1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好！
2. What a delight and joy for us to broadcast to you this program;
很高兴你能收听这个节目。
3. and, today, we’re going to start a new series of messages entitled, “Looking Up;”
今天，我们将开始一个新的系列资讯，题目是《举目仰望》，
4. and it is taken from the life of the Apostle Paul.
这也是来自于使徒保罗的生命经历。
5. He always looked up when life knocked him down;
当他的生命走入低谷时，他总是举目仰望。
6. and I want to begin by telling you that there are two types of surprises in life.
首先让我告诉你，人生有两种惊讶，
7. There are good surprises and there are bad surprises;
有好的惊讶，也有不好的惊讶。
8. but, when you walk closely with God and delight yourself in Him,
当你与神的关系很近，并且因祂而喜乐的话，
9. you will always get good surprises.
你将不断获得美好的惊喜。
10. If you look at biblical history,
当你查考圣经的历史，
11. you will find so many good surprises of the grace of God,
你将会发现，神的恩典带来许多美好的惊喜；
12. and there are countless modern day examples of changed lives by God’s grace.
在今天这个时代里，也有无数个生命，因着神的恩典得以改变。
13. In the fourth century, there was a college professor named, “Aurelius.”
西元四世纪，有一位大学教授叫“奥勒留”，
14. He was confronted by the grace of God and became the great Saint Augustine.
神的恩典临到他，他就成为伟大的圣奥古斯丁。
15. Through God’s grace a slave trader by the name of John Newton
因着神的恩典，一个奴隶贩子名叫约翰牛顿，
16. became a great pastor and a songwriter;
成为一个了不起的牧师和诗歌作家。
17. but, perhaps there is no greater surprising story of the grace of God than the story of Saul of Tarsus.
但是，也许没有一个关于神恩典的故事，能超过大数人扫罗的传奇了；
18. No transformation had greater impact upon world history than Saul of Tarsus.
也没有人能比得上大数人扫罗的转变，对世界历史所产生的影响。
19. I want to share with you four surprises that God’s grace reveals to us;
今天我想和你分享，神的恩典向我们显示出的四个惊喜。
20. and, if you do have a Bible with you, I want to go through the Book of Acts, Chapter 9.
如果你手上有圣经，我们一起来看使徒行传第九章。
21. Here are the four things:
我们一起来看以下四点：
22. first,
第一，
23. God’s grace surprises a man,
神的恩典出人意料之外。
24. and you find that in verses 1 to 3.
你可以在一到三节看到这一点。
25. Secondly,
第二，
26. God’s grace has a surprising method,
神的恩典借着令人惊讶的方式表达。
27. verses 4 to 9.
在四到九节。
28. Thirdly,
第三，
29. God’s grace is delivered through a surprising mentor,
神的恩典由一个惊奇的导师来传递。
30. verses 10 to 25;
在十到二十五节。
31. and, finally, God’s grace delivers surprising friends,
最后，神的恩典传递给那些惊奇的朋友们。
32. verses 26 to 31.
在二十六到三十一节。
33. Let’s first look at God’s grace surprises a man.
首先我们来看，神的恩典出人意料之外。
34. Saul of Tarsus was taught in the pharisaic school;
大数人扫罗曾在法利赛人的学校里接受教育；
35. so were Jesus and His disciples;
耶稣和祂的门徒也是如此；
36. but this is where all the commonalities end.
他们相同的地方也仅止于此。
37. Saul of Tarsus was a Roman citizen and was educated in Greek;
然而，大数人扫罗是罗马公民，并在希腊接受教育；
38. but far more important than any of this is that Saul of Tarsus was a persecutor of Christians.
更重要的是，大数人扫罗是一个迫害基督徒的人。
39. He was a persecutor of Jesus Christ.
他是一个逼迫耶稣基督的人。
40. Saul of Tarsus thought he could stamp out Christianity.
大数人扫罗以为，他可以毁灭基督教。
41. Luke tells us that Saul wanted to devastate and ravage the church;
路加告诉我们，扫罗曾想破坏，并毁灭教会。
42. and Saul had received permission from the high priest in Jerusalem to stamp out Christians in Damascus.
而且，扫罗己经拿到了耶路撒冷大祭司的许可，准备去迫害大马士革的基督徒。
43. It was a long journey from Jerusalem to Damascus;
耶路撒冷到大马士革需要走很远的路；
44. but this reveals the incredible commitment that Saul of Tarsus had in his desire to destroy the believers.
