盼望
【一望即活】英國牛津大學圖書館裡，有一幅名畫，描寫摩西當日舉銅蛇的情形。銅蛇高高舉了起來，被蛇咬的群眾，有閉眼睡覺而不知仰望的；有彼此在勸勉的；有拿木棒打蛇的。這三種人，都要死，死亡已經在他們身上起了作用。惟有仰望的人，只要肯開眼一看，就可活過來。一望的人，生命就在他身上起了作用，他就活了，好了。請問，你在神面前屬於那一類的人？是在睡覺呢？還是依靠別人的勸勉安慰？還是靠自己的棒子打蛇呢？總要知道，要得生命，惟一的救法，就是仰望耶穌，一望即活，即得生命。——陳樹祥、陳瑞伯《喻道故事集》
【基督徒的千里鏡】千里鏡的構造，包含二種以上的玻璃片，凹的一面能把景物攝前來，叫人看得清楚些，凸的一面，能把攝的景物擴大為幾百倍或幾千倍。有了千里鏡可以持望遠景，甚至可用來窺測天象。基督徒的信心如何凹鏡，把將來的遠景拉前來，看見那不能看見的，叫我們生盼望之心。基督徒所聽的道，如同凸鏡，將天上的遠景放大，看見我們那更美的家鄉。用信心和所聽的道調和，就成了一個靈性的千里鏡了。——陳樹祥、陳瑞伯《喻道故事集》
【仰望！仰望！仰望！】司布真是在小禮拜堂，聽一貪窮的鞋匠講以賽亞書四十五章，二十二節而得救的。題目是「仰望」。講詞如下：
「我親愛的朋友們！這個題目，真是簡單，只要你一望。望不是一件費力的事，並不要你舉腳或動指頭，光只一望。哈哈！人不必要進大學去學望。（司布真只小學畢業）也許你是最大的糊塗人，然而你卻會望。一個人不必有多大的財產才會望，人人皆會的。但是題目說『仰望我！』你們許多人都是仰望自己，望自己是沒有用處的，在你裡面，決不能得安慰。有的人仰望父神，你暫時不要望他，以後再望他。耶穌基督說：『仰望我』。你們有人想要等候聖靈作工，那也不是現在的事。當仰望基督！題目說：『仰望我』。仰望我，我為你出汗，如同血點；仰望我，我為你們坐在父的右邊。哦！可憐的罪人，仰望我！仰望我！」那位講道先生，講了十分鐘，似乎沒有話說了。那時堂中人少，他知道少年司布真是初次來的。於是他兩眼釘在司布真身上，說：「少年人阿！我看你是很可憐，你若不聽我這題目的勸告，你生前可憐，死後更可憐。你若在今天立刻聽從，你必定得救。」說到這裡，那鞋匠舉起手來，大聲喊叫說：「少年人阿！仰望耶穌基督！仰望！仰望！你沒有別事可做，只要一望，即得活！」——陳樹祥、陳瑞伯《喻道故事集》
【一個財主的棺材】有一位美國牧師在中國山東省佈道，一天他到了一鄉村，那兒有一位有錢的基督徒，房子好，財產多。在他信主以前，他為自己預備了一具頂好的棺材，放在一間小屋內，他時不時去看，有時用手撫摸著棺材說：「啊！有誰像我有這樣好的棺材呢？我將來死了，睡在裡面，葬在土裡，是何等的舒服。」這是他當時的指望了！後來他聽了福音，信了耶穌，受洗加入教會，又熱心考察聖經。當美國牧師經過那裡，教會的牧師就帶他去訪問那財主。寒暄過後，那財主要美國牧師同去看他的棺材。那美國牧師莫明其妙，因為美國人沒有在死前預備棺材的。到了放棺材的小屋內，果然棺材大而華麗。兩頭卻刻著聖經上的章節。那財主說：「我出葬時，腳這一頭先出去，抬出門時，人家必定看見棺材上的金字，一定是注意的，不識字的人也要問上面刻的是什麼字，必有人念給他聽：『論到睡了的人，我們不願意弟兄們不知道，恐怕你們憂傷，像那沒有指望的人一樣。我們若信耶穌死而復活了，那已經在耶穌裡睡了的人，上帝也必將他與耶穌一同帶來。』那樣可以藉著這幾句話向人講一篇道理了。大家看完了這一頭的字，等棺材全都抬出來之後，又可以看見那一頭的金字，上面刻著有『主耶穌阿！我願你快來。』這又可向人講第二篇道理了。」那財主說完了，拍拍衣襟，心地如放下一塊重擔似的，因為他蒙了恩召，有了指望。——陳樹祥、陳瑞伯《喻道故事集》
【幪住馬的眼睛】從前有位將軍敗戰，沒臉回去見國王，想要騎馬衝下山崖自殺，但馬總是停在崖邊不肯往前衝，最後幪住牠的眼睛，人馬一同墜下山崖而死。人若沒有盼望，雖活著卻如同死一般。
【盼望的重要性】我曾經聽過一個很虔誠的人說：『喜樂』如雲雀，在清晨看見陽光便開懷歡唱；而『盼望』卻如夜鶯，在黑暗中歌唱；因此『盼望』實在比『喜樂』可貴。
沒有『信』，人生將毫無遠景，沒有『望』也是如此』。農夫存著收獲的盼望撒種；商人存著售出的盼望進貨；學生存著學業進步的盼望用功。
有位病入膏肓的小孩，醫生檢持他的病情之後，說：『沒有希望了！』當母親失去她孩子可以在世上活下去的盼望時，另一個盼望在她心中陡然升起，那就是：在另一個世界和孩子再相會！盼望的臨到使母親在痛苦中得到鼓舞。
【人活著不能沒有盼望】人生的意義不是在今天，而是在明天。美國身為超級富豪的克魯格(John W. Kluge)從未把累積財富作為他的人生目標，他說：『財產數字並不是我的目的，我真正有興趣的是遊戲本身──不斷尋找新挑戰。我曾說過，我很討厭週末，一直到現在還是如此。財富的數字並無意義，重要的是，你明天早上要作甚麼事。』一個人失去了明天的盼望，也就失去了存活的意義。
【希望與信心】
拿破崙幼年時，有一次向他的叔叔談到自己將來的抱負。他的叔叔聽了，連連搖頭說：「夢想﹗夢想﹗全是夢想﹗」於是拿破崙就走到窗邊，指著天空說：「叔叔﹗你看到那顆星嗎﹖」這時正是中午，所以他的叔叔就茫然地回答說：「看不到，那有什麼星星。」可是拿破崙卻說：「我看到了﹗」這大概就是拿破崙心中的那顆希望，帶領著他，使他後來成為法國皇帝。
