2020-12-06降临节和国度的时间（使徒行传1:7）Advent and the Timing of the Kingdom

Jason Meyer	杰森·迈尔
Acts 1:7	使徒行传1:7
Text	经文
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.	6 他们聚集的时候，问耶稣说：“主啊，你要在这时候使以色列复国吗？”7 耶稣说：“父凭着自己的权柄所定的时间或日期，你们不必知道。
Intro	引言
This is the second Sunday of Advent. If you were with us last week, you may remember that we talked about what Advent means. Advent means “coming.” It is a time when we prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of Christ. Advent is not four weeks of celebrating Christmas. Advent does celebrate that Christ has come. But it also is a time of longing and mourning and groaning and lamenting. We see all that is broken – around us and within us. And we recognize that we cannot fix it – we cannot make all things new. Only Jesus can. And he will when he comes again. Advent is a time when we join with the groaning of all creation and long for the day when it will be set free from its bondage into the glory of the freedom of the children of God. That day is coming. But it is not now. So we long and mourn. And we remember his promise: blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.	今天是降临节的第二个主日。如果你上周和我们在一起，你可能还记得，我们谈到了降临节的意义。降临节的意思就是“降临”。这时候我们要预备好我们的心来庆祝基督的降临。降临节不只是庆祝圣诞节的四个星期。降临节确实是在庆祝基督的到来。但这也是一个充满憧憬和哀伤、呻吟和哀叹的时候。我们看到了所有的破碎—在我们周围也在我们里面。我们认识到，我们无法修复它—我们无法使一切都更新。只有耶稣能。当祂再来的时候，祂会这样做。降临节是我们与所有受造物一起呻吟的时刻，并渴望有一天它能脱离辖制，得享神儿女自由的荣耀。那一天终要来临。但不是现在。所以我们期待而呻吟。我们记得祂的应许：哀痛的人有福了，因为他们必得安慰。
The question this week is “when?” How long do we have to wait? We are on a journey to the celestial city and there are dangers and toils and snares everywhere. And like children on a journey, the most natural question that bubbles up is: “Are we there yet?” It is the question the disciples asked, and now we get to hear Jesus’ answer.	本周的问题是“什么时候”？我们还要等多久？我们在前往天城的旅途中，处处都有危险和艰辛，处处都有陷阱。就像旅途中的孩子一样，最自然冒出的问题就是：“我们到了吗？”这是门徒提出的问题，现在我们可以听到耶稣的回答。
He says, “no.” You can all remember that answer. But Jesus says more.	祂说：“不。”大家都能记得住这个答案。但耶稣不止说这些。
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.	7 耶稣说：“父凭着自己的权柄所定的时间或日期，你们不必知道。
Here is the outline: (1) the timing is not for you to know, (2) it is fixed by the Father alone.	纲要如下：(1)时间不是你们能知道的， (2)时间是由天父独自决定的。
1. The Timing is Not for You to Know (v. 7a)	1. 时间不是你们能知道的（第7a节）
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons	7 耶稣说：“……时间或日期，你们不必知道。
It is hard to think of a stronger reason to not fixate on the timing of the kingdom than what Jesus gives. They ask if the kingdom is going to be restored to Israel now. Jesus still has to correct so much of what they mean by kingdom and restoration and even the term Israel. But he starts by correcting their sense of timing. It is not now. And furthermore, the timing of all this is not even something for you to know. This is not your jurisdiction. You need to get out of the timing business altogether.	很难想出比耶稣给出的更有力的理由来不执着于天国的时间。他们问现在国度是否会恢复到以色列人的手中。耶稣还是要纠正他们所说的国度和复国，甚至以色列这个词的很多意思。但祂首先要纠正他们的时间观念。现在还不是时候。更何况，这一切的时间都不是你们能知道的。这不是你们的管辖范围。时间的事你们都完全不要管。
When Jesus refers to “times” or “seasons,” it is very difficult to know what the precise distinction between these two terms is. No one really knows for sure. The first word “times” (kairos) can refer to specific points of time and the second word “seasons” (kronos) can refer to specific intervals of time, but it is hard to find a hard and fast rule for how to distinguish them. We want to avoid overreading the nuances.	当耶稣提到“时间”或“日期”时，我们很难知道这两个词的确切区别是什么。没有人确切知道。第一个词“时间”（kairos）可以指具体的时间点，第二个词“日期”（kronos）可以指具体的时间间隔，但如何区分它们，很难找到一个硬性的规则。我们要避免过度解读其中的细微差别。
