English
People care for people
Luke 10:25-37
I should have started this series of messages about what happens when Jesus is in charge with this sermon. I'm quite sure Jesus would have. Zack Johnson told me, "This is such a main thing about our Christian faith. Get this and you'll get all of it!" So here's today's message: We find true life when we love our neighbor as ourselves. This love is a love that flows naturally out of our love for the God who loves us as he loves himself. This message points us to the most important piece of evidence that shows the world that Jesus is our Lord, that he is indeed "in charge". We'll look at Jesus' own application of what his half-brother James called the "Royal Command." James said that when we obey this command from Jesus, genuine religion will flow forth, religion that James said always includes care for those in distress like orphans and widows.
We'll be guided by the story that is probably the most famous one Jesus ever told, The Good Samaritan. Two questions gave rise to the story: 1) what do I have to do to live the life God made me to live and 2) who is the neighbor I am called to love. Let's look at how Jesus answered these significant questions with a story:
#1: The Way Most People Think They Will Find Their "Lives" (The Lawyer's Question)
V.25: On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The lawyer was not the same as a lawyer in our day. This lawyer was an expert in the "Torah", the laws of God found in the five books of Moses. So, he would have had a very positive understanding of God's law because he believed that all God's laws were given "so that it may go well" (Dt 5:33) with those who obeyed them. In fact, the idea of "eternal life" that the lawyer asked about does not just mean a life that goes on and on and on eternally. That kind of life could be hell instead of heaven. Eternal life is life as the eternal God means for it to be lived. It is life that God alond can give. It is life with God at the center – a life of "shalom". The lawyer knew that.
However, I'm quite sure that in asking this question the lawyer only meant, "Who gets to go to heaven?" That's because, since the book of Daniel had been written centuries before Jesus, people had been debating what Daniel meant when in wrote in 12:2: Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to everlasting contempt. So, he wanted to know who goes where after death.
If you look at the debates in Jesus' day, you'll see that most were quite confident that Gentiles were going to hell. Many had serious questions about more liberal Jewish people. But all agreed that the hated Samaritans would never have eternal life. With that in mind, what did this lawyer expect Jesus to say? Notice in v.25 that he was testing Jesus. He probably wanted to make sure that people saw Jesus as the uneducated Nazarene this man thought He was. Perhaps he thought Jesus might say, "Everyone gains eternal life. That's why I spend time with people like tax collectors and Gentiles." I imagine the lawyer was ready to pounce on whatever Jesus might say and try to prove him wrong.
But one thing is sure: The lawyer was quite sure that he had eternal life. "If anyone has it, I have it." He knew the law. He taught others the law. And he surely thought he kept the law better than anyone else. "Others might be in danger of hell", he probably thought, but he could not have imagined that he was. He was like many people in our day. He was sure that others in this world are far worse than he was. I've heard it so often, "I know I'm not perfect but I'm not as bad as... (you can fill in the blank)... Hitler, those liberals who are ruining our country, those conservatives who have no heart, those gang bangers, etc. etc. Maybe the lawyer thought Jesus would flatter him by saying, "Sir, you need not worry about that. If anyone alive has eternal life, it surely is you!"
But Jesus did not say that.
#2: Life according to the Maker of Life (The "Royal Command")
As he did so often, Jesus answered the lawyer's question with a question. Remember that the man was an expert in the law. So, Jesus asked, "How do you read what God has said in Torah?" And the lawyer answered correctly, "Love the Lord your God with all being; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."
The experts in the law identified 613 laws in the books of Moses. But, all those specific laws could be boiled down to 10, they were all applications of the 10 Commandments. And, those 10 Commandments could be boiled down further to one "Royal Law" (as Pastor James called it in Js 2:8), a law that contained two parts, i.e., love for God and love for people made in God's image. Were you aware of that? The first part of the 10 Commandments tell us how we are to love God with all our hearts, souls, strength, and minds. And the second part tells how to love our neighbors as ourselves. You see, a life of love according to God is not simply a matter of having loving emotions. No, a life of love is demonstrated by loving actions.
