聖靈的能力 The Spirit's Power
聖靈的能力
The Spirit's Power
So, what are we praying when we pray these three simple words: ‘Come, Holy Spirit.’?
1) Thinking back over the past couple of weeks, we heard - The Spirit inside us is even better than having Jesus beside us.
“Come Holy Spirit” -- ‘Help me realise just how close and attentive you are right now. ’
2) Then last week – Tim/Amelia co-preached about the way the Spirit gives every believer particular
Spiritual Gifts that help us to serve each other.
“Come Holy Spirit” -- Provide us with every gift we need to serve well and show your love to others in diverse ways
Today – I want to talk about the power of the Spirit.
那么，当我们祷告这三个简单的词语：“来吧，圣，灵。”时，我们在祈祷什么呢？
1）回想过去几周，我们听到了 - 內住在我們心裡的圣灵比耶稣在我们身旁还要好。
“请圣灵降临” - “帮助我意识到你此刻是多么近和专注。”
2） 然后上周 - 提姆/艾米丽亚共同传讲了圣灵如何赐予每个信徒特定的属灵恩赐，帮助我们彼此事奉。
“请圣灵降临” - 赐予我们一切所需的恩赐，使我们能够善待他人并以各种方式展示你的爱。
今天 - 我想谈谈圣灵的能力。
The sad reality is that I’ve experienced is that when hear ‘power of the Spirit’ we picture a leader or pastor that is meant to have an anointing of the Spirit while the plebs in the congregation are desperate that some anointing might fall on them too.
We would never talk about it like this – but it’s like some pastors are meant to be Captain Spirit or SuperSpirit hero, the One who makes everything happen. We have this wrong belief that he/she has some anointing while ordinary believers don’t.
If we were living in the times of the OT – I can understand that. After all, the Holy Spirit came on prophets, priests, and kings – leaders for particular tasks and particular times. They were the ones who had an anointing.
令人遗憾的现实是，当我们听到“圣灵的能力”这个词时，我们会想象一位领袖或牧师应该有圣灵的恩膏，而会众中的信徒也渴望这种恩膏也能降临在他们身上。虽然我们从不会这样谈论，但就像有些牧师应该是圣灵队长或超级圣灵英雄一样，那个能够让一切事情发生的人。我们错误地认为他/她拥有某种恩膏，而普通信徒没有。
如果我们生活在旧约时代，我可以理解。毕竟，圣灵降临在先知、祭司和君王身上 - 针对特定任务和特定时刻的领袖们。他们是那些拥有恩膏的人。
But, something happened in the early church on a day called Pentecost that radically changed everything so that the power of the Spirit now resides in every single follower of Jesus.
That means that nobody should ever say I don t have what I need to lead.
但是，在早期教会时代, 一个被称为五旬节的日子里发生的事彻底改变了一切，以至于圣灵的能力现在存在于每一个耶稣的追随者身上。
这意味着没有人应该说“我没有领导所需的一切。”
What happened at Pentecost means that no one needs to have a co-dependent relationship with a pastor or a leader.
• You have the Spirit residing in you – you can hears from God too.
• You too are able to experience breakthrough moments because the power of the Spirit resides in you.
• You are also anointed. As St John says in 1 John 2:20 – speaking to ordinary women, men, and children who are followers of Jesus … “…you have an anointing from the Holy One…”/ 1 John 2:20
五旬节所发生的事意味着没有人需要与牧师或领袖建立一种相互依赖的关系。
· 你内心有圣灵居住 - 你也能听到神的声音。
· 你也能够经历突破性的时刻，因为圣灵的能力存在于你的内心。
· 你也受膏了。正如约翰一书 2:20 所说 - 面对那些普通的跟随耶稣的妇女、男人和孩子们...“你们从那圣者受了恩膏...” / 约翰一书 2:20
Some of us will be familiar with some of the stories in the book of Acts – yet what I increasingly find is that we still have a sort of cognitive dissonance – a gap between what we will see in the Story of Acts and what we are experience in our own lives.
So, we hear these stories and think that they were for a particular time or place or relegated to the realm of pastors who serve as anointed superheros.
我们中的一些人可能对使徒行传中的一些故事比较熟悉 - 但我越来越发现，我们仍然存在一种认知上的不协调 - 在使徒行传的故事中所看到的与我们在自己的生活中经历的之间存在着差距。
因此，我们听到这些故事，并认为它们只适用于特定的时间或地点，或者只属于作为受膏的超级英雄的牧师们的领域。
Today, I want to us to re-look at particular pictures in the book of Acts that are all designed to help us grasp that the power of the Spirit is given to each of us so that we can do what God calls us to do.
So that none of us will ever say I don t have what I need to lead.
Now, some of you are new to church and still exploring what this is whole thing is about so let meunpack a bit here.
今天，我想让我们重新审视使徒行传中的一些特定画面，这些画面都旨在帮助我们领悟到圣灵的
能力赋予了我们每个人，以便我们能够完成上帝呼召我们去做的事情。
这样，我们中没有人会再说“我没有领导所需的一切。”
现在，你们中的一些人是刚来教堂并且仍在探索这一切的含义，所以让我在这里稍作解释
Acts is the name of a book in the NT that comes straight after the gospels, the biographies of Jesus life.
