| ●基督活著……於你有何意義嗎？ 從一個人對死亡的評價，可看出他重視生命的程度。我認識一個人他從未認真思考過「死亡」，直到一天他發現自己得了癌症。「剎那間，我的世界全改觀了」他說：「過去我認為寶貴的事，現在看來一無所值；而那些我向來輕看的事，現在對我而言卻是世界上最重要的。」 ●預備承受永生 人人擁有肉體的生命，不過，我們曉得，遲早有一天，肉體會衰微，我們都要向死亡低頭。死亡造訪財主，它同樣猝然臨到窮人；它為名人風光的一生寫下句點，同樣也結束許多默默無聞的生命。在今年結束之前，可能許多讀過這篇文章的人就要赴死亡之約。 許多人的態度是：「我相信有死後的生命，但我現在不關心那些問題，等到要死了再說吧！」真稀奇！人們可以花上幾年時間為自己的退休生涯做好準備，對於預備迎見上帝，卻連五分鐘都不肯花。 也有人對死亡抱另一種態度：「我投靠基督耶穌──掌管生命和死亡的主；我將自己的生命交託在祂手中。」詩人大衛說：「我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因為你與我同在。」（詩23：4）使徒保羅也說：「因我活著就是基督，我死了就有益處。」（腓1：21）他們兩位在眺望死亡時，都十分鎮定，因為他們曉得，通過死亡──今世生命的結束──就進入了永生。 耶穌說：「復活在我，生命也在我，信我的人雖然死了，也必復活。」（約11：25）死亡不一定是痛苦的結束──在基督裏，它有如破曉的光輝。 ●生命的確據…… 耶穌活著！因祂活著，給世界帶來了希望！耶穌從死裏復活意味著罪惡權勢被擊潰、愛勝過仇恨、死亡的威脅消失、撒但的計謀也被粉碎了。上帝接受了耶穌基督在十字架上的代贖之功──祂為我們的罪付上贖價。有一天，宇宙萬物都要發出再生的新歌。 耶穌活著！這是早期基督徒篤信的事實。他們相信，使耶穌從死裏復活的力量，同樣能運行在我們身上，將我們從疑惑、黑暗、失敗，甚至死亡中，解救出來。 放眼當今世界，我們不免為所發生的事感到困擾。但基督的復活使祂的信徒免於驚恐。固然，我們關心世事，也應為這世界禱告，但我們卻可以不必像其他人在恐懼中哭泣。 十五世紀的殉道者約翰•哈斯因堅持對基督耶穌的信仰而遭火刑。他留下這麼一段話：「這是我在牢裏帶著鎖鏈寫明的，明天我就要接受死刑──但我對上帝充滿了希望，祂必保守我經歷所信的真理。」 你擁有像他一樣的盼望、平安和喜樂嗎？ 你能含笑面對死亡，確信自己將與耶穌基督同在嗎？你可以擁有這樣的盼望，只要你願意從罪中回轉，相信耶穌。何不現在就做個禱告，因為「你若口裏認耶穌為主，心裏信祂從死裏復活，就必得救。」（羅馬書十章九節） ●Christ is alive… I have found that one can tell how a person values life by his estimation of death. I once talked with a man who had never given serious thought to death until it was discovered that he had cancer. “Immediately my entire would changed,” he said. “The things I valued most are worthless, and the things that I thought were of little value are now the most important things in the world to me.” ●Getting Ready For Eternity Physical life is a possession that we all cling to, and yet we know we must all sooner or later bow to death. It enters the home of the rich as boldly as it enters the apartment in the ghetto. It brings down the final curtain as swiftly on the famous as it does on the unknown. Before this year ends many people reading this message will keep their appointment with death. There are many who say, “I believe in life after death, but I’m not concerned about crossing that bridge until I get to it.” How strange that people should spend years preparing for retirement and not take so much as five minutes to prepare to meet God. Another attitude toward death is this: “I stand with Christ, the lord of life and death, and rest my case in His hands.” David said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). The Apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Both men were looking ahead to death with calm assurance. They knew that this life was only a dressing room for eternity. Jesus said, “ I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies” (John 11:25). Death need not be a bitter end… it can be a bright dawning.
Assurance In Life… And Death Christ is alive! And because He is alive, that makes all the difference in the world. In His resurrection evil has been defeated, love has conquered hate, death has lost its sting, and Satan has been defeated. God has accepted the atoning work of Christ on the cross─He declared that the full penalty for sin has been paid. And one day all of creation will burst forth into a new song. ●Does It Make Any Difference? Christ is alive! The early Christians proclaimed that truth. They believed that the same power that raised the Lord Jesus From the dead will work in and through us to rescue us from our doubts, our darkness, our failure, and even our death. As we look at the world today, we cannot help but be disturbed by what is happening. But the resurrection of Christ tells us as His followers that we need not press the panic button. It is true that we are concerned and burdened, and it is certain we are going to pray, but we do not cry in terror as others do. The day before John Huss, a 15th century martyr condemned for his faith in Christ, was to be burned at the stake, he wrote, “I write this in prison and in chains, expecting tomorrow to receive the sentence of death─full of hope in God that I shall not swerve from the truth.” Is this hope and peace and joy yours? Can you face death with a smile, with full confidence that you are going into the presence of Christ? You can have this hope if you are willing to turn from sin and trust Christ. You can do it now. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9) Billy Graham
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