8月11日，福音乃是极大的喜信
福音乃是极大的喜信
“但如今借着我们救主基督耶稣的显现才表明出来了。祂已经把死废去，借着福音，将不能坏的生命彰显出来。”（提后1:10）
倘若我们听见的是无关紧要的消息，或许转头便会忘记；但若这消息既至关重要又极其美好，就必令人欢喜雀跃。因此，主的使者说：“不要惧怕！我报给你们大喜的信息，是关乎万民的。”（路2:10）这必定是“大喜的信息”，因为其中充满了全然的喜乐。主基督带来的佳音如此丰盛，以至于祂没有留下任何余地，需要旁人再来添补。
倘若你以为福音中还缺欠什么，那你就必须越过神，到比神更高之处去寻找了；因为在恩典之约中，神乃是借着基督将祂自己赐给了信徒。我们深信使徒保罗的宣告必能立得住：“或世界，或生，或死，或现今的事，或将来的事，全是你们的，并且你们是属基督的，基督又是属神的。”（林前3:22-23）
福音将我们的器皿直接安放在至善的泉源旁。我们若与那位拥有一切的主联合，就必定拥有一切真正的福分。难道还有什么好消息，是天上不能赐给那些已得荣耀之圣徒的吗？神已在圣经中向我们证实了那荣耀：“他已经把死废去，借着福音，将不能坏的生命彰显出来。”（提后1:10）天上的烈日虽照亮大地，却反而遮蔽了天上的荣耀，使我们无法得见。然而，福音却同时照亮了今生与来世，因为敬虔“有今生和来生的应许”（提前4:8）。
任何宣告若要真正成为听众的好消息，听众就必须亲自与其中所宣告的福分有分。我们听闻好事临到别人，固然也会为他高兴；然而，当这福分直接倾注在我们自己的心里时，对我们的触动必定更加深远。就如一个患病之人听见别人康复，虽然也会感到欢喜，但这种喜乐远不及他自己得着医治时的那般强烈。
福音所宣告的，并非神为天使成就了什么，而是神为我们成就了什么。天使说：“因今天在大卫的城里，为你们生了救主，就是主基督。”（路2:11）既然天使尚且为我们所得的福分欢喜，我们这些亲自领受这恩惠的人，岂不更有充足的理由大大喜乐吗？
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：撒上1章，罗1章，
个人灵修：耶39章，路8章
AUGUST 11, TUESDAY
THE NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS JOYOUS
“Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).
If we hear insignificant news we will probably forget it. But if it is both important and very good, it causes rejoicing. The angel of the Lord said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). It has to be great joy because it is all joy; the Lord Christ has brought news of such fullness that He left nothing for anyone else to add. If you think something might be missing from the Gospel you must look higher than God, for He gives Himself through Christ to believers in the covenant of grace. We are fully persuaded the apostle Paul’s argument will hold: “All things are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3:22–23).
The Gospel places our vessels close to the fountain of goodness itself; and surely we must have all if we are united to the One who has everything. Can any good news come to glorified saints which heaven does not give them? We have proof of that glory in the Word: “Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10). The sun in the sky hides heaven from us while it shows the earth to us! But the Gospel enlightens both at once—godliness has the “promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).
The audience must have a personal interest before an announcement can be good news. While we can be happy to hear about something good happening to another person, it affects us more when it is poured directly into our own hearts. For example, a sick man does not feel the joy of another’s recovery as strongly as he would his own.
The Gospel does not report what God has done for angels but for us. “Unto you,” the angel said, “is born … a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). If angels rejoiced for our happiness, surely our benefit gives even deeper reason to be glad.