When my daughter was about three years
old, we sent her to a daycare center for the first time. On the way there, I
kept telling her that daddy would leave her for a little while, just a little
while, and then I would come back and pick her up. She was totally confused by these
words, and immediately sensed something bad going to happen. She watched me closely
and as soon as she saw me leaving her behind, she started to cry loudly, as if
she would never see me again. Later when I came to pick her up, as soon as she
saw me from afar, she immediately ran over and held on to me and did not let
go. Many parents share this experience. I have four children and have rehearsed
this kind of “mourning hour” four times and it was hard to forget.
Over the table of the last supper,
Jesus had similar parting words with his disciples. 16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again
a little while, and you will see me.” 17So some of his disciples
said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you
will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because
I am going to the Father’?” 18So they were saying, “What does he
mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19Jesus
knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are
asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see
me, and again a little while and you will see me’?” (Jn. 16:16-19 ESV) In
these four verses, the phrase “a little while” has been repeated seven times! Since
verses 17 and 18 look awfully similar, some question it as a copying typo.
However, it is a vivid description of the confusion and fear his disciples went
through at the moment. They all sensed that something bad was going to happen.
Jesus had to comfort them by saying, So
also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will
rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (Jn. 16:22 ESV) They had
sorrow because they realized Jesus’ immanent departure. Yet, Jesus must leave
them alone for a short period of time, so that they may receive the joy that
could never be taken away.
A worker at a daycare center would be
used to crying babies, especially from those first timers. Some kids would cry
for the entire time until their parents show up. If you have ten such crying
babies at your daycare, you would join them in wishing their parents would show
up sooner. When someone finally shows up at the door, even though you may not
know the person, you would immediately recognize whose parent he is from the
reaction of the kids. If one of the ten babies suddenly stopped crying and ran
to the door and hold on tight to the person, you know who is coming. After
Jesus’ resurrection, he first came to crying Mary, Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you
seeking?” (Jn. 20:15 ESV) There is humor in these words. When Mary finally
realized who He is, she held so tight to Him that Jesus had to protest, “Do not cling to me.” (Jn. 20:17 ESV) That
is the beginning of a long pickup process. One by one, His mourning disciples
were picked up by Him, the disciples
were glad when they saw the Lord. (Jn. 20:20 ESV) That is the joy that can
never be taken away. You may not recognize Jesus, but if you saw all His
disciples fleeing in fear and hiding in despair, and then suddenly they erupted
in joy and even willingly laid down their lives for the gospel, then you would
know whom they had met. Only Jesus has the magic to wipe away all the tears
from these disciples mourning for Him.
Jesus told His disciples at the last
supper, I will not leave you as orphans;
I will come to you. (Jn. 14:18 ESV) He was speaking to us as well. As we are
all born into this world in a loud cry, and we would exit in the sound of
mourning as well. We are all like orphans forgotten in the daycare center. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save
the lost. (Lk. 19:10 ESV) After Jesus picked up His disciples one by one,
He is still picking up people. Everyone that has been picked up by Him, would
immediately stop crying, because he becomes children of God. Even though this
world is full of mourning and despair, we as a group that has been picked up by
Jesus, rejoice in waiting. For in a little while, He would come back again to
receive us home.
Prayer: O Lord! You are raised for our
justification! You walk into my desperation and called my name and led me to a
new home. Help us to wait with patience, because in a little while, we will see
you face to face. Come, Lord Jesus!
