每当Annika想起她最近参与的宣教旅程时，她脑海中便浮现出每天晚上和其他宣教成员聚会的情景，他们彼此分享当天的经历，有时侯大家欢喜快乐，因为他们看到神在他们所作的事上动工，但有时候也是关于挣扎和困难的故事。无论是什么经历，结果总是一样；他们这个小组都会彼此鼓励和互相建立，来帮助每一个人再去专注仰望神。
在我们的生命中，我们都会经历欢乐的时光，也会经历困难的日子；若有一个可以彼此分享和分担的地方，是很有益处的，它能帮助我们一同庆祝和彼此支持。在一个能够鼓励我们的社群中，无论我们周围发生什么事，我们都可以分享我们的经历，获得支持和友情。
在使徒行传4:36中，我们遇见了巴拿巴，他名字的意思是“劝慰之子。” 而在整卷使徒行传中，我们看到他所做的事与他名字的意思非常吻合，他鼓励了使徒保罗和很多初期教会的信众。
在我们生命中，我们都需要有人鼓励我们，而我们也需要去鼓励别人。这都是基督徒社群当做的事。
父啊，求你帮助我们从别人身上得到鼓励，又鼓励那些今天需要听到亲切的话的人。阿们。
使徒行传 11:19-30
19那些因司提反的事遭患难四散的门徒，直走到腓尼基和塞浦路斯并安提阿，他们不向别人讲道，只向犹太人讲。
20但内中有塞浦路斯和古利奈人，他们到了安提阿，也向希腊人传讲主耶稣。
21主与他们同在，信而归主的人就很多了。
22这风声传到耶路撒冷教会人的耳中，他们就打发巴拿巴出去，走到安提阿为止。
23他到了那里，看见神所赐的恩就欢喜，劝勉众人立定心志，恒久靠主。
24这巴拿巴原是个好人，被圣灵充满，大有信心。于是，有许多人归服了主。
25他又往大数去找扫罗，
26找着了，就带他到安提阿去。他们足有一年的工夫和教会一同聚集，教训了许多人。门徒称为“基督徒”是从安提阿起首。
27当那些日子，有几位先知从耶路撒冷下到安提阿。
28内中有一位名叫亚迦布，站起来，藉着圣灵指明天下将有大饥荒；这事到克劳迪年间果然有了。
29于是门徒定意照各人的力量捐钱，送去供给住在犹太的弟兄。
30他们就这样行，把捐项托巴拿巴和扫罗送到众长老那里。
"When [Barnabas] arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts." - Acts 11:23
When Annika thinks about a recent mission trip she was on, she remembers meeting with the rest of her group each night to share stories about the day. Some of those were about joyful times when they saw God at work in what they were doing, and other stories were about struggles or hardships. Whatever the story was, the result was always the same. Her group would share encouragement and build each other up, helping everyone to refocus their attention on God.
We all experience times of joy and times of struggle in our lives. Having a place to share about them is meaningful and can help us celebrate and support one another. An encouraging community is a place where all of our experiences can be shared and we can receive support and friendship no matter what is going on around us.
In Acts 4:36 we meet Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement.” And throughout the book of Acts we see him doing what his name suggests. He is an encourager to the apostle Paul and many of the early churches.
We all need people in our lives who encourage us, and we need to be encouragers to others. That is what Christian community does.
Father, help us to find encouragement from others and to be encouragers to people who need to hear kind words today. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
