不止是外表
吕底亚是个富有的女商人，并且她素来敬拜神。在安息日这天，保罗在腓立比城外遇到她和其他一些妇女聚集祷告。当保罗向她们分享耶稣的福音时，神就开启了吕底亚的心，使她相信并接受了洗礼，将她的生命奉献给基督。
吕底亚敬虔地相信神，但她并没有听过耶稣的福音，即神的儿子来为我们的罪付上代价，好使我们蒙救赎、拥有新生命。当神开启我们的心来相信这个奇妙的信息时，我们就被喜乐、安慰和新生命充满。主从里到外地改变了我们，我们因着这种转化想要活出充满感恩的喜乐生命。这不是负担，也不是仅仅出于义务去做的事，而是由于内心的改变使我们乐意顺服和赞美神。
吕底亚如此奇妙地信了主，这也使她的全家都受了洗。当保罗和他的同伴们还在腓立比时，她强留他们去她家里住。她慇勤款待，这是她初信耶稣的真实流露。而透过留在吕底亚家里——一个非犹太人的家里——保罗也显出了神的恩典和爱。
父啊，求祢帮助我们明白和经历福音的大能，好使我们被改变，去享受新的生命。帮助我们反映祢在我们里面的工作，好使他人也能看见——并且相信。阿们。
使徒行传 16:11-15
11 于是从特罗亚开船，一直行到撒摩特喇，第二天到了尼亚波利。
12 从那里来到腓立比，就是马其顿这一方的头一个城，也是罗马的驻防城。我们在这城里住了几天。
13 当安息日，我们出城门，到了河边，知道那里有一个祷告的地方，我们就坐下对那聚会的妇女讲道。
14 有一个卖紫色布匹的妇人，名叫吕底亚，是推雅推喇城的人，素来敬拜神。她听见了，主就开导她的心，叫她留心听保罗所讲的话。
15 她和她一家既领了洗，便求我们说：“你们若以为我是真信主的，请到我家里来住。”于是强留我们。
More Than Outward Appearance
She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. — Acts 16:14
Lydia was a wealthy businesswoman. She was also a worshiper of God. Paul met her and some other women gathered for prayer outside Philippi on the day of worship. When Paul shared the good news of Jesus with them, God opened Lydia’s heart to believe and be baptized, committing her life to Christ.
Lydia was a faithful believer in God, but she had not heard the good news about Jesus, the Son of God who came to pay for our sin so that we could be saved and have new life. When God opens our hearts to believe this amazing message, we are filled with joy, comfort, and new life. The Lord changes us from the inside out, and we want to live joyful lives of gratitude because of that transformation. It’s not a burden; nor is it done just out of obligation. We delight in obeying and praising God as an expression of the change within.
Lydia’s dynamic coming to faith resulted in her household being baptized as well. She persuaded Paul and his companions to stay at her home while they were in Philippi. She extended hospitality as a true expression of her new faith in Jesus. And by staying in her home—a non-Jewish home—Paul was also showing the grace and love of God.
Father, help us to understand and experience the power of the gospel so that we can be changed to enjoy new life. Help us to reflect your ongoing work in us so that others can see it too—and believe. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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