Jesus said to the lawyer in v.28, "You've got it! Live that way and you will live a life of shalom."
Do you see the brilliance of this? The lawyer had minimized the meaning of eternal life to being only, "Who gets into heaven?" But, Jesus probed the deeper meaning of eternal life, i.e., experiencing life with God in such a way that his commands direct our lives. A life of shalom that flows from being right with God – that's what eternal life is fundamentally about. God made us to be people who love God with our whole being and then love all those who come across our paths as we love ourselves.
Some are troubled that Jesus didn't say, "Eternal life comes by faith not works." That's what Jesus told Nicodemus in Jn 3:16. But, in this situation, Jesus was was identifying the real evidence that a person is walking with God. This law of love is the way OF life but not the way TO life. Jesus isn't talking about how a person is saved but of how a saved person is to live.
Still, the lawyer tried to insist that he surely had done enough to earn eternal life. In v.29, he "tried to justify himself. How could he think he could do that? He hadn't loved everyone perfectly and he knew it. There were even people – like Samaritans – that he hated. So, he tried to make Jesus look bad by asking a very familiar question: "Jesus, you can't love everyone. Everybody knows that. So, who must I love?"
This man was still trying to hold onto his self-righteousness: "Hey, I'm alright. I'm a religious person so I surely will gain eternal life." The fact is that true life with God doesn't begin until you acknowledge you not really living. Real life, the life of God, is impossible until you see that real love, the love the Bible calls you to and that God made you for, is impossible on your own. And instead of arguing with the lawyer, Jesus punctures all his defense mechanisms and taught him – as he still teaches us – with a story.
#3: Evidence of the Life of God (THE Story)
You heard the story when I read it from vv.30-35. But, you already knew the story. It's a story known to churchgoer and non-churchgoer alike. Underlying Jesus' story is the beautiful theology that genuine love for God will always flow into us showing love for people. If you do not love people, then you do not really love the God whose likeness all people bear. Therefore, you will know that you are alive to God, i.e., you will experience the eternal life of the eternal God, when you love people. If you are alive to God:
1) You will count it your calling, even your privilege, personally to show God's love to people – Jesus tells us that the two men who ignored the man in need were a priest and a Levite (the priests' assistants). Ironically, these were the very people charged with the responsibility to administer the money given in the synagogues to meet people's needs. But, it's obvious that these men were care-givers by profession – not by hearts' conviction. If the man had shown up at the temple, they would have given him forms to fill out and then decided if he was qualified to receive any help.
Note this: Those sorts of systems are very important. Ask our partners in addressing homelessness, like the Door of Hope, and they will agree with me. So, I want you to know that the people of Israel had established good systems to help people in need. And we have some of those systems at LAC too. So, when you leave church today, you will surely see the same people you see almost each week asking for money. How do you know what to do? Well, treat them as people. Always respect people as people. But, in situations like what might be professional panhandling, I recommend you send them to our community center to meet with our people who are there to help meet needs. If the people have a real need, those in need will come. And, we will begin what is often a long journey of walking with them. If not, they will not come. (Now, back to the story.)
It is clear that these men who administered the benevolence funds did not care personally for those in distress. They administrated the benevolence fund – but they did not personally love people. We all know that politicians all over the world do the same. They argue for laws to help the poor – but have no relationships with the poor personally. In church, the pastor can preach a sermon about caring for the poor but then ignore a person in desperate need. Or, a regular church member can see a person in need and say, "Oh, we have pastors who care about such things." Let me say this clearly: When you are alive to God, you will love to show God's care when you identify genuine need like this man on the Jericho Road had. In fact, the more you do it, the more you will love to do it. It's evidence that the God who loves people is working in your life.
2) You will not limit the kinds of people you are willing to help – It's natural to want to help those you like or those you know. And, it's good and right to extend love and help to those close to you. But Jesus fashions the story to emphasize that God's heart is for all people. When you walk with God, you will know it because your heart will become like his! The protagonist in the story, the Samaritan, loved a man who was, by ethnicity, his enemy.
