生命之道

Tag: 事奉

  • No sacrifice is too great for Christ (Mark 1:1-20)

    No sacrifice is too great for Christ (Mark 1:1-20)

    Introduction

    In Feb 1885, seven young men in their twenties, known as the Cambridge Seven, set sail from England to China to join Judson Taylor as missionaries to the Chinese. The group leader is C.T. Studd, a very successful cricket player from a wealthy family. He sacrificed the fame of the sport to serve Christ. When he was in China, his dad died in London. He gave away all the inheritance from his father to support the Christian works of George Muller and DL Moody, except for 3400 pounds which he kept for his newlywed wife. His wife asked him, “what did the Lord tell the rich man to do?” He answered, “sell all”. The couple proceed to give the rest of the money after for the Lord’s work. Studd sacrificed his wealth to Christ. After ten years of ministry with a lot of hardship, Studd became very sick and had to return back to England. He sacrificed his health for Christ. However, when Studd heard about the need of the gospel in India, for the second time he set sail from England to Southern India to preach the gospel and pastor a church. After six years of ministry in very harsh conditions in India, once again C.T. Studd became very sick and had to return back to England. Studd sacrificed his fame, his wealth, and his health for Christ. Many of his family and friends think he has sacrificed too much for his faith.

    Have you ever wondered whether it is worth sacrificing your time, money, and energy to prepare yourself to serve Christ? Have you ever wanted to give up seminary and ministry to do something else when money is tight? Maybe you are holding on to something that God wants you to sacrifice for Christ? Today, I want to exhort you with this truth: No sacrifice is too great for Christ. Again, no sacrifice is too great for Christ. Our text is Mark 1:1-20. Again, our text is Mark 1:1-20. We will look at three reasons why no sacrifice is too great for Christ.

    Because it is our greatest honor to serve Christ

    No sacrifice is too great for Christ. The number one reason is that it is our greatest honor to serve Christ. I get this principle from the life of John the Baptist. Please look at Mark 1:1-8 with me. John the Baptist was called by God to prepare the way for Christ. The call was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah 700 years ago: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”. John the Baptist was from a priestly family, but he gave up his predictable and comfortable life in response to God’s calling to prepare the way for Christ. Instead of living in the comfort of a house, he lived in the wilderness. Instead of wearing comfortable cloth, he was wearing coarse cloth made with camel hair. Instead of eating a regular Jewish diet with bread, fish and lamb, his food was locusts and wild honey.

    Did John think he has sacrificed too much for Christ? No! Instead, John the Baptist felt it was his greatest honor to sacrifice for Christ. How do I know this? In Jesus’s time, untying the straps of sandals is one of the lowliest works any person can do. However, John proclaimed he is not worthy to even untie the strap of the sandal for Christ. It is like the president of the United States has come to a beggar on the roadside in Dallas and call him to sacrifice everything he has to serve him. It will be the greatest honor for the beggar to do so. The president does not need his service, but he has chosen the beggar to serve him. Brothers, each of us has sacrificed a lot to come to seminary. We have sacrificed worldly pursuits to serve Christ. We have put many hours into our studies while our friends are enjoying life. When ministry and life get tough, you may be tempted to think your sacrifice is too much. Brothers, never give up your call to serve Christ. We need to realize that you and I are like John the Baptist, unworthy to even tie the shoe strap of Christ. But God, by His grace, has called us to serve Christ. Therefore, no sacrifice is too great for Christ. It is our greatest honor to serve Christ.

    Because we should follow Christ

    The second reason no sacrifice is too great for Christ is that we should follow Christ. Look at verses 9 to 15 with me. Jesus of Nazareth has come to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. When Jesus came up from the water. He immediately saw the heavens opening and the Holy Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.” Mark introduced Jesus as the Son of God in verse 1. But now, suddenly Mark mentioned Jesus as Jesus of Nazareth of Galilee. Why do you think Mark emphasized Nazareth of Galilee? I think Mark wanted to tell us that Jesus came from Nazareth, a real place in Galilee. Jesus is not in heaven with the Father. He is on earth, incarnated as a man. Christ humbles Himself to come down on this earth in obedience to the Father. Christ has sacrificed His glory to serve God the Father.

    Christ’s sacrifice can be further observed in the temptation He faced from Satan while He was in the wilderness for forty days. Jesus could have killed Satan simply by speaking His word. But He voluntarily restricted His own power. Jesus even needed the angels to minister to Him. Our Lord has exemplified a sacrificial life to serve God the Father. Many commentators agree that Mark 10:45 is the key verse of the book. It read “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

    After John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee to preach the Gospel of God. We are called to be like Christ. Jesus has called each of you to follow Him, just like Jesus has called the disciples to follow Him. To follow Christ is to be like Him. Christ has sacrificed His glory to serve God the Father. If we want to be like Christ, we should be willing to sacrifice anything to serve Christ.

    When I served the Lord in Guangzhou, China 10 years ago, I took the opportunity to visit Samuel Lamb. Who is Samuel Lamb? He is one of the Chinese home church leaders, a preacher of the Gospel, and a faithful servant of God. Because of his faith in Jesus Christ, he was imprisoned for over 20 years! Take a guess at what did he do with his life after he was released from prison in 1979 at the age of 54? He started a home church again. Thousands of Christians flocked to worship Christ weekly at the church. Samuel Lamb was willing to sacrifice all he had for God, following the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ. Brothers, I like you to examine your heart right now. Is there anything you know you should sacrifice to follow Christ but have not done so? Maybe it is a habit or hobby that is affecting your relationship with Christ and your witness for Christ. Maybe you watch too many movies and waste too much time on social media when you are supposed to develop your characters for Christ. Are you willing to take a step of faith to make the sacrifice to be more like Christ?

    Because Christ will turn our sacrifice into something greater than we could imagine now

    The third reason why no sacrifice is too great for Christ is that Christ will turn our sacrifice into something greater than we could ever imagine. Look at Mark 1:16-20 with me. After Christ preached the Gospel of God in Galilee, He started to call four fishermen to follow Him. He saw Simon Peter and his brother Andrew casting a net in the sea of Galilee. So, Jesus called them, “Follow me, I will make you fishers of men.” Simon and Andrew immediately left their net and followed Christ. After that, Jesus called James and John, who were mending nets in their boat. Both responded by leaving their Father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants and following Christ.

