“〔你们〕… 就像活石,被建造成为灵宫,作圣洁的祭司,藉着耶稣基督奉献神所悦纳的灵祭。” – 彼前 2:5
耶稣到来,以救主的身份领我们进入神的大家庭,为我们提供一个与神同在的家。
就像彼得形容的,耶稣也是我们信心的房角石:“信靠他的人,必不至于羞愧。”(参看诗篇 25:3;以赛亚书 28:16)而“就像活石”那样,我们“被建造成为灵宫”,以“灵祭”服事神。
以弗所书4:12-13也有类似的描述: 我们被召去“各尽其职,建立基督的身体〔教会〕。直等到我们众人在真道上同归于一,认识神的儿子,得以长大成人,满有基督长成的身量。”
这些意像反映出一个事实,就是神藉着耶稣为所有相信祂的人带来救赎,使他们成为祂家里的人和祂的选民。就如彼得所说,“你们是被拣选的族类,是有君尊的祭司,是圣洁的国度,是属神的子民,要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。”
当我们被收纳进入神的家庭时,我们便成为皇室的成员了。神藉着圣灵赐下爱,叫我们一同被建立在基督稳固的根基上。任何风暴都不能使这房子摇动,这个“神藉着圣灵居住的所在”是永远坚立的(以弗所书 2:22)。
祷告
主耶稣,你是我们稳固的根基。求你叫我们在你的圣教会中团结起来,把我们建造成为配得上你的名的居所。阿们。
彼得前书 2:4-10
4主乃活石,固然是被人所弃的,却是被神所拣选、所宝贵的。
5你们来到主面前,也就像活石,被建造成为灵宫,做圣洁的祭司,藉着耶稣基督奉献神所悦纳的灵祭。
6因为经上说:“看哪,我把所拣选、所宝贵的房角石安放在锡安,信靠他的人必不至于羞愧。”
7所以,他在你们信的人就为宝贵;在那不信的人有话说:“匠人所弃的石头,已做了房角的头块石头”,
8又说:“做了绊脚的石头、跌人的磐石。” 他们既不顺从,就在道理上绊跌;他们这样绊跌也是预定的。
9唯有你们是被拣选的族类,是有君尊的祭司,是圣洁的国度,是属神的子民,要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗、入奇妙光明者的美德。
10你们从前算不得子民,现在却做了神的子民;从前未曾蒙怜恤,现在却蒙了怜恤。
Jesus Builds Us A Home
“Like living stones, [you] are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5
Jesus came as the Savior to bring us into God’s family, providing us a home with God.
As Peter describes it, Jesus is also the cornerstone of our faith: “The one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (See also Psalm 25:3; Isaiah 28:16.) And “like living stones,” we “are being built into a spiritual house” to serve God with “spiritual sacrifices.”
Another way to say this is pictured in Ephesians 4:12-13: we are called to “works of service, so that the body of Christ [the church] may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God.”
All of this imagery reflects the fact that, through Jesus, God has brought redemption for all who believe him, making them his family, his chosen people. Again, as Peter writes, “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
We become royalty when we are adopted into the family of God. We are built together on the firm foundation of Christ with the love of God through the Holy Spirit. No storm can shake this house. This “dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” will stand forever (Ephesians 2:22).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you are our firm foundation. Hold us together in your holy church. Build us into a dwelling that is worthy of your name. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