11:19 那些因司提反的事遭患難四散的門徒直走到腓尼基和塞浦路斯,並安提阿;他們不向別人講道,只向猶太人講。
11:20 但內中有塞浦路斯和古利奈人,他們到了安提阿也向希臘人傳講主耶穌(有古卷:也向說希臘話的猶太人傳講主耶穌)。
11:21 主與他們同在,信而歸主的人就很多了。
11:22 這風聲傳到耶路撒冷教會人的耳中,他們就打發巴拿巴出去,走到安提阿為止。
11:23 他到了那裡,看見上帝所賜的恩就歡喜,勸勉眾人,立定心志,恆久靠主。
11:24 這巴拿巴原是個好人,被聖靈充滿,大有信心。於是有許多人歸服了主。
11:25 他又往大數去找掃羅,
11:26 找著了,就帶他到安提阿去。他們足有一年的工夫和教會一同聚集,教訓了許多人。門徒稱為「基督徒」是從安提阿起首。
11:27 當那些日子,有幾位先知從耶路撒冷下到安提阿。
11:28 內中有一位,名叫亞迦布,站起來,藉著聖靈指明天下將有大饑荒。(這事到克勞第年間果然有了。)
11:29 於是門徒定意照各人的力量捐錢,送去供給住在猶太的弟兄。
11:30 他們就這樣行,把捐項託巴拿巴和掃羅送到眾長老那裡。
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.
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因為受迫害的緣故,教會不只在耶路撒冷,教會也在安提阿被建立,這更是教會在宣教上的進展!而教會在安提阿被建立,更是「上帝的宣教」的展現!因為教會可以在各個城市被建立,這也是為將來保羅的宣教(佈道)旅行埋下伏筆,因為教會可以在各地方建立,雖然如此教會還是一個!
透過教會在安提阿建立,給我們開始了「教會論」的想法,教會是一群被上帝呼召的人,這一群人(門徒)被稱為「基督徒」是從安提阿起首。他們雖在安提阿,在聖靈的引導下,於饑荒尚未發生時,定意照各人的力量捐錢,送去供給住在猶太的弟兄。他們就這樣行,把捐項託巴拿巴和掃羅送到眾長老那裡。
可見在安提阿的門徒不是和耶路撒冷的弟兄姊妹決裂的,是在基督裡合一的,這是真正的教會的表現。這樣的表現不像一些自稱是教會的,只說自己是教會,別的宗派都是假的,要別人出來參加他們的教會!
讓我們記得:教會只有一個,但是各地都可以建立。同樣宗派既是歷史的產物,但是教會仍然是合一的,我們都是「一主,一信,一洗,一上帝,就是眾人的父,超乎眾人之上,貫乎眾人之中,也住在眾人之內。」(以弗所書4:5-6)
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