这一个基督的爱，是为著作仆人的，事奉主的。“原来基督的爱激励我们。”“激励”二字，在原文是一件东西在水上，被水冲去，就是这里的意思。基督的爱，好像水的力量那样把你冲去。李文司登说，如果有人为着买卖黑奴的缘故来到阿非利加，难道基督的爱不能激励一人到阿非利加么？所以他去了。因他一人被基督的爱激励，把自己的生命放下，不知叫多少人因此得了生命。真的，惟有基督的爱能激励人。爱，是不能拿出给人看的。但是，你如果尝了这爱的甘美，而不被它冲去，乃是不可能的。
这里的“想，”在原文是断定的意思。基督的爱所以激励我们，是因为我们断定两件事：一，基督一人死，就是替众人死了。基督的爱，与基督的死，是分不开的；所以有基督的爱，是因基督死了。二，活着的人不再为自己活，乃为替他们死而复活的主活，这是目的。因着基督的爱激励我，我没法不为祂活，没法站在自己的地位。
多少时候，我们要对一个罪人作见证，是何等难。好像话还没有说，脸就要红了。我刚得救的时候，要对一个同学作见证，但是，见了面，好像真难以开口。一去再去，都觉得要开口讲到耶稣二字真不容易。但是，一被基督的爱激励了，就没有法子不作见证。如果能不作，就可以不作了，只因为被基督的爱激励了，就没法不作见证了。感谢赞美主，祂的爱能激励我们。
多少时候，传道真不容易。饥饿、逼迫，都是难免的。曾有人拿手枪威吓我，不许我再传耶稣。但是，宁可用我的身体去塞住手枪的口，却不得不说到基督。祂的爱把我冲去了。我常劝少年信徒把自己奉献给主。这是因为祂爱了我们。许多的弟兄问说，应当怎样才可以出来专门作传道的工作。你如果要专门作一传道人，若非不得已就仍是不作的好。若非有“我若不传就有祸了”的光景，就仍是不作的好。因为你受不住了，人才能受不住。我们传福音，必须是被基督的爱冲去而作的。我并非劝人都专门传道，但是，每一个信徒都当作见证。弟兄姊妹们！你曾对人说过基督的爱么？你曾否觉得神的爱在你里头像火一样的着起，你不能不说到祂的爱？弟兄姊妹们！但愿基督的爱今天充满我们，激励我们。
信息重点：基督的爱激励我们。祂既为我们死，我们就不再为自己活，乃为那替我们死而复活的主活。真正推动我们奉献、事奉并向人作见证的，不只是责任或要求，乃是尝到基督的爱，被这爱激励并推动。
应用祷告：主耶稣，感谢你为我死，又为我复活。求你的爱更多充满并激励我，使我不再为自己活，乃为你而活。愿你的爱推动我甘心奉献、事奉你，并向人见证你。阿们。
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The Love of Christ — 2 Cor. 5:14-15
This love of Christ is for the one who serves as a bondservant, who serves the Lord. “For the love of Christ controls us.” The word “controls” in the original text conveys the image of something resting on the water being swept away by the current; that is the meaning here. The love of Christ sweeps you along, just like the power of the water. Livingstone said, if a man would come to Africa for the sake of buying and selling slaves, could not the love of Christ likewise move a man to go to Africa? So he went. Because he — one man — was constrained (controlled) by the love of Christ to lay down his life, countless others received life. Truly, only the love of Christ can constrain (control) a person. Love is not something that can be taken out and put on display; yet, if you have tasted the sweetness of this love, it is impossible not to be swept away by it.
The word “concluded” here, in the original text, means to judge or determine. The love of Christ moves us due to our determination of two things: first, Christ’s death — that one dies for all, therefore all died. Christ’s love and Christ’s death are inseparable; the very existence of Christ’s love stems from the fact that He died. Second, the goal is that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the Lord who died and rose again for them. Constrained by the love of Christ, I cannot help but live for Him; I cannot remain in my own position.
How many times it is so difficult for us to testify to a sinner. It seems that before we even speak, our face already turns red. When I was newly saved, I wanted to testify to a classmate, but when we met, it seemed truly hard to open my mouth. Time after time, I felt it was really not easy to bring myself to speak the name of Jesus. But once one is moved by the love of Christ, there is no way not to testify. If one could refrain, one would refrain; but simply because one is constrained by the love of Christ, one has no way not to testify. Thanks and praise to the Lord — His love can constrained us.
Preaching the Gospel is often far from easy; hunger and persecution are inevitable. I was once threatened with a pistol and ordered to stop preaching about Jesus. Yet, I would rather block the muzzle of the gun with my own body than refrain from speaking of Christ. His love swept me along. I often exhort young believers to consecrate themselves to the Lord, for He has loved us. Many brothers ask how they might step out into full-time ministry If you wish to become a full-time preacher, it is better not to do so unless you have no other choice — unless you are gripped by the conviction that “woe is me if I do not preach.” Only when you are so compelled that you cannot hold back can you truly move others. Our preaching of the Gospel must be driven by the overwhelming love of Christ. I am not suggesting that everyone should be a full-time minister, but every believer must bear witness. Brothers and sisters, have you ever spoken to others about the love of Christ? Have you ever felt God’s love burning like fire within you, compelling you to speak of His love? Brothers and sisters, may the love of Christ fill and constrain us today.
Message Main Points: The love of Christ constrained us. Because He died for us, we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died for us and rose again. What truly drives us to consecrate ourselves, to serve, and to testify to others is not merely duty or requirement, but the tasting of the love of Christ, being moved and driven by that love.
Dally Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for me and rising again for me. Let Your love fill and move me more, so that I no longer live for myself but live for You. May Your love move me to willingly consecrate myself, serve You, and testify You to others. Amen.