Being the Church 成为教会
Dexu Xia
The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47
Today's Scripture. Acts 2:47
Today's Insights
Acts 2 offers a glimpse of early faith communities after the Spirit was poured out at Pentecost (vv. 1-13). In response to hearing that forgiveness, salvation, and the “gift of the Holy Spirit” (v. 38) were possible because of Jesus’ resurrection as “Lord and Messiah” (v. 36), “about three thousand” people became believers in Christ (v. 41). These new believers’ faith was deepened through “[devoting] themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (v. 42) and giving “to anyone who had need” (v. 45). God’s Spirit draws people into faith and deepens it through fellowship and service in community.
Today's Devotional
On a sunny afternoon, I drew with sidewalk chalk with the Sudanese family next door. We could hear singing coming from the house next to theirs, where a small group holds worship services. The young mom I was talking with was curious about what was going on, so she and I walked over and listened in. They invited us to gather with them. A young man, standing in a tank filled with water for baptism, spoke about receiving forgiveness for his sins and committing himself to follow Jesus.
This was a unique opportunity for us to hear a testimony of salvation in the yard right next door. This group was being the church in our neighborhood.
Jesus is building His church around the world. In the days before His ascension, He told His followers that He would send the Spirit to live in them and that they would be His witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He would build His church through their Spirit-empowered preaching and teaching. And immediately God began to add “to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47).
We can be a part of building Christ’s church by being His church as we live out our faith in our neighborhoods and share with others what He’s done for us. He gave His life and was resurrected so that we might be forgiven and have eternal life. And He’ll help us learn how to serve others in His church today.
Reflect & Pray In what ways might God be using you to build Jesus’ church? What more might you do?
Dear Jesus, thank You that You’re adding people to Your church daily.
By Anne Cetas
“主将得救的人天天加给他们。”（使徒行传 2:47）
今日经文：使徒行传 2章36-47 节
今日洞见：使徒行传第二章展现了五旬节圣灵降临后早期信徒群体的景象（1-13节）。他们听到因耶稣死而复活，“上帝已经立祂为主为基督了”（36节），所以，我们的罪可以得到赦免、罪人能得蒙救恩、领受“圣灵的恩赐”（38节），于是“约有三千人”信了基督（41节）。这些新信徒的信心，因着“恒心遵守使徒的教训、彼此交接、擘饼、祈祷（42节），分给各人需用”（45节）而不断加深。神的灵引领人进入信仰，并通过团契和服事来加深他们的信心。
今日灵修：在一个阳光明媚的午后，我和隔壁的苏丹家庭一起用粉笔在人行道上画画。我们能听到隔壁房子里传来歌声，那里有一个小组正在举行敬拜聚会。我和一位年轻的妈妈聊天，她很好奇发生了什么事，于是我们走过去听。他们邀请我们一起参加。一位年轻人站在一个装满水的洗礼池里，讲述了他罪得赦免以及立志跟随耶稣的经历。这是一个难得的机会，让我们在隔壁院子里就能听到蒙恩得救的见证。这个小组就是我们社区的教会。
耶稣正在世界各地建立他的教会。在升天之前，耶稣告诉他的门徒，他会差遣圣灵住在他们里面，他们要作他的见证，“直到地极”（使徒行传 1:8）。藉着门徒被圣灵充满后的讲道和教导，耶稣要建立他的教会。于是，上帝就“天天把得救的人加给他们”（使徒行传 2:47）。
我们可以通过在社区中活出我们对基督的信仰，并且与他人分享基督耶稣为我们做的一切，使我们成为祂教会的一员，从而参与建造基督的教会。基督为我们舍命，然后复活，使我们罪得赦免，得享永生。祂也会帮助我们学习如何在今天的教会中服侍他人。
反思与祷告：神可能以哪些方式使用你来建造耶稣的教会？你还可以做些什么？
亲爱的耶稣，感谢你每天都在将人加添到你的教会中。 作者：安妮·塞塔斯