大女儿三岁多的时候，第一次送她去托儿所，在路上我不停地对她说，等会爸爸要离开，等不多时，我就回来接你。这话她听着十分奇怪，感觉有些大事不妙，她先是一脸惊恐地看着我，见我真的离开她，就开始放声大哭，给人一种生离死别的感觉。去接她的时候，远远看见我她就飞奔过来，抱住我不放手。许多父母都有类似的经历。我有四个孩子，这样“生离死别”过四次，所以至今印象深刻。
耶稣在最后的晚餐桌上，也曾与门徒道别说，16等不多时，你们就不得见我。再等不多时，你们还要见我。17有几个门徒就彼此说，他对我们说，等不多时，你们就不得见我。再等不多时，你们还要见我。又说，因我往父那里去。这是什么意思呢？18门徒彼此说，他说等不多时，到底是什么意思呢？我们不明白他所说的话。19耶稣看出他们要问他，就说，我说等不多时，你们就不得见我，再等不多时，你们还要见我。你们为这话彼此相问吗？【约十六16-19】在短短四节经文里“等不多时”这个短语竟被重复了七遍！而且中间两节（17、18节），好像是作者不小心写重了。其实这里非常生动地再现了门徒们听到耶稣这话时内心极度的不安，他们都感觉到大事不妙了。耶稣安慰他们说，你们现在也是忧愁。但我要再见你们，你们的心就喜乐了。这喜乐，也没有人能夺去。【约十六22】门徒们忧愁，是因为耶稣真的要离开他们。但是耶稣必须先暂时离开他们，好让他们领受那再也不能被夺去的喜乐。
在托儿所工作的人，见惯了哭闹的小孩，特别是第一次送来的新孩子。有些孩子无论你怎样安慰，都哭个不停，一直哭到看见自己的父母来，才破涕为笑。如果你的托儿所里有十个这样哭闹不停的小孩，连你都会和这些小孩一样盼着父母早点来接他们。终于有人推门进来，就算你不认识这人，但是从孩子们的反应，你马上就知道谁的父母来了。因为九个孩子还在哭，但有一位突然停下来，飞快地跑去紧紧抱住进来的人。耶稣复活以后，他先找到痛哭的马利亚，耶稣问她说，妇人，为什么哭？你找谁呢？ 【约二十15】你听出这话里的幽默没有？当马利亚一认出耶稣，她就一把抓住耶稣不放手。逼得耶稣说，不要摸我。 【约二十17】更准确的翻译是，别抓得这么紧。这只是耶稣领人的开始，其余的门徒一个接一个被他从悲伤中领出来。门徒看见主，就喜乐了。【约二十20】这就是耶稣先前告诉他们那不能夺去的喜乐。就算你自己不认识耶稣，如果你看见他的门徒们从惊慌害怕，四散逃命，突然间一个个都止住悲伤，满怀喜乐地传扬福音，甚至从容就死。你说这些门徒看见谁了？谁能让这些为耶稣伤心欲绝的人不约而同地破涕为笑呢？
耶稣在最后的晚餐上对他的门徒说，我不撇下你们为孤儿，我必到你们这里来。【约十四18】这话也是对我们说的。因为世人都是在哭声中降生到这个世界，又在哭声中离开。我们都好像是托儿所里无人认领的孤儿。人子来，为要寻找拯救失丧的人。【路十九10】他不但一一领回当年跟从他的门徒，他也要找到你我。每个这样被他领到的人，就突然止住了悲伤，成了天父的儿女。虽然这个世界充满了绝望的哭声，但我们这群被耶稣领出来的人却在一起欢喜着等待，因为等不多时，他就要再来接我们回家。
祷告：主啊，你复活是为叫我们称义，你走进我的绝望，轻轻叫着我的名字，领我进入一个新家！让我们在盼望中忍耐等候，知道等不多时，我们要面对面看见你。主耶稣阿，我愿你来！
Every year we remember the crucifixion
of Jesus on the Friday before Easter, commonly known as “Good Friday” and
sometimes “Black Friday”. Why do we name the same day with such conflicting
names? By all means, it is not good to publicly nail a naked person on a cross
when in fact, it is extremely evil. Ancient Romans used crucifixion to punish
and reprimand their enemies. Yet, the Roman Governor Pilate was reluctant to
crucify Jesus. He did it under the pressure from the Jews. It was indeed not a
good Friday for everyone, except for Jewish leaders, and even the Romans didn’t
feel good about it. Why do we call this day “Good Friday”? Why does the
crucifixion of Jesus bring in such a mixture of good and evil?
