title="English
Doing Lunch with the Real Jesus
Mark 2:13:23
When I worked in a university, at the end of the year we would have graduating students meet in their respective departments for celebration and reflection. Students would often reflect on the most memorable parts of their educational experiences. It was sometimes a bit hard for faculty members to accept that students often said their most life-shaping times on campus happened not so much in formal lectures but in dining hall and coffee shop encounters. But, I think that's often true for us in church too. There's something that happens to us when we eat together. Barriers come down. Hectic lives slow down. And, relationships often grow deep. My daughter Heather said, "That's why girls don't want to go to dinner on a first date!"
Jesus knew this and frequently, when he called people to follow him, he also invited himself over to their homes to have a meal with them. But, doing this sometimes got Jesus into trouble with the traditional authorities because Jesus ate with people that "respectable people" usually wouldn't eat with. There were all sorts of rules about having meals among the people of Israel. There were good reasons for these rules that God had established in the Old Testament. God knows that he created us in a way that we become bound with and changed by those we dine with. So, God had set up a number regulations about whom we should or should not eat with as he was keeping the people of Israel distinct from the rest of the world – a people through whom a savior would come. But, by the time we get to Mark 2, Jesus, the long-expected Messiah has come (see Mark 1:1). And, in the text we come to today, he eats with people that the Old Testament said the people of Israel shouldn't be eating with. Note this: The group Jesus eats with wasn't a group of people some said were OK while others said they were not OK. No, this group was clearly ruled out by everyone. So, what Jesus does in Mark 2:13ff. shocks everyone who witnesses it.
That's what we're going to look at today. We'll see how people get a place at the table with Jesus. Then we'll consider the shocking (and beautiful) message of who all has a place around Jesus' family table. Finally, we'll think about the intimate lasting relationship he offers to all who join him at the table. I know that this issue of dietary laws may seem irrelevant to us in our day -- but I hope we will see how meaningful this passage of Scripture still is to all who long for table fellowship with Jesus.
#1: How to get a seat at the table? – Respond to a call from Jesus (2:13-14)
Similar to the four fishermen in Mark 1:16-20, we meet a man named Levi who is called by Jesus and who obeys immediately. It seems that Levi simply lets Jesus take over his life as he gets up and leaves his profession when jesus beckons. This made me think of a group of physicians who became good friends back in the mid-80s. When I would have a meal with one of them, I never knew if we would make it through a meal when they were “on call” because their old “ pagers (remember those?) would go off and they would have to drop everything and care for their patients. When they were not on call, they had some control of their time. When they were on call, they voluntarily surrendered control of their lives.
According to the NT, every follower of Jesus is "on call" in just that way by Jesus. This is the nature of our faith. We do not seek God – God seeks us. Jesus is the one who made the sacrifice to enter into a world and he is also the one who chooses to break into our lives and call us. We love Romans 8:28 but we forget it’s last phrase, “God works good… for those called according to his purpose.” All who love God are called -- just as Levi was called. What this means is that the one who joins Jesus at the family table of God is a person who has sensed the call of Jesus to follow, has said yes, and has surrendered his or her life to Jesus.
I hope it’s clear: When the Son of God calls us and we follow him, he is the one who must be Lord. We can no longer be in control when we have said we will be "on call" by Jesus. Levi here is called away from his tax booth. The fishermen in Mk 1 were able to return at times to their careers – but not Levi. Each of us is called in different ways so don’t insist that your call will be the same as others.
But some things are the same about Jesus' calls upon our lives. So, you may have gone to church all your life and even have believed that Jesus is who he says he is and you may never have surrendered your life to his call. How do you know if you have?
- You begin to see that your relationship to Jesus must be the central thing.
- You begin to want to live in a way that pleases him.
- You begin to pray about in your daily decisions about what you should do – with the outcome being that you what you intentionally choose what Jesus would have you do. Everything else becomes the second concern.
When those things happen, you are on call. You are ready for the "spiritual pager" to go off. You learn to practice the presence of God in your life seeking to follow God's leading both in small and major matters.
#2: Who else is at the table? – Other sinners (2:15-17)
It was shocking enough that Jesus even spoke to the tax collector in vv. 13-14. But, with v. 15, the truly shocking part begins. Jesus calls Levi the tax collector into his innermost band and then Jesus goes over to Levi’s house to have a meal with Levi and his friends. The problem with this was twofold:
- Sharing a meal had serious implications for Jewish people. They knew that when you ate with a person, you identified that person as a family member or a close friend. And, they believed those you ate with not only demonstrated your own values but also was a huge formative part of every person's life. (I believe this was true and still is true!) As I mentioned before, God had given strict dietary rules to his people as a significant part of the way to keep Israel distinct from other people groups. So, for the Jewish people, it was very important to keep these laws.
