「復活的新希望：願你們平安」“The New Hope of Easter: Wishing You Peace”

約翰（John）20:1-29, 4/20/2003【中文/卯思興 English/Victor Lin】

今天是復活節。復活節是一個代表春天來臨的節日。

在新約聖經中，有一百零八次提到復活。在人類的歷史中，基督教應該是世界上，唯一有「復活節」的宗教。對基督徒來說，復活節是慶祝耶穌基督復活的日子，這是基督教與一般宗教最大的不同。在世界各大宗教中，只有基督教的信仰宣揚他們的主死了，三天之後又復活了，現在還活著，而且還要第二次再臨。

從有人類以來，世上不知道有過多少墳墓，許多墳墓的墓碑都刻著「xxx之墓」，上面寫著，幾年到幾年。但是，在耶穌基督的墳墓上卻寫著：「祂不在這裡」，旁邊寫著：「祂已經復活了」。耶穌不在墳墓裡，祂去了哪裡？根據聖經的記載，祂復活了，在地上住了四十天，到處向人顯現，向他們說：「願你們平安」，在人類的不安與懼怕中傳播新希望。

為什麼耶穌復活之後，不是在世上十天，二十天，三十天，五十天，六十天，而是四十天？因為「四十」與信仰團體的危機與轉機有密切的關聯。聖經中提到「四十」這個數字超過五十次。

聖經中第一次聽到「四十」這個數目，是上帝說：「我要降雨在地上四十晝夜，把我所造的各種活物都從地上除滅。」（創7:4）上帝用大水結束一個被罪充滿的舊時代，開啟一個新希望的新時代（創7-9章）。

四十年，上帝降嗎哪在曠野（出16:35）。以色列百姓經驗：他們的希望不是在埃及，不是在地上，他們世世代代子孫的新希望是來自天上。

四十晝夜，摩西在山上（出24:18）。以色列百姓流浪的日子就快結束了，充滿新希望的迦南地就快到了，摩西在西乃山上四十晝夜，親近上帝，等候上帝，在上帝面前為百姓代求。

耶穌還沒出來傳道之前，在曠野禁食並被撒旦試探「四十晝夜。」（太4:2；路4:2）這是一個考驗，這是一個危機，也是一個轉機與新希望。耶穌復活之後「四十天之久」顯現給使徒看，顯現給多人看，講說上帝的事（徒1:3）。

所以「四十」對基督徒的一生，對教會，對社會，有著深遠的屬靈意義與影響。耶穌復活之後在世上四十天，徹底改變學生，徹底改變教會，徹底改變世界，徹底改變上帝國的事工。耶穌用四十天預備門徒的心，進入福音新時代，迎接宣教新希望的來臨。

這新希望是從各各他的十字架上流傳下來；這新希望是從空空的墳墓流傳下來；這新希望是從耶穌復活之後在地上四十晝夜流傳下來；這新希望是神在人類的歷史中「行了何等的大事」（路8:39）流傳下來。

電報是美國科學家塞約爾‧莫爾斯發明的，他是一位虔誠基督徒。在一八四四年五月廿四日，莫爾斯在國會大廈最高法院會議室，將第一封電報打給正在巴爾的摩的艾爾弗雷德‧維爾，他們互相拍發了人類史上第一封電報。第一封電報文只有四個字：「神行大事」，這句話是引自路加福音第八章卅九節。

兩千年來，上帝在人的歷史中，「行了何等的大事」，其中最大的事，是叫耶穌基督復活。當耶穌從死人中復活，向門徒說的第一句話，是「願你們平安！」今天，上帝還在我們當中行大事，在祂的教會中行大事，在你我的人生中行大事，這就是復活的新希望。

現在我們一起唱「耶穌真正死復活」（台語聖詩123B）。

~^.^~~☆~^.^~~☆~^.^~~☆★★ ~^.^~~☆ ☆~^.^~~☆.^~~ ~^.^~~☆~^

Today is Easter. Easter, or resurrection Sunday, is a holiday that signals the coming of spring. In the New Testament, eight percent of the text refers to the resurrection. In all of human history, Christianity is the only religion in the world to have an Easter holiday. For Christians, Easter is a time for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the biggest difference between Christianity and other religions. Among the largest religions in the world, only Christianity preaches that God died and came back to life on the third day after his death. He is now alive and will return to us again at the second coming.

From the beginning of mankind, there has been a countless number graves, many of the tombstones has the engraving “xxx rest in peace”, and has also written on it from what year until what year the person lives. However, on Jesus’ grave it is written “He is not here”, and next to it is written “He has risen”. If Jesus is not in his grave, where is he? According to the Biblical records, he has came back to life, lived on earth for another forty days, appeared to people in many places, and told them “Peace be with you” to sprea

How comes after Jesus’ resurrection, he did not stay on earth for 10 days, 20 days, 30 days, 50 days, 60 days, but only 40 days. Because the number forty is intimately linked to the crisis and turning points that the community of believers has faced. The bible mentioned the number “forty” over fifty times.

The first time we encounter the number “forty” in the bible is when God said “Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” (Genesis 7:4). God used flood to end an old sinful generation and to start a new generation of hope.

For forty years, God provided manna from the sky in the wilderness (Exodus 16:35). The Israelites learned that their hope is not in Egypt, is not on earth, but the new hope for all generations and descendants comes from heaven.

For forty days and forty nights, Moses stayed on the mountain. (Exodus 24:18). When the wondering of Israelites was near the end, as they were fast approaching the new Promised Land, Canaan, Moses stayed on the Mount Sinai for forty days and nights to be close to God, to wait on God, and to appeal for the common people in front of God.

Before Jesus started his teaching ministry, he went into the wilderness to fast and be tempted by Satan for forty days and forty nights. (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:2). This was a test; this was a time of crisis and also a turning point toward the new hope. For forty days after his resurrection Jesus showed himself to the disciples, appeared before many other people and spoke about God’s kingdom (Acts 1:3).

Therefore the number forty has significant meaning and impact in the lifetime of Christians, in the church, and in the society. After his resurrection, Jesus in forty days brought a radical change to his students, revolutionized the church, revolutionized the world, and revolutionized the work of God’s kingdom. Jesus used forty days to prepare the disciples’ hearts to begin a new Gospel era, to announce and teach the arrival of a new hope.

This new hope is the inheritance from Jesus’ cross. This new hope is the inheritance from his empty tomb. This new hope is the inheritance from the forty days that Jesus spent on earth after his resurrection. This new hope is the inheritance from the great things that God has done in human history (Luke 8:39).

Telegraph was invented by an American scientist Samuel Morse. He was a devoted Christian. In 1844, May 24th, Morse was at the congress building Supreme Court conference room when he sent the first telegram to Alfred in Baltimore. Together they sent the first telegram in the history of mankind. The first telegram only has four words in English (nine words in the Chinese translation). “What has God wrought!” This sentence is directly from verse 39 in chapter 8 of gospel of Luke.

In the last two thousand years, God has done many great things in human history; the greatest one is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After Jesus came back from the dead, he said one thing to his disciples, that is “peace be with you!” Today God is doing great things among us. He is doing great things here in the church, and doing great things in our lives. This is the new hope of the resurrection.

Now let us sing together, “Jesus Really Is Alive” (123B). Please let’s all stand up and sing.