由此我们可以看出，他是多么坚决地想要毁灭基督徒。
45. Had anyone suggested to Saul that, by the time he got to Damascus, he would become a Christian, he would have killed them on the spot;
如果有人告诉扫罗，当他到了大马士革之后，他将成为一个基督徒，扫罗大概会当场杀了那人。
46. and that is why he was not only a surprising man,
因此，扫罗不单单是一个让人惊奇的人，
47. he was a surprised man.
他自己也惊讶不已。
48. Not only was he so thoroughly converted to Christ,
他不仅仅是完全地归向基督，
49. but he became the greatest preacher in the New Testament.
他也成为新约时代最伟大的布道家。
50. He was a surprising man;
他的确是一个让人惊奇的人。
51. but, secondly, there was a surprising method.
其次，这当中也有一个令人惊讶的方式。
52. Look at verses 4 to 9 of Acts, Chapter 9.
请看圣经使徒行传第九章，四到九节。
53. God knew that Saul of Tarsus was not the kind of man who would respond to the gentle voice.
神知道，大数人扫罗不会对轻柔的呼召有所回应。
54. God knew that because of Saul’s stubbornness, only a surprising confrontation would get his attention;
神也知道，扫罗很倔强，只有出其不意地对质，他才会注意；
55. and it is only after Saul is freed from his pride that Jesus speaks to him.
也只有当扫罗放下自己的骄傲之后，耶稣才对他说话。
56. My listening friend, let me ask you this:
亲爱的朋友，让我来问你：
57. do you know what that’s like?
你知道这意味着什么吗？
58. There are times, when we are so full of our pride and arrogance, that God has a hard time reaching us.
很多的时候，当我们充满了骄傲和狂妄，神很难打动我们；
59. There are times, when we are so adamant about our point of view, that God has to knock us down to get our attention;
也有很多的时候，我们非常执着于自己的观点，神不得不先击倒我们来引起我们的注意；
60. and Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus,
当时耶稣对大数人扫罗说：
61. “Why are you persecuting Me?”
你为什么要逼迫我？
62. My listening friends, I want to tell you something that’s very important.
亲爱的朋友，我要告诉你们一件非常重要的事。
63. If you are persecuted because of your righteousness,
如果你因为正直公义而受逼迫，
64. if you are persecuted because of your godly life,
如果你因为愿意过敬虔的生活而受逼迫，
65. let me tell you that those who are harassing you,
那么我要告诉你，那些折磨你的人，
66. they are not harassing and persecuting you. They are persecuting Jesus Christ.
他们不是在折磨和逼迫你，他们是在迫害耶稣基督。
67. In fact, when Saul was confronted by the risen Christ,
事实上，当扫罗面对复活的基督时，
68. all he could say was, “Who are you, Lord?”
他所能说的只是：“主啊，你是谁？”
69. Now, this is very important.
其实这是非常重要的。
70. The reason so many Christians live defeated lives
为什么许多基督徒生活在挫败里？
71. is because they never ask, “Who are you, Lord?”
因为他们从来不问“主啊，你是谁？”
72. When you get to the point of knowing who God is,
当你确实知道了神是谁，
73. and the privilege of His calling you to a relationship with Him,
并且祂呼召你就是要给你一个特权：让你与神建立关系，
74. you would never again walk in your own strength.
你从此就不会再靠自己的力量打拼。
75. In fact, later on, in Acts 26:14,
事实上，在使徒行传后面的26章14节那里，
76. Paul said that, when Jesus appeared to him,
保罗提到了，当耶稣向他显现的时候，
77. Jesus said, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
耶稣说：“你用脚踢刺是难的。”
78. Do you know what a “goad” is?
你知道什么是刺吗？
79. A goad is a sharp object and it is used to break in a bull.
就是一种刺棒，用来驯服公牛的。
80. It is not designed for human beings.
它不是用在人类身上的，
81. It is designed for stubborn animal;
它是用来对付野性难驯的动物的。
82. so what is Jesus saying?
那么，耶稣的意思是什么呢？
83. He is saying that refusing to surrender to the voice of God is like being prodded and pricked with a sharp object.
祂是说，拒绝神的呼召就像被刺棒对付一样。
84. Jesus is not doing this;
事实上，耶稣并没有这样做，
85. instead, you are doing it by refusing to listen to His voice.
