Rev Xi An Poon
昨天在第21章,我們看見保羅明知前面有捆鎖、有危險,仍然順服神,堅定走進耶路撒冷。那是一種不退後的順服。但來到今天第22章,我們進一步看見,真正的順服不只是「走進去」,更是當人誤解你、攻擊你、拒絕你時,你裡面仍然沒有改變,仍然可以安靜、真實、清楚地為主作見證。
第22章不是一篇教導,而是一個生命在壓力之下流露出來的見證。保羅沒有被群眾的情緒捲走,沒有急著為自己平反,也沒有因環境兇險就收起神在他身上的工作。他反而在最緊張的時刻,把自己怎樣被主遇見、怎樣被光照、怎樣被差遣,毫無隱藏地說出來。
這就是今天神要光照我們的地方:我們平常說願意跟從神,但當人不明白我們、當環境不友善、當壓力臨到時,我們裡面流出來的是什麼?是防衛?是情緒?是退縮?還是仍然能夠安穩在神裡面,讓生命成為見證的出口?
今天,讓我們從三個方向來領受。
一、讓生命回到神的揀選裡
「他又說:『我們祖宗的神揀選了你,叫你明白他的旨意,又得見那義者,聽他口中所出的聲音。』」(使徒行傳 22:14)
保羅站在眾人面前時,他不是先講自己的努力,也不是先講自己的成就,他乃是回到神的揀選。因為一個真正認識神的人會知道,生命的起點不是「我能為神做什麼」,而是「神先揀選了我」。
很多時候,我們裡面不穩,是因為我們太容易活在人的眼光、人的評價、人的反應裡。當別人接受,我們就比較有力量;當別人否定,我們就容易搖動。但今天神要把我們帶回一個更深的根基裡,就是:你之所以能夠跟從主,不是因為你比別人更好,而是因為神施恩揀選了你。當人回到這個位置,他裡面就不需要證明自己,也不需要抓住自己的面子。因為真正穩定一個人的,不是外面的掌聲,而是裡面知道:我是被神得著的人。
所以,今天神在問我們:我們現在所活出的,是一個被神揀選的人生,還是一個仍然不斷想向人證明自己的人生?
二、讓生命對齊神的光照
「因為你要將所看見的、所聽見的,對著萬人為他作見證。」(使徒行傳 22:15)
保羅的見證有能力,不是因為他很會說,而是因為他所說的,都是他真實經歷過的。
他把自己從前怎樣敵擋主、怎樣在大馬士革路上被光照、怎樣仆倒、怎樣被翻轉,一步一步講出來。真正的見證,從來不是修飾過的故事,而是一個人真實地把自己如何被神摸著說出來。有時候我們會以為,作見證就是要把自己講得比較好、比較成熟、比較屬靈;但保羅不是這樣。他沒有隱藏自己的過去,沒有遮掩自己的黑暗,因為他知道,若不是主的光臨到,他今天仍然在錯的路上。
所以,見證最有力量的地方,不是你本來多好,而是神怎樣把你帶出來。一個活在光中的人,不再需要包裝自己;一個被神醫治的人,也不再需要掩蓋自己。因為光不是來羞辱人,光乃是來拯救人、醫治人、改變人。
今天神也在邀請我們:不要只作一個懂得講道理的人,乃要作一個真正在光中活著的人。因為唯有真實被神對付過、光照過、翻轉過的生命,才能成為別人的祝福。
三、讓生命不被人的反應左右
「眾人聽到這話,就高聲說:『這樣的人,從世上除掉他吧!他是不當活著的!』」(使徒行傳 22:22)
保羅把見證講完之後,換來的不是掌聲,不是感動,而是更大的拒絕。群眾不但不接受,反而更加憤怒,甚至喊著要除掉他。這一節很真實地讓我們看見:不是每一次忠心,都會立刻換來人的接受;不是每一次見證,都會帶來外面的掌聲。但保羅寶貴的地方就在這裡——他沒有因人的反應改變自己的忠心。
今天很多時候,我們之所以不能穩定,不是因為我們不懂真理,而是因為我們太容易被人的反應牽動。別人一不明白,我們就受傷;別人一拒絕,我們就想退後;別人一否定,我們就懷疑自己。
但第22章讓我們看見,一個真正屬主的人,裡面的穩定不是建立在「人怎樣回應我」,而是建立在「我是否忠心於神所託付我的」。
我們能夠控制的,不是人的反應;我們能夠守住的,是自己的順服。見證的結果在神手中,見證的忠心在我們裡面。
所以今天,主也在帶我們學習:不要把生命綁在人的接受上,乃要把生命安放在神的旨意裡。當我們這樣活,裡面就會有一種從主而來的平安,不再因外面搖動而失去方向。
使徒行傳第22章讓我們看見,一個真正的見證,不只是口裡說了什麼,更是生命裡活出了什麼。保羅在混亂、逼迫、拒絕之中,仍然能夠安穩、真實、無隱地見證神,因為他裡面有三個根基:
- 第一,他回到神的揀選裡;
- 第二,他活在神的光照裡;
- 第三,他不被人的反應左右。
今天,在這四十天禁食禱告第33天,神不是只要我們多一點宗教性的操練,神乃是要把我們帶進一個更真實的生命狀態裡:讓我們不再躲藏,不再防衛,不再被人影響太深,而是成為一個在光中、沒有隱藏、能夠真實見證主的人。
主啊,我裡面是否仍有一些地方不願意被祢光照?我是否仍然活在人的眼光裡,多過活在祢的呼召裡?當別人不接受、不理解我時,我裡面的平安是否就被奪去?我今天所活出的生命,是否真能成為祢的見證?