It is interesting that Jesus puts both of these words into the plural “times,” and “seasons.” One commentator correctly noted that it seems the question deals not only with the beginning of the restoration of the kingdom, but the steps in the process or the chronological development that will bring it to pass (Eckhard Schnabel, Acts).	有趣的是，耶稣把这两个词用的都是复数。一位评论家正确地指出，这个问题似乎不仅涉及国度恢复的开始，而且涉及这个过程中的步骤或实现的时间表（Eckhard Schnabel, 《使徒行传》）。
When Jesus tells the disciples point blank that the timing of the kingdom is not their jurisdiction, he also tells them whose jurisdiction it is.	当耶稣直截了当地告诉门徒，天国的时间不是他们的管辖范围时，祂也告诉他们这是谁的管辖范围。
2. It is Fixed by the Father Alone (v. 7b)	2. 时间是由天父独自决定的（第7b节）
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.	7 耶稣说：“父凭着自己的权柄所定的时间或日期，你们不必知道。
Jesus says, It is not yours to know. The Father knows. It is his jurisdiction. He fixed it by his own authority.	耶稣说，这不是你该知道的。但父知道。这是祂的管辖范围。祂凭着自己的权柄把它定好了。
This fits so well with what Jesus already told them.	这和耶稣已经告诉他们的内容非常吻合。
32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come (Mark 13:32-33).	32 “至于那日子和时间，没有人知道，连天上的天使和子也不知道，只有父知道。33 33 你们要小心，要警醒，因为你们不知道那日期甚么时候来到。（马可福音13:32-33）
Could there be a stronger way to tell them? It is not for you. It is not for the angels. It is not even for me, but only the Father. This door is locked. Only the Father has the key.	还能有比这更有强烈的方式告诉他们吗？你们不知道。天使不知道。甚至连我也不知道，只有父知道。门是锁着的。只有父才有钥匙。
Therefore, they should stop looking for the door and even if they found it, they would discover that it is locked to everyone except the Father. This journey will always lead to dead end and a locked door.	因此，他们应该停止寻找这扇门，即使找到了，也会发现这扇门对所有人都是锁着的，除了父之外。这一路走，总是会走到死胡同，和一扇闭锁的门。
It appears that the disciples got the message loud and clear because they did not bring this up with Jesus again. We should hasten to add that it is almost unbelievable that we could have such a strong, clear, firm response from Jesus to the disciples that would be so constantly ignored by later disciples.	看来，门徒们听到了响亮的信息，因为他们没有再向耶稣提起这件事。我们要赶紧补充的是，我们几乎不敢相信，耶稣对门徒如此强烈、清晰、坚定的回应，后来竟会被门徒不断忽略。
It is not for you to know, says Jesus. But others seem to think it is for us to predict. And, of course, we can firmly report that all such predictions have been wrong. There was the New England farmer, William Miller, who studied his Bible and determined that Christ would return April 23, 1843. A whole group followed him and sold all their possessions because they believed they would not need them anymore. Obviously, the prediction was wrong and the so-called the Millerites disbanded. Pat Robertson guaranteed that the end of the world would come at the end of 1982. Someone wrote a book giving 88 reasons Jesus would return in 1988 by looking at the Feast of Trumpets. Harold Camping said Jesus would return in September of 1994. Someone recently said we are living in the sixth seal of Revelation and the end of the world will happen here in 2020.	耶稣说，这不是你们可以知道的。但总有些人似乎认为这是由我们来预测的。当然，我们可以坚定地报告，所有这些预测都是错误的。有一个新英格兰的农民威廉-米勒，他研究了他的《圣经》，确定基督会在1843年4月23日回来。一大群人都跟着他卖掉了所有的财产，因为他们认为自己不再需要这些东西了。显然，预测是错误的，所谓的米勒派解散了。帕特-罗伯逊保证，世界末日将在1982年底到来。有人写了一本书，通过看号角节，给出了耶稣会在1988年回来的88个理由。哈罗德-坎平说，耶稣会在1994年9月回来。最近有人说，我们正生活在启示录的第六印中，世界末日将在2020年发生。
All of these predictions came through studying the Bible. I always want to ask why they didn’t study Acts 1:7 or Mark 13:32. I want to say to everyone here and listening online that hears my voice, please never write a book or read a book like 88 reasons Jesus is coming back in 1988. It is not only useless to do so; it is disobedient to do so. It should be titled 88 reasons why no one can know when Christ will return. Please do not claim to know more than Jesus!	这些预言都是通过查考圣经得来的。我总想问他们为什么不查考使徒行传1:7或马可福音13:32。我想对在座的和在线收听的每一个听到我声音的人说，请千万不要写书或看书，比如1988年耶稣要回来的88个理由。这样做不仅无用，而且悖逆。书的标题应该是88个为什么没有人能够知道基督什么时候回来的原因。请不要自称比耶稣知道得更多!
