經文: 「存心忍耐，奔那擺在我們前頭的路程，仰望為我們信心創始成終的耶穌；祂因那擺在前面的喜樂，就輕看羞辱，忍受了十字架的苦難。」（希伯來書十二：1下～2）
在競賽場上，我們定睛於目標，為要得着獎賞；基督徒亦當如此定睛於釘十字架的耶穌，跟隨祂的腳蹤，效法祂的榜樣；在我們一生中，耶穌的背十字架，永遠是我們向前的動力，也是引導我們走向寶座，得着榮耀的途徑，藉着耶穌身體的裂開受死，祂為我們開了一條又新又活的路，當我們深入探討，明白耶穌藉着被釘十字架，才得以被高舉得榮耀，我們就願意效法祂的一生，跟隨祂的佳美腳蹤而行，做一個捨己背十字架的人。
教會所以軟弱冷澹，就是太少傳講背十字架的信息。大多數的基督徒以為只要認罪悔改以後就大功告成，仍然可以繼續享受世界上的娛樂，竟不知世俗是聖靈的仇敵，若愛世界，愛父的心，就不在他裡面了；他們也不知道要全心全意地認識釘十架的耶穌，真正明白何謂向老我死和向世界死。
因着擺在前面的喜樂——能討上帝的歡心、榮耀上帝，耶穌就願意忍受苦難並接受死亡。我們也要有這樣的心志，為了討上帝的喜悅，並贏得人的靈魂，就願意忍受苦難，背起自己的十字架，把自己模鑄成上帝兒子的模樣。基督徒若能清楚明白這項有福的真理，就能仰望主耶穌，奔走這條屬靈的天路，靠着聖靈得能力，為耶穌贏得更多的人歸主，因為耶穌已被釘死在十字架，流下寶血作多人的贖價。
LOOKING UNTO JESUS
Scripture: "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, look?ing unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame."—HEB. xii. 1. 2. R. V.
In running a race the eye and heart are ever set upon the goal and the prize. The Christian is here called to keep his eye fixed on Jesus enduring the cross, as the one object of imitation and desire. In our whole life we are ever to be animated by His Spirit as He bore the cross. This was the way that led to the throne and the glory of God. This is the new and living way which He opened for us through the veil of the flesh. It is as we study and realize that it was for His bearing the cross that God so highly exalted Him, that we shall walk in His footsteps bear?ing our cross after Him with the flesh condemned and crucified.
The impotence of the Church is greatly owing to the fact that this cross-bearing mind of Jesus is so little preached and practised. Most Christians think, that as long as they do not commit actual sin, they are at liberty to possess and enjoy as much of the world as they please. There is so little insight into the deep truth that the world, and the flesh that loves the world, is enmity against God. Hence it comes that many Christians seek and pray for years for conformity to the image of Jesus, and yet fail so en?tirely. They do not know, they do not seek with the whole heart to know, what it is to die to self and the world.
It was for the joy set before Him that Christ endured the cross—the joy of pleasing and glorifying the Father, the joy of loving and winning souls for Himself. We have indeed need of a new crusade with the proclamation: This is the will of God, that as Christ found His highest happiness, and received from the Father the fulness of the Spirit to pour down on His people, through His endurance of the cross, so it is only in our fellowship of the cross that we can really become conformed to the image of God's Son. As believers awake to this blessed truth, and run the race ever looking to the crucified Jesus, they will receive power to win for Christ the souls He has purchased on the cross.
註：中文翻譯似乎不是很到位, 有幾處沒譯出來 1）bearing our cross after Him；2)Hence it comes that many Christians seek and pray for years for conformity to the image of Jesus, and yet fail so entirely； 3）win for Christ the souls he has purchased on the cross
|
