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Yesterday was November 1. November 1 is known as All Hallows Day – or, in more common English, “All Saints Day.” “Saints” means “holy ones” or “those made holy” or “sanctified.” In the Bible, believers of Jesus were called “saints”. It is how, for example, Paul describes Christians at the beginning of 1 Corinthians. We are now holy in God’s sight because of Jesus’ death on the cross for our sin. We are clean, set free. We are “saints”.

But All Hallows Day adds another glorious truth: all those who have ever known and loved Jesus are saints too. So, those who have died and are now with the Lord are saints. At Trinity Baptist Church, some of our congregation’s saints are interned in our memorial garden. We give thanks to God for them.

Followers of Jesus who have died and now wait the final resurrection to eternal life are the great cloud of witnesses we read of in Hebrews 12:1-3. They inspire us to follow Jesus with all our heart. They watch us, cheering us on like a crowd cheers athletes in a race.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, I invite you to take a few minutes to give thanks for those faithful followers of Jesus who have left us but even now are in the stadium stands cheering us on as we run the race marked out for us, as we keep our eyes on Jesus. Maybe you think of Christian parents or grandparents, maybe you think of a spouse or even a child, maybe you think of a dear Christian friend, maybe you think of a godly Christian leader from your past. Thank God for them. And, as the verses in Hebrews 12 remind us, today, by the grace of God, be the kind of saint that someday others will remember, be inspired by, and give thanks to Jesus for.

Grace and peace

Pastor Callum

 視頻大意翻譯(Brief video Chinese translation):

昨天是11月1日。 11月1日被稱諸聖節-或者用更通俗的英語來說，“萬聖節”。 “聖徒 ”的意思是 “聖潔的人 ”或 “成為聖潔的人 ”或 “成聖”。 例如，在給哥林多第一封信的開頭，在第2節中保羅說：“致哥林多神的教會，那些在基督耶穌里成了聖的人，被稱為他的聖民，以及各地所有呼求我們主耶穌基督為他們和我們的主的人。” 保羅使用的詞是 「聖徒 」的意思。 在聖經中，耶穌的信徒被稱為 “聖徒”。 因耶穌在十字架上為我們的罪而死，現在我們在神的眼中是聖潔的。 我們是乾淨的，被釋放的。 我們是 「聖徒」。

但是萬聖節又增加了另一個光榮的事實。 不僅我們是聖人，所有曾經認識和愛過耶穌的人也是聖人。 因此，那些已經去世、現在與主同在的人都是聖人。 在三一浸信會，我們會眾中的一些聖徒被安葬在我們的紀念墓園中，他們的名字被記在我們的紀念冊上。 我們為他們感謝神。

這些耶穌的追隨者-所有耶穌的追隨者-已經死亡，現在等待最後的復活，獲得永生，就是我們在希伯來書12：1-3中讀到的偉大見證的雲彩。 他們激勵我們全心全意地跟隨耶穌。 他們注視著我們，為我們加油，就像人群為比賽中的運動員加油一樣（這也是希伯來書12章中使用的比喻）。

我們既有這許多的見證人、如同雲彩圍着我們、就當放下各樣的重擔、脫去容易纏累我們的罪、存心忍耐、奔那擺在我們前頭的路程、仰望為我們信心創始成終的耶穌。他因那擺在前面的喜樂、就輕看羞辱、忍受了十字架的苦難、便坐在　神寶座的右邊。那忍受罪人這樣頂撞的、你們要思想、免得疲倦灰心。

今天，在11月1日 「萬聖節 」的第二天，我邀請你花幾分鐘感謝那些已經離開我們的耶穌的忠實追隨者，他們現在就在體育場看臺上為我們加油，因為我們正在賽跑，我們定睛看著耶穌。 也許你會想到基督徒的父母或祖父母，也許你會想到配偶甚至孩子，也許你會想到一個親愛的基督徒朋友，也許你會想到你過去的一個敬虔的基督徒領袖。 為他們感謝神。 而且，正如希伯來書12章的經文所提醒我們的那樣，今天，靠著神的恩典，成為那種啟發別人，有一天別人會記住，並為之感謝耶穌的聖徒。

讓我們禱告。