有一些家庭故事是值得重复的。因为它们能锚定我们,把我们连结在一起。它们让我们知道,我们来自哪里,去往何方。
这个灵修系列透过使徒行传涵盖了两个月的旅程(2018年5月和2019年6月),你可以去每日箴言网站上查阅。在使徒行传的结尾,我们看到保罗有一次遇到当地的犹太人,从先知和摩西律法中向他们解释耶稣是谁。有些人听见相信了,有些人不信。保罗重申,神的救恩不会局限在某一群人,而是为万民预备的。
在这一章的结尾,我们看到保罗被拘禁在家。对于在街上的人来说,保罗是受限制的。但若以信心的眼睛观看,保罗仍在向外拓展,勇敢传扬天国和耶稣的福音——甚至对今天的我们也是如此!
我是藉信心而聚在一起的神家中的一员。这个家不是分别和割裂的。这个家应该欢迎陌生人,而且愿意拆毁那些对新来的人是负担的传统和习惯的墙。这里持续的故事是有关天父的爱,祂爱子的牺牲,以及仍在人们心中工作,并建立新共同体的圣灵的见证。神称它为祂的教会。
主神啊,感谢你引领你的百姓,教会,直到今日。求你继续建造我们。奉耶稣的名,阿们。
使徒行传 28:17-31
17过了三天,保罗请犹太人的首领来。他们来了,就对他们说:“弟兄们,我虽没有做什么事干犯本国的百姓和我们祖宗的规条,却被锁绑,从耶路撒冷解在罗马人的手里。
18他们审问了我,就愿意释放我,因为在我身上并没有该死的罪。
19无奈犹太人不服,我不得已,只好上告于恺撒,并非有什么事要控告我本国的百姓。
20因此,我请你们来见面说话。我原为以色列人所指望的,被这链子捆锁。”
21他们说:“我们并没有接着从犹太来论你的信,也没有弟兄到这里来报给我们说你有什么不好处。
22但我们愿意听你的意见如何,因为这教门我们晓得是到处被毁谤的。”
23他们和保罗约定了日子,就有许多人到他的寓处来。保罗从早到晚,对他们讲论这事,证明神国的道,引摩西的律法和先知的书,以耶稣的事劝勉他们。
24他所说的话,有信的,有不信的。
25他们彼此不合,就散了。未散以先,保罗说了一句话,说:“圣灵藉先知以赛亚向你们祖宗所说的话是不错的。
26他说:‘你去告诉这百姓说:你们听是要听见,却不明白;看是要看见,却不晓得。
27因为这百姓油蒙了心,耳朵发沉,眼睛闭着,恐怕眼睛看见,耳朵听见,心里明白,回转过来,我就医治他们。’
28所以你们当知道,神这救恩如今传给外邦人,他们也必听受。”
30保罗在自己所租的房子里住了足足两年。凡来见他的人,他全都接待,
31放胆传讲神国的道,将主耶稣基督的事教导人,并没有人禁止。
“He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” — Acts 28:31
There are family stories that are worth repeating. They anchor us and bind us together. They help us to know where we came from and where we are going.
This devotional series concludes a two-month journey through Acts (May 2018 and June 2019) that you can retrace by going to the website todaydevotional.com. At the end of the book of Acts, we see Paul again meeting with local Jewish people to explain who Jesus is from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. Some of his listeners believe, and others do not. And again Paul notes that God’s salvation is not limited to one group of people but is available to people of all nations.
At the end of this chapter, we see Paul under house arrest. To the eyes of people on the street, Paul is limited in what he can do. But to the eyes of faith, Paul continues to reach out as he boldly preaches the kingdom of God and the good news of Jesus—even to us today!
I am part of the family of God formed by faith. This family is not to be segregated or separated. This family is to welcome strangers and be willing to take down walls of custom and tradition that can burden the newcomer. The ongoing story is about the Father’s love, the Son’s sacrifice, and the Spirit’s testimony that still moves among people to create a new community. And the Lord calls this community his church!
Lord God, thank you for guiding your people, the church, all the way to the present day. Continue to build us up. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