《不僅僅是一個記錄者》Day 03
使徒行傳中的馬可
1 在安提阿的教會中，有幾位先知和教師，就是巴拿巴和稱呼尼結的西面、古利奈人路求，與分封之王希律同養的馬念，並掃羅。2 他們事奉主、禁食的時候，聖靈說：「要為我分派巴拿巴和掃羅，去做我召他們所做的工。」3 於是禁食禱告，按手在他們頭上，就打發他們去了。4 他們既被聖靈差遣，就下到西流基，從那裏坐船往塞浦路斯去。5 到了撒拉米，就在猶太人各會堂裏傳講神的道，也有約翰作他們的幫手⋯⋯13 保羅和他的同人從帕弗開船，來到旁非利亞的別加，約翰就離開他們，回耶路撒冷去。(使徒行傳十三1-5、13)
18「所以，你們當聽這撒種的比喻。19 凡聽見天國道理不明白的，那惡者就來，把所撒在他心裏的奪了去；這就是撒在路旁的了。20 撒在石頭地上的，就是人聽了道，當下歡喜領受，21 只因心裏沒有根，不過是暫時的，及至為道遭了患難，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。22 撒在荊棘裏的，就是人聽了道，後來有世上的思慮、錢財的迷惑把道擠住了，不能結實。23 撒在好地上的，就是人聽道明白了，後來結實，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。」(馬太福音十三18-23)
11 殷勤，不可懶惰；要心裏火熱，常常服事主。12 在指望中要喜樂；在患難中要忍耐；禱告要恆切。（羅馬書十二11-12）
1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper… 13 From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:1-5, 13)
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:18-23)
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:11-12)
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:18-23)
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:11-12)
分享：《馬可福音》的作者，便是在《使徒行傳》中參與保羅和巴拿巴宣教之旅的約翰馬可，一般也稱為馬可，是巴拿巴的表弟 (參歌羅西書四10) 。然而，馬可在《使徒行傳》中可不太討喜，他在宣教旅程開始不久便放棄回家，後來也造成保羅與巴拿巴的分道揚鑣。今天就讓我們看看馬可這位年輕人在信仰路上的掙扎。
《使徒行傳》記載馬可居於耶路撒冷，母親馬利亞的家是信徒聚集禱告的地方。馬可應該早已對基督信仰耳濡目染，後來又經歷了神領彼得出監獄的神蹟 (參使徒行傳十二1-18) 。他跟從表哥到安提阿，加入了保羅和巴拿巴的宣教隊伍，成為幫手。然而，經過了塞浦路斯，馬可便在旁非利亞的別加離開了宣教隊，返回耶路撒冷。保羅認為馬可的離開是背棄，「不和他們同去做工」，故堅決不再帶上馬可。
馬可的離開，或許是基於旅途的艱辛，又或許是對陌生環境的恐懼，這讓人想到耶穌的撒種比喻：「撒在石頭地上的，就是人聽了道，當下歡喜領受，只因心裏沒有根，不過是暫時的，及至為道遭了患難，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。」(馬太福音十三20-21)
在苛責馬可之前，我們又曾否試過聽道後，歡喜領受，又或者見證到神蹟奇事，便大發熱心；但及後遇到困難，便將領受的忘記，丟下信仰和同伴呢？ 曾深深體會到被背棄的保羅勸勉信徒說：「殷勤，不可懶惰；要心裏火熱，常常服事主。在指望中要喜樂；在患難中要忍耐；禱告要恆切。」(羅馬書十二11-12) 的確，我們聽到主的道後，要讓教導在心裡札根，便需要行出來：殷勤火熱，常常服事主，不單因著主的應許而盼望喜樂，也懂得在困難中忍耐，恆切禱告。
後來，馬可這少年人已重新出發，再次跟從巴拿巴參與宣教。(參使徒行傳十五39)
反思：是否有甚麼事會讓我背棄主或主內的同行者呢？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢透過馬可的軟弱，讓我反思自己的信仰生命。求主讓聖靈時時刻刻的提醒我要殷勤火熱，即使在患難中仍要忍耐，多向祢禱告，常常服事主。奉主名求，阿們。
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