历史显示教会常在受到逼迫时有增长。当初期教会正在耶路撒冷迅速增长时，因为受到逼迫而分散的人“往各处去传道”，教会同时也在附近地区广泛开展了。
在我当校牧的学院中，我也见到类似的情形。基督徒学生从非洲、亚洲和中南美洲来求学。这些外国学生当中，有不少人很热心的与朋友和同学分享耶稣的福音。
看见藉着外地来的基督徒重振这边教会的活力，神国得以向前迈进，真令人振奋。有些学生在来到这里之前是并不认识耶稣的，看见神国欢迎这些新朋友，也同样令人振奋。
我经常遇见一些不喜欢这么多移民从世界各地来“西方”的人。但对着眼于天国而不是专注在国界的人来说，相较于看见神国增长时感受到的喜乐，这些反对便不算什么事。
祷告
主神啊，我们为耶稣感谢你，祂为我们流血受死，又呼召我们在耶路撒冷、犹太全地、撒玛利亚，“直到地极”为祂作见证（使徒行传1:8）。我们为你国度的增长惊叹欣喜！阿们。
使徒行传 8:1-8
1从这日起，耶路撒冷的教会大遭逼迫。除了使徒以外，门徒都分散在犹太和撒马利亚各处。
2有虔诚的人把司提反埋葬了，为他捶胸大哭。
3扫罗却残害教会，进各人的家，拉着男女下在监里。
4那些分散的人往各处去传道。
5腓利下撒马利亚城去宣讲基督。
6众人听见了，又看见腓利所行的神迹，就同心合意地听从他的话。
7因为有许多人被污鬼附着，那些鬼大声呼叫，从他们身上出来；还有许多瘫痪的、瘸腿的，都得了医治。
8在那城里就大有欢喜。
"A great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria... Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." - Acts 8:1, 4
History has shown that the church has often grown during times of persecution. While the early church was growing rapidly in Jerusalem, it also began to spread widely as people scattered from persecution and "preached the word wherever they went" in the surrounding territories.
At the college where I serve as a campus minister, I often see a similar thing happening. Christian students come to the college from Africa, Asia, and South and Central America. Many of these foreign students have a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus with friends and classmates.
It is exciting to see the kingdom of God advancing as Christians from other lands reinvigorate the church here. It is also exciting to see the kingdom welcoming newcomers among students who did not know Jesus before they came to this land.
I routinely meet people who are unhappy about the number of immigrants coming to the "West" from around the world. But for those who are kingdom-minded rather than country-minded, those objections pale in comparison to the joy of seeing God's kingdom growing.
Lord God, thank you for Jesus, who bled and died for us and then called us to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, "and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). We rejoice and marvel at the growth of your kingdom! Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
