“彼得被两条铁链锁着，睡在两个兵丁当中。看守的人也在门外看守。” – 徒 12:6
有时我们从梦中醒来，庆幸那只不过是一场梦。而有时我们醒来却希望那梦是真的。
彼得被囚禁在监牢里，他被来救他的天使拍醒，“不知道天使所做是真的，只当见了异象。”后来他意识到原来这是一个神迹，而他已离开了监牢。
使徒行传讲述初代教会为传讲和教导有关耶稣而受到的苦难。希律王已处决了耶稣的一个门徒雅各；见到这样做能讨悦犹太人，希律王便捉拿了门徒的首领彼得，准备公开审判他（使徒行传 12:1-4）。然而我们从彼得戏剧性的逃脱，可见神是另有计划的。
这个令人惊讶的环节教导我们几件重要的事，例如我们可以见到祷告的能力。在彼得被捕后，耶路撒泠的教会迫切地为他祷告，神听见并答允衪子民的祷告。我们也看见初代教会虽然面对逼迫，他们仍然充满热诚和委身去继续传讲耶稣的福音。藉着分享耶稣的爱，他们改变了世界，而我们也同样可以藉着分享耶稣的爱去改变世界的。
祷告
主耶稣，你为我们受苦，求你帮助我们欣然接受跟随你和向我们这世代分享你的故事要付的代价。阿们。
使徒行传 12:5-10
5于是彼得被囚在监里，教会却为他切切地祷告神。
6希律将要提他出来的前一夜，彼得被两条铁链锁着，睡在两个兵丁当中，看守的人也在门外看守。
7忽然，有主的一个使者站在旁边，屋里有光照耀。天使拍彼得的肋旁，拍醒了他，说：“快快起来！”那铁链就从他手上脱落下来。
8天使对他说：“束上带子，穿上鞋！”他就那样做。天使又说：“披上外衣，跟着我来！”
9彼得就出来跟着他，不知道天使所做是真的，只当见了异象。
10过了第一层、第二层监牢，就来到临街的铁门，那门自己开了。他们出来，走过一条街，天使便离开他去了。
Asleep In A Cell
“Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance.” – Acts 12:6
Sometimes we awake from a dream feeling relieved that it was only a dream. Other times we awake and wish the dream were real.
After being locked up in prison, Peter awoke when an angel came to free him, “but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.” Later he realized that a miracle had taken place and he was no longer in prison.
The book of Acts shows us what the early church suffered for preaching and teaching about Jesus. King Herod had executed James, one of Jesus’ disciples. Seeing that his actions pleased the Jews, Herod arrested Peter, the disciples’ leader, intending to try him in public (Acts 12:1-4). But God had other plans, as we see in Peter’s dramatic escape.
This surprising episode teaches us some important things. For example, we see the power of prayer. After Peter’s arrest, the church in Jerusalem prayed earnestly for him. God hears and answers the prayers of his people. We also see the passion and commitment of the early church to keep proclaiming the good news of Jesus, despite persecution. Their sharing of the love of Jesus changed the world, and our sharing of Jesus’ love can do that too.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you suffered for us. Help us to embrace the cost of following you and sharing your story with our world. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
