如同羊进入狼群

马太福音10章16-22节

10:16 我差你们去，如同羊进入狼群；所以你们要灵巧像蛇，驯良像鸽子。
10:17 你们要防备人；因为他们要把你们交给公会，也要在会堂里鞭打你们，
10:18 并且你们要为我的缘故被送到诸侯君王面前，对他们和外邦人作见证。
10:19 你们被交的時候，不要思虑怎样说话，或说甚么话。到那時候，必赐给你们当说的话；
10:20 因为不是你们自己说的，乃是你们父的灵在你们里头说的。
10:21 弟兄要把弟兄，父亲要把儿子，送到死地；儿女要与父母为敌，害死他们；
10:22 并且你们要为我的名被众人恨恶。惟有忍耐到底的必然得救。


基督徒如何活在敌对的世界当中
这是主耶稣早已预先告诉我们的

我们信主后
主没有叫我们离开世界
而是差遣我们进入世界

10:16 我差你们去，…

而且这世界不是友善的

10:16 我差你们去，如同羊进入狼群，…

孩子要进大学去了
其他家长也曾说过
如同羊进入狼群

不是说马上就会有杀害
至少表明有信仰的冲突

今天主用他的话
再次肯定这个信息

基督徒
只要真正持守信仰
必将面临
如同羊进入狼群的考验

但是主在今天的话语中
给了至少这几个忠告


1）灵巧和驯良

10:16 我差你们去，如同羊进入狼群；所以你们要灵巧像蛇，驯良像鸽子。

灵巧指有智慧
驯良指清白和无害

要有智慧面对敌对的环境
但又要持守信仰不得罪神

灵巧没有驯良
会变成诡诈

驯良没有灵巧
会不必要受害



2）防备

10:17 你们要防备人；因为他们要把你们交给公会，也要在会堂里鞭打你们，

要防备

因为会受到攻击
甚至受到服事神的人攻击


3）见证

10:18 并且你们要为我的缘故被送到诸侯君王面前，对他们和外邦人作见证。
10:19 你们被交的時候，不要思虑怎样说话，或说甚么话。到那時候，必赐给你们当说的话；
10:20 因为不是你们自己说的，乃是你们父的灵在你们里头说的。

攻击迫害也是带来
另外一种机会
为主作见证

主赐当说的话
是父的灵在里头说话


4）忍耐

10:21 弟兄要把弟兄，父亲要把儿子，送到死地；儿女要与父母为敌，害死他们；
10:22 并且你们要为我的名被众人恨恶。惟有忍耐到底的必然得救。

信仰会带来
甚至家人亲人的反对和迫害

要以忍耐来面对
持受信仰有美好的见证

主必救我们最终脱离


谢谢主

有那一样事不是主所没有预料的
有那一样事不是主所没有预备的

虽然
基督徒持受信仰
会带来敌对甚至迫害

但是主已经预言
而且主已经预备

叫我们能照着主的忠告去面对

无论我们自己或我们孩子
主必预备保守和引导

忍耐到底的必然得救

相信主必定成就他的话

阿门！

附：

这是我在JASON学校高中毕业晚祷会（Baccalaureate）上的祝词：

Thanks to the Lord!

Thank you Mr. Rankin, Mrs. Meyer, Mr. Brown, teachers, parents and friends. Especially thank you the class of 2009. It's the honor to share some words here. Let me first say, Congratulations to the class of 2009, you made this day!

You have been marching a long way to this day. You have been shepherded by Pastors, teachers and parents many years to this day. Now this day is your independent day. You become a generation identified with facebook, youtube, messaging, google, ipod, iphone, twitter, which connects to the world much broader and deeper.

But before this day approaching, I heard a saying that Christian children going to college is "sending them out like sheep among wolves". Are you scared? But as Christian parent and friend, I was bit scared and worried. It doesn't imply a literal killing, but a spiritual warfare very viciously and intensively happening to you.

In grace and peace, the Lord gave me the story of Apostle Paul, when Paul left his church for Romans, with tears he was leaving his brothers and sisters whom he had been together for many years. But he did not say I will commit you to another pastor, or another teacher. What he said was, I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up. As Christian parents and your friends, we also commit you, the class of 2009, to God and to the word of his grace, which we believe that can build you up.

So today I would like to give you what the generation of Paul said to the generation of Timothy, 2 Timothy 1:7, For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. God has given you a spirit, a spirit of power, so that you would stand firmly on your faith; a spirit of love, so that you can love people; a spirit of self-discipline, so that you don't conform to the pattern of this world.

The world is welcoming you, the world would like to change you, but as a Christian, you are called to overcome the world, be the light, be the salt, be the witness and be a good soldier of your Lord Jesus Christ. The day is coming, you are on the call. March on, our dear warriors, the class of 2009!

May God be with you!