Jesus’s arms of welcome are always open.

You became imitators of us and of the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 1:6

“Today we’re going to play a game called Imitation,” our children’s minister told the kids gathered around him for the children’s sermon. “I’ll name something and you act out what it does. Ready? Chicken!” The kids flapped their arms, cackled, and crowed. Next it was elephant, thenfootball player, and then ballerina. The last one was Jesus. While many of the children hesitated, one six-year-old with a big smile on his face immediately threw his arms wide open in welcome. The congregation applauded.

How easily we forget that our calling is to be like Jesus in the everyday situations of life. “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:1–2).

The apostle Paul commended the followers of Jesus in Thessalonica for the outward demonstration of their faith in difficult circumstances. “You became imitators of us and of the Lord,” Paul wrote. “And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia” (1 Thess. 1:6–7).

It is the life of Jesus in us that encourages and enables us to walk through this world as He did—with the good news of God’s love and with arms open wide in welcome to all.

Lord Jesus, may Your words of invitation and welcome, “Come to Me,” be lived out through our lives today.

耶稣永远张开双臂欢迎我们。

你们……效法我们，也效法了主。-帖撒罗尼迦前书1章6节

在儿童聚会中，讲员对围绕在他身边的孩子们说：“今天我们来玩模仿的游戏。如果我说猫，你们就要表演猫的动作。准备好了吗？公鸡！”孩子们全都模仿公鸡拍翅的样子，并发出鸡叫声。接着他们还模仿了大象、足球员和芭蕾舞者。最后，老师要孩子们模仿耶稣。当其他孩子还在犹豫时，一名六岁的小男孩却立刻张开双臂，面带笑容地做出欢迎的样子，会众全都鼓掌叫好。

我们时常忘记上帝要我们在每日的生活中学习耶稣的榜样。因为圣经说：“所以你们该效法上帝，好像蒙慈爱的儿女一样。也要凭爱心行事，正如基督爱我们，为我们舍了自己，当作馨香的供物和祭物献与上帝。”（以弗所书5章1-2节）

使徒保罗称赞帖撒罗尼迦的基督徒，因他们在艰难的环境中，展现了他们的信心。保罗写道：“你们……效法我们，也效法了主，甚至你们作了马其顿和亚该亚所有信主之人的榜样。”（帖撒罗尼迦前书1章6-7节）

只要有耶稣的生命在我们里面就能激励我们，使我们也能像耶稣一样，带着上帝爱的福音，张开双臂欢迎所有的人。

主耶稣啊，祢欢迎并邀请众人到祢这里来，
求祢让我们在日常生活当中，
也能效法祢，活出祢的样式。

1 Thessalonians 1New International Version (NIV)

1 Paul, Silas[a] and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:Grace and peace to you.

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.4 For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe sufferingwith the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

整理：于姊妹