I can imagine the excuses we could make as to why we shouldn't stop and show love to this man:
• "It's his own fault. He shouldn't have been on this road anyway. Didn't he know this is the 'Road of Death'? He's not a worthy recipient of any help."
• "I don't know the man. I mean, if he was a part of my synagogue, then I might do something."
This is the kind of excuse that has kept some churches from helping people in distress. Some say, "It was only in the OT that God's people were to help those who were outsiders. That was just for the theocracy (a nation ruled by God) of Israel. But, we're not a theocracy. So, in the NT, the church is only to help those inside the church!" Let me tell you – no nation in this world is a theocracy but every church in which Jesus is Lord is a theocracy. He is in charge here. And he tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves and he tells us that our neighbor is any human being who bears the image of God – including those who have done some dumb things. When you know God and seek to please God, you will reach out to hurting people like the Samaritan did simply because they are people. That's the command here. It's unmistakeable.
3) You will seek to meet needs whenever you have opportunity – Showing God's love in practical ways will become a priority in your life. I'm sure that the priest and Levite were busy men. If this man on the road had already died, then touching him would have defiled them in such a way that they couldn't have done some of their religious duties for a while. They were busy men! They had important work to do. And, I imagine their families were waiting for them...
How much of a priority should the love of neighbor take in our lives? May I remind you that all of the laws of God boiled down to their basic essential is: "Love the Lord your God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself." We can do lots of good stuff as individual Christians and as a church, but if we miss this, we miss the heart of the matter. Jesus said so often. In Mt 25:31ff, Jesus tells us that on the last day, he will gather together those professing to know him. And, when we gather, Jesus is going to sort out the real followers from those who have faked it. How will he know the real from the false Christians? Jesus says that those who inherit the kingdom will say this is how we can know that we are his: "I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Then the righteous will say, "Lord, when did we do these things?" Jesus, the King, will reply, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
4) You will find shalom in sacrificial serving and giving – Remember that Jesus is speaking of eternal life -- so the Samaritan's way of life is eternal life. Remember that. Jesus' story meant that this is the way to experience life to the full. You see what the Samaritan man did in vv. 33-35: He felt compassion. He touched the man. He provided specific care. He used what medicine and resources he had without regretting the cost. He personally lifted the man onto his donkey, took him to an inn and spent two months wages to care for him. He gave to the point that some of the man's burden fell on him. It cost him time, strength, and money. And it was for a sworn enemy! Some would say, "He gave until it hurt." I think Jesus would say, "No, he gave and, in it, found real life."
Let me ask you: What would it take to motivate you to live life this way? I think it will only happen if you know deep down that someone who owed you nothing has saved you. Someone saved you only because he loved you. Only when you experience that will people like you and me get up and treat people like this Samaritan treated people. You need to be stunned by the fact that someone you once rejected loved you so much that he saved you. You won't be a neighbor like Jesus calls you to be a neighbor until you are awestruck by the fact that Someone was a Neighbor who rescued you from death.
Let me put it this way: When you have been saved by the grace of God, you will love your neighbors as yourself. That's what happens when Jesus is in charge of your life. You begin to love others as Jesus loved you. The love that flows out of a heart that has been touched by God's grace is always radical love.
What are we to do after we have received God's eternal life? Jesus says that we are to meet the needs of people simply because people are people. Even if they don't believe what we believe. Even if we don't like their politics. We are to do it in such practical ways and with such sacrificial love that it will astonish people. People will have to come and visit this church simply because they have to make sense out of people who show so much love. The love true Jesus-followers are commanded to show will make no sense to people until they hear about Jesus. Then they will get it. They will see we follow the King of the universe, the King who gave his life to meet the needs of those who put him to death!
V.36. I can almost see that lawyer swallowing hard as Jesus forces him once again to answer his own question. He can't bring himself to say, "The Samaritan." That filthy word would have stuck in his throat. But neither can he deny the moral force of this story so he said, "The one who had mercy on him."