主啊,我們來到祢面前,求祢把我們從人的眼光中帶回來,讓我們重新站穩在祢的揀選裡。主啊,也求祢用祢的光照進我們生命深處,顯明那些仍然隱藏、仍然防衛、仍然不願被祢觸摸的地方。求祢使我們不再只是外面跟從祢,乃是真正在裡面被祢改變、被祢醫治、被祢得著。主啊,當人不明白我們、當環境不友善、當反對臨到時,求祢保守我們裡面的平安,使我們不因人的反應失去方向,只單單忠心於祢。願我們的生命,成為一個在光中沒有隱藏的見證。奉主耶穌基督的名禱告,阿們。
使徒行傳 21:40b
40b 他們都靜默無聲,保羅便用希伯來話對他們說:
使徒行傳 22:1-30
1「諸位父兄,請聽我現在對你們分訴!」 2 眾人聽他說的是希伯來話,就更加安靜了。
3 保羅說:「我原是猶太人,生在基利家的大數,長在這城裡;在迦瑪列門下,按著我們祖宗嚴緊的律法受教;熱心侍奉神,像你們眾人今日一樣。 4 我也曾逼迫奉這道的人,直到死地,無論男女都鎖拿下監。 5 這是大祭司和眾長老都可以給我作見證的。我又領了他們達於弟兄的書信,往大馬士革去,要把在那裡奉這道的人鎖拿,帶到耶路撒冷受刑。 6 我將到大馬士革,正走的時候,約在晌午,忽然從天上發大光,四面照著我。 7 我就仆倒在地,聽見有聲音對我說:『掃羅,掃羅,你為什麼逼迫我?』 8 我回答說:『主啊,你是誰?』他說:『我就是你所逼迫的拿撒勒人耶穌。』 9 與我同行的人看見了那光,卻沒有聽明那位對我說話的聲音。 10 我說:『主啊,我當做什麼?』主說:『起來!進大馬士革去,在那裡要將所派你做的一切事告訴你。』 11 我因那光的榮耀不能看見,同行的人就拉著我手進了大馬士革。 12 那裡有一個人名叫亞拿尼亞,按著律法是虔誠人,為一切住在那裡的猶太人所稱讚。 13 他來見我,站在旁邊對我說:『兄弟掃羅,你可以看見!』我當時往上一看,就看見了他。 14 他又說:『我們祖宗的神揀選了你,叫你明白他的旨意,又得見那義者,聽他口中所出的聲音。 15 因為你要將所看見的、所聽見的,對著萬人為他作見證。 16 現在你為什麼耽延呢?起來,求告他的名受洗,洗去你的罪!』
17 「後來我回到耶路撒冷,在殿裡禱告的時候魂遊象外, 18 看見主向我說:『你趕緊地離開耶路撒冷,不可遲延。因你為我作的見證,這裡的人必不領受。』 19 我就說:『主啊,他們知道我從前把信你的人收在監裡,又在各會堂裡鞭打他們。 20 並且你的見證人司提反被害流血的時候,我也站在旁邊歡喜,又看守害死他之人的衣裳。』 21 主向我說:『你去吧!我要差你遠遠地往外邦人那裡去。』」
22 眾人聽他說到這句話,就高聲說:「這樣的人,從世上除掉他吧!他是不當活著的!」 23 眾人喧嚷,摔掉衣裳,把塵土向空中揚起來。 24 千夫長就吩咐將保羅帶進營樓去,叫人用鞭子拷問他,要知道他們向他這樣喧嚷是為什麼緣故。
25 剛用皮條捆上,保羅對旁邊站著的百夫長說:「人是羅馬人,又沒有定罪,你們就鞭打他,有這個例嗎?」 26 百夫長聽見這話,就去見千夫長,告訴他說:「你要做什麼?這人是羅馬人!」 27 千夫長就來問保羅說:「你告訴我:你是羅馬人嗎?」保羅說:「是。」 28 千夫長說:「我用許多銀子才入了羅馬的民籍。」保羅說:「我生來就是。」 29 於是那些要拷問保羅的人就離開他去了。千夫長既知道他是羅馬人,又因為捆綁了他,也害怕了。
30 第二天,千夫長為要知道猶太人控告保羅的實情,便解開他,吩咐祭司長和全公會的人都聚集,將保羅帶下來,叫他站在他們面前。
Acts 21:40b
40b And when there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
Acts 22:1-30
1 “Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” 2 And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.
Then he said: 3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, 5 as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8 So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
9 “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10 So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ 11 And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 “Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, 13 came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. 15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
17 “Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance 18 and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ 19 So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. 20 And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”
22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” 23 Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. 25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”
27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?”
He said, “Yes.”
28 The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.”
And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”
29 Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.


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