The Jesus Story 耶稣的故事
Dexu Xia
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it. 1 John 1:2
Many scholars believe that the apostle John, the author of the gospel of John, also wrote the three letters that bear his name. He wrote 1 John to refute false teachers who taught that Jesus is neither God nor human and points to His incarnation to show His humanity: “[Jesus] was with the Father and has appeared to us” (1:2). John had personally heard, seen, and touched the man Jesus (vv. 1-3), demonstrating that Christ is a real human person. To prove that Jesus is the preexistent creator God, John begins his letter with the words “that which was from the beginning” (v. 1), echoing Genesis 1:1 (“in the beginning God”) and John 1:1 (“in the beginning was the Word”). Jesus is “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1), who “spoke” life into every living thing (Genesis 1; John 1:1-2). He’s “the eternal life, which was with the Father” and He’s “[God’s] Son, Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:2-3), the promised Messiah.
Today's Devotional
Most people have never heard of Kate Hankey, but she was a remarkable woman. A teacher, evangelist, school organizer, missionary, and poet, she faithfully served Jesus in 1800s England. In 1867, Kate contracted a serious illness. During her recovery, she penned a lengthy poem in two parts: “The Story Wanted” and “The Story Told.” The poem expresses in a very personal way her relationship with Jesus and the events of His life.
All Scripture points to Jesus and tells His story. John begins his epistle reminding readers how they had personally experienced Jesus: “That which . . . we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim” (1 John 1:1). Because of our experience of Him, the apostle writes, we’re telling the Jesus story: “The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it” (v. 2). Later, John makes the fascinating comment, “The word of God lives in you” (2:14). In other words, the Jesus story is our story too. We’re called to tell the story of Christ in light of our own experience with Him.
This is what Kate Hankey did in her poem. Eventually, the two parts of her poem became these beloved hymns: “I Love to Tell the Story” and “Tell Me the Old, Old Story.” Perhaps we might, like Kate, find our own words and share our Jesus story with others—the unique way in which He loved us, came to us, and rescued us.
Reflect & Pray What is your story with Jesus? How did He come to you and rescue you?
Dear Jesus, thank You for rescuing me and doing Your loving work in my life
这生命已经显现出来；我们已看见过，现在又作见证。（约翰一书 1:2 ）
许多学者认为，使徒约翰，即约翰福音的作者，也写了以他的名字命名的三封信。他写约翰一书，是为了驳斥那些假教师，他们教导人说，耶稣既不是神也不是人。约翰指出，成为肉身的耶稣有完全的人性，同时，“向我们显现的耶稣与父神同在，”（1:2）。约翰亲自听过、见过和触摸过耶稣这个人（第 1-3 节），表明基督是一个真实的人。
为了证明耶稣是太初就存在的造物主上帝，约翰以“论到从太初原有的生命之道”（第 1 节）这句话作为信的开头，呼应了创世记 1:1（“太初有神”）和约翰福音 1:1（“太初有道”）。耶稣是“生命之道”（约翰一书 1:1），他一“说”话，生命就进入每个生物（创世记 1；约翰福音 1:1-2）。他是“与父同在的永远的生命”，他是“[上帝的]儿子耶稣基督”（约翰一书 1:2-3），就是上帝应许赐给人类的弥赛亚。
今天的灵修
大多数人从未听说过凯特·汉基，但她是一位了不起的女性。作为一名教师、福音传道者、学校组织者、传教士和诗人，她在 19 世纪的英国忠实地侍奉耶稣。1867 年，凯特患上了严重的疾病。在康复期间，她写了一首长诗，分为两部分：“想要的故事”和“讲述的故事”。这首诗以非常个人的方式表达了她与耶稣的关系以及耶稣一生的事件。
圣经所有的经文都指向耶稣，并讲述他的故事。约翰在他的书信开头提醒读者他们是如何亲身经历耶稣的：“我们传扬的是......我们亲眼看过，亲手摸过的”（约翰一书 1:1）。使徒写道，因为我们经历过他，所以我们在讲述耶稣的故事：“这生命显现出来，我们看见过，现在又为祂作见证”（第 2 节）。
后来，约翰发表了引人入胜的评论：“神的道常存在你们心里”（2:14）。换句话说，耶稣的故事也是我们的故事。我们被呼召出来，是要我们根据所经历到的耶稣，来讲述基督的故事。
这就是凯特·汉基在她的诗中所做的。最终，她诗中的两个部分变成了这些深受基督徒喜爱的诗歌：“我喜欢讲故事”和“告诉我那古老的故事”。
也许我们可以像凯特一样，用自己的语言，与他人分享我们个人的耶稣故事，就是他爱我们、来到我们身边，并以独特的方式拯救我们。