It begins this way, In my first book I told you … about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.’/ Acts 1:1-2
使徒行传是新约中的一本书，直接紧随四福音书，即耶稣生平的传记。
它以这样的方式开始：“提阿非罗啊，我已经作了前书，论到耶稣开头一切所行所教训的， 2 直到他借着圣灵吩咐所拣选的使徒以后，被接上升的日子为止”/ 使徒行传 1:1-2
• Luke is the writer. Luke was not a pastor or one of the original disciples that were with Jesus. He was a medical doctor. He wrote one of the gospels about Jesus’ life.
• This is his second book – the sequel.
• In the first book he wrote about what Jesus began to do and teach – and the insinuation is that ‘this book is about what Jesus continued to do and teach’ by His Spirit in the lives of ordinary believers.
• Since Luke is not a professional Christian – I think he has a particular interest in ensuring that all believers understand what is meant to be normative in their lives now that they can also receive the Spirit.
· 路加是作者。路加不是牧师，也不是与耶稣一起的最初的门徒之一。他是一名医生。他写了关于耶稣生平的四福音书中的其中一本。
· 这是他的第二本书 - 续集。
· 在第一本书中，他写了耶稣开始行事和教导的内容 - 暗示是“这本书是关于耶稣如何在普通信徒的生活中继续以圣灵的力量行事和教导”的。
· 由于路加不是专业的基督徒 - 我认为他特别关心确保所有信徒理解现在他们也能接受圣灵的生活中的常态是什么意思。
After his intro, he talks about the very last recorded words Jesus says to his disciples before he returns to his Father in heaven.
He says this:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” / Acts 1:8
在序言之后，他谈到了耶稣在回到天父之前对门徒说的最后一句话。
他说：“但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得著能力，并要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地和撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证。”/ 使徒行传 1:8
Jesus says this witness about him is going to extend throughout the known world – all the way to the
ends of the earth. This is a big ask of Jesus. Then he leaves this mission in the hands of ordinary people.
Do you know how many believers were gathered?
120! That’s less than 15% of people who will be connecting with us at Gracecity today.
耶稣说这个关于他的见证将扩展到已知世界的各地 - 直到地极。这对耶稣来说是一个巨大的要
求。然后他将这个使命交给了普通人的手中。
你知道当时有多少信徒聚集在一起吗？
120 人！这还不到今天在恩典之城与我们建立联系的人群的 15%。
If you were among that small-ish group -- you might have immediately jumped to the ‘how ’question:
Jesus – you re our founder and God and your leaving this good news of the kingdom in OUR hands?
Do you realise we have zero buildings and skimpy resources”?
Do you realize the huge cultural challenges we're facing right now? The political and religious leaders hated you so much they had you crucified. Clearly, they don't want this message being shared!
如果你是那个小小的群体中的一员，你可能会立刻问起“如何”的问题：
“耶稣 - 你是我们的创始人和上帝，你将这个关于天国的好消息留在我们手中？
“你意识到我们没有建筑物和有限的资源吗？”
“你知道我们现在面临着巨大的文化挑战吗？政治和宗教领袖如此憎恨你，以至于将你钉在十字架上。显然，他们不希望这个信息被传播！
If you were there you would have no doubt, you would have looked at the other 119 people and gone –‘these people, really?!’
• ‘There’s Peter. Sure – he’s got leadership ability but most of the time he’s all talk. A month a half earlier, he even denied knowing Jesus – three times! He’s meant to be a leader!
• ‘There’s Thomas – he doubted that Jesus has risen from the dead. It was only when he saw the actual marks in Jesus’ hands and feet that he believed…’
• ‘James and John – nicknamed ‘sons of thunder’ because they’re hot heads that have a reputation for emotional outbursts.
• Then there is ‘Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot – they never eye to eye about anything.
如果你在那里，你毫无疑问，会看着其他 119 个人，并说：“这些人，真的吗？！”
· “那是彼得。当然，他有领导能力，但大多数时候他只会说而已。一个半月前，他甚至否认认识耶稣 - 三次！他本应是一个领袖！
· “那是多马 - 他怀疑耶稣是否从死里复活。只有当他看到耶稣手脚上的创痕时，他才相信......”
· “雅各和约翰 - 因为他们是性急的脾气火爆之人而被昵称为“雷霆之子”。
· 然后还有“税吏马太和狂热者西蒙 - 他们在任何事情上都无法达成一致。
How is this group of ordinary people going to accomplish what God called them to do?
Have another look at the verse.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” / Acts 1:8
这个普通的群体将如何完成上帝所呼召他们去做的事呢？
再看一下经文。
“但圣灵降临在你们身上，你们就必得著能力，并要在耶路撒冷、犹太全地和撒玛利亚，直到地极，作我的见证。”/ 使徒行传 1:8
That word ‘witnesses ’is like a court word. Jesus says, you are going to witness about me. It’s like you will stand in the dock of public life. There, you will be questioned and challenged. Each day – and each moment of the day you are to simply to point people to the good news of my kingdom. Tell them about who I am and what you have experienced in your life. That’s it.
