安息日下午 2月14日
Memory Text:
“他是那不能看见之神的像，是首生的，在一切被造的以先。因为万有都是靠他造的，无论是天上的，地上的，能看见的，不能看见的，或是有位的，主治的，执政的，掌权的，一概都是藉着他造的，又是为他造的。他在万有之先，万有也靠他而立。”（歌罗西书 1:15-17）
“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. KJV — Colossians 1:15-17
“哦，那些信奉并遵行基督话语的人，拥有何等大的特权！正是认识基督是罪的承担者，是为我们的罪孽赎罪的祭，才使我们能够过圣洁的生活。这种认识是人类幸福的保障。撒但知道，若没有这种认识，我们就会陷入混乱，失去力量。我们对上帝的信仰就会消失，我们会成为仇敌各种诡计的猎物。他精心策划，企图毁灭人类。他的目的是要将他地狱般的阴影，如同死亡的帷幕，投射在上帝与人之间，使我们看不见耶稣，使我们忘记爱与怜悯的事工，使我们无法进一步认识上帝对我们的大爱和大能，并阻挡来自天堂的每一缕光芒。1SM 264.1
“唯有基督能够代表神性。祂从起初就与父同在，祂是不可见之神的真像，唯有祂才足以完成这项工作。任何言语描述都无法向世人揭示神。唯有透过纯洁的生活、完全信赖并顺服神旨意的生活、甚至连天上最高的撒拉弗都畏惧的谦卑生活，神自己才能向世人显明。为了做到这一点，我们的救主将祂的神性披上了人性。祂运用了人类的感官，因为只有通过这些感官，祂才能被人类所理解。只有人性才能触及人性。祂透过神为祂预备的人性，活出了神的性情。祂以人的肉身活出神的生命，祝福了世界，从而表明祂有能力将人性与神性合而为一。” 1SM 264.2
“O what great privileges belong to those who are believers and doers of the words of Christ! It is a knowledge of Christ as the sin bearer, as the propitiation for our iniquities, that enables us to live a life of holiness. This knowledge is the safeguard for the happiness of the human family. Satan knows that without this knowledge we should be thrown into confusion and divested of our strength. Our faith in God would be gone, and we should be left a prey to every artifice of the enemy. He has laid subtle plans by which to destroy man. It is his purpose to cast his hellish shadow, like the pall of death, between God and man, in order that he may hide Jesus from our view, so that he may cause us to forget the ministry of love and mercy, cut us off from further knowledge of God's great love and power to usward, and intercept every ray of light from heaven. 1SM 264.1
“Christ alone was able to represent the Deity. He who had been in the presence of the Father from the beginning, He who was the express image of the invisible God, was alone sufficient to accomplish this work. No verbal description could reveal God to the world. Through a life of purity, a life of perfect trust and submission to the will of God, a life of humiliation such as even the highest seraph in heaven would have shrunk from, God Himself must be revealed to humanity. In order to do this, our Saviour clothed His divinity with humanity. He employed the human faculties, for only by adopting these could He be comprehended by humanity. Only humanity could reach humanity. He lived out the character of God through the human body which God had prepared for Him. He blessed the world by living out in human flesh the life of God, thus showing that He had the power to unite humanity to divinity.” 1SM 264.2
2月15日，星期日
不可见之神的形象
阅读创世记1:26-27；创世记5:3；哥林多前书15:49；哥林多后书3:18；以及希伯来书10:1。总结这些经文中“形象”的各种含义。它们与耶稣作为神形象的描述有何不同？
Read Genesis 1:26, 27; Genesis 5:3; 1 Corinthians 15:49; 2 Corinthians 3:18; and Hebrews 10:1. Summarize the various meanings of “image” in these passages. How might they differ from the description of Jesus as the image of God?
