如果你在学校要写一篇关于某个主题的文章，你通常会用一个定义作开始。在这个月的灵修文章中，我已用了几个星期去写关于神的国的道理，但我还没有给它下一个定义，为什么呢？
我们对神的国有什么认识呢？神的国好像面酵藏在面团里，像宝贝藏在地里，像麦子和稗子一齐长大，又像园主雇用日工。神的国是出乎意料之外的，好像一个有意想不到的宾客名单的筵席，像妓女和其他“罪人”比外表充满宗教热诚的人先进神的国，而财主真的很难才能进入神的国。
神的国是属于小孩子、使人和睦的人、和贫穷的人的。神的国是要等候的、要祈求的。神的国是在我们中间、但又不是从这个世界来的。神的国是光。
可见我们对神的国要认识的真不少，而且还有许多其他的，但我们不可说这些便是神的国的定义。
无论神的国是怎样的，它给我们对世界、对其他人、和对神一个不同的看法。它也给我们一个在这个世界生活的模式。在某些方面，这却使我们在这个我们熟识的世界，感到有点像一个外人和客旅。
耶稣，我们想知道我们要如何参与，所以我们想知道你的国是怎样的。但其实一切都是关于你的，对吗？这对我们来说，已经足够了。阿们。
马可福音 4:26-34
26又说：“神的国如同人把种撒在地上，
27黑夜睡觉，白日起来，这种就发芽渐长，那人却不晓得如何这样。
28地生五谷是出于自然的，先发苗，后长穗，再后穗上结成饱满的子粒。
29谷既熟了，就用镰刀去割，因为收成的时候到了。”
30又说：“神的国，我们可用什么比较呢？可用什么比喻表明呢？
31好像一粒芥菜种，种在地里的时候，虽比地上的百种都小，
32但种上以后，就长起来，比各样的菜都大，又长出大枝来，甚至天上的飞鸟可以宿在它的荫下。”
33耶稣用许多这样的比喻，照他们所能听的，对他们讲道。
34若不用比喻，就不对他们讲；没有人的时候，就把一切的道讲给门徒听。
"What shall we say the kingdom of God is like . . . ?" - Mark 4:30
If you're writing about a subject for school, you often start with a definition. But in this series I have been writing about the kingdom of God for several weeks, and I haven't given a definition. Why is that?
What do we know about the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is like yeast in a batch of dough, like a hidden treasure, like wheat and weeds growing together, and like a landowner hiring day-laborers. The kingdom of God is unexpected, like a feast with a surprising guest list. Sex workers and other "sinners" enter the kingdom ahead of deeply religious types. And it's really hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God belongs to little children, to peacemakers, and to the poor. The kingdom is something to wait for, something to pray for. The kingdom of God is in our midst, but it's not from this world. The kingdom is light.
That's a lot to learn about the kingdom of God. And there's more where that came from. But that's not what we would call a definition.
Whatever the kingdom of God is, it gives us a different way to see the world, to see people, and to see God. It also gives us a different way to be in the world. And in some ways that makes us strangers and aliens in the world we know so well.
Jesus, we like to know what we're getting into. So we want to know what your kingdom is all about. But it's all about you, isn't it? Let that be enough for us. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