And notice here that this mission comes with the promise of power to accomplish the mission. And that the source of this power is the Holy Spirit.
那个“见证”这个词就像是法庭上的词。耶稣说，你们将为我作见证。就像你们要站在公众生活的法庭上。在那里，你们会被询问和被挑战。每一天 - 每一刻，你们只需要简单地告诉人们我的天国的福音。告诉他们我是谁以及你们在生活中经历过的事情。就是这样。
而且请注意，这个使命是伴随着完成使命的承诺的能力而来的。而这股能力的源头就是圣灵。
When I think of power, I think of a picture like this – the Devel Sixteen with its quad 12.3 litre v 16 enghine that will make over 5000 horse power.
Just as a comparison, the first car I owned was a 1974 Honda Civic which had 63 horse power! This has 5000 horse power.
When the disciples thought of power, they didn’t think of the Devel Sixteen. I think this is the picture
they would have had. It’s a picture of thunder and lighting on Mt Sinai.
当我想到力量时，我想到的是这样的画面 - Devel Sixteen 迪拜的一款超跑车，配备有四台 12.3 升
V16 发动机，能产生超过 5000 马力。
作为对比，我拥有的第一辆车是一辆 1974 年的本田思域，只有 63 马力！而这辆车有 5000 马力。
当门徒们想到力量时，他们并不会想到 Devel Sixteen。我认为这是他们会有的画面。这是一幅在
西奈山上雷电交加的画面。
It was a time when Moses received the 10 commandments. He had gone up on the Mt Sinai and there
was a huge spectacle – a massive storm, thunder, and lightning. When Moses came down from that
mountain, he was changed. From that time on, they would have remembered the way God guided
Moses and his people with a pillar of fire that symbolized God’s presence with his people.
The interesting thing about that connection with power is that the Jewish people would recall that story
on a particular day each year. It was a day called Pentecost.
那是一个摩西接受十诫的时刻。他上了西奈山，发生了一场巨大的景象 - 一场剧烈的风暴，雷鸣和闪电。当摩西从山上下来时，他已经改变了。从那时起，他们会记得上帝如何以火柱的形象引导摩西和他的百姓，象征着上帝与他的百姓同在。
与力量的这种联系有趣的是，犹太人每年的特定日子都会回想起那个故事。那一天被称为五旬节。
Early in the morning, each of the 120 that had heard these last words of Jesus before he ascended – would have taken time to retell the story of Moses on Mt Sinai in their devotions/prayer time.
As part of that, they would have remembered God’s presence descended on Moses in an incredible way.
How this ONE man experienced the wind and smoke and fire of God. Then, the people of God were being led around the desert by a pillar of fire, the symbol of God’s presence. They could see it, but it was out there.
清晨，那 120 个在耶稣升天之前听到这些话的人中的每一个人都会在他们的默想/祈祷时间中重新讲述摩西在西奈山上的故事。
作为其中的一部分，他们会记得上帝的同在以一种难以置信的方式降临在摩西身上。这个人经历了上帝的风、烟和火。然后，上帝的百姓在沙漠中被火柱所引领，这是上帝同在的象征。他们可以看到它，但它却在远处。
At this point, they are waiting for the Spirit of God to come on them. Along with his last words, Jesus had told them to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit of God came on them.
It is hard to wait. But they did.
During these ten days, I’m sure multiple times one of them, perhaps Peter, looked at Mary, Jesus ’mum,and said, “Do you think we missed it? Do you think it happened already?” They waited in this house for this Holy Spirit to come.
此刻，他们正在等待上帝的圣灵降临在他们身上。除了他的最后话语，耶稣告诉他们要在耶路撒
冷等候上帝的圣灵降临在他们身上。
等待是困难的。但他们做到了。
在这十天里，我相信其中的一人，也许是彼得，多次看着耶稣的母亲玛丽说：“你认为我们错过了吗？你认为它已经发生了吗？”他们在这所房子里等待着这位圣灵的降临。
Then, God in his special way arranged it to happen on a day when they would be recalling the way the power of God came on Moses at Mt Sinai.
At some time on this day of Pentecost, what they were waiting for came, and that event changed everything.
Suddenly, all at once, the Spirit came in a way that no one could miss. This was big, and there was no mistaking it. God was doing something completely unexpected, and he did so in a spectacular way. No one there that day could doubt that. Because none of them would ever be the same.
然后，上帝以他特殊的方式安排这一切发生在他们回忆上帝的力量降临在西奈山上的那一天。
在五旬节的某个时刻，他们所期待的事情发生了，而这个事件改变了一切。
突然间，圣灵以一种无法忽视的方式降临。这是一件大事，没有人会弄错。上帝正在做一些完全出乎意料的事情，而且以一种壮观的方式进行。那天在场的任何人都不会怀疑。因为他们中没有人会再是原来的那个人。
This is what we read:
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a
sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were
sitting. / Acts 2:1-2
There is a sound like a hurricane. But, it was different – it was on the inside.
