第五週　藉着復興的生活並牧養的工作，而為着主的來臨將自己豫備好

讀經：林後四16~18，約二一15~17

詩歌：大本第665首

【週一、週二】

壹　我們要為着主的來臨將自己豫備好，就需要藉着復興的生活（日日得更新的生活─林後四16~18），而維持我們的得勝；這更新必須每早晨都新而又新（太十三43，路一78~79，箴四18，士五31）：─引用經文

一　我們必須每日清晨享受主，有新的起頭─詩一一九147~148。

二　我們每天早晨都該讓主耶穌，我們的日頭，在我們裏面升起，使我們得着更新─路一78~79，瑪四2，士五31：

1　我們每天早晨都該早起與主交通；我們可以禱告：『主阿，謝謝你，又是一個新的起頭，願這一天是我人生中可記念的一天』；這就是晨晨復興。

2　我們應當每早晨靠着基督作我們的贖罪祭，獻上祂作燔祭和平安祭，好有一個新的起頭；我們不但要天天這樣作，還要作得有味道，有深度─利六12~13。

3　每早晨以基督為我們的燔祭，就是取用祂作那過着絕對滿足神之生活的一位，並作那使我們能過這樣生活的生命─一9，六12~13，約五19、30，六38，七18，八29。

三　我們要過復興的生活，就必須是愛主到極點，並向祂活的人，每天以最完滿的享受並贏得基督為目標─林前二9，林後五14~15，腓三14。

【週三】

四　我們必須是那些過祭壇和帳棚生活的人─創十二7~8，十三3~4、18：

1　神向我們的顯現產生我們的奉獻，使我們築壇；壇是為着敬拜神，將我們一切所是並所有，為着神的定旨獻給神；築壇的意義就是我們的生活是為着神，神是我們的生命，並且我們生活的意義就是神─八20~21上，出二九18~22。

2　過帳棚的生活是我們宣告自己在地上是客旅，是寄居的，尋找更美的家鄉，並熱切等候神所建築的城新耶路撒冷─來十一9~10、13、16。

五　每天有更新的復興，就是每天有新鮮的變化；我們若一生都在這樣的變化中，就能在主的生命裏長大，以致成熟─羅十二2，林後三18，來六1上。

【週四】

六　我們憑四個項目而日日得更新：十字架（林後四10~12、16~18）；聖靈，憑聖靈我們就因神聖的生命得着重修、再製和改造（多三5）；我們調和的靈（弗四23）；以及神的聖言（五26）。─引用經文

七　我們需要在新樣裏來赴主的筵席（太二六29）；主絕不喫喝舊的筵席；我們需要學習說，『對不起，請赦免我』，藉以得更新。─引用經文

八　當我們在苦難中，我們需要每早晨接受主新的憐恤，好使我們經歷祂的更新；不然，我們就依舊不變，我們所經過的苦難就是徒然的─哀三22~24，林後四16~18。

【週五】

貳　我們要為着主的來臨將自己豫備好，就需要藉着有分於基督天上的職事，餧養祂的小羊並牧養祂的羊，以照顧神的羊群，就是召會，結果帶進基督的身體，而維持我們的得勝─約二一15~17，彼前二25，五1~4，來十三20~21：

一　我們必須照着主耶穌盡職的榜樣牧養人，以完成神永遠的經綸─太九36，約十11，來十三20，彼前五4：

1　我們沒有父的愛和赦免的心，也沒有救主牧養和尋找的靈，這是我們不結果子的原因─路十五1~24。

2　我們必須在耶穌的人性裏顧惜人（使他們快樂，並使他們覺得愉快和舒適）（太九10，路七34）；我們必須在基督的神性裏餧養人（以那在三個時期中盡其職事之包羅萬有的基督餧養他們）（太二四45~47）。─引用經文

3　基督必須經過撒瑪利亞，特意繞道去敘加，要得着一個不道德的婦人，藉着請那婦人給祂水喝而顧惜她，好用湧流的三一神作生命水的河餧養她─約四3~14。

4　主是沒有罪的一位，但祂不定罪那行淫的婦人，卻顧惜她，在法理一面赦免她的罪，並在生機一面使她從罪得自由（八1~11、32、36）；基督藉着釘十字架而拯救的第一個人，乃是一個判處死刑的強盜，這也是很有意義的（路二三42~43）。─引用經文

