我很想知道耶稣为什么特别拣选了这四个人做第一批的门徒,这件事看来似乎是随机发生的,然而,耶稣或许早已认识他们,按照神的灵的引领,祂便拣选了他们。
我们也不确切知道,他们为什么会放下一切、立刻跟从了耶稣。根据某些说法,推测有一个可能性,就是跟从一个伟大的导师,是人生中最宝贵的机会。
然而,经文只简单地告诉我们:耶稣发出呼召,他们便跟从了祂,就好像创世记中神创造的故事,神说话,事就这样成了。“神说:‘要有光,’ 就有了光”(创世记 1:3)。真是不可思议!
在我曾服事的教会中,时常都会贴出招募义工参与各项事工的报名表。然而耶稣并不招募短期的义工来作门徒,衪乃是呼召我们委身于全然交托,终生改变,因着衪的拣选,事就这样成了。
不过,祂不要求我们立即完全明白或解答关于信仰和生命的各种深奥的问题,祂知道,在我们跟从祂的过程中,我们会越来越明白和认识祂是我们生命的主。尽管如此,我们仍然不能时常完全跟从衪或保持出色的状态,我们不能时常表达出良好信心的样式,然而,祂会不断塑造我们成为跟从耶稣的典范。
主耶稣,求你帮助我一生一世完全跟从你。当我表现不理想时,求你教导我、帮助我成长、和忠心于你。阿们。
马可福音 1:16-20
16耶稣顺着加利利的海边走,看见西门和西门的兄弟安得烈在海里撒网,他们本是打鱼的。
17耶稣对他们说:“来跟从我,我要叫你们得人如得鱼一样。”
18他们就立刻舍了网,跟从了他。
19耶稣稍往前走,又见西庇太的儿子雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰在船上补网,
20耶稣随即招呼他们。他们就把父亲西庇太和雇工人留在船上,跟从耶稣去了。
"'Come, follow me,' Jesus said." - Mark 1:17
I wonder why Jesus specifically called these first four disciples. It seems rather random, but maybe Jesus already knew them and was guided by the Spirit of God to single them out.
We also aren’t sure why they dropped everything and followed him immediately. It could be, as some have said, that the opportunity to follow a great teacher was prized as the opportunity of a lifetime.
But what we are told is simply this: Jesus calls, and they follow. God speaks, and it happens, as in the creation story in Genesis. “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). That’s pretty impressive.
In the churches I have served there would often be sign-up sheets and calls for volunteers to serve in one way or another. But Jesus isn’t looking for short-term volunteers to be disciples. He calls us to full, life-changing commitment, and his choosing makes it happen.
But he does not require us to know everything about faith or to have all the answers about the deep questions of life. He knows that in following him we will grow to understand and know him as the Lord of our lives. Even so, we won’t always follow him perfectly or even particularly well. We will not always be great examples of faith, but he will keep shaping us to be examples of what it means to follow Jesus!
Lord Jesus, help me to follow you with my whole life and being. And when I don’t do very well, teach me and help me to grow and be faithful. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