- Jesus went and ate with the wrong kind of people – the worst imaginable kind of people. Note the threefold “tax collectors and sinners” description in vv. 15-17. Tax collectors were not like IRS agents. I think they're more like drug dealers or pimps -- using their influence to keep people in bondage. I sometimes think of the wonderful mothers I met when I did children's work in Chicago’s projects. They wanted to give their kids a better future. And, they knew that for that to happen, they had to keep their kids from drugs and gangs. But, there were men, who came into the projects, who would recruit their kids into a life of drugs and gangs. The Moms said, “These evil men pretend to be one of us but all they do is keep the awful systems going that destroy our kids.” That’s how the Jewish people thought about Levi and friends.
So, of course, it was a scandal for Jesus to go over to a tax collector's home and have a meal. He was flaunting all their most cherished standards. It's no surprise that doing so brought Jesus into conflict with groups like the Pharisees. The Pharisees were committed to keeping people uncontaminated by the world so Messiah could be born. They deeply believed people would be spiritually contaminated by being in proximatelyto people like Levi. In our day, physically, we believe that when we come into close contact with germs and viruses, the unhealthy carriers of disease will make the healthy unhealthy. Contact leads to contamination. The Pharisees believed that was also true of morals.
So, here’s Jesus coming into contact with people who were destroying their lives and the lives of their children. And, they had a point. We’re so individualistic in American society that we’re often unaware of how those we spend time with shape our lives. We underestimate the power of community for character formation.
Again, meals are perhaps the most important events for our lives to shape one another. Meals are personal. Barriers come down when we eat together. We usually become like those we eat with the most.
So, laws like the dietary laws and Sabbath laws had kept the people of Israel distinct for centuries. They were important so that the Messiah could come through them. But, here we see Jesus who coming and openly disobeying the laws. The Pharisees said, “Jesus can’t be a prophet. He eats with sinners. He’s unclean and contaminated himself.” To that Jesus gives us v. 17.
This verse sounds wonderful to many people today. However, think about what it is saying: A physician who heals has to call us to change things in our lives. He has to cut something out, make us eat differently or get us to exercise. The malignancy that is a part of the sickness has to come out – the bad patterns have to change. So, Jesus comes and we do no longer do sinners contaminate him. No, he comes in and makes anyone who repents and believes in him. This is what offered hope for people like Levi. And, it is our hope as well. This is the gospel – anyone who is touched by Jesus can be clean: whatever your record, whatever you’ve done, no matter how ashamed you are, and no matter what’s been done to you. Nothing can make Jesus unclean. He says, “This is why I’ve come – to make you clean when you invite me in.”
Think of what Jesus did. He went to a man’s home and spent time with him. Going there harmed Jesus’ reputation. But, Jesus completely changed Levi's identity. Jesus dignified Levi. Levi and all who follow Jesus become, as Jesus said to another tax collector named Zacchaeus, children of Abraham. And, Jesus, the holy one, is willing to do the same for you and me – to come into our lives and make us clean and have us belong to God's family.
A table of God's mercy and grace:
So, we see that those who are in the family are all who admit that they need a physician. The Pharisees needed spiritual healing too but they wouldn't own up to it. We must learn that everyone who is at God's table is there by God's grace.
Before coming to LAC, I spoke at a church back east that had recently experienced a church split. The issue that led to the division was the proposed building of a gym. Some saw it as a great vehicle for ministry to the community. Another large group in the church argued against it. They said, "A gym will bring in the wrong kind of people." I asked, "Who are the wrong kinds of people? Tax collectors? The poor? Those of different ethnicity? Those struggling to stay our of gangs?" Jesus came for the sick. He came to invite those who are often viewed as the wrong kind of people. In fact, the implication of v. 17 is that unless we recognize that we are among the wrong kind of people we will never come to him and know his salvation, The table of Jesus is filled with the wrong kind of people being made right by the life of Jesus.