He never said, “predict when I will come.” He said “you must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40).	祂从来没有说过：“预测一下我什么时候会来。”祂说：“你们也要准备妥当，因为在想不到的时候，人子就来了。”（路加福音12:40）
I want you to feel how merciful this correction is. Their question reveals their focus and Jesus says, “do not fixate on what the Father has already fixed.” You cannot know. The angels cannot know. I have all authority in heaven and earth, but even I do not have jurisdiction here. The timing of Jesus’ return is part of the secret things that belongs only to the Lord our God.	我想让你们感受到这种纠正是多么的仁慈。他们的问题揭示了他们的关注点，耶稣说：“不要执着于天父已经定好的事。”你们不可能知道。天使不可能知道。天上地上的一切权力都在我这里，但连我也没有这个的管辖权。耶稣再来的时间是只属于主我们的上帝的奥秘。
That is the point of this verse. It is already contained in the outline: the timing is not for us to know; it is fixed by the Father alone.	这就是这节经文的重点。它已经包含在大纲中了：时间不是我们能知道的，只有天父独自预定。
Application	应用
Why spend a whole sermon on this verse? After all, Jesus tells the disciples where not to focus in verse 7 and then tells them where they should focus in verse 8. And the disciples obeyed. This question does not come up again. Acts 1:8 sets the agenda for the rest of the book. Shouldn’t we just skip to that verse now? No.	为什么要花一整篇讲道讲这节经文？毕竟，耶稣在第7节告诉门徒不应该把注意力放在哪里，然后在第8节告诉他们应该把注意力放在哪里。弟子们也都听从了。这个问题没有再出现。徒1:8为本书的其余部分设定了日程。我们现在是不是应该直接跳到那一节？不是的。
Here is the reason why: there are so many ways to get this verse wrong. I want to correct some of those before we get to verse 8. Let’s just pause and remember how often Jesus had to correct flawed expectations of what his coming would be like in the Gospels. He often referred to the mystery of the kingdom. Contrary to everyone’s expectations there would be two comings of the King, not just one.	原因是：这节经文被误解的方式有很多。在我们讲到第8节之前，我想先纠正一些错误。让我们停一停，回忆一下，在福音书中，耶稣有多少次要纠正关于祂的到来会是什么样子的有缺陷的期望。祂经常提到神国的奥秘。与大家的期望相反，君王会有两次降临，而不是只有一次。
Take Luke 4 for example. Jesus goes to Isaiah 61.	以路加福音4章为例。耶稣引用了以赛亚书61章。
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,	16 耶稣来到拿撒勒自己长大的地方，照着习惯在安息日进入会堂，站起来要读经。17 有人把以赛亚先知的书递给他，他展开书卷找到一处，上面写着：
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,	18 “主的灵在我身上，
because he has anointed me	因为他膏我
to proclaim good news to the poor.	去传福音给贫穷的人，
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives	差遣我去宣告被掳的得释放，
and recovering of sight to the blind,	瞎眼的得看见，
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,	受压制的得自由，
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”	19 又宣告主悦纳人的禧年。”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down	20 他把书卷卷好，交还侍役，就坐下。
We often focus on what Jesus read, but we sometimes do not look at what Jesus did not read. Look at Isaiah 61.	我们常常关注耶稣所读的内容，但我们有时却不看耶稣没有读的内容。请看以赛亚书61章：
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,	主耶和华的灵在我身上，
because the Lord has anointed me	因为耶和华膏了我ﺀ
to bring good news to the poor;	叫我传福音给困苦的人；
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,	差遣我去医治伤心的人，
to proclaim liberty to the captives,	向被掳的宣告自由，
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;	向被囚的宣告释放；
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,	2 宣告耶和华悦纳人的禧年，
and the day of vengeance of our God;	和我们的 神报仇的日子；
Jesus stops reading at the year of the LORD’S favor and stops at the day of vengeance of our God. Why? Everyone read those as one thing. The mystery of the kingdom is that those will be separated by more than 2000 years.	耶稣停在耶和华的禧年之后，在我们的神报仇的日子之前就停止读下去。为什么？大家都把这一段话当作一件事来理解。神国的奥秘在于，那些事件将分隔至少2000多年。
