基督的关怀服侍
路加福音四章14至21节
14耶稣满有圣灵的能力，回到加利利；他的名声就传遍了四方。
15他在各会堂里教训人，众人都称赞他。
16耶稣来到拿撒勒，就是他长大的地方。在安息日，照他平常的规矩进了会堂，站起来要念圣经。
17有人把先知以赛亚的书交给他，他就打开，找到一处写着说：
18“主的灵在我身上，因为他用膏膏我，叫我传福音给贫穷的人；差遣我报告被掳的得释放，瞎眼的得看见，叫那受压制的得自由，
19报告神悦纳人的禧年。”
20于是把书卷起来，交还执事，就坐下。会堂里的人都定睛看他。
21耶稣对他们说：“今天这经应验在你们耳中了。”
信息分享
耶稣基督在世上活出的生命，正是我们每天生活的最佳典范。有些信徒强调基督的言行教训，甚于祂为我们受死所成就的救赎。另一方面，我们却往往会忽视基督在以色列全地传道时所做的杰出工作。
在今天选读的经文中，我们看见基督在世的使命宣言，当中描述了人类的四种光景和各自最大的需要。基督说，祂来是要服侍那些灵性贫乏、做罪的奴隶、对神的事情瞎眼，并被生活本身压得透不过气来的人。祂进而指出，这些人正是祂的服侍对象，祂要传福音给他们、宣布为奴的得释放、使瞎眼的得看见，并帮助需要帮助的人。
我们今天可能自觉力量微小，不可能效法基督。然而，正如祂所做的关怀服侍，即帮助有需要的人，却是我们能够做到的；我们有很多机会关心那些陷入困境的人。人人都需要友谊；大多数人都渴望有人聆听他们，或给予鼓励。我们要表达这种关心。
英皇钦定本将第18节的「叫那受压制的得自由」，译为「医治那心灵破碎的人」。今天有甚么事情使人心灵破碎呢？也许，被人羞辱、忧愁、希望幻灭和失望等，都可以令人心碎。我们身边的人、那些我们每天遇见的人中，有没有被这些情绪深深伤害的人呢？我们可以把握机会，跟他们做朋友，从细微之处，让他们知道，因着基督为我们所成就的事，我们愿意帮助他们。
诚然，关心他人需要占用我们的时间；我们也可以格外致电问候，或特别写信和慰问卡。唯有当我们将来去到天堂，我们才会知道我们此刻的一个行动、一个关心、一个代祷，对别人来说是何等意义重大。我们是否真正关心他人呢？他人能否看见我们，像基督一样地关心人，今天以至于每一天呢？
CHRIST’S MINISTRY OF CARING
Luke 4:14-21
14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.
15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.
17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Message
In our reading today we have His declaration of His mission to the world and also four remarkable pictures of human life and its areas of greatest need. Christ said He came to those who faced spiritual poverty, those who were slaves to sin, those who were blind to the things of God, and those who had been buffeted by life itself. In each case He showed that He was to be an active ministry; to preach, proclaims, open eyes, and to help those who needed help.
We ourselves may feel totally inadequate to do anything like what He did. But just as He was a caring ministry, helping all who were in need, so we have opportunities to help those in somewhat similar circumstances. Men and women still respond to friendship. Many are glad for a listening ear or a word of encouragement. We need to show that we care.
The words in verse 18 “to release the oppressed” are translated in the KJV as “to heal the broken-hearted”. What can break a heart today? Shame can do it. Sorrow can do it. So can disillusionment and disappointment. Are there any people around us, people who we meet from day to day, who have been deeply wounded by these emotions? This could be an opportunity for us to be a friend to them and in some small way let them see that because of what Christ has done for us, we want to help them too.
It might take up our time when our intention is to do something else. It may mean extra phone calls or letters or cards. But we may not know what our actions, our thoughts, our prayers meant to that person at that time till we reach heaven. How much do we really care? Can the caring ministry of Christ be seen in us - today and every day?