1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，

2. Thank you for tuning in.
谢谢你收听今天的节目。

3. I want to begin by telling you that, in many cultures in the world, a person’s reputation is his most prized possession.
首先，我想告诉你的是，世界上的很多文化里，一个人最宝贵的财产就是他的名誉。

4. One’s reputation can be more important than money, power or prestige.
一个人的名誉比金钱、权力、威望都更重要。

5. In some cases, one’s reputation is more valuable than life itself.
在某些情形下，一个人的名誉什至比他生命的价值还高。

6. Of course, like everything else, an obsession with one’s reputation can lead to hypocrisy.
当然，就像其他事情一样，一个人沈迷于追求自己的名誉，可能会变成伪君子。

7. It can lead to an unhealthy concern with external appearances.
它会导致不正常地去注重外表。

8. It can lead to dual personalities—one in public and the other in private;
它会导致双重人格，在公众场合一个样子，在私下里则另一个样子；

9. and this problem shows up repeatedly in the pages of the Bible.
在圣经中，我们也看到这个问题反复地出现。

10. In the Gospels, we learn how Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their obsession only with their own reputation,
在福音书里，我们知道耶稣强烈地谴责法利赛人，只沈迷于自己的名誉。

11. their external appearance and style rather than substance;
他们沈迷于外表和仪态，而不是内在的本质；

12. and Jesus rebuked that obsession for a good reason,
耶稣斥责这种沈迷是有原因的，

13. for, if a person’s reputation becomes his obsession,
因为，如果一个人沈迷在名誉的追求上，

14. then, that person will do everything possible to hide his real identity.
那么，这个人会想尽一切办法隐藏自己的真面目。

15. He or she will pretend to be what they are not.
他所装扮的那个人不是他自己。

16. Someone said the following:
有人曾这样说：

17. “If you spend too much time polishing your reputation, your character will become tarnished.”
“如果你花太多时间去雕琢你的名誉，会让你的品格失去光泽。”

18. Often, we are the last people to know our own true reputation;
通常，我们总是，最后一个知道自己真实名声何在的人；

19. and that is why the only reputation that you need to be concerned about is your reputation with God.
因此，你唯一需要关注的名誉，就是你在神那里的名声如何。

20. The only reputation that really matters is your reputation in Heaven;
唯一真正重要的是，你在天上的名誉；

21. and, when your reputation is right with God,
当你在神那里有好的名声时，

22. He is the One who will give you favor with people.
祂才是让你在人群中受欢迎的那一位。

23. Today’s message to the church of Sardis is a total message of rebuke.
今天我们要讲的是耶稣给撒狄教会的信息，这完全是一段斥责的信息。

24. The resurrected, ascended, reigning Christ looked at the believers in the church of Sardis, and Christ could not find anything good to praise them for.
复活、升天、掌权的基督查看撒狄教会的信徒们，却找不到什么值得称赞的地方。

25. All He saw was a church that was living on their own past reputation,
祂所看到的是一个活在自己过去名誉中的教会，

26. and they were doing nothing for the present.
现在，他们什么也没做。

27. Listen to the words of Jesus to the church in Sardis in Revelation, Chapter 3, verses 1 to 6.
我们一起来听，耶稣在启示录第3章1到6节中，对撒狄教会所说的话。

[1]“你要写信给撒狄教会的使者，说：‘那有神的七灵和七星的，说：我知道你的行为，按名你是活的，其实是死的。
[2]你要警醒，坚固那剩下将要衰微（原文作死）的；因我见你的行为，在我神面前，没有一样是完全的。
[3]所以要回想你是怎样领受、怎样听见的、又要遵守，并要悔改。若不警醒，我必临到你那里，如同贼一样。我几时临到，你也决不能知道。
[4]然而在撒狄，你还有几名是未曾污秽自己衣服的，他们要穿白衣与我同行，因为他们是配得过的。
[5]凡得胜的必这样穿白衣，我也必不从生命册上涂抹他的名；且要在我父面前，和我父众使者面前，认他的名。
[6]圣灵向众教会所说的话，凡有耳的，就应当听！’”

28. 700 years before this message was sent to Sardis by Jesus, Sardis was one of the greatest cities of the world.
在耶稣对撒狄发布这段信息的700年以前，撒狄曾是世界上最大的城市之一。

