1 Corinthians 1:4-9
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Corinthian church was an extremely gifted and yet troubled house of God. Divisions and abuse needed correcting and some even brashly questioned Paul’s authority. Yet, we see here something very special and too often overlooked - Paul is brought to his knees to give thanks to my God for you. Some of us thank God regularly but do we thank the Lord often for our brothers and sisters in church? How about those who bring you so much headache and heartache? Not only pray for them but do you thank God for His grace and gifts given to them in Christ?
As we study Paul we see that he is so motivated and captivated by the reality that God is moving among the Gentiles and the kingdom of Jesus is reviving, uniting, and transforming once enemies into now family. God has fulfilled his old promises to come through Israel to save the world in Christ Jesus. He is the one who in such amazing grace has called, made guiltless, and sustained the Corinthians while bringing them into fellowship with the Son.
Paul is thankful for God making His church! Even though the unity of the church had broken down Paul thanks God for His faithfulness to unite His people. Even though they are far from perfect yet, Paul is able to thank God for his Corinthian brothers and sisters because the Lord has been so good in saving and sanctifying them.
This week take time to look outside yourself and stop, see, and then warmly thank the Lord Jesus for the grace that was given to your brothers and sisters. Thank Christ for giving you a redeemed family! Go one step further and encourage a small group member by assuring them that God, who began a work of grace in them, can be trusted to complete it. Then tell at least one brother or sister a specific thank you for all they do and are in Christ’s body.
第14天
林前 1:4-9
4 我常為你們感謝我的 神，因 神在基督耶穌裡所賜給你們的恩惠；
5 又因你們在他裡面凡事富足，口才、知識都全備，
6 正如我為基督作的見證，在你們心裡得以堅固，
7 以致你們在恩賜上沒有一樣不及人的，等候我們的主耶穌基督顯現。
8 他也必堅固你們到底，叫你們在我們主耶穌基督的日子無可責備。
9 神是信實的，你們原是被他所召，好與他兒子，我們的主耶穌基督，一同得分。
哥林多教會是一個既極有恩賜又有很多麻煩的教會。教會裡不僅有結黨紛爭，甚至連保羅的權威也被無理地質疑，這些是都需要被糾正的。但是在這裡我們卻看到了一件很特別卻又很容易被我們忽視的事情 －保羅為著哥林多教會常常跪著感謝 神。我們中有些人會常常地感謝 神，但是我們有沒有過為教會的弟兄姊妹們而感謝 神呢？更甚的，我們會不會為那些使我們頭痛或心痛的弟兄姊妹們感謝 神呢？除了為他們禱告，我們有沒有因為 神賜給他們的恩惠以及在基督裡的各樣恩賜而感謝 神呢？
當我們更多地瞭解保羅，我們就會發現他被 神深深地激勵和吸引，因為保羅知道 神是在外邦人中作工的 神，同時他也知道耶穌的國度是復興的、合一的，也是改變人心的國度。神曾許諾要藉著以色列並在耶穌基督裡拯救整個世界，祂履行了自己的諾言。正是這位 神在奇異的恩惠中呼召了哥林多教會，祂赦免了哥林多教會的罪、保守了他們，並把他們帶入了愛子的國度。
保羅感謝 神建造祂的教會。即使哥林多教會的合一已經被破壞，保羅還是因著 神使祂的百姓合一而感謝祂；即使是哥林多教會還遠不夠完美，保羅還是為著他在哥林多的弟兄姊妹們感謝 神，因為 神拯救了他們，並且使他們成聖。
在下來這一週裡，請你留意看看你周圍的事，然後請為著主耶穌賜給你的弟兄姊妹們的恩惠而感謝祂。感謝基督賜給你一個得蒙救贖的家庭。同時，請再往前邁一步：請主動去鼓勵你小組中的某位成員，告訴他們，那在他們裡面動了善工的 神是可信的，而且 神也必坚固到底。也請你去向至少一位弟兄或姊妹表示感謝，為著他們和你同為耶穌的肢體，也為著他們所做的一切事。
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