【双语灵修】跨文化：世界各国INTERCULTURAL: ALL NATIONS
启示录 7:9-17
此后我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前，身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝， 大声喊着说：“愿救恩归于坐在宝座上我们的神，也归于羔羊！” 众天使都站在宝座和众长老并四活物的周围，在宝座前面伏于地，敬拜神， 说：“阿们！颂赞、荣耀、智慧、感谢、尊贵、权柄、大力都归于我们的神，直到永永远远！阿们。” 长老中有一位问我说：“这些穿白衣的是谁？是从哪里来的？” 我对他说：“我主，你知道。”他向我说：“这些人是从大患难中出来的，曾用羔羊的血把衣裳洗白净了。所以，他们在神宝座前，昼夜在他殿中侍奉他；坐宝座的要用帐幕覆庇他们。 他们不再饥、不再渴，日头和炎热也必不伤害他们， 因为宝座中的羔羊必牧养他们，领他们到生命水的泉源；神也必擦去他们一切的眼泪。”
九月二十七日
跨文化：世界各国
“见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前。” - 启 7:9
这段经文是圣经中有关天堂最有力的描绘之一，约翰看到一大群各国、操各种语言的人，在一起全心颂赞和敬拜耶稣。每一个人都是身穿白衣，摇着棕树枝赞美神，多么令人震撼的异象！约翰似乎非常惊讶，以致其中一个站在宝座旁的长老来到他面前，这样问他：“你以为这些人是谁？”约翰不能肯定，所以他回答：“我主，你知道。”
事实上，这群人中的每一个都曾经历过耶稣的赦免，接受了新生命。出乎意料地，那些白衣之所以是白色，全因为它们是被耶稣的血洗过的（14节）。
在这个星期，我们把焦点放在神“跨文化”的宣教事工上，而启示录7章中的景象，能清楚地描绘出这事工带来的影响。
几个月前，我与代表15个国家的植堂同工和他们的妻子会面。我们一起学习，又享受用不同语言敬拜的美妙时刻。当我环顾在房间内这些满有恩赐而又忠心的领袖时，就好像感受到约翰在这里所描写的情景。
但愿我们每一间教会都是这样！
祷告
主啊，我们渴望我们和许多人围绕在祢宝座前的那一天，但愿祢的教会能越来越反映出祢所创造和救赎的世界那种跨文化的美丽。阿们。
Revelation 7:9-17
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
INTERCULTURAL: ALL NATIONS
Before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. —Revelation 7:9
This passage is one of the most powerful pictures of heaven in the Bible. John sees a vast crowd of people from every nation and language, and all are celebrating and worshiping Jesus with all their heart. Everyone is dressed in white robes, waving palm branches, and praising God. What a vision! It seems that John himself is so astonished that one of the elders by the throne comes to him and asks, in effect, “Who do you think these people are?” John is unsure, so he replies: “Sir, you know.”
It turns out that every person in the crowd has experienced the forgiveness of Jesus and received new life. The white robes, ironically, are white because they have been washed in Jesus’ blood (v. 14).
This week we have been focusing on the intercultural mission of God, and Revelation 7 is a clear picture of the impact of that work.
A few months ago I met with about 50 church planters and their spouses who represented 15 different countries. We learned together and enjoyed beautiful moments of worship in several languages. I looked around the room at these gifted and faithful leaders, and it seemed like a taste of what John describes here.
May it be so in every one of our churches!
Lord, we long for the day when we will join in with the vast multitude around your throne. May your church increasingly reflect the intercultural beauty of the world you have created and redeemed. Amen.