不一样的王
许多一世纪的犹太人都盼望他们的弥赛亚是一位政治领袖，带领以色列进行一场反抗罗马帝国的革命。他们盼望耶稣带领整个国家再次获得独立。
因此，在我们今天所读的约翰福音12章中，耶稣在进入耶路撒冷的一路上被当作一个英雄，人们向祂欢呼：“以色列的王是应当称颂的！” 实际上，人群太多太激动了，以至于宗教领袖们绝望地说：“世人都随从他去了”。
我们能理解为什么犹太人想要回到他们盛世王国的光辉岁月。然而，耶稣是来作一位不一样的王。祂来与其说是为了戴上王冠，不如说是为了背负十字架。祂来，是为我们打破罪的咒诅，为我们舍命。就这样，在这个破碎世界中凡相信祂的人，都能够进入神的国度。因为祂是神，耶稣现在是、也将永远是万王之王，万主之主！
耶稣的到来让我们知道，神不是对政治筹划，或仅仅一个国家，一个组织感兴趣。神爱整个世界，祂的国度目标大过我们任何人的眼界。作为跟随基督的人，我们首先的身份是天国的子民，我们所有其他的目标和愿望都必须与之相符。
父啊，帮助我看到你的作为大过我所在的城，所在的省或所在的国家，请帮助我向全世界分享你的爱。阿们。
约翰福音 12:12-19
12第二天，有许多上来过节的人听见耶稣将到耶路撒冷，
13就拿着棕树枝出去迎接他，喊着说：“和散那！奉主名来的以色列王是应当称颂的！”
14耶稣得了一个驴驹，就骑上，如经上所记的说：
15“锡安的民哪，不要惧怕！你的王骑着驴驹来了。”
16这些事门徒起先不明白，等到耶稣得了荣耀以后，才想起这话是指着他写的，并且众人果然向他这样行了。
17当耶稣呼唤拉撒路，叫他从死复活出坟墓的时候，同耶稣在那里的众人就作见证。
18众人因听见耶稣行了这神迹，就去迎接他。
19法利赛人彼此说：“看哪，你们是徒劳无益，世人都随从他去了！”
A Different Kind Of King
"Blessed is the king of Israel!'" - John 12:13
Many first-century Jews had hopes that their promised Messiah would be a political leader, someone who could lead Israel in a revolution against the Roman Empire. Their hope was that Jesus could lead the nation to independence again.
So in our reading from John 12 for today, Jesus is hailed as a hero on his way into Jerusalem: “Blessed is the king of Israel!” In fact, the crowd is so large and excited that the religious leaders despair that “the whole world has gone after him.”
We can understand why the Jewish people would want to return to their country's glory days. But Jesus came to be a very different kind of king. He came not so much to wear a crown but to bear a cross. He came to break the curse of sin for our sake, laying down his own life in our place. And that's how he would welcome all who believe in him to enter God's kingdom in this broken world. Because he is God, Jesus is and always has been the King of kings and Lord of lords!
Jesus' coming teaches us that God is not interested in a political agenda, or just one nation, or just one people group. God loves the entire world, and his kingdom purposes are bigger than any of us. As followers of Christ, our citizenship is in the kingdom of heaven, first and foremost, and all of our other goals and desires must fall into place with respect to that.
Father, help me to see that your work is bigger than my city, state, or country, and help me to share your love for the whole world. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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