Paul Bid Farewell to Ephesian Elders
W1 2011-06-27 (徒20)
經文: 使徒行傳 20:28 聖靈立你們作全群的監督，你們就當為自己謹慎，也為全群謹慎，牧養神的教會，就是他用自己血所買來的（或作：救贖的）。
默想: 使徒保羅認為教會的長老是由聖靈所設立的。當時長老主要有兩個任務，一個是監督，一個是牧養。這是由基督的寶血所贖回的寶貴生命所組成的生命共同體。根據使徒行傳14章23節看來，保羅與巴拿巴到各地傳福音之後，要離開之前，就會選立長老，留下來牧養與監督新成立的教會。我們目前的教會長老，是由會眾所推選出來的。我們可以思考比較這兩種不同方法的利弊。
題目: 13-35節，保羅在離開以弗所教會前對長老們的勸勉有哪些？你有何學習？
“So, keep watch over yourselves and over all flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son.”
回覆刪除“And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people.”
“I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words that the LORD Jesus himself said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving””.
The pastors and the elders of the church must make a good model for all believers, so we need pray for them.
Mei-Chuan
Paul told the elders of the church that he had declared to them the whole counsel of God (Ac 20:27). He also emphasized the assistance from the Holy Spirit would be strong enough to support them when they cared for the church and served as overseers.
回覆刪除“By so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (Ac 20:35). We should not escape from the duty from the Lord. Even if imprisonment and afflictions await us, we ought not to account our lives of any value nor as precious to ourselves. Instead, what we have to be concerned about is whether we accomplish our course and the ministry which we receive from the Lord Jesus.
在生活中做見證，在服事中存謙卑，
回覆刪除說出有益人的話，傳揚信主悔改的道，
順從聖靈的引導，行完主所帶領的路，
儆醒中間的引誘，同得成聖的基業，
不貪圖物質的報酬，常常供給別人的需用，
凡事都給人作榜樣，時刻記念主耶穌的話。
「聖靈立你們作全群的監督，你們就當為自己謹慎，也為全群謹慎，牧養 神的教會，就是他用自己血所買來的（或作：救贖的）。我知道，我去之後必有兇暴的豺狼進入你們中間，不愛惜羊群。就是你們中間，也必有人起來說悖謬的話，要引誘門徒跟從他們。所以你們應當儆醒，…」
回覆刪除看到這段話，真令人動容，也提醒自己，如果為監督、牧養的角色，要時常謹慎，因為所看管的是耶穌用血買來的教會，怎能不用心看顧。而且豺狼、說悖謬的話的人每個世代、每個世代都會進到屬基督的團體行破壞的事。…
願神保守我們，常與他連結，惟有聖靈常住我心，我才得以常有謹慎之心。