“Tunaamini kwamba wokovu ni zawadi ya Mungu na mwanadamu huipokea kwa imani binafsi katika Yesu Kristo na kujitoa ili kusamehewa dhambi. Tunaamini kwamba mwanadamu huhesabiwa haki kwa neema kwa imani na si kwa matendo (Matendo 13:38-39, Warumi 6:23, Waefeso 2:8-10). Tunaamini kwamba waamini wote wa kweli, wakishaokolewa, huhifadhiwa salama milele (Warumi 8:1, 38-39; Yohana 10:27-30).”

Wokovu ni neno rahisi ambalo linajumuisha dhana nyingi—dhana ambazo haziwezi kueleweka kikamilifu kwa akili ya kawaida. Je, wokovu ni kwa ajili tu ya kuikimbia jehanamu? Je, ni bima ya maisha? Je, ni jambo ambalo Mungu alihitaji kulifikiria wakati Adamu na Hawa walipomwasi? La hasha, Maandiko yanatufundisha kwamba mungu aliupanga wokovu wetu kabla ya msingi wa ulimwengu, kwa sababu kwa kuwa anajua mambo yote, alijua kwamba mwanadamu atauhitaji sana.

Hitaji la Mwanadamu

1. Kifo cha Kiroho-kutengwa na Mungu (walijificha na waliogopa)
2. Kifo cha kimwili
3. Asili ya dhambi iliyorithiwa na wazao wao wote.

Asili ya mwanadamu iliharibika au kupoteza thamani:

Fikra: 2 Wakorintho 4:4, Warumi 1:28
Maamuzi: Warumi 1:28
Dhamiri: 1 Timotheo 4:2
Moyo: Waefeso 4:18
Hali nzima ya mtu: Warumi 1:18-3:20

“Hali nzima ya mtu ina maana kwamba uharibifu wa dhambi unaenezwa kwa watu wote na inaenea katika maeneo yote kiasi kwamba hakuna kitu katika mwanadamu wa kawaida ambacho kinaweza kumfanya akubalike mbele za macho ya Mungu.” –Charles Ryrie

Mapaji ya Mungu

Ahadi na Picha

Kwa karne zote ambazo Agano la Kale lilipitia Mungu alitoa ahadi na mifano au picha za Mwokozi ambaye atamtoa baadaye kwa ajili ya wokovu wetu. Ahadi ya kwanza ilikuwa ni Mbegu ya mwanamke, ambaye Shetani angemjeruhi lakini mbegu hiyo baadaye ingemwangamiza shetani (Mwanzo 3:15).

Kisha aliwapa picha ya jambo ambalo Mwokozi angelifanya. Mwanzo 3:21: kila mnyama aliyetolewa sadaka katika Agano la Kale alimlenga Yesu Kristo. Kila madhabahu iliulenga msalaba.

Kutimilika kwa Kristo

Yesu Kristo ambaye ni Mungu-Mwanadamu, alikuwa ni Mungu katika mwili wa kibinadamu, ili aweze kuishi maisha yasiyokuwa na dhambi, akamwaga damu yake kwa ajili ya dhambi za watu wote, akafufuka kutoka kwa wafu na kisha kurudi mbinguni kuwa Mwombezi wetu.

Mambo yaliyokamilishwa na Kifo cha Kristo

Mbadala

Kuwa Mbadala ni maana kuu ya Kifo cha Kristo

Anti kwa kiyunani ina maana ya “kukaa badala ya” (Mathayo 20:28, Marko 10:45)

Huper ina maana ya “Kwa faida ya” au “kwa nafasi ya” (2 Wakorintho 5:21, 1 Petro 3:18). Yesu alikuwa Mbadala wetu kwa kuwa alikufa kwa ajili yetu. Alikuwa anatuwakilisha alipowambwa pale msalabani.

Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu kwa upendo ambao unaweza kupimwa kwa uwezo wake usiopimika wa kupenda. Mungu anawapenda viumbe wake kiasi kwamba anatutaka tuunganishwe naye. Alituumba ili tuwe na ushirika Naye. Lakini ushirika huo unashindikana kwa sababu ya dhambi ya mwanadamu. Adhabu yake ni kifo cha kiroho na cha kimwili. Mungu ndiye Mwamuzi aliyeitangaza hiyo adhabu. Tabia ya Mungu ni kwamba hawezi kutenda bila haki yote. Mwanadamu akiwa katika hukumu ya kifo, hana anachoweza kufanya kwa juhudi zake mwenyewe ili kuiepuka hiyo hukumu ya kifo. Kwa hiyo Mungu mwenyewe alikuja kuichukua hiyo adhabu kwa ajili ya mwanadamu wa kiume na wa kike aliyempenda. Yesu Kristo alikuja kwa hiari yake kufa kwa niaba yetu, kwa dhambi zetu na kwa faida yetu. Alichukua adhabu kamilifu kwa ajili ya kifo cha kimwili na kiroho.

Ni kwa nini yeye alikuwa ndiye mbadala mkamilifu?

Mwanadamu—angeweza kufa kwa ajili ya mwanadamu: mwenye thamani ileile, lakini sio kama ya wanyama.

Asiye na dhambi—aliweza kufa kwa ajili ya dhambi, lakini sio dhambi zake.

Mungu asiyepimika—aliweza kufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zisizohesabika.

Je, hii ina maana gani kwangu na kwako? Kama nadaiwa dola 100,000 na sina kitu cha kulipa, na mtu mwingine akanilipia deni langu, mimi sihitaji kulipa tena. Ninakuwa sina deni tena. Kwa kuwa Yesu alinilipia adhabu kwa ajili ya dhambi zangu, sina haja ya kulipia tena adhabu hiyo—kama nikimpokea kama Mbadala wangu na kuachana na mawazo ya kufanya matendo mema ili niweze kukubalika na Mungu.

Ukombozi

Agorazo: Ina maana ya kununua au kulipa bei ya kitu.

Ina maana ya kulipa kile ambacho dhambi yetu ilidai ili sisi tuweze kukombolewa (I Petro 2:1, walimu wa uongo; 1 Wakorintho 6:20, 7:23; Ufunuo 5:9).

Exagorazo: Ina maana ya kununua kutoka sokoni

Wagalatia 3:13, 4:5: Kifo cha Kristo sio tu kwamba kililipa gharama ya dhambi lakini pia kilituondoa kwenye soko la dhambi ili kutupa uhakika kamili kwamba hatutarudishwa tena kwenye utumwa wa dhambi. Hatutauzwa tena kama watumwa wa dhambi.

Lutroo: Kufungua-kuweka huru

Tito 2:14, I Petro 1:18: Ni kuachiliwa na kuwekwa huru katika hali nzima ya kulipiwa. Mafundisho juu ya ukombozi yana maana ya kwamba kwa kumwagwa damu ya Kristo, waamini wamenunuliwa, wametolewa kutoka katika utumwa na kukombolewa.

Je, hii ina maana gani kwangu na kwako leo? Wewe na mimi tumewekwa huru kutoka katika mambo yetu ya zamani, kutoka katika utumwa wa bwana wetu wa zamani, Shetani, kutoka katika namna zetu za dhambi tulizoishi kwazo. Bei iliyolipwa kwa ajili yetu ilinunua uhuru wetu milele kutoka katika soko la watumwa na kamwe hatutakuwa tena jinsi tulivyokuwa zamani. Uhuru huu ndio urithi wangu katika Kristo.

Upatanisho

Kupatanisha ina maana ya kubadilisha kutoka hali ya uadui kwenda kwenye urafiki. Upatanisho kwa njia ya mauti ya Kristo ina maana kwamba hali ya mwanadamu ya kutengwa na Mungu inabadilishwa na sasa mwanadamu anaweza kuokoka (2 Wakorintho 5:19-21). Msingi wa upatanisho wetu ni mauti ya Kristo (Warumi. 5:10-11). Ni lazima tuweke sawa hapa kwamba ni mwanadamu tu ndiye anayebadilishwa. Mungu huwa habadiliki kamwe.

Hili jambo lina maana gani leo? Mungu sio adui yetu. Mungu huwa hakai pale akisubiri kwamba tutengeneze uadui tena. Yeye ni Rafiki yetu. Anatutaka tuuamini huo urafiki. Hawezi kutuachia sisi ambao tumeweka imani yetu katika Kristo Yesu.

Kipatanisho

Neno hili linatokea mara tatu katika matoleo kadhaa ya Biblia: Warumi 3:25; 1 Yohana 2:2, 4:10. Neno hili linajitokeza pia katika hali ya kutenda. Limetafsiriwa kwamba ni “kufanya upatanisho.”

