牧者心聲
主復活了！神賜我最好的盼望！
戎少卿牧師
2024 年 3 月 30 日 / 31 日
Click here for English
人沒有盼望便容易沮喪，會沒有理想、沒有目標、無力地生活，甚至會自殺輕生，世界衛生組織去年8月發表的資料指出，全球一年有超過70萬人死於自殺；據世界衛生組織截至2019年世界防止自殺日前夕，全球製訂了防止自殺策略的國家共有38個。「盜賊來，無非要偷竊，殺害，毀壞；我來了，是要叫羊得生命，並且得的更豐盛。」（約十10）求神施恩引導人歸信主基督，叫人生活得有意義、有盼望。
而你的盼望是甚麼呢？名成利就？婚姻美滿？兒孫孝順？家人和睦？身心健康？發揮所長？安居樂業？這一切都是好的，但未必容易達到，就算達到，也因為人必會在地上死去，所以這一切都會終結，也不是上好及永存的盼望。而不信主的人沒有永生，神的震怒會常在他們身上，他們會被扔在火湖裡（參約三36；啟二十15），這是何等的可悲！
然而，深愛我們的天父曾照自己的大憐憫，藉耶穌基督從死裡復活，重生了我們，叫我們有活潑的盼望，盼望那無謊言的神在萬古之先所應許的永生（參彼前一3；多一2）。永生的盼望才是最好的盼望，因為信實的神所應許的必會實現，祂會賜信靠祂的人最寶貴的恩典，叫我們能跨過地上一切困苦！
最近參與了多個安息禮和喪禮，我很感受到未信的喪親者要跟逝世的至愛親屬永遠分離，是極其哀傷痛苦的事。反之，信主的弟兄姊妹知道他們只是和安息主懷的至愛親屬暫別，將來仍可在永恆的天家相聚到永遠，那是何等大的安慰及盼望。「神要擦去他們一切的眼淚；不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭號、痛苦，因為先前的事都過去了。」（啟二十一4）住在只有義人、充滿神榮耀的地方，不再有黑暗、罪人和罪惡，與主同在到永恆，是多麼的美好！最近有一位安息主懷的姊妹的親人聽了福音決志信主，參加崇拜，我很為她感恩！
「你們既盼望這些事，就當殷勤，使自己沒有玷污，無可指摘，安然見主」（彼後三14）。弟兄姊妹，願我們不單在復活節感謝神及慶祝主為我們捨身後復活，賜我們不配得的永生，也請反思自己是否活出分別為聖的生活；亦請想想未信的家人親友何等需要主的救恩。讓我們常常把握時機，努力傳福音，叫人同得復活永生、有使命及豐盛的生命，一同敬拜及事奉深愛我們的獨一真神。
Without hope, man would easily become frustrated with no aspirations, no goals, and no strength to live. Some may even want to take their own lives. Data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) last August shows that more than 700,000 people worldwide commit suicide every year. Meanwhile, according to WHO, a total of 38 countries have formulated strategies to prevent suicide on the eve of World Suicide Prevention Day 2019. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” May God bless and guide people to put their faith in Christ the Lord so that their lives become meaningful and they can cherish hope.
What do you hope for? Wealth and fame? A happy marriage? Loving children and grandchildren? Family harmony? Good health? A chance to show your talents? Or a good job and peaceful living? All these are good, but they may not be easy to attain. And even if you can, they will all pass away, for this life on earth must end. And so they are not the best or everlasting hope. Meanwhile, those who do not put their faith in the Lord will not see eternal life, and the wrath of God remains on them. They will be thrown into the lake of fire (see John 3:36; Revelation 20:15). What a misery!
Nevertheless, in His great mercy, our Heavenly Father who loves us deeply has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Our hope in the Lord is one for eternal life which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time (see 1 Peter 1:3; Titus 1:2). Only the hope of eternal life is the best hope, for God is faithful and He will surely fulfil His promises. He will give those who trust in Him the most valuable grace so we can overcome all adversities in life!
Recently, I took part in a number of memorial services and funerals. I could feel how utterly painful non-believers are to be eternally separated from their loved ones who are deceased. On the contrary, believing brothers and sisters experience great comfort and hope for they know they are only temporarily parting with beloved friends and relatives who are resting in the Lord’s embrace, that they will gather again in the heavenly home until eternity. “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). To live in a place where there are only righteous people filled with the glory of God, where there is no more darkness, sinners and evil, where the presence of God is eternal – how great that would be! Lately, a relative of one sister who rested in the Lord heard the gospel and made the decision to put her faith in the Lord. The relative is now attending worship services. Thanks be to God for her!
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (2 Peter 3:14). Dear brothers and sisters, may we not only thank God and celebrate the Lord’s death and resurrection at Easter and His gift of eternal life which we do not deserve. May we also reflect on whether we are living a consecrated life. May we give some thoughts to how much unbelieving family and friends need the Lord’s saving grace. May we take every opportunity to preach the gospel so they can share in the risen, eternal life, live missionally and abundantly, and worship and serve with us the only true God who so loves us.
| 返回頁首 Back to Top |