事工哲学(1)——讲道

http://事工哲学(2)——圣俗之分

事工哲学(3)——教会的目的

事工哲学(4)——圣灵

事工哲学(5)——全职还是兼职

事工哲学(6)——多样性

我不想涉及具体的事情,只想讨论原则问题。至于应用,大家自己去想吧。这些东西,断断续续也和不少人分享过。

如果你带着祷告的心意好好读下面的三段经文,大概会知道我想说的是一个非常复杂的主题。生活从来不简单,也没有简单的答案。

彼得前书 5:14

5:1 我这作长老、作基督受苦的见證、同享后来所要显现之荣耀的,劝你们中间与我同作长老的人:
1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:
2 务要牧养在你们中间神的群羊,按着神旨意照管他们;不是出于勉强,乃是出于甘心;也不是因为贪财,乃是出于乐意;
2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly;
3 也不是辖制所託付你们的,乃是作群羊的榜样。
3 not dminering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
4 到了牧长显现的时候,你们必得那永不衰残的荣耀冠冕。
4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.


约翰福音 10:11-16

10:11 我是好牧人;好牧人为羊捨命。
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 若是雇工,不是牧人,羊也不是他自己的,他看见狼来,就撇下羊逃走;狼抓住羊,赶散了羊群。
12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 雇工逃走,因他是雇工,并不顾念羊。
13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 我是好牧人;我认识我的羊,我的羊也认识我,
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15 正如父认识我,我也认识父一样;并且我为羊捨命。
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 我另外有羊,不是这圈里的;我必须领他们来,他们也要听我的声音,并且要合成一群,归一个牧人了。
16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 我父爱我;因我将命捨去,好再取回来。
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.


马太福音 10:16-20

10:16 我差你们去,如同羊进入狼群;所以你们要灵巧象蛇,驯良象鸽子。
16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
17 你们要防备人;因为他们要把你们交给公会,也要在会堂里鞭打你们,
17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,
18 并且你们要为我的缘故被送到诸侯君王面前,对他们和外邦人作见證。
18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.
19 你们被交的时候,不要思虑怎样说话,或说甚么话。到那时候,必赐给你们当说的话;
19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.
20 因为不是你们自己说的,乃是你们父的灵在你们里头说的。
20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.


以下是我给孩子们讲的故事:

从前有个大森林,森林里面有大灰狼。森林边上有两个牧人,都是好牧人,各自照顾一群羊。

有一位牧人担心狼来伤害羊,就严严实实地修了羊圈,认认真真地照顾和保护自己的羊,心中预备着为羊舍命。他心里想着,万一狼来了,我真的丢了性命,是否就可以保全所有的羊呢?于是,他也训练羊群,让他们变得强壮,安排他们在狼袭来的时候,四散逃跑的路线。

第二位牧人采取了完全不同的方法。他训练、鼓励、带领群羊,一道进入森林向大灰狼发起进攻,希望可以赶走大灰狼,建立一个羊掌权的森林。他的羊和牧人一样勇敢,跟随牧人一起进入了森林……

请问,牧人的责任是保护羊群,为羊舍命,还是定意要赶走大灰狼,不惜为狼舍命?

请问,羊的责任是跟着牧人进入狼群打仗吗?若狼要把牧人吃掉,羊应当怎么办?

有人说,第一位牧人和他的羊之所以安全,是因为第二位牧人和他的羊勇敢地与狼作战,狼若不跨过他们的尸体,就不能越雷池一步伤害其他的羊。所以,所有的羊都应当离开第一位牧人和他修好的羊圈,进入森林里参战吗?


进一步的参考资料,参见我如何修复RSS-XML的文章。