耶稣开始传道的时候，祂所说的和施洗约翰一模一样：“天国近了，你们要悔改”（参太 3:2; 4:17）。后来耶稣又在祂的事工中说道：“神的国就在你们中间。”
让我们花一点时间来思想一下这个宣告。
祂所说的“神的国就在你们中间”究竟是什么意思呢？
你看到什么了？它在这里吗？在你里面？在我们中间？
天国在此时此地是什么样的？
你所想的和耶稣所说的相似还是不同呢？祂说：“神国的到来，不是眼所能见的。没有人能说：‘看，在这里！’或‘在那里！’因为看哪，神的国就在你们中间。”默想和讨论这些经文，会激起我们内心的好奇——耶稣究竟是什么意思呢？
这个月，就让我们一起来发现，在许多有关天国的教导中，耶稣究竟在讲什么，我们每个人又怎样活在天国中。我们将看到神的国在我们跟随耶稣基督的生活中是多么重要——甚至可以说，至关重要。
我们在天上的父，你的名何其圣洁！“愿你的国降临，愿你的旨意行在地上，如同行在天上。”奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
路加福音 17:20-21
20 法利赛人问神的国几时来到，耶稣回答说：“神的国来到不是眼所能见的。
21 人也不得说‘看哪，在这里！’、‘看哪，在那里！’，因为神的国就在你们心里。”
“The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” — Luke 17:20-21
Jesus began his ministry by saying exactly what John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2; see 4:17). And then later in his ministry Jesus added, “The kingdom of God is in your midst.”
Let’s take a few moments to reflect on that statement.
What does Jesus mean when he says, “The kingdom of God is in your midst?”
What do you see? Is it here? Within you? Among us?
What does the kingdom of heaven look like here and now?
Is what you are thinking similar to or different from what Jesus said: “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” By reflecting and talking about this, we begin to stir up wonder in our hearts and minds—what exactly does Jesus mean?
This month, let’s join together in discovering what Jesus means in his many teachings about the kingdom, and how each of us can engage in kingdom living. We’ll see how the kingdom of God is very important—even crucial—in our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.
Our Father in heaven, holy is your name! “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” In Jesus, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