"Go and do likewise," Jesus told him. Now we see it: "Love your neighbor as yourself" means love those whom God brings across your path. The love Jesus calls for is a love that never asks "Who?" but only asks "How?". "Go and do likewise!" It's not a suggestion. It's the royal command. And it's from Jesus himself.
You don't need me to tell you that our church would be turned upside down if we all practiced this kind of love. It's impact would be far more world changing than enacting new legislation. We won't be able to keep people out of the church, parking problems or not, if each of us lives the way Jesus taught us to live in Luke 10. Do this: Come to church each week with a goal of looking for needs you might meet instead of asking what you will get out of being in church! And leave church with the same commitment. So much pain and distress would be relieved if only God's people would live with a desire to love as Jesus loves. The lonely elderly, those hurting from broken families, those struggling to recover from difficult marriages, those who are victims of unemployment... I could go on and on. No matter where you look, in this world need is there. Love like that of the Samaritan needs to be shown everywhere to all people. You and I are the ones Jesus sends into this world to love people.
The rest of the story: Can you imagine this Jewish man waking up in the inn and discovering that a man had saved his life? Then, the innkeeper says that his rescuer would be coming that afternoon to check on him. The Jewish man waits in great anticipation. What will this man be like? Will he be my rabbi? A Jewish leader? Then, his rescuer comes in and the Jewish man sees... he sees a Samaritan! Does he hate the man who saved his life? Does he say, "Put me back on that street to die!"?