我们在圣经中读到：
五旬节到了，门徒都聚集在一处。 2 忽然，从天上有响声下来，好像一阵大风吹过，充满了他们
所坐的屋子；/ 使徒行传 2:1-2
这里有一种像飓风般的声音。但是，它是不同的 - 它是内在的声音。
Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. / Acts 2:3
“ Tongues of fire” didn’t mean that they looked like a tongue but that that separated and were leaping
out everywhere around the room. They were bouncing around the room but eventually came to rest on each one of them…all 120.
Remember, on this day, they had reflected on the story Moses and Mt Sinai. That was a display of power. It was on One Man.
又有舌头如火焰显现出来，分开落在他们各人头上。/ 使徒行传 2:3
“火舌”并不意味着它们看起来像舌头，而是分散开并在房间里四处跳跃。它们在房间里弹来弹去，最后停在每个人身上...全部 120 个人。
记住，在这一天，他们回想起了摩西和西奈山的故事。那是一次展示上帝的大能。那只发生在一个人身上。
It was like a light bulb moment for them. They realize that what was happening to them is at least as big and as powerful and as significant as Moses getting the 10 commandments and being changed by God’s presence. In fact, as it will turn out, it had even bigger implications.
While there are some similarities between the story of Moses and Pentecost, there is also a big difference.
In Moses story, he was the only one who encountered God in this way. Just One Man with the Spirit.
Moses himself wished others could also experience the Spirit. He said, “I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”/ Numbers 11:29
对他们来说，这就像是灯泡亮起的时刻。他们意识到，发生在他们身上的事情至少和摩西得到十
诫并因上帝同在而改变的事情一样重大、有力、重要。事实上，事情的影响甚至更大。
虽然摩西的故事和五旬节之间有一些相似之处，但也存在着一个重大的区别。
在摩西的故事中，只有他一个人以这种方式遇见上帝。只有一个人拥有圣灵。
摩西自己希望其他人也能体验到圣灵。他说：“唯愿耶和华的百姓都受感说话，愿耶和华把他的灵降在他们身上！”/ 民数记 11:29
And this is exactly what was occurring at Pentecost!
Every single believer of these 120 received the Holy Spirit.
Peter realises this is exactly what God had promised decades earlier by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will
prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will
pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy./ Acts 2:17-18
这正是五旬节所发生的事情！
这 120 个信徒中的每一个人都接受了圣灵。
彼得意识到，这正是多年前先知约珥所预言的上帝的应许：
“神说：在末后的日子，我要将我的灵浇灌凡有血气的，你们的儿女要说预言，你们的少年人要
见异象，老年人要做异梦。 18 在那些日子，我要将我的灵浇灌我的仆人和使女，他们就要说预
言。/ 使徒行传 2:17-18
Notice that this includes women and men, sons and daughters, all ages, people from all social backgrounds…
Ordinary people of all ages receiving the Holy Spirit!
The first idea I want you grasp is the way The Spirit fills ordinary women, men, and children
请注意，这包括了女性和男性，儿子和女儿，各个年龄段的人，来自各种社会背景的人...
各个年龄段的普通人都接受了圣灵！
我想让你理解的第一点是圣灵如何充满普通的女人、男人和孩子。
#2 harvest
There is another picture that comes through here on the day of Pentecost. It’s a picture of harvest.
Pentecost was also part of a festival of firstfruits.
As the name suggests, people brought the first of their crops. They would bring their apples and beans
and grain as a way of thanking God and trusting him for the bigger crop that they hoped would come.
Jewish people would come to Jerusalem from all over the world for this festival.
#2 收割
五旬节这一天还呈现出另一个画面，那就是收割的画面。
五旬节也是初熟节的一部分。
顾名思义，人们带来他们的第一批庄稼。他们会带来苹果、豆子和谷物，以此感谢上帝并信靠
他，希望更大的庄稼丰收会到来。
犹太人会从世界各地来到耶路撒冷参加这个节日。
God in his splendid timing had the disciples wait in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit on this day so that many people from all over the known world would be witnesses to what happened on this day – and hear the good news in their own language.
And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. / Acts 2:4
When the Holy Spirit filled them, he enabled these uneducated people to speak in other languages that they did not know or learn.
上帝在他辉煌的时间安排中让门徒们在耶路撒冷等候，在这一天领受圣灵，这样来自已知世界各地的许多人都会成为这一天所发生事情的见证人，并用自己的语言听到这个好消息。
他们就都被圣灵充满，按着圣灵所赐的口才说起别国的话来/ 使徒行传 2:4
当圣灵充满他们时，他使这些没有受过教育的人能够说出他们不懂或没有学过的其他语言。
Why? Verse 5 begins to tell us:
At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers./ Acts 2:5
Remember, because of the feast of Pentecost, people were there from all over the world. When they heard the disruptions taking place, they ran to see what was going on. Here were these believers speaking in different languages.
