“遇着船坏三次，一昼一夜在深海里，又屡次行远路。” - 林后 11:25-26
在2015年9月2日，全世界的新闻网络都报导了一宗惊人的悲剧：三岁的Alan Kurdi的身体，被海浪冲到土耳其博德鲁姆镇附近的海滩上。Alan一家是叙利亚难民，当他们尝试渡过地中海前往希腊一个岛屿时，他们的充气艇翻了。这一惨剧证明难民拼死一博的心态：他们选择在恶劣海浪中冒险乘座充气艇，是为了要逃避自己家乡恐怖份子的威吓。这场悲剧也提醒我们，在那个地区发生的海难，已经有很长的历史了。
地中海是保罗宣教旅程一个重要的部份。他说他遭遇船只三次损坏和在深海里被困。在传讲耶稣的福音时，保罗有时被鞭打、被石头砸、被监禁，这是因为有些地区的居民对基督的信息怀有敌意。此外，还有为个人利益、名声、和权力扭曲耶稣福音信息的假师傅。可悲的是，今天仍然有虚伪和败坏的领袖在继续做类似的事情。
就如保罗（和耶稣）的解释，与人分享福音常常带来挑战和危险，因为魔鬼抵挡这项工作，撒但不希望任何人得救。然而，靠着神的力量，耶稣的福音依然得以继续被传开。
你也愿意参与分享这福音的工作吗？
祷告
主啊，求你引领我们到各处分享你的福音，又帮助我们忠心地应对由此面临的挑战。阿们。
哥林多后书 11:23-33
23他们是基督的仆人吗？我说句狂话，我更是！ 我比他们多受劳苦、多下监牢，受鞭打是过重的，冒死是屡次有的。
24被犹太人鞭打五次，每次四十减去一下；
25被棍打了三次，被石头打了一次，遇着船坏三次，一昼一夜在深海里。
26又屡次行远路，遭江河的危险、盗贼的危险、同族的危险、外邦人的危险、城里的危险、旷野的危险、海中的危险、假弟兄的危险。
27受劳碌、受困苦，多次不得睡，又饥又渴，多次不得食，受寒冷，赤身露体。
28除了这外面的事，还有为众教会挂心的事天天压在我身上。
29有谁软弱我不软弱呢？有谁跌倒我不焦急呢？
30我若必须自夸，就夸那关乎我软弱的事便了。
31那永远可称颂之主耶稣的父神知道我不说谎。
32在大马士革亚哩达王手下的提督把守大马士革城，要捉拿我，
33我就从窗户中，在筐子里从城墙上被人缒下去，脱离了他的手。
Shipwreck
"Three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move." - 2 Corinthians 11:25-26
On September 2, 2015, news outlets around the world reported a horrible tragedy: the body of three-year-old Alan Kurdi had washed up on a beach near Bodrum, Turkey. Alan’s family of Syrian refugees were trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to a Greek island when their inflatable boat capsized. This tragedy testified to the refugees’ desperation: they chose to risk the harsh sea in a raft to escape the threats of terrorists in their homeland. The accident also reminds us of the long history of shipwrecks in that area.
The Mediterranean Sea was a key part of the apostle Paul’s missionary travels. He tells of being shipwrecked three times and being stranded on the open sea. In Paul’s work of spreading the good news of Jesus, he was also sometimes beaten, pelted with stones, and thrown into prison. That happened because people in some places were hostile to the message of Christ. In addition, there were false teachers who twisted the message of Jesus for their own profit, fame, and power. Sadly, false and corrupt leaders are still doing similar things today.
As Paul (and Jesus) explained, challenges and dangers often go with sharing the good news because the devil is opposed to it. Satan doesn’t want anyone to be saved. But in God’s strength, the good news of Jesus keeps spreading.
Will you help to share it too?
Prayer
Lord, guide us to share your good news everywhere, and help us to deal faithfully with challenges that arise. Amen.