I tell you that he will be grateful. And, when he someday sees another man who is in trouble, he will help as he was helped. The one who has been saved by love will show love to others.
And maybe the most powerful thing is that Jesus taught this as he was on his way to a cross to love us in just this way to give his life for people who are dying. As Paul would write, "While we were sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus turned this story from a piece of fiction into fact. The lawyer thought he had earned eternal life and soon discovered that he was far from it. He'd never loved this way. He was dying spiritually. He needed someone to love him as this Samaritan loved. And Jesus did. Jesus loved him.
Jesus loves you too. Have you asked him to save your life? When you do, you'll know it because you will be so grateful that you will love others as Jesus loves you. That's what happens when Jesus is in charge.
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Hebrews 13:1-3
To His glory,
Dr. Greg Waybright
Senior Pastor
title="Chinese
當耶穌掌權時:人們相爱, June 22 2014
耶穌掌權的時候我們的生命會發生什麼樣的變化,這一系列的信息應該從這篇講道開始。這實在是基督信仰的核心,你得著這點也就融會貫通了。這是今天的信息:當我們愛鄰舍如同自己的時候就找到真實的生命。這樣的愛是從我們裡面自然地流露對神的愛,祂愛我們如同自己。這篇信息表明一個最為重要的證據,就是耶穌是主,祂真是"掌權做王"。我們要來看耶穌自己的應用,他同父異母的兄弟雅各稱為"至尊的律法。"雅各說當我們遵行耶穌的命令,真正的敬虔從中流露,這樣的敬虔在雅各說來包括看顧在患難中的孤兒寡母。 我們用耶穌說過的一個有名的故事"一個撒馬利亞人"來引導今天的信息。故事引出兩個問題:1) 我要怎樣過一個神造我要我過的生活2)神呼召我去愛誰,誰是我要去愛的鄰舍。我們來看看耶穌是怎樣用一個故事來回來這些重要的問題。
#1 大部分人以為找到"生命"的方式(律法師的問題)
25節:有一個律法師,起來試探耶穌說:"夫子,我該做什麼才可以承受永生。"那時候的律法師和我們現在不同。律法師是"猶太經典"的專家,神的律法記載在摩西五經中。因此他對神的律法有正面的的理解,因為他相信神的律法的頒布乃是叫人遵行"可以得福"( 申明記5:33)。事實上,律法師問的"永生" 指的不只是永恆沒有止境的時間。那樣的生活可能是地獄而不是天堂。永生的生活乃是永恆神定意中的生活。是一個神賜予的生活。是神在生命中心的生活-"平安"的生活。律法師深知這點。 然而,我頗肯定,律法師提問的唯一意思是," 誰可以進天堂?" 這是因為,從但以理書開始,耶穌降臨幾個世紀以前,人們就不斷議論但以理12:2 的話:"睡在塵埃中的,必有多人復醒,其中有得永生的,有受蒙羞永遠被憎恨的。" 所以,他想知道誰死後去哪。 如果你來看耶穌時代的爭論,會看到大部分人很自信外邦人就是往地獄去的。對自由派的猶太人許多人存有疑問。