当我刚刚十几岁的时候,我父亲因为手术并发症而生命垂危。他让学校把我叫出教室,给他画了一张墙报,上面写着:“振作起来!我已经胜了世界!”
当时,我并没有意识到父亲的病情有多严重,只是努力画出最漂亮的空心字,涂上闪粉。后来他活了下来,那张墙报在他的书房里挂了好几年。
当耶稣要交出自己生命时,祂努力让门徒们为将来要经历的悲痛做好准备,并以他们将要见证最后的胜利来鼓励他们。耶稣会胜过罪和死亡,从坟墓里复活,回到天父上帝的右边,最终战胜这个堕落的世界。
这句经文安慰了生命危在旦夕时的父亲。如今在我三年癌症治疗接近尾声,知道医生说我有50%机会再活五年时,这句话也安慰了我。我心中有深深的平安,因为神掌管我的生命和这个世界。在祂叫我回家之前,我将继续尽心、尽性、尽意、尽力地爱祂,事奉祂。祂的预后诊断是永生!
主啊,我们不知道明天将如何,但我们知道你掌管明天。感谢你以世界的苦难战胜了世界,我们将与你一起永远掌权。阿们。
约翰福音 16:16-33
16等不多时,你们就不得见我;再等不多时,你们还要见我。”
17有几个门徒就彼此说:“他对我们说‘等不多时,你们就不得见我;再等不多时,你们还要见我’,又说‘因我往父那里去’,这是什么意思呢?”
18门徒彼此说:“他说‘等不多时’,到底是什么意思呢?我们不明白他所说的话。”
19耶稣看出他们要问他,就说:“我说‘等不多时,你们就不得见我;再等不多时,你们还要见我’,你们为这话彼此相问吗?
20我实实在在地告诉你们:你们将要痛哭、哀号,世人倒要喜乐。你们将要忧愁,然而你们的忧愁要变为喜乐。
21妇人生产的时候就忧愁,因为她的时候到了;既生了孩子,就不再记念那苦楚,因为欢喜世上生了一个人。
22你们现在也是忧愁,但我要再见你们,你们的心就喜乐了,这喜乐也没有人能夺去。
23“到那日,你们什么也就不问我了。我实实在在地告诉你们:你们若向父求什么,他必因我的名赐给你们。
24向来你们没有奉我的名求什么,如今你们求,就必得着,叫你们的喜乐可以满足。
25“这些事,我是用比喻对你们说的。时候将到,我不再用比喻对你们说,乃要将父明明地告诉你们。
26到那日,你们要奉我的名祈求。我并不对你们说,我要为你们求父;
27父自己爱你们,因为你们已经爱我,又信我是从父出来的。
28我从父出来,到了世界;我又离开世界,往父那里去。”
29门徒说:“如今你是明说,并不用比喻了。
30现在我们晓得你凡事都知道,也不用人问你,因此我们信你是从神出来的。”
31耶稣说:“现在你们信吗?
32看哪,时候将到,且是已经到了,你们要分散,各归自己的地方去,留下我独自一人;其实我不是独自一人,因为有父与我同在。
33我将这些事告诉你们,是要叫你们在我里面有平安。在世上你们有苦难,但你们可以放心,我已经胜了世界。”
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." — John 16:33
When I was a young teen, my father was critically ill with complications from a surgery. He asked the school to call me out of class and make him a poster saying, “Be of good cheer! I have overcome the world!”
At the time, I didn’t realize how sick my dad was, but I tried to make the most beautiful bubble letters ever and fill them with glitter. He survived, and that poster hung in his study for years afterward.
When Jesus was about to submit himself to death, he tried to prepare his disciples for the grief they would experience, and to encourage them with the final victory they would witness. Jesus would defeat sin and death, rise from the grave, return to the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and ultimately overcome this fallen world.
This verse comforted my father as his life hung on the edge. It comforts me today as I near the end of a three-year cancer-treatment plan, knowing that the doctors give me a 50-percent chance of making it to five years. But I have deep peace in my heart because God controls my life and this world. Until he calls me home, I will continue to love and serve him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. His prognosis is eternal life!
Lord, we don’t know what the future holds, but we know you hold the future. Thank you that you have overcome this world with its troubles and that we will reign with you forever. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