It is like the difference between seeing something in the distance or seeing something up close. From a distance, you may think that you see one mountain. You get closer and you see that they are actually two distinct mountains that look really close together. You get closer and you realize they are actually miles apart.	这其间的区别就像看到远处的东西和看到近处的东西。从远处看，你可能会觉得你看到的是一座山。你走近一看，发现它们其实是两座截然不同的山，远看起来真的很近。你走近了，才发现它们其实相隔数里。
No one read Isaiah 61:2 as two different events separated by thousands of years. But they are distinct. We are in the year of the LORD’S favor. Mercy is being extended to everyone. The day of vengeance is coming with the second coming.	没有人把以赛亚书61:2读成两个不同的事件，相隔数千年。它们是有区别的。我们正处于耶和华的禧年。怜悯的对象是所有人。复仇的日子将随着第二次的降临而到来。
I want to begin by speaking to those who are not followers of Jesus and frankly wonder if all of this return of Jesus stuff is just a fable, myth, or fairy tail. You might be saying, “it has been over 2,000 years. If he has not come by now, then he will not come.” It may surprise you to discover that one of the disciples who heard Jesus words on this day had to address this very question.	我想先对那些不是耶稣信徒的人说几句，坦率地说，这些耶稣回归的东西是否只是一个传说、神话或童话。你可能会说：“已经两千多年了。如果祂现在还没有来，那祂就不会来了。”你可能会惊奇地发现，这一天听了耶稣的话的门徒中，有一个人要解决这个问题。
The disciple Peter writes to believers and calls them to “remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires” (2 Peter 3:2-3).	门徒彼得写给信徒们，呼召他们要“记起圣先知说过的话，和主救主藉着使徒付给你们的诫命。3 最重要的，你们应当知道：在末后的日子，必定有好讥笑的人出来，随着自己的私欲讥笑”（彼得后书3:2-3）。
It may surprise you to see that the Bible not only speaks to Christians. It also speaks to skeptics. It even speaks to scoffers. It tells scoffers, “we see you and we were already expecting you.” While you are here doubting the prophecy of his coming, please be aware that your mocking of prophecy is actually a fulfillment of prophecy.	你可能会惊讶地发现，圣经不仅仅对基督徒说话。也是对怀疑论者说话。甚至对讥笑者说话。它告诉讥笑者：“我们早就看到你，我们已经在等着你了。”当你在这里怀疑祂再来的预言时，请你注意，你对预言的讥笑，其实正是预言的应验。
Then Peter speaks to the substance of their scoffing: 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”	然后彼得说到他们讥笑的内容：4 他们会说：“他要降临的应许在哪里呢？ 因为自从列祖睡了以来，万物依然存在，与起初创造的时候一样。”
It is easy to look at the delay of 2000 years and say that it is not a delay. The fact that he has not come yet proves that he is not coming at all. But Peter gives a different answer.	看看耽延了2000年，让人很轻易地说那不是耽延。祂还没有来这事实本身，就证明祂根本不会来。但彼得给出了不同的答案。
8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:8).	8 亲爱的，这一件事你们不可忘记：在主看来，一日如千年，千年如一日。（彼得后书3:8）
So, why the delay? The first thing we need to say is that God does not count time the way we do. “One day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). We look at this and say it has been 2000 years; the Lord looks at it and says it has been two days.	那么，为什么要耽延呢？首先我们需要说明的是，神不像我们这样计算时间。“一日如千年，千年如一日”（彼得后书3:8）。我们看了，说已经过了2000年了；主看了，说才过了两天。
Are we surprised that God uses different measures than us? He is so much greater than us. “Neither are my thoughts your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9).	我们是否惊讶于上帝使用与我们不同的度量标准？祂比我们大得多。耶和华说：“我的意念不是你们的意念，你们的道路也不是我的道路。天怎样高过地，我的道路也怎样高过你们的道路， 我的意念也怎样高过你们的意念。（以赛亚书55:8-9）
When humanity scoffs and says, “I see no good reason for this delay,” God says, “I have a very good reason and it is good news for you.” “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness (i.e., the false teachers), but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).	当人们讥笑说：“我看不出有什么好的理由来耽延”时，上帝说：“我有一个非常好的理由，对你们来说还是个好消息。”“主决不耽延他的应许，像有些人以为他是耽延的一样；其实他是宽容你们，不愿有一人灭亡，却愿人人都悔改。”（彼得后书3:9）
