第一週•週一

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晨興餧養

約三3 『…我實實在在的告訴你，人若不重生，就不能見神的國。』

  十一25『耶穌對她說，我是復活，我是生命；信入我的人，雖然死了，也必復活。』

人作爲受造者並無神的生命，也無分於神的國。尼哥底母雖是上流人，是好人，但他沒有神的生命，因此不明白神的事，也無分於神的國。國是個範圍，也是個生命的領域(界)。範圍是權柄的事，界是生命的事。要明白某界裏的事，就必須有某種的生命；照樣，要服某範圍內的權柄，也必須有某種的生命。

國也是個界：人的國是人的界，神的國是神的界。界是生命的事；你有那種生命，就能有分於那種界，反之亦然。你有分於人界，因爲你有人的生命；你有分於神界，就必然有神的生命。(李常受文集一九五五年第二册，四六一至四六二頁。)

信息選讀

在馬可四章二十六至二十九節，主用一個比喩，來說明神的國。祂說神的國如同人把種子撒在地裏，種子就漸漸生長，直到成熟，然後收割。從撒種的時候到收割的時候，就是國度生長的過程。收割乃是國度完全的實現。我們從這個比喻就能領會，現今我們是在生長的過程中。假定我有一顆小小的康乃馨種子，撒在地裏。一段時間過後，就會發出嫩芽。然後嫩芽漸漸生長，直到終極的完成，就是康乃馨國度的實現。想想幾棵康乃馨在不同的生長階段：一株是嫩芽，另一株有長的榦，再一株有了花苞，最後一株的花苞已經開花。就是康乃馨國度完全的實現，從撒種在地裏，繼續直到完全開花，就是康乃馨生命終極的實現。

主耶穌告訴我們要禱告說，『願你的可來臨。』(太六10。)但國度不會按照許多基督徒所以爲的方式來臨。就一面的意義說，國度已經來臨：然而就另一面意義說，國度正在來臨。再用我們的例子，就一面說，康乃馨的國度已經在種子的形狀裏來臨。有一天，當康乃馨完全開花時，那就是康乃馨國度完全的來臨。照樣，基督的國度已經來臨了，從祂將自己撒在人性的土裏時，基督的國就來臨了。生長的過程要繼績直到完全收割的時候，那時基督的國就要完全實現。

國度是甚麼？國度就是基督撒進我們裏面，在我們裏面生長，在我們裏面成熟，而達到收割的時候。國度不是僅僅一個時代或一個範圍，國度乃是基督在祂一切行動裏作我們生命的總和。

動物的國度乃是所有動物的生命，連同其一切活動的總和。烏在飛翔，猴子爬樹，烏龜游水。…照樣，基督的國度乃是基督作我們的生命，連同祂一切活動的總和。我們都有基督在我們裏面作生命，我們也在基督裏有許多活動。這就是基督的國度。最近我觀看、觀察、並享受眾肢體在聚會中許多的活動；你也許說那是召會的聚會，我同意，但那也是基督的國度，連同祂的生命和活動。(李常受文集一九七二年第二册，三一至三二頁。)

參讀：國度，第六章。

WEEK 1 — DAY 1

Morning Nourishment

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John 3:3 …Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes into Me, even if he should die, shall live.

As a creature, man does not have the life of God and cannot participate in the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was an upper-class, good person, but he did not have God’s life. Hence, he did not understand the things of God, and he could not participate in the kingdom of God. A kingdom is a sphere as well as a realm of life. 

A sphere is a matter of authority, and a realm is a matter of life. In order to understand the things in a certain realm, one must have a certain kind of life. Likewise, in order to submit to the authority in a certain sphere, one must have a certain kind of life. A kingdom is a realm. The kingdom of man is the realm of man, and the kingdom of God is the realm of God. A realm is a matter of life. If one has a certain kind of life, he can participate in a certain kind of realm, and vice versa. We can participate in the human realm because we have the human life. Those who participate in God’s realm must have God’s life. (CWWL, 1955, vol. 2, pp. 355-356)

Today’s Reading

In Mark 4:26-29 the Lord used a parable to illustrate the kingdom of God. He said that the kingdom is like a seed sown into the earth, which grows until it is mature, and then is harvested. From the time of the sowing of the seed to the time of harvest is the growth process of the kingdom. The harvest is the full manifestation of the kingdom. By means of this parable we can realize that we are now in the growth process. Suppose I have a tiny carnation seed, which is sown into the earth. After some time, a tender sprout will appear. Then the tender sprout will grow until it reaches the ultimate consummation, the manifestation of the carnation kingdom. Consider some carnation plants in various stages of growth. One is a tender sprout. Another is a plant with a long stem, and another is a plant with buds. Finally, there is a plant in which the buds have become blossoms. This is the full manifestation of the carnation kingdom, starting from the sowing of the seed into the earth and progressing to the full bloom, the ultimate manifestation of the carnation life.

The Lord Jesus told us to pray, “Your kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10). But the kingdom will not come in the way many Christians think. In a sense, the kingdom has come already. In another sense, however, the kingdom is coming. To pick up our illustration once more, in a sense, the carnation kingdom has come already in its seed form. One day, when the carnation reaches full bloom, that will be the full coming of the carnation kingdom. Similarly, the Christ kingdom has come already. From the day He sowed Himself into the human earth, the Christ kingdom began to come. The growth process will continue until the time of the full harvest, at which time there will be the full manifestation of the Christ kingdom.

What is the kingdom? The kingdom is simply Christ sown into us, growing in us, maturing in us, and reaching the time of harvest. The kingdom is not merely a dispensation or a sphere. It is the totality of Christ being life to us in all His activities.

The animal kingdom is the totality of all animal life with all its activities. Birds are flying, monkeys are climbing, and turtles are swimming in the water…Likewise, the kingdom of Christ is the totality of Christ being life to us with all His activities. We all have Christ within us as life, and we have many activities in Christ. This is the kingdom of Christ. Recently, I was watching, observing, and enjoying so many activities of the members in the meeting. You may say that was a church meeting. I agree, but that was also the kingdom of Christ with His life and activities. (CWWL, 1972, vol. 2, “The Kingdom,” pp. 25-26)

Further Reading: CWWL, 1972, vol. 2, “The Kingdom,” ch. 6