日期： 09/02/07

經文：《使徒行傳》 15 ： 36-16 ： 10

題目：來到特羅亞

主旨：因為神總是與祂的兒女們同在 , 所以我們要學習在一切的處境中順服祂 .

引言：

兩點之間直線距離最短。紙上談兵易如反掌，然而在實際生活中，這個道理未必總是行得通。比如你要從休斯頓的 IAH 機場開車回家去糖城 (Sugar Land) ，你是走直線的 59 號公路，還是繞道 8 號公路或者 610 環城公路？如果遇上道路施工，繞道行駛或者交通阻塞的話，直線行駛未必能令你在最短的時間內到家。又比如你想實現你的美國夢，別人可能花了 5 年時間就達成了，可是你卻已經用了 10 年時間，依然遙遙無期。有時候，我們會感到生活的道路迂回曲折。兩點之間本應是一條寬敞的直路，卻充滿了坑坑 洼洼 ，令人不得不繞道而行。沒有人喜歡繞遠路，所以人人都想方設法地回避和躲開。

今天的經文以保羅對巴拿巴提出一個簡單的要求開始：“我們可以回到從前宣傳主道的各城，看望弟兄們景況如何。 ”讓我們回到從前佈道的地方。保羅的心愿是要重返他第一次佈道旅行所經歷的各城，看望那里的弟兄們。 這是一個簡單又合理的要求。但是我們讀下去會發現這段本應簡單的旅行最終卻變得復雜和漫長。他們一路上所遇到的人和造訪的城市都與原先的計劃相差甚遠。從一開始，這就是一段充滿意外的旅行。

從保羅開始第二次布道旅行的經驗中，我們可以學到神在我們的人生道路上如何帶領和指引。神總是在不知不覺中帶領我們通過一道道緊閉的或者打開的大門，走向他想要我們去的終點。他大能的雙手從未離開我們。

讓我們仔細看看第二次布道旅行的開始。

I •  神的手在人的軟弱中彰顯。

15 ： 36 “我們可以回到從前宣傳主道的各城，看望弟兄們景況如何。”這確實是一個簡單和合理的要求。那么，誰要與我們同行呢？上一次旅行中是保羅，巴拿巴和馬可一路同行。但是，馬可在半路中離開了隊伍，不和他們同去作工。對此，保羅深感不安，他認為這是一種缺乏信心和責任感的行為。所以，對保羅來說，馬可不可能再與他同行和同工。但是巴拿巴有意要帶上馬可。他這么做是出于鼓勵馬可的考慮，希望再給他一次機會。 巴拿巴認為馬可在第一次旅行中半途而廢是因為他當時太年輕，缺乏佈道的經驗，對前途充滿了恐懼。 他覺得馬可的錯誤并不是不可饒恕的。總之，巴拿巴是擅長熱情鼓勵的使徒。他甚至在其他人懷疑保羅信仰時候依然前去看望他。

但是保羅并不認同。路加并沒有記下他和巴拿巴起了沖突的細節。我們僅僅知道他們兩人之間為此起了爭論，雙方互不讓步。這次激烈的爭論導致保羅和巴拿巴彼此分開。保羅揀選了西拉，巴拿巴帶著馬可，他們各自踏上了不同的旅程。你能否想像保羅剛開始他的第二次布道旅行時的心情？恐怕他的內心受到深深的傷害。

我們從中學到什么功課呢？首先，兩個使徒都犯了錯。我們自始至終沒有看到他們向神禱告，祈求神啟示他們該帶誰一起旅行，也沒有求神幫助化解彼此的紛爭。其次，爭論和沖突會在信徒中間產生。路加也沒有對誰是誰非作出評論。 事情就這樣發生了。從第 40 節經文來看，教會仿佛是支持保羅的。沖突總是會令人心受到創傷。

基督徒之間的紛爭有時會導致福音事工的失敗。但是往往神依然通過人的軟弱在動工。 教會因為沖突而一分為二：第一和第二長老會；或者第一和第二浸信會。 神可繼續使用他們向更多的人傳福音。在當時第一世紀的教會，佈道團因為分裂形成兩支不同的隊伍。沒有任何人或者事能夠阻擋神的恩典之河。

