白白的礼物
在我居住的城市，有个地方每天早晨都聚集了失业人员。那里经常被叫做“现金区”。失业者需要一些收入来维持生计，他们很想工作。建筑经理们若是当天需要一些额外的工人，便会开着卡车去“现金区”挑人。他们通常先选择那些最高大、最强壮的人，并希望他们能诚实地工作。
这和耶稣所描述的一幕很相似：“天国好像家主，清早去雇人，进他的葡萄园作工。”这个故事中令人吃惊的是，家主又回去挑了更多的工人来——而且不止一两次，而是三次。他最后一次去的时候，这一天就只剩一个小时的工作时间了！更何况，最后被选来的这批人，也不太可能有多少优点和能力。
耶稣想要我们知道，无论你何时进入天国，无论你的优点和能力如何，每个人在一天的末了都得到同样的报酬。耶稣这位家主，祂给予我们同样的恩典。在神的国中，这不是我们能透过工作挣来的。恩典的礼物是真正的礼物！神呼召我们，去和他人白白地分享神的爱和恩典。
主啊，感谢你恩典的礼物。愿我们感恩地领受你奇妙的爱，并学会把它分享出去。奉耶稣的名祈求。阿们。
马太福音 19:30-20:16
30 然而，有许多在前的将要在后，在后的将要在前。
20 “因为天国好像家主清早出去雇人进他的葡萄园做工，
2 和工人讲定一天一钱银子，就打发他们进葡萄园去。
3 约在巳初出去，看见市上还有闲站的人，
4 就对他们说：‘你们也进葡萄园去，所当给的，我必给你们。’他们也进去了。
5 约在午正和申初又出去，也是这样行。
6 约在酉初出去，看见还有人站在那里，就问他们说：‘你们为什么整天在这里闲站呢？’
7 他们说：‘因为没有人雇我们。’他说：‘你们也进葡萄园去。’
8 到了晚上，园主对管事的说：‘叫工人都来，给他们工钱，从后来的起，到先来的为止。’
9 约在酉初雇的人来了，各人得了一钱银子。
10 及至那先雇的来了，他们以为必要多得，谁知也是各得一钱。
11 “他们得了，就埋怨家主说：
12 ‘我们整天劳苦受热，那后来的只做了一小时，你竟叫他们和我们一样吗？’
13 家主回答其中的一人说：‘朋友，我不亏负你。你与我讲定的不是一钱银子吗？
14 拿你的走吧！我给那后来的和给你一样，这是我愿意的。
15 我的东西难道不可随我的意思用吗？因为我做好人，你就红了眼吗？’
16 这样，那在后的将要在前，在前的将要在后了。”
God’s Free Gift
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” — Matthew 20:1
In the city where I live, there’s a place where unemployed people gather every morning. It’s often called “Cash Corner.” The unemployed need some income to make ends meet, and they are willing to work. Construction managers drive their pickup trucks to Cash Corner and select from the unemployed when they need some additional workers for the day. The managers typically select the biggest and strongest first, hoping for an honest day’s work.
This is similar to the scene Jesus describes as he says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.” The surprising part of this story is that the landowner went back to select more workers—not once, not twice, but three more times. And the last time he went, there was only one hour of work left in the day! There was also not much promise of strength and ability in the last workers to be chosen.
Jesus wants us to know that no matter when you enter the kingdom, and no matter what your own strength and ability are, each person receives the same benefit at the end of the day. Jesus, the landowner, gives each of us the same gift of grace. And this is not something we can earn or pay off by working in God’s kingdom. The gift of grace is a true gift! And we are called to share God’s love and grace freely with others.
Thank you, Lord, for your gift of grace. May we accept it with gratitude for your amazing love, and may we learn to share it. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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