1027 使命方法
所以你们要去，使万民作我的门徒…《马太福音 28:19》
耶稣基督没有说：「去拯救灵魂」（灵魂得救是神超自然的工作），但祂说：「…去，使万民作我的门徒。」然而，除非你自己先是门徒，否则你无法使人作门徒。当门徒们第一次奉差遣出去，他们满了喜乐回来，因为连污鬼都服了他们。但耶稣实际上说：「不要因服事成功而欢喜——喜乐最大的秘诀是你与我有正确的关系。」（见路加福音10:17-20）。奉差遣者最重要的本质是忠于神的呼召，并明白他唯一的目的就是使人作耶稣的门徒。请记住，有一种对灵魂的热情并非从神而来，而是来自我们想让人们皈依我们观点的欲望。
奉差者的挑战并非来自于人们难以得救，背道者难以挽回，或者存在冷漠无情的障碍。不，挑战来自奉差者自己与耶稣基督个人关系的观点——「你们信我能做这事吗？」 （马太福音 9:28）。我们的主毫不动摇地问我们这个问题，它在每一个我们遭遇的个别情况中都质面我们。对我们来说，最大的挑战是：我认识复活的主吗？我晓得祂内住圣灵的大能吗？我在神眼中是否够智慧，但根据世界的智慧却是够愚拙，去信靠耶稣基督所说的话？还是我抛弃了对基督耶稣无限确信的伟大超然地位，那实际上是神对使命者唯一的呼召？如果我跟从任何其他方法，我就完全背离了我们的主所规定的方法——「天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了…所以你们要去…」（马太福音28:18-19）。
来自章伯斯的智慧
耶稣对门徒所说的伟大之语是「舍己」。当神把我们带进门徒的关系中时，我们必须冒险相信祂的话，完全信靠祂，并注意当祂带我们去冒险时，我们就接受之。《登山宝训研究》
1027 The Method of Missions
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… —Matthew 28:19
Jesus Christ did not say, “Go and save souls” (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, “Go…make disciples of all the nations….” Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, “Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me” (see Luke 10:17-20). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.
The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— “All authority has been given to Me….Go therefore…” (Matthew 28:18-19).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
The great word of Jesus to His disciples is Abandon. When God has brought us into the relationship of disciples, we have to venture on His word; trust entirely to Him and watch that when He brings us to the venture, we take it. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1459 R