《不僅僅是一位幫手》Day 01
推基古：從五千變為一萬
7 有我親愛的兄弟推基古要將我一切的事都告訴你們。他是忠心的執事，和我一同作主的僕人。8 我特意打發他到你們那裏去，好叫你們知道我們的光景，又叫他安慰你們的心。9 我又打發一位親愛忠心的兄弟阿尼西謀同去；他也是你們那裏的人。他們要把這裏一切的事都告訴你們。(歌羅西書四7-9)
14「天國又好比一個人要往外國去，就叫了僕人來，把他的家業交給他們，15 按著各人的才幹給他們銀子：一個給了五千，一個給了二千，一個給了一千，就往外國去了。16 那領五千的隨即拿去做買賣，另外賺了五千。17 那領二千的也照樣另賺了二千。18 但那領一千的去掘開地，把主人的銀子埋藏了。19 過了許久，那些僕人的主人來了，和他們算帳。20 那領五千銀子的又帶著那另外的五千來，說：『主啊，你交給我五千銀子。請看，我又賺了五千。』21 主人說：『好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人，你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把許多事派你管理；可以進來享受你主人的快樂。』22 那領二千的也來，說：『主啊，你交給我二千銀子。請看，我又賺了二千。』23 主人說：『好，你這又良善又忠心的僕人，你在不多的事上有忠心，我要把許多事派你管理；可以進來享受你主人的快樂。』24 那領一千的也來，說：『主啊，我知道你是忍心的人，沒有種的地方要收割，沒有散的地方要聚斂，25 我就害怕，去把你的一千銀子埋藏在地裏。請看，你的原銀子在這裏。』26 主人回答說：『你這又惡又懶的僕人，你既知道我沒有種的地方要收割，沒有散的地方要聚斂，27 就當把我的銀子放給兌換銀錢的人，到我來的時候，可以連本帶利收回。28 奪過他這一千來，給那有一萬的。29 因為凡有的，還要加給他，叫他有餘；沒有的，連他所有的也要奪過來。30 把這無用的僕人丟在外面黑暗裏；在那裏必要哀哭切齒了。』」(馬太福音廿五14-30)
7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant[a] in the Lord. 8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our[b] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. 9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here. (Colossians 4:7-9)
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:14-30)
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:14-30)
分享：推基古，一個陌生的名字，他在聖經中出現了五次：除了在第三次宣教旅程中和保羅一起避開了猶太人的謀害外 (參使徒行傳廿1-6) ，其餘四次皆被打發出去傳信或是接替工作。在為數不多的描述中，我們大致可以知道推基古是一個「忠心」的幫手。
保羅派遣推基古到地方教會轉達近況，又將書信帶去，強調推基古能「安慰你們的心」。(參以弗所書六21-22；歌羅西書四7-9) 其中向歌羅西教會的傳信並不單純，因為同行的還有阿尼西謀，一個剛歸入基督的逃奴。表面上，保羅打發阿尼西謀回自己的城市報信，但同時希望他能獲得同城基督徒的接納。 (參腓利門書及歌羅西書四7-9) 從中可見，推基古的責任更包括安慰、開導、勸勉和調和。
保羅對推基古的信任，除了因為他擅於安慰人心外，更重要的是他對神的忠心，正如保羅強調推基古和他一同作主的僕人。後來保羅也派他去以弗所，又到克里特接替提多在當地教會的教導及管理工作。(參提摩太後書四12；提多書三12)
耶穌曾比喻說：主人按著各人的才幹，將五千、二千和一千交給三位僕人，主人後來稱讚首兩位賺了五千和二千的為「又良善又忠心的僕人」，認為他們在不多的事上盡心，故將指派更多的事情讓他們管理，可以享受主人的快樂；另一方面，又斥責那將一千原封不動歸還的「又惡又懶的僕人」，更將之丟棄。(參馬太福音廿五14-30)
推基古雖看似是不起眼的幫手，但他仍能好好的發揮神賜予的才幹，正如保羅作宣教、講道、教導，推基古作幫手、傳信、安慰，他沒有輕視自己角色，盡心擺上，那便是又良善又忠心的僕人了！今天，我們能知道自己的恩賜，並忠心和順服而服事嗎？
反思：我在教會擔任甚麼事奉崗位？我如何可以將神給我的五千變為一萬呢？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢透過推基古，讓我看到一個忠心事主的見證。就讓我發揮祢給我的才幹，盡心擺上，成為得祢讚許的僕人。奉主名求，阿們。
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