新視域的力量
事情的結局？
經文
馬太福音七13-20
13你們要進窄門。因為引到滅亡，那門是寬的，路是大的，進去的人也多；
14引到永生，那門是窄的，路是小的，找著的人也少。
15你們要防備假先知。他們到你們這裡來，外面披著羊皮，裡面卻是殘暴的狼。
16憑著他們的果子，就可以認出他們來。荊棘上豈能摘葡萄呢？蒺藜裡豈能摘無花果呢？
17這樣，凡好樹都結好果子，惟獨壞樹結壞果子。
18好樹不能結壞果子；壞樹不能結好果子。
19凡不結好果子的樹就砍下來，丟在火裡。
20所以，憑著他們的果子就可以認出他們來。
信息分享
今天我們要看看詩人來到神的聖所之後的領悟：他「思想(理解)他們的結局」（詩七十三17）。當他開始思考那些不敬虔的人會有怎樣的結局時，一切就都變得清晰起來。他以前只看到那些不敬虔的人興盛的一面，但卻沒有想到他們最後的結局，因為他並沒有把各種情況都看清楚。
不敬虔的人會有怎樣的結局？今天的經文告訴我們，不敬虔的人所走的寬路引向滅亡，敬虔的人走的窄路引向生命。就是這麼簡單。雖然詩人當時並沒有這段經文，但他肯定明白背後的真理。請聽這句來自詩篇三十七篇的話：「至於犯法的人，必一同滅絕；惡人終必剪除」（38節）。這首詩的作者大衛王描述邪惡的人擴展自己，好像一棵樹，但結果來到時，他們從地上消失，沒有人再能夠找到他們。
我們的問題是我們往往太注目於現在，沒有考慮將來。你看那些不敬虔的人雖然不理會道德規範，日子似乎過得很好，你有沒有因此而對他們產生嫉妒呢？唔，想一想他們的結局吧，他們最終的結果會如何呢？聖經描述那是「滅亡」。我們永遠都不要忘記這一點──現在怎樣並不重要，它們的結局才是關鍵所在。
「窄路引向生命」
進深研究
路十二15-21；箴十二15-16，二十八6
1. 耶穌怎麼稱呼比喻中的人？
2. 比喻中哪個詞語一再出現？
祈禱
天父，每當我受到試探，要將自己的生命和處境與那些不認識您的人比較時，求您幫助我提醒自己，重要的是結局，而不是當下。奉耶穌的名祈求，阿們。
The Power of a New Perspective
Where does it all end?
Bible reading:
Matthew 7:13-20
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
Message
Today we look at the special understanding the psalmist received when he came into the sanctuary of God: "Then I understood their final destiny" (Psa. 73:17). As soon as he considered the final destiny of the ungodly, everything dropped into focus for him. He had looked at the prosperity of the ungodly but he had not looked at their end - he had not taken in all the facts.
What are the facts concerning the end of the ungodly? The passage we read today tells us: the broad road which the ungodly travel leads to destruction; the narrow road which the godly travel leads to life. It is as simple as that. Though this passage was not available to the psalmist, the truth underlying it was most certainly known to him. Listen to this from Psalm 37: "The transgressors shall be destroyed together, the future of the wicked shall be cut off" (v.38, NKJ). The writer of that psalm, King David, described the wicked spreading themselves like a green tree, but when the end came they vanished off the face of the earth and no one could find them.
The trouble with us is that so often we dwell too much on the present and fail to consider the future. Do you look at the ungodly, many of whom seem to be having a marvellous time ignoring moral restrictions, and feel envious of them? Well consider their end. Give some thought to the ultimate outcome. The Bible describes it as "destruction". We ought never to forget that it is not how things are at present that is important; it's how they end that matters.
"The narrow road leads to life"
Prayer
Father, whenever I am next tempted to compare my life and its circumstances with that of others who do not know You, help me to remind myself of the fact that it is the end that matters, not the beginning. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
Luke 12:15-21
Proverbs 12:15-16; 28:6
1. What did Jesus call the man in his parable?
2. What word keeps Occurring in the parable?
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