但是大家都同意對可惡的撒瑪利亞人那是永不能承受永生生命的。這麼來,律法師期待怎樣的回答呢?注意25節說他試探耶穌。他可能想要確認人們看耶穌是個沒有受過教育的拉撒勒人,他也以為如此。也許他想耶穌會說,"人人都會承受永生。所以我花時間和稅吏外邦人一起。"我想像律法師預備好了反擊耶穌可能的回答,想要證明他是錯的。 但有一件事很清楚:律法師很篤定他自己一定承受永生。 "如果每個人都會有永生,我一定也會有。"他明白律法。他教導別人律法。他肯定想自己遵行律法要比任何人都更強。 "他可能會想,其他人可能會進地獄",但無法想像他自己可能會進入地獄。他和我們今天的許多人沒有兩樣。他肯定這個世界上的人要比他糟多了。我常常聽到這樣的話;" 我知道我不完全,但是我也沒那麼壞..... ( 你可以自己填空).... 希特勒,那些把國家毀了的自由派、那些沒心沒肺的保守派、那些幫派等等.....也許律法師以為耶穌會誇讚他," 這位先生,你就不用當心這個啦。如果有人活著得著永生,那人就一定非你莫屬了。 "
#2 來自生命之主的生命(至尊的命令)
像以往常用的方式,耶穌用問題來回答律法師的問題。不要忘記這個人可是律法專家。所以,耶穌問他“律法上寫的是什麼?你念的是怎樣呢? 他回答的很對:“你要盡心、盡性、盡力、盡意愛主—你的神;又要愛鄰舍如同自己。” 他是熟知摩西613條律法的專家。但是,如此詳盡的律例可以歸結到10條誡律。他們都遵守十誡。這十條又可以歸結成一條“至尊的命令”(雅各在雅各書2:8節這麼稱呼它。)這條命令包含2部分:愛神,同時愛按神形象創造的人。你意識到嗎? 10誡的前一部分在講你要如何盡心、盡性、盡力、盡意愛主—你的神;第二部分講如何愛鄰舍如同自己。你看,根據神,愛的生活不是簡單的愛的情感。不是的,愛的生活是有愛的行動的。 耶穌在經文28節說:“你回答的是;你這樣行,就必得永生。” 你看到這裡的璀璨之光嗎?律法師縮小永恆生命的意義只存在於“誰能進入天堂?”但耶穌探究永生的深層含義,即經歷有神同在的生活,也就是以祂的命令來引導我們的生活。平安的生命源自神,它是永恆生命的本質。神創造我們要我們盡心、盡性、盡力、盡意愛神;又要愛我們生命中遇到的人,如同愛自己。 有些人為此困惑,耶穌沒有說:永恆的生命來自於信心,而不是行為。這是耶穌在雅各3:16裡告訴尼哥底母的。但是在這裡,耶穌指出一個人與神同行的確實證據。愛的法則是生命的形態而不是贏得生命的路。耶穌不是在講一個人如何的得救的而是在說一個得救的生命是如何活著。 而且,律法師試圖堅持認為他已經做得足夠,完全有資格得到永生。在29節說“那人要顯明自己有理。”他怎麼就認為他做到呢?他深知自己並不真心愛人。甚至對有些人像是撒瑪利亞人,他是恨惡的。所以,他試圖讓耶穌難堪,問了一個熟悉的問題:耶穌,你不可能愛每一個人,人人都知道啊,所以,到底我要愛誰? 這個人還是抱著自以為義不放:“嗨,我已經很好了,我有信仰,我肯定會獲得永生。” 事實上,只有當你承認你沒有真正活著,才是真正有神的生命的開始。真正的生命,也就是神的生命,只有當你看到真正的愛,聖經的愛呼召你過的生活,也是神創造你過的生活,而不是靠自己,才成為可能。代之與律法師的的爭辯,耶穌透過這個故事,破了他所有的防禦機制,教導他--如今仍然在教導我們。
# 3:神生命的證據(故事) 我念的經文30-35節,這個故事你們聽過。你已經知道這個故事。這是一個信徒和信徒都眾所周知的故事。在耶穌的故事背後有著一個美麗的神學,也就是真實的神的愛流入我們的生命,又從我們出來愛出給人。如果你不愛人,那麼你並不是真正愛神,祂的形像在每個祂創造的人身上。因此,你會知道你向神活著,比如,你愛人的時候,你會經歷永恆神的永恆生命。如果你是向神活著:
1) 你會視為自己的使命,甚至是你的特權,親自向人彰顯神愛世人。 - 耶穌告訴我們2個無視別人需要的人,他們一個是祭司的一個利未人(祭司助理)。具有諷刺意味的是,這些人在會堂裡負責管理金錢,來滿足人們的需要。但是,很明顯,這些人關懷人是出於職業–而不是出於心中的信念所為。如果那個人出現在會堂裡,他們會讓他填表,然後決定他是不是夠資格,獲得任何幫助。 請注意:這個系統很重要。問問我們的合作夥伴在解決無家可歸問題上,像"希望之門",他們會同意我的看法。所以,我想讓你知道以色列的人已經建立了良好的系統,以幫助有需要的人。像是在LAC的一些人也是如此。