为什么？经文 5 开始告诉我们：
那时，有虔诚的犹太人从天下各国来，住在耶路撒冷。 6 这声音一响，众人都来聚集，各人听见门徒用众人的乡谈说话，就甚纳闷，。/ 使徒行传 2:5
记住，由于五旬节的节期，来自世界各地的人都在那里。当他们听到这些骚动的声音时，他们跑来看发生了什么。这些信徒正在用不同的语言说话。
They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!/ Acts 2:6-7
Some background here - Galilee was not known as an intellectual hot spot. Let’s just say that Galileans weren’t known to be the kind of people fluent in world languages. No wonder they ask: how can this be?
To press home the point, we have a long list of places and languages mentioned:
So, let’s throw the names of all these places and languages on a map.
他们感到非常惊讶。“都惊讶稀奇说：
“看哪，这说话的不都是加利利人吗？ 8 我们各人怎么听见他们说我们生来所用的乡谈呢？”/ 使徒行传 2:6-7
这里有一些背景知识 - 加利利并不被视为知识渊博的热点地区。我们可以说，加利利人并不擅长
流利地掌握世界语言。难怪他们会问：这是怎么回事？
为了强调这一点，我们列举了许多地方和语言：
所以，让我们在地图上标出所有这些地方和语言。
Do you begin to see that the mission Jesus gave “ –to be my witnesses in Jerusalem and the outer most parts of the world” -- .that’s beginning to happen right here.
The Spirit is empowering these ordinary believers to communicate the good news to people gathered from all over the world! These people are hearing and receiving God’s Word in their own language – which makes it incredibly personal.
你是否开始看到耶稣所赋予的使命 - “要在耶路撒冷和全地的外邦作我的见证” - 正在此处开始发生。
圣灵赋予这些普通信徒能力，向来自世界各地的人传达福音！这些人用自己的语言听到并接受上帝的话语，这使得它非常个人化。
If first idea was the way The Spirit fills ordinary women, men, and children
The second idea I want you to see is that The Spirit empowers to witness
So often we get distracted by an experience of the Spirit and not the harvest.
So, we might talk about the power of the state-of-the-art Combine Harvester.
如果第一点是圣灵如何充满普通的女人、男人和孩子
我希望你看到的第二点是圣灵赋予见证的能力。
我们经常被经历圣灵分散注意力，而忽视了收割。
因此，我们可能会谈论先进的联合收割机的能力。
“ Look at how impressive it is! What a great machine! Let’s study it. Let’s feel the vibrations. How much horse power does it have?”
But, anyone that has a combine harvester is primarily focused on what? The harvest!
God is still wanting to fill people with his Spirit– not because he wants them to have a misplaced fascination on the Power of the Spirit but to be focused witnesses of Jesus.
“看看它多么令人印象深刻！多么伟大的机器！让我们研究它。让我们感受振动。它有多少马力？”
但是，任何拥有联合收割机的人主要关注的是什么？收割！
上帝仍然希望将他的灵充满人们- 不是因为他希望他们对圣灵的能力产生错误的着迷，而是希望他们专注于耶稣的见证。
Its ’not about fascination of the Spirit’s power but on the focus of mission.
这不是对圣灵能力的着迷，而是对使命的专注。
Guess what happened on this first day of Pentecost?
These empowered believers spoke about Jesus: how Jesus came, died for us, and was raised from the dead and that His kingdom is able to renew all things. He invited them – as Jesus invites you and me - to be part of His family.
猜猜在五旬节的第一天发生了什么？
这些被赋予能力的信徒谈论耶稣：耶稣如何降临，为我们而死，并从死里复活，他的国能够更新万物。他邀请他们 - 就像耶稣邀请你和我一样 - 成为他家庭的一部分。
We read that some welcomed the news. Others criticised it. But, look at the response on this first day of
the church:
Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Acts 2:41
Wow – 120 people to 3000 people in one day.
Just as a side note, people often criticise churches that are large. The first day of the church was large.
Luke – the writer – wants us to know that lots of people responded to the message and the church was birthed.
我们读到，一些人欢迎这个消息。其他人批评它。但是，看看教会的第一天的反应：
于是，领受他话的人就受了洗，那一天，门徒约添了三千人；使徒行传 2:41
哇 - 一天从 120 人增加到 3000 人。
顺便提一下，人们经常批评规模庞大的教会。教会的第一天就是很庞大的。路加 - 作者 - 希望我们
知道很多人对这个信息做出了回应，并且教会应运而生。
Why did it happen?
It happened because these ordinary believers received the power of the Spirit to Witness.
Notice that they didn’t make it happen. Rather, God was already at work.
Notice that it wasn’t their skill. It was the Spirit’s enabling of ordinary people.
为什么会发生这种情况？
这是因为这些普通的信徒接受了圣灵的大能来见证。
请注意，他们并没有使这一切发生。相反，上帝已经在做工。
请注意，这不是因为他们的技能。而是圣灵使普通人有能力。
All the disciples did was be obedient to witness – to open their mouths and talk about what they had
seen and experienced about Jesus.