“基督取了人性，与人类合而为一，同时也向有罪的人类启示了我们的天父。祂从起初就与父同在，祂是那不可见之神的真像，唯有祂才能向人类揭示神性的本质。祂凡事都与祂的弟兄们一样。祂道成肉身，如同我们一样。祂会饥渴，会疲倦。祂靠食物维持生命，靠睡眠恢复精力。祂与世人一同受苦；然而祂却是无可指摘的神的儿子。祂是世上的客旅——身处世界，却不属于世界；祂像今日的世人一样，经受试探和考验，却过着远离罪恶的生活。祂温柔、怜悯、体贴，时刻关怀他人，祂体现了神的品格，并不断地服侍神和人。”（MH 422.2）
“Taking humanity upon Him, Christ came to be one with humanity, and at the same time to reveal our heavenly Father to sinful human beings. He who had been in the presence of the Father from the beginning, He who was the express image of the invisible God, was alone able to reveal the character of the Deity to mankind. He was in all things made like unto His brethren. He became flesh even as we are. He was hungry and thirsty and weary. He was sustained by food and refreshed by sleep. He shared the lot of men; yet He was the blameless Son of God. He was a stranger and sojourner on the earth—in the world, but not of the world; tempted and tried as men and women today are tempted and tried, yet living a life free from sin. Tender, compassionate, sympathetic, ever considerate of others, He represented the character of God, and was constantly engaged in service for God and man.” MH 422.2
请阅读马太福音 11:27 和约翰福音 1:1, 2, 14, 18。为什么耶稣能够以独特的方式启示天父？
Read Matthew 11:27 and John 1:1, 2, 14, 18. Why is Jesus uniquely able to reveal the Father?
“救主说：‘认识你——独一的真神，并且认识你所差来的耶稣基督，这就是永生。’神藉先知宣告说：‘智慧人不要因他的智慧夸口，勇士不要因他的勇力夸口，财主不要因他的财富夸口。夸口的，当因他明白我、认识我而夸口，知道我是耶和华，在地上施行慈爱、公平和公义；我喜悦这些事。这是耶和华说的。’” （《证言》5T 737.1）
“若没有神的帮助，没有人能获得对神的认识。使徒说，‘世人凭自己的智慧不认识神。’基督‘在世界，世界也是藉着他造的，世界却不认识他。’耶稣对门徒宣告：‘除了父，没有人认识子；除了子和子所愿意启示的人，也没有人认识父。’在进入客西马尼园的阴影之前，救主为门徒做了最后的祷告，祂举目望天，怜悯堕落世人的无知，说道：‘公义的父啊，世人未曾认识你，我却认识你。’‘你从世上赐给我的人，我已将你的名显明给他们。’” 5T 737.2
“Said the Saviour: “This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” And God declared by the prophet: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” 5T 737.1
“No man, without divine aid, can attain to this knowledge of God. The apostle says that “the world by wisdom knew not God.” Christ “was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.” Jesus declared to His disciples: “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” In that last prayer for His followers, before entering the shadows of Gethsemane, the Saviour lifted His eyes to heaven, and in pity for the ignorance of fallen men He said: ‘O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee: but I have known Thee.’ ‘I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world.’” 5T 737.2
2月16日，星期一
万物之首
阅读歌罗西书1:15-17。保罗给出耶稣被称为“万物之首”（新钦定版）的理由是什么？
Read Colossians 1:15–17. What reasons does Paul give for Jesus being called “the firstborn over all creation”?
