??Introduction："That's the prophet Elisha, " someone might have pointed out, as they watched the prophet walking down the dusty roads. Elisha's work for the Lord required that he spend many hours traveling from city to city.
??Body：One day as Elisha traveled to the small farming village of Shunem, he was invited
??to eat with a woman and her husband who were quite wealthy and well known in Shunem. Evidently they quickly became good friends for II Kings 4：8 says, "And so it was, that as often as he (Elisha) passed by, he turned in there to eat..." After awhile, the woman said to her husband, "You know, I can tell this man Elisha is a holy man of God,
??and he is coming by here regularly now. Couldn't we please make a little room and put just a bed, table, stool, and candle in it, so that when he comes, he'll have a nice place to himself to rest？" Sure enough, by the time Elisha came back through Shunem, they had his very own room ready.
??Elisha really appreciated their kindness, and he wanted to repay by doing something special for them. So one day as he lay resting in his new room, he told his servant Gehazi to call the Shunammite woman and say to her, "Now look, you have been careful to do all these kind things for us, what is to be done for you？Would you like someone to go to the king or to the captain of the king's army with a special request for you？" But the woman told Gehazi, "I live among my own people. I don't need any special help from the king or his army."
??Elisha still tried to think of a way to repay this gracious woman for all her help. "Hmmm, what is to be done for her？" he wondered out loud. Gehazi was thinking too. "She doesn't have a child, and her husband is old, " Gehazi said. Ah! That was it!
??Probably Elisha's reply came quickly："Call her."
??When the woman came to the door, Elisha said, "About this time next year, you will be holding a son in your arms." Can you just hear the woman's gasp of surprise？A son of her own'she didn't believe it, so she said, "No, sir, you are a man of God. I am your servant, but don't lie to me." It just seemed too good to be true, that after all these years of seeing other women with children, she would finally have one of her very own! But do you think Elisha was telling the truth？Link：God loved this woman and He was going to surprise her with this wonderful gift!
??Gospel：God your Creator loves you too, and wants to give you a wonderful gift! Romans 6：23 says, "For the wages (payment) of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Did you know that because everyone in the world has sinned, we are all born facing that terrible payment for sin？God says that payment for breaking His laws is an everlasting death and separation from Him. You and I have broken God's laws in many ways. That's the bad news! But the good news is that, instead of the punishment you deserve, God offers you the gift of eternal life! And it's free to you because Jesus Christ, God's Son, has already paid for that gift. When Jesus gave His blood and His life by dying on the cross, He knew that He was paying the price for you to have eternal life. Do you remember Jesus' last words on the cross？"It is finished." Jesus knew He had finished paying the price for your sin, so you could have eternal life as a free gift. God made you, He loves you, and He wants you to enjoy Heaven forever with Him. That is why He offers YOU this wonderful gift!
??Does it seem to good to be true？That's how the woman of Shunem felt when she heard about this wonderful gift God was sending her. But sure enough, just as the prophet Elisha told her, the next year she was staring down at a beautiful, healthy baby boy, her very own son. Can you imagine how this dear woman and her husband must have praised the Lord for the gift of that son!
??What happy days they must have enjoyed as they watched this child grow up! One day their young son went out to be with his father in the harvest fields. Perhaps he was here and there among the workers when suddenly he ran to his father crying, "My head! My head!" The father saw that even though the child did not seem to be injured any way, he was having a terrible pain in his head. Quickly the father called to a servant, "Carry my son to his mother!" The mother sat the child on her knees and held him close, trying to figure out what was wrong with him, and what to do. But suddenly around noontime, the child grew quiet and still. Her darling son, the joy of her life, was dead.
??She must have been heartbroken, but the Bible says she took the little boy up to Elisha's room and laid him on the prophet's bed. Closing the door, she quickly went to the harvest field to call her husband. Her face was calm as she said to her husband, "Send me one of the young servants and one of the donkeys. I need to go quickly to the man of God, but I'll be right back." Her husband asked why, but she only told him, "It will be alright." When she and the servant started off, she said to the servant, "Let's go, and don't slow down for me unless I tell you." Quickly they headed for Mt. Carmel, and as they approached Elisha saw them. Even from a far distance he knew who it was.
??"Gehazi, here comes that Shunammite woman. Run down to meet her and ask her, 'Is it well with you？Is it well with you husband？Is it well with your child？' " When Gehazi
??got to the woman with the questions, she only answered, "It is well." But when she saw Elisha, she fell down and grabbed his feet. Now she could no longer contain her grief. Gehazi felt she should not approach a man of God this way, so he came near to push her away. But Elisha said, "Let her alone; for her soul is grieved; and the Lord has hid it from me, and has not told me."