29. The wealth of Sardis was legendary;
撒狄的富裕是享有盛名的；

30. but, then, for two centuries, it vanished from history under the Persian rule;
然而，在波斯人统治的两个世纪期间，它就从历史上消失了；

31. but, then, after those two centuries, Sardis surrendered again to Alexander the Great, who built it as a Greek city;
在那两个世纪以后，撒狄人再次归顺了亚历山大大帝，他将撒狄建设成了一个希腊城市。

32. then, history repeated itself.
历史总是不断重演。

33. After the death of Alexander the Great,
亚历山大大帝死后，

34. Sardis was defeated once again;
撒狄人再次战败；

35. and, then, finally, it was taken over by the Romans.
最终被罗马人接管了。

36. Why am I telling you all of this?
为什么我要讲这些呢？

37. Because Jesus takes what has been characteristic of the culture of each city and, then, He warns the Christian in that city of the pitfall of adopting those cultural mores;
因为耶稣总结每个城市的文化特征，然后警告那个城市的基督徒，如果他们接受这些道德习俗的同化，将会陷入危险中；

38. so, what was it in Sardis?
那么，撒狄的情形怎样呢？

39. The people of Sardis had the reputation of being lazy.
撒狄人出名的懒惰。

40. The people of Sardis were known for relying on their reputation and wealth;
撒狄人过分地依赖他们的名誉和财富；

41. and they failed to protect and defend their city.
而没能保护和守卫好自己的城市。

42. The people of Sardis preferred soft living and easy going and they became prey to foreign invaders;
撒狄人喜欢舒适轻松的生活，这让他们成了外来入侵者的猎物；

43. and those cultural characteristics of laziness and easy life were adopted by the believers there;
这种好逸恶劳的文化特征，也体现在那里的信徒身上；

44. so, the resurrected Christ saw that this cultural characteristic had crept into the life of the believers in Sardis;
复活的基督看到，这种文化特征已蔓延到撒狄基督徒的生命之中；

45. and Jesus became deeply concerned.
耶稣深感关切。

46. There are three things, here in this message, that are spelled out by the Lord Jesus Christ.
在这段信息中，主耶稣基督讲了三个重点：

47. First, Christ’s rebuke of them for their false reputation.
首先，基督斥责他们的虚名假义。

48. Second, Christ’s cure that will restore their faith;
第二，基督医治他们，为能恢复他们的信仰；

49. and, thirdly, Christ’s acknowledgement of them in the final revelation;
第三，在最后的启示里，耶稣接纳了他们；

50. so, here they are: rebuke, cure and acknowledgment.
所以，这三点是：斥责，医治和接纳。

51. First, Christ’s rebuke of them for their false reputation.
首先，基督斥责他们的虚名假义。

52. Jesus has the seven spirits and the seven stars.
耶稣拥有七灵和七星。

53. What does that mean?
这是什么意思呢？

54. The number “seven” indicates completion, or perfection.
“七”这个数目，代表完成或完全。

55. Jesus is letting us know that the Holy Spirit has a total and complete knowledge of every single individual believer;
耶稣是在告诉我们，圣灵完全地了解每一个信徒。

56. and He has authority over every single church that belongs to Him;
每一间属于祂的教会，耶稣都拥有权柄；

57. and that is why He is exposing the spiritual bankruptcy of the believers in Sardis.
因此，祂要揭露撒狄的信徒们属灵上破产的光景。

58. Jesus said, “You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”
耶稣说：“按名你是活的，其实是死的。”
59. Those believers acquired the reputation for being active in society.
那些信徒在社会上得到了活跃的名声。

60. Those believers acquired the reputation for being involved in their city.
那些信徒从所在的城市得到了积极参与的名誉。

61. People were coming from everywhere to study their organization;
人们从各地来学习他们的组织架构；

62. but, in reality, Sardis was a spiritual graveyard.
但是，其实，撒狄是一个属灵上的坟场。

63. My listening friend, outward appearances can be very deceptive.
亲爱的朋友，外表非常具有欺骗性。

64. Outward appearances can be very soothing;
外表会让人很放松；

65. but, remember this,
但是，请记住，

66. when the world speaks well of you, watch out.
当这个世界夸奖你的时候，要警惕。

67. When the world begins to praise you, watch out.
当这个世界开始赞扬你的时候，要警惕。

68. When the world begins to identify with you, watch out.
当这个世界开始认可你的时候，要警惕。

69. Your reputation with God, not with the world, is all that matters.
真正重要的是你在神那里的名誉，而不是在这个世界上的名誉。

70. The world looks at the outside; but God, through the power of His perfect Holy Spirit, looks to the inside.
这个世界注重外表，而神却透过完全的圣灵，看人的内心。