相反的，是你拒绝听神的话，就落在这光景下。
86. What were these goads that Saul was kicking against?
那么，保罗所踢的刺又指的是什么呢？
87. First, there was doubt.
首先，就是怀疑。
88. Paul knew deep down that Jesus was the Messiah, but he would not admit it.
保罗在心底里知道耶稣是弥赛亚，只是他不愿意承认。
89. He kept blocking God’s voice;
他掩耳不听神的声音；
90. then, a second goad was Stephen.
然后，第二个刺就是司提反。
91. When Saul heard Stephen testifying to the resurrected Jesus Christ,
当扫罗听到司提反为耶稣基督的复活作见证的时候，
92. deep down, Saul knew that Stephen was speaking the truth;
在内心深处，扫罗知道司提反讲的是事实；
93. but he refused to believe it and chose to be stubborn.
但是他拒绝相信，并且决定要顽强对抗。
94. Paul actually guarded the clothes of those who stoned Stephen to death.
事实上，保罗还帮那些用石头打死司提反的人看管衣服。
95. Listen to me, my listening friend,
请你留意，亲爱的朋友，
96. when you are fighting against the conviction of the Holy Spirit, you are hurting yourself.
当你与圣灵的责备相对抗的时候，你就是在伤害自己。
97. When you are fighting against God’s conviction of sin in your life, deep down, you are hurting.
当你拒绝接受神宣告你有罪的时候，在心灵深处，你在受伤。
98. Give it up.
赶快降服吧。
99. Thirdly, the grace of God produces a surprising teacher.
第三，神的恩典造就了一位惊奇的老师。
100. The Lord tells Saul to go to the house of Judas in Damascus;
主耶稣吩咐扫罗去大马士革的犹大家里；
101. and, then, God speaks to one of the leaders of the church of Damascus by the name of Ananias;
而后，神告诉大马士革的一位教会领袖亚拿尼亚；
102. and God said, “Ananias, I want you to go and meet Saul of Tarsus.”
神说：“亚拿尼亚，我要你去见大数人扫罗。”
103. Ananias did not want to question the Lord;
亚拿尼亚不想责问上帝；
104. but he said, “Do you know what this man has done, Lord?”
但还是说了：“主啊，你知道这个人干了些什么吗？”
105. Saul’s reputation had already spread into Damascus.
扫罗的名声已经传到大马士革来了。
106. Saul was coming to imprison and to kill the Christians.
扫罗就是要来逮捕，并杀害基督徒的。
107. Ananias was scared to death;
亚拿尼亚怕得要死；
108. but we so often fail to believe in God’s power.
我们也是一样，常常忘记神的大能。
109. Someone said that Ananias is the forgotten hero of the Christian church.
有人说，亚拿尼亚是一位被基督教会忽略的英雄。
110. He was called to mentor a notorious murderer.
他被神呼召，去感化一个声名狼籍的凶手。
111. I want to ask you something important.
我想问你一个很重要的问题，
112. Has God ever called you to do something that seems to be insurmountable?
神有没有叫你作过一件看起来是你所不能胜任的事呢？
113. I want you to remember this:
我要你记住这一点：
114. when He does ask you, it is because He has already gone ahead of you and prepared the way;
当祂真的让你去做的时候，其实是祂早已经在前面为你开路；
115. and, in this case, God had already taken care of Saul.
而且，在这里，神已经对付过扫罗了。
116. He already converted his heart.
神改变了扫罗的心。
117. Whatever is frightening you,
无论你惧怕什么，
118. the Lord has already tamed it.
主耶稣已经解决了。
119. The truth of the matter is that Saul had not been able to stop talking about Jesus.
事实是，扫罗已经不能停止传扬主耶稣了。
120. Look at verses 20, 21 and 22.
让我们来看20，21和22节。
121. Immediately, he began proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God.
他立刻开始宣扬耶稣是神的儿子。
122. What a transformation!
这是多大的转变啊！
123. Then, we are told that Paul went to Arabia because the exits in the city of Damascus were sealed.
后来，圣经告诉我们，保罗去了阿拉伯，因为大马士革的城门被封锁了。
124. People were looking out for him and they wanted to kill him.
人们寻找保罗，并想杀害他。
125. Isn’t that amazing, my listening friend?
亲爱的朋友，这岂不是很奇妙吗？
126. The one who was going after the fugitives has become a fugitive himself.
这个曾经追捕逃犯的人，如今自己也变成了逃犯。
127. In verse 23, Luke said, “After many days...”
在23节，路加说：“过了好些日子……”
