社群… 让我看见我是重要的
身为一个单身和较年长的妇人，Ina有时觉得她不属于她的教会，感觉就好像教会不适合她、或者她在教会并不重要那样，她甚至感到神也不看重她。然而，现在她已经不再有这种感受了。有些具有体谅和爱心恩赐的人留意到她，大家便以神的爱围绕和关心她，帮助她经历社群的生活。她现在能够善用她的恩赐，人们也聆听她的意见，又花时间听她的话，并与她相处。她成为教会社群重要的一员，每个星期日她在大门口分派糖果给小孩子，大家都期待在那里见到她。
Ina也知道，她在神眼中是重要的，而我们每一个人亦需要知道这点。
神看我们是如此重要，衪甚至差衪的儿子耶稣基督为我们舍命，好叫我们能够彰显祂对世人的爱；衪赐我们服事、爱心、和领导的恩赐，好叫我们能以信心互相建立，彼此和合而为一，在基督里日渐长进和成熟。正如使徒保罗所说，凡相信耶稣的人，都成为基督的身体在世界的一个组成部份，祂乃是我们的头；靠着衪的能力，这个身体便渐渐增长，在爱中建立自己。
你对神是重要的，你对你周围的人也一样重要。你的恩赐、才干、和存在，能够影响你所属的群体，而神也看重它们的呢！
主啊，感谢你爱我们，叫我们长大成为你的身体，各个肢体都尽自己的本份。又感谢你在我们周围，赐予帮助我们看到自己重要性的人。阿们。
以弗所书 4:1-16
4我为主被囚的劝你们：既然蒙召，行事为人就当与蒙召的恩相称，
2凡事谦虚、温柔、忍耐，用爱心互相宽容，
3用和平彼此联络，竭力保守圣灵所赐合而为一的心。
4身体只有一个，圣灵只有一个，正如你们蒙召同有一个指望；
5一主，一信，一洗，
6一神，就是众人的父，超乎众人之上，贯乎众人之中，也住在众人之内。
7我们各人蒙恩，都是照基督所量给各人的恩赐。
8所以经上说：“他升上高天的时候，掳掠了仇敌，将各样的恩赐赏给人。”
9（既说升上，岂不是先降在地下吗？
10那降下的，就是远升诸天之上要充满万有的。）
11他所赐的有使徒，有先知，有传福音的，有牧师和教师，
12为要成全圣徒，各尽其职，建立基督的身体，
13直等到我们众人在真道上同归于一，认识神的儿子，得以长大成人，满有基督长成的身量，
14使我们不再做小孩子，中了人的诡计和欺骗的法术，被一切异教之风摇动飘来飘去，就随从各样的异端，
15唯用爱心说诚实话，凡事长进，连于元首基督。
16全身都靠他联络得合式，百节各按各职，照着各体的功用彼此相助，便叫身体渐渐增长，在爱中建立自己。
Community . . . Shows Me I Matter
"From [Christ] the whole body . . . builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." - Ephesians 4:16
Being a single older woman, Ina sometimes felt as if she didn’t belong in her church, as if it wasn’t for her, and as if she didn’t matter, even to God. But she doesn’t feel that way anymore. People with gifts of compassion and kindness noticed her, and caring people surrounded her with God’s love, helping her to experience community. Now her gifts are being used, her feedback is listened to, and people make time to listen to her and spend time with her. She is a vital member of her church community, and people look forward to seeing her every Sunday in the entryway, where she hands out candy to children.
Ina also knows that she matters to God. Every one of us needs to know that.
We matter so much to God that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to give of himself so that we can show his love to others. He came to give us gifts of service and kindness and leadership so that we may be built up and reach unity in the faith, growing and maturing in Christ. As the apostle Paul puts it, all who believe in Jesus make up the body of Christ here on earth, and he is our head. And in his strength the body grows and builds itself up in love.
You matter to God. And you matter to the people around you. Your gifts, abilities, and presence make a difference to your community, and they make a difference to God!
Lord, thank you for loving us and growing us to be your body, with each part doing its work. And thank you for putting people around us who show that we matter. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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