神的计划：保全许多人的性命
在探讨神对教会的计划的这个旅程中，我们会回到救恩历史中某些关键性的时刻。
教会是神的故事的传递者，要述说神如何创造一个新的族类，使她成为一个恩典的群体。这个故事内容曲折离奇，约瑟的一生就是一个例子。故事中一个得宠的儿子被嫉妒他的兄弟卖为奴隶，当约瑟的命运似乎有转机时，又有不幸的事情发生，以致他成为阶下囚，没有被释放的机会；神接着赐约瑟解梦的异能，他因此不但被释放出狱，并且救了他的一家和很多其他人，在饥荒中得以保全性命。（参看创世记37 – 49章）
创世记50章，带我们来到约瑟的父亲雅各逝世、和他的兄弟担心他会惩罚他们的那一刻；约瑟现在会怎样报复他们从前苦待他的恶行呢？
然而，约瑟不计较他们的行为，他乃是朝远处去看神最终的计划，而神的愿望就是拯救人，神希望使用像约瑟的人，也使用我们，去为衪的子民带来新的一天和新的生命。
在这个故事中，我们看到一幅神在曲折离奇的生命中作工的图画——今天祂仍然在我们的生命中作工！
满有恩典和赦免的神，求祢帮助我们不看我们的创伤和困扰，乃要朝远处去看，看到祢每一天都在我们的生命中作工。奉耶稣名祈求，阿们。
创世记 50:15-21
15 约瑟的哥哥们见父亲死了，就说：“或者约瑟怀恨我们，照着我们从前待他一切的恶足足地报复我们。”
16 他们就打发人去见约瑟，说：“你父亲未死以先吩咐说：
17 ‘你们要对约瑟这样说：从前你哥哥们恶待你，求你饶恕他们的过犯和罪恶。’如今求你饶恕你父亲神之仆人的过犯！”他们对约瑟说这话，约瑟就哭了。
18 他的哥哥们又来俯伏在他面前，说：“我们是你的仆人。”
19 约瑟对他们说：“不要害怕，我岂能代替神呢？
20 从前你们的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全许多人的性命，成就今日的光景。
21 现在你们不要害怕，我必养活你们和你们的妇人孩子。”于是，约瑟用亲爱的话安慰他们。
God’s Purpose: Saving Many Lives
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” — Genesis 50:20
Our journey to understand God’s purposes for the church takes us back to some key moments in salvation history.
The church is the carrier of the story of God and how God is creating a new people to make up a community of grace. There are twists and turns in the story, as we can see in the life of Joseph, for example. A favored son gets sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. When it seems like things might get better for Joseph, something else happens and he lands in prison with no hope of release. Then God gives Joseph the ability to interpret dreams to bring about not only his release but also the saving of his family and many others from famine. (See Genesis 37-49.)
Genesis 50 brings us to the moment when Joseph’s father, Jacob, has died, and the brothers of Joseph worry that he might punish them. What will Joseph do now as payback for all the wrong they had done to him?
Joseph looks beyond their actions to the ultimate purpose of God. God desires to save people. God desires to use people like Joseph—and us—to bring about a new day and provide new life for his people.
In this story we see a picture of how God is at work in the twists and turns of life—and he is still at work in our lives today!
God of grace and forgiveness, help us to look beyond our hurts and troubles to see that you are at work in our lives too—day in and day out. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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