八福
不再害怕被定罪
經文
約翰福音八21-36
21耶穌又對他們說：我要去了，你們要找我，並且你們要死在罪中。我所去的地方，你們不能到。
22猶太人說：他說：我所去的地方，你們不能到，難道他要自盡嗎？
23耶穌對他們說：你們是從下頭來的，我是從上頭來的；你們是屬這世界的，我不是屬這世界的。
24所以我對你們說，你們要死在罪中。你們若不信我是基督，必要死在罪中。
25他們就問他說：你是誰？耶穌對他們說：就是我從起初所告訴你們的。
26我有許多事講論你們，判斷你們；但那差我來的是真的，我在他那裡所聽見的，我就傳給世人。
27他們不明白耶穌是指著父說的。
28所以耶穌說：你們舉起人子以後，必知道我是基督，並且知道我沒有一件事是憑著自己作的。我說這些話乃是照著父所教訓我的。
29那差我來的是與我同在；他沒有撇下我獨自在這裡，因為我常作他所喜悅的事。
30耶穌說這話的時候，就有許多人信他。
31耶穌對信他的猶太人說：你們若常常遵守我的道，就真是我的門徒；
32你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。
33他們回答說：我們是亞伯拉罕的後裔，從來沒有作過誰的奴仆。你怎麼說你們必得自由呢？
34耶穌回答說：我實實在在的告訴你們，所有犯罪的就是罪的奴仆。
35奴仆不能永遠住在家裡；兒子是永遠住在家裡。
36所以天父的兒子若叫你們自由，你們就真自由了。
信息分享
昨天，我們明白了淨化的出現，不是隻靠我們把困難告訴別人，還要視乎對方是否有溫暖、接納和了解的態度。心理學家相信，由於幫助者的溫暖、接納的態度，與給人帶來傷害的那種嚴厲、審判的態度剛好相反，所以壓抑的情緒便很容易浮現和釋放。
這種人性的常情與我們現在討論的主題有什麼關系？我相信是關系重大的。在耶穌基督裡，我們找到了不單渴望得到我們的信任，而且是值得我們信任的一位。與他相處的時候，我們就像是聆聽到他對犯奸淫時被抓著的婦人所說的話：「我也不定你的罪，去吧，從此不要再犯罪了！」（約八11）。就是這種接納，這種憐憫，這種關心，令那些久被壓抑的心靈，願意傾倒出他內心深處的傷痛和恐懼。
正如我昨天說過，我見過無數次這種奇妙和神秘的淨化現象在愛和接納中發生，讓被壓抑的傷害和觀念從人的基本個性裡面釋放出來。雖然這種自然現像是美麗和奇妙的，但與我們在經歷被耶穌基督這位了不起的輔導員淨化時，所產生的榮耀和光輝相比，完全不能相提並論。主的淨化不單觸及心靈的外圍，也去到最深處。能夠經歷這種淨化不是所謂的自由，而是一種真正的自由。
「耶穌值得我們信任」
進深研究
約三1-18，五24；羅八1，八34；啟十二10
1.誰定人的罪？
2.給信徒的應許是什麼？
祈禱
我的父，我的神，我逐漸清晰明白了，您說：「天父的兒子若叫你們自由，你們就真自由了」，原來被您淨化能帶來真正的自由。求您潔淨我，直到我內心的深處。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。
The Beatitudes
"No condemnation now I dread"
Bible reading:
John 8:21-36
21 Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."
22 This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"
23 But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins."
25 "Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been telling you from the beginning," Jesus replied.
26 "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."
27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.
28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.
29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."
30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
33 They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?"
34 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.
35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Message
We saw yesterday that the phenomenon of catharsis comes about not simply through telling someone else our troubles, but when that other person is a warm, accepting and understanding individual. Psychologists believe the explanation for this to be the fact that the warm, accepting manner of the helper is so directly opposite to the harsh, judgmental attitudes of those who caused the hurts that repressed feelings easily surface and are released.
What has this law of the personality to do with the subject now under discussion? A great deal, I believe. In Jesus Christ we find Someone who not only yearns for our trust, but is worthy of our trust. To sit in His presence is to hear words similar to those He spoke to the woman caught in adultery: "Neither do I condemn you...go now, and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11). Such acceptance, such compassion, such concern, cannot fail to produce within every heart a willingness to open up those hurts and fears which have been so deeply repressed.
As I said yesterday, I have witnessed on countless occasions this strange and mysterious phenomenon of catharsis take place as, in the presence of love and acceptance, repressed hurts and ideas are discharged from the personality. But beautiful and wondrous as this natural phenomenon is, it is as nothing compared to the glory and radiance that a person shows when they stand in the presence of Jesus Christ, the Wonderful Counsellor, and experience a catharsis that reaches, not merely into the outer regions of the heart, but to its greatest depths. To have such an experience is not just to be free - it is to be free indeed.
"Jesus is worthy of our trust"
Prayer
My Father and my God, slowly things are coming into focus. I am beginning to understand what You mean when You say: "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Purge me to the depths of my being. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
John 3:1-18; 5:24
Romans 8:1; 8:34
Revelation 12:10
1. Who brings condemnation?
2. What is the promise to the believer?
本文英文版權屬 CWR 所有，承蒙允准刊載。
背景音樂版權屬 讚美之泉音樂事工 所有，承蒙允准使用。