    Fishermen are the middle class in Israel at that time. We are told John, and James’ family had servants who worked for them. So, their life can’t be too bad. They thought their future was set. They were going to be fishermen. But their life was changed upside down when Jesus called them to follow Him. James and John left their father to follow Jesus. They sacrificed their comfortable and predictable middle-class life to follow Jesus into a challenging and unpredictable life. But Christ promised He would change them from fishermen into fishers of men! How did they turn out? Did Jesus keep His promise? When we look at the rest of the New Testament and church history, we know Christ was faithful to His promise. All four of them became leaders of the early church. They became preachers of the Gospel. Many people were saved through their ministry. Peter became the leader of the twelve and one of the greatest evangelists ever. John wrote five New Testament books. Andrew preached the Gospel in Russia. James died in Jerusalem to witness Christ. All of them lived extraordinary lives as fishers of men.

    A few of us were involved in Cru or Campus Crusade for Christ. The ministry was started by Bill Bright and his wife, Vonette in 1951. They signed a contract with God to sacrifice everything they had to follow Christ. 72 years later. Cru had ministries in almost all the countries in the world, and millions of people became followers of Jesus Christ through this ministry. Christ has turned Bill and Vonette Bright’s sacrifice into something far greater than they could have imagined in 1951. Brothers, when you are feeling pressure from your studies and ministry, don’t give up. When you are discouraged because of criticism from others, or a bad grade, or financial issues, or tiredness, don’t give up, press on! No sacrifice is too great for Christ because Christ will turn your sacrifice into something greater than anything you could imagine today.

    Conclusion 

    After serving in China and India for a total of 16 years, many of CT Studd family and friends told him he had done enough for his faith and should spend the remaining of his life in England. He refused to listen to their advice, for Christ. When he heard about the great need for the Gospel in Africa, once again left the comfortable life in England and went to serve the Lord in central Africa for the next 20 years. He endured much hardship during those years and died there at age 71. C.T. Studd sacrificed his fame, fortune, and life for Christ. He and others laid the foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in China, India, and Africa. He once wrote: “If Jesus is God and He died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” “Only one life, it will soon pass; only what is done for Christ will last.” He inspired thousands of men and women to sacrifice their life for Christ. Brothers, no sacrifice is too great for Christ because it is our greatest honor to serve Christ, because we should follow Christ, and because Christ will turn our sacrifice into something greater than anything we could ever imagine today. I urge you to examine yourself today, to see what else you need to sacrifice, for our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • 邀请主耶稣与你一同上班（弗6:5-9）

    邀请主耶稣与你一同上班（弗6:5-9）

    以弗所书
    以弗所书
    邀请主耶稣与你一同上班（弗6:5-9）
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    基督是你生命里每一个部分的主，包括你工作，所以你应该邀请主耶稣与你一同上班，作你工作的主。

  • The Biblical Theology and Applications of Pastors as Shepherds, Priests, Kings, Prophets, and Sages

    The Biblical Theology and Applications of Pastors as Shepherds, Priests, Kings, Prophets, and Sages

    Introduction

    The Old Testament depicts God calling five kinds of ministers to lead His covenanted people. They are the shepherds, the priests, the prophets, the kings, and the sages. And the New Testament depicts that all these five roles can be found in the Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate Minister of God. The Lord is the Chief Shepherd, the great High Priest, the King of Kings, the Living Word, and the source of wisdom.

    Before the Lord ascended to heaven, He commissioned the apostle Peter to shepherd His flock (John 21:15-17). Later, Peter and the apostle Paul instructed other church leaders to do the same (1 Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 20:28-30). These church leaders are called elders, overseers, and pastors (Acts 20:17, 28; Eph. 4:11).[1]

    Paul frequently asked Christians to imitate him and Christ (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6). He also instructed Christians to imitate God (Eph 5:1). Therefore, all Christians should imitate Christ, including pastors. Thenceforth, pastors should model their ministry after the five ministry roles of their Lord.[2] This paper aims to survey the biblical theology and ministry application of the roles of pastors as shepherds, priests, kings, prophets, and sages. 

    Pastors as Shepherds

    A Biblical Theology of Pastors as Shepherds

    Shepherd is a prominent metaphor for God in the Old Testament (Gen. 48:15; Ps. 23; Ezek. 34). God is portrayed as the ultimate Shepherd of His flock (Ps. 23:1). He called Moses as His undershepherd to lead His flock out of Egypt and through the wilderness (Ps. 77:20)[3]. Later in the exile period, God promised through Jeremiah that He would give to His people shepherds after His own heart (Jer. 3:15). 

    Then in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus was revealed as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4), and the Great Shepherd (Heb 13:20). He called some of His disciples as pastors to shepherd His flock. These pastors are His gift to His church (Eph. 4:11). Most commentators think the pastors and teachers are referring to the same office. The Greek word for pastors is ποιμένας (piomenas). It means shepherds. Most English translated it as pastors (NASB, NIV, NET, KJV), and a few translated it as shepherds (ESV). The English word for the term pastor was an anglicized form of the Latin/French term for shepherd[4].

    God as the Shepherd care of the Israelites should provide pastors with principles on shepherding God’s flock in the New Testament.[5] The role of a shepherd is to lead the flock of God as a servant leader[6]. A pastor is to feed the sheep of God (John 21:15-17), to shepherd the flock of God by being examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:1-3), to equip the flocks for ministry by speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:11-15), and to shepherd the flock of God by teaching the whole counsel of God to defend against false teachers (Acts 20:26-30; Tit. 1:9).

    Practical Applications of Pastors as Shepherds

    The most important duty of the pastor as a shepherd is to feed the flock by teaching and preaching the word of God to help the flock understand God’s word and how to apply God’s words in their life. This is accomplished primarily on the pulpit and complemented by other teaching ministries like Sunday school, special conferences, and retreats.

    The pastor should lead the flock by example. That means pastors are called to live with the people. The pastor must know the flocks, and the flocks must know their shepherds. Only by doing life together, the pastor can model life for the flocks. This means pastors should allocate time outside of Sunday to spend time with God’s people. “The most important asset of spiritual leadership is the power of an exemplary life.”[7]

    Pastoral care ministry is part of being a good shepherd. Therefore, a pastor should include visitation in his schedule. For example, he could visit the flocks at their home and workplace to get to know their work. Hospital visitation is at the heart of a pastoral care ministry.[8] A pastor should allocate time to visit the sick and the dying in the hospital. These are special moments to shepherd the patients and their families. We can offer a word of comfort from the scriptures and pray for them. Often, simply being there will bring comfort to people because they know we care for them.