Disciples being made sent to make disciples:
Here’s the amazing part: When we come to Jesus, the infection of sin in us begins to work in reverse. First, Jesus declares us right with him. He forgives our sins (as we saw last week in Mk 2:1-12) And then he begins a process in us to make us completely clean. We will soon see in Mark's gospel, that soon Jesus sends his disciples out to carry the good news to. They were able to eat with unhealthy people too and they all grew together. Listen carefully here: Jesus associated with sinners so that they could believe and become clean. He did not engage in the sins of the world. That is our calling too. We become clean in Christ so that we can go out not to live as the world lives but to love the world as Jesus does – and show a different way of living.
And this is what we must do. We are brought into a different kind of unexpected family and told to do life together. We are disciples in the making brought into a family of disciples being made and sent to make disciples. We can invite "whosoever will to come." The table is a table of God's grace for all who believe.
#3: What kind of inviter is this? – One who takes an oath of love to us (2:18-22)
Again and again, Jesus let us know in Mark’s Gospel that he has come to do life with us – to walk with us. In vv. 18-22, the people wondered about another eating problem: Why were Jesus' disciples not keeping the laws about fasting? Basically, Jesus says that those laws were important to preserve a people through whom the savior would come. But, that old wineskin, that old way of doing things, was no longer relevant once Jesus had come, In fact, the one to whom all these laws pointed – the one they all had been waiting for – was with them! What a claim! Jesus was asserting that, once he had come to earth, there was a new basis for being in God’s family – not by physical birth but through spiritual birth through faith in Jesus. There is a new people of God – made up of all who repent and acknowledge we are sinners and find health through faith in Jesus. We are made a part of family made up of all those who have said, “I need a rescuer. I will follow Jesus." And, Jesus boldly proclaimed that when he was present, it was not the time to fast – but to celebrate. Let me tell you that when Jesus returns, we will not fast. We will celebrate in what the Bible calls the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.
But what I want you to notice at the end of this sermon is how Jesus described himself when he said these things. Sometimes, the Bible says Jesus is like a shepherd to his sheep in God's family. At other times, Jesus is likened to a capstone in a building. Those are powerful images.
But, notice what Jesus says here. Jesus said he is like a bridegroom to his bride. This image is so permanent and so intimate. Jesus is declaring that he loves those who believe in him and that he will never leave or forsake us. I stand in awe of this teaching straight from the mouth of Jesus: When we follow Jesus, he won’t simply give us a set of dietary rules. He won’t just give us things to stay away from. He offers a life of joy in his presence – a life in which we can count on his love. He loves you and me with an everlasting love. And one characteristic of a life that has been touched by the love of Jesus is that we develop a deep desire to bring others to him to get well too. Is that true of you?
He forgives those who repent and believe in him. Then, Jesus calls us to his table and begins his renewing work in us. Being with Jesus and in the community of his people, we grow stronger in our faith. Then, he sends us out to touch the lives of others. These disciples were extremely slow in their growth in faith but they kept walking with Jesus and eventually they became strong. They failed often but, because Jesus was going to keep his vow to his "bride", he kept developing them. Soon, these same men -- men like this "tax collector and sinner: named Levi, were carrying the gospel to the world. And, he does not give up on us!
What the "take-home" for this sermon? Can you think of anything Jesus might be saying to you through his words?
* Are you living a life "on call" -- surrendered fully to Jesus?
* Are you inviting and welcoming people like Levi into your life -- or do you still think there are a lot of the wrong kind of people too far from God's grace ever to receive it?
* Are you involved in mentoring and being mentored by others in the church? We may need to have a lot more meals with people.
* Are you secure in the unrelenting, intimate, and unending love of the one who says he has come to heal your life and will never leave you until his work is done?
