經文: 「他們唱新歌,說:祢配拿書卷,配揭開七印;因為祢曾被殺,用自己的血從各族、各方、各民、各國中買了人來,叫他們歸於上帝。」— (聖經·啟示錄 5章9節)
羔羊之歌告訴我們,被贖之人要從各族各方被選出來。聖經已被譯成多國文字,還有更多的新約或重要書卷已譯成他國文字,這顯示為了要讓福音廣傳,讓更多人認識耶穌,宣教的工作是何等艱辛困苦!
我們且來思想全地的宣教工作,耶穌來到世界不僅單為我們的罪而已,祂是為全人類的罪被釘十字架,祂願萬人得救,不願一人沉淪。祂做完祂的部份,其餘領人歸主的部份,祂就交給基督徒去完成。教導人明白救恩,引領人歸向耶穌的工作,其重要性及神聖性,不亞於耶穌被釘十字架這部份。
在羔羊之歌中,我們發現兩項真理-
寶座上的羔羊已把救恩帶給全地的各族各民;同時祂也交付被贖的子民工作,就是藉著聖靈要將福音傳遍到地極。喔!宣教的工作是何等榮耀!那傳福音的腳蹤又是何等佳美!
這道理只有在我們看到真實景象時,我們才明白,羔羊寶座前有數不清的各國各族之民,穿著白袍,手拿棕樹枝,在寶座前唱新歌:救恩歸於坐寶座的羔羊!
願聖靈將宣教工作的神聖與重要性,深刻又清晰地印在我們心版上,正如耶穌無怨無悔地為世人死在十字架上,我們蒙拯救的人,亦當毫無保留地將自己當作活祭獻上,殷勤尋找失喪的靈魂,引領他們加入羔羊寶座前的歌唱行列!
—《 神 的 心 意 》
(每日靈修 12月12日)
作者:慕安德烈
編輯:榮華興
(圖片版權屬「耶穌超乎萬名之名-JESUS Name of All Name」所有,在此僅供分享福音用途。)
『The Lamb and Missionary Work』
Scripture: “And they sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,” — (Revelation 5:9)
The Song of the Lamb tells us that the redeemed shall come from all the different tribes and nations of the whole earth. The many languages into which the Bible has been translated, and the still greater number into which the New Testament or portions of the Bible have been translated, gives us some idea of how strenuous work by missionaries in many lands is making known Christ and His Gospel.
Think for a little while of the extent of blessed work done by missionaries all over the earth! Christ came as a propitiation, not for our sins alone, but for the sins of the whole world, and to complete the great work of the redemption of mankind. When He had accomplished His share of the work, He entrusted the rest of the work to His people, trusting them to take the message of redemption to all parts of the world. As holy and divine as was Christ’s part, as an indispensable beginning, so equally holy is the second part of the work-to bring souls everywhere to know of and accept this great salvation.
In the Song of the Lamb we find this twofold truth-the Lamb upon the Throne has brought salvation to all the nations and tribes of the earth and to the Church of the Lamb has been entrusted the distribution of the salvation by the power of the Holy Spirit. Unspeakably glorious is the task of the Missionary!
We shall only be able to understand this aright when we have seen the great multitude which no man can number, out of every nation, and of all tribes and peoples, and tongues, standing before the Throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, with palms in their hands; and they cry, saying: “Salvation unto our God which sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb.”
May the Holy Spirit imprint deeply in our hearts the wonder of missionary work! Just as the Lamb of God gave Himself to die, that He might send the glad tidings to all, let us so offer ourselves wholly and without reserve to live and to die that souls may be led to join in the Song of the Lamb before the Throne of God.
— God’s Best Secrets by Andrew Murray
「 12 December 」