给罪人的恩典
我们大多数人都喜欢跟和自己相像的人在一起。我们和那些与自己看起来相像、想法相像、讲话相像的人在一起会最舒服。我们倾向于避开那些和自己不同的人，特别是当他们的道德品行有问题时。
那么，为什么耶稣要和税吏利未 (又被称作马太)说话呢？在那个时代，税吏在自己的民众中被轻视，被看作叛徒和贼，因为他们替罗马人和他们的皇帝效力，从而变得富有。而耶稣好像跟利未说话还不够，还要到他的家里跟其他税吏和罪人一起吃饭！
难道耶稣不在乎和这样的人混在一起会污染了自己吗？祂的回答是：“我来本不是召义人，乃是要召罪人。”
事实上，“罪人”指向所有的人：那些自义的原告、利未家里的其他人，还有我们每个人。在这里我们看到耶稣的恩典生动地延伸到祂周围的每个人，这恩典能转化生命，改变世界。只有耶稣救赎的恩典能成就这些。
只有藉着耶稣的救赎恩典，我们才能恢复与神和好的团契。祂的恩典一旦触及我们的生命，我们也应该让它流向我们周围的人，包括“税吏和罪人”。
亲爱的耶稣，祢赐下恩典给罪人——我们也在其中。藉着祢的恩典，我们得与天父和好。求祢帮助我们，将祢的恩典延伸到周围的每个人。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
马可福音 2:13-17
13耶稣又出到海边去，众人都就了他来，他便教训他们。
14耶稣经过的时候，看见亚勒腓的儿子利未坐在税关上，就对他说：“你跟从我来。”他就起来，跟从了耶稣。
15耶稣在利未家里坐席的时候，有好些税吏和罪人与耶稣并门徒一同坐席；因为这样的人多，他们也跟随耶稣。
16法利赛人中的文士看见耶稣和罪人并税吏一同吃饭，就对他门徒说：“他和税吏并罪人一同吃喝吗？”
17耶稣听见，就对他们说：“康健的人用不着医生，有病的人才用得着。我来本不是召义人，乃是召罪人。”
Grace For Sinners
"I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." — Mark 2:17
Most of us would rather be around people like ourselves. We feel most comfortable with those who look like us, think like us, talk like us, act like us, and more. We tend to avoid people who are different from us, especially if they have a questionable moral character.
So why would Jesus talk with Levi the tax collector (also called Matthew)? In that day, tax collectors were despised as traitors and thieves among their own people because they grew rich working for the Romans and their emperor. And as if talking to Levi wasn't enough, Jesus also ate at Levi's house with other tax collectors and sinners!
Didn't Jesus care about tainting himself by mingling with such people? He answered, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
The truth is, "sinners" refers to everyone: Jesus' self-righteous accusers, the others at Levi's house, and each one of us as well. Here we see Jesus' grace vividly extended to everyone around him, grace that transforms lives and changes the world. Only Jesus' saving grace can do that.
Only by Jesus' saving grace can we come into right fellowship with God. And once his grace touches our lives, we too should let it flow to those around us, including "tax collectors and sinners."
Dear Jesus, you offer your grace to sinners — and that includes us. Through your grace we are made right with the Father. Help us to extend your grace to everyone around us. In your name, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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