Spiritual Thought for the Week 2009/3/8

DATE: 2009/3/8

本周默想分享
耶稣说： 虚心的人有福了，因为天国是他们的。意思是说：肯虚心承认自己是灵性贫穷的人是有福的，因为天国，即灵性丰富的地方，是他们的。在路加福音第六章20-26节，耶稣更直接地说：你们贫穷的人有福了，因为神的国是你们的！你们饥饿的人有福了，因为你们将要饱足！你们哀哭的人有福了，因为你们将要嬉笑！人为人子恨恶你们，拒绝你们，辱骂你们，弃掉你们的名，以为是恶的，你们就有福了。当那日，你们要欢喜跳跃，因为你们在天上的赏赐是大的！他们的祖宗待先知也是这样。很明显这些话是对信耶稣的人讲的。因为信耶稣的人都是灵性贫穷的人。
但对於灵性丰富的人，耶稣有另一翻话对他们说。耶稣说：但你们富足的人有祸了，因为你们受过你们的安慰！你们饱足的人有祸了，因为你们将要饥饿！你们嬉笑的人有祸了，因为你们将要哀恸哭泣！人都说你们好的时候，你们就有祸了，因为他们的祖宗待假先知也是这样！很明显这些话是对不信耶稣的人，比如那些法利赛人讲的。
法利赛人所信的上帝和耶稣所信的上帝有一个很大的分别。法利赛人信的上帝是一个富足人的上帝，饱足人的上帝，嬉笑人的上帝，人都说他们是好人的上帝。但耶稣所信的上帝是一个贫穷人的上帝，饥饿人的上帝，哀哭人的上帝，被人恨恶，拒绝，辱骂，身败名裂的人的上帝。旧约时的真先知，就是这样被人对待的。
今天不少的信徒，去教会只想找那个富足人的上帝，饱足人的上帝，嬉笑人的上帝，灵性上被人称赞的人的上帝。他们不想找那个贫穷人的上帝，饥饿人的上帝，哀哭人的上帝，灵性上身败名裂的人的上帝。他们认为自己是强者，只能找那个配做强者的人的上帝。他们不能容忍，也不能接受一个弱者的上帝做他们的上帝。这样的信徒，一天不改变他们的上帝观，一天他们都不会找到耶稣所信的上帝的。
灵性贫穷的人有福了，REV.GERRY FULLER 领查经班的时候，曾说灵性贫穷的人就是承认自己是一个灵性破产的人。让我们在大斋节的期间，向神谦卑，忏悔，认罪。让我们放胆的，真诚的对神，也对人这样的说：我是一个灵性破产的人，你可以饶恕接纳我吗？

Spiritual Thought for the Week
Jesus says: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. What he means is this: Blessed are those who humbly admit they are spiritually poor, for the kingdom of heaven which is the dominion of spiritual richness belongs to them. In Luke 6:20-26, Jesus says it even more plainly. He says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”Obviously these words were said to the people who believed in Jesus. They were people who were spiritually poor.
But for those who were spiritually rich, Jesus had some other words to say to them. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.”Obviously these words were spoken to those who did not believe in Jesus, like the Pharisees for instance.
The God the Pharisees believe and the God Jesus believes have a lot of difference. The Pharisees believe in a God who belongs to the rich, the well fed, the laughing, and the ones who are well spoken of. But Jesus believes in a God who belongs to the poor, the hungry, the weeping, the ones who are hated, excluded, and insulted, and the ones whose names are rejected as evil. In Old Testament times, the true prophets were treated like wise.
Today many believers go to church to find the God who belongs only to the rich, the well fed, the laughing and the ones who are well famed spiritually. They do not want to see the God who belongs to the poor, the hungry, the weeping and the ones who are spiritually incompetent. They think they are strong and deserve to have a God who is comparatively strong. They can not accept a God who belongs to the weak. Such believers will never find the God Jesus believes until they are willing to change their understanding of God.
Blessed are the poor in spirit. In one of our Bible study sessions Rev. Gerry Fuller paraphrased this line by saying this. Blessed are those who admit they are spiritually bankrupt. In this Lenten season, let us humble ourselves, repent our sins and ask God for forgiveness. Let us concede boldly but sincerely, both to God and to men and truthfully say, “I am spiritually bankrupt. Please forgive me. Will you please accept me?”