“祂是教会全体之首，祂是元始，是从死里首先复生的，使祂在凡事上居首位。”（歌罗西书 1:18）FH 342.1
“基督爱教会，为教会舍己，要用水藉着道把教会洗净，成为圣洁，可以献给自己，作个荣耀的教会，毫无玷污、皱纹等类的病，乃是圣洁没有瑕疵的。”（FH 342.2）
“当上帝将祂的儿子赐给世人时，祂使男女能够运用他们一切的才能，荣耀上帝，从而达到完全。在基督里，祂赐予他们丰盛的恩典和对祂旨意的认识……FH 342.3
“教会在这个看似陷入午夜黑暗、且日益恶化的世界中，仍然保持着战斗精神。尽管教会中属世的势力对“耶和华如此说”的明确要求置若罔闻，但上帝忠仆的声音应当得到加强，以发出严肃的警告信息。如今，那些蒙受真理之光的教会，其行为与那些真正战斗的教会的行为并不相符。主呼召教会成员披上基督义袍……（FH 342.4）
“上帝需要那些效法基督的纯朴，将真理的知识带给那些需要它所带来的悔改力量的人的男男女女。基督义的信息必须传遍地极。我们的人民应当被唤醒，预备主的道路。第三位天使的信息——给即将灭亡的世界的最后怜悯信息——是如此神圣，如此荣耀。让真理如同明灯，照耀世人。天使渴望窥探的奥秘，先知、君王和义人渴望了解的奥秘，上帝的教会应当将其传扬出去。（FH 342.5）
“基督为世人所作的奇妙牺牲见证了男女可以从罪恶中得救。只要他们肯与撒旦决裂，认罪悔改，就有了盼望。罪人、蒙昧者、可怜之人，都可以悔改归正，日复一日地塑造基督的品格。人类可以被救赎、重生，并学会在世人面前活出宝贵的、基督般的生命。——《评论与先驱报》，1909年4月22日。” FH 342.6
“‘And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence. Colossians 1:18. FH 342.1
“Christ “loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” FH 342.2
“When God gave His Son to the world, He made it possible for men and women to be perfect by the use of every capability of their beings to the glory of God. In Christ He gave to them the riches of His grace and a knowledge of His will.... FH 342.3
“The church is yet militant in a world that is apparently in midnight darkness, and growing worse and worse. While the requirements of a plain “Thus saith the Lord” remain unheeded by the worldly element in the church, the voices of God’s faithful servants are to be strengthened to give the solemn message of warning. The works that should characterize the church militant and the works of the church that has had the light of truth for this time do not correspond. The Lord calls upon church members to clothe themselves with the beautiful garments of Christ’s righteousness.... FH 342.4
“God needs men and women who will work in the simplicity of Christ to bring the knowledge of truth before those who need its converting power. The message of Christ’s righteousness must be proclaimed from one end of the earth to the other. Our people are to be aroused to prepare the way of the Lord. The third angel’s message—the last message of mercy to a perishing world—is so sacred, so glorious. Let the truth go forth as a lamp that burneth. Mysteries into which angels desired to look, which prophets and kings and the righteous desired to know, the church of God is to make known. FH 342.5
“Christ’s wonderful sacrifice for the world testifies to the fact that men and women may be rescued from iniquity. If they will break with Satan and confess their sins, there is hope for them. People—sinful, blinded, wretched—may repent and be converted and day by day be forming a character like the character of Christ. Human beings may be reclaimed, regenerated, and may learn to live before the world precious, Christlike lives.—The Review and Herald, April 22, 1909.” FH 342.6
2月17日，星期二
基督身体的头
阅读以弗所书1:22和歌罗西书2:10。在这些经文中，“头”是什么意思？保罗称耶稣为“教会的头”（弗5:23）是什么意思？
Read Ephesians 1:22 and Colossians 2:10. What does “head” mean in these passages? What does Paul mean when he calls Jesus the “head of the church” (Eph. 5:23)?