Maana nzuri inaelezea kuwa ni mtu anayeondosha ghadhabu (ya Mungu).

Katika hali ya kitendo inapatikana katika Waebrania 2:17 na Luka 18:13.

Neno Hilasterion katika Kiyunani lilitumika katika nakala za kale za Maandiko kuelezea kiti cha rehema. Kifuniko cha Sanduku la Agano kilitengenezwa kwa dhahabu. Makerubi wawili waliangaliana na kuangalia chini wakikitazama kiti cha rehema. Shekinah, utukufu wa Mungu ulilikalia Sanduku. Kwenye Siku ya Upatanisho, Kuhani Mkuu alinyunyiza damu katika mfuniko kwa ajili ya dhambi za watu. Mungu alipoiona damu, aliachilia rehema badala ya hukumu. Haki yake ilipatikana. Kuleta kipatanisho ilimaanisha kumridhisha Mungu. Ni kwa nini Mungu anataka kusuluhishwa? Mungu amemkasirikia mwanadamu kwa sababu ya dhambi yake (Warumi 1:18, Waefeso 5:6). Damu ya Yesu iliyomwagika ilitupatanisha na Mungu (Warumi 3:25), na kuepusha ghadhabu yake na hili limetuwezesha kupokelewa katika familia yake, sisi ambao tumeweka imani yetu katika Yule aliyempendeza. Ukuta ambao dhambi iliujenga kati ya Mungu na mwanadamu umebomolewa. Upatanisho umefanywa kwa ulimwengu wote (I Yohana 2:2). Kusema kwamba Mungu amepatanishwa na sisi ina maana kuwa ameridhika.

Je, hili lina maana gani kwako na kwangu leo? Hatuhitaji kufikiri jinsi ya kulipia makosa yetu tuliyoyafanya. Nia yetu ya kufanya matendo mema, kutoa sadaka au kujitolea katika mambo mbalimbali sio kumpatanisha Mungu na sisi, lakini ni kwa sababu mioyo yetu imejawa na shukrani. Mungu ameridhika kabisa na upatanisho alioufaya Yesu Kristo.

Kuhesabiwa Haki—kuokolewa kutoka katika adhabu ya dhambi.
Kuhesabiwa Haki: tendo la mara moja tu.

Warumi 3:26, 5:1: Hili ni kama Tamko la ki-mahakama kwamba HAKUNA HATIA. Hakuna uwezekano wa kuhukumiwa huko mbeleni (Warumi 8:1). Hiyo ni nusu tu ya kwanza. Kisha Mungu anatupatia haki ya Kristo. Anatuhesabu kuwa tu wenye haki. Maisha makamilifu ya Kristo na kifo chake kwa ajili ya upatanisho ndio msingi wa kuhesabiwa haki kwa imani pekee. Tunapoamini, yote yaliyo ya Kristo, Mungu huyahesabia kwetu; nasi tunasimama tukiwa hatuna hatia. Hatuhesabiwi haki tu kwa kuwa tunaamini—hii ingefanya imani yetu iwe ndiyo imefanya kazi. Imani ni mkono mtupu ambao unampokea Mwokozi.

Kwa nini ni muhimu kwa sisi kuelewa kuwa ni watu waliohesabiwa haki? Hii haimaanishi kwamba hatuwezi kutenda dhambi tena. Huwa tunatenda dhambi. Na huwa tunakutana na madhara ya dhambi hapa hapa duniani kwa dhambi tulizozifanya. Lakini HAKUNA HUKUMU YA ADHABU MILELE. Jambo hili linapaswa litupe ujasiri katika mahusiano yetu na Mungu. Mungu hawezi kusema uongo. Kama akisema, “Huna hatia” na “Hakuna adhabu,” anasema ukweli na tunaweza kuishika ahadi Yake.

Namsikia Mshitaki akinguruma
Kwa mambo niliyoyafanya
Nayajua na mengine elfu nimefanya
Yehova hakuyaona!

Utakaso—kuokolewa kutoka nguvu ya dhambi
Utakaso: mchakato endelevu

1 Wathesalonike 4:3, 1 Petro 1:16

Kwenye Nafasi: Mwamini ametakaswa katika nafasi yake kwenye familia ya Mungu.

Kwa uzoefu: Kuendelea kutakaswa katika maisha ya kila siku (1 Petro 1:16)

Dhambi haitatutawala kama tutatambua kwamba tunaongozwa na Roho Mtakatifu. Ataendelea kutuweka huru kutoka katika matendo yetu ya nyuma. Atatupa nguvu ya kukataa vishawishi kwa kuwa tumemruhusu atuongoze. Je, unaziona safu zilizoko katika wokovu wetu? Mungu amekwishatengeneza mazingira ambayo yatatuwezesha kuishi maisha yanayompendeza yeye. Mungu tayari ameshatunza dharura yoyote inayoweza kutokea. Kwa hali hii tunaweza kuendelea kukua katika Kristo katika siku zote za maisha yetu.

Kutukuzwa—kuokolewa na uwepo wa dhambi
Kutukuzwa: tendo la mara moja

I Yohana 3:1-3; 1 Wakorintho. 15:35-56: Tutapokea miili yetu ya ufufuo, kama mwili wa Kristo. Hauna asili ya dhambi. Ni vigumu hata kuwaza jinsi miili hiyo ilivyo, tunaweza? Hii ni hali yetu ya baadaye. Ndio maana tunatakiwa kuyaangalia maisha yetu hapa duniani yenye mateso, maumivu, huzuni na majenzi kupitia dirisha ambalo tunauona Umilele. Miaka 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 au 80 hapa duniani ni kitu kidogo sana ukilinganisha na miaka ya milele. Miaka hii Mungu ametupa ili tuitumie kujiandaa kwa ajili ya maisha ya milele. Maamuzi tunayoyafanya hapa, chaguzi na vipaumbele vyote vinabeba sura ya maisha ya baadaye. Tunapaswa kuacha kuishi kana kwamba maisha ya hapa duniani ndio maisha pekee. Sisi tuliompokea Kristo ni watoto wa Mungu, kwa hiyo tunalindwa, Tunapendwa na tumehakikishiwa urithi wa mbinguni.

Kuzaliwa Upya: Kuzaliwa mara ya pili, kuzaliwa na Mungu, Kuzaliwa kwa Roho

Yohana 3:3, 7; 1 Petro 1:3, 23; Yohana 1:13; Tito 3:5: Mara tu tunapomwamini Kristo tunapewa uzima (maisha mapya) wa milele: ambao ni maisha ya Mungu katika moyo wa binadamu. Uzima huu ni wa mara moja na haufutwi wala kurudiwa. Ni kuwa hai kutoka wafu na kupata kwa ubora kabisa maisha na kusudi jipya la kuishi (2 Wakorintho 5:15, 17).

Msamaha wa dhambi

Waefeso 1:7, Yohana 1:29: Msamaha ina maana ya kuondolewa, kama ilivyokuwa kwa kondoo wa kafara kwenye Mambo ya Walawi 16.

Msamaha wa Mungu sio sawa na misamaha yetu. Mungu alijua kwamba sisi hatuwezi kujisikia kukubalika naye au kuwa huru kumtumikia ikiwa ndani yetu tumebeba hatia na hukumu kwa sababu ya dhambi zetu za zamani katika dhamiri zetu. Alijua kwamba dhambi zetu zinapaswa kuondolewa kabisa. Hilo ndilo Yesu alilolifanya kwa kuichukua adhabu yetu. Hii ni kweli na sio kwa ajili ya dhambi tulizozifanya kabla ya kumpokea Kristo, bali kwa ajili ya dhambi tutakazofanya leo na kesho.

Msingi wa Kutakaswa kwa Mwamini

Damu ya Kristo iliyomwagika mara moja tu ndio msingi wa kutakaswa kwetu mara kwa mara kutoka dhambi (1 Yohana 1:7-9). Uhusiano wetu wa kifamilia unashikiliwa na kifo chake; ushirika wetu hurejeshwa kwa kuungama kwetu.

