使徒行傳 第24章 中英摘要

  弟兄姊妹,身為基督徒你是否真認識神?當你發現這位神是至寶,你必然奮不顧身拼命要得到;我們祈求聖靈開我們的眼睛,讓我們認識我們所得到的。使徒保羅深知他得到的是至寶,在第三次佈道旅行後,雖然被預言將被綑綁,同工也極力勸阻,他仍執意帶著捐項和供獻回到鬧飢荒的耶路撒冷,果然遇見逼迫。使徒行傳24章裡,兇悍的猶太人將保羅從千夫長告到巡撫。之後的章節再告到亞基帕王,最後上訴到凱撒,屢屢欲陷保羅於死地,但保羅倚靠神無所畏懼。

  本章一開始,大祭司亞拿尼亞同幾個長老,和辯士帖土羅直奔巡撫控告保羅。帖土羅先阿諛巡撫腓力斯,稱讚他使猶太大享太平,弊病得著更正。聽起來這位總督好像是位賢明的能人,其實他是個貪財索賄的官員。接著帖土羅指控保羅四件事:第一,保羅是瘟疫,傳染力強;第二,到處攪亂;第三,他是拿撒勒教派的一個頭目;第四,褻瀆聖殿。

  保羅對被控的罪名做出答辯:我並沒有煽動群眾作亂,我講的不是異端,是真理之道;我所事奉的對象依然是祖先的神,所相信的依然是摩西的律法和先知書上所記載的一切。我對神存著跟他們一樣的盼望,盼望所有的人無論善惡,都要從死裡復活。

  腓力斯明白保羅並未犯什麼罪,對保羅相當的禮遇。腓力斯和他夫人土西拉還叫保羅來給他們講道,保羅講到將來的審判,腓力斯甚覺恐懼,矛盾又痛苦。

  人會矛盾痛苦是因為沒有定見,好比「今天要來參加讀經聚會嗎?啊!可是,我很忙……」其實當你決定要來參加聚會的那一刻,就是敬拜的開始,虔誠的態度就是對神的敬拜。無論聽道,或聽完回去實行,都是一種敬拜。

  又好比服事,不要猶疑,人人都該服事神,做不好沒關係,邊學邊服事,學兩招就用兩招,要像保羅「當打的仗已打過,當跑的路已跑盡」,最重要的是實踐,是盡全力到達終點。

  曾經有一位非洲的長跑健將,代表國家參加馬拉松比賽,跑到一半時跌倒,腳受了傷,於是他只能拖著疼痛的腳,一步一步慢慢地跑回終點,當他到達終點時,場內正頒獎閉幕。當大家看見那黝黑的疲累的身軀努力地移動着進場,全場觀眾為這蘊含著驚人毅力的選手起立歡呼。記者問他為何不放棄比賽,他說:「我的國家派我來,不是來參加起跑,我的國家派我來,是要我能到達終點。」

  神要我們打的仗,我們要打完;神要我們走的路,我們要走盡。那我們就是那又忠心又良善的得勝者!

2015/6/25 葉長老 風美小組信息 / 方儀 摘錄整理

runner-728219-1000

Acts 24

  Brothers and sisters, we are all Christians, but do we really know God? When you discover that our God is the most valuable treasure, you will certainly give up everything in order to obtain it. Pray that the Holy Spirit open our eyes so that we know what we have already acquired. Paul knew that he had got the treasure, so he, after his third missionary journey, insisted on going to Jerusalem to bring gifts for the poor and to present offerings, although it had been prophesized that he would be imprisoned and people working with him all spoke against it. Just as anticipated, Paul was persecuted. In Acts 24, Paul was taken by the fierce Jews to high ranking military officers and then to the governor. In later chapters, Paul was even taken to king Agrippa and eventually to Caesar. Paul faced death so many times, but he wasn’t afraid because he depended on God.

  In the beginning of this chapter, the high priest Ananias, with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, brought their charges against Paul before the governor. Tertullus flattered Felix by saying that they have enjoyed a long period of peace under his governance and that he has brought about reforms in the nation. It sounded like that this governor was a wise and able man, but he was actually very corrupted. Afterwards, Tertullus brought up four accusations against Paul: 1. Paul was a highly contagious plague, 2. Paul stirred up riots among the Jews, 3. Paul was a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 4. Paul tried to desecrate the temple.

  Paul answered to those accusations by saying: 1. I did not stirred up riots, 2. I preached no heresy but the Truth, 3. I believed in the God of my ancestors, and I believed everything that was in accordance with the Law and that was written in the Prophets, 4. I had the same hope in God as these man themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

  Felix knew that Paul had no crime, so he showed courtesy to Paul. Felix and his wife, Drusilla, even asked Paul to preach to them. Paul spoke of the Judgment in the future, and Felix was afraid and anguished.

  People feel anguished because they have no determination. For example, “Will I attend the Bible study group today? Ah, but I’m so busy already…” Actually, worship start at the moment you decide to attend the service. Piety and devotion are our worship to God. Listening to God’s words and practice them are both worship to God.

  Take serving God for another example. Don’t hesitate to serve, because everyone should serve God. It does not matter if you cannot do a perfect job; you can learn while you serve, and then serve with what you’ve learned. Our goal is to be able to say, as Paul did, ” I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.” The most important thing is to practice our faith and to run to the finish line with all our strength.

  Once there was an African long distance runner. He represented his country in a marathon. He fell to the ground and wounded his foot when he was only halfway through the race. So he had to drag his aching foot all the way to the end. When he reached the finish line, the awarding ceremony was closing. However, everyone stood up and cheered for this runner who had an amazing willpower when they saw his dark and weary body moved slowly into the field. When a reporter asked him why didn’t he quit, he answered, ” My country sent me here not to join the race, but to finish it.”

  God wants us to fight, then we have to finish it. God wants us to walk, then we walk all the way to the end. If we do so, we are His faithful and good servants!

2015/6/25 Message by Elder Yeh