“‘基督是各人的头。’”上帝将万物都放在救主的脚下，“又使他为教会作万有之首。教会是他的身体，是那充满万有者所充满的。”（哥林多前书 11:3；以弗所书 1:22-23）教会建立在基督之上，以此为根基；教会应当顺服基督，尊他为头。教会不可倚靠人，也不可受人控制。许多人声称，在教会中身居要职就赋予他们权柄，可以左右他人的信仰和行为。上帝并不认可这种说法。救主宣告：“你们都是弟兄。”所有人都会受到试探，都可能犯错。
我们无法依靠任何有限的存在来获得指引。信心的磐石是基督在教会中的活生生的同在。最软弱的人可以依靠祂，而那些自以为最坚强的人，除非他们以基督为力量，否则最终必显出软弱。“倚靠人血肉之躯作臂膀的，有祸了！”耶和华“是磐石，祂的作为完全。”“凡投靠祂的，都是有福的。”（耶利米书 17:5；申命记 32:4；诗篇 2:12）《历代志下》414.3
保罗在写给歌罗西人的信中警告人们提防假教义……GW 305.3
“‘你们要谨慎，免得有人用哲学和虚空的欺骗，照着人的传统和世俗的小学，而不是照着基督，把你们掳去。因为神本性一切的丰盛，都有形有体地居住在基督里面。你们在他里面也得了丰盛。他是各样执政掌权者的元首。’[歌罗西书 2:2-10] GW 305.4
“我奉命对我们的会众说：让我们跟随基督。不要忘记，祂是我们在一切事上的榜样。我们可以放心地舍弃那些不在祂教导中的想法。我呼吁我们的牧师们，务必确保他们的根基稳固在永恒真理的根基上。要警惕你们顺从冲动，却称之为圣灵的指引。有些人正有这样的危险。神的话语敦促我们在信仰上要坚定不移，能够回答每一个询问的人，解释我们心中盼望的缘由。”（GW 306.1）
“‘The head of every man is Christ.” God, who put all things under the Saviour's feet, “gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.’ 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 1:22, 23. The church is built upon Christ as its foundation; it is to obey Christ as its head. It is not to depend upon man, or be controlled by man. Many claim that a position of trust in the church gives them authority to dictate what other men shall believe and what they shall do. This claim God does not sanction. The Saviour declares, “All ye are brethren.” All are exposed to temptation, and are liable to error. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Upon this the weakest may depend, and those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest, unless they make Christ their efficiency. ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm.’ The Lord ‘is the Rock, His work is perfect.’ ‘Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.’ Jeremiah 17:5; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 2:12.” DA 414.3
“A warning against false teaching is found in Paul's letter to the Colossians… GW 305.3
“‘…Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.’ [Colossians 2:2-10.] GW 305.4
“I am instructed to say to our people, Let us follow Christ. Do not forget that He is to be our pattern in all things. We may safely discard those ideas that are not found in His teaching. I appeal to our ministers to be sure that their feet are planted on the platform of eternal truth. Beware how you follow impulse, calling it the Holy Spirit. Some are in danger of doing this. The word of God urges us to be sound in the faith, able to give to every one who asks, a reason of the hope that is in us.” GW 306.1
请阅读哥林多前书12:12-27。保罗在这里也用“身体”来描述教会。这个比喻还传达了教会的哪些其他方面？
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12–27. Here also Paul describes the church as a “body.” What other aspects of the church are conveyed by this metaphor?
“这段经文教导我们多么深刻的教训！在基督的身体里，各种恩赐应当积极运用，而耶稣基督正是这身体的头。基督身体的任何肢体都不可存有自满之心。因为两个肢体所扮演的角色并不相同，所以一个肢体不可对另一个肢体说：‘我不需要你。’在身体的各个肢体之间，不可拥挤，不可论断，也不可拿一种恩赐来衡量另一种恩赐。许多恩赐都是被赋予的，然而所有恩赐都是这身体的肢体。”（16LtMs, Ms 128, 1901, par. 9）
“What a lesson this Scripture teaches! There is to be an active exercise of the various gifts in one body, the head of which is Jesus Christ. Let no member of Christ’s body entertain a spirit of self-sufficiency. Because two members do not act the same part, let not one member say to another member, I have no need of thee. Among the members of the body there is to be no crowding, no judging, no measuring of one gift by another. Many gifts are called for, yet all are members of one body.” 16LtMs, Ms 128, 1901, par. 9
2月18日，星期三
“开始”（以及发起者）
阅读歌罗西书1章18节。基督作为教会的头和祂作为“开始”之间有什么联系？
Read Colossians 1:18. What is the connection between the idea of Christ as the head and Him as the “beginning”?
