国际性晚餐
很多年前，我妻子和她所属的教会每星期都举行一次聚餐，我们欢迎所有人来参与。很多来自不同背景的人，单是因为有美食和聚会，都会到来参与，实在令人意想不到。其中包括幼儿和银发长者、有男有女、收入有高有低、来自不同国家和不同种族的。他们当中很多人也会带来一些特色的菜肴与大家分享。
这些聚餐往往令我想起，约翰看见生活在神的圣城里的美好异象：来自各国和讲各种语言的人，都涌进神在地上的新耶路撒冷城，他们每一个人都带着各自最优秀的文化进入这城，来赞美神和祝福其他人。神的灵让我们可以预先体验基督再来时所作之事，所以我相信，我们是可以在今世经历到约翰所见的异象的微小的一部份的，甚至现在就可以经历到。
每当你与其他信徒一起吃饭时 － 或者是在领受主餐时，你可以怎样去尊重和认同教会大家庭中的人不同的文化背景呢？例如，用不同种类的饼和果汁或许更能表达我们的欢迎。在我居住的肯尼亚，葡萄汁不甚普遍，所以有时人们会在主餐中用橙子味的饮料！我们也要记着，有些人尚未成为神家的一份子。我们邀请并欢迎每一个人来参与！
主啊，你已经并且正在招聚许许多多不同的人成为你的肢体，就是教会。我们奉耶稣的名赞美你。阿们。
启示录 21:22-27
22我未见城内有殿，因主神全能者和羔羊为城的殿。
23那城内又不用日月光照，因有神的荣耀光照，又有羔羊为城的灯。
24列国要在城的光里行走，地上的君王必将自己的荣耀归于那城。
25城门白昼总不关闭，在那里原没有黑夜。
26人必将列国的荣耀、尊贵归于那城。
27凡不洁净的，并那行可憎与虚谎之事的，总不得进那城，只有名字写在羔羊生命册上的才得进去。
An International Meal
"The nations will walk by [God's glorious] light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into [the city of God]." - Revelation 21:24
Years ago, my wife and I were a part of a church that had a weekly community meal. Anyone and everyone was invited. The variety of different people who showed up simply because there was good food and good fellowship was amazing. Little babies and gray heads, men and women, people in different income brackets, and people from different countries and ethnic backgrounds. Many of these people brought unique meals to share.
This often reminded me of John's beautiful vision of life in the city of God: people from all nations and languages flood into God's renewed city on earth, each one bringing the best of their culture into it, to praise God and to bless others. And because the Spirit of God gives a foretaste of what Christ will do when he returns, I believe we can experience, even now, a bit of what John saw in his vision.
When you gather with other believers for a meal—and perhaps even for the Jesus-meal—are there ways you can honor and identify with the cultures of the people in your church family? For example, different kinds of bread or juice might enrich our sense of welcome. In Kenya, where I live, grape juice is not readily available, so sometimes people have used an orange drink for the Lord's Supper! Also, let's remember folks who are not yet a part of God's family. All are invited to join!
Lord, you have gathered many different people into your body, the church. We praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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