事奉的特权
哥林多后书四章1至7节
1我们既然蒙怜悯,受了这职分,就不丧胆,
2乃将那些暗昧可耻的事弃绝了;不行诡诈,不谬讲神的道理,只将真理表明出来,好在神面前把自己荐与各人的良心。
3如果我们的福音蒙蔽,就是蒙蔽在灭亡的人身上。
4此等不信之人被这世界的神弄瞎了心眼,不叫基督荣耀福音的光照着他们。基督本是神的像。
5我们原不是传自己,乃是传基督耶稣为主,并且自己因耶稣作你们的仆人。
6那吩咐光从黑暗里照出来的神,已经照在我们心里,叫我们得知神荣耀的光显在耶稣基督的面上。
7我们有这宝贝放在瓦器里,要显明这莫大的能力是出于神,不是出于我们。
信息分享
使徒保罗喜欢用「职份」一词来形容他的事奉,这词在他的书信中出现不下十数次。他所指的「职份」并不是站在讲台上事奉的一两个小时,而是涵盖了他的一生。
我们很容易会说,神在保罗身上有独特的计划,要将特别的职份交给保罗,因此,我们有借口说:「我们不是保罗,不能够承担那样的重任!」我们必须再读第1节一遍:「我们……受了这职份。」──那当然包括我们每一个基督徒!
我们是这职份的拥有者,这职份是我们共有的,是属于你和我的。保罗提醒我们,我们并非单是得着救恩的罪人,更是神的仆人。我们的工作就是代表基督。这是随着身份而来的职份。
保罗在好几卷书信中都提过「圣灵的恩赐」,这恩赐就是圣灵赐给每位信徒用于事奉的能力。每位信徒都有恩赐,恩赐各有不同,但只要有恩赐,我们就可以完成某项事奉,借此服事基督。
保罗接着提醒我们,每个信徒都必须事奉。他在第3节指出,不认耶稣基督的人,都是蒙蔽和失丧的人,他们离弃了神,以致无法与祂相交。除非他们听信福音,否则将永远与神隔绝。撒但当然不想他们听闻福音;但我们却有责任把基督的福音告诉他们。
我们的职份──传扬福音--满足世人。
THE PRIVILEGE OF MINISTRY
2 Corinthians 4:1-7
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
Message
If it were right to say that Paul was proud, there was one privilege he was proud of - that Christ had allowed Paul to serve Him. But actually he was humbled by this fact and saw the responsibility of it besides the privilege.
'Ministry' was a favourite word of the apostle. He used it dozens of times in his epistles. He spoke as if it covered his whole life, not just an hour or so in some pulpit.
It is very easy for us to say that God had special plans for Paul and we therefore tend to excuse ourselves by saying, "We're not Paul. We can't do much." We need to read that first verse again:
We have this ministry. That includes every one of us.
We could call it a "Possessed Ministry". It is ours. It is yours. It is mine. Paul reminds us that not only are we saved, but we are servants also. We have a work to do - representing Jesus Christ.
In several epistles Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit. A gift is a capacity given to each of us by the Holy Spirit, to be used in the service of Christ. Every believer has a gift. They may vary as to their nature, but having a gift, we have some kind of a ministry we can fulfil for Christ.
Then Paul reminds us how much this ministry is needed. In verse 3 he states that outside of Jesus Christ, men and women are lost. They are lost from God and lost from His fellowship. They are separated from Him, and will be forever, unless they hear and accept the gospel we possess. Satan wants to keep them from hearing it. Our responsibility is to tell them .the Good News in Christ.
OUR MINISTRY - POSSESSED BY US - NEEDED BY THEM.