这些话语为教会的每一位成员提供了一个绝佳的开端。弟兄们，这里指明了你们的工作。基督是你们的头。祂的灵引导你们的行为，使你们展现出怜悯、温柔和爱，以及耐心、仁慈和宽容，这将向他人揭示基督住在你们里面。17LtMs, Ms 18, 1902, par. 15
“我们是否达到了基督对我们的期望？他为所有与他同行的人预备了充满祝福的天堂。弟兄姊妹们，我们表现得如何呢？” 17LtMs, Ms 18, 1902, par. 16
“基督创造了我们之后，祂如此深爱我们，甚至舍弃了自己的生命，为的是担当我们的罪。那么，我们怎能不爱祂呢？祂一生劳苦受难，承受了本应由我们承受的神圣惩罚。祂为救赎我们付出了如此巨大的代价，难道祂不会赐给我们得胜所需的帮助、恩典和力量吗？（16LtMs, Ms 102, 1901, par. 26）
“赐给我们基督的那一位，已将天上的一切资源摆在我们面前。我们应当凭着活泼的信心，抓住那无限大能的手，祂能保守我们不致跌倒。我们有权求得神的祝福。我们有权向祂祈求我们所需的一切。当我们把灵魂的保守交托给祂，如同交托给一位信实的创造主时，祂就得着荣耀。在基督里得自由是我们的特权；因为祂舍命是为了使我们得自由。16LtMs, Ms 102, 1901, par. 27
“我渴望向你们展示，在一切危难时刻，拥有圣灵的帮助是多么重要。我选择追随以马内利王子的血迹斑斑的旗帜。我选择遵守神的诫命，并像珍视眼中的瞳仁一样守护祂的律法。我选择顺服神的一切要求。如果基督为我舍命，我为何不将生命献给祂呢？难道我的生命比祂的生命更宝贵吗？哦，我的生命是有限的，然而祂应许祂必会拯救我的生命！” 16LtMs, Ms 102, 1901, par. 28
“These words present a wonderful opening for every member of the church. Here, brethren, is specified your work. Christ is your head. His Spirit controlling your actions will lead you to manifest that pity, tenderness, and love, that patience, kindness, and long-forbearance, which will reveal to others that Christ dwells within. 17LtMs, Ms 18, 1902, par. 15
“Shall we reach the expectations of Christ in our behalf? He has reserved a heaven of blessings for all who come into working order with Him. Brethren, sisters, what is our showing?” 17LtMs, Ms 18, 1902, par. 16
“After creating us, Christ loved us so much that He gave His own life in order that He might bear our sins. How, then, can we help loving Him in return? Throughout His life of toil and suffering, He bore the strokes of divine retribution which in justice we should bear. After having paid so great a price for our redemption, will He not give us the help and grace and power necessary for victory? 16LtMs, Ms 102, 1901, par. 26
“He who gave us Christ has placed at our demand all the resources of heaven. By living faith we should grasp the hand of infinite power, which is able to keep us from falling. We have a right to claim the blessing of God. We have a right to ask of Him the things we need. He is honored when we commit the keeping of our souls unto Him as unto a faithful Creator. It is our privilege to be free in Christ; for He has given His life to make us free. 16LtMs, Ms 102, 1901, par. 27
“I desire to show you the importance of having the Holy Spirit of God to help you in every emergency. I have chosen to be under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel. I have chosen to keep the commandments of God, and live, and to keep His law as the apple of the eye. I have chosen to obey all the requirements of God. If Christ gave His life for me, why should not I give my life to Him? Is my life more precious than His? Oh, I have only a finite life, and yet He promises that He will work for the salvation of that life!” 16LtMs, Ms 102, 1901, par. 28
2月19日，星期四
万物和好
阅读歌罗西书1:19-20。这藉着十字架而来的和好是什么？它又有多全面？
Read Colossians 1:19, 20. What is this reconciliation that comes through the Cross, and how comprehensive is it?
