【双语灵修】约瑟的慷慨JOSEPH’S GENEROSITY

使徒行传 4:32-37

那许多信的人都是一心一意的，没有一人说他的东西有一样是自己的，都是大家公用。 使徒大有能力，见证主耶稣复活，众人也都蒙大恩。 内中也没有一个缺乏的，因为人人将田产房屋都卖了，把所卖的价银拿来， 放在使徒脚前，照各人所需用的分给各人。有一个利未人，生在塞浦路斯，名叫约瑟，使徒称他为巴拿巴（“巴拿巴”翻出来就是“劝慰子”）。 他有田地，也卖了，把价银拿来放在使徒脚前。

4月17日

约瑟的慷慨

“约瑟…有田地，也卖了，把价银拿来，放在使徒脚前。”-使徒行传 4:36-37

当你看到一个人遇见了耶稣，并且正在改变，活得越来越像耶稣时，你知道这其中有新事正在发生。这意味着耶稣活在他们里面，复活确实发生了！

在今天的经文中，我们看到了一些例子。正如我们在《使徒行传》2章41-47节（4月14日内容）中所见，我们看到早期基督徒彼此合一，互相分享，并慷慨解囊互相支持。有些人甚至卖掉了田产或房屋，把钱分给“凡有需要的人”。

其中一个例子提到了约瑟，一个来自塞浦路斯的犹太人，现在成了基督的信徒。他的行动清楚地表明他的生命已经改变了。他卖掉了自己的一块地，把钱捐出来，用于建立基督信徒的群体。约瑟的慷慨，表明那位慷慨的主耶稣正住在他心里。在约瑟的这幅画像中，我们看到了一个新造的人，这是复活基督的明证。

今天，复活耶稣的生命和大能，仍然不断改变我们。活着的耶稣进入人的生命中施行转化，使他们成为新造的人。他们也成为记号，表明主那宏大的新创造正在实现。

祷告

父啊，求你将我们这些破碎的人，转变为耶稣复活的路标，证明新创造即将来临。求你粉碎我们身上一切仍旧反映着与耶稣无关之事的旧习。奉祂的名祷告。阿们。

Acts 4:32-37

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

JOSEPH’S GENEROSITY

Joseph . . . sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet. —Acts 4:36-37

When you see a person who has met Jesus and who is changing to live more and more like Jesus, you know that something new is going on. It means that Jesus is alive in them and that the resurrection has really happened!

We see some examples in our text for today. Just as we saw in Acts 2:41-47 (April 14), we see the early Christians united with one another, sharing with one another, and giving generously to support one another. Some even sold their land or houses and gave the money “to anyone who had need.”

One example mentions Joseph, a Jewish man from Cyprus who is now a believer in Christ. His actions give a clear sign that his life has changed. He sold some property that he owned, and he gave the money to be used for building up the community of believers in Christ. Joseph’s generosity shows that the generous Lord Jesus is living in his heart. In this picture of Joseph we see a new creation, evidence of the resurrected Christ.

The life and power of the resurrected Jesus keep changing us still today. The living Jesus finds his way into human lives, takes up a transforming presence within them, and they become new creations. They also become signs that the Lord’s big, new creation is coming to life.

Father, turn us broken people into signposts of Jesus’ resurrection, proof that a new creation is on the way. Shatter all the ways in which we still reflect anything unrelated to Jesus. We pray in his name. Amen.