国度的大能
耶稣和彼拉多之间的这一幕都是关于他们之间的权力之争。彼拉多认为他是在审判耶稣，但结果显明，耶稣更感兴趣的是挑战彼拉多，而不是为自己辩护。
这是因为耶稣对权力有完全不同的看法。彼拉多专注于他对犹太人的权威地位。他并不相信耶稣是有罪的。但最后，彼拉多做了政治上精明的选择，把耶稣交出去钉了十字架，以保住自己的权力。
相比之下，耶稣的权柄不是来自于大力控制或维护自己的利益。如果是这样，耶稣说，祂和跟随祂的人就会为祂得释放而战。
与之相反，真正的权柄——天国的大能——乃是要为他人的缘故付出自己。真正的权柄是有能力给出自己，让他人获得生命。耶稣知道祂的死会很痛苦很艰难，但祂以一种前所未闻的力量坚持到底——这一切都是为了这个充满罪的世界。
作为耶稣的跟随者，我们蒙召要追求这种能力，而不是这个世界提供的权力。我们是否在付出自己，服务他人，使人得生命呢？
主啊，帮助我在服事他人中彰显天国的能力，而不是为自己积蓄权力。阿们。
约翰福音 18:28-36
28众人将耶稣从该亚法那里往衙门内解去，那时天还早。他们自己却不进衙门，恐怕染了污秽，不能吃逾越节的筵席。
29彼拉多就出来，到他们那里，说：“你们告这人是为什么事呢？”
30他们回答说：“这人若不是作恶的，我们就不把他交给你。”
31彼拉多说：“你们自己带他去，按着你们的律法审问他吧！”犹太人说：“我们没有杀人的权柄。”
32这要应验耶稣所说自己将要怎样死的话了。
33彼拉多又进了衙门，叫耶稣来，对他说：“你是犹太人的王吗？”
34耶稣回答说：“这话是你自己说的，还是别人论我对你说的呢？”
35彼拉多说：“我岂是犹太人呢？你本国的人和祭司长把你交给我。你做了什么事呢？”
36耶稣回答说：“我的国不属这世界。我的国若属这世界，我的臣仆必要争战，使我不至于被交给犹太人。只是我的国不属这世界。”
Kingdom Power
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place." - John 18:36
This scene between Jesus and Pilate is all about the power struggle between them. Pilate thinks he is putting Jesus on trial, but it turns out that Jesus is more interested in challenging Pilate than defending himself.
This is the case because Jesus has an entirely different view of power. Pilate is focused on maintaining his position of authority over the Jews. He does not really believe that Jesus is guilty. But in the end, Pilate will choose the politically smart thing and hand Jesus over to be crucified in order to keep his power.
By contrast, Jesus' power doesn't come from amassing control or preserving his own interests. If it did, then Jesus and his followers would have fought for his release, he said.
Instead, real power—kingdom power—is about giving of ourselves for the sake of others. Real power is in the ability to give of oneself so that another may find life. Jesus knows his death will be painful and difficult, but he follows through with a display of power that has never been seen before—all for the sake of this sinful world.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to pursue this kind of power rather than the power that the world offers. Are we giving of ourselves in service to others so that they can have life?
Lord, help me to display kingdom power in my service to others rather than accumulating power for myself. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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