So, we’ve seen
• A picture of power: The Spirit empowers ordinary women, men, and children
• A picture of harvest: The Spirit empowers to witness
门徒们所做的只是顺从地见证 - 张开嘴巴，谈论他们所见和经历过的有关耶稣的事情。
所以，我们已经看到了
· 力量的图片：圣灵赋予普通的女人，男人和孩子能力
· 收割的图片：圣灵赋予见证的能力
We move to a picture of boldness.
The Spirit infuses boldness
The disciples talk about Jesus and they heal a man who a man lame from birth. It’s an incredible story.
The religious leaders of the time get annoyed with what begins to happen in this new church community.
They summon Peter and John.
Remember, some of these religious leaders would have been the very ones arranged Jesus ’crucifixion
less than two months earlier. They brought in Peter and John and demanded,
“By what power, or inwhose name, have you done this?”/ Acts 4:7
我们来看看胆量的图片。
圣灵注入胆量
门徒们讲述耶稣的故事，并医治了一个生来瘸腿的人。这是一个令人难以置信的故事。
当时的宗教领袖对这个新教会社区中开始发生的事情感到恼火。他们召唤彼得和约翰。
请记住，其中一些宗教领袖可能就是不到两个月前安排耶稣受难的人。他们带来了彼得和约翰，
并询问：“你们用什么能力，奉谁的名做这事呢？”/ 使徒行传 4:7
There is no denying the power that is behind what they are doing. They want to know where it comes from!
We read that Peter, being filled with the Spirit, boldly tells them about Jesus!
What do these leaders do?
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary unschooled men …/ Acts 4:13
他们所做的事背后的力量无可否认。他们想知道这力量的来源！
我们读到，彼得被圣灵充满，大胆地向他们讲述了耶稣！
这些领袖们做了什么？
圣经说：“他们见彼得、约翰的胆量，又看出他们原是没有学问的小民，就稀奇，认明他们是跟过耶稣的。”/ 使徒行传 4:13
The Greek term for unschooled is literally grammatos idiotai. We get the idea of what these religious scholars think of their educational background. The English is kind here.
The religious leaders want to silence them. So, they threaten them.
That must have been unnerving – especially knowing that these leaders had the power to have Jesus crucified.
希腊文中“没有学问”的词字面上是“grammatos idiotai”（白痴）。我们可以了解到这些宗教学者对他们的教育背景持何种看法。这里的英文表达很客气。
这些宗教领袖想要让他们保持沉默。因此，他们威胁他们。
这一定令人不安 - 尤其是知道这些领袖有权力将耶稣钉在十字架上。
So, Peter and John call a prayer meeting. They bring the threats to God in prayer and ask that they would have further boldness. Guess what?
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness./ Acts 4:31
It’s easy for us to think of Peter and John as people different from us.
The point of the story is that they were ordinary people - idiotai - that were given boldness by the Spirit.
The idea is that we too are able to be witnesses.
于是，彼得和约翰召开了一个祷告会。他们将威胁带到祷告中，请求他们能够拥有更大的胆量。
你猜怎么着？
祷告完了，聚会的地方震动，他们就都被圣灵充满，放胆讲论神的道。/ 使徒行传 4:31
我们很容易把彼得和约翰看作与我们不同的人。
故事的重点是，他们是普通人 - idiotai - 但他们被圣灵赋予了胆量。
这个故事想告诉我们，我们也有能力成为见证人。
As soon as I say this, 99% of us here start to sweat.
‘I can’t. ’The e-word of evangelism causes more fear in us than walking a plank of shark infested waters.
Just hearing the word, we clam up.
One of the barriers that can hold us back is that we worry about what people think of us.
一说到这个，我们这里 99%的人开始出汗了。
“我不行。”福音传播的“词”在我们身上引发的恐惧比在鲨鱼出没的水域上行走还要大。只是听到这个词，我们就闭口不谈。
阻碍我们的其中一个因素是我们担心别人对我们的看法。
This is some research that you can find only via faithandbeliefstudynz.
So, 91% people in NZ know at least one Christian. This is what they think of that person:
What I want you to notice is that most of those words are positive.1/5 are negative. Hopefully, those words aren’t true of us. (have slide hone in onpart to the right)
Another barrier is that we think nobody wants to talk about this.
这是一些只能通过 faithandbeliefstudynz 网站获得的研究数据。
所以，91%的新西兰人至少认识一位基督徒。这是他们对那些人的看法：
我希望你注意到大多数的评价都是积极的，只有 1/5 是负面的。希望这些词不是我们的真实写照。（
另一个障碍是我们认为没人愿意谈论这个。
While 75% are unlikely, 25% are open. That’s ¼.
I believe God is already at work in some people where you work or live.
I believe God has placed you right were you work and live because he wants you to be a witness.
Perhaps the next picture helps you to see how God is actually already at work in some people. In other words,
you don’t have to make all this happen.
