Remaining in Jesus 在耶稣里
Dexu Xia
I will build my church. Matthew 16:18
A fire burned Balsora Baptist Church to the ground. As emergency workers and community members gathered after the blaze subsided, they were surprised to see a charred cross standing upright amidst the smoke and ashes in the air. A firefighter commented that the fire “took the structure, but not the cross. [This is a reminder] that the building was just that, a building. The church is the congregation.”
The church is not a building, but a community united by the cross of Christ—the One who died, was buried, and rose again. When Jesus lived on earth, He told Peter He’d build His worldwide church, and nothing would destroy it (Matthew 16:18). Jesus would gather believers from all over the globe into a group that would continue throughout time. This community would face intense difficulty, but they’d ultimately endure. God would dwell within them and sustain them (Ephesians 2:22).
When we struggle to establish local churches only to have them stagnate and sputter, when buildings are destroyed, or when we’re concerned about believers struggling in other parts of the world, we can remember that Jesus is alive, actively enabling God’s people to persevere. We’re part of the church He’s building today. He’s with us and for us. His cross remains.
In what ways might you support fellow believers? How does sharing the good news relate to God’s plan for the church?
Dear God, please strengthen Your people everywhere. Fill them with wisdom, protect them, and help them stay faithful to You.
我要把我的教会建造在这磐石上。—马太福音16章18节
美国德州郊区的巴尔索拉浸信会（Balsora Baptist Church）遭大火烧毁。火势平息后，紧急救援人员与社区居民聚在一起，赫然发现一个十字架矗立在烟雾和灰烬中，十字架虽被烧得焦黑，却依然屹立不倒。一名消防员评论道：“大火烧毁了建筑物，但没有烧毁十字架。这提醒我们，建筑物只是建筑物，而教会则是聚集的会众。” 教会不是一栋建筑物，而是一个藉着基督在十字架受死、埋葬，然后复活，而联合在一起的群体。耶稣在世上时曾告诉彼得，祂要建立普世性的教会，并且没有任何事物能摧毁这教会（马太福音16章18节）。耶稣会聚集来自世界各地的基督徒成为一个群体，并且世世代代、绵延不绝。他们会面临极大的困难，但他们终将坚持下去。上帝会藉着圣灵住在他们里面，并且扶持他们（以弗所书2章22节）。当我们对地方教会感到失望时，比如说，发现努力建立的教会停滞不前、死气沉沉，或是看到教堂被毁损，或是担心在世界其他地方陷入困境的信徒，我们应当谨记耶稣仍然活着，并且祂会随时帮助上帝的子民坚忍到底。时至今日，耶稣还在建造教会，而你我就是其中的一分子。祂与我们同在并帮助我们，祂的十字架永远长存。 作者： 史珍妮
你可以用什么方式去支持主内弟兄姐妹？
分享福音的好消息与上帝对教会的计划有何关联？
上帝，请祢加添力量给祢在各地的子民，让他们充满智慧，保护他们，帮助他们持守对祢的忠心。