2000秋季长老
总题：完成神命定之路以建造基督生机身体所需要的真理、生活与工作
第二篇　长老与同工的生活─爱圣徒和罪人，并作奴仆服事他们
Message Two The Living of the Elders and Co-workers in Loving the Saints and the Sinners and in Serving Them as Slaves
读经：约二一15~17，彼前五2~3，徒二十28，太二四45~47
Scripture Reading: John 21:15-17; 1 Pet. 5:2-3; Acts 20:28; Matt. 24:45-47
壹　神给人的第一条诫命乃是，“你要全心、全魂、全心思并全力，爱主你的神。”第二大的诫命是，“要爱邻舍如同自己。”长老和带领者的生活，应当在爱神并爱人上作榜样─可十二30~31，彼前五2~3：
I.　The first commandment of God to man is, "You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength." The second great commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The living of the elders and leading ones should be a pattern of love toward God and man—Mark 12:30-31; 1 Pet. 5:2-3:
一　我们对主的爱，使我们能以周全柔细的照顾牧养祂的群羊，显出对他们真正的爱和关心─约二一15~17：
A.　Our love for the Lord leads us to shepherd His flock with an all-inclusive tender care, displaying our genuine love and concern for them—John 21:15-17:
1　我们对圣徒的爱心，必须是我们这个人里面的一个东西（而不是我们的表演），是我们里面主的爱所产生的结果。当一个弟兄有缺乏，我们也自然有痛痒相关的感觉，那就证明，我们的爱心是真实的─林后十一28~29，林前九22。
1.　Our love for the saints should be something in our person (not our performance) as a result of the Lord's love in us. When a brother has some lack, we spontaneously feel the same lack. This proves that our love is real—2 Cor. 11:28-29; 1 Cor. 9:22.
2　我们对圣徒关心，会使他们来“麻烦”我们，与我们交通到许多问题，和许多要决定的事。如果从来没有人来麻烦过我们，我们就不该还在作长老或带领的人。有圣徒来麻烦，是一件蒙福的事，不知道有多少的祝福，都在这里。
2.　Our concern for the saints causes them to come to "bother" us for fellowship in countless problems and decisions. If no one ever comes to bother us, we should not be elders or leading brothers any longer. Receiving this bothering of the saints is a blessed work. We have no idea how much blessing is in it.
3　我们在主面前学功课，接受一个负担，愿意在祂儿女中作一个牧养的人，作一个照顾人灵魂的人，这才是对的。因为爱他们，关心他们，所以有一个担子压在你的身上。今天各地召会最缺少的，就是这样的长老─徒二十28。
3.　The right way is for us to learn the lesson before the Lord and to accept a burden to be a shepherd among His children, one who cares for the souls of men. It is because you love them and are concerned for them that you have such a burden upon you. Today the greatest lack in every local church is this kind of elder—Acts 20:28.
4　我们也受嘱咐要“喂养我的小羊”。我们要喂养别人，就需要享受主神圣生命的丰富。这需要我们爱祂。爱主、享受祂的生命、喂养人，彼此是生机相连的─约二一15与注4。
4.　We are also charged to "feed My lambs." To feed others, we need to enjoy the riches of the Lord's divine life. This requires that we love Him. Loving the Lord, enjoying His life, and feeding others are organically linked—John 21:15 and note 4.
二　李弟兄在“对同工长老们以及爱主寻求主者爱心的话”这本书的信息中，发出他最后的请求，要我们恢复爱世人─最恶劣的人─的灵，并重新恢复一颗因着久不聚会的人回来，而喜乐流泪的心：
B.　In the messages printed in A Word of Love to the Co-workers, Elders, and Lovers and Seekers of the Lord, Brother Lee expressed his ultimate plea for the recovery of a spirit that loves the world—the worst people, and for the restoration of a heart that would weep with joy at the return of the dormant saints:
1　基督来是作医生，为着那些有病的人，祂不是为着义人，乃是为着罪人。那就是祂为什么在罪人和税吏中间，与他们一同吃饭、坐席，与他们一同享受─太九12~13。
1.　Christ came as a physician for those who were ill, not for the righteous but for the sinners. That is why He was there among the sinners and tax collectors, eating and feasting with them, reclining at the table and enjoying with them—Matt. 9:12-13:
2　无论我们是长老、同工或服事者，若失去这样的灵，我们就完了。这是我们多年来不结果子的主要原因─约十五5~6。
2.　If we lose this spirit, whether we are elders, co-workers, or serving ones, we are finished. This is the main reason why we are so barren, bearing no fruit for so many years—John 15:5-6.