There are two words mentioned
frequently in the first chapter of Genesis, “God” and “good”. Every time when
God finished a creation, He commented that it is good. This tells us that God deeply
cares about the distinction between good and evil. No wonder, that we humans
who are created in the image of God, also enjoy the knowledge of good and evil.
Sadly, our knowledge of good and evil contradicts with God’s, and as we insist in
our way, we end up in death. What God considers evil, we think it is good; what
God considers good, we think otherwise. This is sin. Who can rescue us stiff-necked
sinners from the fate of destruction?
For our rescue, Jesus came and died on
the cross, but how can man be saved by that? Once upon a time, Chinese chief
diplomat Li Hongzhang from Qi dynasty was greatly puzzled by this. He wondered about
a savior worshiped by so advanced and powerful western countries – this
disfigured Jesus suffering a cruel death on a cross. This is the common ground
for every person who comes to know Jesus. Yet, if you do not stop at this face recognition
and move on, one day you may experience the transformation of your mind like
Paul did. Paul said, For I decided to
know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor. 2:2 ESV)
He realized the only important knowledge is the knowledge about Jesus Christ,
and you can not obtain that knowledge outside of His cross. It is only through
this knowledge, one can obtain eternal life. (Jn. 17:3) Amazingly, the offense
of the cross stands as the guard on the doorway to eternal life.
The Prophet Isaiah once prophesied
about the coming of Christ: But he was
pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was
the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
(Isa. 53:5 ESV) He emphasized the polarized views about Christ, as those
who are ignorant esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted. (Isa. 53:4 ESV) The true knowledge is hidden
in His cross. This true knowledge is the breadth and length and height and
depth of the love of Christ. Love often flies in the face of common sense. From
the good Samaritan who rescues a dying Jew (Lk. 10:30-37), to the loving father
who opens his arms to receive back his prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-32), they all
acted in love. King Solomon knew the paradoxical nature of love, that is why he
perceived the woman who were willing to give up the baby boy, was in fact his
true mother. (1 Ki. 3:16-28) Jesus’ crucifixion seems to be most repugnant to
common sense, because it reveals the greatest love on earth: For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life. (Jn. 3:16 ESV)
Prayer: O Lord! Help us to comprehend your great
love in your suffering and know that your love surpasses understanding! Grant
us peace and healing in your love! Help us give up our will, and discern what
is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect!
在每年的这个礼拜五，我们都纪念耶稣的痛苦受死。这天在英文中有时被称作“黑色礼拜五”，或者“好礼拜五”。为什么同样的一天，会有好坏两种截然不同的称呼呢？把人当众赤身露体地钉死在十字架上，一点都不好，可以说坏到了极点。罗马人用这样残酷的刑罚来警戒一切与之为敌的人，可是连罗马总督彼拉多也不情愿钉耶稣十字架，他是被犹太人逼宫不得已而为之。耶稣被钉十字架的那个礼拜五，除了当时那些犹太人，没有人觉得这是好事，包括那时的罗马统治者。为什么基督徒会称这天为“好礼拜五”？为什么耶稣钉十字架这件事，会如此颠覆人心中好坏的概念？
在创世记第一章，神创造天地的记载中，有两个词出现的频率非常高，就是“神”和“好”。每当神完成他的创造，都要加上这样的评语，“神看着是好的。”我们就知道神是非常在乎好坏之分的。这就难怪，按照神的形象所造的人，也要分辨善恶，只不过，当人的分辨与神的分辨相左，而一意孤行的时候，人就死了。神说不好的，人偏觉得好；神说好的，人偏觉得不好，这就是罪。谁能拯救我们这些一意孤行的罪人呢？
为救我们，耶稣来被钉死在十字架上。可这是怎样的救法呢？当年与西方媾和的李鸿章大惑不解，如此先进强势的西方列强所崇拜的救主，竟是死在十架上血肉模糊的耶稣。这是我们认识耶稣的共同起点。如果你没有停在这个认识上，继续追求，会经历和保罗一样的心意更新，他承认说，我…不知道别的，只知道耶稣基督，并他钉十字架。【林前二2】他说认识耶稣无比重要，而要真正认识他，必须认识他的十字架。有如此见识的人，就有永生。【约十七3】如此看来，十字架这令人厌倦的道理，竟成了通往永生之路的门卫。
先知以赛亚这样预言耶稣基督的降临，哪知他为我们的过犯受害，为我们的罪孽压伤。因他受的刑罚我们得平安。因他受的鞭伤我们得医治。【赛五十三5】 “哪知”讲的就是人对耶稣的十字架存在的两极的看法，无知的人以为他受责罚，被神击打苦待了。【赛五十三4】
但十字架里隐藏着真正的知识，这知识就是基督那长阔高深的爱。爱总是颠覆常识的，从好撒玛利亚人救落难的犹太人【路十30-37】，到慈父张开双臂迎接回家的浪子【路十五11-32】，都是因为爱。所罗门王正是因为稍微知道爱的悖论，他就能看出那位主动放弃婴儿的女人，才是婴儿的生母【王上三16-28】。十字架上的耶稣，是最颠覆人类常识的，因为里面隐藏了人间最伟大的爱：神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生。【约三16】
祷告：主啊，在你受难的日子，让我们思念你的大爱，知道这爱是过于人所能测透的！让我们在你的爱中经历你的平安与医治，让我们甘心放下自己的意思，顺从你那善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意！