To His glory,
Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor
Chinese
與真耶穌同行
馬可福音2:13-23
我曾在一所大學工作,學年結束的時候我們就會與畢業生在他們各自的教學單位來慶祝和回顧。學生們經常會回想起他們學習歷程裏最難忘的片段。他們常說在校園裏生命最受塑造的地方是餐廳和咖啡館,在課堂並不多,這種說法讓教職員很難接受。但是,我認為在教會中我們也常常如此。當我們一起用餐的時候就會有事情發生在我們身上。隔閡減少了,忙碌的生活節奏放緩,並且關系更深入了。我的女兒 Heather說,那就是為什麽女孩子第一次約會的時候不想一起用餐。
耶穌知道這一點,當祂呼召人來跟從祂的時候,祂也親自到他們的家中一起用餐。但是,有時候耶穌如此做會讓祂與傳統權威之間產生麻煩,因為與耶穌一起用餐的人是那些"可敬的人"所鄙視的。在以色列人中有各種各樣的用餐規則。神在舊約中設立這些規則有很多原因。神知道祂創造我們,讓我們在某種程度上與同桌用餐的人產生聯系並被其影響。因此,神制定了一些用餐的規則,規定可以和哪些人同席,不可和哪些人同席,這就將以色列人與世界分別開來,救主耶穌就是從這個民族中產生。但是,當我們來到馬可福音第二章,耶穌——這一長久所期盼的彌賽亞已經來了。(見馬可福音1:1)。在今天的經文中,祂與一些人用餐,而這些人是舊約中所規定以色列人不能一同用餐的。註意這一點:並不是有的人認為可以與這些人用餐,有的人認為不可以——每個人都清楚是不可以的。所以,耶穌在馬可福音2:13所做的,令在場的每個人都感到震驚。
那就是我們今天要來看的。我們將要看到人們是怎樣得到與耶穌一同坐席的機會的。接下來我們會思考這令人震驚的(美麗的)信息,究竟誰在耶穌的餐桌前有份。最後我們會思考一下,耶穌給同席的人一種怎樣的親密而長久的關系。我知道用餐規則的問題看上去跟現今的我們無關,但我希望我們能明白,這段經文對所有要與耶穌一同坐席的人仍然很有意義。
#1:如何可以與耶穌同席?-回應耶穌的呼召(2:13-14)
與馬可福音1:16-20的四個漁夫相似,我們遇到一個叫利未的人,他被呼召並立刻跟隨了耶穌。這使我想起80年代一群誌同道合的醫生。有一次,我與他們當中的一位一起用餐。我們並不知道能否一起把飯吃完,因為醫生始終處於"待命"狀態——他們的尋呼機會隨時響起,那時他們就必須放下一切事情是照看患者。如果他們不處於"待命"狀態,他們就可以主宰自己的事件;如果處於待命狀態,他們就失去了這種主動權。
新約裏,追隨耶穌的人都處於一種由耶穌引領的"待命"狀態。這是我們信心的本質。我們不尋找神,是神尋找我們。耶穌舍己進入這個世界,祂願意進入我們的生活呼召我們。我們都喜歡羅馬書8:28,但是我們忘了最後那句話:神叫那些按祂旨意被召的人得益處。愛神的人都是被神呼召的—就像利未一樣。這意味著,在神的桌旁與耶穌同席的人是受耶穌的呼召而跟隨祂的,並且把自己的生命交給了耶穌。
我希望大家弄清楚:當神的兒子召我們跟隨祂的時候,祂就是神。我們將不再自己主宰自己,而是隨時聽命與耶穌。在這裏,利未從稅吏的位置被呼召。馬可福音第1章中的漁夫還可以返回他們的老本行,但是利未就不能了。我們每一個人以不同的方式被召,所以不要認為你被召時會與他人一樣。
然而在耶穌的呼召上,有些事情上是相同的。所以,你也許會一生去教會,甚至也相信耶穌所描述的祂的身份,但你卻沒有接受耶穌的呼召。你如何能知道祂在呼召你?
- 你開始明白你和耶穌的關系式最要緊的事情。
- 你開始想過一種討祂喜悅的生活。
- 你開始為每天該做什麽而禱告—結果就是你想做耶穌要你做的事情。其他的事都成了次要的
當這些事發生時,你就在待命中。你在等待屬靈的尋呼機響起。你在你的生活中學習操練與神的同在,無論大小事情,都在尋求神的引領。
#2: 還有誰同席?——其他的罪人(2:15-17)
