天国里的惊喜
我们总有一种将世界划分开来的倾向。我们根据种族、信仰、性别、性倾向、政党来划分，这个清单还可以继续。有时基督徒会陷入一种试探，就是根据他们认为的谁属于和谁不属于天国来区分人。但今天这个故事向我们显明，神眼中属于天国的人，或许和我们认为的并不一样。
你注意到耶稣是怎样回应百夫长的信心吗？祂惊讶于这个人显出的信心比祂自己的百姓都大。“这么大的信心，就是在以色列中，我也没有遇见过。”耶稣说。
耶稣遇见的信心有问题的以色列人，往往包括像法利赛人这样的，他们很容易自义（可 7:5），常常想试探耶稣（路 10:25）。还有祂自己家乡的人们，他们怀疑耶稣，认为祂不可能是先知（可 6:1-6）。还有其他的不信者要求耶稣行个神迹来证明祂是谁（约 6:29-31）。甚至，耶稣的门徒们在风暴或其它艰难的环境中，有时也会信心软弱（参可 4:40-41；路 9:40-41）。
耶稣鼓励我们，无论在怎样的环境中，都要信靠祂。祂也提醒我们，凡是对祂有信心的人，哪怕是我们想不到的人，都属于祂的国度。
耶稣，求赐给我们像那个百夫长一样的信心，看到你有极大的权柄。的确，天上地下，你都掌权。奉你的名祈求。阿们。
马太福音 8:5-13
5 耶稣进了迦百农，有一个百夫长进前来，求他说：
6 “主啊，我的仆人害瘫痪病，躺在家里甚是疼苦。”
7 耶稣说：“我去医治他。”
8 百夫长回答说：“主啊，你到我舍下我不敢当，只要你说一句话，我的仆人就必好了。
9 因为我在人的权下，也有兵在我以下，对这个说‘去！’他就去，对那个说‘来！’他就来，对我的仆人说‘你做这事！’他就去做。”
10 耶稣听见就稀奇，对跟从的人说：“我实在告诉你们：这么大的信心，就是在以色列中我也没有遇见过！
11 我又告诉你们：从东从西，将有许多人来，在天国里与亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各一同坐席；
12 唯有本国的子民，竟被赶到外边黑暗里去，在那里必要哀哭切齿了。”
13 耶稣对百夫长说：“你回去吧！照你的信心给你成全了。”那时，他的仆人就好了。
Surprise In The Kingdom Of Heaven
“Many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 8:11
We have a tendency to divide the world we live in. We divide it by race, by beliefs, by gender, by sexual orientation, by political party—and the list goes on. Sometimes Christians can be tempted to divide people by who they think is “in” the kingdom of heaven and who is not. But this story shows that God’s ideas about who is included may not be what we expect.
Notice how Jesus responds to the faith of the centurion. He is amazed that this person shows more faith in him than any of his own people. “I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith,” says Jesus.
Jesus’ encounters with the people of Israel in matters of faith often included individuals like the Pharisees, who tended to be self-righteous (Mark 7:5) and tried to test him (Luke 10:25). Then there were the people of his hometown, who doubted he could be a prophet (Mark 6:1-6). There were also other skeptics who demanded a miracle to prove who he was (John 6:29-31). Even Jesus’ disciples had weak faith at times in the midst of storms or other difficult circumstances (see Mark 4:40-41; Luke 9:40-41).
Jesus encourages us to have faith in him regardless of the circumstances we are in. He also reminds us that anyone who has faith in him, even those we might not expect, belongs to his kingdom.
Jesus, give us faith like that of the centurion, who saw that you have great authority. Indeed, you rule over all things in heaven and on earth. In your name we pray. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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