??The woman was probably sobbing as she cried out to Elisha, "Did I desire, did I ask, a son from you？Didn't I say, "Don't lie to me？"
??Main Teaching：She was really blaming Elisha for what had happened to her son.
??Link：When bad things happen to you, do you start looking for someone to blame？It's something you usually want to do, but does that help anything at all？If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, trust God to work all things out for your good! Romans 8：28 says, " ...we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, ..."
??Blaming others only makes you a bitter person and will not help the problem. Trusting God to work it all out for your good makes you a BETTER person. Can you remember those two opposites？Link：In this sinful world, bad things will happen to you, but blaming someone else is not the answer.
??Blaming Elisha would not help the mother's problem of losing her child. But as she cried out to Elisha, immediately he realized what had happened. Handing his staff, his walking stick, to Gehazi, he instructed him to go and lay his staff on the face of the child. But the mother would not leave without Elisha, so Elisha went also. Gehazi had run ahead and obeyed Elisha's instructions, but there was no response from the dead child.
??Can you imagine how Elisha felt as he opened the door himself and saw that little lifeless body lying on his bed？He could have said, "God, why did You give this little boy and then take him away？" Link：Elisha could have felt like blaming God. But would that help anything？??Main Teaching：What does God promise if we know and love Him？Romans 8：28, " ...we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, ..." If you know the Lord Jesus, trust God to work all things out for your good. Blaming others only makes you a bitter person. Continuing to love and trust God even in times of trouble makes you a BETTER person. Seeing your dad lose his job, finding out you have to move and leave all your friends, even losing a loved one in death can seem like the worst thing that has ever happened to you. You may be heartbroken. Jesus told us that in this world, even as His children, we WILL have trouble. You may not understand why these bad things happen, in fact you may never understand til you get to heaven. But blaming others will never fix the problem. Trust God who promises He WILL work all things out for your good. Link：Elisha could have felt like blaming God, but instead he was quietly trusting God.
??How do we know Elisha was trusting God？Elisha went quietly into the room alone and shut the door. What do you suppose was the first thing he did？God's Word says he prayed to the Lord. God revealed to Elisha what to do. Elisha stretched himself over the child so that his mouth was on the child's mouth, his eyes on the child's eyes, and his hands upon the child's hands. Elisha could feel the coldness of the dead body. But the Bible says then the flesh of the child began to warm. Elisha got up and went out and walked back and forth, perhaps still quietly praying. Then he returned to the room and tried the same thing again. Suddenly, "Ahhh, AhCHOO!" The little boy sneezed seven times, and then opened his eyes!
??Climaz：He was alive and he was well!!
??Conclusion：Elisha joyfully called Gehazi, "Go, call the Shunammite woman!" What a shout of delight must have gone up from the mother when she walked in and saw her son alive! Again she fell at Elisha's feet, but this time not to blame him, but to thank him. She took her son in her arms and went out, probably to find his father!
??Challenge：Link：This family saw God take an impossible problem and work it out for their good. If you know the Lord Jesus as your Savior, will you this week trust God to work all things out for your good？You will face some problem, some bad news or situation this week that will make you want to blame someone else and start saying ugly things. But blaming only makes you a bitter person, it does not help solve your problem.
??Will you this week ask God to help you trust Him even when bad things happen？You may not understand how God is going to work things out for your good, but trust Him.
??He will keep His promise! And memorize your Romans 8：28 verse to help you remember that promise! You will become a BETTER person instead of a bitter person.
