在第9章的开始部分，我们读到耶稣给门徒们赶鬼医病、宣讲神国道理的能力，他们获得了惊人的成功。因着神透过他们所作的一切，他们满怀激动地回到耶稣那里。他们好运正旺。
接着，不久之后，一个人带着他的儿子找到门徒们，他们却不能把折磨这男孩的鬼赶出去。究竟发生了什么事？之前他们还那么成功，现在他们为什么治不好这个男孩呢？（参马太福音17:14-20，查看故事的更多细节。）
有时，我们需要一场失败的比赛才能把我们带回原点：一切都是关乎耶稣，而不是关乎我们。
门徒必须重新发现，比赛的胜利不在于以他们的方法去做事，而在于以耶稣的意思去做人。他们的失败，显出他们是按着自己的意思做人。耶稣接着对他们说：“你们要把这些话存在耳中。因为人子将要被交在人手里。”
然而，耶稣却是在丧失生命中，战胜了罪和死亡。在失去那群渴望“得胜者”的人的掌声和赞赏中，一个“失败者”拯救了世人的灵魂。
主耶稣，求帮助我明白到，最大的智慧来自放弃自己，学习全心信靠祢，尽管我还不能完全明白。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
路加福音 9:37-44
37 第二天，他们下了山，就有许多人迎见耶稣。
38 其中有一人喊叫说：“夫子！求你看顾我的儿子，因为他是我的独生子。
39 他被鬼抓住就忽然喊叫，鬼又叫他抽风，口中流沫，并且重重地伤害他，难以离开他。
40 我求过你的门徒把鬼赶出去，他们却是不能。”
41 耶稣说：“唉！这又不信又悖谬的世代啊，我在你们这里，忍耐你们要到几时呢？将你的儿子带到这里来吧！”
42 正来的时候，鬼把他摔倒，叫他重重地抽风。耶稣就斥责那污鬼，把孩子治好了，交给他父亲。
43 众人都诧异神的大能。耶稣所做的一切事，众人正稀奇的时候，耶稣对门徒说：
44 “你们要把这些话存在耳中，因为人子将要被交在人手里。”
“I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” - Luke 9:40
In the first part of Luke 9, we read that Jesus empowered the disciples to drive out demons, heal the sick, and preach the kingdom of God. And they had amazing success. They returned to Jesus full of excitement at what God had done through them. They were on a roll.
Then, just a short time later, a man brought his son to the disciples, but they could not drive out the demon that afflicted the boy. What happened? The disciples had been so successful earlier; why couldn’t they heal this boy? (See Matthew 17:14-20 for some additional details to this story.)
Sometimes we need a losing streak to bring us back to square one: it is all about Jesus and never about us.
The disciples had to rediscover that winning streaks are not about doing things their way, but about living life under Jesus’ terms. Their failure represented a weak attempt to live life according to their terms. Jesus then said to them, “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”
It was in losing his life that Jesus won the victory over sin and death. It was in losing the applause and appeal of men and women, who hungered for a winner, that a “loser” would rescue souls.
Master Jesus, help me to realize that the greatest wisdom comes from giving up my world and learning to trust you even when I do not fully understand. In your name, Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
