本期會訊出版之時,正踏進聖曆的生命成長期 ( 常年期 ) 最後一個月,是我們回顧由歲首到年終在聖靈的引領下,學習聖言、跟隨基督的腳踪,向父神呈獻感恩的時候。郭志榮牧師的講章:「感恩的人生」正好為大家揭開感恩的序幕,提醒我們要在神的殿中,以集體的敬拜來呈獻對神的感謝,以樂意的心把我們心中的感謝化為具體的事奉,並在團契生活中互相守望,彼此牧養,因為神喜悅我們這樣行;祂是守約施慈愛的神,由始至終都以愛的行動守護著我們,也喜悅我們以愛的行動互相激勵。
說到愛的行動,沒有比主耶穌在十字架上捨己以成就普世全人類的救恩更震撼,更激動人心!基督的「捨己」正是愛的行動的極致,伍牧師在講章中提醒我們要學效基督的捨己,指的是「不再擁有自己」,即是向神交出自己的生命主權,降服在天國的主權之下,一生跟隨主而活。今後我們不再有我行我素的人生夢,卻有基督夢,一生的意義在基督裏完成!
牧者把一生奉獻給主,就是基督夢的活生生見證;今年牧者按立及授職禮,正好標誌著牧者們的全人委身。差傳部長在按牧晚宴中讚揚香港五旬節聖潔會在伍牧師的帶領下,對本會的全球宣教事工有不可磨滅的貢獻,也藉此提醒我們:主要快來,且要比我們想像到的時間更快,我們必須加快腳步去尋找失喪的人,改變他們的命運!
By the time when this periodical is published, we are entering the season of thanksgiving, a wonderful opportunity for us to count our blessings and express our gratitude to our Father in Heaven. Rev. Eddy Kwok’s sermon, “A life filled with gratitude,” fittingly opens the season of thanksgiving, reminding us to express our thanks to God through corporate worship in His temple, to transform our heartfelt gratitude into tangible service with willing hearts, and to mutually watch over and shepherd each other in our fellowship. This is pleasing to our covenant- keeping and merciful God who guards us with love from beginning to end, and He delights in us encouraging each other with acts of love.
Speaking of acts of love, there is nothing more profound and moving than the act of Jesus sacrificing Himself on the cross to accomplish the salvation of all humanity. Christ’s “self-sacrifice” is the ultimate act of love. Rev. Donavan Ng reminds us in his sermon that we should emulate Christ’s self-sacrifice, which means “to disown oneself”, submitting to the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Heaven, and living a life following the Lord. Henceforth, we no longer have personal dreams but have the dream of Christ, finding the meaning of life fulfilled in Christ.
Pastors dedicating their lives to the Lord is a living testament to the dream of Christ. This year’s Ordination and Licensing Service exemplified their total commitment. At the ordination banquet, the Executive Director of World Missions praised the Hong Kong Pentecostal Holiness Church under Rev.Ng’s leadership for its indelible contributions to our global missions. He also reminded us that the Lord’s return is imminent and will come sooner than we think. We must hasten our steps to seek and save the lost, changing their destiny.
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