71. You have the reputation of being a spiritual giant, but Jesus knows the real you.
你也许有着属灵巨人的美誉，但耶稣知道真实的你。

72. In fact, that is the one thing Jesus said that drove the Pharisees crazy.
事实上，耶稣所说的这一点，正中法利赛人的要害。

73. Jesus consistently exposed the hypocrisy of the Pharisees;
耶稣不断地揭露法利赛人的假冒伪善；

74. and they did not like it any more than this generation of Pharisees likes it.
今天这一代的法利赛人和当时的法利赛人，同样不喜欢这种批评。

75. Christ admonished them regarding their false reputation.
基督针对他们的假名声提出了警告。

76. Secondly, Christ’s cure to help them restore their faith.
第二，基督的医治帮助他们恢复自己的信仰。

77. What is this cure?
这个医治是什么？

78. Jesus said, “Wake up.”
耶稣说：“你要儆醒。”

79. Probably, the best word picture that I can use to describe the Christians in Sardis, would be this:
也许，我想最能体现撒狄基督徒状况的图画，应该是这样的：

80. imagine a smoldering fire.
想象一下，一个冒着浓烟的火堆。

81. Much of the fire has died down;
大部分的火已经熄灭了；

82. but, there, at the bottom, are some coals that are still burning.
但是，就在底部，仍有一些炭在燃烧。

83. This is what Jesus is saying to that small remnant that still has some spiritual spark left.
这就是耶稣所说的，其余小部分仍有属灵火花的人。

84. He is saying, “Wake up and ignite the rest of you.
耶稣告诉我们：“你要儆醒，点燃其他的人，

85. Wake up and see with your spiritual eyes the dismal condition that you are in.
你要儆醒，用属灵的眼睛看清你所处的凄凉境况。

86. Wake up and go back to the truth of the Gospel.
你要儆醒，回到福音的真理上来。

87. Wake up and repent and weep and be sorrowful over the condition of the church.”
你要儆醒，悔改并为教会的境况悲哀哭泣。”

88. I want to tell you about a historical incident.
我想跟你们讲一个历史事件。

89. In 1904, the Holy Spirit’s fire began in Wales and, then, spread to the rest of the world.
1904年，圣灵之火从威尔士点燃，然后扩展到世界的其他地方。

90. During that awakening, shops were closed in the middle of the day for prayer.
在那个大觉醒时期，商铺会在中午因为祷告而关门。

91. Prayer meetings were jammed to the walls.
祷告会常常被挤得水泄不通。

92. By December of 1904, newspapers were publishing the names of the new believers --
到1904年的12月，报纸刊登了新信徒的名单……

93. 70,000 in two months.
在两个月中就有7万人。

94. As a result of this outpouring of the Spirit of God,
因着神的灵大大地浇灌，

95. people were healed.
人们得到医治。

96. Restitution became commonplace,
复兴随处可见，

97. all because faithful believers began to pray for the spark of the Holy Spirit to ignite the church;
这都是因为忠心的信徒，祈求圣灵的火花来点燃教会而产生的结果；

98. but revival will not happen until those who claim to love the Lord wake up and recognize that our world is in desperate spiritual condition.
直到那些声称爱主的人们儆醒并意识到，我们的世界已处在一个属灵的绝境时，这复兴才可能来到。

99. Christ’s spiritual cure was to wake up.
基督在属灵上的医治就是让人儆醒。

100. Remember, repent, and receive the power of the Holy Spirit afresh;
记住、悔改并再次接受属灵的能力；

101. so, first, we saw Christ’s warning regarding their false reputation.
因此，我们首先看到了基督对假名声的警告。

102. Secondly, Christ’s cure to restore their faith;
第二，基督的医治帮助他们恢复信仰；

103. and, now, we come to, thirdly, Christ’s promise to acknowledge them in the day of the final revelation.
现在，我们来看看第三点，基督应许会在最后启示的日子里承认他们。

