（腓立比書Philippians 2:19-30）
保羅在差遣以巴弗提回腓立比時，特別要求腓立比信徒敬重以巴弗提，因為他為主勞苦幾乎至死。保羅在哥林多前書也提到類似的話（9:6～14），雖然他是要為自己辯護，因為有人攻擊保羅傳福音是為了得著物質的好處，但卻有一個很重要的屬靈教訓在其中，就是要求信徒敬重神的僕人。
我們為什麼要敬重神的僕人呢？除了人本應要互相敬重，或中國人傳統的尊師重道精神外，更有豐富的屬靈功課。
先知與牧人的角色：今天的傳道人在身份上承擔了舊約先知的角色，因為他們經常講道或解釋聖經。先知就是神的發言人，向百姓宣講神的道。神要求百姓服從先知和他們的教導。在正常的情況下，百姓接待先知就是接待神的使者，以他們代表著神的臨在。神藉著先知的宣講而臨在百姓中，但在關懷上神卻藉著牧人與百姓同在。
他們是全時間為主勞苦的：有人願意放下一切專心為主作工，就應該得到信徒們的敬重；況且他們的勞苦都是為了信徒們屬靈生命的好處。
在我們屬靈的操練上，首先應該在對待神的僕人身上做起。這是我們學習愛心、接待、甚至順服等屬靈功課的開始。在聖經中，從舊約先知門徒對待先知，到新約使徒的助手，例如提摩太、以巴弗提、西拉、馬可和路加等，對待使徒的態度，都是我們美好的榜樣。
經文默想
請大家重讀這主日講道的經文，並默想我們應如何敬重在教會中為主勞苦的弟兄姊妹。
When Paul sent Epaphroditus back to Philippi, he particularly requested Christians in Philippi to receive him with respect, for he had risked his life for serving the Lord. In First Corinthians, Paul had also expressed the similar idea (9:6~14), even though he was defending himself against the accusation of his motivation in preaching the gospel, he gave us a very important spiritual lesson, which is to respect God’s servant.
Why should we respect God’s servant? Besides the mutual respect we should give to one another, or the Chinese tradition of respecting our teachers and their teachings, there are also very rich spiritual lessons for us.
The roles as prophet and shepherd: Post-biblical ministers have assumed two different roles from the Bible, and they are prophet and shepherd. As prophet, they will preach God’s word to the congregation, just like the prophets in the Old Testament proclaiming God’s word to the Israelite. They are the spokesmen of God. God requires His people to listen and obey to the prophets and their teachings. Usually in the Old Testament times, receiving the prophets was receiving God’s messengers, and people treated them as if God was presence among them. Through the prophets and their proclamations God was with His people. In the same way, through preaching and pastoral care given to people by the minister, God is present with His people.
They are laboring for the Lord for their lives: If anyone is willing to give his or her life to serving the Lord, he or she should be given respect, not to mention that, he or she is laboring for our spiritual welfare.
Our spiritual lesson should begin with respecting God’s servant. It is the first lesson to learn to love, respect, and even obey God’s servant. There are a lot of beautiful examples in the Old and New Testaments to show how the disciples of the prophets treated the prophets, and how Timothy, Epaphroditus, Barnabas, Silas, Mark and Luke treated the apostles.
Meditation on the Scripture:
Let us reread the Scripture passage for the sermon for this Sunday, and think of something we can do to show our respect to our brothers and sisters who are laboring in the church.
