【双语灵修】
主耶稣时常顾念穷困的人 - 身为基督的跟随者,我们也应当效法祂。
“我弟兄们,你们聚会吃的时候,要彼此等待。” - 林前 11:33
昨天我们已经看到,使徒保罗正在处理哥林多教会中一个重要的问题。有些人狼吞虎咽地吃喝圣餐的饼和酒,没有留下什么给其他人享用。保罗向他们陈明,当人这样做时,他们就是没有“分辨(主餐)是主的身体”了。
身为信徒,我们需要好好默想耶稣以祂自己来偿还我们罪债的恩典,我们也需要感恩并彼此分享主赐予我们的一切。
从另一个角度来看,或许保罗是在表达他对教会中穷困的会友特别的关顾。富有的人若吃喝了大部份的饼和酒,穷困和脆弱的人便没有得吃了。保罗在说,那些做这样事的人其实不是在领受主餐。归根究底,主耶稣时常顾念穷困的人 - 身为基督的跟随者,我们也应当效法祂。
所以,来到主的圣餐桌前时,我们必须明白,我们与神有个人的,但却不是私人的关系。我们怎样待教会中“最小的”(马太福音 25:40)肢体,最能够反映出我们与神的关系。我们必须省察,我们教会中是否每一个人都得到了关怀和建立?若有人遭到忽视或不被理会,为了基督身体的缘故,我们应如何去补救呢?
祷告
主耶稣,你看顾穷困的人、供应他们的需要、并且扶持他们。惟愿我们 - 你的教会 - 能够反映出你在这方面的性情。奉你的名祈求,阿们。
哥林多前书 11:27-34
27所以,无论何人,不按理吃主的饼、喝主的杯,就是干犯主的身、主的血了。
28人应当自己省察,然后吃这饼、喝这杯。
29因为人吃喝,若不分辨是主的身体,就是吃喝自己的罪了。
30因此,在你们中间有好些软弱的与患病的,死的也不少。
31我们若是先分辨自己,就不至于受审。
32我们受审的时候,乃是被主惩治,免得我们和世人一同定罪。
33所以我弟兄们,你们聚会吃的时候,要彼此等待。
34若有人饥饿,可以在家里先吃,免得你们聚会自己取罪。其余的事,我来的时候再安排。
Table Manners: The Poor
"My brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together." - 1 Corinthians 11:33
As we noted yesterday, the apostle Paul was dealing with a major problem in the Corinthian church. Some people were gorging themselves on the communion bread and wine and leaving others with none. Paul explained that when people did this, they were not "discerning the body of Christ."
As believers, we need to reflect well on Jesus' gift of himself to pay for our sins, and we need to share with one another in thanks for all that the Lord has shared with us.
Another way to look at this may be that Paul was also showing particular concern for poorer members of the church. When those who were wealthy consumed most of the bread and wine, the poor, the most vulnerable, were left without. And Paul was saying that the people who were doing that were not participating in the Lord's Supper. After all, the Lord Jesus always showed concern for the poor—and as followers of Christ, so should we.
So when we come to the Lord's table, we must recognize that our relationship with God is personal but never private. How we treat the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40) in our church reflects our relationship with God. We must ask, Is everyone in our church being cared for, and built up? If someone is being ignored or overlooked, how can we make things right, for Jesus' sake?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you cared and provided for the poor and built them up. May we, your church, reflect your character. In your name, Amen.
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