愿意跨越边界
这已经不是耶稣第一次沿撒玛利亚边界旅行了。祂经常跨越这个以及其它的边界——祂那些批判者们可能称之“越界”。撒玛利亚人是犹大人和加利利人的混血表兄弟。对犹太人来说，这个与撒玛利亚人区分的边界，定义了谁配得和不配得神的怜悯。
边界不单是指地理上的，也有指为了避免疾病传播而设置的分界线。比如今天这个故事中的麻风病人，他们知道怎样保持距离。麻风病人十分危险。麻风病人被迫住在社区以外，以免传染别人。
长大麻风的人求耶稣医治，耶稣就医治他们，并要他们去见祭司，得到洁净，因为祭司被授权宣告他们是“洁净”的。
其中一个麻风病人是撒玛利亚人，他相信神即使对非犹太人也是满有怜悯的。而当这个人被医治后，一股感激之情笼罩了他，他很想向主表达感谢，所以他尽快跑回去，以敬拜的姿势俯伏在耶稣脚前。他感谢耶稣给予他不配得的医治，感谢祂甚至垂听一个外邦人的请求。
耶稣总是为需要帮助和医治的人跨过边界——不管是身体的需要，还是灵里的需要。我们是否也愿意这样做呢？
满有恩典的主，感谢祢为我们的缘故跨过罪和死亡的边界，好使我们得到释放，拥有新生命。带着感恩的心，为了祢的缘故，愿我也为他人做同样的事。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
路加福音 17:11-19
11 耶稣往耶路撒冷去，经过撒马利亚和加利利。
12 进入一个村子，有十个长大痲疯的迎面而来，远远地站着，
13 高声说：“耶稣，夫子，可怜我们吧！”
14 耶稣看见，就对他们说：“你们去，把身体给祭司察看！”他们去的时候就洁净了。
15 内中有一个见自己已经好了，就回来大声归荣耀于神，
16 又俯伏在耶稣脚前感谢他。这人是撒马利亚人。
17 耶稣说：“洁净了的不是十个人吗？那九个在哪里呢？
18 除了这外族人，再没有别人回来归荣耀于神吗？”
19 就对那人说：“起来走吧！你的信救了你了。”
Crossing Borders
He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. - Luke 17:16
This was not the first time Jesus traveled along the border of Samaria. He often crossed this border and others—and his critics might call it “crossing the line.” The Samaritans were half-breed cousins of the people of Judah and Galilee. To the Jews, the border with Samaria defined who deserved God’s mercy and who did not.
Borders were not only geographical. There were also dividing lines set up to avoid the spread of disease. The lepers in today’s story, for example, knew how to maintain their distance. Leprosy was dangerous. Lepers were forced to stay outside the community so that others wouldn’t get the disease.
The lepers begged Jesus to heal them. And he did so, cleansing them as they went to the priests, who were authorized to declare them “clean” again.
One of the lepers was a Samaritan. He trusted that God could be merciful even to a non-Jew. And as this man was healed, a flood of gratitude overcame him. He just had to give thanks to the Master, so he ran back as fast as he could and threw himself at Jesus’ feet in a posture of worship. He thanked Jesus for the healing he did not deserve, for hearing even the plea of an outsider.
Jesus always crossed borders for people in need of help and healing—in body and soul. Are we willing to do the same?
Gracious Master, thank you for crossing the border of sin and death for our sake so that we can be freed to have new life. In gratitude, and for your sake, may I do the same for others. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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