2018-10-20


成為你鄰居的基督Being Christ to Your Neighbor

[每日靈修10/18/2018, 駱鴻銘編譯

使徒行傳記載了一個奇怪的現象:「從這日起,耶路撒冷的教會大遭逼迫,除了使徒以外,門徒都分散在猶太和撒瑪利亞各處。....... 那些分散的人往各處去傳(這)道。」(徒八14)。

很明顯,除了使徒領袖之外,所有的信徒都分散到各處。四散的人(整個教會)都在傳講福音真道。

基督徒必須參與教會的事工,每個基督徒都必須努力「成為他鄰舍的基督」。成為你鄰舍的基督,不是要你作鄰舍的主和救主,而是成為你鄰舍的基督的代表。我們要對我們周圍所有的人描繪耶穌的憐憫和事奉。

我們不必成為這樣的志願者:被罪咎所操控或尋找得救的功德。基督已經承擔了我們的罪咎,並提供了我們所需的一切功德。我們需要志願者,因為在祂最小的兄弟中,耶穌是飢餓的,耶穌是口渴的,耶穌是無家可歸的,耶穌是生病的,耶穌是被囚禁的。我們需要的志願者是會在最小弟兄們的苦難中愛耶穌的那種志願者。

活在神的面光中(在神面前禱告):
耶穌會以什麼方式成為你的鄰舍?你為那些飢餓的、口渴的、無家可歸的或被囚禁的人做了什麼?

進一步研讀:
太廿五3540 因為我餓了,你們給我吃,渴了,你們給我喝;我作客旅,你們留我住; 我赤身露體,你們給我穿;我病了、你們看顧我;我在監裡,你們來看我。』義人就回答說:『主啊,我們什麼時候見你餓了,給你吃,渴了,給你喝? 什麼時候見你作客旅,留你住,或是赤身露體,給你穿?又什麼時候見你病了,或是在監裡,來看你呢?』 王要回答說:『我實在告訴你們,這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是做在我身上了。』

Being Christ to Your Neighbor

The book of Acts records a curious phenomenon: “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria… . Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (8:1, 4, NIV).

It is clear that all of the believers, save the apostolic leaders, were scattered. Those who were scattered (the whole church) went about preaching the Word.

Christians must participate in the ministry of the church, and every Christian must endeavor “to be Christ to his neighbor.” To be Christ to your neighbor is not to be your neighbor’s lord and savior. Rather, it is to be Christ’s representative to your neighbor. We are to represent the mercy and ministry of Jesus to all who are around us.

We do not need volunteers driven by guilty manipulation or looking for merits to be redeemed. Christ has taken our guilt and supplied all the merit we need. We need volunteers because in the least of His brothers, Jesus is hungry, Jesus is thirsty, Jesus is homeless, Jesus is sick, and Jesus is imprisoned. We need volunteers who love Jesus in the afflictions of His least brethren.

Coram Deo
In what ways can you be Jesus to your neighbor? What are you doing for the hungry, thirsty, homeless, or imprisoned?

Passages for Further Study
Matthew 25:35–40