迷惘（2:12）或讥笑（2:13）来回应。这些来自各国的犹太人还没有被这道征服，是因为道还没有被传讲。看看彼得用圣灵的能力传道后的不同吧! 3000名来自天下各国的犹太人被“扎心”(2:37)，他们以接受道和受洗作为回应(2:41)。38节明确指出，这是“奉耶稣基督的名”受洗（2:38）。 |
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| Third, Acts ends on the same note of the progress of the proclaimed word. Paul lived in Rome for two years on house arrest, but the word of God was not chained or hindered. Paul “welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30–31). |
第三，使徒行传的结尾同样是传道的进展。保罗在罗马被软禁了两年，但神的道没有被锁禁或阻碍。“凡来见他的人，他都接待， 31 并且放胆地传讲 神的国，教导有关主耶稣基督的事，没有受到甚么禁止。”（使徒行传28:30–31） |
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| We should just note how the two ends come together. The second coming and the end of the world will not happen until the gospel reaches the ends of the earth. |
我们只需注意首尾是如何呼应的。第二次降临和世界末日要等到福音传到地极才会发生。 |
| Further Application: Our Witness Today |
进一步应用：我们今天的见证 |
| We should linger on the link between the Who and the What. The Spirit and his power are linked to the task of our witness. We are not promised power in connection to being witnesses for being pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine, pro-Republican or pro-Democrat, pro-mask or anti-mask. I do not want to attach ourselves to a political person or political issue so that it becomes a cry to unite around this or that. We are not a vaccine church or anti-vaccine church. We are not a Republican church or a Democrat church. We are not a home school church or a public school church. We are a Christian church. A Jesus church. He defines us. He unites us because we are united to him. |
我们应该多想想“谁”和“什么”之间的联系。圣灵及其能力与我们作见证的任务有关。我们并没有被应许因支持疫苗或反疫苗、支持共和党或支持民主党、支持口罩或反口罩而赋予成为见证人的能力。我不想把自己依附在某个政治人物或政治问题上，使之成为团结在这个人或那个人周围的呼声。我们既不是支持疫苗的教会也不是反疫苗的教会。我们既不是共和党的教会，也不是民主党的教会。我们既不是主张家庭学校的教会，也不是主张公立学校的教会。我们是基督教会。是耶稣的教会。祂定义了我们。祂让我们联合起来，因为我们与祂联合。 |
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| Are we following the apostles and the way they pursued their mission? Instead of seeking political power, they are to seek the Holy Spirit power that will help them accomplish the mission of Jesus as witnesses of Jesus. |
我们是否追随使徒及其献身使命的方式？他们要寻求的不是政治权力，而是寻求圣灵的力量，帮助他们完成耶稣的使命，成为耶稣的见证。 |
| Is he what you are most passionate about? Is he what you most want to share and most want to declare? When I hear that people share conspiracy theories about the election (the fraud is so widespread that Trump really won almost everything including California) or masks (it is all a government conspiracy to inconvienience us)? If Christians share political conspiracy theories with such certainty and conviction, then people are going to think Jesus is a conspiracy theory too when we share him with certainty and conviction. It will hurt our witness. |
祂是你最热爱的吗？祂是你最想分享、最想宣扬的吗？当我听到人们分享关于大选的阴谋论（舞弊太普遍了，特朗普真的赢得了几乎所有的州，包括加州）或关于口罩的阴谋论（这一切都是政府的阴谋，为了给我们带来不便）？如果基督徒如此肯定和坚信地分享政治阴谋论，那么当我们肯定和坚信地分享耶稣时，人们也会认为耶稣只是一个阴谋论。这会损害我们的见证。 |
| Defeaters: Why Don’t We Witness? |
失败者：我们为什么不作见证？ |
| 1. It is Covid. We are in a holding pattern. |
1. 因为新冠。我们现在还居家待命。 |
| 2. Lack of effectiveness. We grow cynical. Peter preached and 3000 people were saved. I witness to people and they are hostile. |
2. 缺乏成效。我们越来越愤世嫉俗。彼得传道，3000人得救。我向人们作见证，他们却充满敌意。 |
| 3. Fear of man – awkward |
3. 怕人——尴尬 |
| 4. Feels forced, unnatural |
4. 觉得是被迫的、不自然的 |
| 5. Fear of not having the answers |
5. 害怕没有答案 |
| 6. Feel like a spiritual screw-up. How can I share him with others if I don’t even love him like I should. |
6. 觉得自己是个属灵的失败者。如果我连该爱的耶稣都爱得不够，怎么能向别人分享祂。 |