    Pastoral counseling is different from pastoral care because pastoral counseling is done within a specific time arrangement to address specific issues of a sheep of God. “Pastoral counseling is individual sheep-tending, fulfilling our calling as undershepherds in the care of one (or a couple) of sheep in need of specific attention, and doing so after the example of the Good Shepherd.”[9]

    Pastors as Priests

    A Biblical Theology of Pastors as Priests

    In Old Testament, priests are men descendants of Aaron, who God chooses as spiritual leaders for His people. Priests are anointed leaders who bring the sacrifice of the people to God, teach God’s word (Lev. 10:11), inquire about the will of God (Ex. 28:30; Ez. 2:63), and pronounce blessings to God’s people (Num. 6:22-27). The prophets and the priests complement each other, “as the prophet stood to represent God, the priest entered God’s presence to represent man.”[10]

    The leader of the priests were the high priests, who were a shadow of our Lord (Heb. 8:1). Christ is the Great High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 5:10, 6:20). He offered Himself as the blameless sacrifice to redeem our sins. Christ is currently serving the church as the Great High Priest in the heavenly by making intercession for believers (Heb. 7:25).

    In the New Testament, all believers are priests (1 Pet. 2:4, 9; Rev. 1:6). Therefore pastors should be careful not to replace the priesthood of all believers. We should not return to the error of the Roman Catholics, where the priests became a mediator between men and God. 

    How should a New Testament pastor think about his role as a priest? Paul wrote he was a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God. He further wrote, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience… and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel…” (Rom. 15:16-20). The priestly ministry of a pastor is to preach the gospel. And be a model to believers on how to live as a priest in New Testament. So, a pastor should not think of himself as a priest above regular believers but as a priest with the other believers, proclaiming the gospel. Therefore, a pastor does not stand between the believers and Christ but helps connect believers to Christ. We are ambassadors of Christ; our role is to reconcile people to God on behalf of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).

    Besides preaching the gospel, the pastor’s priestly service should include intercession ministry. One of the primary roles of a pastor is to be a prayer warrior (Acts 6:4). Paul exemplifies that with his prayers in his letters (Eph. 1:15-23; Phil. 1:3-11).

    Practical Applications of Pastors as Priests

    A pastor is a ministry of the gospel. It means our preaching should not only be pastoral to edify the church but should also be evangelistic to convert unbelievers. 

    When a pastor precedes a communion service, he displays the gospel to the congregation. First, the separation of the beard and the wine represent the death of Christ. Then, when the pastor breaks the unleavened bread, he reminds the congregation that Christ, the one without sins, died on the cross for us. 

    Similarly, when a pastor performs baptism on believers, he proclaims the gospel to the congregation. The full baptism immersion symbolizes the believer’s dead, buried, and resurrection with Christ.

    A pastor should make intercession prayer a priority of his ministry. We are to pray for the flocks of God in prayer meetings, during sermon preparations, in worship services, in our private prayer time, during pastoral care visits, and at weddings and funerals. The High Priest is praying for the church. We, as His ministers, should imitate Him.

    Pastors as Kings

    A Biblical Theology of Pastors as Kings

    God’s will to have kings to lead His people in the Old Testament. The kings of Israelites were anointed as a sign of being commissioned by God to lead His people (1 Sam. 10:10; 16:13; 24:6). The kings were supposed to fear God and lead God’s people by keeping the laws (Deut. 17:14-20). King David was the model of a God-fearing king. The significance of King David’s childhood as a shepherd is that he became a King with a shepherd’s heart. It matches the image of God in the Old Testament as the Shepherd and King of His people. “The divine Shepherd metaphor is often combined with the Lord’s royal reign.”[11] The kings led the people of God in offering sacrifices to worship the Lord (2 Sam. 24:25; 2 Sam. 6:17), blessed the people of God (2 Sam 6:18), administered justice, appointed leaders, stewarded the nation’s resources, and protect the nation by leading the nation in battles against the enemies. The propensity of the nation of Israelites is directed related to the king’s faithfulness to God.

    God made a covenant with David that one of his descendants would be king forever (2 Sam. 7:13). Later, the prophets frequently portrayed David as the Messiah in shepherd and king imageries (Ezek. 34:23-24). The Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of these prophecies. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 17:14). 

    Pastors should be king in the sense that pastors are called to lead the church of Christ (1 Tim. 5:17). They are to provide oversight to the church. However, pastors are warned not to dominate the church but to be an example to the flock (1 Pet. 5:2-4). The title of overseer speaks of the leadership responsibility of the pastors (Acts 20:28). Pastors are called to manage God’s household as a steward (Tit. 1:7) and mobilize the saints for ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). The pastors are chief warriors of God (2 Tim. 2:3). They are to lead the church in battles against the spiritual forces of evil (Eph. 6:12).

    Practical Applications of Pastor as King

    A pastor needs to be a good leader. He is to lead by example, preaching God’s word, mobilizing the saints for ministry, identifying leaders, delegating resources, and being a good steward of the resources God has entrusted to Him.

    The most senior pastor needs to lead the elders in humility and vision. He is the first among the equals. He is to lead with a vision but, at the same time, be humble in listening and collaborating with other pastors to create a unified team of leaders to lead the church.

    Pastors need to keep their eyes open for gifted men who have a passion for serving the Lord in the congregation. Pastors should be willing to invest in younger men to train them as future pastors for the church. We also need to identify, encourage, and train the women in the congregation who are gifted and called to be leaders among the women.

    Pastors need to lead by example. Like King David, our topmost priority is to fear the Lord and obey His words as an example for the flock. We are not to lead coercively but with humility as servant leaders.

    We need to learn the art of delegation. Our role as leaders is to identify the saints’ gifts and mobilize them for ministry. Therefore, we ought to regularly ask the Lord who can we delegate various ministries to create opportunities for God’s people to serve in the church using their God-given gifts.

    As leaders of the church, we need to watch out for attacks from the enemy. We must watch out for divisive issues and people in the church, attacks from cults, and temptations from the world that could affect the church’s spiritual condition. Once we identify a potential or existing danger, we ought to lead the church in combating the issue with the armors of God.

