彼得的最後囑咐
彼得前書五章8至14節
8務要謹守，儆醒。因為你們的仇敵魔鬼，如同吼叫的獅子，遍地遊行，尋找可吞吃的人。
9你們要用堅固的信心抵擋他，因為知道你們在世上的眾弟兄也是經歷這樣的苦難。
10那賜諸般恩典的神曾在基督裡召你們，得享他永遠的榮耀，等你們暫受苦難之後，必要親自成全你們，堅固你們，賜力量給你們。
11願權能歸給他，直到永永遠遠。阿們！
12我略略的寫了這信，託我所看為忠心的兄弟西拉轉交你們，勸勉你們，又證明這恩是神的真恩。你們務要在這恩上站立得住。
13在巴比倫與你們同蒙揀選的教會問你們安。我兒子馬可也問你們安。
14你們要用愛心彼此親嘴問安。願平安歸與你們凡在基督裡的人！
信息分享
來到書信的結尾，彼得腦海中的圖畫，仍然是將信徒想像作群羊。不過，第8至9節的提醒，卻不單是針對群羊的領袖，而是給每一隻羊。
彼得提醒信徒要小心防備撒但的攻擊。撒但經常在遍地遊行，要尋找吞吃那些毫無防備的基督徒。按照聖經的教導，撒但真實存在，是一個可怕的實體。他是我們的敵人，經常伺機攻擊我們，而且，他還有許多污鬼作他的手下。
每間教會和每個信徒都是撒但攻擊的目標；他的目的就是要把教會和信徒摧毀。
彼得教導我們要「抵擋他」。基督已經在各各他的山上把撒但擊敗，然而，撒但卻試圖作最後的頑抗，繼續去攻擊屬於基督的信徒。有些時候，我們的生命成了基督與撒但爭戰的戰場，但我們只要與基督站在同一陣線，抵抗到底，勝利就必屬於我們。
彼得在第10節給我們一個寶貴的應許。他稱神是「賜諸般恩典的神」。神的恩典仿如湧流不息的活水，可以源源不絕地供應各人的需要。
彼得還提醒我們，到了人生道路的盡頭，所有信徒將得享榮耀；神必保守我們，直至我們進入與祂同在的日子。
這是信徒的最終盼望。不過，在這段等候的期間，神必堅立我們。換句話說，神除了讓我們站立在一個堅固的基礎之上，祂更會賜力量給我們，讓我們站立得穩。我們面前的日子，神已經為我們供應了一切，我們還有何掛慮呢？我們只可以像彼得在第11節所指出的，「願權能歸給他」，永遠稱頌神的名。
反思：
我們經常會唱「奮勇為耶穌」這首詩歌，但在現實生活中，我怎樣實踐這真理呢？
PETER'S FINAL WORDS
1 Peter 5:8-14
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.
14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.
Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Message
Peter still has the picture of the flock in his mind (see v. 2). But the warnings of verses 8 and 9 apply not only to the leaders of the flock but to the individual sheep also.
Peter warns us about Satan's attacks. He is constantly prowling around, seeking any Christian who becomes careless and open to attack. Satan is a personal being, a terrible reality. He is our adversary, our enemy. There is nothing weak or gracious about Satan. He is a cruel foe and has the support and help of thousands of demons.
There is no church that he will not try to enter. There is no Christian whom he will not try to pull down.
Peter says 'Resist him'. Stand against him. Satan was defeated by Christ at Calvary. Sometimes our lives will become a battleground between Christ and Satan, but if we take our stand with Christ, we will always be victorious.
In verse 10 Peter gives us a wonderful promise. He calls our God, 'The God of all grace'. Like a great tank of water or a wide river that can fill every cup or pan brought to it, God's grace is all-sufficient for our every need.
Peter also reminds us that at the end of the road there is glory for every believer, and God will keep us until that day when we enter into his presence.
That is our final hope as a Christian. But in the meantime God can strengthen and establish us. This means that day by day God will give us a strong foundation to stand on and even give us the strength to stand. What more could he do? He has done everything he could to make possible our Christian life day by day. As Peter says in verse 11 'To him be all the glory'.
A QUESTION:
Do you know what it is to 'Stand up, stand up for Jesus'?