【双语灵修】在增长中的神的国God's Growing Kingdom
而当福音被传开时,每天都不断有很多人进入神的国!
“那时,有虔诚的犹太人从天下各国来,住在耶路撒冷。” - 徒 2:5
五旬节那天,有从各国来的虔诚犹太人住在耶路撒冷。他们聚集在一起,来庆祝在大约1500年前神为衪的子民以色列人设立的七七节(申命记 16:9-12)。在五旬节那天(逾越节后第50天),他们都在圣殿中会合,献上他们收成的初熟果子。在那一天,这些从天下各国来的人第一次听到关于耶稣的好消息,结果有大约3000人相信并受了洗(使徒行传 2:41)。
根据学者的估计,那时全世界人口大约有3亿人,这是今天全世界人口的1/27;要经过1800年的时间,全世界人口才增长至10亿。在1800年之前,世界上只有少数的正式移民条例。然而到了今天,全世界人口已超过80亿,而差不多每一个国家都已经决定要制定移民政策了。
对移民条列的细节,基督徒有自由持不同的看法或不赞成。然而,今天当移民、流动工人、难民和其他人入境时,他们当中很多都是第一次听到福音。神的子民有机会有责任向他们传福音。而当福音被传开时,每天都不断有很多人进入神的国!这当然是一件美事——是与我们对移民政策的看法完全无关的。
祷告
主啊,我们为每一个离乡背井去寻找新家园的人祷告。我们奉耶稣的名求你收纳他们进入你的国。阿们。
使徒行传 2:1-21
1五旬节到了,门徒都聚集在一处。
2忽然,从天上有响声下来,好像一阵大风吹过,充满了他们所坐的屋子;
3又有舌头如火焰显现出来,分开落在他们各人头上。
4他们就都被圣灵充满,按着圣灵所赐的口才说起别国的话来。
5那时,有虔诚的犹太人从天下各国来,住在耶路撒冷。
6这声音一响,众人都来聚集,各人听见门徒用众人的乡谈说话,就甚纳闷,
7都惊讶稀奇说:“看哪,这说话的不都是加利利人吗?
8我们各人怎么听见他们说我们生来所用的乡谈呢?
9我们帕提亚人、玛代人、以拦人和住在美索不达米亚、犹太、加帕多家、本都、亚细亚、
10弗吕家、旁非利亚、埃及的人,并靠近古利奈的利比亚一带地方的人,从罗马来的客旅中或是犹太人、或是进犹太教的人,
11克里特和阿拉伯人,都听见他们用我们的乡谈,讲说神的大作为!”
12众人就都惊讶猜疑,彼此说:“这是什么意思呢?”
13还有人讥诮说:“他们无非是新酒灌满了!”
14彼得和十一个使徒站起,高声说:“犹太人和一切住在耶路撒冷的人哪,这件事你们当知道,也当侧耳听我的话。
15你们想这些人是醉了,其实不是醉了,因为时候刚到巳初。
16这正是先知约珥所说的:
17‘神说:在末后的日子,我要将我的灵浇灌凡有血气的,你们的儿女要说预言,你们的少年人要见异象,老年人要做异梦。
18在那些日子,我要将我的灵浇灌我的仆人和使女,他们就要说预言。
19在天上我要显出奇事,在地下我要显出神迹,有血,有火,有烟雾。
20日头要变为黑暗,月亮要变为血,这都在主大而明显的日子未到以前。
21到那时候,凡求告主名的,就必得救。’
God's Growing Kingdom
"Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven." - Acts 2:5
On the day of Pentecost, God-fearing Jews from many nations were staying in Jerusalem. They were gathering to celebrate the Feast of Weeks that God had established for his people Israel some 1,500 years earlier (Deuteronomy 16:9-12). They all converged on the temple on Pentecost (fifty days after the Feast of Passover) to bring offerings of the firstfruits of their harvests. That day people from many nations heard the good news of Jesus for the first time. And about 3,000 believed and were baptized (Acts 2:41).
Scholars estimate that the world population was about 300 million people at that time. That is 1/27th of today's population. It took 1,800 years for the world's population to grow to a billion. Prior to the 1800s there were few formal immigration laws. But with the world's population at over 8 billion today, almost every country has decided to regulate immigration.
Christians are free to differ and disagree over the details of immigration laws. However, as immigrants, migrants, refugees, and others cross borders today, many hear the gospel for the first time. God's people have the opportunity and responsibility to share the gospel with them. And as the gospel is shared, many people continue to enter God's kingdom each day! That of course is a good thing—regardless of our views on immigration.
Prayer
Lord, we pray for every person who has left their homeland to find a new home. Enfold them into your kingdom, we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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