新衣

新衣
聖經閱讀：列王紀下25:27-30 現代中譯本|合和本
2013年10月11日(五)

今天的經文告訴我們猶大王約雅斤的故事。他被巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒俘擄，後來，另外一個巴比倫王釋放了約雅斤、讓他出獄。 　第29節告訴我們約雅斤被釋放後發生的事情，它說：「約雅斤獲准脫下囚衣，終生跟巴比倫王同桌進餐。」 　這個故事提醒了我上帝的救贖計畫。在我們還沒有信主之前，我們都是罪的俘擄，但是上帝差派耶穌死在十字架上，所以我們才可以從罪的牢獄中得著釋放；然後，我們才可以脫下那老舊、罪惡的囚衣而穿上新衣。「你們受洗跟基督合而為一，正像穿上基督，有他的生命。」(加拉太書3:27) 　身為基督徒，我們現在有了新衣——我們身上正穿著耶穌！此外，我們也擁有與那掌權作王的耶穌同享永生的應許。—BL 「為了要使我們得自由，基督已經釋放了我們。」 加拉太書5:1a 禱告：上帝，謝謝祢讓我們在耶穌裡得自由。奉主的名，阿們！ (姜冠群譯)

New Clothes
Bible Reading: 2 Kings 25:27-30
Friday, October 11, 2013

Our Bible Reading today tells us about King Jehoiachin, the king of Judah. He was captured by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Later another Babylonian king let Jehoiachin out of prison. 　Verse 29 tells us what happened to Jehoiachin after he was freed from prison. The king “let Jehoiachin stop wearing prison clothes. And every day for the rest of his life, he ate at the same table with the king.” 　This story reminds me of God’s plan of salvation. Before we became Christians, we were prisoners to sin. But God sent Jesus to die on the cross so that we can be free from our prison of sin. Then we stopped wearing our old prison clothes of sin and put on new clothes. “You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ” (Galatians 3:27). 　As Christians, we now have new clothes — we are wearing Jesus! And we have the promise of living forever with Jesus who reigns as our king. —BL “We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom.” Galatians 5:1a PRAYER: God, thank You that we can be free in Jesus. In His name. Amen.