“耶稣快到耶路撒冷,看见城,就为它哭泣。” – 路 19:41
神并未选择掩面漠视人类的痛苦,衪反而选择认同那些人悲伤的感受。藉着耶稣,衪亲身经历了痛苦和羞辱 - 衪这样做是为了我们的缘故。
耶稣的降生和受难,分别开始和结束了衪与“弟兄中一个最小的”感同身受(马太福音 25:40)的充满痛苦、服事的一生。耶稣在马棚或马槽里谦卑地出生(路加福音 2:7),而衪的死更是极大的羞辱,因为衪在两个犯人中间、在众目睽睽下被处死(路加福音 23:32-33)。衪活在我们人世间的一生,也是不好过的;祂时常居无定所(路加福着 9:58)、遭人嘲笑、受到试探、备受死亡的威胁。
最近,有一个在RCM长大的17岁男孩,在徒步回家途中遭人枪杀了。他的姊妹和祖母为此哀哭了许久,耶稣也是这样为我们哀哭。我们的庇护中心有很多流离失所的妇女和孩童,母亲们因无家可归的羞耻而哭泣,耶稣也与她们同流泪。当我们受苦时,耶稣与我们每一个受苦的人感同身受并为我们哀哭。
请你记着,在你流泪、伤痛、和受苦的时候,神其实离你并不远。神在基督里与你同流泪。
祷告
主啊,我们受苦时,你其实离我们并不远,我们感谢你。感谢你在基督耶稣里与我们同流泪。我们知道你与我们同在,求你也因此把平安赐给我们。阿们。
路加福音 19:28-44
28耶稣说完了这话,就在前面走,上耶路撒冷去。
29将近伯法其和伯大尼,在一座山名叫橄榄山那里,就打发两个门徒,说:
30“你们往对面村子里去,进去的时候,必看见一匹驴驹拴在那里,是从来没有人骑过的,可以解开牵来。
31若有人问为什么解它,你们就说:‘主要用它。’”
32打发的人去了,所遇见的正如耶稣所说的。
33他们解驴驹的时候,主人问他们说:“解驴驹做什么?”
34他们说:“主要用它。”
35他们牵到耶稣那里,把自己的衣服搭在上面,扶着耶稣骑上。
36走的时候,众人把衣服铺在路上。
37将近耶路撒冷,正下橄榄山的时候,众门徒因所见过的一切异能都欢乐起来,大声赞美神,
38说:“奉主名来的王是应当称颂的!在天上有和平,在至高之处有荣光!”
39众人中有几个法利赛人对耶稣说:“夫子,责备你的门徒吧!”
40耶稣说:“我告诉你们,若是他们闭口不说,这些石头必要呼叫起来!”
41耶稣快到耶路撒冷,看见城,就为它哀哭,
42说:“巴不得你在这日子知道关系你平安的事,无奈这事现在是隐藏的,叫你的眼看不出来。
43因为日子将到,你的仇敌必筑起土垒,周围环绕你,四面困住你,
44并要扫灭你和你里头的儿女,连一块石头也不留在石头上,因你不知道眷顾你的时候。”
The God Who Cries
“As [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.” – Luke 19:41
God chooses not to turn away from human suffering. Instead, God chooses to identify with those who mourn, and, through Jesus, he has made suffering and humiliation his own—all for our sake.
Christ’s coming and his crucifixion are the powerful bookends of a life filled with suffering, service, and identifying with “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). Jesus had a humiliating birth in a barn or a stable where animals were sheltered (Luke 2:7). And he had an even more humiliating death, being publicly executed on a cross between two criminals (Luke 23:32-33). During his life among us, it wasn’t much better—he was often homeless (Luke 9:58), mocked, tested, and threatened with death.
Recently a 17-year-old boy who grew up at Roseland Christian Ministries was shot and killed walking to his home. His sisters and grandmother wept for days. Jesus did too.
Our shelter is filled with women and children who are displaced. Mothers have wept here over the humiliation and shame of being homeless. Jesus weeps with them.
Jesus weeps and identifies with all of us in our suffering.
Please know that in your tears, pain, and times of suffering, God is not far off. God in Christ Jesus weeps with you.
Prayer
Lord, in our suffering, we are grateful that you are not far off. We are grateful that in Christ Jesus you weep with us. Give us the peace of knowing you are with us. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