是的，神通過人的軟弱實現他的救贖計劃。但是，我們不能以此作為借口，容忍沒有解決的矛盾存在，因為矛盾會令人產生苦毒的心理，導致信徒的分裂。

后來，從保羅的書信里，我們了解到他同巴拿巴和好了。 在保羅的哥林多前書里，他稱巴拿巴為同工和伙伴。在提摩太后書里，保羅要求提摩太帶馬可去見他，因為馬可對他幫助很大。很明顯，保羅已經和巴拿巴以及馬可和好如初了。

我們有時免不了和他人起了沖突，導致雙方都受到傷害。 有時候，沖突會導致事工的失敗；其他時候，沖突會令我們備受 圣 靈的感動，從而在其他事工中發揮更多的作用。無論神如何使用沖突來塑造我們，重要的是他的最終目的是令我們與人和好。讓我們看看接下來發生了什么事。

II •  神的手在選同工的事上彰顯。

巴拿巴帶著馬可前往居比路。從此 , 他們的事工就沒有在《使徒行傳》中被提到。 16 ： 1-3 “保羅來到特庇，又到路司得。 在那里有一個門徒，名叫提摩太，是信主之猶太婦人的兒子，他父親卻是希利尼人。路司得和以哥念的弟兄都稱贊他。保羅要帶他同去，只因為那些地方的猶他人都知道他父親是希利尼人，就給他行了割禮。”保羅和西拉朝北走，來到特庇和路司得。 在路司得，他們遇到提摩太，后來提摩太成為保羅第二次宣教之旅的同工。 這樣一來，保羅有了兩個同工：西拉和提摩太。讓我們仔細來看看這兩個人。

西拉是一個先知，所以他很擅長傳講和教導神的話語。他是猶太人，能夠自由進入猶太人的會堂。同時西拉也是羅馬公民，和保羅一樣享有羅馬公民的權利和保護。 對保羅來說，西拉是第二次宣教旅行的合適人選。

提摩太呢？他在路司得的教會里口碑不錯。他的母親和祖母都是猶太人，父親是個外邦人。所以提摩太既是猶太人又是外邦人。在他們開始旅行之前，保羅要提摩太行了割禮。這是向猶太人表明他并沒有忽視他們的傳統。進行了割禮以后，提摩太就和保羅以及西拉一樣可以自由進入猶太人的會堂。后來，提摩太成了保羅的得力助手和教會的領袖。

有了這兩個人的加入，路加在 16 ： 4-5 對這部分的旅程做了總結：“他們經過各城，把耶路撒冷使徒和長老所定的條規交給門徒遵守。于是眾教會信心越發堅固，人數天天增加。”教會信心越發堅固，人數天天增加。傳播福音的目的不是為了信徒數量上的增加，但是，當教會的信心堅固以后，信徒的人數自然會天天增加。

保羅失去了馬可，卻得到了西拉和提摩太。他們兩個都對于保羅的宣教之旅很有幫助。 這是保羅在開始旅行前是絕對想不到的。 但是神在不知不覺中動工，為保羅安排好了一切。神的作為是人無法預知的。

III •  神的手在負面的引導中彰顯。

現在我們來看新約里一段非常有趣的經文。這段經文是有關如何辨明神的啟示。 16 ： 6-8 “ 圣 靈既然禁止他們在亞細亞講道，他們就經過弗呂家，加拉太一帶地方。到了每西亞的邊界，他們想要網庇推尼去，耶穌的靈卻不許。他們就越過每西亞，下到特羅亞去。”在弗呂家和加拉太一帶布道以后，保羅想往西去。但是， 圣 靈卻不許。他們怎么知道這是 圣 靈的意思呢？路加依然沒有給出具體的記載，僅僅提供了一個結論性的敘述。西去的路行不通，于是保羅就往北越過每西亞。他希望能繼續在亞細亞布道，也就是往北再向東行進。但是，這扇門也被關上了。所以他又往轉向西行。 這次，神為他打開了大門，他和同工們來到了特羅亞。特羅亞并不在保羅本來的計劃訪問之列。但是他們卻來到了那里。

神是如何帶領保羅一行來到特羅亞的呢？是通過非常間接和負面的方式。他把通往其他地方的大門都關上。這樣，就“引領”著保羅一行來到特羅亞。

沒有人希望在尋求神的旨意時處處碰壁。我們渴望這份工作，或者希望住在某個城市，所以我們請弟兄姐妹們為我們禱告，好使我們得到這份工作或者搬去那個城市。對我們來說，兩點之間最短的距離就是一條直線。我們堅持這是達到目的的最佳路線。但是，經過一次又一次的面試卻依然無法找到工作。我相信我們都有這樣的經歷：我必須要得到這份工作；我必須要待在這個城市。相信我們也都知道這是非常痛苦的。如果別人得到了我想要的東西，就會心生嫉妒。我們心中產生怨恨，甚至對神產生埋怨。為什么上帝如此不公平？

