1997秋季长老
总题：主当前行动中极重要的因素
第五篇　长老的牧养（一）
Message Five The Elders' Shepherding (1)
壹　约翰二十一章启示使徒的职事与基督天上的职事合作：
I.　John 21 reveals the apostolic ministry in cooperation with Christ's heavenly ministry:
一　一面，我们应当牧养人，将神圣的生命分赐到他们里面。
A.　On the one hand, we should shepherd people by dispensing the divine life into them.
二　另一面，我们应当将神圣奥秘范围里的神圣真理教导他们。
B.　On the other hand, we should teach them the divine truths in the divine, mystical realm.
三　我们若实行这些事，在主恢复中就会有真实的复兴。
C.　If we practice these things, there will be a real revival in the Lord's recovery.
四　我们必须作牧人，有父神在祂神性里爱和赦免的心，以及救主基督在祂人性里牧养并寻找的灵。
D.　We must be shepherds with the loving and forgiving heart of our Father God in His divinity and the shepherding and finding spirit of our Savior Christ in His humanity.
贰　长老应当按着神牧养群羊─彼前五2：
II.　The elders should shepherd the flock of God according to God—1 Pet. 5:2:
一　神用祂自己的宝血买了神的群羊，就是神的召会─徒二十28。
A.　God acquired the flock of God, the church of God, with His own precious blood—Acts 20:28.
二　现今神自己，就是包罗万有赐生命的灵（林前十五45下），借着长老，就是监督，照顾召会。─引用经文
B.　Now God Himself, the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b), cares for the church through the elders, the overseers.
三　按着神，就是按着神的性情、心意、作法和荣耀，不按着人的偏好、兴趣和目的：
C.　According to God is according to God's nature, desire, way, and glory, not according to man's preference, interest, and purpose:
1　按着神，意思就是我们必须活神;我们必须随时随处有神。
1.　According to God means that we must live God; we must have God on hand.
2　按着神牧养就是按着神是爱、光、圣、义之属性的所是牧养。
2.　To shepherd according to God is to shepherd according to what God is in His attributes: love, light, holiness, and righteousness.
叁　长老不该作主辖管主所委托他们的产业─彼前五3上：
III.　The elders should not lord it over their allotments—1 Pet. 5:3a:
一　长老牧养神的群羊;群羊是神的产业，分配给长老们作他们受托的资产，蒙神委托他们照管。
A.　The elders are shepherding God's flock, which is God's possession allotted to the elders as their portion, entrusted to them by God for their care.
二　在信徒中间，除了基督以外，不该有别的主;众人都该是仆人，甚至是奴仆─太二十26~28，二三8~11，林后四5。
B.　Among the believers, besides Christ there should be no other lord; all should be servants, even slaves—Matt. 20:26-28; 23:8-11; 2 Cor. 4:5.
三　作主辖管在我们牧养之下召会的肢体，很强的表明我们的骄傲。
C.　Lording it over the members of our church under our shepherding is a strong sign of our pride.
四　长老的功用不是操权管制，乃是监督群羊，这关系到保护、引导并喂养群羊，为要供应群羊所需的一切─徒二十28。
D.　An elder's function is not to rule but to oversee the flock, which is related to protecting, leading, and feeding the flock in order to supply the flock with whatever is needed—Acts 20:28.
五　长老应当与基督是一，祂是圣徒魂的牧人和监督，顾到圣徒里面各部分的益处，并监督他们真人位的光景─彼前二25，来十三17。
E.　The elders should be one with Christ as the Shepherd and Overseer of the saints' souls, caring for the welfare of the saints' inner being and exercising oversight over the condition of their real person—1 Pet. 2:25; Heb. 13:17.
肆　长老该作群羊的榜样─彼前五3下：
IV.　The elders should be patterns of the flock—1 Pet. 5:3b:
一　长老该是谦卑的榜样，带头服事并顾到召会，使信徒可以跟随。
A.　The elders should be patterns of humility, taking the lead to serve and care for the church, that the believers may follow.
二　他们该在言语、为人、爱、信、纯洁上，都作信徒的榜样─提前四12。
B.　They should be a pattern to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity—1 Tim. 4:12.
三　高举自己、擅自专权的丢特腓，乃是恶的样式─约叁9~11。
C.　The self-exalting and domineering Diotrophes is an evil pattern—3 John 9-11.
伍　长老该是圣徒的奴仆，并该降卑自己在圣徒之下─彼前五5：
V.　The elders should be slaves to the saints and should humble themselves under the saints—1 Pet. 5:5:
一　要一直记住，谦卑要救你脱离各种毁坏，并使你得着神的恩典─雅四6。
A.　Always remember that humility saves you from all kinds of distraction and invites God's grace—James 4:6.
二　长老对圣徒该以谦卑束腰：
B.　The elders should gird themselves with humility toward the saints:
1　彼得在这里的话显然是出于他的印象，就是主如何以手巾束腰，降卑自己洗门徒的脚─约十三4~7。
1.　Peter's charge here evidently came from his impression of how the Lord girded Himself with a towel when He humbled Himself to wash the disciples' feet—John 13:4-7.
2　主以谦卑束腰洗门徒的脚，但在复活里，祂乃是胸间束着金带，表征基督的神性成了祂金的力量，由祂的爱所运用并推动，以喂养众召会─启一13。
2.　The Lord girded Himself with humility to wash the feet of the disciples, but in resurrection, He is girded about at the breasts with a golden girdle, signifying Christ's divinity becoming His golden energy, exercised and motivated by His love to nourish the churches—Rev. 1:13.
3　我们向着圣徒若以基督作我们的谦卑束腰，我们就有祂的神性作我们金的力量，由祂的爱所运用并推动，将基督那追测不尽的丰富供应他们。
3.　If we gird ourselves with Christ as our humility toward the saints, we will have His divinity as our golden energy, exercised and motivated by His love, to minister to them the unsearchable riches of Christ.
陆　长老甘心并忠信的牧养，就必在牧长显现的时候，得着那不能衰残的荣耀冠冕为赏赐─彼前五4。
VI.　The elders' willing and faithful shepherding will be rewarded with the unfading crown of glory at the manifestation of the Chief Shepherd—1 Pet. 5:4.
柒　长老若按照上述各点牧养召会，就会使在他们照顾之下的召会成为今日的乐园，也就是新耶路撒冷的预尝─启二7。
VII.　If the elders shepherd the church according to the aforementioned points, they will make the church under their care today's Paradise, a foretaste of the New Jerusalem—Rev. 2:7.