Je, hili lina maana gani kwetu? Hii ina maana kwamba mambo ya kale yalishasamehewa na tunaweza kuendelea kutembea na Mungu kuanzia sasa. Kuungama hapa ina maana ya kukubaliana na Mungu, ya kwamba akisema hii ni dhambi na sisi tunasema hii ni dhambi. Usianze kuitetea: Ooh nilikasirishwa, nilimjibu hivyo kutokana na tabia yake chafu; nina mume asiyejituma n.k Wewe sema, Nilidanganya, Niliiba, Nilimsema vibaya, Nilimjeruhi, Nilikosa upendo. Kiri au ungama jambo kama lilivyo. Kisha Mungu husamehe kwa sababu Yeye ni mwaminifu na wa haki. Mwaminifu maana yake ni kwamba, kwa kuwa alisema, basi atafanya. Wa Haki maana yake ni kwamba kwa kuwa adhabu ililipwa na Mwanaye, atakuwa sio wa haki kutudai tulipe tena. Hili ndilo jambo linalotokea Mungu anapotusamehe dhambi zetu.

Atazitua nyuma yako—Isaya 38:17
Hatazikumbuka—Yeremia 31:34
Ataziweka Mbali nawe—Zaburi 103:12, Mika 7:19
Hizo dhambi hazipo—Isaya 43:25-44:22
Dhamiri imetakaswa—Waebrania 9:14, 10:22

Je, wewe na mimi tunawezaje kuyaona haya? Tunapoziungama dhambi zetu, tunapaswa kuamini kwamba Mungu amesamehe na kututakasa, kisha kwa kuamua tu, tunaupokea msamaha Wake.

Nimemwona Mungu akiwafungua watu kutokana na hatia na aibu ya dhambi zilizopita kwa tendo hili rahisi tu. Hili linaonyeshwa kupitia mwanamke aliyefanya uzinzi mara moja.

Asili ya dhambi imehukumiwa

Warumi 6:1-10, 14: Kifo hakina maana ya kwisha au kumalizika, lakini ni kutenganishwa. Kusulubiwa kwa Mkristo pamoja na Kristo ina maana ya kutengwa na utawala wa dhambi katika maisha yake. Asili ya dhambi haifanyi tena kazi katika maisha yake. Kusulubiwa pamoja na Kristo pia ina maana ya kufufuka pamoja naye kuyaingia maisha mapya. Warumi 6:4: Matendo ya kihistoria ya Kifo cha Kristo na kufufuka vinakuwa sehemu ya historia yetu wakati tunapookoka. Utawala wa asili yetu ya dhambi unaangushwa na kifo cha Kristo nasi tunakuwa huru kuishi maisha yanayompendeza Mungu.

Jambo hili lina maana gani kwetu leo? Mkanda unaotuunganisha sisi na asili ya dhambi unakuwa umekatwa. Sasa tunaweza kukaa chini ya utawala wa Roho Mtakatifu na kumruhusu atengeneze tabia mpya ndani yetu. Nguvu ya dhambi za zamani kama tamaa, wivu, uzinzi, uchoyo, hasira, matusi na mengine—yanaweza kuvunjwa na tukatambua kwamba tumefufuliwa pamoja na Kristo ili tuishi maisha ya ushuhuda mzuri. Tumekuwa viumbe vipya (2 Wakorintho 5:17).

Msingi wa kuondolewa dhambi za Kabla ya Msalaba

Je, ni nini ulikuwa msingi wa msamaha kwa watakatifu wa Agano la Kale? Damu ya wanyama hufunika tu dhambi. Lakini Mwana Kondoo wa Mungu anaondoa dhambi ya ulimwengu. Hakuna kushughulikia dhambi kulikofanikiwa kabla ya msalabani. Kifo cha Kristo ndio msingi wa msamaha katika kila kizazi; imani ni njia tu ya kuufikia. Kitu ambacho hatukijui ni kiasi cha imani kilichokuwa kinahitajika katika Agano la Kale. Lakini kwa kuwa Kristo ni Mwana Kondoo aliyechinjwa kabla ya kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu (1 Petro 1:20), katika macho ya Mungu ilikuwa tayari imekwishafanyika, kwa kuwa Mungu haathiriwi wala kufungwa na muda. Hata kama watakatifu wa Agano la Kale hawakuwa na ufunuo mkamilifu ambao sisi tunao sasa, walichukua hatua ya imani kufanya kile ambacho Mungu aliwaagiza kufanya. Walileta dhabihu walizoagizwa na walisamehewa kwa sababu Mungu alijua kwamba angewatolea Mwana Kondoo mkamilifu siku moja.

Kukaliwa na Roho Mtakatifu

Yeye hukaa ndani yetu muda wote ili kutuumbia tabia ya Kristo ndani yetu. Hutupa nguvu za kushinda majaribu. Hulitia nuru Neno la Mungu, hutuongoza katika mapenzi ya Mungu. Tunakaliwa na Mungu Mwenyewe (Waefeso 4:6, Wagalatia 2:20, 1 Wakorintho 6:19, Warumi 8:9).

Kuasilishwa (Adoption)

Wagalatia 4:1-5, Warumi 8:14-17: Kuasilisha mtoto. Katika utamaduni huo, mtoto, kwamba amezaliwa katika familia au la, alipewa haki zote na majukumu ambayo yanamkabili katika familia husika.

Sisi ni watoto tuliozaliwa katika familia ya Mungu na kwa kuwasilishwa sisi ni wana na mabinti tulio na haki zote. Kuasilishwa huku kunatupa hadhi mpya.

Matokeo ya kuwasilishwa ni kukombolewa kutoka utumwani, kutoka dhambi na mwili.

Urithi

Hii ni pamoja na kukamilika katika Kristo (Wakolosai 2:9-10), tukiwa na kila baraka ya kiroho (Waefeso 1:3), na uhakika wa kwenda mbinguni (1 Petro 1:3-5)

Mwisho wa Torati

Warumi 10:4, Wakolosai 2:14: Torati humwonyesha mwanadamu hitaji lake la kumhitaji Kristo (Wagalatia 3:21-24), lakini haiwezi kuhesabiwa haki au kukufanya uwe safi. Sisi tunaishi chini ya sheria ya Kristo (Wagalatia 6:20), au sheria ya Roho (Warumi 8:2). Amri zote Kumi zimerudiwa katika Agano Jipya isipokuwa ile ya Sabato.

Je, hili lina maana gani kwetu? Amri Kumi ziliandikwa katika vibao vya mawe. Sheria ya Kristo Imeandikwa katika mioyo yetu na tunakuwa makini kuhakikisha kwamba tunajifunza Neno na kutii miguso ya Roho Wake.

Torati au Sheria inasihi,
Fanya Hivi ukaishi,
Mikono na Miguu hupewi,
Neno jema yaleta Injili,
Hutugusa turuke angani

Kuna watu ambao wanataka kuturudisha tukae chini ya Torati. Mambo mengine wanayotuambia yanaweza kuwa hayana madhara. Lakini mara tu mtu anapoleta sheria ili apime kiwango cha hali yetu ya kiroho, kama vile kutokula nguruwe au kutokunywa kahawa ni lazima tuwe macho. Baadhi ya mawazo haya hutokana na imani potofu, lakini mengine hutokana na Wakristo wanaotaka kupima kuwa mtu wa kiroho yukoje. Usimruhusu mtu yeyote akuweke chini ya Torati. Kristo aliitimiliza Torati kwa kuitii kikamilifu na kisha akachukua adhabu ya wote walioshindwa kuitii.

Msingi wa hukumu ya Shetani

Wakolosai 2:15, Yohana 12:31, Waebrania 2:14: Hukumu zote anazohukumiwa Shetani msingi wake ni ushindi ambao Kristo aliupata msalabani. Shetani ni adui aliyeshindwa.

Hili lina maana gani kwetu? Kabla ya wokovu, tulimilikiwa na ufalme wa Shetani. Tulipompokea Kristo, Mungu alituhamisha na kutuingiza katika Ufalme wa Mwanawe Mpendwa (Wakolosai 1:13). Alikuja akakaa ndani yetu kwa njia ya Roho Mtakatifu. Aliyeko ndani yetu ni mkuu kuliko Huyo aliyeko katika dunia. Usimfikirie sana Shetani. Wewe elewa tu kwamba una adui ambaye ameshindwa ambaye anajaribu kukushika kisigino ili nawe uwe ni Mkristo aliyeshindwa ambaye hana nguvu ya kumshuhudia Kristo. Tambua hila zake bila kunaswa nazo. Wewe sio mali yake tena.

Kwa kiwango gani?

Thamani au kiwango cha kifo cha Kristo ni kubwa sana na haipimiki. Kilikuwa ni kwa ajili ya watu wote na ni kwa muda wote. Lakini kina maana na thamani tu kwa wale wanaomwamini (Yohana 1:29, 3:17; 2 Wakorintho 5:19; 1 Timotheo. 4:10; 2 Petro. 2:1; 1 Yohana 2:2).

Wokovu unapatikanaje?