傳說，古代希臘馬其頓國的亞歷山大大帝，當他在征服波斯的前夕，將所有的金銀財寶都分給了他的大臣。大臣問：「我王將財寶全部分給我們，大王自己不是沒有了嗎﹖」亞歷山大斬釘截鐵地回答說：「我唯一的財產就是希望。」就憑著他滿懷的希望和毅力，將波斯帝國一舉滅亡，建立一個雄跨亞､歐､非三大洲的大帝國。
莎士比亞說：「希望，在任何時地都是支撐生命的安全力量。」富蘭克林說：「希望，是生命的泉源，失去它生命就會枯萎。」海倫凱勒說：「希望，是把人導向成功的信仰，若無希望，便無任何成就。」
•默想：一個屬神的人要秉著「上騰」的力量，盼望等候主。
Eternal Life
B.J. Honeycutt, a character on the T.V. series
“M.A.S.H.,” gave this reason for why he didn’t give in to temptation in the
midst of the Korean War: “I live in an insane world where nothing makes sense.
Everyone around me lives for the now, because there may not be a tomorrow. But
I have to live for tomorrow, because for me there is no now.”
For
B.J., his hope for the future was seeing his family again. That hope was
sufficient to define how he would behave in an extremely difficult situation.
How much more so should our future hope of the
Hope
All
too often, hope is pessimistically defined as the little boy did when he said:
“Hope is wishing for something you know ain’t gonna happen.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for
Biblical Preaching》
Hope
Some
years ago a hydroelectric dam was to be built across a valley in New England.
The people in a small town in the valley were to be relocated because the town
itself would be submerged when the dam was finished. During the time between
the decision to build the dam and its completion, the buildings in the town,
which previously were kept up nicely, fell into disrepair. Instead of being a
pretty little town, it became an eyesore.
Why
did this happen? The answer is simple. As one resident said, “Where there is no
faith in the future, there is no work in the present.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Hope
In
his book《Man’s
Search for Meaning》, Victor Frankl,
successor of Sigmund Freud at Vienna, argued that the “loss of hope and courage
can have a deadly effect on man.” As a result of his experiences in a Nazi
concentration camp, Frankl contended that when a man
no longer possesses a motive for living, no future to look toward, he curls up
in a corner and dies. “Any attempt to restore a man’s inner strength in camp,”
he wrote, “had first to succeed in showing him some future goal.” ── Michael P.
Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Hope
In
1965, naval aviator James B. Stockdale became one of the first American pilots
to be shot down during the Vietnam War. As a prisoner of the Vietcong, he spent
seven years as a P.O.W., during which he was frequently tortured in an attempt
to break him and get him to denounce the
How
could anyone survive seven years of such treatment? As he looks back on that
time, Stockdale says that it was his hope that kept him alive. Hope of one day
going home, that each day could be the day of his release. Without hope, he
knew that he would die in hopelessness, as others had done.
Such
is the power of hope that it can keep one alive when nothing else can. ──
Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
False Hope
Probably
nothing in the world arouses more false hope than the first four hours of a
diet. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
As Vice President, George Bush represented
the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was
deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood
motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the
soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and
hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil
disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on
her husband's chest.
There in the citadel of secular, atheistic
power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong.
She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented
by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on
her husband. ── Gary Thomas, in Christianity
Today, October 3, 1994, p. 26.
From Parade magazine comes the story
of self-made millionaire Eugene Land, who greatly changed the lives of a
sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class
of 59 sixth-graders. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom
would drop out of school? He wondered how he could get these predominantly
black and Puerto Rican children even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he
decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he
admonished, "and I'll help pay the college tuition for every one of
you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first
time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something
to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden
feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high
school.── Parade Magazine.
HOPE
As Alexander the Great was setting out on his
conquest of Asia, he inquired into the finances of his followers. To ensure
that they would not be troubled over the welfare of their dependents during
their absence, he distributed crown estates and revenues among them. When he
had thus disposed of nearly all the royal resources, his friend General Perdiccas asked Alexander what he had reserved for himself.
"Hope," answered the king.
"In that case," said Perdiccas, "we who share in your labors will also take
part in your hopes." He then refused the estate allotted to him, and
several other of the king's friends did the same. ── Daily Walk, May 25, 1992.
HOPE
During the Thirty Years' War in the 17th
century, German pastor Paul Gerhardt and his family were forced to flee from
their home. One night as they stayed in a small village inn, homeless and
afraid, his wife broke down and cried openly in despair. To comfort her,
Gerhardt reminded her of Scripture promises about God's provision and keeping.
Then, going out to the garden to be alone, he too broke down and wept. He felt
he had come to his darkest hour.
Soon afterward, Gerhardt felt the burden
lifted and sensed anew the Lord's presence. Taking his pen, he wrote a hymn
that has brought comfort to many. "Give to the winds thy fears; hope, and
be undismayed; God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy
head. Through waves and clouds and storms He gently clears the way. Wait thou
His time, so shall the night soon end in joyous day."
It is often in our darkest times that God
makes His presence known most clearly. He uses our sufferings and troubles to
show us that He is our only source of strength. And when we see this truth,
like Pastor Gerhardt, we receive new hope. Are you facing a great trial? Take
heart. Put yourself in God's hands. Wait for His timing. He will give you a
"song in the night."── Our Daily Bread, May 7, 1992.
HOPE
"Here it appears either Paul or Barnabas
went too far. It must have been a violent disagreement to separate two
associates who were so closely united. Indeed, the text indicates as much.
"Such examples are written for our
consolation: for it is a great comfort to us to hear that great saints, who
have the Spirit of God, also struggle. Those who say that saints do not sin
would deprive us of this comfort.
"Samson, David, and many other
celebrated men full of the Holy Spirit fell into grievous sins. Job and
Jeremiah cursed the day of their birth; Elijah and Jonah were weary of life and
desired death.
"No one has ever fallen so grievously
that he may not rise again. Conversely, no one stands so firmly that he may not
fall. If Peter (and Paul and Barnabas) fell, I too may fall. If they rose
again, I too may rise again." ── Martin Luther.
HOPE
The school system in a large city had a
program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the
city's hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a
routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child's name
and room number and talked briefly with the child's regular class teacher.
"We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the regular
teacher said, "and I'd be grateful if you could help him understand them
so he doesn't fall too far behind."
The hospital program teacher went to see the
boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly
burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as
she told him, "I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and
adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn't accomplished much.
But the next day, a nurse asked her,
"What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done
something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse.
"You don't know what I mean. We've been worried about that little boy, but
ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back,
responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to live."
Two weeks later the boy explained that he had
completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he
came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn't
send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would
they?" ── Bits & Pieces, July 1991.
HOPE
A man approached a little league baseball
game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy
responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind."
"Boy," said the spectator,
"I'll bet you're discouraged."
"Why should I be discouraged?"
replied the little boy. "We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!" ── Source Unknown.