我們從保羅和他的團隊學到什么功課呢？他們看到 圣 靈為他們關了一扇又一扇大門，非但沒有向神抗爭和抱怨，反而順服神的心意，來到特羅亞。 神通過關閉一些門帶領他的兒女前往他所預定的目的地。

IV •  神的手在正面的引導中彰顯。

在特羅亞發生了什么？ 16 ： 9-10 “在夜間有異象與保羅。有一個馬其頓人站著求他說‘請你過到馬其頓來幫助我們。’保羅既看見這異象，我們隨即想要往馬其頓去，以為神召我們傳福音給那里的人聽。”晚上，保羅得到異象，有一個馬其頓人出現在他面前說“請你過到馬其頓來幫助我們。”我們看到，保羅立刻回應了這個異象，前往位于今天歐洲的馬其頓。他們首先來到腓利比，在那里建立了一個教會。 這個夜間的異象就是我們大家所熟悉的“馬其頓的呼聲”。當我們提到馬其頓的呼聲時，往往指在某一地區有特殊的需求。在抵達特羅亞之前，神一直通過間接的方式，為保羅關閉其他大門，把他們一行引領到特羅亞。現在，神使用了直接和正面的帶領，通過異象，有人發出馬其頓的呼聲，保羅順服了異象前往該地區。他們跟隨異象的帶領，來到腓利比。在這裡建立了歐洲的第一個教會。

兩年前，我收到一位牧師朋友的電子郵件。郵件的主題是：“密件：馬其頓的呼聲”。我通常不喜歡這樣的標題，特別是“馬其頓的呼聲”。 因為我知道這總是意味著要我做些什么事。在大概瀏覽了一下郵件內容后，我就不去管它了。郵件里有“北京”，“神學院”“需要”等等詞匯，我把郵件存在收件箱里。 5 個月以后，當我清理收件箱的時候，又看到了這封信。我想是否該刪除它呢？如果刪除的話感覺不太好，如果有一天我的朋友問起，我怎么回答呢？在深呼吸以后，我細讀了這封信的內容。 內容完全在我預料之中。于是我回了信，結果是一步一步地神在引路 , 導致 了去年和今年在中國的教導事工。這封電子信件就是我的特羅亞。神通過這封信件向我顯明他的心意。

我還想做一個觀察。是有關宣教的動機。是什么激勵我們去傳福音呢？首先，神吩咐我們在世上做他的見證。其次，是神的愛充滿了我們，使我們順服他，服事他人。又因為自己經歷了神的愛，我們也要把這屬天的愛傳播出去，把福音的好消息帶給本地和遠方的人。第三，我們宣教是因為在我們四周有對福音的需要。我們看到挨餓的兒童和窮人，也看到各個國家信徒的比例。他們都使我們打開眼睛看到四周對福音的需要。

但是，在宣教和其他事工過程中，我們需要注意一點：平衡好遵守神的使命和出自愛的幫助。如果我們僅僅是關注周圍人的需要：他們需要糧食和面包，或者他們需要基督；那么我們很快就會精疲力盡，對那些真正有需要的人漸漸麻木不仁。如果我們僅僅注重神的吩咐，那么就是用一顆冰冷的心在機械地執行任務。這就仿佛成了一份工作。甚至我們會嘗試通過操縱別人的情緒，令人產生罪惡感，從而處于自責，他們同意做些什么。這是非常危險的，也是錯誤的。我們要在遵守神的吩咐和發自愛心的幫助之間尋找平衡。

結論：

在 70 年代中期，我在一段時間的博士后研究工作以后，開始尋找一份更穩定和長久的工作。在那個時期，國家的經濟處在衰退期，工作不好找。我申請了幾份工作，都沒有被錄用。后來一個朋友告訴我在臺灣有一個教書的機會。我拒絕了那個建議，因為我們從沒有去過臺灣，不僅如此，我們的那些臺灣朋友都希望留在美國，很少有人想回去。所以，我們根本不考慮這個機會。但是，神慢慢打開了我們的心，接受了這個工作機會，帶領我們前往臺灣。抵達臺灣不久，我就發現內心不安，我開始尋求神對我生命的帶領。半年以后，我確信神呼召我進入全職的事奉。一年以后，我們回到美國，進入神學院，進一步裝備自己。當我回首過去時，臺灣是我的特羅亞，前往那里是一段艱難的旅程。我從未想到會去臺灣。但是，神在我的生命里動工，關了一扇扇大門，僅僅為我開啟了一道大門。在那里，他為我預備了遠超我想象的美好安排。