128. We know those many days actually were three years.
我们知道这里所说的好些日子，其实是三年。
129. Paul said so in Galatians, Chapter 1, verses 17 and 18.
保罗在加拉太书一章17，18节也确认了这件事。
130. When the Bible says he went to Arabia, at that time, it was in the modern day city of Petra in Jordan.
当圣经上说，他往阿拉伯去，实际上，是指现在的约旦城市佩特拉。
131. There were Greeks, Romans and Egyptians there.
那里居住着希腊人，罗马人和埃及人。
132. The Apostle Paul spent three years in this area.
使徒保罗在这个地区呆了三年。
133. Why did God lead him there?
为什么神领他到那儿去呢？
134. God took him there to meditate, to pray, and to hide;
神让他在那里黙想，祷告和隐藏；
135. so we not only have a surprising man,
所以，不仅有一个充满惊奇的人，
136. not only do we have a surprising method,
也不仅仅有一个令人惊奇的方法，
137. not only do we have a surprising teacher,
还不仅有一个惊奇的老师，
138. but, fourthly, there are surprising friends.
而且，第四，还有一些惊讶的朋友们。
139. To say that Paul’s fellowship with the apostles is a surprise is an understatement.
如果说，保罗和使徒的关系是令人讶异的，这种说法还不足以表达事实真相呢！
140. In verse 26 of Chapter 9 of the Book of Acts,
在使徒行传第九章26节，
141. it says that Saul came to Jerusalem and tried to associate with the disciples, but they were scared of him.
那里说，保罗尝试着和其他的门徒交往，但是他们都怕他。
142. His reputation was not forgotten in those three years;
他的名声在这三年中不曾被忘记；
143. but thank God for the Barnabases of this world-
但是感谢主，在世上还有像巴拿巴这类的人……
144. those people who understand the grace of God,
他们理解神的恩典，
145. those who understand that God specializes in saving sinners,
他们明白神专门拯救罪人，
146. those who understand that God delights in the repentant sinner;
他们知道神悦纳悔改的罪人；
147. and, so, Barnabas takes Paul by the hand and he becomes accepted to the apostles;
于是，通过巴拿巴的推荐，最终，使徒接纳了保罗；
148. but let me tell you this, as I conclude.
让我在结束的时候告诉你，
149. After three years in Arabia,
在阿拉伯三年以后，
150. Saul went to his home of Tarsus for approximately seven years;
扫罗回到他的故乡大数，在那里大约呆了七年；
151. so, if you are counting, this would be roughly about ten years -
屈指算算，差不多有十年的时间……
152. ten years from the time that he confronted the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus.
这是他在大马士革的路上，遇到复活的基督以后的十年。
153. Some of you have been waiting for the Lord to answer your prayers for many years,
有些朋友等待主应许你的祷告已经好多年了，
154. and some of you have given up praying.
有些人已经放弃，不再祷告了。
155. Ten years pass from the time Paul encounters the risen Christ;
保罗遇见复活的基督，已经过去十年了；
156. and, so, Barnabas takes him by the hand to the apostles and says, “This is God’s man.”
巴拿巴拉着保罗的手到使徒面前说：“这是神的仆人。”
157. A forgotten man for ten years
一个被遗忘了十年的人，
158. becomes the most influential man in the entire New Testament, period.
成为了整个新约时代最具有影响力的人。
159. What is God doing?
神的作为是什么呢？
160. He was training him, teaching him, and preparing him.
祂训练，教导，装备保罗。
161. When you are waiting for God to answer your prayers,
当你等待神回应你的祷告时，
162. the devil wants you to give up.
魔鬼想叫你放弃。
163. Do you think Paul wondered about the encounter with the risen Christ during those ten years?
你认为保罗在那十年中，有没有对遇见复活的基督产生疑惑呢？
164. Do you think he questioned what happened?
你认为他有没有质疑所发生的一切呢？
165. From all of his writings, we know he did;
从他所写的书信中，我们知道他也曾怀疑过；
166. but I want to tell you this:
但是让我告诉你：
167. God’s ways are not our ways and His timing is not our timing.
神的道路不同于我们的道路，神的时间也不同于我们的时间。
168. You may be praying for somebody to be saved.
你也许在为某人的得救祷告。
169. The worst thing you can do is give up praying for that person,
如果你停止了为那个人祷告，这真是最糟糕的事了，
170. because you do not know what God is doing behind the scenes.
因为你不知道神在背后做了些什么。
171. Be patient when you pray.
祷告要有耐心。
172. Don’t ever give up being surprised by the grace of God.
神的恩典会带给你惊喜， 不要放弃这样的机会。
173. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次再会。
