The Coronavirus and Our China Outreach

February 3, 2020


 

This map shows the current spread of the Coronavirus that originated in China. Each day several thousand more cases are reported and the death toll is slowly rising. I mention this to ask you to pray for our outreach to China. Yesterday I received an email from one of the leaders of our China Outreach Team. Here’s a portion of what she wrote to me:

The fast-spreading corona virus not only affects people’s life and death physically, but also upends their overall life direction for those who do survive it health-wise. I hear of car dealers who lost a fortune in one month, and face the possibility of going under. I think of those small restaurant owners who cannot do business at all these days. What can they do for livelihood? Some elementary schools are thinking about offering classes online. The busyness of work slows while the hunger of the soul may surface. The sickness of the human soul is like a virus that hides, lurks in the darkness, and kills! May the Holy Spirit awaken sleepy souls, and quicken our dull spirit so we can hear and heed His voice.

For the last few months our China team has been working on a new series called Ask Pastor Ray. These FAQs are designed to be quick reads. Here’s the first one in the series. Please join me in praying that God will open many hearts to hear His truth. And pray for our brothers and sisters in China during these difficult days.

How Jesus Blessed His Enemies

主耶稣如何祂的仇敌?

主耶稣如何赐福给祂的仇敌?

这是个很好的问题。主耶稣确实祝福了祂的敌人。

耶稣基督为我们的罪被钉在十字架上时,祂做了一件惊人的事:祂赐福给所有与神为敌的人,使他们能够成为祂的朋友。虽然他们仇恨祂,侮辱祂,诬告祂,用最残忍的方法迫害祂,来杀死祂,耶稣却不顾念神子的尊贵身份,反而谦卑虚己,怜悯他们的灵魂,恳求父神赦免他们的罪。

在十字架上受苦受死的耶稣,祂第一句话就是为祂的敌人祷告:当下耶稣说:父阿!赦免他们;因为他们所做的,他们不晓得。兵丁就拈阄分祂的衣服。(路加福音23章34节)。

罗马书5章10节这样说: 因为, 在与神为敌的时候,我们尚且藉着神儿子的死得以与神和好;现在既已和好,就更要靠着祂的生得救。”(圣经新汉语译本)

从最深的意义上说,在我们通过基督的死与神和好之前,我们都是祂的敌人。

朋友,神已赦免我们的罪,赐我们做祂儿女的福份,世上没有比这更大的福气。因为凡接待祂的,就是信祂名的人,祂就赐他们权柄,作神的儿女。”约翰福音1章12节。耶稣基督不仅要赐福给祂的敌人,甚至包括那些反对祂的宗教领袖,而是要将赦罪救赎的恩典福分赐给整个人类。世人都犯了罪,叛逆神,我们唯有借着耶稣基督的死,才能够与神复和。

先前是与神为敌的人,现在因耶稣基督的舍命,使他们成为神的儿女。

主耶稣的宝血,能够一次为我们付清罪的贖價。

赐福给敌人,没有别的方法比这更完备了。

朋友,主耶稣是我们的恩友。如果你想更多明白十字架的真理,请参阅《十字架深层的意义 – 恩典与忿怒交会之地》的讲章。

罗马书3章24-26节:如今却蒙神的恩典,因基督耶稣的救赎,就白白地称义。神设立耶稣作挽回祭,是凭着耶稣的血,藉着人的信,要显明神的义。因为祂用忍耐的心,宽容人先时所犯的罪,好在今时显明祂的义,使人知道祂自己为义,也称信耶稣的人为义。

You can read more by going to the KBM China website.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?