《飲飲食食,重新得力》Day27

《被召的筵席》

耶穌又用比喻對他們說: 2「天國好比一個王為他兒子擺設娶親的筵席,3 就打發僕人去,請那些被召的人來赴席,他們卻不肯來。王又打發別的僕人,說:『你們告訴那被召的人,我的筵席已經預備好了,牛和肥畜已經宰了,各樣都齊備,請你們來赴席。』 5 那些人不理就走了;一個到自己田裏去;一個做買賣去;6 其餘的拿住僕人,凌辱他們,把他們殺了。7 王就大怒,發兵除滅那些兇手,燒毀他們的城。8 於是對僕人說:『喜筵已經齊備,只是所召的人不配。 9 所以你們要往岔路口上去,凡遇見的,都召來赴席。』 10 那些僕人就出去,到大路上,凡遇見的,不論善惡都召聚了來,筵席上就坐滿了客。11 王進來觀看賓客,見那裏有一個沒有穿禮服的,12 就對他說:『朋友,你到這裏來怎麼不穿禮服呢?』那人無言可答。13 於是王對使喚的人說:『捆起他的手腳來,把他丟在外邊的黑暗裏;在那裏必要哀哭切齒了。』 14 因為被召的人多,選上的人少。」 (馬太福音廿二1-14)

1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. 4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. 13  “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14)

分享:你曾否拒絕參加婚宴?為什麼會拒絕呢?因為和新人不太熟?地點太遙遠?時間撞期?還是單純不想付「人情」?無論理由是什麼,這些都是我們在日常生活中「合理」的選擇吧。在聖經裡,耶穌也曾用婚宴比喻作出教導。這比喻是耶穌在聖殿對祭司長與法利賽人連續講了三個比喻的最後一個,用以描繪天國的榮耀與人心的頑梗。

比喻中,一位王為兒子預備了婚宴,象徵神為基督 (兒子) 所設的救恩筵席。王差派僕人去邀請客人,但客人們卻多次推辭,甚至有人將僕人打死 (參 v.5–6) 。這代表神透過先知、耶穌、使徒多次發出天國的呼召,卻不斷遭人拒絕、冷落甚至迫害。王後來憤怒審判那些兇惡的人,然後差僕人到城外邀請所有人 —— 「無論善惡都招聚來」(參 v.10) 。這是對外邦人開放救恩的象徵。但即使如此,進入筵席者仍需穿上禮服 (參 v.11-12) ,表示進入神國也需要真正悔改與回應。

現代信徒讀到這比喻時,往往很難代入其中的教導。畢竟我們今天活在一個以「我」為中心的世代,參與一場婚宴 (或是生命中任何決定) 由「我」說了算是很自然的事。當神呼召我們參與祂為我們預備的「生命筵席」時,我們也會有這些「我」的反應:「我太忙了,等我有空再說吧」、「我還年輕,等我老一點再來教會也不遲」、「神的邀請很好,但我還有很多其他的選項。」在這些想法背後,藏著的不只是輕忽,更是一種「自我掌控」的心理。我們想做自己生命的主,拒絕放下主權;我們對神的愛與邀請,往往不夠看重,甚至視為理所當然。

英國著名作家 C.S. Lewis 曾經是一位無神論者,長年以來拒絕神的邀請。他曾形容自己決志信主的那一夜:「我跪下時,仍是帶著掙扎與抵抗;我是英國最不情願的歸主者 (The most dejected and reluctant convert in all England) 。」 *  或許他曾是那些「多次推辭的客人」,但感恩最後他也願意接受神的邀請,後來成為全世界最有影響力的基督教護教者之一。

神今日仍在發出邀請,透過教會、聖經、禱告、小組聚會、敬拜時間,甚至是一頓安靜的晚餐,都可能是神向你說:「孩子,來參加我為你預備的筵席吧!」 你又會怎樣回應呢?

反思:你曾否被神邀請參與「筵席」 (服事、回應、委身、悔改) ,卻以忙碌、懶惰或逃避為藉口?有什麼人或事正在代替神的位置?你是否願意重新排列生命的優先次序?

禱告:親愛的天父,謝謝祢為我們預備那永恆的喜筵。對於祢多次的邀請,我們有時遲疑,有時拒絕,甚至故作冷淡。求祢赦免我們冷淡的心,幫助我們重新看重與祢的關係。讓我們穿上悔改與信心的禮服,坦然坐上祢為我們預備的席位。以上禱告,奉主耶穌得勝的名求,阿們。

* 出自 C.S. Lewis,《被喜樂征服》(Surprised by Joy),第十四章,1955

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