Children would cry immediately when
they are grieved and learn to hold it back as they grow older. As we grow in
love and compassion, we also begin to grieve for other people’s misery, even to
the point of shedding tears. For example, a mother would weep for her suffering
children, and a touching movie would move many audiences to tears. In general, such
strong emotional outbreaks are rare, as a sixteenth century Chinese author put
it, “A man is always reserved in shedding his tears, because they are like
blood from his wounded heart.” If you see an invincible warrior weeping, there
must be a very touching story behind this rare scene. The long history of
mankind has produced many touching stories, both real and imaginative. By all
accounts, there is only one most touching story, and a true story, which stands
as heaven above earth when comparing to all the rest. So touching, that it’s
the only time recorded in the Bible when the incarnate Son of God, Jesus wept. (Jn. 11:35 ESV)
I was greatly puzzled by why Jesus wept
at that moment. According to those who were present, So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (Jn. 11:36 ESV) They said
that because they were ignorant. Jesus already knew Lazarus was dead. He even
told His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus
has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” (Jn. 11:11 ESV) He set out on a
mission to bring a happy ending to this sad event, but why did Jesus weep
before he raised Lazarus to life?
At Jesus’ late arrival, both sisters
repeated the same greetings to him, “Lord,
if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (Jn. 11:21, 32 ESV) There
were complaints in these words. Only people close to each other would be frank
like that. Only friends would expect with such an urgency. But Jesus did not
apologize, He told Martha, “I am the
resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he
live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe
this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son
of God, who is coming into the world.” (Jn. 11:25-27 ESV) She left right after
these words, and her body language revealed that she did not understand what
Jesus meant. Her sister Mary was more outright than her. She complained to
Jesus in tears. When Jesus saw her
weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved
in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” (Jn. 11:33-434 ESV) As soon as he
heard this reply, Jesus wept. (Jn. 11:35
ESV)
When Jesus said He is the resurrection,
Martha did not understand it; When Jesus asked the weeping crowd where they
laid him, they did not get the hint either. Of course, Jesus knew exactly where
the corpse was laid. Not long ago, four men carried a paralytic on a stretcher,
and they broke through a roof to lay the sick before Jesus, because they
believed Jesus is the healing. If there was one person in the crowd believed
Jesus is the resurrection, he would waste no time for tears, but would run to
the cemetery, break down the grave, carry the corpse and lay it under Jesus’
feet. Faith in Jesus would set your feet upon an unbelievable journey. Jesus
wept, because even people who loved Him, would rather believe in death, than to
believe He is the resurrection. Therefore, after shedding His tears for those He
loved, Jesus would go on to shed His blood, until they truly believe that He is
the resurrection and the life. Today, If you do believe, then wipe away tears
from your face, and invite Jesus to the grave in your heart, and let Him call your
name and resurrect your long buried hope of eternal life, and there will never
be a funeral of this world for you. What Jesus asked Martha, He asks everyone He
loves, everyone who lives and believes
in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (Jn. 11:26 ESV) And Jesus’
rebuke to Martha, is a rebuke to us, “Did
I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (Jn. 11:40
ESV) He might be late in coming to you, but it surely worth the wait,
because his late arrival means what you asked for is too small!