親愛的弟兄姐妹們，你們的特羅亞在哪里？對有些人來說，來到休斯頓是因為通向其他城市的大門已經被關上。 你不想來這又熱又潮的城市。 但是，其他的大門都被關上了，這是唯一一扇敞開的大門，所以你來了這里。對有些人來說，特羅亞可能不是一個實實在在的地方。它可能是你的人際關系中的某一所在。你不想陷入此情此景，但是被無奈卷了進來。請不要刪去這一所在，因為神可能正在你的生命里動工，他的作為是你想不到的。 他會給你一切遠超你已經經歷的美好安排。

有些人四處碰壁，一扇一扇大門總是對他們緊閉。 這是一件非常令人沮喪和灰心的事。我鼓勵你從神的角度看待這些緊閉的大門。 每當一扇大門關上的時候，神是在說：這不是你的道路，我已經為你預備了一個更好的地方 , 更好的工作。求神幫助我們在經歷四處碰閉門的光景時，學會盼望神所預備的更美好未來。如這是你的特羅亞 , 那腓立比也離你不遠了 .

Date:   09/02/07

Text:   Acts 165:36—16:10

Title:   Went Down to Troas

Theme: God is always present and guiding His children, we can l earn to be obedient to him in all of life situations.

Introduction:   

  The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This works well on paper, but not necessarily so in real life situations. You are going home to Sugar Land from IAH. Should you take 59, which is a straight line or 8W or 610W? With constructions, detours and traffic jams, the straight line will not bring you home in the shortest amount of time. Or you want to achieve your American dream. It may have taken the other person less than 5 years to get there, but you have spent more than 10 years and it is still nowhere in sight. Sometimes we feel life is full of detours. What should have been a straight line between two points, may now seem to be nothing but pot holes and detours. None of us like detours and we fight and resist when we run into them.

  Today’s passage started with a very simple request from Paul to Barnabas, Let’s go back to the places where we had preached. This is a pastoral heart for Paul who wanted to go back and visit the churches he started during his 1 st Missionary journey. Certainly a simple and reasonable desire. But as we read on, we notice that this simple journey had turned into a rather long and complicated trip. They ended up with people and in places that were not in their original plans. From the get go, this was a journey full of surprises.

From Paul’s experience at the beginning of his 2 nd Missionary Journey, we can learn much about how God guides and direct us in our personal life journeys. We learn that very often God is silently leading us through closed or opened doors to the place where he wants us to be. His hands have never left us.

  Let’s take a closer look at the beginning of this 2 nd Missionary journey.

I.   God's hand is evident in human weaknesses. 15:36-40

  Vs.15:36 “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are.” It is indeed a simple and reasonable request. Yet, who should we go with this time? Last time when they went, besides Paul and Barnabas, there was also John Mark. However, Mark left them in the midst of the journey. This must have greatly hurt Paul. He took it as disloyalty and unfaithfulness. So, to Paul, Mark was out of the question: there is no way Mark should come this time. But Barnabas wanted to bring Mark again. Being an encourager, Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance. He saw Mark being young and inexperienced, intimidated by the ministry before him during their first trip, therefore, wanting to go back. Barnabas did not treat this as a federal offence, but could be forgiven and overlooked. After all, Barnabas was the disciple who went and looked for Paul when other apostles and disciples were skeptical of his conversion. Barnabas was a courageous and kind person.

  However, Paul would not budge. Luke did not give us the details of this conflict. We only knew that it was a sharp disagreement, meaning a very violent dispute between Paul and Barnabas. The disagreement was so strong that Paul and Barnabas split. Paul took Silas and Barnabas took Mark and went their separate ways. Can you imagine how Paul must have felt at the very beginning of his 2 nd missionary journey. It must have stung both of them deeply.

  What do we learn from this? First this appeared to be a mistake for both disciples. Nowhere did we see that they prayed to God regarding who to bring, thus resolving their disagreement. Second, disagreement/conflicts do occur between believers. Luke, again, did not provide details, as to who was at fault. It just happened. However, in vs.40, the church did seem to favor Paul. Conflicts do hurt people deeply.