God wants you to know his patient heart. The reason why Christ has not returned is that some of you still need repentance or you will perish. I call upon you—be reconciled to God! Do not use the “delay” as an argument against God. See it as mercy. See it as his patience. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call upon him while he is near.	神要你知道祂的耐心。基督之所以还没有回来，是因为你们有些人还需要悔改，否则就会灭亡。我呼唤你们—与上帝和好吧!不要拿“耽延”作为反对上帝的理由。要把这视为怜悯。要把这看作是祂的耐心。趁着主还能寻求而得，就去寻找祂。趁着祂还在近旁的时候，求告祂。
A day is coming in which every mouth will be closed and there will be no more mocking. One day God will turn the tables on the mockers. He will say, “Why did you use the time I gave you to repent and use it against me?” They are in the pit of sin and despair. God gives them time as a rope so they can get rescued and pulled out of the pit. But they use the rope and hang themselves with it. Do not do it, dear friends. Use the time he gave you and repent. Turn to him. Call upon him. He will save you and not cast you out.	有一天，所有人的嘴都会闭上，不再有讥笑。总有一天，上帝会把矛头指向那些讥笑者。祂会说：“你为什么要用我给你悔改的时间来反对我？”他们在罪恶和绝望的深渊中。上帝给了他们时间作为绳索，让他们能够得救，从坑里拉出来。但他们用绳子吊死自己。千万不要这样做，亲爱的朋友们。利用祂给你的时间，悔过自新。回转向祂。求告祂。祂要救你，而不是把你赶出去。
Here is application for believers. First, receive the comfort from these words. There is so much comfort here for the people of God. Have you ever tried to fix something yourself and you are not very good at it. You just end up messing it up more. It is easy to fixate on something and try to solve it or fix it in your head. This text says you do not need to fixate on the timing because the Father has already fixed that by his own authority. We do not need to worry about it and strain to figure it out.	以下是对信徒的应用。首先，从这些话中得到安慰。在这里，神的子民有太多的安慰。你有没有尝试过自己去修理一些东西，但你却不太擅长。你最后只会把事情搞得更乱。人很容易盯着于某件事情，并试图在脑海中解决或修理它。这段经文说，你不需要执着于时间，因为天父已经用祂自己的权柄定下来了。我们不需要担心，也不需要紧张的去想办法。
Second, receive the warning from these words. Do not pretend to know more than Jesus. Do not tread on something that is the Father’s territory alone. Get out of the timing business. I find something that Elizabeth Elliot said so convicting.	第二，要从这些话中受警示。不要假装自己比耶稣知道得更多。专属于父神领地的东西，不要去踩。不要再掐指头算时间了。我觉得伊丽莎白-艾略特说的很有说服力。
“Today is mine. Tomorrow is none of my business. If I peer anxiously into the fog of the future, I will strain my spiritual eyes so that I will not see clearly what is required of me now” (Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart). Do not strain to know what cannot be known, trust what the Father has fixed. Don’t try to know what you cannot know about tomorrow. Focus on doing what you know you need to do today.	我所有者唯今日。明日非我力能及。如果我焦急地窥视未来的迷雾，我就会使我的灵性的眼睛劳损，从而看不清楚现在需要我做什么（伊丽莎白-艾略特《保持一颗安静的心》）。不要勉强知道不能知道的事，要相信天父所定的事。不要试图知道你不能知道的明天。专注于做你知道你今天需要做的事情。
Do not lean on your own understanding. Trust the Lord with all your heart. Trust his sense of timing and even his sense of direction. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will make your path straight (see Prov. 3:5-6).	不要倚靠自己的聪明。要一心仰赖主。相信祂的时间感，以及祂的方向感。在你一切所行的路上，都要承认他，他必使你的路径平坦正直。（见箴言3:5-6）
But third, let Jesus’ words inform your expectations. The gap in timing between the first coming and the second coming is so helpful for explaining the reality we face everyday. Why believe the Bible? It explains the world in which we live so well.	而第三，让耶稣的话来塑造你的期望。第一次降临和第二次降临在时间上的差距，对于解释我们每天面对的现实是如此的有帮助。为什么要相信圣经？它很好地解释了我们所生活的世界。
