如何忠心至死？启2章8至11
- Pic小孩子：如果有人要杀你或你的父母，只要你不认耶稣就放了你。你怎么做？
- 启2:8-11
- .1）主掌管一切
- 启2:8 你要写信给士每拿教会的使者，说：那首先的、末後的、死过又活的，说：
- 首先的、末后的 } 主掌管人的历史
- 死过又活的 } 主胜过死亡，祂已复活，所以不要惧怕死亡
- 若不是主的旨意，不会有任何逼迫临到我们
- 太10:28 那杀身体，不能杀灵魂的，不要怕他们；惟有能把身体和灵魂都灭在地狱里的，正要怕他。29 两个麻雀不是卖一分银子吗？若是你们的父不许，一个也不能掉在地上；30 就是你们的头发也都被数过了。31 所以，不要惧怕，你们比许多麻雀还贵重！」
- .2）贫穷之人也能富足
- V9 我知道你的患难，你的贫穷（你却是富足的）,…
- 背景：当逼迫临到然士每拿教会时，信徒难免会受贫
- e.g. 抢你的东西、禁止你做买卖（e.g. 兽印> 不属基督的人）。
- 问: 主为什么称他们为富足？是讽刺他们吗? 当然不是！因他们对主的信心是富足的
- 信心富足的人，在患难中他能够：平安、盼望、喜乐、坚忍。
- e.g.一些生活中什么都拥有，却对主的信心是贫穷的
- e.g. 信心贫穷的：经常担心害怕，没有喜乐，不盼望主的再来，容易跌倒
- 3 Pic问: 物质富足 vs 信心富足，假设只能选一样你会选择哪一样？
- e.g.有位渴慕天堂的弟兄曾说，有一天他突然想到如果现在他死了，父亲留给他的产业就没有机会享受。突然一直向往去天堂的他，突然觉得地上比天堂更好。发现自己信心贫困！
- ap祈求神赐我们在信心上富足
- 3.）不是所有的犹太人都是神的子民
- V9 … 也知道那自称是犹太人所说的毁谤话，其实他们不是犹太人，乃是撒但一会的人。
- Pic 不是所有的犹太人都是神的子民 （何1:9、罗2:28-29、9:6-8、约3:39-44、启3:9）
- 犹太人口口声声说敬拜、事奉上帝，但却杀害耶稣
- 他们奉上帝的名字，来逼迫教会[1]。却不知自己自己就是撒但的党徒
- 问：这些犹太人是犹太人吗？
- 按肉身血缘他们是犹太人。但按属灵而已：他们不是犹太人, 而是撒但的党徒
- e.g.主说（约 8:39-44）他们不是亚伯拉罕儿女，而是属魔鬼
- 法利赛人其实是不信圣经（约5:46-47、路16:29-31）
- 问：谁才是真以色列人？亚伯拉罕的子孙呢？
- 加3:7 所以，你们要知道：那以信为本的人，就是亚伯拉罕的子孙。
- pic 今日也有一些自称是敬拜事奉上帝的人，奉上帝的名字杀害基督徒
- .4）主要我们至死忠心
- V10 你将要受的苦你不用怕。魔鬼要把你们中间几个人下在监里[2]，叫你们被试炼，你们必受患难十日[3]。你务要至死忠心，我就赐给你那生命的冠冕 στέφανος[4]。
- 罗马政权要把教会中间几个人下在监里，背后其实是魔鬼的作为
- Pic不信主之人（罗马政权）不知不觉中被魔鬼利用来伤害基督徒
- e.g.历史中，因信耶稣而被自己的家人逼迫伤害（太10:21-22、可13:12-13、路12:52-53）
- e.g.在一些中东地区，因为相信耶稣被父母杀死；因信耶稣被人讨厌
- 好好为家人祷告，尽力传福音给他们
- Pic预备将来的逼迫：(启20:7-8、太24:3-31、但11:36-37、帖后2:3-4、约壹2:18)
- 问：如果有一天我们遭受到逼迫杀害，那么我们应该怎么办？
- 问：早期基督徒们在面对逼迫时，他们的策略是什么？
- 太10:23 有人在这城里逼迫你们，就逃到那城里去。…
- 问：如果跑不掉怎么办？ 那我们需要忠心致死 ！
- （第一）如何至死忠心：预备信主的代价
- 可8:34 於是叫众人和门徒来，对他们说：「若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。35 因为，凡要救自己生命的，必丧掉生命；凡为我和福音丧掉生命的，必救了生命。
- e.g.为国牺牲。信心能产生极大力量，甚至附上生命代价。
- e.g.岳飞尽忠报国，为国捐躯。
- 我们为我们的王基督附上生命的代价
- 勇气忠心致死，必须要对主与祂的话语有信心！
- Pic 多年以后 约主后166–167坡旅甲Polycarp[5]士每拿的主教，被活活烧死。
- （第二）如何至死忠心：明白弃主的后果 ：
- 往往当我们明白其中的利害关系后，都会选择避开严重的后果.
