害怕死去的麦子
金和银……
经文
马可福音一14-28
14约翰下监以后，耶稣来到加利利，宣传神的福音，
15说：日期满了，神的国近了。你们当悔改，信福音！
16耶稣顺着加利利的海边走，看见西门和西门的兄弟安得烈在海里撒网；他们本是打鱼的。
17耶稣对他们说：来跟从我，我要叫你们得人如得鱼一样。
18他们就立刻舍了网，跟从了他。19耶稣稍往前走，又见西庇太的儿子雅各和雅各的兄弟约翰在船上补网。
20耶稣随即招呼他们，他们就把父亲西庇太和雇工人留在船上，跟从耶稣去了。
21到了迦百农，耶稣就在安息日进了会堂教训人。
22众人很希奇他的教训；因为他教训他们，正像有权柄的人，不像文士。
23在会堂里，有一个人被污鬼附着。他喊叫说：
24拿撒勒人耶稣，我们与你有甚么相干？你来灭我们吗？我知道你是谁，乃是神的圣者。
25耶稣责备他说：不要作声！从这人身上出来吧。26污鬼叫那人抽了一阵疯，大声喊叫，就出来了。
27众人都惊讶，以致彼此对问说：这是甚么事？是个新道理阿！他用权柄吩咐污鬼，连污鬼也听从了他。
28耶稣的名声就传遍了加利利的四方。
信息分享
昨天我们看过处理难担的苦难的最后一个答案：提醒我们在神的宇宙中，祂只容许那些祂能使用的东西出现。再看今天的经文：「约翰下监以后，耶稣来到加利利，宣传神的福音。」在这位最好和最真实的先知被囚进牢狱，以及他传扬福音的行动被邪恶和不公义的王制止以后，耶稣就开始传讲关于神的好消息。
神既然容许这种不幸的事情发生，那怎么还能够有好消息呢？然而这正是耶稣的宣告，而且是毫无愧色的宣告。为甚么呢？因为耶稣知道神所容许发生的一切，神都会加以使用。神以行动来让我们明白，就算是像约翰这么忠心的人也不能免受苦难，而神容让这一切事情发生，并不是代表神不美善。
你现在明白为甚么神容许我们经历苦难了吗？祂这样做是让我们在苦难的烈火中炼净，冶炼不公义这种低劣的金属，并将苦难精炼为品格的金，以及神的旨意的银。在新约有一处经文说，耶稣因为祂在十字架上的死而变得「完全」（路十三32）。让我们来想一想：钉十字架这一件发生在人身上最残酷的事，被转化成为发生在祂身上一件最美好的事──祂因此变得完全。我们不要只是面对苦难，也应该利用苦难，这是我们必须努力培养的一种态度。
「神从最坏中带出最好」
进深研究
诗一二一1-8，五十15；赛四十三2
1. 大卫的宣告是甚么？
2. 你今天的宣告是甚么？
祈祷
亲爱的天父，感谢您让我明白了这种生活方式──当人和环境都在最坏的境况当中，您却从中带出了您的最好。我领悟了，我跟随您，我一无所惧。阿们。
The Corn of Wheat Afraid to Die
Gold and silver...
Bible reading:
Mark 1:14-28
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!"
16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people."
18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.
20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.
22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out,
24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"
26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him."
28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Message
Yesterday we looked at the final answer to dealing with unmerited suffering: reminding ourselves that in God's universe, He only allows what He can use. Look again at the words of our text for today: "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God." After the finest and truest of prophets had been put in prison and his preaching silenced by a wicked and unjust king, Jesus came preaching the good news about God.
How could there be good news about the God who had allowed such a thing to happen? But that is exactly what Jesus did proclaim - and proclaimed unashamedly. And why? Because Jesus knew that everything God allowed, He would use. By His action, He rejected the idea that a man like John should be exempt from suffering, and that God isn't good when He permits such things to happen.
Can you see now why God allows us to go through suffering? He does it so that, in the fires of affliction, we learn the secret of an alchemy which transmutes the base metal of injustice, and consequent suffering into the gold of character and the silver of God's purposes. In one place in the New Testament, Jesus refers to being "perfected" by His death on the cross (Luke 13:32, AV). Just think of it: the worst thing that can happen to a man - crucifixion - turns out to be the best that can happen to Him - perfection. This is the attitude we must cultivate if we are not only to face, but use suffering.
"God brings the best out of the worst"
Prayer
O my Father, how can I ever sufficiently thank You for showing me this way of life? Nothing stops it - permanently. When men and circumstances concentrate on doing their worst - You bring out of it Your best. I see, I follow, and I am unafraid. Amen.
Further study
Psalm 121:1-8; 50:15
Isaiah 43:2
1. What was David's declaration?
2. What is your declaration today?
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背景音乐版权属 赞美之泉音乐事工 所有，承蒙允准使用。