    Pastors as Prophets

    A Biblical Theology of Pastors as Prophets

    An Old Testament prophet is a witness for God, a pleader, a comforter, and a herald. [12] The prophet’s life was first transformed by the word of God before the prophets could proclaim the word of God to His people. When the prophets faithfully proclaim the word of God, it has the effect of fire and hammer to people’s hearts (Jer. 23:29). The true prophets of God were called to expose false prophets. Most prophets paid a high price to expose the people’s sins (Hos. 1-3; Heb. 11:36-38). Prophets are also called men of God (Deut. 33:1; 1 Sam. 9:6; 1 Kgs. 13:1). They are to live a holy life dedicated to God.

    The Lord Jesus was the Prophet of God who preached God’s message during His earthly ministry (Luke 2:47; 24:44). Not only that, but He is also the Logos (John 1:1), the Living. The Lord Jesus spoke what He heard from God the Father (John 8:28). He preached creatively with metaphors, parables, and stories. He quoted Old Testament in His messages and spoke with authority (John 14:10) and conviction. The Lord Jesus is God’s ultimate prophet and preacher (Heb. 1:2).

    Pastors have a similar role as Old Testament prophets because God called them both for a special ministry of the word, as massagers of God (Isa. 6:9, Jer. 1:5; 1 Tim. 2:7). Pastors are called to preach the word of God that cuts to the heart of men and women (Acts 2:37) by exposing the sins of men. Our aim is not to please men but to please God who tests our hearts (1 Thess. 2:4). We should preach with authority to convict sinners and bring people into repentance to reconcile sinners to God (2 Cor. 5:19). Like the prophets who paid the price to expose the sins of the Israelites and gentiles, pastors should be willing to pay the price to expose the sins of the church and the world.

    Like the prophets, pastors should also be men of God (1 Tim. 6:11, 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9). Pastors should live a godly life as an example to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3).[13]

    Practical Applications of Pastors as Prophets

    The primary application of pastors as prophets is at the pulpit, for the prophet is primarily the messenger of God. The prophets need to know what God wants in His people and proclaim the message to the people. For example, a prophet called sinners into repentance and established a relationship with God. A prophet should also know the condition of the people’s hearts, speak God’s word into their lives, and properly apply the scriptures to their lives.

    A pastor should be prepared to pay the price when he exposes sins in the church and the world. It means we may face criticism from people, lose future speaking opportunities, lose the pastorate, or at times face prison or death in certain parts of the world. 

    As preachers, we should be godly men. Therefore, we are not only concerned about our exposition of the Scripture and our passion for preaching, but we should be even more concerned about our characters. A pastor must be above reproach in character. He is not perfect, but he should be an example to the flock of God. That means a pastor should make his spiritual formation a priority.

    Pastors as Sages

    A Biblical Theology of Pastor as Sages

    In the Old Testament, the function of priests, kings, and prophets as leaders in the people of God is evident. However, one role in Old Testament that is not mentioned much is the role of a sage. Israelites considered the status of sages to be equivalent to the prophets and priests (Jer. 18:13). Commenting on this verse, Waltke wrote: “For wisdom, man needs both the priest with his תּוֹרָה, the prophet with his דָּבָר, and the sage with his עֵצָה.” The sages are the authors of the book of proverbs and Ecclesiastes. King Solomon was the most famous sage. They were others, but we know almost nothing about them (1 Kings 4:31; Prov 30:1; 31:1). Bruce Waltke wrote a paper to show that “the sages and the prophets were true spiritual yokefellows sharing the same Lord, cultus, faith, hope, anthropology, and epistemology, speaking with the same authority, and making similar religious and ethical demands on their hearers.”[14] “Working in a context previously established and defined by the priest and prophet, the sages pointed their hearers to the ethical demands of the law.”[15] They taught people how to live with wisdom by the fear of the Lord (Prov 1:7).

    Christ is presented as the One greater than Solomon (Matt 12:42) in the New Testament. Furthermore, Paul wrote that all the treasures of wisdom and understanding are hidden in Christ (Col 2:3). Therefore, it is not surprising that the Jews in Nazareth were amazed by the Lord’s wisdom in his teaching (Matt 13:54). 

    The sages functioned very much as Christian pastors in our ministry between Sundays.[16] Therefore, it is wise for pastors to search the Old Testament wisdom books for principles and insights on how to minister as sages. Pastors need to regularly ask God for wisdom in ministry (James 1:5). We need to make our relationship with Christ our top priority because all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Col 2:3).

    Practical Applications of Pastors as Sages

    As sages, pastors need to have the wisdom to take care of their personal life. Before the pastor care for the flocks of God, he should care for themselves and their family. It takes a lot of wisdom to know when to rest, how to protect the time with our spouses and children, who we should look for to shepherd our soul[17], when to say no to a ministry opportunity, and many other challenges that could deplete our energy.

    As preachers, we need a lot of wisdom to know how to apply the Scriptures to people’s life. First, we need to know the flock enough to understand their struggles, doubts, and needs and then ask God to give us the wisdom to apply the Scripture in sermons.

    Second, we need to depend on God constantly for pastoral care and counseling wisdom. Life is complicated, and ministry is messy. Applying the Scriptures in difficult life situations requires heavenly wisdom from God. We also need the wisdom to know when God stopped speaking in the Scriptures. Sometimes the Scriptures just do not have the answers for a life situation, and we need to have the wisdom to tell others we do not know the answers. Still, we know the One who does, our job is to direct them to seek comfort in trusting the sovereign and loving God even without knowing why they had to suffer in life.

    Lastly, there are times the church needs changes to conform more to the biblical patterns. Once we have identified an area that needs improvement, we will need wisdom from God to know when and how to make these changes.

    Conclusion

    God has called five kinds of ministers in the Old Testament to lead His people: the shepherds, the priests, the kings, the prophets, and the sages. These five ministers culminated in our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Testament. He is the Chief Shepherd, the Great High Priest, the King of Kings, the Living Word, and the source of wisdom. Since all Christians are called to imitate Christ, the pastors of the flock should also imitate Christ. Therefore, all pastors should model their ministries after the Chief Shepherd. In the paper, we have provided a brief biblical theology of each of the roles, tracing the biblical development from Old Testament to Christ, the Chief Shepherd, and the pastors, His undershepherd in the New Testament. We have also provided practical ministry applications following the biblical theology section for each role. I benefited tremendously in my understanding of pastoral theology and ministry applications because of this study. I hope the same for you.

    BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Akin, Daniel L., and R. Scott Pace. Pastoral Theology: Theological Foundations for Who a Pastor Is and What He Does. Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Academic, 2017.

    Allison, Gregg R. Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church. Foundations of Evangelical Theology Series. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012.

    Hughes, R. Kent, and Douglas Sean O’Donnell. The Pastor’s Book: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide to Pastoral Ministry. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2015.

    Johnson, John. “The Old Testament Offices as Paradigm for Pastoral Identity.” Bibliotheca Sacra 152 (1995).

    Laniak, Timothy S. Shepherds after My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bible. New Studies in Biblical Theology 20. Leicester, England : Downers Grove, Ill: Apollos ; InterVarsity Press, 2006.

    MacArthur, John, Richard Mayhue, Robert Thomas, and James Stitzinger. Pastoral Ministry: How to Shepherd Biblically. The John MacArthur Pastor’s Library. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2005.

    Newton, Phil A. 40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021.

    Oden, Thomas C. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. 1st ed. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1982.

    Peterson, Eugene H. Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Leominster, Eng: WB Eerdmans ; Gracewing, 1992.

    Senkbeil, Harold L. The Care of Souls: Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart. Lexham Press, 2019.

    Senkbeil, Harold L., and Lucas V. Woodford. Pastoral Leadership: For the Care of Souls. Lexham Ministry Guides. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2021.

    Thomas, Griffith. The Work of The Ministry. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1911.

    Waltke, Bruce. “The Book of Proverbs and Old Testament Theology.” Bibliotheca Sacra 136 (1979).

    [1] Gregg R. Allison, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church, Foundations of Evangelical Theology Series (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 212.

    [2] Thomas C. Oden, Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry, 1st ed (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1982), 60.

    [3] Timothy S. Laniak, Shepherds after My Own Heart: Pastoral Traditions and Leadership in the Bible, New Studies in Biblical Theology 20 (Leicester, England : Downers Grove, Ill: Apollos ; InterVarsity Press, 2006), chap. YHWH, Moses and the “flock” of God in the wilderness.

    [4] Laniak, Shepherds after My Own Heart, Introduction.

    [5] Phil A Newton, 40 Questions about Pastoral Ministry (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021), 21.

    [6] Daniel L. Akin and R. Scott Pace, Pastoral Theology: Theological Foundations for Who a Pastor Is and What He Does (Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Academic, 2017), 224.

    [7] John MacArthur et al., Pastoral Ministry: How to Shepherd Biblically, The John MacArthur Pastor’s Library (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2005), 23.

    [8] Hughes and O’Donnell, The Pastor’s Book, 523.

    [9] R. Kent Hughes and Douglas Sean O’Donnell, The Pastor’s Book: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide to Pastoral Ministry (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2015), 470.

    [10] John Johnson, “The Old Testament Offices as Paradigm for Pastoral Identity,” Bibliotheca Sacra 152 (1995): 187.

    [11] Akin and Pace, Pastoral Theology, 211.

    [12] Griffith Thomas, The Work of The Ministry (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1911), 7.

    [13] Thomas, The Work of The Ministry, 23.

    [14] Waltke, “The Book of Proverbs and Old Testament Theology,” 304.

    [15] Johnson, “The Old Testament Offices as Paradigm for Pastoral Identity,” 188.

    [16] Eugene H. Peterson, Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Leominster, Eng: W.B. Eerdmans ; Gracewing, 1992), 166.

    [17] Harold L. Senkbeil, The Care of Souls: Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart (Lexham Press, 2019), 238.

  • 防守圣城（尼希米记第七章）

    防守圣城（尼希米记第七章）

    尼希米记
    尼希米记
    防守圣城（尼希米记第七章）
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    神复兴以色列，除了要建造城墙(6:16),还兴起忠心又敬畏祂的领袖带领百姓保护圣城，抵挡仇敌，和感动(7:5) 尼希米数算百姓，使有家谱的选民能够以信心住各城内(7:6,73;8:1) , 承受神应许的产业。

  • My current View of the Validity of Parachurch Ministries

    My current View of the Validity of Parachurch Ministries

    This paper will address the topic of parachurch and will argue that the parachurch movement is a valid form of Christian ministry. First, I will provide biblical, theological, and historical support for my thesis. Then, I will discuss the positive impacts and negative effects of parachurch ministries on the modern church.

    Biblically, the ministry of the apostle Paul with his coworkers is a biblical example of parachurch ministry. Silas came from Jerusalem, Timothy came from Lystra, and Luke probably came from Troas. Although not from the same local church, they worked together, operated under the direction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:7), in partnership with the local churches (Phil 4:16), for the mission of God. Thus, the parachurch movement is not a less than ideal situation because the churches did not do their job. Instead, together with the local churches, these two models are God’s ordained ways to accomplish His mission.[1]

    Theologically, missiology has a concept of modalities and sodalities. Modalities refer to local churches and denominations, and sodalities refer to parachurch ministries. Parachurches are platforms for Christians across denominations boundaries to work together as members of the body of Christ[2]. Christians from different denominations and local churches serving the same mission is also a great testimony of the doctrine of unity of the body of Christ (Eph 4:3 2:2).

    Historically, God has consistently worked in two structures to accomplish His missions[3]. The early church apologists and “schools” of learning were the earliest examples.[4] Next, God used the monasteries in the middle ages outside of the local churches to carry out His missions. Post reformation, the local churches lost focus on evangelism until William Carey’s proposal of “the use of means” started the missionary movements in the 19th and 20th centuries.

    Parachurch ministries have brought many positive impacts to the church. They enable believers from different denominations, local churches, and diverse locations to serve together for greater impacts on the mission of God[5]. For example, it is tough for local churches to replicate the role of mission agencies in sending out missionaries to unreached people groups.

    However, parachurch ministries also brought some negative effects to the church. They often create tensions for resources in terms of people and finance with the local churches[6]. Some believers only involve in parachurch ministries in place of local church fellowship[7]. Often parachurch ministries became the excuse of churches not to do their part in certain ministries.

    In conclusion, parachurch ministries are valid forms of ministries with biblical, theological, and historical support. They have brought tremendous positive impacts and some negative effects to the modern church.

    [1] For a details argument of this claim, see Frank Severn, “Mission Societies: Are They Biblical?,” Evangelical Missions Quarterly 36, no. 3 (September 2000).