We can all identify a gap between what we have and what we hoped for, where we are and where we thought we would be, our experience and our expectation. The distance between what we expected and we are experiencing is called disappointment. The greater the distance, the greater the disappointment and disillusionment. I do not want to set you up for failure as a preacher by having you expect more than you should and or expect less than you should.	我们都能发现自己所拥有的和自己所希望的，自己所处的位置和自己所想的位置，以及自己的经历和自己的期望之间的差距。我们所期望的和我们正在经历的之间的差距叫做失望。差距越大，失望和幻灭感就越大。作为一个传道人，我不想误导你们，让你们期望过高，或期望过低。
Last week we called out the need our expectations to be corrected; this week we name the corrections and explain them. We live in the in between time. Christ has come. Christ will come again. We live in what is called the “already/not yet.”	上周我说了我们的期望需要被修正，本周我要具体地指出这些地方并加以解释。我们生活在基督已来和未来之间。我们生活在这所谓的“已然/未然”中间。
Even though Christ has come, we still live in a fallen world. There are so many things to lament. So many reasons to lose heart as And we face all the things that a fallen world has to throw at us. Sickness. Pandemics. Sin. Suffering. Betrayal. Abuse. Disappointment. Loss. Loss of job. Loss of health. Loss of friends, loved ones, family. Death.	尽管基督已经来过了，我们仍然生活在一个堕落的世界里。值得哀叹的事情太多了。这么多的理由让我们失落，因为我们要面对这个堕落的世界丢给我们的所有东西。疾病。瘟疫。罪恶。痛苦。背叛。虐待。失望。失败。失业。失去健康。失去朋友、爱人和家人。死亡。
But because Christ has come there are things we have right now that we can stand upon and rejoice in. Christ died for our sins. They are forgiven. Removed as far as the east is from the west. They are buried in the sea of forgetfulness. Jesus has defeated death. He is risen. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us now. I have been crucified with Christ. I no longer live. Christ now lives in me. We are not left as orphans. Jesus sent his Spirit. We have the Holy Spirit as our comforter and advocate. In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart I have overcome the world. The reasons to take heart are always greater than the reasons to lose heart. He is Emmanuel. He is with us in this darkness. He is with you in that trial, in that heartache, in that sickness, in that dark valley. And he promised that he is not going anywhere. He is with us always even to the end of the age. Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah, what a friend. Saving, helping, keeping, loving. He is with me to the end.	但因为基督已经来了，所以我们现在有一些东西可以站在上面欢呼。基督为我们的罪而死。它们已得赦免。东离西有多远，过犯离我们就有多远。它们被淹没在遗忘的海洋里。耶稣已经战胜了死亡。祂复活了。使耶稣从死里复活的那份大能现在也在我们身上工作。我已经与基督同钉十字架。现在活着的不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活着。我们不是像孤儿那样被遗弃。耶稣派遣了祂的灵。我们有圣灵作我们的安慰者和中保。在世上你们有患难，但你们放心，我已经胜了这世界。让人放心的理由永远大于让人灰心的理由。祂是以马内利。在这黑暗中，祂与我们同在。在那试炼中，在那心痛中，在那疾病中，在那幽暗的山谷中，祂都与你同在。而且祂承诺，祂哪儿也不去。祂永远与我们同在，直到世界的末了。哈利路亚，好一位救世主。哈利路亚，好一位真朋友。拯救、帮助、保守、爱护。祂与我同在到永远。
Thank God that what we have is enough to endure what we will face. But thank God there is more coming. God is not done. He is still working. And there is a day coming when there will be no more sickness, no more suffering, no more calamities, no more pandemics, no more sin, no more death, no more Satan.	感谢神，我们所拥有的足以承受我们将要面对的。但感谢神，还有更多的恩典将要赐下。上帝还没完工。祂还在作工。有一天，不再有疾病，不再有痛苦，不再有灾难，不再有瘟疫，不再有罪恶，不再有死亡，不再有撒旦。
