盼望的征兆
有时我会和一所高度设防的监狱里的信众一起敬拜。上帝恩典的好消息有力而且深刻地在那些信众中运行，敬拜中往往包含人们见证自己被改变了的生命，既风趣又严肃的讲道，能一矢中的，直达人心，在精于音乐的监狱乐队带领下，他们的歌声充满感情、甚至达到狂欢的地步。不同种族的敬拜者聚集一起，同心祷告、赞美、并得到牧养。
这几节出自路加福音4章的经文，令我想起这个群体。尽管这些参与敬拜的人当中，很多都是被判无期徒刑的，然而当我想到耶稣“报告被掳的得释放”这句话时，我知道这些参与敬拜的人真的得释放了！他们感恩的眼神发出光辉，他们在赞美中引吭高歌，藉着彼此牵手，他们表达出圣徒相通的实质。
每次敬拜结束时，这个群体的人都会手牵手围成一个大圆圈，他们会唱：“朋友，愿你在我们主救主 … 的恩典和知识上有长进。愿荣耀归与神 …。”
当我细想那里的敬拜为什么能带来如此丰厚的祝福时，我特别留意到“报告神悦纳人（the Lord's favor）的禧年”这句话。我明白了我往往要求敬拜能“取悦我（my favor）”。现在我又看到，那所监狱里的圣徒，正是我学习如何去敬拜、如何活出耶稣宣告的自由和新生命的榜样。弟兄们，感谢你们！
耶稣啊，你宣告神悦纳我们，并伴随而来的获得自由的新生命，我们感谢你。阿们。
路加福音 4:14-21
14耶稣满有圣灵的能力，回到加利利，他的名声就传遍了四方。
15他在各会堂里教训人，众人都称赞他。
16耶稣来到拿撒勒，就是他长大的地方，在安息日，照他平常的规矩进了会堂，站起来要念圣经。
17有人把先知以赛亚的书交给他，他就打开，找到一处写着说：
18“主的灵在我身上，因为他用膏膏我，叫我传福音给贫穷的人，差遣我报告被掳的得释放、瞎眼的得看见，叫那受压制的得自由，
19报告神悦纳人的禧年。”
20于是把书卷起来，交还执事，就坐下。会堂里的人都定睛看他。
21耶稣对他们说：“今天这经应验在你们耳中了。”
Signs Of Hope
“The Spirit of the Lord . . . has anointed me to proclaim good news . . . and . . . the year of the Lord’s favor.” - Luke 4:18-19
Sometimes I worship with a congregation in a maximum security prison. The good news of God’s grace moves powerfully and deep in that congregation. The worship often includes testimonies of changed lives. The preaching hits straight to the heart, mixing humor with seriousness. The singing is passionate, even boisterous, led by the musically skilled jailhouse band. Worshipers from every race come together in unity to pray, praise, and be ministered to.
These verses from Luke 4 remind me of that community. And while many of the worshipers there have life sentences, as I think about Jesus’ words “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners,” I realize that these worshipers are truly free! Their eyes shine with gratitude, their voices let loose in praise, their hands reach out to one another in tangible expressions of the communion of saints.
Every worship service ends with the community forming a large circle, holding hands, and singing, “My friends, may you grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior. . . . To God be the glory. . . .”
Pondering why the worship blessings there are so rich, I am drawn to the phrase “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” I realize how easily I like worship to match “my favor.” And I have learned that the saints in that prison are my role models for worship, for living out Jesus’ declaration of free, new life. Thank you, brothers!
Jesus, thank you for proclaiming the Lord’s favor, and for the free, new life it brings. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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