兩百多年來，衛理公會讚美詩集的第一首讚美詩一直是《萬口歡唱》。這首詩歌是查理．衛斯理（Charles Wesley）所寫，最初名為《歸主週年》，是為了紀念他在信仰上的徹底復興。這首詩歌總共有十八節，宣揚上帝的榮耀和美善，祂向那些悔改且跟隨基督的人施恩。

的確，我們的信仰值得頌揚，也值得述說。在提摩太後書2章，保羅鼓勵提摩太要持守自己的信仰，並要鍥而不捨地與人分享。他說：「這就是我所傳的福音。我為了這福音受了磨難，甚至像犯人一樣被捆綁起來」（8-9節，新譯本）。保羅提醒提摩太不要懷疑自己的選擇，並謹記這福音信息：「耶穌基督乃是大衛的後裔，祂從死裡復活」（8節），祂降世為人不是要統治全世界，而是要服事人，且最終為全人類的罪而受死，使你我能與上帝和好。死亡的權勢不能勝過祂，耶穌已走出墳墓，從死裡復活！

正如福音信息能讓所有相信的人都得著釋放，這信息本身也不會受束縛。保羅說：「上帝的道卻不被捆綁」（9節），即使是在死亡權勢看似得勝的地方，如牢房裡、病床上或墓地裡，也是如此。因著基督，每個人都有盼望，這實在是值得頌揚的好消息！

For more than two centuries, the hymn placed first in the Methodist hymnbook was “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” Written by Charles Wesley and originally titled “For the Anniversary Day of One’s Conversion,” the song was composed to commemorate the radical renewal sparked by his faith in Jesus. It has eighteen stanzas proclaiming the glory of God’s goodness to those who repent and follow Christ.

Such faith is worth celebrating—and worth sharing. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul encourages Timothy to remain steadfast in his faith and to persevere in sharing it. He noted, “This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal” (vv. 8-9). Rather than second-guess his choices, Paul reminds Timothy to remember the good-news message: “Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David” (v. 8), came not to rule but to serve and ultimately to die for the sins of the world so that we may have peace with God. Death didn’t win. Jesus rose from the grave.

And just as it set free those who believe, the message itself isn’t bound. “God’s word is not chained,” said Paul (v. 9), not even from places where death seems to have won: prison cells, hospital beds, gravesides. In Christ, there’s hope for all people. That’s news worth celebrating!