5　主到耶利哥，只是為着要探訪並得着一個人，就是稅吏長，而祂的傳揚乃是一種牧養（十九1~10）；祂也藉着給孩子們按手，而顧惜那些父母（太十九13~15）。─引用經文

6　升天的主乃是『行走的基督』並『說話的那靈』，照顧作為金燈檯的眾召會；祂在眾召會中間行走，要察知每一個召會的光景，然後祂就照着所看見的對我們說話，使眾召會所有的聖徒都能新陳代謝並生機地被變化，目的是要使他們成為祂的得勝者─啟一12~13，二1、7。

【週六】

二　我們必須照着使徒保羅的榜樣牧養人；保羅牧養聖徒，就像乳養的母親和勸勉的父親一樣，照顧神的群羊─帖前二7~8、11~12，提前一16，徒二十28：

1　保羅牧養在以弗所的聖徒，『或在公眾面前，或挨家挨戶』教導他們（20），並且流淚勸戒每一位聖徒，三年之久（31、19），將神一切的旨意告訴他們（27）。─引用經文

2　保羅親密的關切信徒（林後七2~7，門7、12），他下到輭弱之人的水準上，好能得着他們（林後十一28~29，林前九22，參太十二20）。─引用經文

3　為着聖徒的緣故，保羅樂意花費他所有的，指他的財物；並花費他所是的，指他這人（林後十二15）；他是奠祭，與基督這產生酒者是一，犧牲他自己，使別人得以享受基督（腓二17，士九13，弗三2）。─引用經文

4　保羅憑靈而行而尊重神，好叫他能將那靈服事給人，而尊重人─林後三3、6、8，加五16、25，士九9。

5　保羅在他的教訓裏指明，召會是養育人的家，是醫治並恢復人的醫院，也是教導並造就人的學校─弗二19，帖前五14，林前十四31。

6　保羅啟示，我們為着建造基督的身體，要成為甚麼或要作甚麼，極超越的路乃是愛；愛有效能─八1，十二31，十三4~8上，弗一4，三17，四2、15~16，五2，六24，啟二4~5，西一18下，帖前一3。

Week Five 

Making Ourselves Ready for the Lord’s Coming by Having a Revived Living and a Labor of Shepherding 

Hymns: 922 

Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 4:16-18; John 21:15-17 

§ Day 1 & Day 2 

I. In order to make ourselves ready for the Lords coming, we need to maintain our victory by having a revived living, a living of being renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16-18); this renewal has to be refreshed every morning (Matt. 13:43; Luke 1:78-79; Prov. 4:18; Judg. 5:31): 

A. We must enjoy the Lord early in the morning to have a new start of each day—Psa. 119:147-148. 

B. Every morning we should allow the Lord Jesus, our Sun, to rise up in us so that we can be renewed—Luke 1:78-79; Mal. 4:2; Judg. 5:31: 

1. We should rise up early in the morning to fellowship with the Lord, and we can pray, “Thank You, Lord, for a new beginning; may this day be a memorable day in my life”; this is what we call a morning-by-morning revival. 

2. Every morning we should offer up Christ as our burnt offering and peace offering, based upon His being our sin offering, so that we may have a new beginning; not only must we do this every day, but we must also do it with sweetness and depth—Lev. 6:12-13. 

3. To take Christ as our burnt offering every morning is to take Him as the One who lived a life absolutely for Gods satisfaction and as the life that enables us to have such a living—1:9; 6:12-13; John 5:19, 30; 6:38; 7:18; 8:29. 

C. In order to have a revived living, we must be those who love the Lord to the uttermost and live to Him with the daily goal of having the fullest enjoyment and gaining of Christ—1 Cor. 2:9; 2 Cor. 5:14-15; Phil. 3:14. 

§ Day 3 

D. We must be those who live the life of the altar and the tent—Gen. 12:7-8; 13:3-4, 18: 

1. Gods appearing to us issues in our consecration, causing us to build an altar; an altar is for worshipping God by offering all that we are and have to God for His purpose; building an altar means that our life is for God, that God is our life, and that the meaning of our life is God—8:20-21a; Exo. 29:18-22. 

2. To live the life of the tent is our declaration that we are strangers and sojourners on the earth who are seeking a better country and eagerly waiting for the God-built city, the New Jerusalem—Heb. 11:9-10, 13, 16. 

E. To have a revival that is renewed daily is to have a transformation that is fresh daily; if we remain in this transformation our whole life, we will grow in the life of the Lord until we are matured—Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18; Heb. 6:1a. 

