在我们今天所读的《使徒行传》第17章中,使徒保罗正在希腊雅典传讲耶稣和复活的事。保罗告诉众人,他可以看出他们非常敬畏鬼神,因为在城市各处都有神像、神龛和神庙。甚至还有 “一座坛,上面写着未识之神”(徒 17:16-23)。所以保罗使用这个观念来告诉他的听众,雅典人还不认识有关父神和圣子耶稣的事。
保罗以这种方式分享了这个好消息:创造万物的上帝,现在呼吁各地的人忏悔他们的罪,因为上帝差派祂的儿子耶稣,为我们所有的罪付了赎价。耶稣为了我们的缘故,在十字架上舍弃自己的生命,尽管祂没有犯过罪。接着上帝使耶稣从死里复活,显明祂战胜罪恶和死亡的大能。
虽然保罗的话被一些人排斥,但也有人很好奇,想听更多。
福音可能会被一些人嗤之以鼻,但也可能有人带着充满期待的好奇心。神藉着使耶稣从死里复活为我们所做的奇妙的事,我们可以请求听到更多。
掌管生命的主,尽管我们不了解关于复活的一切,但请给我们一颗充满希望的好奇心,好了解它对我们意味着什么。奉耶稣的名,阿们。
使徒行传 17:24-32
24创造宇宙和其中万物的神,既是天地的主,就不住人手所造的殿,
25也不用人手服侍,好像缺少什么,自己倒将生命、气息、万物赐给万人。
26他从一本造出万族的人,住在全地上,并且预先定准他们的年限和所住的疆界,
27要叫他们寻求神,或者可以揣摩而得;其实他离我们各人不远。
28我们生活、动作、存留,都在乎他,就如你们作诗的有人说:‘我们也是他所生的。’
29我们既是神所生的,就不当以为神的神性像人用手艺、心思所雕刻的金、银、石。
30世人蒙昧无知的时候,神并不监察,如今却吩咐各处的人都要悔改。
31因为他已经定了日子,要藉着他所设立的人按公义审判天下,并且叫他从死里复活,给万人做可信的凭据。”
“When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” - Acts 17:32
In our reading today from Acts 17, the apostle Paul was preaching in Athens, Greece, about Jesus and the resurrection. Paul told the people that he could tell they were very religious because there were statues and shrines and temples to gods in every part of the city. There was even “an altar with this inscription: ‘to an unknown god’” (Acts 17:16-23). So Paul used that idea to tell his listeners about God the Father and Jesus the Son, whom the people of Athens did not know yet.
In this way Paul shared the good news that God, who created everything, now calls on people everywhere to repent of their sin, because he sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the price for all our sin. Jesus gave up his life on a cross for our sake even though he had committed no sin. And then God proved his power over sin and death by raising Jesus from the dead.
Though Paul’s words were dismissed by some of the people who heard him, others were curious and wanted to hear more.
The gospel can be sneered at—or, with a hopeful curiosity, we can ask to hear more about the wonderful things God has done for us by raising Jesus from the dead.
Lord of life, though we do not understand everything about the resurrection, give us a hopeful curiosity about all that it means for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