Kama mara elfu mbili katika Agano Jipya, wokovu unapatikana katika msingi wa imani katika Bwana Yesu Kristo ambaye alikufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu (Yohana. 3:16, 1:12; Matendo 16:31). Wokovu ni karama ya bure. Na inapaswa ipokelewe. Hakikisha kuwa mtu anaelewa kabla ya kumfanyia maombi.

Jadili hatari ya kumshinikiza mtu kwa kumwalika kumpokea Kristo.

Ulinzi wa Nje

Ushahidi:

1. Roho Mtakatifu hutuweka katika Mwili wa Kristo—kwa ubatizo (1 Wakorintho 12:13). Hakuna mawazo kwamba tunaweza kuondolewa.
2. Roho Mtakatifu humtia muhuri mwamini hadi siku ya ukombozi (Waefeso 1:13; 4:30). Hii ni alama ya umiliki na mamlaka. Kupoteza wokovu kungekuwa na maana ya kuuvunja muhuri kabla ya siku ya ukombozi.
3. Roho Mtakatifu ni malipo ya awali au arabuni ambayo tunaipokea katika wokovu wetu (2 Wakorintho 5:5, Waefeso 1:14).
4. Ni ahadi ya Yesu (Yohana 10:28-30).
5. Warumi 8:28-39 ndiyo inayoshawishi zaidi na ina maelezo.

Maswali ya Kujifunza

Soma Waefeso 1:3-14; Warumi 8:28-30

1. Wokovu wetu ulipangwa lini? Ni nini kusudi la Mungu kwetu sisi tuliompokea Kristo? Ni nini matokeo yake (6, 12, 14)?

Soma Waebrania 9:22, 26-28; 10:11-14

2. Kwa nini sadaka za kuteketezwa zilitolewa? Kwa nini sadaka za wanyama hazikutosha? Kwa nini sadaka ya Kristo ilikuwa ni muhimu?

Soma Mathayo 20:28: Marko 10:45; 1 Petro 3:18

3. Ni nini maana kuu ya Kifo cha Kristo? Andika kwa kifupi kwa kutumia maneno yako mwenyewe kwamba kinamaanisha nini kwako binafsi.

Soma 1 Wakorintho 15:1-4, 12-19

4. Kwa ufupi injili ina maana gani? Kwa nini kufufuka kwa Yesu kulikuwa ni kwa muhimu?

Waefeso 1:19-23; Waebrania 7:23-27

5. Yesu yuko wapi sasa? Ni nini huduma yake ya kimbingu kwetu leo?

Soma 1 Wakorintho 6:20; 1 Petro 1:18-19; Wagalatia 3:13; Tito 2:14

6. Je Kristo alitimiliza nini kwa ajili yetu katika mistari hii? Ni nini kusudi lake kwa ajili ya maisha yetu?

Soma 2 Wakorintho 5:17-21

7. Ni kitu gani kingine kilichotimilizwa kwa ajili yetu?

Soma Wakolosai 1:13-14; I Yohana 1:7; Waebrania 9:14

8. Ni kitu gani kingine kilichotimilizwa kwa ajili yetu? Ni kwa jinsi gani tunaweza kusamehewa dhambi tulizozifanya baada ya kuokoka? Je Mungu anatutaka tuendelee kubeba hatia ya dhambi iliyokwishasamehewa? Kwa nini?

Soma Wafilipi 3:20; 1 Petro 2:5, 9; Yohana 1:12-13; Wagalatia 4:5; 1 Petro 1:4

9. Orodhesha faida nyingine za wokovu wetu ambazo zinapatikana katika aya hizi

Soma Warumi 8:31-39

10. Ni kitu gani ambacho ukikifanya utapoteza uhusiano wako na Mungu? Je, kuna jambo lolote ambalo mtu mwingine anaweza kufanya kwako ili kufuta kila kitu ambacho Kristo amefanya? Una maelezo gani kwa swali hili? Je, hali hii inakufanya ufikiri kuwa ni sawa tu kutenda dhambi kwa vile kuna kusamehewa? Au je, inakuhimiza kumpenda Bwana zaidi na kumtumikia kwa uaminifu zaidi?

2018年秋季版

A ministry of…

作者: Roger Pascoe博士, 主席,
聖經講道學會
劍橋市, 安大略省, 加拿大
郵箱: [email protected]
電話: 1-519-620-2375

Part I:加強講解式講道

“強化引言”

引言（開始的部分）和結束是一篇講道很重要的兩部分，然而也往往是最容易被忽視的部分。如果引言不好，你很難使聽眾相信（1）聖經指出了他們的需要，因此（2）他們應該聽你講的道。如果你的結束部分不好，那麼你就無法完成講道最主要任務，就是勸說聽眾去改變，產生一個生命蛻變的回應，使你所講的道在聽眾的生活中發生作用。

A.引言的目的

1. 起到前後過渡的作用

每篇講道，引言之前通常都有一些適當的評論。引言前的評論（引言之前的引言）的作用：

(a) 如果你是外面請來的牧師，你可以介紹一下你自己或者說一些事情和聽眾拉近距離。

(b) 你可以強調或者確認教會裡的某個聲明或者某個重要的事情

(c) 你可以將當天主日崇拜前面已經進行的部分聯繫起來，

一般來說，引言前的評論是將之前發生的部分和之後要進行的部分聯繫起來的橋樑（比如通過提及敬拜詩歌的主題）。它還給你提供了關照牧養事宜（比如某一個會眾的疾病）的機會。

在這部分引言中，照顧到前面已經進行的部分——不要忽視前面的部分，就像從來沒有發生一樣。也要照顧整個崇拜的氛圍。

2.為將要進行的鋪路

引言的目的是為引入講道，不是為了使聽眾發笑，或者講故事，或者花言巧語吸引聽眾再來

3.和聽眾之間建立聯繫

利用引言這個橋樑來營造由你個性所帶來的個人特有的氛圍，使講道不至程式化，刻板或者缺乏人情味。這樣，使你在整個講道過程中，或許是第一次，在個人層面上和聽眾聯繫起來。

B.引言的難處

為什麼有的時候很難知道如何開始？可能因為你過早地寫下你的引言。引言通常是你準備講章過程中最後才來完成的部分之一。也可能因為引言部分如此重要，而又涵蓋範圍廣，需要創造性。你或許早已完成講道要做的研究以及講章大綱，但是如果沒有豐富且有創意的想法，你仍然無法有效的準備引言。

C.一個好引言所具備的因素

對於介紹任何公開的、口頭的交流，關鍵因素是什麼？

#1:明確你的目的/負擔

你的引言必須與你講道的目的一致，而且為這個目的服務。如果你沒有目的，那為何要講道呢？如果你連要達成的目的都不知道，那怎麼能夠完成呢？沒有目的，你可以講道，但對聽眾毫無作用和意義。你必須有一個努力的目標，瞄準的靶子。所以，在引言中明確你講道的目的。

問你自己：

• 你為什麼講這篇道？
• 在這篇資訊（講道）中你要達成的目標是什麼？在引言的開頭寫明你的目的，會很有説明。這樣有利於保持你在整篇講道中不偏離主題。
• 在結束時，你打算要求聽眾做出怎樣的反應？
• 你對你所宣講的真理的信念是什麼？
• 為什麼這篇資訊（講道）是至關重要的?

記住，每一篇講道都有四個普遍的目的—激勵；告知；使信服；勸戒。

講道者的目的/負擔可用個人關心的方式來表達，也可用說明為什麼需要這個真理的方式來表達。這裡有幾個建議，來説明你說明自己的目的/負擔。

•   “根據我們剛剛讀過的神的話，我今天這篇資訊的目的就是呼召你們所有人….”
• “我個人的負擔就是這篇講道能夠幫助你們每個人避免……”
• “今天的講道是呼召你們在關於…..做一個決定”

你資訊的目的/負擔拉近了資訊和聽眾之間的距離。它提前說明了你資訊的走向以及你所期望的結果。

你如何將講道的目的和主旨（比如，主題/要點）聯繫起來？問你自己：“基於這段經文的主旨，神希望我的聽眾來理解和遵守的是什麼？”換句話說，你之所以對會眾講這篇道應該與（聖經這段經文的）作者想要傳遞給他聽眾的資訊是一致的。最初作者為什麼要寫下這些經文？他想要他的聽眾知道什麼，做什麼，或者是改變什麼，遵守什麼？

#2:從一個關聯點開始介紹

從關聯點入手介紹是為了快速吸引並保持聽眾的注意力。世俗的交流充斥著人們，並影響他們傾聽的方式—比如簡短的錄音片段（電視、電影等）。台下的聽眾可能身處於各種不同的干擾因素中—過去一周所發生的事情，身邊不聽話的孩子等。講道對於聽眾來說，要麼成為關掉這些干擾的一段時間，要麼成為收聽這些干擾的一段時間。