??Invitation：If you have never believed on Jesus, this promise is not for you, for you are not one of those that know and love God. But He knows and loves you, and wants you to be in His forever family. Won't you stop now and go to "How to Be a Child of God？"
??当人们看见以利沙风尘仆仆地一路走过，就有人指着他说：“那就是神的先知以利沙，”以利沙为神所做的工作要求他经常要花几个钟头在城市间旅行。
??一天，当以利沙来到一个叫书念的小农庄的时候，他被邀请与一对非常富有而且在当地颇有名望的夫妇共进晚餐。他很快地成为了他们的好朋友，正如圣经中所说：“以利沙每从那里经过，就进去吃饭。”过了一些时候，那位妇人对她丈夫说：“你知道，我能看出以利沙是个神圣洁的仆。他定期来我们这里，难道我们不该为他预备点地方，诸如一张床，一张桌子，一把凳子，和一盏蜡烛吗？这样，当他来的时候，他便有个舒适的环境休息了。”当然了，当以利沙再回来的时候，他们便为他准备了一间自己的屋子。
??以利沙非常感激他们的好意，于是他想对他们有些回报。因此，一天当他躺在自己房间里休息的时候，他就让仆人基哈西去把书念的妇人叫来，对她说：“看，你已经为我们做了这么多好事，我可以为你们做些什么呢？你是否想让我为你们向国王或者国王军队的首领提出些特殊请求呢？”然而，这位妇人告诉仆人：“我在本乡安居无事，我没啥需要的。“
??以利沙仍然努力考虑怎样回报这位慷慨的妇人。”我能为她做些什么呢？”他努力在想，仆人也在想。”她没有孩子，她丈夫也很老了，”仆人说。那正是如此。以利沙立刻答道：“去她家。”
??当妇人来开门的时候，以利沙说：“明年这个时候，你怀里将抱着你自己的儿子。”你能听见这个妇人惊讶的声音吗？她自己的儿子？她简直无法相信。所以，她说：“不，先生，你是神的人。我是你的仆人，但是请不要对我说谎。”她最终将有个她自己的儿子，这简直是太不可能了！但是，你认为以利沙说的是真的吗？当然啦！神喜悦这位敬畏神的妇人，他要赐给她一件神奇的礼物。
??神是你的创造者，他也非常爱你。他有一件最好的礼物要给你。
??罗马书中 (6：23)写道，“因为罪的工价乃是死。惟有神的恩赐，在我们的主基督耶稣里，乃是永生。”你知道，因为世上每个人都是有罪的，我们生来就面对着对罪可怕的刑罚。神说罪的刑罚就是永远的死，和与神永远的分离。我们在许多方面都违反了神的律法。这是不好的消息！但是好消息是，我们虽然理应受到惩罚，神却没有按照我们应得的惩罚我们。相反，神却赐给我们一件礼物，就是永恒的生命。因着耶稣基督，神的儿子，这个恩典无偿地给了我们。耶稣在十字架上流出宝血，已经为我们的罪负上生命的代价，我们只要相信他，就能得到永远的生命。你还记得耶稣基督在十字架上最后的话吗？他说“成了。”耶稣知道他已经为我们负了罪的代价，这个美好的礼物已经白白地赐给了我们。我们只要相信他，就能得到。神造了你，他也爱你。他希望我们都能和他一起享受天堂的永恒。那就是他为什么他将这件礼物赐给你。
??听起来是不是太好了，而让人无法相信呢？当得知神的应许时，那个妇人就是这个感觉。可是正如以利沙所预言那样，第二年当她凝视着一个漂亮健康的男婴，那就是她自己的儿子啊。 你一定可以想象出这位妇人与她的丈夫为着神所赐给他们的儿子而赞美主。
??当他们夫妇看着孩子不断成长的时候，他们一定也在享受着美好的时光，天伦之乐。一天，他们的小儿子到他父亲那里去。那时，他父亲正在田地里和收割的工人在一起。突然，他奔跑向自己的父亲，大声哭诉：“我的头，我的头！”父亲没有看出孩子头上有任何明显受伤，孩子仍然感受着可怕的疼痛。立刻，父亲叫来佣人，让佣人把孩子带到母亲那里去。母亲把孩子抱在她的膝盖上。 但是在大约正午时光，孩子安静下来。她可爱的儿子，她生活中最大的快乐，死了。
