与神和好，与人和好
古时的犹太人，遭受一个又一个外邦国家欺压，例如：埃及、非利士、亚述、巴比伦、希腊、罗马等等。保罗写了这卷歌罗西书后不久，犹太人和罗马统治者一触即发的关系，终于引发了战事。
约瑟夫是加利利一位争取自由的犹太战士，他是其中一位反抗罗马人的领袖，可惜徒劳无功，罗马人最后焚烧圣殿并毁灭了耶路撒冷城（主后66-70年）。在他的著作犹太战史中，约瑟夫叙述罗马人怎样残酷地把数以千计的犹太人钉死在十字架上，作为报复。
试问犹太人又怎能爱外邦人呢？然而，保罗对犹太和外邦基督徒说，仇恨已成过去，因为他们已经重生得救了。藉着相信基督，他们已经与衪同死，并且复活得新生命了。信徒们也彼此联合，成为被神拣选的子民，包括犹太人和外邦人。他们需要穿上“怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐”。他们需要“彼此包容”和饶恕任何嫌隙，存着爱心，叫“基督的平安”在他们的心里“做主”。
在基督里的新生命，能够拆毁怨恨的墙，使我们的关系充溢着爱心，好叫我们能有个新的开始。与神和好，带来人与人之间的和好。
主啊，我们怎样才能修补人与人之间的嫌隙呢？求祢帮助我们去饶恕，又在基督里赐我们自由，好叫我们可以有个新的开始。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
歌罗西书 3:1-15
1所以，你们若真与基督一同复活，就当求在上面的事；那里有基督坐在神的右边。
2你们要思念上面的事，不要思念地上的事。
3因为你们已经死了，你们的生命与基督一同藏在神里面。
4基督是我们的生命，他显现的时候，你们也要与他一同显现在荣耀里。
5所以，要治死你们在地上的肢体，就如淫乱、污秽、邪情、恶欲，和贪婪（贪婪就与拜偶像一样）。
6因这些事，神的忿怒必临到那悖逆之子。
7当你们在这些事中活着的时候，也曾这样行过。
8但现在你们要弃绝这一切的事，以及恼恨、忿怒、恶毒#或译：阴毒、毁谤，并口中污秽的言语。
9不要彼此说谎；因你们已经脱去旧人和旧人的行为，
10穿上了新人。这新人在知识上渐渐更新，正如造他主的形像。
11在此并不分希腊人、犹太人，受割礼的、未受割礼的，化外人、西古提人，为奴的、自主的，惟有基督是包括一切，又住在各人之内。
12所以，你们既是神的选民，圣洁蒙爱的人，就要存怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐的心。
13倘若这人与那人有嫌隙，总要彼此包容，彼此饶恕；主怎样饶恕了你们，你们也要怎样饶恕人。
14在这一切之外，要存着爱心，爱心就是联络全德的。
15又要叫基督的平安在你们心里作主；你们也为此蒙召，归为一体；且要存感谢的心。
Neither Gentile Nor Jew
"Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised . . . but Christ is all, and is in all." - Colossians 3:11
In ancient times the Jews were oppressed by one Gentile nation after another: Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, and more. Shortly after Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians, the volatile relationship between the Jews and their Roman rulers exploded into war.
Josephus was a Jewish freedom fighter in Galilee, one of the leaders of a futile revolt that ended with the Romans burning the temple and destroying Jerusalem (A.D. 66-70). In his book The Jewish War, Josephus tells how the Romans savagely crucified thousands upon thousands of Jews in retaliation.
How could a Jew ever love a Gentile? But, said Paul to the Jewish and Gentile Christians, hatred was a thing of their past, for they were now born again. By believing in Christ, they were united with him in death and raised to new life. Believers were also united with each other to form a new chosen people that included Jews as well as Gentiles. They were to clothe themselves with "compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." They were to "bear with each other" and forgive whatever grievances they had, to put on love and "let the peace of Christ rule" in their hearts.
New life in Christ breaks down the most bitter walls of hostility and floods our relationships with love so that we may begin again. Peace with God brings peace between people.
Lord, how can we let go of our grievances? Help us to forgive, and give us freedom in Christ to begin anew. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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