25 Mar 2017, Acts 13:44-52 使徒行传 13:44-52, The Hostility toward the Gospel 对福音的敌意

Posted on Mar 12, 2017 in Acts, Devotions |

Scripture Reading        : Acts 13:44-52

Theme                            : The Hostility toward the Gospel

 

  1. Receiving the message. Many people gathered to hear Paul preach, but just like the Parable of the Sower, the same message was heard but there were different responses. It is important to note that v48 clearly indicates that God is sovereign in the salvation of sinners; only those whom God has “appointed to eternal life believed.” Those who received the message responded in joy and glorified the Word of God, a mark of true salvation.
  1. Rejecting the message. Many Jews who heard the same message rejected the Gospel. Whenever Paul entered a city, he would always enter the synagogue to preach the Gospel to the Jews first. As the Jews constantly rejected the Gospel, Paul declared that they would be “turning to the Gentiles”. From this point onwards, Paul focused on preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles.
  1. Rejecting the messengers. Even when the Jews heard that the message that was first proclaimed to them would now be proclaimed to the Gentiles, they did not repent. Not only did they reject the message, they also rejected the messengers and “stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas”.

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. If we are truly those who are “appointed to eternal life”, we would receive the Word of God gladly and respond in joy and thanksgiving. Pray that we will have the marks of a true believer, especially in rejoicing and thanksgiving to God.
  1. Pray that we will not hear the Word of God (e.g. on Sundays) and reject it.
  1. Rejecting God’s messengers is the same as rejecting God, since the messengers represent Him. In our context, God’s messengers are the pastors and elders of the local church who teach us the Word of God. Pray that we will not reject the messengers of God, and that we will submit to our leaders (Hebrews 13:17).
 
 
 

经文：使徒行传13:44-52

主题：对福音的敌意

 

  1. 接受福音。聚集来听保罗传道的人不少，但如撒种的比喻所言，人能对同样的信息有不同的回应。且留意48节清楚指出“预定得永生的人都信”，其缘故是神。凡领受这道的人都甚欢喜，并荣耀神之道——这是真实得救的标志。
  1. 拒绝福音。许多听到同样信息的犹太人拒绝了福音。每当保罗到一个新城市，他总会先到会堂向犹太人传福音。由于犹太人持续拒绝福音，保罗宣告他们将“转向外邦人去”。此刻起，保罗专注于向外邦人传福音。
  1. 拒绝门徒。即便犹太人听到首先向他们传的福音即将被传给外邦人，他们仍不悔改。他们不但拒绝福音，还拒绝了福音的使者，并“逼迫保罗、巴拿巴”。
 

用经文祷告

  1. 我们若真是被“预定得永生的人”，我们会欢欢欣欣地领受神之道，并以喜乐与感恩之心回应。祈求我们能有属实信徒的标志，尤其能在主里欢喜，向神谢恩。
  1. 祈求我们不会听到神的道后（如周日）拒绝它。
  1. 拒绝神的使者犹如拒绝神一样，因为使者们代表的是神。今日，神的使者是在地方教会教导我们神之道的众牧师和长老。祈求我们不会拒绝神的使者，并会顺服我们的领袖（来13:17）。