- Pic e.g. 问小孩子: 孩子们如果给你选择断手指还是断脚指？
- e.g. 问小孩子: 死一次和死两次。你会选择什么?
- 启2:11 圣灵向众教会所说的话，凡有耳的，就应当听！得胜的，必不受第二次死的害。
- 主耶稣再来之时，所（义人与恶人）都要复活 （但12:2；约 5:29）
- 恶人要复活受第二次的死
- 若我们因苦难背叛主，面对“第二次死的害”（启20:6，20:14、21:8）
- 信耶稣得救。信心是包括要忠心致死
- 太10:33 凡在人面前不认我的，我在我天上的父面前也必不认他。(路12:9)
- 问: 你会选择放弃耶稣保住性命，还是为主牺牲，不受第二次的死？
- （第三）如何至死忠心：渴慕未来赏赐
- 救恩是白白的。一些基督徒只是得救，没有赏赐（林前3:13-15）
- 大赏赐是赐给那些为主的名受羞辱、为主的缘故被杀害的人
- 太5:11 「人若因我辱骂你们，逼迫你们，捏造各样坏话毁谤你们，你们就有福了！12 应当欢喜快乐，因为你们在天上的赏赐是大的。在你们以前的先知，人也是这样逼迫他们。」
- e.g. 911激进回教徒为何愿意冒着自己的生命去炸机？因他们想换取救恩、与赏赐 72美人陪伴
- 但圣经的原则是我们为主的名被逼迫、被杀，会得大赏赐 （路6:22-23、太5:11-12）
- 人人都有一死，若我能有这福分选择，我情愿为主的名而死。将来要得大赏赐（太5:11-12）
- （第四）如何至死忠心：紧紧抓住神
- 遇难时要不住祷告！
- 求主开一条出路给我们，叫我们能忍受得住 （林前10:13）
- （第五）如何至死忠心：主必保守我们到底
- 如果我们真的被圣灵所生，成为天父的儿女。
- 罗8:35-39 没有任何力量能叫我们与上帝的爱隔绝
- 如果有一天我们无法逃避而必须要为主的名受逼迫，主会保守我们的信心
- 约10:27 我的羊听我的声音，我也认识他们，他们也跟著我。28 我又赐给他们永生；他们永不灭亡，谁也不能从我手里把他们夺去。29 我父把羊赐给我，他比万有都大，谁也不能从我父手里把他们夺去。
- 总结：
- 启2:10 …你务要至死忠心，我就赐给你那生命的冠冕。11 圣灵向众教会所说的话，凡有耳的，就应当听！得胜的，必不受第二次死的害。』」
[1] 背景：犹太人常在罗马政府前陷害基督徒（徒17:5-7），使基督徒受政府逼迫
[2] Until the latter part of the first century, Christianity enjoyed a degree of protection under the umbrella of Judaism, which was an acceptable religion to Rome. The Jews were not forced to worship Caesar as a god, but were allowed to offer sacrifices in honor of emperors as rulers and not as gods. But after the Neronian persecution Christianity was increasingly seen as distinct from Judaism and ceased to enjoy protection under its umbrella. It then came under suspicion, since new religions were not acceptable in the empire. And the Jews, who sometimes had no qualms in semi-revering other deities (especially the Roman emperor) along with their OT God, often were only too willing to make the Roman authorities aware that the Christians were not a Jewish sect. Jews would have viewed Christianity as a religion distorting the Jewish Law and offering a perversely easy way of salvation. They also considered the Christian worship of a crucified criminal as the divine Messiah a blasphemy (cf. Acts 26:9–10). The mention of Roman persecution in v. 10 directly following that of Jewish slander conforms to historical reports of Jews allying with and encouraging Romans and Gentiles to oppress Christians (e.g., Acts 13:45, 50; 14:2–7, 19; 17:5–9; 1 Thess. 2:14–16). The imperial cult permeated virtually every aspect of city and often even village life in Asia Minor, so that individuals could aspire to economic prosperity and greater social standing only by participating to some degree in the Roman cult. Citizens of both upper and lower classes were required by local law to sacrifice to the emperor on various special occasions, and sometimes even visitors and foreigners were invited to do so. In addition, the city’s history reveals its particular loyalty to Rome, especially the fact that it had built more than one temple in honor of Roman religion.Beale, G. K., & Campbell, D. H. .