These truths help us navigate our present sufferings. The fact that we live in fallen world means we are not surprised when we are touched by it. Christians get Covid-19 and cancer and disease. We do not believe in the prosperity gospel – which is no gospel at all. It falsely promises that things will go well with you if you have enough faith. Your job will succeed, marriage will succeed, finances will prosper, you will live like a king here and now – because you are a child of the King.	这些真理帮助我们渡过现在的苦难。我们生活在堕落的世界，意味着当我们被它触动时，我们并不感到惊讶。基督徒得新冠，得癌症和其它疾病。我们不相信成功福音—那根本不是福音。它虚假地承诺，只要你有足够的信心，一切都会顺利。你的工作会成功，婚姻会成功，财务会兴旺，你会在此时此地像国王一样生活—因为你是国王的孩子。
But Christians know not to borrow too much from the world to come into the here and now. We do not hope for what we see, but for what we do not yet see. And Christians also avoid fatalism and cynicism. We do not say, “I’m sick. Guess it is what God wants. I won’t bother praying for healing. Sometimes God answers that prayer. But we know he will answer that prayer fully and forever at death – we will be finally healed and never become sick again.	但基督徒知道不要向世界借太多的东西来进入此时此刻。我们所盼望的不是我们所看到的，而是盼望我们还没有看到的。而基督徒也要避免宿命论和犬儒主义。我们不要说：我病了，估计这就是上帝的旨意吧。我才不会祈求医治。有时候，上帝会应允这个祷告。但我们知道，祂将在我们死后完全地、永远地回答这个祷告—我们将最终得到医治，不再生病。
Conclusion: Communion	结束语：圣餐
Jesus experienced all that we face. He knows what it was like to be slandered and rejected. He endured all that this fallen world could throw at him. Yet he was without sin. And he became sin for us that in him we might become the righteousness of God. And he was crushed for our iniquities. He suffered in our place. He was forsaken so we would never be. He purchased God’s presence with us forever.	耶稣经历了我们所面对的一切。祂知道被人诽谤、被人拒绝的滋味。祂忍受了这个堕落的世界所能扔给他的一切。但他却没有犯罪。祂为我们成为罪，使我们在祂里面成为神的义。祂因我们的罪孽而被压伤。祂替我们受苦。祂被遗弃，所以我们永远不会被遗弃。祂为我们赎得了神永远的同在。
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead for our justification. The death of Christ is good news because his death as a sinless sacrifice of atonement was a substitutionary death that accomplished a perfect righteousness before God because Jesus suffered in our place and bore in his body a perfect condemnation from God. The good news of what God has accomplished through the death and resurrection of Christ can only be received by faith. If we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead we will receive eternal salvation. The gospel is the good news that Jesus purchased our final and full enjoyment of God’s glory. He purchased our seat for the feast at heaven’s table. As long as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes and we will feast in the house of Zion together forever.	福音是耶稣基督为我们的罪而死，为我们的称义而从死里复活的好消息。基督的死是个好消息，因为祂的死作为无罪的赎罪祭，是替代性的死，在神面前成就了完全的义，因为耶稣代替我们受苦，以祂的身体承受了神完全的定罪审判。神通过基督的死和复活所成就的好消息，只有凭着信心才能领受。如果我们口里承认耶稣是主，心里相信上帝让祂从死里复活，我们就会得到永远的救赎。福音是耶稣赎得我们最终完全享受神的荣耀的好消息。祂赎得我们的座席，让我们在天国的餐桌上享用盛宴。只要你们吃了这饼，喝了这杯，就宣告了主的死，直到祂再来，我们要在锡安的殿中一同宴乐，直到永远。
And the gospel reminds us that all of the promises are yes in him. Everything you are longing for in the world to come has already been purchased. I’m still old enough to remember the lay away program at stores like K-Mart. There was something about seeing that toy brought to the front of the store and then know it was set aside and stored away for me. It was mine. I would sometimes daydream about what is was going to be like to play with that toy. It didn’t matter that I did not have it in my hands. It was mine.	而且福音提醒我们，所有的应许在祂身上都是“是的”。在未来的世界里，你所渴望的一切都已经赎来了。我还记得K-Mart等商店的保留代付商品（lay away）服务。看到那件玩具被带到商店门口，然后知道它是为我准备的，存放起来的，就有种感觉：它是我的了。我有时会做白日梦，想着那个玩具玩起来会是什么样子。我手中没有它也无所谓。它是我的了。
