二○二一年三月十三日／十四日
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真正認識父神
周曉暉牧師
作為天父的兒女，不會只甘於僅僅認識祂。有位著名唱作歌手來港演唱，在互動環節中，有歌迷告訴他：「我多年來都聽你的歌，就連家人也問我，追星這麼多年，你真的認識他？你連一張合照都沒有呢！」這歌手聽罷，就對歌迷說：「演唱會後，我們一起吃頓飯吧。」其他歌迷聽見，都非常羨慕，因為他們都很渴望能真正認識這人。
保羅曾為教會祈禱：「求我們主耶穌基督的神，榮耀的父，賜給你們智慧和啟示的靈，使你們充分地認識祂。」（弗一 17，新譯本）每個信主的人，都應更多認識父神。保羅隨後指出要從三方面真正認識祂：
一、確切盼望（弗一 18上）：父神的救恩計劃，召喚你進入祂的家，並有進到永恆的保證。這並非一個有可能實現又有可能落空的夢想，卻是神必定兌現的不變承諾。這確切的盼望，使人能在天路上堅持走下去。
二、成為基業（弗一 18 下）：信徒成為父神榮耀的基業，代表你是屬祂的。基業是豐盛的，代表你在祂眼中是寶貴的，有價值的。這價值提醒我們不再以世界的價值觀評價自己，也不讓世界的價值觀去主導我們的生活。
三、神的大能（弗一 19）：萬有都無法超越死亡，但父神能使基督勝過死亡。歷代教會和信徒的生命，都彰顯出這勝過死亡威嚇的能力。面對今日難測的前路，我們需要學曉，任何勢力都不比父神更大。
當然，除了崇拜聽道，我們也可從主日學所教授的知識認識上述真理。但光有一些學問，嚴格來說仍不算真正認識父神。因此，保羅祈求父神賜信徒「智慧和啟示的靈」。
只有聖靈能幫助人與基督聯合，去到父神面前。顯然，在認識父神的過程中，是需要聖靈幫助的。聖靈能帶我們進到基督福音的核心，進而在艱苦困厄的人生裡，見證事奉主的智慧。
所以，在主日學的教授背後，不能不以靈性與見證宣教為念，那就是去（1）使人作門徒、受洗歸主基督名下（成為基業）；（2）幫助人在艱困中仍遵行主一切的教導（神的大能）；（3）使人堅忍地走到終末（確切盼望）。
我深願北宣的弟兄姊妹不要因為疫情，就留在與世隔絕的修煉中；卻要藉著使命的實踐，使靈命進深。求父神賜我們智慧和啟示的靈，叫我們充分認識祂！
Pastor's Sharing Truly Knowing God
Rev Arnold Chow
The children of the Heavenly Father will not be content with a surface knowledge of God.
A popular singer visited Hong Kong and when he chit-chatted with the audience during his concert, a fan told him, "I've been listening to your songs for a long time. But my family asked me whether I know you at all after following you for years as I don't even have a picture of us to show them!" The singer replied, "How about you and me have a meal together after the concert?" The other fans were envious as they too wished to really know the singer.
Paul had prayed for the church: "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better" (Ephesians 1:17). Every believer should get to know God the Father better. Paul said we should do so in three areas:
1.Confident hope (Ephesians 1:18a, NLT) – The Father's salvation plan is His call to join His household and assurance for eternal life. It is not a dream that may or may not come true. It is God's promise that will never change and which will certainly be fulfilled. This confident hope enables us to persevere on the path to eternity.
2. Be His inheritance: (Ephesians 1:18b, NLT) – Believers are the glorious inheritance of God the Father. It means that you belong to God. The inheritance is rich – you are precious and valuable in God’s eyes. This reminds us to no longer assess ourselves using worldly standards, nor should we let worldly values shape our lives.
3. God's great power: (Ephesians 1:19) Nothing transcends death, but Father God made Christ overcome death. This power taller than the threat of death is manifested in the church and the lives of believers down the ages. In the face of future uncertainties, we need to learn that no power is greater than the Father's.
Besides listening to sermons at worship services, we can certainly learn the above truths through Sunday School classes, theological doctrines and preparation for ministries. But strictly speaking, knowledge alone is not true knowledge of God the Father, which was why Paul prayed for "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation" for believers.
Only the Holy Spirit can help man be united with Christ, and through whom access God the Father. It is obvious that the process of knowing the Father requires the Holy Spirit's enablement. The Spirit can take us to the heart of the gospel of Christ so we have the wisdom to testify for and serve the Lord in a life full of hardships and difficulties.
Therefore, spirituality, witnessing and mission underlie the learning and teaching of Sunday School. Sunday School is where believers' spirituality is nurtured, that is, 1) to make disciples, who would be baptized into the name of Christ (to be His inheritance); 2) to help believers obey God's teachings even in adversity (God's great power); and 3) to instill perseverance until the end (confident hope).
It is my sincere hope and prayer that brothers and sisters of NPAC will not engage in solitary spiritual training in the pandemic, but will nurture a deeper spiritual life through mission. May God give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so we can fully know Him!
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