[3] The ten days persecution does not have to refer to a literal period of ten days because it is an allusion to the ten days when Daniel and his friends were “tested.” Daniel was tempted to compromise with idolatry, which was likely the main reason he abstained from eating at the king’s table, where the food was probably dedicated to idols (see Dan. 1:2; 5:1–4). Likewise, whether or not the ten days is literal, the point is that the Christians at Smyrna were also, like Daniel of old, not to compromise with idolatry.Beale, G. K., & Campbell, D. H..
[4] The reward for faithfulness is the crown of life, that is, the crown that is life itself. It is not the royal crown (the diadēma) that is promised, but the wreath or garland (the stephanos) that was awarded to the victor at the games. Its value lay not in itself but in what it symbolized. According to Pausanias, Smyrna was famous for its games (6.14.3). With others, Bruce thinks that the imagery is suggested by the circle of colonnaded buildings on the crest of Mt. Pagos called the crown of Smyrna.Mounce, R. H.
Crown (stephanos) means a wreath or chaplet, and is to be distinguished from the royal crown (diadēma). The stephanos was the trophy awarded to the victor at the games, and the same word was used of the festive garland worn at banquets by all the guests. Here it is plainly the victory wreath, which would be specially appropriate in Smyrna, a city famous for its Games. The believer who remains faithful even when it means death will receive the trophy of victory. His crown is life.Morris, L.
[5] In the Martyrdom, Polycarp is recorded as saying on the day of his death: “Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong.” This could indicate either that he was then eighty-six years old[13] or that he had lived eighty-six years after his conversion. Polycarp goes on to say: “How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior? You threaten me with a fire that burns for a season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting punishment that is prepared for the wicked.”Polycarp was burned at the stake and pierced with a spear for refusing to burn incense to the Roman Emperor. On his farewell, he said: “I bless you, Father, for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup of Christ.”The date of Polycarp’s death is in dispute. Eusebius dates it to the reign of Marcus Aurelius, c. 166–167. However, a post-Eusebian addition to the Martyrdom of Polycarp, dates his death to Saturday, February 23, in the proconsulship of Lucius Statius Quadratus, c. 155 or 156. These earlier dates better fit the tradition of his association with Ignatius and John the Evangelist. From Wikipedia
When Polycarp was martyred at Smyrna somewhat later, the hostility of the Jews toward the Christians came out in their zeal in setting forward the execution. Though it was the sabbath, they gathered wood for the fire in which the martyr was burnt. Such hostility may well go back to the time when John wrote。Morris, L. (
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