| Let’s take some of these objections head on. Sometimes it feels awkward and forced. And 2020 has been hard with Covid. But what an opportunity we have now. People are looking for hope. They are longing! And Christmas gives us such a bridge for our witness. Tis the Season. There are times throughout the year that are easier than others. Christmas is the season where people are getting and receiving Christmas cards and gifts. Christmas cards are an amazing way to share Christ. He is the very reason for the season. Make the most of every opportunity. Redeem the time. |
让我们直面其中的一些反对意见。有时感觉很尴尬，很勉强。2020年新冠已经够难了。但那也是我们绝好的机会。人们都在寻找盼望。他们在渴望。圣诞节也为我们作见证搭桥。时候到了。一年之中，有些时候比另一些时候更容易。圣诞节是人们收取或发送圣诞卡和礼物的季节。圣诞贺卡是分享基督的奇妙方式。祂就是这个节期的原因。充分利用每一个机会。要爱惜时间。 |
| In terms of lack of effectiveness, let me encourage you to think in terms of seasons of sowing and reaping. All throughout church history we sing that there are moments when God blesses his word more than at other times. Let us just make sure that we are sowing and watering with our prayers and our tears. Don’t send the Christmas card and do not have that conversation without committing it to prayer and the word of his power. Bring Christ into the conversation early and often. Stake a claim that you are so closely connected to Christ that engaging with you will often mean hearing of Christ. When Christ who is our life appears. How can we talk about our life apart from Christ when Christ is our life? |
在缺乏成效方面，我鼓励大家用播种和收获的季节来思考。在整个教会历史中，我们都会看到，有的时候，神祝福祂的道比其他时候更多。我们只要保证用我们的祈祷和我们的眼泪来播种和浇灌就可以了。如果没有交托在祷告和祂大能的话语中，就不要寄圣诞卡，也不要发起福音的谈话。常常提前将基督带入谈话中。要下定决心说，你与基督的关系如此密切，以至于与你交往常常意味着听到基督。当作为我们生命的基督出现时，我们怎么可能在基督之外谈论我们的生命呢？既然基督是我们的生命。 |
| You may feel like a spiritual screw-up, but do not forget – you are not telling them about your spiritual performance. You are telling them about how he is perfect for them. He paid for our failures. Do not let the focus shift to you and away from Christ. Of course, you are not the point – you are the pointer. The more real you are, the better. |
你可能会觉得自己是个属灵上的失败者，但不要忘了—你不是在告诉他们你自己的属灵表现。你是在告诉他们，祂对他们来说是多么的完美。祂为我们的失败付了代价。不要让焦点离开基督而转移到你身上。当然，你自己不是所指的重点，而是指向重点的指针。你越真实越好。 |
| Dethrone your comfort zone and enthrone Christ as Lord of your lips and life. Make sure that Christ is served hot. Look at your intake and see what kind of impact it has on you. And then make adjustments. I have in mind something like what happened to D. L. Moody. |
打破你的舒适区，使基督成为你嘴唇和生命的主。确保你吃的基督是热气腾腾的。看看你所摄入的，看看它对你有什么样的影响。然后再进行调整。我想到了类似于D. L. 穆迪的经历。 |
| Receiving God’s love will lead to reflecting God’s love. It cannot be any other way. You must receive or you will have nothing to reflect. You cannot work it up or turn on a light switch and say: I am going to love now. If you love in a certain way, people will say “what a person of love.” If you love people in such a way that they glorify our Father, they will say, “what a God of love.” Amazing love how can it be that thou my God would die for me? |
接受了神的爱，就会反映出神的爱。不可能有别的结果。你必须接受神的爱，否则你将没有什么可反映的。你不可能费了九牛二虎之力，或者像打开电灯开关一样地说：我现在要去爱了。如果你用某种方式去爱，人们会说“你真是个有爱的人”。如果你爱别人的方式，是荣耀我们的天父，他们就会说：“祂真是一位有爱的神”。奇异的爱，怎能如此，我主我神，竟为我死？ |
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| Understanding the love of God was one of the key turning points for D. L. Moody. Here is what Moody said. He heard a man named Henry Moorhouse preached 7 sermons on the love of God from John 3:16. Moody explains the impact that this had on him: |
理解神的爱是D.L.穆迪的关键转折点之一。以下是穆迪的说法。他听了一个叫亨利-莫尔豪斯的人从约翰福音3章16节讲了7次关于上帝之爱的布道。穆迪解释了这对他的影响： |
