Cong Fang

     人可以同時愛弟兄和愛世界，但人不能同時愛神和愛世界，所以愛弟兄不等於愛神，只是那愛神的人必會愛他在主里的弟兄。行為是信心的果子，照這樣，愛弟兄的心也是愛神的果子。如果有人說，愛是從神來的；不是我們愛神，是神先愛我們。沒錯，信心也是如此。

     人可能愛弟兄而不愛神，也可能愛教會而不愛讀聖經。因為人的愛有可能是來自於情慾以及與其他人的關係。我們不能用屬情慾的愛去證明那屬神的愛，不能說愛弟兄就是愛神，除非那愛弟兄的心是出於愛神的緣故。有一個原則，愛神的人一定會愛讀神的話語、愛向神禱告，和愛遵行神的誡命。

     很多基督徒以為自己沒能力去愛，其實是因為心還在地上，或者沒遇到真正的弟兄。如果一個愛神的人遇上另一個愛神的弟兄，甚至從未見面的弟兄，在主里彼此相愛的誡命不是難守的。很多人沒有見過歷史上的一些屬靈先輩，但因為愛神的緣故而愛這些弟兄。愛是聖靈的果子。

     有聖靈的人是可以認識神、愛神、和愛弟兄的。悲哀的是很多基督徒往往被引導到以自己的能力去愛，其實不過是在培養人際關係。基督徒的成聖是聖靈的工作，人需要放下自我、順從聖靈（羅馬書 第八章），否則只會在羅馬書第七章徘徊。

by Robert Murray M’Cheyne

“你的有用與否，完全在於你是否有聖潔的生活，因為你的講章不過是一兩個鐘頭的事，但是你的生活卻時時在發生講道。如果撒但能使一個傳道人愛人的稱讚，愛美食、愛安逸與享樂，他便已經毀壞了他的工作。你要專心祈禱，從父神那裡得到你講道時所用的經文、字句及思想。馬丁路德把每日最好的三個鐘頭用在祈禱上。”

“Study universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all the week. If Satan can only make a covetous minister a lover of praise, of pleasure, of good eating, he has ruined your ministry. Give yourself to prayer, and get your texts, your thoughts, your words from God. Luther spent his best three hours in prayer.”

Francis Chan

1. Am I worried about what people think of my message or what God thinks? (Teach with fear)

2. Do I genuinely love these people? (Teach with love)

3. Am I accurately presenting this passage? (Teach with accuracy)

4. Am I depending on the Holy Spirit’s power or my own cleverness? (Teach with power)

5. Have I applied this message to my own life? (Teach with integrity)

6. Will this message draw attention to me or to God? (Teach with humility)

7. Do the people really need this message? (Teach with urgency)

Justin Taylor

1. Does this message exalt the gospel of Jesus Christ? (grace and redemption)

2. Will people know what to do after hearing the message? (repentance and faith)

3. Am I saying anything (i.e. illustration) that will distract from the point I am trying to make?

4. Do I, at any point, make much of myself in this sermon? (e.g. “I think …”)

5. Would I like this to be the last sermon I ever preach?

Believing that this may be my last opportunity to preach Christ will clarify what really needs to be said. Am I okay with this message being the last thing my family and church hears from my lips? And more importantly, am I okay with this message potentially being the last thing a man, woman or child will hear about the gospel before they die?