[今日經文 Today’s Reading: 路加福音 Luke 5-6]
10 他的夥伴西庇太的兒子雅各、約翰，也是這樣。耶穌對西門說：「不要怕！從今以後，你要得人了。」 11 他們把兩隻船靠了岸，就撇下所有的，跟從了耶穌。… 27 這些事以後，耶穌出去，看見一個稅吏，名叫利未，在稅關坐着，就對他說：「來跟從我！」 28 他就撇下所有的，起來跟從耶穌。
路加 luke 5:10-11;27-28
10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. … 27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.
當耶穌呼召他的門徒跟隨他時，他呼召他們撇下所有的跟隨他。 這似乎很“容易”，耶穌稱之為“跟隨我”，正如聖經所說的那樣，利未毫不猶豫地”他就撇下所有的，起來跟從耶穌。” 今天，當我們分享福音時，我們承諾他們會得到很多他們想要的東西，或者是告訴他們放棄他們撇下所有的。 撇下所有的意味著改變我們的身份和所有權。 我們不再是我們自己的主，而是耶穌是我們的主，我們是祂的僕人。我們一無所有而是神所賜給我們所有的管家。 群眾跟隨耶穌是為了得到他們想要的，但門徒跟隨耶穌是為了撇下所有的。 今天的教會之所以如此軟弱，可能是教會裡太多群眾，門徒太少。 我們是群眾還是門徒？ 這取決於我們想要獲得或撇下一切。
願讚美詩“我寧願有耶穌”的歌詞成為我們今天的禱告。
- 我寧願有耶穌，勝得金錢，我寧屬耶穌，勝得財富無邊；
我寧願有耶穌，勝得華宇，願主釘痕手，引導我前途。 - 我寧願有耶穌，勝得稱頌，我寧忠於主，成全祂的事工；
我寧願有耶穌，勝得名聲，願向主聖名永赤膽忠誠。 - 恩主比百合花更加美艷，遠比蜂房蜜更加可口甘甜；
惟主能滿足我飢渴心靈，我寧願有主，跟隨祂引領。
副歌：
勝過做君王，雖統治萬方，卻仍受罪惡捆綁；
我寧願有耶穌，勝得世界榮華，富貴，聲望。
[希臘文]
ὄχλος okh’los (n) = 群眾 a crowd
μαθητής mathētēs (n) = 門徒 disciple
When Jesus calls his disciples to follow him, he calls them to leave everything behind to follow him. It seems so “easy”; Jesus calls, “Follow me”, and as we read in the Scriptures, without hesitation Levi leaves everything, rises and follows him. Today, when we share the Good News, do we promise people that they will get everything they want or do we tell them to leave everything they have? To leave everything means to change our identity and to change the feeling of ownership over our own lives. We are no longer our own Master but Jesus is our Lord and we are his servant. We don’t own anything; we are stewards of what God has given us. The crowd follows Jesus to gain what they want, whereas disciples follow Jesus to leave everything they have. The reason today’s church is so weak may be that there are too many in the church who are “in the crowd” rather than actually being disciples of Jesus. Are we part of the crowd or one of the disciples? It depends on whether we are seeking to gain everything or willing to leave everything.
May the lyrics of the hymn “I’d Rather Have Jesus” become our prayer today:
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today
I’d rather have Jesus than worldly applause
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame
Yes, I’d rather be true to His holy name
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin’s dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today
[Greek]
ὄχλος okh’los (n) = a crowd
μαθητής mathētēs (n) = disciple