HOPE
A man sentenced to death obtained a reprieve
by assuring the king he would teach his majesty's horse to fly within the
year--on the condition that if he didn't succeed, he would be put to death at
the end of the year. "Within a year," the man explained later,
"the king may die, or I may die, or the horse may die. Furthermore, in a
year, who knows? Maybe the horse will learn to fly." ── Bernard M. Baruch.
HOPE
A number of years ago researchers performed
an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets
of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left
one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The
other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When
that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because
they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope!
Those animals somehow hoped that if they
could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue
them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should
is effect be on our lives. ── Today in the Word, May, 1990, p. 34.
HOPE
I am not a connoisseur of great art, but from
time to time a painting or picture will really speak a clear, strong message to
me. Some time ago I saw a picture of an old burned-out mountain shack. All that
remained was the chimney...the charred debris of what had been that family's
sole possession. In front of this destroyed home stood an old
grandfather-looking man dressed only in his underclothes with a small boy
clutching a pair of patched overalls. It was evident that the child was crying.
Beneath the picture were the words which the artist felt the old man was
speaking to the boy. They were simple words, yet they presented a profound
theology and philosophy of life. Those words were, "Hush child, God ain't dead!"
That vivid picture of that burned-out
mountain shack, that old man, the weeping child, and
those words "God ain't dead" keep returning
to my mind. Instead of it being a reminder of the despair of life, it has come
to be a reminder of hope! I need reminders that there is hope in this world. In
the midst of all of life's troubles and failures, I need mental pictures to
remind me that all is not lost as long as God is alive and in control of His
world. ── James DeLoach,
associate pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Houston, quoted in When God
Was Taken Captive, W. Aldrich, Multnomah, 1989, p. 24.
HOPE
One night at dinner a man, who had spent many
summers in Maine, fascinated his companions by telling of his experiences in a
little town named Flagstaff. The town was to be flooded, as part of a large
lake for which a dam was being built. In the months before it was to be
flooded, all improvements and repairs in the whole town were stopped. What was
the use of painting a house if it were to be covered with water in six months?
Why repair anything when the whole village was to be wiped out? So, week by
week, the whole town became more and more bedraggled, more gone to seed, more
woebegone. Then he added by way of explanation: "Where there is no faith
in the future, there is no power in the present." ── Halford E. Luccock,
Unfinished Business.
HOPE
In the novel, Cat's Cradle by Kurt
Vonnegut, Jr., an important book comes to light. It is titles "What Can a
Thoughtful Man Hope for Mankind on Earth, Given the Experience of the Past
Million Years?" The chief character is anxious to read it. But when he
does, he finds that it doesn't take long. The whole book consists of one word:
"Nothing."── Source Unknown.
HOPE
Typical inscription on a grave in Paul's day:
I was not
I became
I am not
I care not.
── Warren Wiersbe,
Be Ready, p. 83.
HOPE
George Bernard Shaw is perhaps most renowned
as a free thinker and liberal philosopher. In his last writings we read,
"The science to which I pinned my faith is bankrupt. Its
counsels, which should have established the millennium, led, instead, directly
to the suicide of Europe. I believed them once. In their name I helped
to destroy the faith of millions of worshippers in the temples of a thousand
creeds. And now they look at me and witness the great tragedy of an atheist who
has lost his faith." ── George
Bernard Shaw.