在崇拜的前面部分，會眾已經參與了歌唱，奉獻等。這些保持了他們的注意力。但是現在（講道時），他們作為聽者和學習者，角色更加被動。講道者的任務就是要活躍氛圍，吸引聽眾的注意，但要避免老套、過於誇張和虛偽。

什麼才是安全而有效的方法來吸引聽眾的注意力呢？我有以下建議：

• 以一個與你資訊的主題相關，又接近聽眾生活且有趣的說明、例子或者生活的片段開頭，
• 告訴聽眾在過去一周中發生在你生活中，而又與你所要講的內容關聯的一件事。但是注意不要經常這樣做。沒有人總是想要聽牧師的生活。
• 以一個挑戰性的提問開頭。但是同樣的，如果你每個周都這樣做，就會變得枯燥無味，而且聽眾預先就知道，反而破壞了你所要達成的效果。

#3:將聽眾和聖經聯繫起來

你的引言必須把聽眾的生活（他們的需要、困難和問題）、聖經經文以及你的講道清楚地聯繫起來。聽眾需要明白你知道他們的需要，並且對於他們的需要，聖經中有相關的教導。所以，顯明聽眾的需要以及你對他們需要的理解（比如“我們”一起—我們都經歷這些，包括你—牧師）。你們（牧師和會眾）處在共同的信仰與實踐之旅中。

你如何建立或者確定會眾的需要是什麼？顯然地，你需要瞭解你的會眾：

• 會眾個人的生活以及教會整體生活如何？
• 什麼事情困擾他們？
• 哪些需要糾正、發展或者稱讚？
• 在世界範圍內哪些事情的發生可能使他們質疑自己的信仰、對神的理解或者問“為什麼”？
• 教會生活中哪些事情/問題需要被神的話語顯明？（比如分裂、派系、嫉妒、事工中的軟弱等）

瞭解你的會眾，並非意味著你的教導要針對“感覺上的需要”，而是“真正的”屬靈需要，不論感覺到還是沒感覺到。現今人們真正所需要的，往往不會被“感覺到”，而是神在他的話語中顯明出來。這需要大量的禱告和智慧才能夠明白什麼是聖靈想你要講的，以及如何講，才能針對你教會的一個真正地屬靈需要。

你怎樣指出這些真正的需要呢？一個方式就是提問題，比如：

• “ 你們中有多少人曾經經歷…?”
• “ 在你個人生活或者教會的生活中，你是否曾經對….感到疑惑？”
• “你想知道神對…是怎麼說的嗎？”

另一種方式就是對會眾的需要做一個指引性的陳述：

• “我們都有時會遭遇…”
• “我相信你們都經常會疑惑—為什麼…”
• “我覺得對我們來說，現在是時候思考…”

一旦你明確了這篇講道的必要性，接著便轉移到聖經，告訴聽眾聖經指出了這個問題。在這裡你並非要講解你今天的經文——而只是簡單地讓聽眾知道聖經指出了這個問題並提供了解決途徑。聽眾會想“這些與我們有什麼相關？”。你的答案是“因為對你的問題，我有從聖經而來的答案。”在這裡，你向聽眾提供了解決方法，就是告訴他們你最終要講什麼以及對他們的益處是什麼。，

#4:確立你的權柄

你並非在給出所有的答案，而是承諾你有一個從神的話語而來的答案。這是此時聽眾需要知道的。

• 你對正在講的東西充滿了熱情。
• 你正在講的東西（例如你答案）有從神而來的權柄，來自於神的話（並不是你自己的想法）

#5:為聽道提供一個動力

引言本身應該具有激勵性。它將你要講的內容和聽眾聯繫起來。它為“我為什麼要聽？”這類問題提供了答案。它使聽眾知道，你的講道對他們有益而且很重要。

一些可以為聽道提供動力的方式：

• 你將要講的內容對每個人都有影響的
• 你將要講的會改變他們的生活。
• 你有他們所面對的問題或者需要的答案。

#6:明確你的主題

明確你將要講什麼。要簡潔明瞭。約束你的主題，例如不要太寬泛；不要導致你的會眾需要猜測你講的是什麼。

#7:道明你的主旨

將你的講道濃縮成一句話（有時叫做主旨或中心思想），使聽眾知道。

• 你要講的主要內容/核心真理
• 或者，你所要回答的問題
• 或者你想要會眾聽從的勸導

問自己：你要證明、解釋或者勸戒什麼？你要傳遞的原則是什麼？對這段經文，你想要講的是什麼？這就是你想要傳遞的主旨。它是對講章的簡單概括，是神學觀點、是與生活相關的不變的原則。

總要用完整的句子講明你的主旨。完整的句子能夠表達完整的觀點。這也是你進行充分而易懂的溝通的唯一途徑。

主旨的論述包含兩個主要因素：

(1)講道的主題

(2)講道的要點（你對這個主題將要講的內容）

在已經點明了主題的情況下，現在你要在主旨中，將主題和關於這個主題你要講的內容聯繫起來。比如你的主題是“神的愛”，問你自己：“關於神的愛，這段經文講了什麼？要點是什麼？我們要聽從的真理是什麼？”換句話說，主旨就是主題的濃縮，精煉或者設限。

建議你採用應用性的方式講明你的主旨。

應用性指的是採用直接的呼籲聽眾做出反應的陳述

• 做真正的門徒要求我們（包括你自己和聽眾）順服主耶穌，無論付出怎樣的代價。（可8:34-38）
• 有影響力的基督徒是那些為了神而在這個世界做出改變的基督徒。（太5:13）

我們使其更具應用性就是通過在主旨中點明可以應用到我們生活中的持久不變的原則，將我們從經文中（用詞，文化背景，當時的人、事、物）轉移到現代社會，

你怎樣點明主旨，從而使你的聽眾知道何為你的主旨。

你可以採用介紹性的語句，比如：

• “今天早上我們將從這段經文中看到…”
•   “真理是”
• “今天我們要講述的真理是…”
• “今天，我想要你們對神話語中所啟示的真理做出回應…”

你怎樣確定你的主旨，這個很關鍵。通常來說，就是寫下你講章的要點，然後找到能夠將這些要點都涵蓋關聯起來的點。因此，你的主旨是一個“要點中的要點”。主旨將所有內容結合在一起，因為你的要點來自於主旨，因此也就是你的整篇講章都來自於主旨。關於這個的更多內容，請看2017年秋季版雜誌。

#8:最後準備你的引言，或者至少要等到你已經完成講章提綱之後。

#9: 保持你的引言簡潔明瞭（清楚、重點突出、目的明確）

如果你將它保持在講道時間的10-15%（3-4分鐘），你必須簡潔明瞭。

#10:完整寫下你的引言，並且記住前幾段。

寫出來迫使你更好地思考，但是講的時候，儘量不要被筆記束縛。記住前幾段有助於你和聽眾建立起聯繫，使你能夠以自己的方式接近聽眾。

#11:讀經文段落並禱告

我建議你自己來讀經文段落，之後可以提及兩到三次。你也可以在這段經文的基礎上加以評說。

注意，好的經文閱讀應該：

• 神得榮耀
• 語速適中
• 適當的重讀或強調
• 不要太快（這通常是牧師最容易犯的錯誤）
• 有表現力但避免虛誇

這也是一個教給聽眾如何朗讀經文以及如何從你的朗讀方式中瞭解經文意義的極好機會。

不要忘記禱告。讀完經文之後，接下來自然是禱告。要使禱告成為整個崇拜的重要部分。禱告也是敬拜的一種，應該承接前面的崇拜。

#12:使引言多樣化

引言多樣化可以避免你的聽眾疲勞。但是不要因此而變得戲劇化。有創意與耍花招吸引人不同。

這裡有關於使引言多樣化的十個建議（他們都包含相同的元素，但是安排方式不同）

(1)發生在你自己生活中的故事，引入與之相關的經文，接著說明講道的目的。

(2)某個人真實生活的一個側面，接著說明講道的目的，然後引入經文。

(3)歷史上的一個例子，接著說明講道目的，然後閱讀經文，最後點明主旨。

(4)從經文而來的一個直接的陳述，以及它與聽眾有什麼聯繫。

(5)提及一個需求，一個被你的一部分會眾提出或者推測出的需求，然後聯繫到這段經文如何滿足這個需求。

(6)複述一個聖經故事。接著說明講道的目的，以及我們有的指望，就是那在這個故事中行事的神，今日在我們中間也能夠而且照樣如此行事。

(7)舉一個與經文相關的現代社會的問題，接著引入經文，然後說明今天講解這段經文的真理正是解決這個社會問題的方法。

(8)問一個或者一系列的問題，促使聽眾來思考一個對人來說真實的需要或者需要面對的狀況。強調這個需要（我們每個人都有這個需要）；說明神如何能夠滿足這個需要，以及你的資訊將如何解釋神怎樣來滿足這個需要。