??妇人的心一定是彻底碎了，但是圣经上说她把小儿子抱进以利沙的房间，将他的尸体放在先知的床上。她关上门，很快地跑去叫他丈夫。她非常平静地对丈夫说：“你叫一个仆人给我牵一匹驴来，我要赶快去见神人，我会很快回来的。”她丈夫问为什么，但她只告诉他：“一切都会好的。”当和仆人出发的时候，她对仆人说：“我们出发吧，如果我没让你停，就不要慢下来。”很快地，他们往迦密山去见神的仆人。 以利沙远远地看见他们。即便相隔很远的距离，以利沙一看就知道是他们。以利沙对仆人基哈西说：“看哪，书念的妇人来了。你快去迎接她，问她：‘你好吗？你丈夫好吗？你孩子好吗？’”当仆人问的时候，妇人都回答道：“很好。”但当她看见以利沙，她跪下了，抓着他的脚，现在她再也无法克制她的悲痛了。仆人觉得她不该这样的方式接近一个神的人，所以他走近去想将她推开。但是以利沙说，“就让她这样吧，她心里非常悲痛，主将这事隐藏起来了，没有告诉我。”
??这位妇人一边流泪，一边向以利沙哭诉道：“我何尝向我主求过儿子呢。我岂没有说过，不要欺哄我么。“
??她是在责备以利沙所发生在她儿子身上的事情，当悲剧发生在你身上的时候，你是不是也在试图寻找一些人去责备呢？这正是你通常所做的，但这是否有帮助呢？如果你已经接受主耶稣做你的救主，要相信神会让一切事情互相效力，是为了你的益处。罗马书（8：28）写道：“我们知道凡事都互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处。”责备他人只会使你成为一个痛苦的人，对解决问题没有任何帮助。相信神所做的都是为了你的益处可以使你变成一个更快乐的人。在这个罪恶的世界，悲剧也许会发生在你身上，但是责备他人不是一个解决方法。
??责备以利沙不会帮助这位母亲失去爱子的问题。当她向以利沙哭诉的时候，突然以利沙意识到所发生的事情了。他马上让他的仆人基哈西手拿他的杖去，将拐杖贴在孩子的脸上。但是母亲不愿意独自回去，坚持要求以利沙也跟她一起去。仆人跑在前头，他按照以利沙的指示，把杖贴在孩子脸上，但是死去的子没有任何反应。
??你能想象出当以利沙打开门，看见那个没有生命的小男孩躺在他的床上时的感觉吗？他也许说道：“神啊，你为什么赐予这个小男孩的生命，然后又将他夺去呢？”以利沙也许已经感觉象在责备神了。但这有帮助吗？“我们知道凡事都相互效力，为着爱神的人得益处。如果你知道主耶稣，要相信神所做的都是为了这个目的。责备他人只能让你成为一个痛苦的人。但是，在你遭遇困境的时候，你还继续去爱神，相信神，你就会成为一个更好的人。看着你的父亲失业了，发现你不得不搬家离开所有的朋友，甚至失去你所爱的人，看起来都是发生在身上最糟糕的事情，你也许会非常难过。耶稣曾说，即便是神的孩子，我们也会遇到难处。事实上，也许你永远都不会理解，直到你进了天国。但是责备他人不能解决问题。要相信神，他应许所有发生的一切都是为了我们的好处。以利沙也许已经感觉到他在责备神，但他很快又来信靠神了。
??我们如何知道以利沙在信靠神呢？以利沙静静地进了屋子，关了门，你能猜想出他所做的第一件事情吗？圣经说他就向神祈祷，神就告诉他应该怎样做。以利沙匍匐在孩子身上，他的嘴对着孩子的嘴，他的眼睛对着孩子的眼睛，他的手对着孩子的手，以利沙能感觉到死人身体的冰凉，但是圣经接着说孩子的身体开始变暖。以利沙起身，在屋里来回走了一趟，又上去伏在孩子身上。突然，孩子连打了七个喷嚏、就睁开眼睛了。他活过来了！
??以利沙高兴地叫着仆人，“去，告诉那位妇人。”当妇人走进来看见儿子活过来了，她一定无比的高兴。她再次跪在以利沙的脚前，但是这次，并没有责备他了，而是感谢他，妇人抱着儿子出去了，很可能是去找孩子的父亲去了！
??这个家庭看见了神为他们解决了一个不可能解决的问题。如果你相信主耶稣是你的救主，你在下一个星期愿意相信神所做的一切都是为了你的益处吗？你可能会面临一些问题，一些坏消息或者情况，你是否仍然想去责备他人，做些丑陋的事情呢？但是责备只会使你成为一个痛苦的人，并不能帮助解决问题。你在下一个星期愿意请求神来帮助你吗？当悲剧发生的时候仍然信任他？你也许无法理解，神如何做工作使你得着益处，但是要相信他。他会遵守他的诺言！
??回忆你所读的罗马书8章28节会帮助你记住神的应许！你会成为一个更好的人，而不是一个更加苦楚的人。如果你还没有相信耶稣，这个诺言就不是为了你，因为你不是那些知道而且爱神的人。但是神认识你，也爱着你，并且希望你也成为神家里的一员。请你现在就去听“怎样成为神的孩子”，并照着那里所说的去做。 |