虽然有 75%的人不太可能，但还有 25%的态度是开放的。那是四分之一。
我相信上帝已经在你工作或居住的地方的一些人中开始做工。
我相信上帝将你安置在你工作和居住的地方，因为他希望你成为一个见证人。
也许下一张图可以帮助你看到上帝在一些人中已经在做工。换句话说，你不必让这一切发生。
picture #4: marginalised
图片＃4：边缘化
We read: As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” / Acts 8:26
This is strange. Don't ask me whether the angel spoke out loud, or through an idea, or through a
prompting. I have no idea.
But, Philip goes.
27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the
Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. / Acts 8:27
我们读到：有主的一个使者对腓利说：“起来，向南走，往那从耶路撒冷下加沙的路上去！”那
路是旷野。”/ 使徒行传 8:26
这很奇怪。不要问我天使是大声说话，还是通过思想或提示说话。我不知道。
但是，腓利去了。
腓利就起身去了。不料，有一个埃塞俄比亚[a]人，是个有大权的太监，在埃塞俄比亚女王干大基
的手下总管银库。/ 使徒行传 8:27
The guy in our story is quite different to the picture here. He is a man of high standing. His ethnic identity
is from Ethiopia – which is like saying ‘the ends of the earth.’
And he’s a Eunuch. It’s a horrible back story but at this time, such male leaders serving the queen would
be castrated to ensure the queen’s safety.
That made someone like him marginalised from the rest of the community. Rejected.
What I want you to see here in the story is that God is at work with him.
我们故事中的人与这里的描绘相当不同。他是一个地位高的人。他的族裔身份来自埃塞俄比亚，
就像是说“世界的尽头”一样。
而且他是个太监。这是一个可怕的背景故事，但在那个时候，这样的男性领袖为了女王的安全会
被阉割。
这使得像他这样的人被社区排斥，边缘化了。
我希望你在这个故事中看到上帝正在与他一同做工。
The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was now returning. / Acts 8:27-28
He is seeking. But, when he got to Jerusalem he would have been turned around because Eunuchs were
not allowed in the temple. I imagine he is crushed. He’s excluded.
He’s returning home in his chariot and he is reading the bible book of Isaiah.
太监上耶路撒冷礼拜去了， 2 现在回来，/ 使徒行传 8:27-28
他在寻求。但是，当他到达耶路撒冷时，他会被拒之门外，因为太监是不被允许进入圣殿的。我
想象他是心碎的。他被排斥在外。
他坐在马车上，正在读以赛亚先知的书
He stumbles upon a passage about another who was marginalised, rejected. He doesn’t know what it is
about. We read:
Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. The Holy Spirit said to
Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”/ Acts 8:28-29
他偶然看到一段关于另一个被边缘化、被拒绝的人的经文。我们读到：
他在车上坐着，念先知以赛亚的书。 29 圣灵对腓利说：“你去，贴近那车走！”使徒行传 8:28-
29
What I want you to see here is that …
The Spirit prompts mission to the marginalised.
God is the one making all this happen. He does so by promoting Philip – an ordinary believer – to be a
witness to this marginalized Eunuch.
Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand
what you are reading?”
The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “… He was humiliated and received no justice…”
/ Acts 8:28-33
Though written 700 or so years before Jesus, this story is about the way Jesus would be humiliated and
shamed and maligned.
This opens a door for Philip to tell him the good news about Jesus.
我希望你在这里看到的是...
圣灵促使我们向边缘化的人传福音。
上帝是使这一切发生的人。他通过推动腓利——一个普通的信徒——成为这位被边缘化的太监的见
证人。
腓利就跑到太监那里，听见他念先知以赛亚的书，便问他说：“你所念的你明白吗？”
他所念的那段经说：“......他卑微的时候，人不按公义审判他......”/ 使徒行传 8:28-33
尽管这个故事是在耶稣出生前约 700 年写的，它是关于耶稣将如何受到羞辱、被藐视和诽谤的。
这为腓利向他传讲有关耶稣的好消息打开了一扇门。
What I want you to see is that God is already at work here:
• God is the one prompting Philip to go.
• God is the one sparking interest in the Eunuch.
• God brings them together at a vulnerable moment.
• Philip is simply obedient to be a witness.
我希望你能看到上帝已经在这里做工：
· 上帝是促使腓利前去的那一位。
· 上帝是激发太监兴趣的那一位。
· 上帝将他们在一个脆弱的时刻汇聚在一起。
· 腓利只是顺从地作为见证人而行动。
The Eunuch comes to faith. He gets baptized. History tells us that it is this man takes the gospel all the
way to Ethiopia. Not only is he saved but he is empowered by that same mission to expand the gospel to
the ends of the earth.
I believe the Spirit is working in the lives of people with whom you work and interact with.
When you pray ‘come Holy Spirit ’you are praying that He will guide and lead you to be witnesses for him
where you are work, live, and play.
