A cripple Healed at Lystra
經文: 使徒行傳 14:15 諸君，為什麼做這事呢？我們也是人，性情和你們一樣。我們傳福音給你們，是叫你們離棄這些虛妄，歸向那創造天、地、海、和其中萬物的永生神。
默想: 巴拿巴與保羅受聖靈與安提阿教會的差遣，到海外巡迴佈道。在路司得城由於醫治了一位先天性瘸腿的人，而被當地異教信徒視為神明顯現來膜拜。還好巴拿巴與保羅頭腦並沒有被這突然而來的尊崇而沖昏了。他們很清楚的澄清，自己和他們完全一樣，是個需要主耶穌救贖的罪人。不同的是，聞道有先後，他們受到上帝與教會的差遣，前來這裡宣揚主的福音。結局是，巴拿巴與保羅沒有被視為神之後，卻遭遇被暴民石頭打昏的後果。主啊！當我服侍你而大有功效時，讓我不要沾沾自喜而陷入忘我的自我造神境界。當我因為服侍你而遭遇逼迫苦難時，讓我不會氣餒灰心而喪志。
題目: 在本章中，巴拿巴與保羅在外邦宣道過程遇到截然不同的兩極對待：攻擊（v.2、5、19）與高舉獻祭（v.12-13），他們如何面對？你有何看法與學習？
“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Ico'nium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Ac 14:22-23). Preaching the gospel is not an easy task. Without holding the strong faith will not the mission be accomplished. The disciples of the Lord like Paul and Barnabas have exemplified a good model.
回覆刪除大家平安
回覆刪除被丟石頭或被高舉，保羅的態度應該是如他在羅馬書所寫的「不要看自己過於所當看的, 要照著神所分給各人信心的大小, 看得合乎中道」（羅12:3）合乎中道，也就是「不論褒貶，以神的眼光來看自己」吧！
Some Gentiles and Jew decided to mistreat the apostles and stone them.
回覆刪除But Barnabas and Paul went to other places to preach the Good News.
The crows offered sacrifice to the apostles.
When Barnabas and Paul heard what they were about to do, they tore their clothes and ran into the middle of the crowd, shouting, “Why are you doing this?
We are only human like you! We are here to announce the Good News, to turn you away from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven, earth, sea, and all that is in them….”
They strengthened the believers and encouraged them to remain true to the faith. “We must pass through many troubles to enter the Kingdom of God,” they taught.
Mei-Chuan