“May God’s Grace and Hand Be Seen Among Those Making His Disciples 願神的恩手得見在那些使人作祂門徒者中間“（Acts 使徒行傳 11:19-24）
… went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 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. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
… 來到安提阿，也對希臘人傳講主耶穌。主的手與他們同在，信而歸主的人就多起來。這事傳到耶路撒冷教會的耳中，他們就派巴拿巴到安提阿去。他到了那裡，看見神所施的恩，就很歡喜，勸勉眾人堅心靠主。巴拿巴是個好人，滿有聖靈和信心，於是許多人歸了主。
At first, due to the persecution after Stephen’s martyrdom, Christians scattered over the Roman Empire preached only to Jews. But some unnamed disciples eventually began the first mentioned ‘mission to the Gentiles’ in Antioch as well. Because God was with them, their ministry was blessed and multiplied that a great number of people believed and turned to Christ, thus the church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas (who was previously known for his generosity and his warm acceptance of Saul of Tarsus after he was converted) to see what happened there. There was something in the work and atmosphere among Christ’s followers in Antioch that made Barnabas able to see God’s grace. He rightly focused on his main job as a leader of the congregation, strengthening the church family itself with the result that a great number of people were added to God’s kingdom.
起初，因著司提反殉道後的逼迫，分散在羅馬帝國的基督徒只向猶太人傳道。但是有些不知名的門徒最終在安提阿也開始了第一次提及的「向外邦人的宣教」。因為神與他們同在，他們的事工得到祝福和倍增，信而歸主的人就多起來，因此，耶路撒冷教會就派巴拿巴去察看那裡情況怎樣（他先前以慷慨和熱情接納信主的大數人掃羅而聞名）。在安提阿的基督跟從者中間的工作和氣氛裡，有一些東西使巴拿巴能夠看到神所賜的恩。他正確地專注於他作為會眾領袖的主要工作，堅固了教會家庭本身，結果就是有許多人加添在神的國裡。
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we could turn people to some personality, to a social club or even to a church or an institution without your hand; yet, we could not turn them to you without your hand! May others be able to see among us an emphasis not on self, man-made rules and human performance but on God’s glorious grace which will make everyone glad. May we be willingly equipped for doing our ministry and grow towards maturity leading to the growth of Christ’s body. Amen.
禱告: 親愛的主耶穌，我們可以在沒有你的手同在下，把人們轉為某個性、社交俱樂部或甚至教會機構；然而，沒有你的手同在，我們就不可以使人們歸向你！願其他人能夠在我們中間看到強調的，不是自我、人為規則和人的表現，而是那必讓所有人都感到高興、神的榮耀恩典。願我們甘心地接受裝備作我們的服事，邁向成熟地成長，帶來基督身體的增長。阿們。