It is like the child who asked to borrow money from his younger sister. She said, “how much do you need?” He asked, “how much do you have?” She got out her little girl purse and pulled out three dollars. Then she said to her brother, “I have four dollars.” He looked at her with scorn and said, “no you don’t. You can’t count. You have three dollars, not four.” She said, “no. I have four. Dad gave me three this morning and he said he would give me one tonight, so I have four. Daddy, doesn’t lie.”	福音又像那个向妹妹借钱的孩子。她问：“你要多少？”他说：“你有多少？”她拿出小女孩的钱包，掏出三块钱。然后她对哥哥说：“我有四块钱。”他轻蔑地看着她，说：“不，你没有四块钱。你不会数数。你那是三块钱，不是四块钱。”她说：“不，我有四块钱。爸爸今天早上给了我三块，他说今晚会给我一块，所以我有四个。爸爸不会撒谎。”
Our Father does not lie, dear brothers and sisters. We have all of these promises. Purchased by the blood. Promised by the Father. Kept in heaven for us who are being guarded by God’s power for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”	我们的父从不会说谎，亲爱的兄弟姐妹。我们拥有所有这些应许。用血赎来的。是父所应许的。为你们存留在天上的基业，就是你们这因信蒙 神能力保守的人，得着预备在末世要显现的救恩。
These promises are just as real and true as the cracker and the juice – just better.	这些应许就像这里的饼和杯一样真真切切，只是更好。
Closing Song: Come Thou Long Expected Jesus	结束歌曲：《久望耶稣恳求降临》
Sermon Discussion Questions	讲道讨论问题
Title: Advent and the Timing of the Kingdom	标题：降临节和国度的时间
Text: Acts 1:7	经文：使徒行传1:7
Main Point	要点：
the timing of the kingdom is not for us to know; it is fixed by the Father alone.	神国降临的时间不是我们能知道的，唯独天父预定。
Outline:	纲要：
1. The timing is not for you to know (v. 7a)	1. 时间不是你们能知道的（第7a节）
2. It is fixed by the Father alone (v. 7b).	2. 时间是由天父独自决定的（第7b节）
General Questions	一般性问题
1. What were your initial responses to the sermon? What was the Holy Spirit doing in your heart during or after the sermon? Was there a new insight gained? Any questions prompted? What did you find convicting, helpful, eye-opening, or troubling? Explain.	1. 你对讲道的初步反应是什么？在讲道时或讲道后，圣灵在你心中做了什么？是否有了新的感悟？想到什么问题了吗？你觉得哪些地方让你信服，哪些地方对你有帮助，哪些地方让你大开眼界，哪些地方让你烦恼？请解释。
2. What point from the sermon landed on you with the most weight of joy or conviction? What things did you see and savor that you feel like you need to share with others?	2. 讲道中的哪一点让你感到最大的喜悦或为罪沉痛？你看到了什么，品味了什么，让你觉得需要和别人分享？
Discussion Questions	讨论问题
1. What does the word “advent” mean? Why do advent and waiting go so naturally together?	1. “降临节”是什么意思？为什么降临节和等待会如此自然地结合在一起？
2. What does Jesus mean by times and seasons?	2. 耶稣说的时间和日期是什么意思？
3. Why is it comforting to know that the timing of the kingdom is the Father’s jurisdiction?	3. 为什么说知道天国的时间是天父的管辖范围是令人欣慰的？
4. The sermon talked about ways that we can get the question of timing wrong. What were some of them?	4. 讲道中谈到了我们在时间问题上的错误。其中有哪些？
5. What is the “already/not yet and what does it have to do with the question of the timing of the kingdom?	5. 什么是“已然/未然”，它与天国的时间问题有什么关系？
Application Questions	应用问题
1. Are there things you are currently facing or questions that you currently are asking that were addressed in the sermon? What are they?	1.你目前面临的事情或你目前正在问的问题，是否在讲道中提到了？是些什么问题？
2. Are there places in your life where you tend to err in either expecting too much or expecting too little in terms of the kingdom?	2. 在你的生活中，你是否有一些地方容易犯错，要么对神国期望过高，要么期望过低？
3. In what sense can we say that the promises really belong to us as we hope in and wait for the things we do not yet see?	3. 当我们盼望并等待我们尚未看到的事物时，在什么意义上我们可以说这些应许真正属于我们？
Prayer Focus: Pray for a grace to trust our Father’s sense of timing and the certainty of his promises	祷告焦点：求主赐下恩典，让我们相信天父的时间感和祂应许的确定性。