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| “I never knew up to that time that God loved us so much. This heart of mine began to thaw out; I could not keep back the tears. It was like news from a far country: I just drank it in. So did the crowded congregation. I tell you there is one thing that draws above everything else in the world, and that is love.” |
“直到那个时候，我都不知道，上帝是如此地爱我们。我这颗心开始解冻了，我的眼泪忍不住流了下来。就像来自远方的新闻：我把它一饮而尽。拥挤的会众也是如此。我告诉你，世界上有一种东西，有超乎一切之上的吸引力，那就是爱。” |
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| Moody began to study the doctrine of love more and more because of this awakening to the reality of God’s love. It forever changed and shaped his life and preaching: |
穆迪因为这种对神的爱的觉醒，就开始越来越多地研究爱的教义。这永远改变和塑造了他的生命和讲道。 |
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| “I took up that word ‘Love,’ and I do not know how many weeks I spent in studying the passages in which it occurs, till at last I could not help loving people! I had been feeding on Love so long that I was anxious to do everybody good I came in contact with. I got full of it. It ran out my fingers. You take up the subject of love in the Bible! You will get so full of it that all you have got to do is to open your lips, and a flood of the Love of God flows out upon the meeting. There is no use trying to do church work without love….God’s work cannot be done without love.” |
“我拿起那个‘爱’字，我不知道花了多少周的时间来研究它出现的段落，直到最后我忍不住去爱别人!我以‘爱’为食的时间太长了，以至于我急于好好对待每一个我接触到的人。我吃饱了它。它从我的手指尖跑了出去。你要把圣经中爱的主题拿出来!你会饱食爱，你只要张开你的嘴，神的爱就会像洪水流出来与你相会。如果没有爱，想做教会的工作是没有用的....，如果没有爱，神的工作是无法完成的。” |
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| This was one of the turning points in the life of D. L. Moody and I pray it will be for you in your life this morning. |
这是D.L.穆迪生命中的一个转折点，我祈祷今天早上你的生命也会如此。 |
| Conclusion: the Power of the Holy Spirit for Witness |
结语：圣灵见证的能力 |
| Piano analogy |
钢琴的比喻 |
| I once read the story of a mother and her son who went to see a Great Piano Master. Before the concert started, the Mom was talking to some of her friends. The little boy had been just learning to play the piano. He was staring at the Grand Piano and he had the urge to play a song that he had just learned. While his Mom was talking and her attention was distracted he saw his chance. Suddenly everyone hears: plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk. Everyone looked to see who was doing it and this Mom was horrified to see it was her son. She rushed up to snatch him away and put a stop to the embarrassment. At that moment, the Grand Piano Master came from backstage and told the Mom to pause. He said, “little boy, keep playing that song. It is beautiful and I think it can sound better than you know. |
我曾经读过这样一个故事：一对母子去见一位伟大的钢琴大师。音乐会开始前，妈妈在和一些朋友聊天。小男孩刚刚开始学习弹琴。他盯着大钢琴，有种想弹奏一首刚学会的曲子的冲动。趁着妈妈说话，妈妈注意力分散的时候，他看到了机会。突然，大家听到：咚咚咚，咚咚咚，咚咚咚，咚咚咚咚。大家都在看这是谁干的，这位妈妈看到是自己的儿子，吓坏了。她连忙上前将他抓走，制止了尴尬的场面。这时，钢琴大师从后台走来，让妈妈停手。他说：“小乖乖，继续弹那首歌。它很美，我想它可以比你所知道的更好听。” |
| So he started his plunk, plunk, plunk and then the Grand Piano Master joins and plays a song in perfect alignment that transcends what the boy could ever do on his own. |
于是，他开始了他的咚咚咚，然后钢琴大师加入，并完美地演奏了一曲，超越了这个男孩自己所能做到的。 |
| Do you see who we are in this story? We are the plunker. This is what God does with weakness. He does not remove it. The boy is seen to be only playing the plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk, plunk. God works through our weakness and his strength is shown. It is manifest. He gets the credit. Do not wait until you feel like you are the piano master. We do not need to be the piano master – Jesus said, you already have him he is called the Holy Spirit. There will be power that is not coming from your plunking but will come alongside your plunking. |