所以,當你今天離開教會的時候,你一定會看到幾乎每星期都在那裡乞討的人。你知道要做什麼嗎?嗯,把他們當人一樣對待。按著人應得的敬重來待人。但是,像這種職業乞討的情況下,我建議你帶他們來我們的社區活動中心,讓我們去幫助他們的需要。如果他們有實際需要,有需要還會來的。並且,我們要開始陪他們走一段路。如若不是這樣,他們就不會再來。 (好的,回到故事) 很清楚的是,這些管理慈善基金的人他們個人並不真正關心苦難中的人們。他們管理慈善基金—但是他們自己並不愛人。我們知道全世界的政治家們都是如此。他們為有關幫助窮人的法律而爭論—他們自己卻從來沒有和窮人有任何關係。在教會,牧師可以做一個有關照顧窮人的佈道,但是卻忽略一個真正有需求的人。又或者,一位正常的教會會員可以看到一個有需求的人就說,“哦,我們有牧師負責關心這樣的事情。”請讓我清楚地表達這個觀點:當你和神的關係是親密的時候,如果你發現像耶利哥路上那位有真正需求的人,你就會很樂意去顯示神的關愛。事實上,你做得越多,你就越會喜歡這麼做。很顯然,愛人的神正在你的生命中作工。 2)你不會限制你願意去幫助的人的類別—很自然,你會想去幫助你喜歡的人或那些你認識的人。將愛和幫助傳遞給你周圍的人,這也很好,很正確。但是耶穌講述這個故事,是為了強調神的心是為所有人準備的。當你與主同行,你就會明白這一點,因為你的心也會變成這個樣子!這個故事中的主人公,那個撒瑪利亞人所愛的人,按種族來分,是他的敵人。 我可以想像,我們能製造很多藉口來解釋為什麼我們不能停下來向這個人表達我們的關愛: • “那是他自己的錯。不管怎樣,他不應該出現在這條路上。難道他不知道這是條'死亡之路'嗎?他不值得獲得任何幫助。” • “我不認識這個人。我的意思是,如果他是我們教會的一份子,那麼也許我會做點什麼。” 正是這樣的藉口,阻止一些教會去幫助苦難中的人們。一些人說,“只有在舊約時代,神的子民會去幫助那些外人。那僅僅符合像以色列這樣的教會國家(一個由神掌管的國家)。但是,我們並不是一個教會國家。所以,在新約時代,教會僅僅能幫助那些教會內部的人。”請讓我告訴你們—這個世界上沒有一個國家是教會國家,而在耶穌是主的每一個教會裡,卻正像一個教會國家。祂正在這裡掌權。祂告訴我們要愛人如己,而這包括所有按著神的樣式創造的人—包括那些做了一些傻事的人。當你認識神並努力尋找喜悅神的方法,你就會像那個撒瑪利亞人那樣,伸出手去幫助受傷的人們。那就是神在這裡給我們的命令。那是不容置疑的。 3)只要有機會你就去滿足他人的需要---用實際的方式來彰顯神的愛將會成為你生活中的頭等大事。我肯定那個祭司和利未人都是大忙人。如果這個在路上的人已經死了,那麼在某種意義上接觸他是不潔淨的,他們就得有一陣子不能去完成一些宗教事務。他們確實是大忙人!他們有重要的事要做。而且我想他們的家人也在等著他們…… 愛鄰舍在我們的生活中究竟應該享有多大的優先權呢?請允許我提醒你們,神所有律法的精髓就是“盡心、盡性、盡力、盡意愛主你的神,又要愛鄰舍如同自己。”身為個人基督徒或是教會,我們都有很多善事可以去做,但如果忽略了這一點,我們就忽略了問題的實質。在馬太福音25:31中,耶穌告訴我們,在末日祂會聚集那些聲稱認識祂的人,並從假冒偽善的人中甄選出真正的追隨者。祂如何能從假基督徒中分別出真基督徒來呢?耶穌說,那些承受神國的人會說,這就是為什麼我們知道我們是屬祂的:“因為我餓了,你們給我吃,渴了,你們給我喝;我作客旅,你們留住我;我赤身露體,你們給我穿;我病了,你們看顧我;我在監裡,你們來看我。”義人就回答說:“主啊,我們什麼時候做過這些呢?”王要回答說:“我實在告訴你們,這些事你們既做在我這弟兄中一個最小的身上,就是做在我身上了。” 4)在犧牲的服事和給予上你會找到平安—請記住,耶穌是在談永生—所以,那個撒瑪利亞人活出的方式就是永生。請記住這一點,耶穌的這個故事表明,這就是經歷豐盛生命的方式。你看見了撒瑪利亞人在33—35節中所做的:他同情那個人。去接觸他。給他關懷。他用掉了藥品和他所有的資源卻沒有吝惜。他還親自把那個人扶上他的驢子,帶他到旅館裡,花了兩個月的工資來照顧他。他給予到如此的一種境界,以至於他已經把那個人的重擔當成了自己的負擔。他花了時間,力氣,還有錢。而這一切竟然是為了一個不共戴天的宿敵!有些人會說,“他一直給予,直到受了傷害。”我認為耶穌會說,“不,他一直給予,直到在裡面找到了真生命。” 