Christ gave His life on the tree for our salvation.

基督在十架牺牲，让你我得救恩。

"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross. 1 Peter 2:24

祂被挂在木头上，亲身担当了我们的罪。-彼得前书2章24节

One of the earliest Christian poems in English literature is “The Dream of the Rood.” The word rood comes from the Old English word rod or poleand refers to the cross on which Christ was crucified. In this ancient poem the crucifixion story is retold from the perspective of the cross. When the tree learns that it is to be used to kill the Son of God, it rejects the idea of being used in this way. But Christ enlists the help of the tree to provide redemption for all who will believe.

在英国文学最早期的基督教诗歌中，有一首描述耶稣基督受难的古老诗歌，称为《十字架之梦》。这首古诗将十字架拟人化，从十字架的观点重述基督受难的过程。当它还是一棵树时，知道自己要被人用来钉死上帝的儿子，它起初是拒绝接受。但基督最后得到这棵树的合作，好让一切相信祂的人得着救赎。

In the garden of Eden, a tree was the source of the forbidden fruit that our spiritual parents tasted, causing sin to enter the human race. And when the Son of God shed His blood as the ultimate sacrifice for all of humanity’s sin, He was nailed to a tree on our behalf. Christ “bore our sins in his body on the cross” (1 Peter 2:24).

在伊甸园里，人类始祖无法扺挡诱惑，违背上帝的吩咐，吃了分别善恶树上的果子，以致罪进入世界。而后来，上帝的儿子来到世上，祂为了全人类的罪，舍身流血，代替我们被钉死在由树木制成的十架上。基督“被挂在木头上，亲身担当了我们的罪”（彼得前书2章24节）。

The cross is the turning point for all who trust Christ for salvation. And ever since the crucifixion, it has become a remarkable symbol that represents the sacrificial death of the Son of God for our deliverance from sin and death. The cross is the inexpressibly wonderful evidence of God’s love for us.

十字架是转捩点，让所有相信基督的人都得到拯救。基督受难之后，十字架成为奇妙的记号，代表上帝的儿子流血牺牲，救我们脱离罪恶与死亡。十字架是上帝爱世人，笔墨难书的奇妙证据。

Lord, may my heart give You praise whenever I see a cross, for You gave Yourself for me in love.

主啊，每当抬头仰望十字架，心中不禁感谢赞美祢，祢竟然如此爱我，甚至为我牺牲生命。

Colossians 1:15-20New International Version (NIV)

The Supremacy of the Son of God

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

整理：于姊妹