你看清在这个故事中我们是谁了吗？我们是那个只会咚咚的小男孩。这就是神如何对待我们的软弱。祂不去掉我们的软弱。我们看到这个男孩只会玩“咚、咚、咚”的游戏。神透过我们的软弱做工，祂的力量就显露出来。这是显而易见的。祂得到了荣耀。不要等到你觉得自己是钢琴大师的时候，才来弹琴。我们不需要成为钢琴大师—耶稣说，你们已经有了祂，祂叫圣灵。会有一种力量不是来自于你的咚咚咚，而是会和你的咚咚咚一起出现。 |
| Closing Song: Go Tell It On the Mountain |
结束歌曲：《到各山岭去传扬》 |
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| Sermon Discussion Questions |
讲道讨论问题 |
| Title: Advent and the Commission of the King |
标题：降临节与君王的嘱托 |
| Text: Acts 1:8 |
经文：使徒行传1:8 |
| Main Point |
要点： |
| Jesus gives his disciples power to be his witnesses by his Spirit so that his kingdom will reach to the very ends of the earth. |
主耶稣赐给门徒能力，让他们靠着圣灵作祂的见证，使祂的国度直达地极。 |
| Outline: |
纲要： |
| 1. The First Promise: You Will Receive Power (v. 8) |
1. 第一个应许：你将领受能力（谁？）（第8节） |
| 2. The Second Promise: You Will Be My Witnesses (v. 8) |
2. 第二个应许：你们要作我的见证（为了什么？）（第8节） |
| 3. The Sphere of the Promise: Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, Ends of the Earth (v. 8) |
3. 应许的范围：耶路撒冷、犹太/撒玛利亚、地极（第8节） |
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| 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 is the first promise that Jesus gives? What is the connection between this first promise and the coming of the Spirit? |
1. 耶稣给出的第一个应许是什么？这第一个应许和圣灵的降临之间有什么联系？ |
| 2. What is the second promise that Jesus gives? What is the significance of the language “be a witness” rather than “do witnessing”? |
2. 耶稣给出的第二个应许是什么？“作一个见证者”而不是“做见证”的语言有什么意义？ |
| 3. What is the sphere of the promise? How do the places relate to both geography and culture? |
3. 应许的范围是什么？这些地方与地理和文化的关系如何？ |
| 4. I noted that Isaiah has many of these ideas from verse 8 already laid out hundreds of years before. What did Isaiah have to say about it? |
4. 我注意到，以赛亚书在几百年前就已经把第8节中的许多想法摆出来了。以赛亚对此有什么说法？ |
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| 5. What Old Testament book bears the closest resemblance to the book of Acts (and it is not Isaiah)? What are the similarities and differences |
5. 旧约中哪一本与使徒行传最相似（不是以赛亚书）？有哪些异同点？ |
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| 6. What are some of the reasons why we do not witness as we know we should? |
6. 我们为什么没有按我们知道的那样做见证？ |
| Application Questions |
应用问题 |
| 1. Describe your current understanding of how you are a witness. Where do people see your witness (who, when, where, etc)? |
1.描述你目前对自己如何作一个见证人的理解。人们在哪里看到你的见证（谁、何时、何地等）？ |
| 2. Describe your current experience in terms of where witnessing is hard for you. Of the list of reasons for not witnessing, what one or two reasons feel the hardest for you personally? How can you break free from the power of those barriers or defeaters? |
2. 用你目前的经历来描述你的见证难在哪里。在所列举的不作见证的原因中，你个人感觉最难的是哪一两个原因？如何才能从这些障碍物或失败者的权势下挣脱出来？ |
| 3. Pastor Jason closed with the analogy of the plunker and the Grand Piano Master. Do you believe that is what the power of the Spirit is like? Will you move forward in obedience and look for ways to share Christ (like Christmas cards)? Commit that to prayer! |
3. 杰森牧师以咚咚咚乱弹琴和钢琴大师的比喻作为结束。你相信这就是圣灵的能力吗？你是否会在顺服中前进，寻找分享基督的方法（如圣诞卡）？把这落实到祷告上！ |
| Prayer Focus: Pray for a grace to be witnesses for Christ in the power of his Spirit |
祷告焦点：求主恩典，让我们在圣灵的大能中为基督作见证。 |
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