【信徒是一個有指望的人】世界上決不會有『沒有』希望的『信』徒，否則，怎能稱為『信』徒呢？他『信』些甚麼呢？所以信徒們不管在任何遭遇中，理當提醒自己不要活得像一個沒有指望的人。
【盼望的定義和功用】『盼望』的意思即是一種繼續不斷地對永恆世界的期待，它不是如某些現代人所想那樣的一種逃避主義或如意算盤，而是一個基督徒所認真企求的一種事。你若讀歷史，必會發現許多給這個世界帶來最大貢獻的基督徒就是那些對來生來世期待最殷的人。使徒們發動了改變羅馬帝國的力量，許多偉人建立了中古時代，英國福音主義者廢除了奴隸販賣制度，這些都給世界留下了他們的功績，因為他們的心充滿了對永恆的盼望。當基督徒對來世不加注意時，他在這個世界所作的事就徒勞無功了。
【專注今生事物的錯誤】許多人將他們的心思專注於這個世界，但這個世界卻不能滿足內心的渴望，以致他們將過失歸咎於事物的本身，女人一個換過一個(離婚再離婚)，這洲跳過那洲，這個嗜好換過那個嗜好，總是以為最新的東西才是『真實』的東西，而總是失望再失望。
另一種人剛好相反，他們斷定所有的事物都是鏡花水月般的空幻，因此不想期待太多，並抑制他們對『可欲不可求的東西』的盼望，而成為自命不凡的人。
其實，今生的欲望都是為來生的實體而有的。一個嬰孩會感到飢餓，那麼就有食物供給他。小鴨想要游泳，就有水供給牠。假若我在自自己裏面發現一種慾望是這世界所有的經驗中沒有一個能滿足它的，那麼最可能的解釋乃是說，我是為了另一個世界而被造的。
所有聖經中對天上事物的比喻(豎琴、冠冕、黃金等)當然都只是一種象徵的說法來表示那些不能表示的事物。樂器暗示『喜樂忘我』和『無窮無止』；冠冕暗示分享神的榮耀、權柄和快樂；黃金暗示屬天事物的永恆不朽(因為金不生銹)，也暗示天上事物的可貴。
【基督徒應當是一個有盼望的人】我們的盼望是『存在天上的盼望』(西一5)，換句話說，我們的盼望不是屬世的，是屬靈的；不是暫時的，是永恆的；不是人自己的期許，乃是神的應許！
一些信奉存在主義的人認為只有『現在』這一刻是我們的實際，他們以為過去的已經過去，未來的還未來臨，只有『現在』是真實的實際。但當我們一說『現在』，『現在』就過去了，因此人生就像片片幻影，一無價值，人活著是荒謬的！
其實，原來世上沒有一個人有永恆的盼望，只有蒙恩得救的人，因著對人生有不同的看法和目標，而擁有對未來的永恆的盼望。讓我們明確知道我們那『存在』天上的盼望是確實可靠的──『存在』的原文有保留之意。
【盼望來自聽見福音】『這盼望就是你們從前在福音真理上所聽見的』(西一5)。我們這寶貴的盼望來自『聽』──是從福音真理的道上聽見的。可見我們所信的福音不只解決我們當今的需要，還帶給我們將來的盼望；福音的可貴就在此。
【我們所得的盼望是活的盼望】彼前一3『活潑的盼望』在原文乃是『活的盼望』；每一個接受救恩和得重生的人都有活的盼望。但對一般人而言，死是人生的終結，這是何等無奈、荒涼的結局，思之令人恐懼！然而對我們信主的人來書，我們的死只是『睡了』(約十一11)，睡了還要醒過來。
【我們有『榮耀的盼望』】福音所帶給我們的是『榮耀的盼望』(西一27)，是『將來要顯明於我們的榮耀』(羅八18)。這顯明我們將來在神面前所得的『稱讚』、『尊貴』、『冠冕』(彼前一7；提後四8)是何等的榮耀！故此有許多願意忠心事主，努力經營神國的工作。
【我們平時少注重盼望】我們信徒平時的教導往往偏重於信心與愛心，少注重盼望。其實盼望緊接著主的再來，是我們基督徒生命中最重要的一部分。對我們來講，信心領取(accepts)，盼望期待(expects)；信心取用(appropriates)，盼望預料(anticipates)；信心要對那應許我們的一位，盼望是對應許我們的事；一個是根，一個果。但願我們藉著『聽』、『知』、『學』，能確實把握那給我們存在天上的盼望。
【耶穌基督是我們的盼望】神要考驗我們，看看倒底我們的盼望在那裏？我相信神在我們身上就是要作這一件事，要把我們的盼望一件件全部挪去，到一個程度，只有神自己才是我們惟一的盼望。
主耶穌來到這個世界，不單單給世人盼望，祂自己就是我們惟一的盼望。主來是要給我們盼望，祂是這個世界惟一的盼望！我們切勿將盼望建築在任何世上的人、事、物身上，那些終將令我們失望。請記得，只有主耶穌基督是我們惟一的盼望，祂也讓我們看到甚麼是盼望。
