The Treasure Christ Offers 基督赐予的珍宝

[Dexu Xia]

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 1 John 5:11

Today's Scripture  1 John 5:6-13

Today's Insights

John says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). This echoes the purpose of his gospel: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). Faith in Christ not only saves us from judgment but gives us abundant and eternal life. John uses the word life more than forty times in his gospel, most dramatically in the shepherd parable: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (10:10-11). Jesus gave up His life to make eternal life possible for us.

Today's Devotional 

Michael Sparks walked into a thrift store and bought a souvenir copy of the US Declaration of Independence for $2.48. Later, as he looked closely at his parchment copy, he felt there was something unusual about it. So he had it assessed by experts, who told him it was one of now thirty-six remaining copies of two hundred commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1820. Sparks then sold his rare copy of the Declaration for $477,650!

While the acquisition of this treasure for such a small price is astounding, there’s a treasure that’s infinitely better. As a child, I found out about a priceless, matchless, and eternal treasure that didn’t cost me a cent. But I didn’t find it at a thrift store.

My parents revealed to me that a man named Jesus had purchased this gift by giving His life on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins. They then told me this gift was called salvation. It promised the treasure of an abundant “life . . . to the full” on earth (John 10:10) and an “eternal life . . . in [God’s] Son” with Jesus (1 John 5:11). I accepted that gift by faith.

It's amazing to find an earthly treasure at low cost, but that can’t compare with the eternal treasure Christ offers at no cost. This treasure offered to each person is received as we “believe in the name of the Son of God”—Jesus (v. 13).

Reflect & Pray

What does it mean for you to trust Jesus as your Savior? How can you tell others about this great treasure?

Thank You, Jesus, for paying the price for my salvation. It’s a treasure I could never purchase on my own.

By Dae Branon

“神赐给我们永生，这永生也是在他儿子里面。”（约翰一书 5章11节）

今日经文： 约翰一书 5:6-13

今日心得： 约翰说：“我将这些话写给你们信奉神儿子之名的人，要叫你们知道自己有永生”（约翰一书5:13）。这与他写福音书的目的相呼应：“耶稣在门徒面前另外行了许多神迹，没有记在这书上。但记这些事，要叫你们信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，并且叫你们信了他，就可以因他的名得生命”（约翰福音20:30-31）。对基督的信心不仅能拯救我们免于审判，还能赐予我们丰盛永生。约翰在他的福音书中使用了“生命”一词四十多次，其中最引人注目的是牧羊人的比喻：“我来了，是要叫羊得生命，并且得的更丰盛。我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命”（约翰福音10:10-11）。耶稣舍弃了自己的生命，使我们得以获得永生。

今日灵修：

迈克尔·斯帕克斯走进一家旧货店，花2.48美元买了一份美国《独立宣言》的纪念版。后来，当他仔细端详这份羊皮纸版时，他觉得它有些特别。于是他请专家鉴定，专家告诉他，这是约翰·昆西·亚当斯于1820年委托制作的两百份《独立宣言》中仅存的三十六份之一。斯帕克斯随后以477,650美元的价格卖掉了这份珍稀的《独立宣言》副本！

  虽然以如此低廉的价格获得这份珍宝令人惊叹，但还有一件比它更珍贵的珍宝。小时候，我发现了一份无价之宝，它永恒不朽，我一分钱都没花。但我并没有在旧货店找到它。 我的父母告诉我，一个名叫耶稣的人，为了我的罪，在十字架上献出生命，换来了这份礼物。他们告诉我，这份礼物叫做救恩。它应许了丰盛的宝藏，就是在地上“丰盛的生命”（约翰福音 10:10），以及与耶稣同在的“永生”（约翰一书 5:11）。我凭着信心接受了这份礼物。

  以低廉的价格找到地上的宝藏固然令人惊叹，但这无法与基督免费提供的永恒宝藏相比。这份赐予每个人的宝藏，都是在我们“信奉神儿子的名”，耶稣（13节）时获得的。

反思与祷告 信靠耶稣为你的救主对你来说意味着什么？你该如何将这份伟大的宝藏告诉别人？ 耶稣，谢谢你为我的救恩付出了代价。这是我无法凭一己之力买到的宝藏。

作者：Dae Branon