Ⅵ.米利都。徒20:14-38
壹.坐船往米利都。徒20:14-15a
一.他既在亞朔與我們相會,我們就接他上船,來到米推利尼。徒20:14
二.從那裏開船,次日到了基阿的對面;徒20:15
三.又次日,在撒摩靠岸;徒20:15a
貳.打發人請以弗所教會長老。徒20:15b-17
一.又次日,來到米利都。徒20:15
二.乃因保羅早已定意越過以弗所,免得在亞西亞耽延,徒20:16
三.他急忙前走,巴不得趕五旬節能到耶路撒冷。徒20:16
四.保羅從米利都打發人往以弗所去,請教會的長老來。徒20:17
參.保羅表明對他們真誠的愛。徒20:18-22
他們來了,保羅就說:徒20:18
一.你們知道自從我到亞西亞的日子以來,在你們中間始終為人如何,徒20:18
二.服事主,凡事謙卑,眼中流淚,又因猶太人的謀害,經歷試煉。徒20:19
三.你們也知道,凡與你們有益的,我沒有一樣避諱不說的,徒20:20
或在眾人面前,或在各人家裏,我都教導你們;
四.又對猶太人和希利尼人證明當向神悔改,信靠我主耶穌基督。徒20:21
肆.保羅臨別勉勵。徒20:22
一.保羅表明自己的問題與自己的堅持。徒20:22
1.現在我往耶路撒冷去,徒20:22
A.心甚迫切(原文是心被捆綁),不知道在那裏要遇見甚麼事;徒20:22
B.但知道聖靈在各城裏向我指證,說有捆鎖與患難等待我。徒20:23
2.我卻。徒20:22
A.不以性命為念,也不看為寶貴,
B.只要行完我的路程,成就我從主耶穌所領受的職事,證明神恩惠的福音
3.我素常。徒20:25
A.在你們中間來往,傳講神國的道;
B.如今我曉得,你們以後都不得再見我的面了。
二.保羅的勉勵與證明。徒20:26-35
1.所以我今日向你們證明,徒20:26
A.你們中間無論何人死亡,罪不在我身上.徒20:26
B.因為神的旨意,我並沒有一樣避諱不傳給你們的。徒20:27
2.聖靈立你們作全群的監督,你們就當為自己謹慎,徒20:28
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)。
3.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。徒20:29
A.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。徒20:30
B.所以你們應當儆醒,徒20:31
C.記念我三年之久晝夜不住的流淚、勸戒你們各人。
4.如今我把你們交託神和他恩惠的道;徒20:32
A.這道能建立你們,叫你們和一切成聖的人同得基業。徒20:32
B.我未曾貪圖一個人的金、銀、衣服。徒20:33
C.我這兩隻手常供給我和同人的需用,這是你們自己知道的。徒20:34
D.我凡事給你們作榜樣,徒20:35
a.叫你們知道應當這樣勞苦,扶助弱的人,
b.又當記念主耶穌的話,
c.說:『施比受更為有福。』」
伍.保羅同眾人禱告辭別。徒20:36-38
一.保羅說完了這話,就跪下同眾人禱告。徒20:36
二.眾人痛哭,抱著保羅的頸項,和他親嘴。徒20:37
三.叫他們最傷心的,就是他說:「以後不能再見我的面」那句話,徒20:38
四.於是送他上船去了。
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"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。