【我們絕不至於失望】信心帶來盼望，盼望帶給我們安息。如果你深知自己的盼望是有把握的，你就會有安息，並且能夠繼續走這條路，『我們縱然失信，神仍是可信的。』你對任何人、事、物存有盼望，總會讓你失望，但是神永不失信，祂也從來未對我們失望。祂是我們穩固的根基，聖經說：那些信靠、盼望祂的人必永不動搖。
【我們的盼望】
“我……必再來接你們到我那裏去；我在那裏，叫你們也在那裏。”（約13:3）
詩：我主所住之處，能否稱為我廬？
是否神建的家，我也正在住下？
當我們與主相遇的時候，所有向著基督忠貞與順服的價值，都不過視為往事，“我必再來，接你們到我那裏去。”這是愛的言語。他不是說，我要差人來接你們。不，那樣作不能叫我們心滿意足──“我要來”除非我們與他同在一起，除非他親自來接我們，否則他就不能滿足。
“因有神的榮耀光照，又有羔羊為城的燈。”當我看見羔羊在寶座中，我就說，哦，現在我真的在家了。這個景象，榮耀輝煌，超越一切，也是為我預備的。關於主的再來，我心所想的，就是這件事。這和聖經裏所說基督的每一個思想，以及基督與我們的關係，是如何的連貫。我現在永不將主的再來，好像知識一般來看待。
道路依然向上指，生命榮耀就在此；那日聖城安息地，我永享他和他的。
主再來這一思想，是否成為你每日的歡樂？這思想在你日常生活的繁瑣事務中，是否處處發生影響？或者你是因著與世界攜手同行，以致一想到他的再來，就感到羞慚呢？
他去是為我們預備居所……我們要被帶到神裏面……永遠與他同在，在那裏毫無間隔，有滿足而不衰殘的喜樂，因那裏有我們心愛的主耶鰒，他是永遠豐滿而無限量的。
約翰十四章二十三節告訴我們，父與子都來住在我們裏面，但我們表彰這個同在，卻是何等的少！主的心是在信祂的人身上，他們今天在地上的光景，總不如那日的音樂，他們的盼望，是與父同在的福樂！現在是“我們（父與子）住在你們裏面，直等到有一天，你們能來與我們同住。”
主在榮耀裏，仍站僕人的地位“祂要自己束上帶，進來伺候他們。” 祂的大愛就是祂的榮耀。我們越親近祂，就越愛慕祂。
在每天工作與事奉中，沒有什麼比等候神的兒子從天降臨更實際，更重要的，我一有這樣的等候，我一生的一切，就不過是神照著祂的計畫，通行在我身上的作為。計畫的目的，乃是當主耶穌基督顯現的，便我們能以把讚美，尊貴和榮耀都獻上給祂。
聖徒歸向主，是要等候神的兒子從天降臨，他們若忘掉這一天，所有災害，就都紛至遝來。假若你整天都在等候主來，難道這不會使你轉變嗎？如果人們知道主就要來，他們會不會一直積贊錢財和珍寶呢？
你們不能浮沉在世界的潮流中，湧進那將被審判的罪海。你們應當翹首等候主耶穌的再臨。―― 達秘《基督是我們的滿足》
HOPE
Hope means hoping when things are hopeless,
or it is no virtue at all...As long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere
flattery or platitude; it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins
to be a strength. ── G.K. Chesterton, Signs
of the Times, April 1993, p. 6.
HOPE
There are no hopeless situations; there are
only people who have grown hopeless about them. ── Clare Boothe
Luce.
【活出基督徒最真實的盼望（羅15：13；林前13：7）】
一、盼望神的應許（詩119：82）
二、盼望神的恩神的義（詩119：123）
三、盼望神的慈愛（詩147：11）
四、盼望神的榮耀（羅5：2）
五、盼望等候“義”（加5：5）
六、盼望耶穌恩惠（彼前1：13）
七、盼望新天新地（彼後3：13）
── 王永悅
【第16課 將來的盼望（一）】
基督徒是有大盼望的，因為神給了我們今生和來生的應許，所以我們應當歡歡喜喜的盼望那褔樂的日子來到。茲先分述在世活凓的基督徒有何盼望：
一、等候身體得贖
「不但如此，就是我們這有聖靈初結果子的，也是自己心裏嘆息，等候得凓兒子的名分，乃是我們的身體得贖。」（羅八23）