讓我來問你:什麼才能激發你活出這樣的生活?我想只有當你內心深處明白,一個並不欠你什麼的人卻救了你。一個人救你,只因為愛你。只有經歷了這些,你我才有可能站起來去幫助別人,像那個好撒瑪利亞人一樣。你需要為一個事實感到震驚,那就是,有一個曾經被你拒絕的人,祂愛你,祂愛你如此之深以至於祂救下了你。你不會成為耶穌想要你成為的那個鄰舍直到你對一個事實肅然起敬,那就是,曾經有一位鄰舍,祂從死亡中拯救了你。 讓我這樣說吧:當神的恩典拯救了你,你就會愛你的鄰舍如同愛你自己。這就是當耶穌在你生命中掌權時將會發生的。你會愛他人如同耶穌愛你。一顆被神的恩典觸碰過的心,從它裡面湧出的愛是強烈而熾熱的。 在接受了神的永生之後我們該做什麼呢?耶穌說我們應該去幫助他人滿足他們的需求,只因著他們是人。即使他們不相信我們所相信的。即使我們不喜歡他們的政治見解。我們還是要去做,並且用這樣實際的方式,用這樣犧牲性的愛,以至於連他們也會感到震驚。他們就會來這個教會看一看,因為他們想要弄明白我們為什麼會給予他們這麼多的愛。這個愛就是真正的耶穌追隨者們被吩咐要彰顯的愛,這個愛會讓人們想不明白,直到有一天他們聽說了耶穌。他們才能理解。他們會看到我們跟隨這個宇宙之王,這個王將祂的生命捨給了那些釘死他的人,滿足了他們的需要。 36節,我幾乎可以看到當耶穌再次讓那個律法師自己來回答自己的問題時,他如鯁在喉,他幾乎無法讓自己說出,“撒瑪利亞人。”那個污穢的字眼卡在他的喉嚨裡。但他又無法抵擋這個故事中道德的力量,所以他回答,“是憐憫他的。” “你去照樣行吧,”耶穌對他說。那麼我們看到:“愛鄰舍如同自己”就意味著要去愛那些神帶到你身邊的路人,耶穌要求的愛是從不問“是誰?”而只問“如何?”的愛。 “去照樣行吧!”這不是一個建議。而是至尊的命令。而且這是耶穌親口說的。 不需要我多說,假如我們所有人都能夠踐行這種愛,我們的教會會發生翻天覆地的變化,它的影響力會比必頒布新法律更能改變世界。假如我們每個人都按照耶穌在路加福音10章中教導我們的那樣去生活,人們就不會不願意來到教會。請大家這樣做:每週,我們都帶著一個目標來教會,這個目標是---找機會幫助別人滿足他們的需求---而不是問你能從教會得到些什麼!離開教會時,也請帶著同樣的承諾與委身。假如神的子民都能像耶穌愛世人那樣,帶著想要關愛他人的渴望去生活,許多的痛苦和不幸都會被釋放。孤獨的老人,破碎家庭帶來的傷害,走出艱難婚姻的掙扎,失業者……我可以一直列舉下去。在這個世界上,不論你往哪裡看,那裡都有需要幫助的人。那個好撒瑪利亞人那樣的愛,需要在各個地方被彰顯---向所有的人。而你和我就是那被耶穌差派到世界中的人,為了去關愛他人。 故事剩下的部分:你能想像出當這樣的情景嗎?那個猶太人在旅館中醒來,發現有人救了他的性命嗎,然後旅店老闆告訴他他的救命恩人下午會來看他。那個猶太人帶著極大地盼望等待著。這個人會是什麼樣子?會不會是我的夫子?還是一個猶太首領?然後,他的救命恩人來了,這個猶太人看到的是……他會痛恨這個救他性命的人嗎?他會說,“把我抬回到路上讓我死了吧!”? 我來告訴你,他會很感恩。而且當某天他看到別人有難時,他也會去幫助別人,就像當初別人幫助他那樣。那些被愛拯救過的人總是也願意去愛別人。也許最強大的是,耶穌是在祂通往十字架的路上這樣教導我們的,祂愛我們正是以這樣一種方式---把生命捨給那些垂死的人。正如保羅所寫的,“在我們還是罪人的時候,基督為我們死了。”耶穌把這樣一個虛構的故事真實地演繹了出來。這個律法師原以為自己已經得著了永生卻突然間發現事實遠非如此。因為他從沒這樣去愛過別人。他在靈裡是垂死的。他需要被愛,需要有人像那個好撒瑪利亞人一樣地去愛他。耶穌那樣做了。耶穌愛他。耶穌也愛你。你讓他來拯救你的生命了嗎?當你要求祂救你,你就會明白,因為你會如此感恩,以至於你會去愛別人,就像耶穌愛你那樣。這就是當耶穌掌權時所要發生的。
你們務要常存弟兄相愛的心。不可忘記用愛心接待客旅,因為曾有接待客旅的,不知不覺就接待了天使。你們要記念被捆綁的人,好像與他們同受捆綁;也要記念遭苦害的人,想到自己也在肉身之內。希伯來書13:1—3
荣耀归于神,
格雷格博士
主任牧师
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2014, Lake Avenue Church