§ Day 4 

F. We are renewed day by day through four items: the cross (2 Cor. 4:10- 12, 16-18); the Holy Spirit by which we are reconditioned, remade, and remodeled with the divine life (Titus 3:5); our mingled spirit (Eph. 4:23); and the holy word of God (5:26). 

G. We need to come to the Lords table in newness (Matt. 26:29); the Lord never takes an old table; we need to be renewed by learning to say, “Im sorry; forgive me.” 

H. While we are in the midst of suffering, we need to receive the Lords new compassions every morning so that we may experience His renewing; otherwise, we will remain the same, and the suffering we pass through will be in vain—Lam. 3:22-24; 2 Cor. 4:16-18. 

§ Day 5 

II. In order to make ourselves ready for the Lords coming, we need to maintain our victory by participating in Christs heavenly ministry to feed His lambs and shepherd His sheep in order to take care of Gods flock, which is the church that issues in the Body of Christ—John 21:15-17; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:1- 4; Heb. 13:20-21: 

A. We need to shepherd people according to the pattern of the Lord Jesus in His ministry for carrying out Gods eternal economy—Matt. 9:36; John 10:11; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:4: 

1. Our not having the Fathers loving and forgiving heart and the Saviors shepherding and seeking spirit is the reason for our barrenness— Luke 15:1-24. 

2. We need to cherish people (to make them happy and to make them feel pleasant and comfortable) in the humanity of Jesus (Matt. 9:10; Luke 7:34); we need to nourish people (to feed them with the allinclusive Christ in His ministry of three stages) in the divinity of Christ (Matt. 24:45-47).

3. Christ had to pass through Samaria, purposely detouring to Sychar to gain one immoral woman, cherishing her by asking her to give Him something to drink in order to nourish her with the flowing Triune God as the river of water of life—John 4:3-14. 

4. As the One without sin, He did not condemn the adulterous woman but cherished her for the forgiveness of her sins judicially and for the setting free from her sins organically (8:1-11, 32, 36); it is also significant that the first one saved by Christ through His crucifixion was a robber sentenced to death (Luke 23:42-43). 

5. The Lord went to Jericho just to visit and gain one person, a chief tax collector, and His preaching was a shepherding (19:1-10); He also cherished the parents by laying His hands on their children (Matt. 19:13-15). 

6. In His caring for the churches as the golden lampstands, the ascended Lord is the “walking Christ” and the “speaking Spirit”; by His walking in the midst of the churches, He gets to know the condition of each church, and then according to what He sees, He speaks to us so that all the saints in the churches might be metabolically and organically transformed with the aim of making them His overcomers—Rev. 1:12-13; 2:1, 7. 

§ Day 6 

B. We need to shepherd people according to the pattern of the apostle Paul,
who shepherded the saints as a nursing mother and an exhorting father in
order to take care of Gods flock—1 Thes. 2:7-8, 11-12; 1 Tim. 1:16; Acts
20:28: 

1. Paul shepherded the saints in Ephesus by teaching them “publicly and from house to house” (v. 20) and by admonishing each one of the saints with tears for three years (vv. 31, 19), declaring to them all the counsel of God (v. 27).

2. Paul had an intimate concern for the believers (2 Cor. 7:2-7; Philem. 7, 12), and he came down to the weak ones level so that he could gain them (2 Cor. 11:28-29; 1 Cor. 9:22; cf. Matt. 12:20). 

3. Paul was willing to spend what he had, referring to his possessions, and to spend what he was, referring to his being, for the sake of the saints (2 Cor. 12:15); he was a drink offering, one with Christ as the wine producer, sacrificing himself for others enjoyment of Christ (Phil. 2:17; Judg. 9:13; Eph. 3:2). 

4. Paul walked by the Spirit to honor God so that he could minister the Spirit to honor man—2 Cor. 3:3, 6, 8; Gal. 5:16, 25; Judg. 9:9.

5. Paul indicated in his teaching that the church is a home to raise up people, a hospital to heal and recover them, and a school to teach and edify them—Eph. 2:19; 1 Thes. 5:14; 1 Cor. 14:31. 

6. Paul revealed that love is the most excellent way for us to be anything and to do anything for the building up of the Body of Christ; love prevails—8:1; 12:31; 13:4-8a; Eph. 1:4; 3:17; 4:2, 15-16; 5:2; 6:24; Rev. 2:4-5; Col. 1:18b; 1 Thes. 1:3.