    [2] Edmund P. Clowney and Gerald Lewis Bray, The Church, Contours of Christian Theology (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1995), 107.

    [3] For an overview of how God worked in two structures throughout church history, see Ralph Winter, “The Two Structures of God’s Redemptive Mission,” in Perspectives, 4th ed. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2009).

    [4] Michael Svigel, “Powerpoint for ST5105 Lecture 7, The Purpose and Function of the Church” (Dallas, TX, 2021).

    [5] For an overview of how voluntary societies were instruments to further the great commission, overcoming the limitations of local churches, see Andrew Walls, “Missionary Societies and the Fortunate Subversion of the Church,” in Perspectives, 4th ed. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2009).

    [6] For a helpful article on how churches and parachurch ministries can work together, see John Hammett, “The Mission of the Church As A Mark of The Church,” Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry 5 (2008): 37–38.

    [7] This is especially true for the rich and famous, see Michael Lindsay, “A Gated Community in the Evangelical World,” USA Today, February 11, 2008.

  • 如何做基督的仆人(歌罗西书4:7-18)

    如何做基督的仆人(歌罗西书4:7-18)

    讲员：杨全荣

    前言

    亲爱的弟兄姊妹主内平安！感谢主带领我们今天恢复主日实体聚会。今天信息的主题是“如何作基督的仆人”，经文是歌罗西书四章七节到末了。因为经文很长，我们先念两节的经文，第七节和第十二节。第七节：“有我亲爱的兄弟推基古要将我一切的事都告诉你们。他是忠心的执事，和我一同作主的仆人。”第十二节：“有你们那里的人，作基督耶稣仆人的以巴弗问你们安。他在祷告之间，常为你们竭力地祈求，愿你们在　神一切的旨意上得以完全，信心充足，能站立得稳。”。我们先有个祷告，求天父今天向我们说话：“阿爸天父，感谢你招聚我们恢复实体聚会。感谢你赐给我们莫大的恩典，使我们这些微小的人，竟然能够被你呼召作耶稣基督的仆人。求你的灵，藉着歌罗西书末了的话，跟我们说话，我们在这里聆听，奉耶稣基督的名祷告，阿门！”

    作耶稣基督的仆人是新约里很重要的教导。仆人这个字的希腊文是“督罗”(δοῦλος)，是奴仆的意思。“督罗”是用来称呼希腊罗马文化里做奴仆的人。这个字在歌罗西书出现八次。在三章二十二节到四章一节，就是说到保罗的那个时代，信了耶稣基督之后的奴仆应该以什么原则生活。奴仆的重点就是他是属于主人的产业，他的主人对他有完全的主权。新美国标准本圣经（NASB）把这个字翻译成bond-servant（4：7），和bond-slave（4：12）。第七节是指着推基古是与保罗一同作主的仆人。第十二节是说到以巴弗是耶稣基督的仆人。推基古和以巴弗是什么人呢？如果我们查考其他的圣经，就会发现他们和保罗一样，是被神呼召传道的弟兄们。所以在狭义上，基督的仆人是指特别被神差遣传道的人。但在广义上，所有基督徒，都应该是基督的仆人，因为我们都是被主呼召服事祂的人。请看三章二十三节，“无论作什么，都要从心里作，像是给主作的，不是给人作的。”保罗在结束歌罗西书的时候，提到九个弟兄姊妹的名字，包括保罗和提摩太，就有十一个人。保罗还提到三个教会，歌罗西的教会，老底嘉的教会，和希拉波立的教会。我们今天的目的，就是从他们彼此之间的问安和侍奉，学习作基督的仆人的属灵原则。

    1.基督的仆人是忠心的执事

    我整理了总共有十五个原则，第一个原则是“基督的仆人是忠心的执事”。保罗用三个形容词来形容推基古，一）亲爱的弟兄，二）忠心的执事，三）主的仆人。执事就是服事的人，英文通常翻译为minister。一个忠心的人表示他是靠得住的人，主人放心的把责任交给他，因为他忠心。谁是推基古呢？推基古是保罗的同工，使徒行传20：4记载他是亚细亚人，和保罗第三次循环传道时一同事奉主，之后被保罗差遣把以弗所书（弗6：21）和歌罗西书送到各教会，也托付他告诉弟兄姊妹神在罗马的工作。以后保罗还差遣推基古去坚格力（Crete）代替提多的服事（多3：12），和差遣他去以弗所侍奉（提后4：12）。保罗也用忠心来形容阿尼西母（4：9）。阿尼西母就是腓利门书里提到的那位逃跑的仆人。他现在蒙恩得救，成为了忠心的弟兄。甚至被保罗差遣与推基古同工。亲爱的弟兄姊妹，主给每一个跟随祂的人都有托付。可能主托付你教主日学，可能托付你传福音给某些人，可能托付你在职场里见证祂，可能托付你在家教养儿女，可能托付你带领年轻的弟兄姊妹。你有忠心与主给你的托付吗？

    2.基督的仆人要会鼓励别人

    第二个原则是基督的仆人要会鼓励别人。请看第八节，“我特意打发他到你们那里去，好叫你们知道我们的光景，又叫他安慰你们的心。” “安慰”也可以翻译为 “鼓励”（encourage）。神藉着我们所作的工作和在我们身上的工作能够成为其他弟兄姊妹的鼓励。基督的仆人一方面需要谦卑不要炫耀，但另一方面在合适的时候需要有智慧的见证神的作为，鼓励弟兄姊妹。保罗是我们的榜样，他打发推基古和阿尼西母， “好叫你们知道我们的光景”（8节）和 “把这里一切的事都告诉你们”（9节）。上周教会的分享聚会，几位弟兄姊妹见证神在他们身上的工作，使我们都收到极大的鼓励。如果你是跟随耶稣的人，就必定与神有经历。在合适的时候，你有没有见证神的作为，鼓励弟兄姊妹呢？

    3．基督的仆人愿意为主受苦

    第三个原则是基督的仆人愿意为主受苦。保罗为主受苦坐监，同工亚里达古也愿意为主受苦，与保罗一同坐监（10节）。谁是亚里达古呢？他是贴撒罗尼迦的犹太人，和推基古一样，与保罗一同传道的弟兄（徒19:29；20:4），之后和保罗一同去罗马（徒27:2）。彼得教导：““基督既在肉身受苦，你们也当将这样的心志作为兵器…”(彼前4：1a)。保罗和亚里达古愿意为主受苦，你愿意吗？还是你只要主的祝福，而不愿意为主受苦呢？