(9)道明主旨/你要講的核心真理，給出綱要，然後接著進入你講道的主體部分。

(10)提及一個人們關注的時事新聞。針對這個問題，看聖經如何說（例如，“為什麼”這樣的問題）。

#13:過渡到講解，也就是講章的主體部分

(1)提供理解這段經文所需要的上下文以及背景資訊。也叫背景介紹。這使聽眾能夠更準確全面地理解這段經文，並且使他們知道你所講的東西來自於神的話。

• 這段經文的複雜性
• 講道的類型（比如教義講解；福音傳道等等）
• 這是否是一系列講道的開始（這種情況下你可能會給出更多詳細資訊），或者是一系列講道的後續資訊（這種情況下你可能不會提供更多資訊或者只是一點）

以一種有吸引力的方式提供背景或者上下文資訊——不要枯燥無味，而要與資訊息息相關且接近生活；也不要講得太多免得聽眾失去興趣。

(2)過渡到你要講解的第一個重點。這裡有一些技巧可以幫助你順利地過渡到講解部分。

• 這裡你提前說明你要講解的要點“今天，我們要從這段經文看到…”

… 聖經從三個方面指出了這個問題-1…2…3…

…聖經從三個方面說明了為什麼…-1…2…3…

• 只用一個簡語“注意到…”，接著介紹你的第一個要點

D.提醒

記住，一篇講道，除非經過充分準備並且在聖靈的大能和帶領下，否則不會產生任何持續的影響。

注意，沒有任何一種講道的模式或者方式在任何情況下都一定會適用於任何講道者。歷史上一些偉大的佈道者並不遵循我所列出的這些講道模式。他們不完全遵循這些規律，並不代表你就可以不使用。說不定如果他們發揮使用這些引言的技巧，他們的講道可能會比實際更有能力。

記住，你必須使這篇講道成為你自己的，才能夠影響別人的生活。這就是我們所說的帶著生命見證的講道，即“道成肉身”。

Part II:能帶來改變的領導

理解牧養事工的核心（歌1:24-2；5）

使徒保羅很明確地說到，牧師是“執事”或 “僕人”。我們是福音的執事（歌1:23）和教會的執事（歌1:25）.這是我們最主要的職責。永遠不要讓其他的事情擠佔了這些職責，這些是我們應該花精力的地方——傳講神的話和服侍信徒。因此，我想就歌羅西書1:24-2:5關於“牧養事工的核心”作一些點評。在這裡保羅所說的重點是“牧師是為教會做基督的僕人”。注意…

A.在牧養事工中，我們為教會的緣故受苦(24)

“現在我為你們受苦，倒覺快樂，…要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠” （歌1:24a）。這段經文中喜樂貫穿始終—一開始，保羅在受苦中倒覺歡樂（歌1:24），最後，保羅又因他們的信心而歡喜。這就是服侍基督和信徒最大的喜樂。這是我們的動力所在，也是我們的獎賞。但是與喜樂摻雜的，也有困苦艱難。作為牧師，我們為教會的緣故受苦。

1.在牧養事工中，我們因為和教會的關係受苦

保羅把自己的受苦看做是他服侍教會所應當承受的——“我為你們受苦（24a），為了他們的益處。保羅服侍他們，因此為了他們的益處而忍受苦難，比如監牢、嘲笑、鞭打等等。牧師為教會受苦是真實的。

(a)我們因為和信徒之間的關係而受苦。我們對他們的悲傷試煉感同身受，並且我們也作為祭司，在神面前堅立他們。

(b)當這些我們所愛所服侍的信徒被撒旦攻擊，他們的生活開始偏離方向，我們受痛苦。並且有的時候，他們並不留意我們的勸戒。

(c)因為別人不能理解我們所說所做的，而遭遇批評拒絕。

2.在牧養事工中，我們因為與基督的認同而受苦

“…並且為基督的身體，就是為教會，要在我肉身上補滿基督患難的缺欠” (24b)。保羅把自己的受苦和基督的患難聯繫起來。因他繼續做基督的工作，所以他的受苦是基督所受苦難的延續。並且所有為基督的名而服侍信徒的人都會像基督一樣受苦。

所以，牧師為教會的緣故受苦。理解這些，使作為牧師而受的苦和試煉變得有目的，有意義，有價值而且更能忍受，因為這些是在服侍教會和繼續從事基督事工中所經歷的。

牧師必須從這樣的角度來理解和看待自己的工作，才能夠處理和面對事工中的艱難苦痛，為了自己的福祉也為了教會的福祉。

B.在牧養事工中，我們是教會的管家

. “...我照神為你們所賜給我的職分作了教會的執事，要把神的道理傳得全備”（25）。

我們是教會的管家。管家是照管別人財產和事物的人。牧師是基督教會的管家。我們作為基督執事的位分是僕人之一，職分則是管家之一。

1.我們是神話語的管家

我們作為管家的第一要務是把神的話傳得完備。“要把神的道理傳得完備” (25b)。我們所傳講的神的話語是“曆世歷代所隱藏的奧秘，但如今向他的聖徒顯明了”（26）。我們把福音的“奧秘”，也就是先前隱藏的但如今向聖徒顯明的奧秘，通過講道以及牧養領導使聖徒明白，“神願意讓他們知道，這奧秘在外邦人中有何等豐盛的榮耀，就是基督在你們心裡成了榮耀的盼望”。(27).

傳講神的話就是傳講“基督在你們心裡成了榮耀的盼望” (27b)，也是傳講“基督…用諸般的智慧勸戒各人，教導各人” (28a)。

我們是神話語的管家。這是我們作為牧師的第一要務—把神的道理傳得完備。並且…

2.我們作為信徒的管家

我們的第二要務是神兒女屬靈上的充分成熟—“要把個人在基督裡完完全全地引到神面前”（28b）。我也為此勞苦，照著他在我裡面運行的大能盡心竭力”（29）。我們作為神子民的管家勞苦至終是為了鼓勵、造就、堅固那些神託付給我們去照管的人，以至於我們“要把個人在基督裡完完全全地引到神面前。”這必須成為我們的目標，在將來的那一天，把基督身體裡的每一個肢體在基督裡完完全全地引到神面前。

你可能會說“誰能擔得起做這些事情呢？我該怎麼來做？這樣的管家很偉大！”那麼牧師可以從這句話裡得到鼓勵，即上帝使我們能夠勝任做這個管家。事工是一項艱難的工作，有的時候既難且累，但是當我們為神的工作“勞苦”和“盡心竭力”時，我們意識到是神“在我裡面運用大能大力”。（29b）事奉的充足不是來自我們自己的能力，而是神在我們裡面工作。

牧師必須使用神的大能。當事奉就像幹苦力時（勞苦和盡心竭力），當我們需要力量去做額外的努力時，我們能夠來到在我們裡面“運用大能大力”的神面前。這是我們事奉充足的所在。當我們面對困難、衝突和失望時，這是我們能力的來源。神的能力激勵我們，使我們重新有力量。神的能力是我們事奉有效的秘訣—不是我們的專案、技術、促銷、心理或噱頭，而是神“在我裡面運用大能大力”。

因此，在牧養事工中，我們為了教會而受苦（24），我們是教會的管家（25-29）.

