牧者心聲
執事的見證與榜樣
譚廣海牧師
2024 年 1 月 13 日 / 14 日
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為應各樣牧養與事工的需要，教會選出信仰穩健的執事，與教牧協力同行，各按各職事奉神（弗四16）。今天，我們在崇拜中舉行執事就職禮，一起見證32位選出的執事承擔定堂崇拜及所屬科系的責任。我們祈求神幫助、悅納、使用他們的事奉，使各人的信仰生命得著造就，使愛神事主的人得著益處（羅八28）。
聖經中的「執事」，原文有「服役作僕人」的意思。這正是主對事奉者的提示：誰願為首，就要「作眾人的僕人」（可十44；太二十26-27）。我們在執事候選人的資料簡介中，看到各執事的事奉觀念、經歷與期盼，他們的信仰生命成長與事奉歷程，不但成了雲彩般的見證圍繞著我們（來十二1），也為教會不同群體留下了榜樣，幫助大家學習跟隨基督（彼前二21）。他們的見證及榜樣是怎樣的呢？他們服事這家，宣揚主愛；他們在主前謙卑，讓聖靈帶領；他們只求使會眾得著基督，不為表現自己；他們期待心意更新，靈性純全；他們身體雖然軟弱，但卻經歷靈裡的剛強；他們最大的福樂就是欣賞神在北宣家所施的恩惠；他們認為教會是實踐愛與被愛的屬靈之家；他們願跟隨教牧，學習履行委身的承諾；他們祈求敏銳神對北宣的心意，與會眾同行⋯⋯
祭司撒迦利亞宣告說：因神向人施行憐憫、沒有忘記祂的聖約，我們才能終生在祂面前、坦然無懼以聖潔和公義事奉祂（路一72-75）。原來神定意要救贖我們，要將事奉祂的權利與福分賜給我們。有些執事回想說，年輕時已開始在北宣聚會，接受教會的栽培，認識到自己的恩賜，便學習服事有需要的人；也有在教會舉行婚禮的執事，三代同時接受北宣的牧養。經年累月的恩福，使執事們不斷向神獻上感恩的祭，甘心事奉，實踐施比受更為有福的教導。如此的見證與榜樣，印證了耶穌基督是生命的糧、是活水江河，因著祂，我們靈裡的生命不再飢餓與乾渴（約六35，七38）。
我們各人要照所得的恩賜彼此服事，作神各種恩賜的好管家（彼前四10）。喜愛旅遊的人常會進入觀光網站搜羅資訊、編排行程，從而享受歡愉暢快的旅程。同樣，我們可以藉著聖經策劃合適個人靈命成長的模式與事奉路向，好叫自己不致隨流失去（來二1）。願我們在跟隨主的路上，能如執事們那樣得著生命，羨慕主的善工，同作主的僕人。
To meet pastoral and ministry needs, the church has elected as deacons some brothers and sisters who have steadfast and stable faith. They will work shoulder to shoulder with the pastoral team, with each doing their part in serving God (Ephesians 4:16). Today in our worship services, we will hold an inauguration ceremony to witness together these 32 elected deacons assuming their responsibilities for individual worship services and ministries or departments. We pray for God to help, accept and use their service, that all of our faith will grow, and that everything will work for the good of those who love God and serve the Lord (Romans 8:28).
“Deacon” in the original language of the Bible can mean “servant.” This is exactly the Lord’s reminder for all who serve: Whoever wants to be first must be “slave of all” (Mark 10:44, Matthew 20:26-27). In the introduction to the deacon candidates, we can see their perspectives, experience and expectations towards serving. Not only do the journeys of the growth of their faith and ministry experience surround us like a great cloud of witness (Hebrews 12:1), but they have also left and set an example for different communities within our church to help them learn to follow Christ (1 Peter 2:21). What is their testimony and example? They serve this family and proclaim God’s love. They humble themselves before the Lord and let the Holy Spirit guide them. They only seek to help the congregation gain Christ and not to show themselves off. They long for the renewal of the mind and purity of the spirit. They are strong in spirit although their body may be weak. Their greatest blessing and joy is to appreciate the grace of God for the NPAC family. They acknowledge that the church is a spiritual family where brothers and sisters practice loving and being loved. They are willing to follow the pastors and learn to fulfil their commitment. They pray to be sensitive to the will of God for NPAC and to walk with brothers and sisters…
Zechariah the priest proclaimed: It is because God shows mercy to man and does not forget His holy covenant that we can serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days (Luke 1:72-75). Indeed, God is determined to save us, and He wants to give us the privilege and blessing to serve Him. Some deacons shared that looking back, they started joining NPAC meetings when young. They were nurtured by the church, got to know their gifts and so learned to serve those in need. Some other deacons got married in NPAC, and all three generations of the extended family are pastored in our church. Years of blessings have made our deacons continually bring to God a thank offering, to serve cheerfully and practice the teaching of it is better to give than to receive. Such testimony and example testify to Jesus Christ as the bread of life and the rivers of living water. Because of Him, our spiritual life is no longer hungry or thirsty (John 6:35, 7:38).
Each of us should use whatever gift received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10). Those who love travelling often visit tourism websites to gather information and plan their itinerary so that they can enjoy a pleasurable journey. Likewise, we can plan a mode suitable for our personal spiritual growth and a direction for serving based on the Bible to ensure we do not drift away (Hebrews 2:1). On our path of following the Lord, may we all be like our deacons who have gained life and who desire a noble task, and together we serve as the Lord’s servants.
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