在13-14節,耶穌與稅吏講話是令人震驚的。但是在15節,最令人震驚的部分才開始。耶穌讓稅吏召利未進入祂的核心隊伍,然後耶穌來到利未的家裏與他和他的朋友一起吃飯。這樣做有兩方面的問題:
- 對猶太人而言,一同坐席有很深刻的含義。他們知道,如果與一個人吃飯,那就把那個人當成是家人或是密友。他們認為那些與你吃飯的人不僅能證明你的價值,他們也是你生活中的重要組成部分。(我相信這在過去是真的,現在同樣是真的!)就像我以前提到的,神已經為祂的子民制定了嚴格的用餐制度,並把它作為一個重要部分,用來區別以色列人和其他人群。所以,對以色列人而言,遵守這些制度非常重要。
- 耶穌與一群不般配的人們吃飯——一群你能想到的最糟糕的人。請註意,在15-17節中三次提到稅吏和罪人。稅吏不是我們現在的IRS官員。他們更像毒品販子或者拉皮條的—運用他們的影響使人們受奴役。我常常想起當年在芝加哥做兒童事工時所遇到的那些優秀的母親。她們非常在意孩子的未來。她們非常清楚,為了孩子的未來,必須使孩子遠離毒品與幫派。但是,卻有一些男人加入進來,目的卻是要將孩子引入毒品及幫派。於是母親們說"這些壞男人假裝是我們中一分子,其目的就是要維持那個糟蹋孩子的系統。——猶太人也這麽看待利未與他的朋友。
耶穌到一個稅吏家去一起用餐看似不光彩,但祂卻是在宣告一個全新的標準。毫無疑問,耶穌的這一舉動在法利賽人中引起爭議。法利賽人認為持守純潔、不為世界玷汙,這樣彌賽亞才會到來。他們深信接近像利未這樣的人,靈裏就會受到汙染。正如今天,我們認為接觸細菌、病毒攜帶者就會危及健康。接觸導致汙染,法利賽人認為道德也如此。
現在,耶穌來到這樣一群人當中,他們及他們後代的生命都毫無指望。有人認為:在現今的美國社會中我們如此強調個人主義,以至於沒有意識到,我們花時間相處的那些人其實可以影響我們。我們低估了團體對我們性格的影響。
再次,一起用餐也許是能對我們的生命造成影響的最重要的事情了。進餐是非常私人的行為,當我們一起進餐時,彼此的隔閡消除了。我們通常越來越像常常一起用餐的那些人。
所以,數世紀來飲食律法和安息日律法使以色列人與眾不同。這很重要,因為彌賽亞將在他們當中產生。可現在,我們卻看到耶穌卻公然違反這些律法,所以法利賽人認為:"耶穌不可能是先知。因為祂與罪人一同進餐,祂玷汙了自己。"對於這些,耶穌用第17節經文進行了回答——"我來本不是召義人,乃是召罪人"。
這節經文對今天的許多人來說真是太好了。正如醫生要醫治我們就叫我們在生活中有改變。他們必須切除什麽,或者讓我們吃不同的東西,或者讓我們進行某些鍛煉。正如惡性腫瘤必須被切除,壞習慣也必須改正。所以,耶穌來了,並且罪人無法玷污祂。祂來是為了潔凈那些願意悔改並信祂的人。這樣,就給像利未一樣的人帶來了希望。其實這也是我們的希望。這就是福音——任何人被耶穌觸摸就得潔凈,無論有什麽不良記錄,無論做過什麽。不管什麽令人羞愧的事,不管在你身上發生什麽事情——沒有什麽是耶穌不能潔凈的。祂說:"這就是我來的目的——當你們邀請我進入你們的生命時,我就潔凈你們。"
讓我們來思想耶穌的作為。祂去一個人的家,花時間與他在一起。盡管這樣會玷汙祂的名譽。但耶穌完全改變了利未的生命。耶穌使利未受到擡舉。利未及所有耶穌的追隨者都成了亞伯拉罕的子孫。同樣,耶穌對另一個名叫撒該的稅吏也如此說。並且,耶穌為你我做同樣的事——進入我們的生命,潔凈我們,讓我們重新回到神的家。
充滿了神的憐憫與恩典的坐席
我們註意到:進入神家的人都承認自己需要醫治。法利賽人也需要靈魂醫治,但他們不承認。每一個來到神的餐桌前的人都是靠著神的恩典。
來LAC之前,我在東部的一個教會講道,這個教會經歷了一次意見分歧。起因於一個修建健身房的建議。一些人認為這是向社區宣教的好工具。但教會的大多數人不認同:"健身房會招來一些亂七八糟的人。"我問:"誰是亂七八糟的人?稅吏?窮人?不同種族的人?那些苦苦掙脫幫派的人?"耶穌就是為了病人而來,為了那些亂七八糟的人而來。事實上,第17節經文的含義是:除非我們承認自己就屬於亂七八糟的人,我們無法來到神的面前,無法了解救恩。耶穌的餐桌上,都是被耶穌更新了生命、過去曾經"一團糟"的人。