    4. 基督的仆人不放弃服事

    第四个原则是基督的仆人不放弃服事。我们侍奉有时会跌倒，但我们不要灰心，也不要放弃服侍。只要我们愿意谦卑来到神面前，神会继续在使用我们。巴拿巴的表弟马可曾经在旁非利亚的别加离开保罗和巴拿巴（徒13：13），导致保罗第二次开始循环侍奉时不愿意马可参加，结果巴拿巴和保罗分开侍奉。多年后，马可再次与保罗在一起服事。主给马可机会，保罗也给马可机会，他吩咐歌罗西的弟兄姊妹接待马可，可能表示接受马可的教导。马可甚至继续被神使用，成为马可福音的作者。主耶稣也曾经恩待三次不认主的彼得，给机会彼得悔改，结果彼得被主大大使用，成为早起教会的柱石。亲爱的弟兄姊妹，你是不是也如马可一样，在服事上曾经跌倒过？你可能曾经在侍奉里遇见难处，让神和同工失望过。但不要放弃，因神是赐恩典的神。主给机会彼得和马可再次服事祂，主也愿意给机会你。问题是，你愿意谦卑的来到主面前吗？

    5. 基督的仆人是为神的国服事

    第五个原则是基督的仆人是为神的国服事。请看11节，“耶数又称为犹士都，也问你们安。奉割礼的人中，只有这三个人是为　神的国与我一同做工的，也是叫我心里得安慰的。”耶数的希腊文就是耶稣，和主的名字一样，因耶稣是犹太人常用的名字，希伯来文是约书亚。那时只有这三个犹太基督徒，就是亚里达古，马可和耶稣犹士在罗马与保罗同工，可能其他犹太基督徒因害怕受逼迫不再与保罗同工了。为了神的国，表示他们不是为了自己而侍奉，他们是为了神的国度而侍奉。为了自己侍奉，凡事都是为自己的利益着想。有难处就放弃侍奉。为了神的国的侍奉就不一样，因为看见神的旨意，和神的权柄。神的国在现今是隐藏的，在环境艰难时，我们必须求神打开我们心里的眼睛，看见神在掌权，神的国是不能被震动的。“所以我们既得了不能震动的国，就当感恩，照　神所喜悦的，用虔诚、敬畏的心事奉　神。”（希12：28）我们现在这个时代，在侍奉上要面对许多的艰难。我们要面对世界的诱惑，不信的家人的不理解和甚至逼迫，异端的迷惑，在中国国内的弟兄姊妹和许多回教的国家还要面对安全的问题。我们不要灰心，因为我们得的是不能震动的国，洪水泛滥时，耶和华仍然坐着为王。我们要看见我们是为了神的国侍奉，我们当以感恩的心，照神所喜悦的，用虔诚、敬畏的心事奉　神。

    6.基督的仆人要因别人的见证而得安慰

    第六个原则是基督的仆人要因别人的见证而得安慰。“安慰”和8节是不同的字。第八节的是鼓励的意思。11节的是“安慰”的意思。保罗得安慰可能是因为他们三个犹太基督徒为神的国与保罗一同作工。保罗不会因为同工们有美好的工作被主使用而妒忌，他因同工们有见证而得安慰。这三位都是比保罗年轻的同工，保罗看见年轻人为神的国侍奉，与他一同作工，心里就得安慰。教会有许多的问题就是因为弟兄姊妹彼此妒忌而引起。当我们看见其他肢体为了神的国而侍奉时，当神的家有比我们年轻的肢体起来侍奉时，我们是妒忌呢？还是得安慰呢？

    7. 基督的仆人是祷告的勇士

    第七个原则是基督的仆人是祷告的勇士。下面三位是外邦人的基督徒。以巴弗可能是开始歌罗西教会的传道人，因1:7告诉我们歌罗西的弟兄姊妹是接受了以巴弗的教导，他是与保罗一同作仆人的，是基督忠心的执事。他常竭力为歌罗西的圣徒祈求（4:12）。竭力在希腊文是agonizomenos,是英文agonizing的来源。表示用力到痛苦。路加用这个字形容主耶稣在客西马尼园的祷告（路22:44）:“耶稣极其痛苦”。你有为你服事的弟兄姊妹祷告吗？如果只有作事情，却没有祷告，就表示我们是靠自己去作。祷告表示我们需要神。祷告能改变生命，改变祷告的人，和被代祷的人的生命。过去一年我们教会有许多肢体生病，许多的弟兄姊妹都在为他们祷告，基督的仆人是祷告的勇士，这是神所喜悦的事。

    8. 基督的仆人服事的目标是圣徒生命的成长

    第八个原则是基督的仆人服事的目标是圣徒生命的成长。以巴弗的祷告的目标，是为了歌罗西的圣徒在神一切的旨意上得以完全，信心充足，能站立得稳。”得以完全”的意思是得以成全。使什么东西得以成全呢？使神一切的旨意得以成全在弟兄姊妹身上。“站立得稳”的意思是站着成熟（stand mature），是灵命成熟的意思。保罗在前面也用过这个字：““我们传扬他，是用诸般的智慧，劝戒各人，教导各人，要把各人在基督里“完完全全”地引到　神面前。”（西1：28）。天父的旨意，就是要把祂拯救的人磨成祂儿子基督耶稣的形象：“因为他预先所知道的人，就预先定下效法他儿子的模样，使他儿子在许多弟兄中作长子。预先所定下的人又召他们来；所召来的人又称他们为义；所称为义的人又叫他们得荣耀。“（罗8：29-30）。我们有没有想过我们服事的目标是什么？我们教导孩子的目标是什么？我们祷告的目标是什么？

    9.基督的仆人是愿意劳苦的人

        第九个原则是基督的仆人是愿意劳苦的人。请看13节，保罗为以巴弗对Lycus平原的三个城市，歌罗西，老底嘉和希拉坡里的圣徒劳苦作见证。这三个城市的之间的距离只有十多个英里。以巴弗可能是常去这三个教会服事的传道人。“劳苦”这个希腊文不是通常的工作的那个字，而是有疼痛的意思（启21：4）。保罗选择这个字，可能是要表达以巴弗对这些教会的操劳是非常的。我们今天能够在这里聚会，是因为有许多弟兄姊妹愿意为教会劳苦，作维修，打扫和清洁的工作，我们为这些弟兄姊妹的服事感谢神。但我想以巴弗的劳苦，可能是关于他对教会属灵的光景而操心，他劳苦的为他们祷告和教导他们。

