像仆人一样热情好客

作者:每日箴言   来源:普世佳音

“我....尚且洗你们的脚,你们也当彼此洗脚。我给你们作了榜样,叫你们照着我向你们所作的去作。” - 约 13:14-15

在今天的文化中,我们找不到一个与耶稣互相洗脚的命令对等的事。但我们可以知道说,这主要是有关热情好客和彼此服事的。

巴勒斯坦的路是没有铺砌的,人们通常穿着拖鞋,他们的脚会弄得很脏——有时会沾满尘土和泥巴。因此,在你进入别人家之前,仆人会带着一罐水和一条毛巾来洗你的脚。这是一种惯常的好客行为——就像你在冷天去别人家时,有人为你把大衣和围巾挂起来一样。在最后晚餐的那个夜晚,耶稣从席上起来开始为门徒洗脚,祂扮演了仆人的角色。在这样做的过程中,耶稣教给门徒们一个重要的属灵原则。我们没有带着自己的任何东西来到耶稣面前,我们必须从祂领受、被祂服事,才能有所给予。在被服事之后,我们也去做同样的事,与他人分享神倾注到我们心中的丰盛。

耶稣以这个榜样提供了一个深刻的象征,就是祂蒙召乃是要做仆人。跟随耶稣和地位、权力或声望无关。我们服事是因为基督先服事了我们。

祷告

父啊,帮助我们看见,祢的儿子跪在我们脚前,为我们成就了一切。让我们在服事人中找到喜乐和满足,正如祢服事了我们。阿们。

 

约翰福音 13:1-17

1 逾越节以前,耶稣知道自己离世归父的时候到了。他既然爱世间属自己的人,就爱他们到底。
2 吃晚饭的时候——魔鬼已将卖耶稣的意思放在西门的儿子加略人犹大心里——
3 耶稣知道父已将万有交在他手里,且知道自己是从神出来的,又要归到神那里去,
4 就离席站起来,脱了衣服,拿一条手巾束腰。
5 随后把水倒在盆里,就洗门徒的脚,并用自己所束的手巾擦干。
6 挨到西门彼得,彼得对他说:“主啊,你洗我的脚吗?”
7 耶稣回答说:“我所做的,你如今不知道,后来必明白。”
8 彼得说:“你永不可洗我的脚!”耶稣说:“我若不洗你,你就与我无份了。”
9 西门彼得说:“主啊,不但我的脚,连手和头也要洗!”
10 耶稣说:“凡洗过澡的人,只要把脚一洗,全身就干净了。你们是干净的,然而不都是干净的。”
11 耶稣原知道要卖他的是谁,所以说“你们不都是干净的”。
12 耶稣洗完了他们的脚,就穿上衣服,又坐下,对他们说:“我向你们所做的,你们明白吗?
13 你们称呼我夫子,称呼我主,你们说的不错,我本来是。
14 我是你们的主、你们的夫子,尚且洗你们的脚,你们也当彼此洗脚。
15 我给你们做了榜样,叫你们照着我向你们所做的去做。
16 我实实在在地告诉你们:仆人不能大于主人,差人也不能大于差他的人。
17 你们既知道这事,若是去行就有福了。  

Hospitality In Becoming A Servant

“Now that I . . . have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” — John 13:14-15

英语音频 English Audio

In our culture today, we don’t have an automatic equivalent to Jesus’ instruction to wash one another’s feet. But we can figure out that it’s mainly about showing hospitality and serving one another.

The roads of Palestine were unpaved, and with sandals as the common footwear, people’s feet would get really dirty—sometimes caked with dust and mud. As a result, before you entered someone’s home, a servant would come with a pitcher of water and a towel and wash your feet. It was a customary act of hospitality—like someone offering to hang up your coat and scarf on a cold day as you entered their warm home.

On the night of the last supper, Jesus took the role of a servant as he got up from the meal and began washing his disciple’s feet. In doing this, Jesus was teaching his disciples an important spiritual principle. We come to Jesus with nothing of our own, and we must receive from him and be ministered to by him before we have anything to give. Then, having been served, we go and do the same, sharing with others the fullness that God has poured into our hearts.

In this example, Jesus provided a profound symbol of his call to servanthood. Following him is not about position, power, or prestige. We serve because Christ has served us first.

Prayer

Father, help us to see that your Son, by kneeling at our feet, has done everything for us. Enable us to find joy and fulfillment in serving others as we have been served by you. Amen.

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳


发布日期:2018-08-17