“扫罗的眼睛上,好像有鳞立刻掉下来,他就能看见。于是起来受了洗; 吃过饭就健壮了。” – 徒9:18-19
我们可以想像,扫罗在前往大马士革的路上与耶稣相遇的经历一定是令人敬畏的。他后来说,当耶稣向他显现时,他感觉自己就像一个未到产期而生的人(“非正常出生的人”)。他被一道刺眼的光照射,摔倒在地,当他认识到自己曾迫害神的教会,追赶被钉十字架的弥赛亚的信徒——而此时弥赛亚已经在天上掌权——这一切都太超乎想像了!
被弥赛亚荣光刺瞎了眼睛的扫罗不得不被人牵着手走入大马士革的路。几天后,主派信徒亚拿尼亚去看望扫罗,他领受了圣灵,瞎眼得了医治,并受了洗礼。
使徒行传向我们显明,人们能够以各种各样的方式信耶稣。圣灵是自由的,不刻板行事。有时,圣灵用经文来打动人心。有时,人通过他人的讲述听到福音。有时,主藉着异梦或异象说话。在某些情况下,就像扫罗一样,与主相遇可能很有戏剧性,甚至是令人畏惧的,而且几天后伴有异象和圣灵降临。也有一些情况,甚至整个家庭都会信而受洗,也包括那些家中从小在信仰中成长并一生都会跟随的孩子。但所有的这些,都是圣灵在作工!
祷告
主啊,对我们中一些人,你的到来温柔而从容。而有些人则需要经历种种挫折才能遇见你。主啊,你最了解该如何充满我们。
使徒行传 9:1-19; 哥林多前书 15:3-9
1扫罗仍然向主的门徒口吐威吓凶杀的话,去见大祭司,
2求文书给大马士革的各会堂,若是找着信奉这道的人,无论男女,都准他捆绑带到耶路撒冷。
3扫罗行路,将到大马士革,忽然从天上发光,四面照着他。
4他就仆倒在地,听见有声音对他说:“扫罗,扫罗,你为什么逼迫我?”
5他说:“主啊,你是谁?”主说:“我就是你所逼迫的耶稣。
6起来!进城去,你所当做的事,必有人告诉你。”
7同行的人站在那里,说不出话来,听见声音,却看不见人。
8扫罗从地上起来,睁开眼睛,竟不能看见什么。有人拉他的手,领他进了大马士革。
9三日不能看见,也不吃也不喝。
10当下,在大马士革有一个门徒,名叫亚拿尼亚。主在异象中对他说:“亚拿尼亚!”他说:“主,我在这里。”
11主对他说:“起来!往直街去,在犹大的家里访问一个大数人,名叫扫罗。他正祷告,
12又看见了一个人,名叫亚拿尼亚,进来按手在他身上,叫他能看见。”
13亚拿尼亚回答说:“主啊,我听见许多人说这人怎样在耶路撒冷多多苦害你的圣徒,
14并且他在这里有从祭司长得来的权柄,捆绑一切求告你名的人。”
15主对亚拿尼亚说:“你只管去!他是我所拣选的器皿,要在外邦人和君王并以色列人面前宣扬我的名。
16我也要指示他,为我的名必须受许多的苦难。”
17亚拿尼亚就去了,进入那家,把手按在扫罗身上,说:“兄弟扫罗,在你来的路上向你显现的主,就是耶稣,打发我来叫你能看见,又被圣灵充满。”
18扫罗的眼睛上好像有鳞立刻掉下来,他就能看见。于是起来受了洗,
19吃过饭就健壮了。扫罗和大马士革的门徒同住了些日子,
3我当日所领受又传给你们的,第一就是:基督照圣经所说,为我们的罪死了,
4而且埋葬了,又照圣经所说第三天复活了;
5并且显给矶法看,然后显给十二使徒看;
6后来一时显给五百多弟兄看,其中一大半到如今还在,却也有已经睡了的;
7以后显给雅各看,再显给众使徒看;
8末了也显给我看,我如同未到产期而生的人一般。
9我原是使徒中最小的,不配称为使徒,因为我从前逼迫神的教会。
As One Abnormally Born
“Something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.” – Acts 9:18-19
As we can imagine, Saul’s experience of meeting Jesus on the way to Damascus must have been terrifying. He said later that when Jesus appeared to him, he felt as if he were like a child taken from the womb too early (“one abnormally born”). Being stopped by a blinding light, falling to the ground, and learning that he had persecuted the church of God by chasing followers of the crucified Messiah—who was now ruling in heaven— was all too much!
Saul, blinded by glory, had to be led by hand along the rest of the way to Damascus. Then, a few days later, the Lord sent Ananias to visit Saul, and he received the Holy Spirit, was healed from blindness, and was baptized.
The book of Acts shows that people come to faith in Jesus in many different ways. The Spirit is free and does not follow a formula. Sometimes the Spirit uses words of Scripture to move a person’s heart. Sometimes a person hears the good news through someone else. Sometimes the Lord speaks through a dream or a vision. In some cases, as with Saul, the encounter may be dramatic and even terrifying, followed by a vision and the coming of the Spirit a few days later. In other cases, whole households are baptized, including children who will grow in faith throughout their life. But in all of these ways the Spirit is at work!
Prayer
Lord, to some of us you come hovering gently. Others of us need to be knocked to our knees. You know best how to fill us, Lord. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