天下太平 (冉茂圻傳道)
「天下太平」是人們對社會不變的期待。這句話出自公元前241年秦國編纂的呂氏春秋，然而秦始皇平定天下後僅僅15年，秦朝就分崩離析。幾千年來，戰火不斷。我們說修身齊家治國平天下，其實我們常常內心都不太平，家裡也不太平，哪裡有國家和天下太平呢？
天下太平，出路在哪裡呢？人心的平安和睦的根源在哪裡呢？在呂氏春秋三百多年後，上帝借著使徒保羅寫下了以弗所書給出了答案。我們今天要從以弗所書這段經文來思想，上帝給我們怎樣和睦的方法，怎樣太平的出路？
真正的衝突是聖潔和罪惡的衝突。真正的敵對是罪人和上帝的敵對。唯有耶穌是和睦的根源，十字架是和睦的方法，合一敬拜創造主是和睦的最終目標。讓我們成為和平之子，背上十字架跟隨主，傳天下和平的福音，為萬世開太平！
以弗所書 2:14-22 (和合本)
- 因他使我們和睦，將兩下合而為一，拆毀了中間隔斷的牆，
- 而且以自己的身體廢掉冤仇，就是那記在律法上的規條，為要將兩下藉著自己造成一個新人，如此便成就了和睦。
- 既在十字架上滅了冤仇，便藉這十字架，使兩下歸為一體，與神和好了。
- 並且來傳和平的福音給你們遠處的人，也給那近處的人；
- 因為我們兩下藉著他被一個聖靈所感，得以進到父面前。
- 這樣，你們不再做外人和客旅，是與聖徒同國，是神家裡的人了。
- 並且被建造在使徒和先知的根基上，有基督耶穌自己為房角石，
- 各房靠他聯絡得合式，漸漸成為主的聖殿，
- 你們也靠他同被建造，成為神藉著聖靈居住的所在。
Ephesians 2:14-22 (NIV)
- For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
- by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,
- and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
- He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
- For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
- Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,
- built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
- In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.