3　“正如我先前说过的，不牧养、不寻找的灵，以及没有爱和赦免的灵，正在主的恢复里到处蔓延。我相信，没有父神爱和赦免的心，没有救主牧养和寻找的灵，乃是我们不结果子的原因。”（对同工长老们以及爱主寻求主者爱心的话，四二页。）
3.　"As I have said before, the spirit of not shepherding and seeking others and being without love and forgiveness is spreading in the recovery everywhere. I believe that not having the Father's loving and forgiving heart and not having the Savior's shepherding and seeking spirit is the reason for our barrenness." (A Word of Love to the Co-workers, Elders, and Lovers and Seekers of the Lord, p. 40.)
4　我们看见自己缺少爱，就该悔改，行起初所行的，重新恢复我们对基督和祂身体那上好的爱─启二5。
4.　As we realize our lack of love, we should repent and do the first works to restore our best love for Christ and His Body—Rev. 2:5.
贰　我们对主的爱，使我们作奴仆服事神和人类：
II.　Our love for the Lord leads us to serve God and mankind as a slave:
一　作为带领者，我们必须不自居身分，乃是作奴仆服事─太二十26~27：
A.　As leading ones, we must not assume any status but serve as slaves—Matt. 20:26-27:
1　“照我多年的观察，无论同工或长老，最大的难处，就是许多人把自己同工或长老的身分看得太重。实在说来，我们没有身分。”（如何作同工与长老，并如何履行同工与长老的义务，五页。）
1.　"According to my many years of observation, the biggest problem with the co-workers and the elders is that many of them overly regard their status as a co-worker or an elder. Actually, as co-workers and elders, we have no status. (How to Be a Co-worker and an Elder and How to Fulfill Their Obligations, p. 10)
2　“这里的“奴仆”，不是花钱雇用的仆人，乃是买来的奴隶;按罗马律法，这些奴隶是没有人权的。我们作同工和长老的，就是这样的奴仆。”（六页。）
2.　The word slave (v.27) refers not to a hired servant, but to a purchased slave. According to Roman law, slaves had no human rights. As co-workers and elders we are such slaves. (How to Be a Co-worker and an Elder and How to Fulfill Their Obligations, p. 11)
3　按照使徒保罗的榜样，我们该看自己是众人的奴仆，是为耶稣的缘故，服事众人的─林后四5。
3.　According the pattern of the apostle Paul, we should consider ourselves as slaves of all people and serve all people for Jesus' sake—2 Cor. 4:5.
4　“同工弟兄们，长老弟兄们，我们都错了，也都得悔改。我很痛心的说这话，因为我们常常自居人上，不容有人说我们错;若有人说我们错，我们就含怨在心;这不是奴仆该有的态度。”（六至七页。）
4.　"We brothers who are co-workers and elders have been wrong and we all have to repent. I say this with a painful heart because we always assume the position of being above others and do not allow others to say that we are wrong. If anyone says that we are wrong, we carry a grudge in our heart. This is not the proper attitude of a slave. (How to Be a Co-worker and an Elder and How to Fulfill Their Obligations, p. 12)
二　我们应当作爱的奴仆服事基督、召会和人类：
B.　We should serve Christ, the church, and humanity as love slaves:
1　我们被基督那爱世人、召会和众圣徒的爱所推动。因着这样的大爱和牺牲的爱，我们被困迫，作奴仆服事祂─林后五14~15，弗五2。
1.　We are motivated by Christ's love for the world, the church, and all the saints. Because of such a great and sacrificing love, we are constrained to serve Him as slaves—2 Cor. 5:14-15; Eph. 5:2.
2　我们要作合式的长老，就必须过一种生活，向着我们的主，向着祂的身体，并向着一切祂渴望要拯救的人，作爱的奴仆。我们应当放弃任何野心，也不盼望受人赞扬，而只作奴仆服事。这会使我们一生有用并快乐，也会使我们得到喜乐的国度赏赐─太二四45~47。
2.　To be a proper elder we must live a life of loving slavery to our Lord and to His Body and to all whom He desires to save. We should give up any ambition or hope for recognition, to serve as a slave. This will make us useful and happy for our whole life and will lead us to our joyous kingdom reward—Matt. 24:45-47.
3　我们应当一直记住李弟兄墓上简单的碑文─耶稣基督的奴仆李常受。
3.　We should always remember the simple inscription on Brother Lee's tomb that summarized his life: "Witness Lee—a bondslave of Jesus Christ."