2002春季长老
总题：认识身体（一）
第一篇　长老的地位与功用
Message One The Position and Function of the Elders
读经：太二十20~28，二三8~12，徒二十17，28，彼前五1~4
Scripture Reading: Matt. 20:20-28; 23:8-12; Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Pet. 5:1-4
壹　长老的地位：
I.　The position of the elders:
一　长老的地位不该被看为任何阶级的地位─太二十20~28。
A.　The position of the elders should not be considered a position of any rank— Matt. 20:20-28.
二　长老绝不该有确保地位的思想。
B.　The elders should never have any thought of securing their position.
三　长老应当以自己为榜样来牧养“人群”─彼前五1~4。
C.　The elders should shepherd the "man flock" by setting themselves up as examples—1 Pet. 5:1-4.
四　领头的人不该是管辖的，乃该是服事而不控制的奴仆、仆人─3节。
D.　The leading ones should not be rulers but slaves, servants, who serve and do not control—v. 3.
五　严格说来，没有权柄给长老;说长老没有任何权柄，这违反我们天然的思想─太二三8~12。
E.　Strictly speaking, there is no authority given to the elders; to say that elders do not have any authority is against our natural thought—Matt. 23:8-12.
六　看见在地方召会中，只有长老这一面给人的带领，而没有要求或争取信徒的信从并服从，是非常美丽的。
F.　It would be very beautiful to see that in the local churches there would only be the rendering of leading on the elders' side with no demand or claim of the believers' obedience and submission.
贰　长老的功用：
II.　The function of the elders:
一　长老必须管理召会，正如作父亲的管理他的家庭，他的家一样─提前三4~5。
A.　The elders have to manage the church just as a father manages his family, his house—1 Tim. 3:4-5.
二　若是一个地方召会的长老教导圣徒，像母亲养育孩子一样，那个召会必定非常美好─2节。
B.　If a local church has elders who teach as a mother raising up her children, that church will be very good—v. 2.
三　那些在话语和教导上劳苦的，尤其配受加倍的敬奉─五17。
C.　Those who labor in word and teaching are especially worthy of double honor— 5:17.
四　地方召会中会出难处，主要是因缺少喂养─太二四45~46。
D.　The problems in a local church are mainly because of the lack of feeding— Matt. 24:45-46.
五　我们为主作工的人，不该把任何工作保守在自己手中;我们不过是奴仆，这是主的工作，不是我们的工作─路十七7~10。
E.　We who are working for the Lord should never keep any work in our hand; we are slaves, and the work is the Lord's, not ours—Luke 17:7-10.
六　长老们必须晓得，没有一个召会是他们的召会;召会乃是神的产业，不是长老们的产业─彼前五2~3。
F.　The elders must realize that no church is their church; the church is God's possession, not the elders' possession—1 Pet. 5:2-3.