《施洗約翰的人生》Day 01

使命人生

10 燒香的時候,眾百姓在外面禱告。11 有主的使者站在香壇的右邊,向他顯現。12 撒迦利亞看見,就驚慌害怕。13天使對他說:「撒迦利亞,不要害怕,因為你的祈禱已經被聽見了。你的妻子伊利莎白要給你生一個兒子,你要給他起名叫約翰。14 你必歡喜快樂;有許多人因他出世,也必喜樂。15 他在主面前將要為大,淡酒濃酒都不喝,從母腹裏就被聖靈充滿了。16 他要使許多以色列人回轉,歸於主-他們的上帝。17 他必有以利亞的心志能力,行在主的前面,叫為父的心轉向兒女,叫悖逆的人轉從義人的智慧,又為主預備合用的百姓。」(路加福音一10-17)

76 孩子啊!你要稱為至高者的先知;因為你要行在主的前面,預備祂的道路,77 叫祂的百姓因罪得赦,就知道救恩。(路加福音一76-77)

1 那時,有施洗的約翰出來,在猶太的曠野傳道,說:2「天國近了,你們應當悔改!」3 這人就是先知以賽亞所說的。他說:「在曠野有人聲喊著說:預備主的道,修直祂的路!」(馬太福音三1-3)

10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:10-17)

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, 77 to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. (Luke 1:76-77)

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’ ” (Matthew 3:1-3)

分享:各位好,今個星期讓我們從施洗約翰的人生學習,如何活出合神心意的生命。

施洗約翰出生前就已被上帝揀選為耶穌基督的先鋒,為祂的來臨預備道路。這是何等重要及光榮的使命呢!他的出生本身就是一個神蹟,父母撒迦利亞和以利沙伯年事已高,卻因上帝的應許而懷孕。天使形容約翰在母腹裏就被聖靈充滿,顯示出他與別不同的一生。

有了這樣的身份及召命,也不代表約翰一定願意回應 (舊約士師參孫就是一個反面教材) 。但正如天使所言,出生後約翰居住在曠野,生活簡樸,他所宣告的信息也是簡單直接:要悔改,因為天國近了!沒有奢侈華貴的生活、也沒有多餘累贅的說話,這反映了約翰全然獻身回應主,並以上帝的使命為人生最大目標。

如同先知以賽亞所描述的,約翰在靈性的曠野中為主預備道路 (參馬太福音三1-3、以賽亞書四十3-4)。約翰回應召命的生活模式與服事態度提醒我們:其實每位信徒也都被選召在地上為主作見證 (我們也是傳福音的先鋒)。那麼,我們是否也像約翰那樣熱心、忠心、盡心地履行使命,為主作見證呢?

有一快遞公司以「使命必達」作為承諾,不管碰到什麼事,員工都願意盡最大努力,如期達成客戶交付的工作。在商業世界,人尚且願意許下「使命必達」的承諾,更何況我們所為的是屬靈的事呢?

反思:在我們的生活中,可以怎樣為主作見證?

禱告:親愛的天父,感謝祢透過施洗約翰忠於使命的見證來提醒我們,我們也要在生活中為主作見證,這是祢給每一個信徒的使命。求聖靈充滿我們的心,叫我們活出分別為聖、與別不同的生命,並努力宣講福音,使更多人悔改回轉歸向祢。以上禱告,奉主耶穌得勝的名求,阿們。