“他们侍奉主、禁食的时候,圣灵说…” – 徒 13:2
使徒行传中有一些微小的细节,我们在快速阅读时很容易忽略。我有时会错过重要的信息,也许你也会这样。但有时,圣灵会帮助我们以崭新的眼光看到以前从未注意到的细节。
请注意,信徒在安提阿教会里敬拜、禁食,圣灵向他们启示巴拿巴和扫罗蒙神所召了。这事显明以后,信徒就禁食祷告,按手在那两个人头上,才打发他们去了。
“他们”这个词在这段话中很重要。书中提到了先知和教师,但也提到了信徒群体。当信仰群体团结在一起寻求事奉神时,会经历一些满有上帝大能的事。
如果你是教会的一员,你就会了解到许多教会经常试图模仿其他教会。从其他教会模式中学习并没有错,但这使人很容易试图用自己的力量去实现目标。
安提阿这个群体从敬拜、禁食和祷告开始——当他们这样做的时候,圣灵向他们启示了重要的使命。注意,他们众人按手在巴拿巴和扫罗头上。圣灵带领的会众便带着共同的祝福,差派他们去参与主正在展开的国度计划。
祷告
父啊,当我们敬拜、祷告、禁食的时候,求你向我们显明你对我们生命的计划。我们想要靠着你的能力做你呼召我们去做的事。阿们。
使徒行传 13:1-3
1在安提阿的教会中有几位先知和教师,就是巴拿巴和称呼尼结的西面、古利奈人路求、与分封之王希律同养的马念并扫罗。
2他们侍奉主、禁食的时候,圣灵说:“要为我分派巴拿巴和扫罗,去做我召他们所做的工。”
3于是禁食、祷告,按手在他们头上,就打发他们去了。
This Before That
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said . . .” – Acts 13:2
There are subtle things written in Acts that we can easily miss while reading it quickly. I miss important details at times, and maybe that happens to you too. But then there are moments when the Spirit helps us see things that we never noticed before.
Note that in the church at Antioch the believers were worshiping and fasting, and that the Spirit revealed to them that Barnabas and Saul were called. Then, after this was revealed, the believers fasted and prayed and laid hands on the two before sending them off.
The word “they” is crucial in this passage. Prophets and teachers are identified, but the community of believers is mentioned too. There’s something powerful that happens when the community of faith is together.
If you are part of a church, you know that churches often try to model themselves after other churches. There is nothing wrong with learning from another church model, but it can then be easy to try to go in your own strength to make it happen.
This community was set on worshiping, fasting, and praying—and as they did so, the Spirit revealed an important mission. Notice too that they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul. The Spirit-led community sent them off with a communal blessing to serve in the Lord’s unfolding plan for his kingdom.
Prayer
Father, as we worship, pray, and fast, show us your mission for our lives. In your strength, we want to do what you call us to do. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