C.在牧養事工中，我們為了教會的靈性而努力(2:1-5)

牧養事工是一種不斷的努力。用保羅的話來說，我們在事奉中為了神的子民“掙扎/盡心竭力”（2:1）。我們為了什麼“掙扎”？為什麼勞苦？什麼是我們為之不斷努力的？我們是為了教會的靈性而盡心竭力。

1.盡心竭力的牧養是為了鼓勵神的子民

…“要叫他們的心得安慰”（2:2a）。這意味著什麼？是讓每個人都自我感覺良好嗎？是灌輸每個人都積極思想嗎？是總是說人想聽的話嗎？絕對不是！這裡的“鼓勵”指的是使他們有信心，激勵他們，推動他們前進，屬靈上扶持他們。我們怎樣來做這些呢？我們怎樣鼓勵神的子民呢？

(a)通過促進他們在聖靈裡的合一，以致他們“因愛心互相聯絡”（2:2b）。合一是主耶穌對他子民的熱切期盼。這也必須是每個牧師和教會領袖的熱切盼望。合一不是基於強迫，不是為了個人利益，而是基於共同的愛和尊重。這是基督在世上強大的力量。在愛裡合一能使教會強大、穩定、抵擋仇敵的詭計，影響社區，健康且快樂。

所以，牧師通過促進他們在靈裡合一來鼓勵神的子民。並且他們鼓勵神的子民…

(b) 通過促進他們屬靈上的領悟，以致他們“豐豐足足在悟性中有充足的信心，使他們真知道神的奧秘，就是基督”（2:2c）。我們的任務就是教導會眾神的全部旨意，使他們真知道他們信的是什麼，信的是誰。

如果我們在自己的事奉中以這樣的方式鼓勵神子民的心，那麼在神的時間和方式，我們會看到我們想看到的結果。

2.盡心竭力牧養的獎賞就是因他們的積極回應而喜樂

“見你們循規蹈矩，信基督的心也堅固，我就歡喜了”（2:5）

怎樣才是你牧養領導的正面反映…

• 教會循規蹈矩主要表現在事工中順服、肢體協作、尊重、喜樂等。
• 會眾信心堅定。在基督裡的信心面對攻擊時不動搖，忠誠，不論發生什麼都能夠堅定。

結語：

這就是牧養事奉的核心。一方面，我們“喜樂”。另一方面，我們“受苦”。但是看到神的子民做事遵循真理的教導，信基督的心也堅固，使這一切都值得。牧養領導艱難嗎？是的！值得嗎？當然！

如果你對會眾所懷的心意是他們在愛裡合一，他們對神和神話語的全備知識，那麼你真是基督的執事。今天讓我來挑戰並鼓勵你實行你的牧養事工…

…成為一個為了教會而和基督一起受苦的人

…成為一個把神的道理傳得全備的教會的管家，

…成為一個為教會屬靈成長（合一、悟性、循規蹈矩、信心堅固）而努力的人

這是牧養事奉的核心。願神豐豐富富祝福你的事工。

Part III:講章大綱

如果想聽關於這些的英文講道，請點選連結：Link 1 - Jn. 18:38-19:3; Link 2 - Jn. 19:4-9; Link 3 - Jn. 19:9-10; Link 4 - Jn. 19:11-12.

題目:耶穌的君王身份

主題:耶穌的君王身份暴露了權利的衝突

要點 #1:輿論的控制力(38b-6)

要點 #2:恐懼的破壞力(7-9a)

要點 #3:知識的自信力(9b)

要點 #4:地位的自負力(10)

要點 #5:神的全備能力(11-12)

Understanding open questions

Open questions require thinking and listening to God so that you wrestle with what you read in his Word. Rather than many questions, we ask only a few open questions that direct your attention to important themes and truths for your written responses on paper, perhaps in a journal. Let God speak from his Word, not only to learn about who he is and how he acts, but also in a personal way that applies to your own life and walk with him.

The simplicity of this study doesn’t equate to shallow

This study demands your involvement. Although the layout is simple, how deeply you go depends on you. As you spend time talking to God and recording your thoughts on the questions, he may lead you to other cross-references, but he will certainly give you insights into the verses. Don’t stop with initial surface answers, but ask God to clarify and guide. The time you spend in the scriptures with God gives him space to speak. Listen well, record your thoughts, share them with your small group, and glean from others’ insights.

Studying through three parts a week

If you like doing a little study at a time, each week’s lesson is set up in three parts, but feel free to go through it in any way that works best for you. If you prefer daily time in the Word, consider spending two days on each part, journaling about the optional starred section the second day. You may be amazed at what you see by reading the same passage twice. If you prefer to do the week’s study in one sitting, you may want to read all the passages first and then journal at the end. Of course, it’s great to be in God’s Word each day, but you may have other ways of doing that. Stick to what works for your schedule.

Additional reading and background information

Background information pertinent to your understanding is provided. Feel free to do your own research when you have interest or questions, but the group conversation will be focused on the passages studied by everyone.

*** A star identifies optional verses or suggested study for those with time and interest. The additional reading will help you wrestle with deeper insights into the passages.

Light for Living

The verses that begin each week’s lesson are great choices for memorization and/or discussion.

What you need

• A quiet place, if possible.
• A Bible that you can understand. If you don’t have one, ask your group leader for suggestions, or email us at [email protected]. Modern versions are available as downloads, through Bible apps, or in print at any bookstore. (We are using the NET Bible at lumina.bible.org, a free online Bible translation with study helps.)
• A notebook, loose paper, laptop, or tablet to record your thoughts and also carry them to your group meetings. (See Journaling 101 on p. 63 in the Appendix.)
• The commitment to listen to God and write out what you hear as you read, study and pray.
• Someone, or even better a group, to discuss this with you and provide support, encouragement and spiritual challenge

Best practices for group get-togethers (See also Appendix & leader videos)

Plan a regular place, time, and leader.

The leader should—

• read the section “Tips for Leaders” in the Appendix p.67.
• watch Beyond Ordinary Women’s (BOW’s) free, short videos or listen to the podcast versions: “Tips for Leading a Journaling Study” (https://vimeo.com/190999125) and the series “Listening Well” (https://vimeo.com/album/4065298). If your group includes Millennials, watch the series “Millennials: The Good, the Bad, and the Ministry” at https://vimeo.com/showcase/6829309.
• start on time, not waiting for late arrivals.
• move the group along, being sensitive to God’s Spirit.
• encourage everyone to share without forcing it.
• be a great encourager.
• avoid dominating the conversation.
• keep the focus on the women, not herself and her own thoughts.
• provide time for the group to think and share from their journals.
• contact absent group members to encourage them.
• email the group weekly to remind them of the upcoming meeting, and share her excitement.

As a group—

• come prepared and on time with your study, journal, and Bible.
• share freely and honestly.
• encourage one another.
• don’t interrupt the speaker.
• love one another.
• rather than giving advice for the problems that other members of your group express, pray for one another and entrust each other and your problems to God.
• be honest and vulnerable, but wise in how much detail you share personally.
• stay in touch with each other between meetings for support and encouragement.

If your group meets within a larger group in a church setting

• Look for a woman gifted in teaching God’s Word to teach a short time after the small group discussion. Watch the short, free video “Why Use Live Teachers, not Video?” at https://vimeo.com/209323216. (For help in preparing to teach, see our collection of videos at https://beyondordinarywomen.org/bible-teaching/ or contact us at https://beyondordinarywomen.org/contact-alternative/.)
• Because the discussion isn’t about the teacher’s comments but focuses on the members’ personal study, the discussion should precede the teaching time. Based on educational research, this matters.
• The teacher may spend 15-25 minutes adding to the background of the lesson, beginning and ending within the allotted time frame. The majority of the time together should be invested in small groups.
• The teacher’s role is to clarify and extend what the group has studied, not retell what has been discussed.

Stories

Each week’s study includes a true story at the end that relates to the lesson. The names have been changed in some cases to protect people involved.

Light for Living

He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

If you follow the news, you realize that like everything in our broken world, there is injustice in our judicial system. DNA testing has proven the innocence of many who were wrongly convicted and punished with dozens of years or more in prison for crimes which they didn’t commit. Others seem guilty and yet get off on technicalities. The systemic injustice for people of color in the U.S. becomes clear when their sentences are compared with those of white people who commit similar crimes.¹

Our God is just and expects us as his image-bearers to work toward justice, as we see in this week’s verse. Ultimately, a day will come when God will right the wrongs of our all too human systems.

And yet God is not only just but also merciful, and he asks us to display all aspects of his character to the world around us. The more I study Judges, the more convinced I am that it is God’s mercy that is most prominent throughout the book. Mercy, like diamonds, shines most brightly when juxtaposed with the dark.

Part One Study

Review the cycles in Week One on p.14, in the Appendix on p. 58 of this study, or in Judges 2:11-19.

Judges taps into a theme that runs throughout the Scripture: God in his mercy is our Savior/Deliverer. This biblical theme is first introduced after sin enters the world and God curses the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve:

And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

This verse is considered the first proclamation of the gospel or good news. God promises that a child of a woman will heroically save/deliver the world from the forces of evil. Although Adam and Eve’s sin marred Paradise, hope was ahead, not because they, or we, deserve it, but because God is merciful. Those of us who live after the New Testament recognize the child as Jesus.