太监信了主。他受洗了。历史告诉我们，正是这个人将福音传到了埃塞俄比亚。他不仅得救了，
还因同样的使命而被授权将福音传遍世界各地。
我相信圣灵正在你所工作和交往的人的生活中运行。
当你祷告“请圣灵降临”时，你正在祈求祂引导并带领你在工作、生活和娱乐的地方成为祂的见证
人。
Final picture: Ethnicities
The rest of the story of Acts is full of situation after situation where the Spirit of God prompted people to
share the good news with new people groups.
The Spirit prompts mission to new people and places
Peter has a dream to share with Cornelius, a non-Jewish army officer.
Paul has a vision to be a witness in Macedonia – a whole new place.
As people pray, they sense the Spirit saying to send leaders out into new places, to new people groups.
最后一张图片：种族
使徒行传的其余部分充满了一个接一个的情景，上帝的灵促使人们与新的族群分享福音。
圣灵促使我们向新的人和地方传福音。
彼得梦见与哥尼流分享，哥尼流是一个非犹太的军官。
保罗有一个愿景，在马其顿成为见证人——一个全新的地方。
当人们祷告时，他们感受到圣灵的指引，让领袖们去新的地方，面对新的族群。
FRAME
So, what does it look like for you to put yourself into the picture?
These stories are not simply history.
They are meant to inspire us as ordinary people to step into an adventure where we are filled by the
Spirit to witness to Jesus.
画框
那么，对你来说，如何将自己融入这些图片呢？
这些故事不仅仅是历史。
它们的目的是激励我们这些普通人踏上一段冒险之旅，在这个旅程中，我们被圣灵充满，为耶稣
作见证。
We’re meant to see:
God is already at work. We don t have to make something happen. But, we join in on the adventure.
• He orchestrated the timing of Pentecost where a great harvest was available.
• He prompted people with ideas and need.
• He was at work behind the scenes in the lives of people in need – an Ethipian Eunuch, a Gentile
army officer, a Macedonian man.
• He will be at work in people around you.
我们应该看到：
上帝已经在做工。我们无需刻意制造什么。但是，我们可以加入这段冒险之旅。
· 他安排五旬节的时机，使得一个伟大的丰收可得。
· 他给人灵感和需求。
· 他在有需要的人的生活中，在幕后工作——埃塞俄比亚太监、外邦军官、马其顿人。
· 他会在你周围的人身上做工。
The Spirit empowers us to be his witnesses.
Not one of us can ever say: ‘I don’t have what I need to lead.’
When you pray ‘come holy Spirit – ’you open up your life to an adventure. To go to new places, new
peoples, new experience – all designed for people to come to know Jesus.
圣灵使我们有能力成为祂的见证人。
我们每个人都永远不能说：“我没有领导所需的东西。”
当你祷告“请圣灵降临”时，你打开了你的生命，迎接一段冒险。去新的地方，遇见新的人，体验
新的经历——这一切都是为了让人们认识耶稣而设计的
So, what does it look like to put yourself in the frame?
• I have a friend who has a 16 year old daughter in Australia who did this. And guess what? She
begun a house church. Why? Because the Spirit of God has initiated something in her life and she
wants her friends to know. She didn’t have to wait till she is 26 to begin this. Because we believe
the Spirit comes on ordinary women, men, teenagers, and children.
• ‘I’m not even a follower of Jesus. Today – you’re taking a step to say ‘Jesus, I’m in. I’m going to
tell others about the good news available to them too.’
• As you pray ‘come Holy Spirit’ this week – ask him to prompt you around need and people.
那么，将自己融入这个画框是什么样子呢？
· 我有一个朋友，在澳大利亚有一个 16 岁的女儿，她就这样做了。你猜怎么着？她成立了一个
家庭教会。为什么？因为上帝的灵在她的生命中发起了一些事情，她希望她的朋友们也知道。她
不必等到 26 岁才开始。因为我们相信圣灵降临在普通的女人、男人、青少年和儿童身上。
· “我甚至还不是耶稣的追随者。今天，你正在迈出一步，说‘耶稣，我来了。我要告诉别人也有
这个可得的好消息。’”
· 当你这周祷告“请圣灵降临”时，请祂在需要和人际关系方面激励你。
After all, we have the power of the Spirit.
The Spirit empowers all of us to be his witnesses.
毕竟，我们拥有圣灵的能力。
圣灵赋予我们所有人成为祂的见证人的能力。
PRAYER
The band is going to lead us in a new song today:
You gave us a mission, to share what You've done If we keep it to ourselves Then something is wrong
Who are we reaching, who are we for? Open the floodgates Send down Your heavenly rain Pour out Your
Spirit Come and move in ways we can't explain.”
As we sing, we’re praying ‘Come Holy Spirit. Use me to witness for you.’
祈祷
乐队今天会带领我们唱一首新歌：
“你给了我们使命，分享你所作的事
如果我们把它留给自己
那就有些不对了
我们要触及谁，我们要为谁而存在
打开闸门
降下你天上的雨水
倾倒你的灵
来以我们无法解释的方式运动。
当我们唱着时，我们在祈祷
“请圣灵降临
使用我为你作见证”