訓練門徒的目的是出去訓練新的門徒
這是令人興奮的部分。當我們歸向耶穌時,在我們裏面罪被逆轉。首先,耶穌宣告我們屬於祂,祂赦免了我們的罪(正如我們上星期在馬可福音1:1-12中講到的)。隨後就開始使我們徹底得潔凈。在馬可福音裏我們看到,耶穌派祂的門徒出去宣講這個好消息。他們就有能力與不潔凈的人一同進餐並與他們共同成長。重要的是:耶穌接納罪人,於是他們就信了、被潔凈了。祂並沒有參與世界的罪。我們被呼召也是為此。我們在基督裏得潔凈,於是我們出去不再是以屬世的方式生活,而是像耶穌那樣愛這個世界——活出不同的生命。
而這正是我們必須去做的。我們被帶到一個不同尋常的家中,被告知要共同成長。我們屬於一個造就門徒的家庭,我們被造就是要被派出去造就門徒。我們可以邀請"任何要來的人"一起用餐。這餐桌充滿了神的恩典,並且對所有信的人開放。
#3:這是什麼樣的邀請呢?——是一個為我們拿下愛的誓言的邀請(2:18-22)
在馬可福音中,耶穌一再重申,祂是為我們的生命而來——與我們同行。在18-22節中,人們又想知道另一個飲食的問題:為什麼耶穌的門徒不守禁食的法律規定呢?基本上,耶穌認為這些維持人群的法律是重要的,因為透過這些人群救主將會誕生。但是,舊皮袋,舊的做事方式,一旦耶穌來了就不再那麽重要了。事實上,所有這些律法都指出將要到來的這位——所有人都一直在等待的這一位,如今正與他們同在!這是多麽大膽的聲明啊!耶穌聲稱,一旦祂來到世上,就有了一種新的方式可以進入神的家庭——不是通過身體的重生,而是通過對耶穌的信心而產生的屬靈的再生。一個屬神的人群誕生了——這個人群承認自己是罪人,並已悔改,且通過信耶穌基督而恢復了健康。我們這群人組成了一個家庭,在這裏我們說,"我需要一個救贖者,我會跟隨耶穌。"而且,耶穌大膽地宣布,當祂在時,不是禁食的時候,而是歡慶的時刻。讓我告訴你,耶穌回來時,我們不會禁食。我們將慶祝聖經中所說的,神的羔羊的婚筵。
在這講道即將結束時,我希望你能註意到耶穌說這些事情時是怎樣形容祂自己的。聖經有時把耶穌比喻成牧人,在神的家中照顧祂的羊。在其他時候,耶穌被喻為房角石。
但是,請註意耶穌在這裡說什麼。耶穌說,祂就像是新郎。這個畫面是永久性的和親密的。耶穌宣布祂愛那些相信祂的人,祂永遠不會離開或拋棄我們。我敬畏這種直接從耶穌口中說出的教導:當我們跟隨耶穌時,祂不是簡單地給我們一個飲食的規則。祂不只是要我們遠離某些東西。祂讓我們因著與祂的同在,而擁有了喜樂的生活——一個我們靠他的愛而得來的生活。祂愛你我,是永遠的愛。被耶穌的愛所感動的生活的特點之一,就是我們會深切渴望也帶別人到他面前來,同樣獲得喜樂的生活。對你來說是這樣嗎?
祂原諒那些悔改並相信祂的人。然後,耶穌呼召我們到祂的桌前,開始祂的更新工作。與耶穌和祂的子民同在,我們的信心會越來越強壯。祂會送我們去觸摸他人的生命。祂的門徒們的信心成長得非常緩慢,但他們與耶穌同行,最終他們變得強壯。他們經常失敗,但因為耶穌恪守他對自己"新娘"的誓言,祂就不斷提升祂門徒。很快,這些人——如同這個名叫利未的稅吏和罪人——他們把福音傳到世界各地。而且,祂也不放棄我們!
通過這次講道,你能把什麽"帶回家"呢?你能想到耶穌可能對你說一些什麼嗎?
- 您是否時刻處於"待命"狀態——充分降服與耶穌?
- 您是否邀請並歡迎像利未這樣的人進入你的生活 ——或者你是否覺得有些人過犯太多以致無法得到神的恩典呢?
- 您是否參與過教會中的輔導工作或接受過別人的輔導?我們可能需要和更多的人一起吃飯。
- 耶穌說,祂來就是為了醫治你,而且永遠不會離開你,直到祂的工作完成。當你處在祂這種持續的、親密的、無盡的愛中時,你感到平安嗎?
祂的荣耀,
格雷格Waybright博士
主任牧師
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2012, Lake Avenue Church