你知道“天底”这个词吗？它的意思是“最低点”。我们很难认出自己的最低点，因为情况好像总能变得更坏。尽管我们大多数人并不是每天用这个词，但它的确符合马可福音中的这一场景。这一幕显明了世界对救主的定罪，这位救主是透过耶西树所应许的。
神爱世人，甚至差祂的独生子来寻找拯救失丧的人。然而，住在黑暗中的人，认不出神的儿子。事实上，他们判祂死刑，羞辱地死在十字架上，这一切就发生在大祭司的院子里。
然而，在这个历史上的最低时刻，耶稣自己超越祂的羞辱和死亡，指向一个完全不同的未来，就是祂得荣耀的时候。当大祭司问耶稣是否是“弥赛亚，当称颂者的儿子基督”时，耶稣回答说：“我是，你们必看见人子，坐在那权能者的右边，驾着天上的云降临。”
这就是耶西树的全部故事。它指向圣诞，圣诞又指向复活，就是耶稣从死里复活的时候。而复活节指向耶稣驾着云再次降临，永远与我们同住的时候（启 21-22）。
你是否相信耶稣，接受祂做你的主和救主呢？祂是你生命的主吗？
主啊，在这2018年的最后一天，我们感谢祢的信实，并渴望耶稣在荣耀中再来。阿们。
马可福音 14:53-62
53 他们把耶稣带到大祭司那里，又有众祭司长和长老并文士都来和大祭司一同聚集。
54 彼得远远地跟着耶稣，一直进入大祭司的院里，和差役一同坐在火光里烤火。
55 祭司长和全公会寻找见证控告耶稣，要治死他，却寻不着。
56 因为有好些人作假见证告他，只是他们的见证各不相合。
57 又有几个人站起来作假见证告他，说：
58 “我们听见他说：‘我要拆毁这人手所造的殿，三日内就另造一座不是人手所造的。’”
59 他们就是这么作见证，也是各不相合。
60 大祭司起来站在中间，问耶稣说：“你什么都不回答吗？这些人作见证告你的是什么呢？”
61 耶稣却不言语，一句也不回答。大祭司又问他说：“你是那当称颂者的儿子基督不是？”
62 耶稣说：“我是。你们必看见人子坐在那权能者的右边，驾着天上的云降临。”
“You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." — Mark 14:62
Do you know the word nadir? It means “the lowest point.” It’s hard for us to recognize our own nadir, since it may seem that things can always get worse. Though most of us don’t use this word every day, it fits this scene in Mark’s gospel. This scene shows the world’s condemnation of the Savior promised through the Jesse Tree.
God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to seek and save the lost. The people living in darkness, however, didn’t recognize God’s Son. In fact, they condemned him to die a shameful death on a cross, here in this scene in the high priest’s courtyard.
But in this rock-bottom moment in history, Jesus himself points beyond his humiliation and death to an entirely different future, to his glorification. When the high priest asks him if he is indeed “the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One,” Jesus responds, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Here we have the full story of the Jesse Tree. It points to Christmas, which points to Easter, when Jesus rose from the dead. And Easter points to the second coming of Jesus on the clouds of heaven to live with us forever (Revelation 21-22).
Do you believe in this Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Is he the Lord of your life?
Lord, on this last day of 2018 we give thanks for your faithfulness as we long for the return of Jesus in glory. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