“上帝已教导我们关于救赎的伟大计划。这应当是我们衷心感恩的事。如果我们恒切祷告，上帝的应许永不落空。我们既已学会了这卓越的道路，就当身、心、灵都成圣。我们当藉着圣言的洗礼而洁净自己。每个人都有在信仰中扎根稳固的特权。凡操练那因爱而生发、洁净灵魂的信心的人，都不会偏离福音的盼望。”（1901年9月4日，《圣言》第7段）
“珍视心中的良善，是许多人奇怪地忽略的功课。那些心灵圣洁洁净的人，不会做任何卑劣的事。然而，被自私驱使的心灵却充满邪恶的欲望。自私导致压迫，而压迫行为的反复发生，会使人的心智堕落，无法做出正确的判断。《圣言》1901年9月4日，第8段
“基督绝不会以不公或不忠的方式服侍我们。你们从前因恶行与神疏远，心里与神为敌，但如今他藉着肉身受死，使你们与他和好，好将你们献在他面前，成为圣洁、无可指摘、无可指责的人。” 神呼召有智慧的基督徒，呼召那些充满对他旨意认识的男男女女。他呼召那些以善行表明真理已改变他们生命的男男女女。《圣经》1901年9月4日，第9段
“神的仆人应当每日更多地认识祂，这认识应当使他们的理解力得到属灵的提升。当与祂相连的人充满对祂旨意的认识时，主就喜悦。他们应当每日在恩典和属灵的理解力上成长，并按着祂荣耀的大能得着力量。他们应当在属灵上不断长进，好使他们能为他们所服事的人带来力量。”（1901年9月4日，《神谕》，第10段）
“We have been taught by God concerning the great plan of redemption. This should be to us a matter of earnest thanksgiving. God’s promises will never fail if we constantly watch unto prayer. Having learned the excellent way, we are to be sanctified, body, soul, and spirit. We are to be purified and cleansed through the washing of the Word. It is the privilege of every one to be grounded and settled in the faith. No one who exercises that faith which works by love and purifies the soul will be moved away from the hope of the Gospel. ST September 4, 1901, par. 7
“Cherishing goodness in the heart is a work which many have strangely neglected. Those whose hearts are sanctified and cleansed will follow no sharp practises. But evil passions fill the heart that is actuated by selfishness. Selfishness leads to oppression, and as acts of oppression are repeated, the mind is corrupted, and fails to make correct decisions. ST September 4, 1901, par. 8
“In no case will Christ serve with unfair, unfaithful dealing. “You, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.” God calls for intelligent Christians, for men and women who are filled with the knowledge of His will. He calls for men and women who by their good works show that the truth has brought about a change in their lives. ST September 4, 1901, par. 9
“God’s servants should daily gain more knowledge of Him, and this knowledge should give spirituality to the understanding. The Lord is pleased when those connected with Him are filled with a knowledge of His will. Daily they should grow in grace and in spiritual understanding, strengthened with might according to His glorious power. They are to increase in spiritual efficiency, that they may give strength to those for whom they labor.” ST September 4, 1901, par. 10
2月20日，星期五
进一步思考
“自基督升天以来，祂藉着所拣选的使者在地上继续祂的事工，祂藉着这些使者向世人说话，并服侍他们的需要。教会的伟大元首藉着神所拣选的代表来监督祂的事工。（《路德教会手册》288.2）
“那些蒙神呼召，在道和教义上辛勤劳作，为建立祂的教会而努力的人，肩负着重大的责任。他们要代替基督，恳求世人与神和好；他们唯有从上头领受智慧和能力，才能完成他们的使命。LHU 288.3
基督的仆人是受托照管之人的属灵守护者。他们的工作被比作守望者。在古代，哨兵常驻守城墙之上，从制高点俯瞰需要守卫的重要岗位，并预警敌人的来袭。城内所有人的安全都取决于他们的忠诚。他们需按时彼此呼喊，确保所有人都保持清醒，并且无人受伤。欢呼或警告的呼喊声在彼此间传递，直至响彻全城……（LHU 288.4）
“Since His ascension Christ has carried forward His work on the earth by chosen ambassadors, through whom He speaks to the children of men and ministers to their needs. The great Head of the church superintends His work through the instrumentality of men ordained by God to act as His representatives. LHU 288.2
“The position of those who have been called of God to labor in word and doctrine for the upbuilding of His church is one of grave responsibility. In Christ’s stead they are to beseech men and women to be reconciled to God, and they can fulfill their mission only as they receive wisdom and power from above. LHU 288.3
“Christ’s ministers are the spiritual guardians of the people entrusted to their care. Their work has been likened to that of watchmen. In ancient times sentinels were often stationed on the walls of cities, where, from points of vantage, they could overlook important posts to be guarded, and give warning of the approach of an enemy. Upon their faithfulness depended the safety of all within. At stated intervals they were required to call to one another, to make sure that all were awake and that no harm had befallen any. The cry of good cheer or of warning was borne from one to another, each repeating the call till it echoed round the city....” LHU 288.4