QT 27/05/2024 Monday Acts 17. Be encouraged, some will believe. 鼓励自己，有些人会相信的。
QT 27/05/2024 Monday Acts 17. Be encouraged, some will believe. 鼓励自己，有些人会相信的。
READ & LISTEN here
https://www.esv.org/Acts+17/
LISTEN TO Acts 17
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Acts.17
God's plan for Paul in Acts 9:15-16 was that he was God's instrument to carry His name "before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). It involved suffering for Jesus' name (Acts 9:16).
This combination of "Privilege" + "Success" + "Objection" + "Suffering" became the "expected" way of Paul's missionary efforts in past few chapters.
In Acts 17, the initial success at Thessalonica (Acts 17:4) was met with JEALOUSY from the Jews (Acts 17:5), who wanted to turn order into chaos (Acts 17:5-8).
TO THE PREACHERS of the Gospel: Acts 17 reminds them to take comfort that Paul (and even Jesus before him) faced similar cynical oppositions from those who should have been the premier candidates to support the gospel of Jesus.
TO THE CHAOS CREATOR: Acts 17 becomes a mirror. Does my presence enhance ORDER in the church so that hearers can believe and join the task of proclaiming "salvation to the ends of the earth", or otherwise (Acts 17:13)?
At Athens, Paul preached to the intellects of the day (Acts 17:16-32), using the bridge of "the unknown God" (Acts 17:23) to contextualise the gospel.
APPLICATION (1): We can use the culture of the hearers in a creative way to bridge from the gospel to the hearers within any culture. Learn from one another and pray to God for us to obey the Holy Spirit's guidance.
APPLICATION (2): Participation in preaching the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth require perseverance. You may be "mocked" (Acts 17:32). Be prepared! But some would still believe (Acts 17:34). Give thanks for being instruments of God's salvation.
星期一2024年5月27日 今日读经：使徒行传17章。
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Act/17/
听音频使徒行传17章
https://www.bible.com/bible/41/act.17.cnvs
神在使徒行传9:15-16给予保罗的计划，是要他成为神的器皿，把祂的名传给“外族人、君王和以色列人”(徒9:15)。这也包括了为耶稣的名受苦(徒9:16)。
“特权”+“成就”+“反对”+“受苦”这样的结合已成为最后几章里保罗的宣教工作所“预期”的事情。
在使徒行传17章里，他们在帖撒罗尼迦取得了成绩(徒17:4)，却遭到犹太人的嫉妒(徒17:5),他们纠合成群，扰乱天下(徒17:5-8)。
对于福音的传道人:使徒行传17章提醒并安慰他们，保罗(甚至是在保罗之前的耶稣)也面对相同的对抗，而这些人原本应该是支持耶稣的福音的首要人选。
对于那些制造骚乱的人：使徒行传17章就成了一面镜子。我的存在是否有助于加强教会的秩序，以致听道者能够相信而加入这“宣告救恩直到世界的地极”的行列(徒17:13)?
在雅典，保罗当时的知识分子传道(徒17:16-32)，用“不认识的神”作为桥梁(徒17:23)把福音连贯起来。
应用(1): 我们可以利用听者的文化很有创意地把福音和他们的文化连贯起来。互相学习并祈求神帮助我们顺服圣灵的引导。
应用(2):参与传福音的工作，从耶路撒冷传到世界的地极，需要持之以恒。你或许会遭到“讥笑”(徒17:32)--做好心理准备！但有一些仍会相信(徒17:34)- 为能够成为神救恩的器皿而感恩。