104. For those who are faithful to Jesus,
对那些忠实于耶稣的人，

105. Jesus gives them a two-fold promise.
耶稣赐给他们一个双重的应许。

106. First, they will be clothed with white robes.
首先，会为他们披上白袍。

107. White robes were symbols of festivities.
白袍是节庆的象征。

108. We know this from the parable of the wedding feast, that the wedding guests will have a robe handed to them by the groom.
这一点我们可以从婚宴的比喻中了解到，新郎会亲手递给参加婚礼的来宾一件白袍。

109. White robes are also symbols of victory.
白袍也是胜利的象征。

110. In Roman culture, after a major victory is won, they wore white robes and they called their cities “white cities;”
在罗马文化中，获得一场重大胜利之后，人们会穿上白袍，把自己的城市称为“白城”；

111. and white robes were also symbols of purity.
白袍还是纯洁的象征。

112. For those who keep themselves from being soiled by the stains of the sins of this world,
那些保守自己，免受这个世界罪恶污染的人，

113. they will receive the white robes of the righteousness and purity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
他们将会得到主耶稣基督公义和圣洁的白袍。

114. Also, white robes stand for the resurrection.
同时，白袍代表着复活。

115. Those white robes are not ours.
那白袍不是我们的。

116. We did not and cannot earn them.
我们不能靠自己的努力赢得它。

117. Those white robes are given to the faithful by Christ as a gift of grace.
那些白袍是一份恩典的礼物，是基督奖赏给祂忠心仆人的。

118. The second part of the promise is this:
这个应许的第二部份内容是：

119. the believers’ names will not be wiped out of the Book of Life;
信徒的名字不会从生命册上被除掉；

120. but, rather, they will be acknowledged by Jesus before His Father.
反而，耶稣会在父神面前承认他们。

121. In the ancient world,
古时候，

122. kings kept registry in their palaces.
君王都把户口名册保存在自己的宫中。

123. In that registry, the names of all citizens were written.
在那本户口名册里，记载了所有国民的名字。

124. Only two conditions could cause the name of a citizen to be removed from the registry:
一个国民的名字，只有在两种情况下，才会从这个名册中被除去：

125. first, if the citizen committed a crime against the state;
这个人犯了背叛自己国家的罪；

126. and, second, when that person dies.
第二，就是这个人死了。

127. In a far, far, far greater way, Jesus has a book in Heaven.
远比这更有意义也更重要的是，耶稣在天上也存有一份名册。

128. In that book, the names of all His faithful children are written.
在那份名册里，写下了祂所有忠心儿女的名字。

129. They are written in the blood of the Lamb;
是用羔羊的血写下的；

130. and the reason they are written in His blood is that no one can erase them;
之所以要用耶稣的血来写，是因为这样就没人可以把他们抹掉；

131. and, on that day, I know I’m going to be standing there listening to my name;
在那一天，我知道我会站在那里听到自己的名字；

132. and, when Jesus calls out my name,
当耶稣叫到我的名字，

133. when Jesus acknowledges me before His Father, just as He promised,
就像耶稣应许的那样，祂在父神面前承认我的时候，

134. I’m going to shout, “I am here, Lord Jesus!
我会大声地回应：“主耶稣，我在这里！”

135. Thank You for saving me.
谢谢你拯救了我。

136. Thank You for keeping me.
谢谢你保守了我 。

137. Thank You for acknowledging me.
谢谢你接纳了我。

138. I have acknowledged You before men.
我已在众人面前接受了你。

139. Now, You have kept Your promise and are acknowledging me before your Father.”
现在，你信守承诺在父神面前接纳了我。”

140. When the roll is called up yonder,
当在那里，名单被念到的时候，

141. I’ll be there.
我会在那里。

142. Will you be there?
你会在那里吗？

143. You can decide today to be there.
你今天就可以决定去到那里。

144. If you want to pray with me this simple prayer, it can guarantee you being there.
如果你愿意，和我一起做下面这个简单的祷告，就能保证你将会在那里。

145. “Lord Jesus Christ,
“主耶稣基督，

146. forgive me my sins.
请饶恕我的罪。

147. Give me the courage to be who I am.
给我勇气来尽自己的本分。

148. Receive me into Yourself,
请接受我进入到你的同在，

149. and give me the gift of eternal life.
赐给我永生的礼物。

150. In Your name, Jesus, I pray,
奉耶稣的名字祷告，

151. Amen.”
阿们。”

152. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次节目再会。