    10.基督的仆人是忠心到底的人

    第十个原则是基督的仆人是忠心到底的人。十四节说：“所亲爱的医生路加和宁底马问你们安。”路加就是写路加福音和使徒行传的路加。底马是谁呢？除了这里，他还是腓利门书24节和提摩太后书4：10出现过。在提后4：10，保罗提到底马因贪爱世界离开了保罗。虽然底马现在与保罗同工服事主，但之后他跌倒了。这里，我们得到的教训就是作基督的仆人要常常警醒，不要把自己放在试探里，免得被仇敌迷惑。使徒约翰教导我们：“不要爱世界和世界上的事。人若爱世界，爱父的心就不在他里面了。因为，凡世界上的事，就像肉体的情欲、眼目的情欲，并今生的骄傲，都不是从父来的，乃是从世界来的。这世界和其上的情欲都要过去，惟独遵行神旨意的，是永远常存。”（一约2：15-17）。

    11.基督的仆人是愿意为神家的需要而奉献的人

    第十一个原则是基督的仆人是愿意为神家的需要而奉献的人。“请问老底嘉的弟兄和宁法，并她家里的教会安。（15节）”初期教会是没有教堂的，都是在家里聚会。宁法是歌罗西教会的一位姊妹，她为了教会的需要，把家里奉献出来被主使用。教会今天开始主日实体聚会，以后其他小组聚会会慢慢回复，当有需要时，你愿意开放你的房子被主使用吗？

    12.基督的仆人应该彼此问责

    第十二个原则是基督的仆人该互相问责。“要对亚基布说：「务要谨慎，尽你从主所受的职分。」（17节）。”亚基布可能是歌罗西教会的一位传道人，腓利门书2节里提到亚基布是与保罗一同当兵的。保罗没有直接提醒亚基布，而是吩咐歌罗西的弟兄姊妹去提醒他。就表示保罗觉得弟兄姊妹有责任提醒亚基布他从主那里所领受的职分。基督徒之间，应当互相问责，彼此提醒。这是基督身体的功用之一。但是要提醒别人，和接受别人的提醒不是一件容易的事。如果我们能够有一两位关系很好的主内的肢体，彼此问责，彼此提醒，这是对我们作基督的仆人是很有帮助的事。

    13.基督的仆人必要尽从主所受的职分

    第十三个原则是基督的仆人必要尽从主所受的职分.尽的原文是完成（fulfill）。“从主”表示主耶稣呼召亚基布，赐给他一个职分。“所受”表示亚基布领受了主的职分。作基督的仆人必须要认识主给我们各人的职分是什么。当我们知道了，就应该接受和尽我们的能力去完成主的托付。我们有接受从主来的职分吗？还是我们在逃避主的托付？我们有尽我们的的能力去完成主的托付吗？

    14.基督的仆人需要同工

    第十四个原则，基督的仆人需要同工。看完了这段的问安，我们明显的看见保罗有许多的同工。这段经文提到1）被保罗差遣传递信息的有两位弟兄，2）还与保罗一起的有六位弟兄，三位是犹太人，三位是外邦人。也提到歌罗西里的两个肢体，宁法和亚基布。从这些问安中，我们可以归纳一个原则，就是配搭服事。基督的仆人不是独行侠，基督徒的仆人应该是一位愿意与其他主的仆人配搭侍奉的人。“一同”,ESV翻译为fellow，在这段经文出现了三次:一同作主的仆人（7节），一同作监（10节），和一同作工（11节）。不管我们喜欢团体还是个人侍奉，我们都不能离开弟兄姊妹，因神的旨意是要祂的仆人配搭服事。如果我们没有一位服事的同伴，我们可以向天父求，求祂为我们预备属灵的同伴，一同配搭服事主。

    结束

        在还没有分享最后的原则前，我们一同重温今天所学习的作基督的仆人的十四个属灵原则。1）基督的仆人是忠心的执事，2）基督的仆人要会鼓励别，3）基督的仆人愿意为主受苦，4）基督的仆人不放弃服事，5）基督的仆人是为神的国服事，6）基督的仆人要因别人的见证而得安慰，7）基督的仆人是祷告的勇士，8）基督的仆人服事的目标是圣徒生命的成长，9）基督的仆人是愿意劳苦的人，10）基督的仆人是忠心到底的人，11）基督的仆人是愿意为神家的需要而奉献的人，12）基督的仆人应该彼此问责，13）基督的仆人必要忠心要尽从主所受的职分，14）基督的仆人需要同工。

    还有一个最后的原则，第十五个原则是基督的仆人必要以恩典祝福别人。保罗照他惯常的作法，以恩典开始和结束歌罗西书。开始时，保罗说：“愿恩惠，平安从神我们的父归于你们”（1：2）。结束的时候，他说：“我—保罗亲笔问你们安。你们要记念我的捆锁。愿恩惠常与你们同在！（18节）”。亲笔表示整本书信是保罗口述，别人写下的，这是保罗时代一贯的作法。在结束时，保罗亲手拿笔写下最后一行字。他谦卑的求弟兄姊妹记念他的捆锁，请弟兄姊妹为他代祷。前面保罗已经向弟兄姊妹提过为他代祷的事：“要为我们祷告，求神给我们开传道的门”（4:3）。然后保罗以恩典的祝福来结束这封书信:“愿恩惠常与你们同在！”一个基督的仆人，是一个认识恩典的人。能够作主的仆人本身就是一个莫大的恩典。歌罗西书里提到我们人没有得救之前的光景，我们曾经是与神隔绝的，因着恶行，心里与神为敌。但如今借着基督的肉身受死，与神和好，都成了圣洁，没有瑕疵，无可责备（1：22）！不但如此，主还呼召我们作祂的仆人，这是天父赐给我们莫大的恩典。我们是蒙恩的人，也应该与恩典待人。基督的仆人，应该常以恩典祝福别人。当我们彼此以恩典祝福,以恩典相待时，主的恩典，就会在我们当中被彰显。愿我们彼此鼓励，彼此劝勉，一同忠心作基督的仆人。愿主耶稣基督的恩惠，常与我们同在，阿门！

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