人常說，信耶穌將來靈魂得救。這是不夠完全的救恩，因為我們的身、魂、靈，都是從神而來，所以必要完全得救！
二、盼望天使吹號
「祂要差遣使者，用號筒的大聲，將祂的選民，從四方，從天這邊到天那邊，都招聚了來。」（太二四3l）
有一天，主耶穌要再來接我們離開這個世界，進入那更美好的地方，使我們不再受罪惡的侵害，那時天地都要有極大的變化。
三、眨眼之間改變
「我如今把一件奧秘的事告訴你們：我們不是都要睡覺，乃是都要改變，就在一霎時，眨眼之間，號筒末次吹響的時候。因號筒要響，死人要復活成為不朽壞的，我們也要改變。」（林前一五5l-52）
血肉之體只宜在地上居住，所以將來被提到天空與主相遇時，身體必須先經過奇妙的變化，才宜於在天上生活。
四、空中婚筵典禮
「我們要歡喜快樂，將榮耀歸給祂。因為，羔羊婚娶的時候到了；新婦也自己預備好了，就蒙恩得穿光明潔白的細麻衣。（這細麻衣就是聖徒所行的義。）」（啟一九7-8）
耶穌基督是教會屬靈的新郎，信徒是基督屬靈的新婦，今天我們信耶穌的人，已經與耶穌訂了婚約，等候迎娶的日子來到。
五、發光好像太陽
「那時，義人在他們父的國裏，要發出光來，像太陽一樣。有耳可聽的，就應當聽！」（太一三43）
信徒一旦被提到空中，身體就變得美麗而光明，毫無瑕疵，與地上的一切完全隔絕；殘廢的健全了，衰老的強壯了，在天國裏每個人都要發出極大的光輝來。
六、永遠與主同住
「在我父的家裏有許多住處；若是沒有，我就早已告訴你們了。我去原是為你們預備地方去。我若去為你們預備了地方，就必再來接你們到我那裏去，我在哪裏，叫你們也在那裏。」（約一四2-3）
這時信徒不必再祈求神，說，「主啊！求𣿫與我們同在。」因為這時信徒與主耶穌已經同在，永不分離。
七、恐怕有人被棄
「那時，兩個人在田裏，取去一個，撇下一個。兩個女人推磨，取去一個，撇下一個。」（太二四40-41）
凡真心信主耶穌的人實在是重生得救的人，將來都要改變被提，與主同享永遠的喜樂和安息，但恐怕有人口是心非，假冒為善，披凓宗教的外衣，利用耶穌達到自已放縱私欲的目的，這樣的人若不悔改，一定要被撇在災難中了。
八、謹慎警醒祈求
「你們要時時警醒，常常祈求，使你們能逃避這一切要來的事，得以站立在人子面前。」（路二一36）
我們既有這樣美好的大盼望，就要在屬靈的生活上多多追求，不讓世俗的事物累住我們的心，好等候得贖的日子來到。
── 李漢文《基要五十二課查經》
【第17課 將來的盼望（二）】
在主內已經離開世界的人，他們的盼望已經實現了一半—就是靈魂已回天家，但將來身體還要復活，同眾聖徒一同進入榮耀中。茲分段述之於後：
一、靈魂已進樂園
「耶穌對他說：『我實在告訴你，今日你要同我在樂園裏了。』」（路二三43）
論到在主內死了的人，我們不必過於悲傷，也不必失望，因為他們的靈魂離開了身體，已經飄飄然進入了天上的樂園，與以往的先知聖徒同居一處，在那裏享受安息，並等候耶穌一同再來迎接我們這活凓的人。與主同釘十字架的強盜，在臨死的時候，曾求耶穌記念他，耶穌也應允了。
二、身體在墓安歇
「義人死亡，無人放在心上；虔誠人被收去，無人思念。這義人被收去是免了將來的禍患；他們得享平安。素行正直的，各人在墳裏安歇。」（賽五七1-2）
活人終日勞勞碌碌，很難得有充分休息的時間，但一天死期來到，就不得不放下一切，離開親人朋友，走世人必走的路。信主的人也是一樣，靈魂會升到樂園，身體則暫時在墳墓中安歇。
三、將來必要復活
「差我來者的意思就是：祂所賜給我的，叫我一個也不失落，在末日卻叫他復活。因為我父的意思是叫一切見子而信的人得永生，並且在末日我要叫他復活。」（約六39-40）
在主內死了的人真是有福：他們息了自己的勞苦，一日神的時候臨到，他們必聽見呼喚的聲音，如同睡凓的人都要醒過來。
四、都在空中相遇
「因為主必親自從天降臨，有呼叫的聲音和天使長的聲音，又有神的號吹響；那在基督裏死了的人必先復活。以後我們這活凓還存留的人必和他們一同被提到雲裏，在空中與主相遇。這樣，我們就要和主永遠同在。」（帖前四16-17）
在主內死了的人復活了，在主內活凓的人改變了，那時主耶穌帶凓天使來到空中，死人活人都要被接到雲彩裏，大家在空中聚會，其樂真無法形容。
五、形體都像天使
「當復活的時候，人也不娶也不嫁，乃像天上的使者一樣。」（太二二30）
