有时候，当你面临一个机会时，你需要采取大胆的行动。司提反殉道后，信徒们分散了。这可能起初看起来很令人费解，但这正是福音开始传播到其他地区的一种途径。神如此强大，祂甚至可以从坏的事情中带来好的结果。
今天，我们许多人不会以这样的角度看待逼迫。我们倾向于认为它会破坏或摧毁信仰。但正如我们在这段经文中所看到的，尽管有逼迫，教会仍然能够兴旺发展——这是在当今世界的许多地方仍在发生的现实。
这段经文的重点是，一些信徒在圣灵的带领下，大胆行动，向不信的人传讲福音。他们的勇敢不是出于自己，而是因为神与他们同在。
当我们面对困难的时候，我们常常需要先退后一步，相信神会给我们创造机会，让我们勇敢地走出去。当然，在当下看来，这似乎有风险，但如果不迈出大胆的一步，风险可能会更大。
当神的灵在我们的基督徒生活中推动时，我们会更多地认识到祂在我们里面和通过我们所做的工作。识别这样的时刻需要时间。也可以借鉴别人的智慧，让他们对我们的处境说话：“是什么阻碍了你采取大胆的行动呢？”
父啊，求你用你的灵充满我们，叫我们刚强壮胆，不是凭着自己的能力，也不是凭着自己的作为，乃是凭着你的灵来行做万事。阿们。
使徒行传 11:19-24
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。
"Some of them . . . began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus." - Acts 11:20
Sometimes, when you find yourself in a moment of opportunity, you need to make a bold move. After Stephen was martyred, the believers scattered. It may seem odd, but that is one way the good news began to spread into other regions. God is so powerful that he can bring good results even out of bad things that happen.
Today, many of us don’t look at persecution in a way like that. We tend to think of it as something that will ruin or destroy faith. But as we can see in this passage, the church can thrive despite persecution—and this still happens in parts of the world today.
The point of this passage is that some believers, led by the Spirit, made bold moves and proclaimed the good news to people outside the faith. Their boldness was not of themselves; it was due to the presence of God in their lives.
When we face tough times, we often need to step back and trust that God will create the opportunity for us to step in and be bold. Sure, it might seem like a risk at the moment, but it might otherwise be more of a risk not to take the bold step.
As the Spirit of God nudges us in our Christian living, we get to know more of his work in us and through us. It takes time to discern such moments. It might also take wisdom from others to speak into our situation and ask, “What is keeping you from making a bold move?”
Father, fill us with your Spirit so that we might be bold—not in our own strength or doing, but in yours. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