The Bible tells us that 2,000 years ago Jesus did come and die to deliver the world from the evil that enslaves us personally and corporately. The scriptures also describe a coming day when he’ll return, judge perfectly, and restore all creation to the paradise of Eden.²

The stories in Judges provide a shadow of the gospel story that only comes to light in the New Testament. The judges’ victories were incomplete and temporary, but they provide a glimpse of Jesus’s future rescue of his people from the power of sin and death. In this time between Jesus’s first and second comings, God deals with us as he dealt with the Israelites of the Old Testament days: he lets us live with the consequences of worshiping and relying on the gods of this world to cause us to cry to him and turn from our idols. Someday when the Savior returns, we’ll be freed from the very presence of sin as we live on a new earth with him forever—our deliverance complete!

The stories of the judges teach us that we can never put our trust in worldly deliverers who can only provide temporary safety. From where we sit in history, we understand that whatever happens our only hope for the present and future is in the God who has rescued us through Christ.

As you read these passages about our Deliverer/Savior, write your thoughts on the questions: John 1:1-5, 9-17; Romans 5:6-11; 6:5-10; Ephesians 2:1-10; Revelation 19:11-16 and 21:1-4.

• Where are you spiritually? Do you believe what these verses reveal about Jesus? Do you need his mercy to free you from your dysfunctional life that causes pain to you and others because of sin? Do you need him to provide a life as God’s child? Will you follow Jesus by the power of God’s Spirit? Be prepared to share honestly with your group about your current relationship with Christ. We are all still growing. If you have questions about Jesus, contact your small group leader, minister, or contact us at BOW (https://beyondordinarywomen.org/contact-alternative/).
• How do these verses about Jesus’s life and future relate to God’s justice and mercy?
• What is God saying to you through these passages?

*** Read these additional passages in light of the questions above: John 3:16-21; Colossians 1:15-22.

Part Two Study

Remember that there are three sections in Judges: the double introduction (Judges 1:1-3:6), stories of the judges (3:7-16:31), and a double conclusion with two stories of moral decay (17:1-21, 25). We studied the introduction in Week One, and now we’ll begin reading about the judges in the second and longest part of the book.

As we study through the cycles in Judges, note that they descend in an overall downward spiral—the judges become less virtuous and the people adapt more and more to look and think like the people of the land.

Review Judges 1:11-15, and read Judges 3:5-11 about Othniel, considered by some to be the ideal judge.³ Then write your thoughts on these questions:

(FYI: There is some debate about how Othniel and Caleb were related.⁴ Many scholars believe that Othniel is Caleb’s nephew.)

• How would you describe Othniel? Why might some describe him as the ideal judge?
• How do you see God’s justice and mercy in the cycle that includes Othniel?
• What is God saying to you about your own life?

*** Read in Bible resources about the idols Baal and Asherahs⁵ (Judges 3:7), and write down what gets your attention. Many outstanding Bible resources are free online, including bible.org.

Part Three Study

In every judge’s story the people of Israel dealt with an oppressive foreign ruler as a consequence of their idolatry, and yet God in his mercy raised up a deliverer. Sometimes innocent people deal with cruelty; it is not always a consequence of their personal sins or disobedience. so we have to be careful here. The faithful remnant also lives with the consequences that the majority deserves. As you think about applying Judges, remember that Israel is unique as a designated God-given land for the Jews. Because no other country falls into that category, we need to apply what we read to ourselves and our churches, not to the unbelievers in the nation around us.

We believers are to be salt and light in our nations as aliens, knowing that our first allegiance belongs to God’s kingdom (Philippians 3:20). To apply the stories in Judges consider how we as God’s New Testament people are making compromises, the nature of our idols, the ways we ignore God’s commands to love him first and our neighbors as ourselves, and the ways we replace trusting and worshiping God with trust in ourselves, other people, government, money, etc.

A God-given desire for justice lives deeply within all people. Sometimes, however, that desire leads fallen people to seek revenge or become self-righteous. The English words righteousness and justice are two forms of the same word in the Bible. Self-righteousness means judging ourselves as worthy and just while we vilify other people. We can often see it in our hearts when we lack empathy toward “those” who aren’t like us. When we do that, we aren’t merciful or loving toward our neighbors.

With that in mind let’s continue the stories of the judges. The cycle began again after 40 years of rest following Othniel’s deliverance.

Read Judges 3:12-31, and record your thoughts as you think through these questions:

(FYI: “An oxgoad was a long stick with a small flat piece of iron on one side and a sharp point on the other. The sharp side was used to drive the oxen during times of plowing, and the flat end was used to clean the mud off the plow.”⁶)

• Compare Ehud and Shamgar to Othniel, the first judge. Consider their situations and methods, as well as anything the text tells you about their character. What makes each good or unusual choices for God’s leaders? Why would God choose judges with limitations?
• What is God saying to you through the stories of these first three judges?
• What three things does God require of us according to Micah 6:8, our verse this week? How might God be asking you to be an advocate/support for justice and mercy?

Just as the judges delivered God’s people from the oppression of foreign kings when the people cried out to God, so we participate in God’s kingdom work by speaking and working for justice. The more difficult the situation is, the more courage we need to stand against what is popular and accepted among our friends. The church has not always led the way in this area. As followers of Christ, we are called to speak out against inequality and injustice wherever we find it—on the job, or in the church, our nation or our families.

At the same time we’re to be forgiving and merciful because that shows God to others, maybe like nothing else does. We show mercy to the guilty and those affected by sin. Our desire for justice must be tempered by our realization that we too have received mercy— totally and completely undeserved. Harsh attitudes and hard lines that fail to love our neighbors are irreconcilable with the name of Christ.

*** Read, listen to, or watch a true story or facts about injustice, discrimination or oppression. Stretch yourself to consider a viewpoint outside of your personal experience from people unlike you. Where can you help bring justice, and where can you give mercy? How can you act on both concepts which are high on God’s priorities? (Need suggestions? See a short list in the list of “Resources on Injustice” in the Appendix on p. 61.)

A friend who worked through this study to provide input as I edited it suggested that I “strongly encourage” you to read the resources on injustice suggested in the starred optional section you just passed. She said that she’s so glad that I needed her input on them because she would’ve skipped them otherwise. She ended up challenged by what she read. Consider reading at least one of them! It’s easier to turn our heads and ignore injustice, but that leaves us as accomplices to evil.

Crystal’s Story

I grew up thinking that our country was a place where justice always prevailed. But then in February 2012, with the shooting of an unarmed black teen, Trayvon Martin, I started to question my views. Was racism still a reality in our country? Did people experience systemic injustice just because of the color of their skin? These questions forced me to dive back into the history of our nation and to revisit the story of the black experience in America through their perspectives.

Over the next few years, I read everything that I could get my hands on to understand more fully what I felt like was not being talked about in the classrooms or even the churches where I had grown up.

There continued to be more high-profile shootings of black and brown men, women and children, often in encounters with police, but now I was starting to see through the typical rationalizations offered that something deeply unjust was happening. Comments that I heard from other white Christians that racial justice was a “distraction from the Gospel” rang hollow.

When I started to study the Bible again, now in community with believers from diverse ethnicities and life experiences, my eyes were opened to the fact that these issues were central to God’s heart for justice and reconciliation. Because they are important to Him, they should be important to me as His child.

How has this changed my perspective now? Now I listen first before I speak. I grieve with those communities most affected by the brokenness and injustice in our world. I teach my kids that God has created us in all our differences and loves this diversity. I speak up and work to support those on the frontlines of creating more just communities where we live. Just as the Israelites learned in the book of Judges, I too have learned that my ultimate hope cannot rest in man but only in the God of perfect justice who has reconciled us in the cross and will make all things right again in the end.

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¹ The Sentencing Project, “Criminal Justice Facts,” at https://www.sentencingproject.org/criminal-justice-facts/ accessed 4/27/19.

² If you have never studied the big picture story of the Bible, consider doing BOW’s study The ONE Story (https://beyondordinarywomen.org/the-one-story/) which focuses on the overall story and unity of the Bible.

³ Younger, Jr., 36.

⁴ Othniel’s “exact relationship to Caleb is uncertain. The antecedent of ‘his younger brother’ could be either Caleb or Kenaz, in which case he would be Caleb’s nephew.” Block, Daniel I., The New American Commentary: Judges and Ruth, Vol. 6, E. Ray Clendenen, Ed. (Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1999), 93.

⁵ “The Asherahs were local manifestations of the Canaanite goddess Asherah.” Note 9 on Judges 3:7 in https://netbible.org/bible/Judges+3. See the Appendix section “Additional Information about Judges” p.57 for more specifics.

⁶ Note in Life Application Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 387.