  Disagreements and conflicts between Christians sometimes can lead to the destruction of ministries. But other times, God continues to work in spite of weaknesses. After splitting, one church may become two: 1 st Presbyterian and 2 nd Presbyterian, 1 st or 2 nd Baptist. God can use both of them to bring others to Christ. Now, in that first century church, one mission team had now become two teams. Nothing can stop the flow of God's river of grace.

Yes, God can work through human frailty to accomplish his redemptive plan. Yet, we are not to use this as an excuse to allow unresolved conflicts which can lead to bitterness and resentment to take root in our lives and cause division. Moreover, from Paul’s later letters we read that later there was reconciliation between him and Barnabas. In his 1 st letter to the Corinthians he addressed Barnabas as his partner, his coworker. In his last letter to Timothy, he asked that Timothy would bring Mark to visit him for Mark was very helpful to him. It was apparent that Paul had reconciled with both Barnabas and Mark.

  Yes, we do run into conflicts with each other, resulting in both parties deeply hurt. Sometimes, it would damage our ministry, other times, it would cause us to be more motivated to grow spiritually and become more involved in other ministries. No matter how God uses our conflict to mold us, it is always important and necessary to work towards a reconciliation between the two. Let’s move on and see what happened next.

II.    God's hands are evident in the choice of new co-workers. 16:1-3

  Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus. Barnabas’s ministry was not heard of again in the book of Acts. 16:1-3, “ 1 Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ” Paul and Silas went north from Antioch to Derbe and Lystra. At Lystra, they met Timothy who then became one of Paul’s coworkers during this 2 nd Missionary Journey. So Paul had two new coworkers: Silas and Timothy. Let’s take a closer look at them.

  Silas was a prophet, making him adept to proclaim and teach God's word. He was a Jew and therefore had entrance to the Jewish synagogues they would visit. As a Roman citizen, he had the same protection and benefits as Paul did. It was a good fit for Paul’s purpose in this 2 nd missionary journey.

  How about Timothy? He was well spoken of by the church in Lystra. His mother and grandmother were Jews, and his father was a gentile. So he was, both a Jew and a Gentile. Before they started on the trip, Paul had Timothy circumcised. This was to show the Jews that he had no intention to overthrow the Jewish tradition. This circumcision would also grant Timothy full access to the synagogues as Paul and Silas. Timothy later became Paul’s right hand man and the leader of a church.

  With the addition of these two, Luke made a summary statement about this part of the trip, 16:4-5, “ they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. ” The churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. The goal of evangelism is not to do more head counts or increase huge numbers of converts. However, when churches are growing in faith, they will naturally increase in numbers.

  Paul lost Mark, but gained Silas and Timothy. Both proved to be valuable to the church’s mission. This is certainly not what Paul had in mind at the beginning of the journey. Yet this is how it turned out. God works in some very mysterious ways. In ways beyond our imagination.

III.    God's hands are evident in guiding us through negative means. 16:6-8

  Now we come to a very interesting passage in the NT. It is about how we discern God's way. 16:6-8, “ 6 And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8 So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. ” Having travelled and preached in the Phrygia and Galatia area, Paul intended to move westward. However, the Holy Spirit would not let them. How did they know it is from the Holy Spirit? Again, Luke did not give us the details, but merely the conclusion of a process. With the western door closed, Paul moved north to Mythia. He was hoping that he may further preach the gospel in Asia, i.e., moving farther north and east. But this door was also closed. So he moved west again. this time the door was opened and he and his group arrived at Troas. This city was never in his mind or his plan. But here they were.

  How did God lead Paul to Troas? Through a very indirect and negative guidance. He closed the doors here and there. By closing these doors, he was actually directing him to Troas.

None of us like closed doors in our search for God's will. We want this job very much. Or we want to live in that particular city. So we ask others to pray for us so we can have this job or go to that city. To us, the shortest distance between two points is this particular line. We insist this is the best line, the best route to obtain what we want. Yet, interview after interview, we’re turned down. I trust that we all have experienced this. I have to have this job. I have to stay in this or other city. I think we also realize how painful this can be. We are jealous of people who acquired our dream jobb. We are angry towards people and may even be angry with God. How come he is so unfair?

  What did we learn from Paul and his group? They looked at this as the Holy Spirit was closing one door after another. They did not fight or argue with God. they simply obeyed. Then they came to Troas. God's closing the doors is one of his many ways of directing his children to where he wants them to be.

