10/15/2013僕人的來臨

經文:馬可福音1－3章

中心思想:馬可福音1：1-2：17

提要

        馬可福音開始的時候，既無家譜，也無出生的敘述，更沒有序言，而是開門見山，直述信息中心。馬可先說到施洗約翰的服事，這位先鋒為耶穌如僕人般的傳道事業開路。整卷書中馬可強調的是基督的工作，而不是言談，所以稱祂為僕人並不為過，許多神蹟，諸如醫病、趕鬼等都發生在五個門徒接受個人呼召之前──安德烈、彼得、雅各、約翰和馬太──也在祂揀選其他七個門徒之先。

每日與主同行

        許多世紀以來，藝術家試著在紙上畫布上捕捉當年耶穌在地上行走傳道的風采神韻，那一位藝術家的傑作是你喜歡的？為什麼？你能不能想到一節經文，能暗示你耶穌基督是長什麼樣子？
        今天的經文似乎指出，耶穌是一位精神體力極充沛的人，才能那麼積極忙碌的服事上帝，然而祂也和你一樣受到人類的一切限制：飢餓（太4：2）、口渴（約19：28）、疲乏（約4：6），那麼祂怎樣保持活潑的步調呢？祂「成功事奉的秘訣」是什麼？
        首先，祂得到聖靈的激勵 （可1：10，12）──今天，聖靈也能使身為上帝孩子的你充滿了活力（林前6：19，20；徒1：8），第二，祂靠著禱告日益興盛（可1：35），祂深知服事主愈忙碌，就愈需要禱告；瞄一眼你今天的行事曆，忙得沒時間禱告嗎？那麼你的忙碌可真是超過了上帝期許的程度了。就從今天起吧！每一天都用膝蓋來服事主！

默想

緊急的詞彙
        馬可福音又稱「行動福音」，因為他一貫使用的詞彙就是立刻。在今天你研讀的這三章中，馬可用了「立刻」、「就」的字高達十五次，你能把這些字詞全找出嗎？

金言

想不禱告就完成上帝的工作，猶如以玩具槍發射太空探測器一樣。

The Coming of the Servant

Scriptures:Mark 1-3

Heart of the Passage:Mark 1:1-2:17

Overview

        Mark begins his gospel without genealogy, birth narrative, or prologue. Plunging straight to the heart of his message, he begins with the ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner who would prepare the way for Jesus' ministry of servanthood. Mark's emphasis throughout his gospel is on Christ's works rather than His words, as befitting a Servant. Numerous miracles of healing and exorcism precede the personal calls of five disciples—Andrew, Peter, James, John, and Matthew—and His choosing of the seven other disciples.

Your Daily Walk

        Artists down through the centuries have tried to capture on paper or canvas what Jesus Christ might have looked like when He walked the face of the earth. Do you have a favorite artist's representation? Why do you like that one? Can you think of a Scripture verse that might give you a hint as to what Jesus Christ looked like?
        If today's reading from Mark's gospel is any indication, Jesus was a man of incredible strength and stamina. He maintained an active schedule of service for God. And yet He was subject to all the human limitations: hunger (Matthew 4:2), thirst (John 19:28), fatigue (John 4:6). How was He able to maintain such an active pace? What was His "secret for successful service"?
        First, He was energized by The Holy Spirit (Mark 1:10,12)—the same Holy Spirit who empowers you as a child of God today (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Second, He was fortified daily by prayer (Mark 1:35). He knew that the busier the schedule in God's service, the greater the need for prayer. Check your schedule for today. Are you too busy for prayer? Then you're busier than God intended you to be. Start today... and every day on your knees.

Insight

The Language of Urgency
        Mark's account has been called the "action gospel" because of the way he uses the language of immediacy. In the three chapters you read today, Mark uses words such as straightway, immediately, forthwith, and as soon as a total of 15 times. Can you find them all?

Adage

To attempt any work for God without prayer is as futile as trying to launch a space probe with a peashooter.