地上的社會，有男女之分，因此就有嫁娶；有老病之苦，必然也有死亡；但將來從死裏復活的人，和地上的人略有不同，他們沒有嫁娶，沒有死亡，男女性別的差異也似乎沒有了。
六、一同降臨世間
「亞當的七世孫以諾曾預言這些人說：『看哪，主帶凓祂的千萬聖者降臨。』」（猶14節）
奇妙得很，當信主的死人復活，活人被提以後，地上還有千千萬萬的人；那時主耶穌要同凓所有屬於祂的人，從空中降臨到人間，在地上設立和平的國度，那些復活的人能夠生存在人間，也可以隨時升到天上。
七、同主作王千年
「在頭一次復活有分的有福了，聖潔了！第二次的死在他們身上沒有權柄。他們必作神和基督的祭司，並要與基督一同作王一千年。」（啟二○6）
這時地上經過大災難，已經進入萬物復興的美麗時代，耶穌基督要在耶路撒冷作世界的萬王之王，那些復活的人也要與主一同作王。
八、一切都更新了
「『……不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭號、疼痛，因為以前的事都過去了。』坐寶座的說：『看哪，我將一切都更新了！』又說：『你要寫上；因這些話是可信的，是真實的。』祂又對我說：『都成了！』」（啟二一4-6上）
這時再沒悲哀、哭泣，也沒有仇恨、兇殺，人人都安居樂業；萬物都恢復，與原始樂園的情況一樣。
── 李漢文《基要五十二課查經》
【在神裏的盼望】
1. 盼望的對象
a) 神☉ 伯 13:15; 詩 25:5,
33:20-22, 39:7, 42:5-6, 11, 43:5, 65:5, 131:3, 146:5; 耶 14:22, 50:7; 羅 4:17-18; 提前 5:5, 6:17;
彼前 1:21
b) 神的律法☉ 詩 119:43; 賽 42:4
c) 神的道☉ 詩 119:74, 81, 114, 147, 130:5
d) 神的名☉ 詩 52:9
e) 基督☉ 徒 28:20, 23; 羅 15:12; 林前 15:19; 弗 1:12; 西 1:23, 27; 提前 1:1,
4:9-10; 來 3:6,
7:18-22
f) 基督的名☉ 太 12:15, 17-18, 21
2. 盼望的來源
a) 神的呼召和救恩☉ 詩 62:5-6; 弗 1:18,
4:4; 帖後 2:16; 彼前 1:3
b) 聖靈☉ 羅 15:13
c) 愛☉ 林前 13:6-7
3. 所盼望的實質
a) 盼望從死亡中得拯救☉ 詩 16:9-10, 33:18-19
b) 盼望從敵人手中得拯救☉ 詩 71:4-5, 14
c) 盼望永生☉ 多 1:2, 3:7
d) 盼望從壓制中得釋放☉ 伯 5:15-16
e) 盼望從屬靈的耕耘中得果子☉ 林前 9:10; 帖前 2:18-19
f) 盼望神永遠的同在☉ 詩 42:1-11
g) 盼望神不絕的慈愛☉ 詩 33:22, 147:11
h) 盼望獲賜恩典☉ 彼前 1:13
i) 盼望身體得贖☉ 羅 8:23-24
j) 盼望死人的復活☉ 徒 23:6, 24:15, 26:6-8; 林前 15:15-23; 帖前 4:13-18
k) 盼望基督的再臨☉ 多 2:13
l) 盼望得著義☉ 加 5:5
m) 盼望得保障☉ 伯 11:13-18
n) 盼望同享神的榮耀☉ 羅 5:1-2
o) 盼望現世和屬靈的復興☉ 拉 10:2; 詩 37:9; 耶 14:8, 31:17; 哀 3:29, 31; 何 2:15; 亞 9:12
4. 盼望的價值
a) 是基督信仰的體現☉ 林前 13:13; 西 1:3-5; 來 11:1
b) 是屬靈爭戰的裝備☉ 帖前 5:8
c) 給予人憑據☉ 詩 25:3; 羅 8:25; 來 6:16-20
d) 使人祈求神的幫助☉ 詩 146:5-10
e) 是活潑的☉ 彼前 1:3-5
f) 是明白易懂的☉ 來 10:23; 彼前 3:15
g) 引致喜樂☉ 羅 5:1-2, 12:12
h) 孕育出膽量☉ 林後 3:12
i) 孕育出敬虔的生活☉ 詩 25:21; 來
6:10-12; 約一 3:2-3
j) 使人得著神的恩惠☉ 哀 3:25
k) 堅固和鼓勵人☉ 詩 31:24; 賽 40:31,
49:23; 羅 5:3-5; 弗 1:18-19; 腓 1:20
――《主題彙析聖經》