  Let’s move on.

IV. God's hands are evident in guiding us through positive means. 16:9-10

  Something happened at Troas. 16:9-10, “ 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. ” At night, in a vision, a man of Macedonia appeared to him and said, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” We noted that Paul immediately responded to this call and went to Macedonia, which is in today’s Europe. They first went to Philippi, and started a church there. This vision at night is also called the Macedonia Call that we are familiar with. When we mention this Macedonia call, it usually means a special need in a certain place. Prior to arriving at Troas, God directed Paul indirectly, via closing this and other doors until they came to where he wanted them to be. Now, it is a direct guidance, in a vision, a man issuing the Macedonia call and Paul obeyed and went. They followed the guidance and went to Philippi. The 1 st church in Europe was formed shortly afterwards. If this was Troas, then Philippi is just around the corner.

  About two years ago, I received an email from a pastor friend. the subject matter was: Confidential: Macedonia call. I usually don’t like such a heading, especially the Macedonia call. For I know that this must be asking me to do something. I briefly scanned it and then left it aside. I saw words such as Beijing, seminary, need; so I just left it in my inbox. 5 months later while I was cleaning up my inbox, I saw this email. I was deciding if I should delete it. I Kind of felt bad if I did so, for if one day this friend asked me about this letter what should I say? So after taking a deep breath, I read it in detail. The content was what I expected. Then I wrote back and this led to a teaching ministry in china last year and this year. The letter in the inbox was my Troas. It was God's way of showing me what he wanted me to do.

  I also would like to make an observation here. It has to do with mission motivation. What motivates us to missions or other ministries. First of all, it is a command from God that we are to be his witness at wherever we are. Secondly, it is Christ's love that compels us to be obedient to him. We serve others, we proclaim the good news to people here and far away because we have experienced Christ's love for us and we want to tell others about this love. Thirdly, we serve and proclaim the message because of the great need around us. We have all seen pictures of starving children and poverty. We have been shown the population numbers in different countries and what % of them are believers. They all want to open our eyes to the need so we can help accordingly.

  However, in missions and in other ministries, there needs to be a good balance of obedience to the command, compelled by Christ's love and the needs of the people. if all we focus is on need: how people need rice and bread, or how they need Christ, we’ll quickly experience burn out or develop a callous heart towards the needy. If all we focus is on obeying Christ's command, we are just carrying out a responsibility cold heartedly. It’s just a job. There is also the danger of manipulating people’s emotion so they will feel guilty. And out of guilt, they agree to do something about it. This is wrong. There must be a proper balance of command, our love for Christ and people’s need.

Conclusion:

  In the mid 70’s. After working as a research fellow or post doc for 3 years, I started looking for a more permanent job. In those years, the country was in a mild recession and jobs were hard to come by. I applied to several places and was rejected. Then a friend told me about a teaching opportunity in Taiwan. I resisted the idea because we had never been to that place and besides, most of our friends from Taiwan had wanted to stay in this country. So why should we even consider. But God slowly opened our hearts and went there. Soon after our arrival, I began to feel an unease within me, causing me to seek what God wanted to do with my life. About half a year later, one thing led to another, I was convinced that God was calling me into full time ministry. One year later, we came back to the States and enrolled in seminary to further prepare myself for ministry. As I looked back, Taiwan was my Troas, getting there was hard. It was never in my original plan. But God was working in my life, closing this and other doors, with this as the only door opened to me. And then at that place, he showed me something far better and greater than my own plans.

Dear brothers and sisters, where is your Troas? To some, coming to Houston is tripping through a series of door-closing events in other cities. You really don’t like to come to this hot and humid place. But other doors were closed and this was the only opened door, and here you are. To others, Troas may not be a physical place. This could be a place in your relationships. You hate where you are, but you are here. Don’t write this place off, because God may work something in your life that you have never dreamed of. He will show you something far greater and better than you have ever experienced or imagined.

There are some of you experiencing closed doors one after another. It must be a very disappointing and painful experience. When you try to fight against it, it is also very miserable. May I encourage you to look at such closed doors from God's perspective. You see, each time when a door is closed, it is God's way of saying: this is not the one, I have prepared a place, a job that is far better than what you have here. May those closed- door experiences in life create in us a sense of anticipation, yearning to see what God has prepared for us ahead. If this is your Troas, then your Philippi is not really far away.