Prayer: O Lord! You are the resurrection and the
life! We complain and we weep, because we do not believe your power of
resurrection. Increase our faith, that we may carry all the dry bones from our
heart and lay them bare before your feet and see the glory of God!
小孩子一受委屈，就会哭。长大以后，即使受了委屈，也不轻易再哭了。但长大之后，因为爱和同情的缘故，会为别人受的委屈而难受，甚至流泪。好比母亲为儿女的病痛哭泣；或者看一部催人泪下的电影。这样让人感伤流泪的情形也不多见，就如明朝作家李开先所写的，“男儿有泪不轻弹，只因未到伤心处。”你若看见一个天下无敌的英雄在伤心流泪，那一定有惊天地、泣鬼神的事情发生。无论真实还是虚构的，人间出过许多感动天地的故事。但是最最令人感动的，也最真实的故事，却只有一个，让其余的都黯然失色。因为圣经中记载只有一次，道成肉身，永生神的儿子耶稣哭了。【约十一35】
我从前不明白为什么耶稣那时候会哭。在场的犹太人就说，你看他爱这人是何等恳切。【约十一36】犹太人这样说，因为他们还蒙在鼓里。耶稣去之前就知道拉撒路已经死了，而且他对门徒说，我们的朋友拉撒路睡了，我去叫醒他。【约十一11】明明是去带给大家一个皆大欢喜的圆满结局，为什么在复活拉撒路之前耶稣流泪痛哭呢？
当耶稣迟到以后，两姐妹先后对耶稣说了同样的话，主阿，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死。【约十一21、32】这话里有埋怨，彼此熟悉的人说话才会这样直率。只有认识耶稣的人，才会如此盼望耶稣的到来。但耶稣没有道歉，他说，复活在我，生命也在我。信我的人，虽然死了，也必复活。凡活着信我的人，必永远不死。你信这话吗？马大说，主阿，是的，我信你是基督，是神的儿子，就是那要临到世界的。【约十一25-27】 说完这话，她扭头就走了。她的肢体语言表明，她没听懂耶稣的意思。马利亚比姐姐更直率，一边埋怨耶稣一边哭起来了，耶稣看见她哭，并看见与她同来的犹太人也哭，就心里悲叹，又甚忧愁。【约十一33】在一片哭声中，耶稣却显得十分激动，甚至不能自持。便说，你们把他安放在哪里？他们回答说，请主来看。【约十一34】听到这个回答后，耶稣哭了。【约十一35】
耶稣说他就是复活，马大没有听懂；耶稣对痛哭的众人说，你们把他安放在哪里？众人还是没听出这话里的暗示，耶稣当然知道死人都在坟墓里。从前有四个人用担架抬着一个瘫子，硬是把房顶扒开，吊下来求耶稣医治，因为他们信耶稣能医治。如果在场有一个人信耶稣是复活的话，他绝不会在耶稣面前痛哭，他会飞快地跑去坟墓里，把死人扒出来背到耶稣面前！真正的信心会让你的脚走上一条不可思议的路。耶稣哭了，因为连爱他的人，宁愿相信死亡，却不愿意信他就是复活！所以他为所爱的人流尽泪水之后，还要流尽他的血，直到人相信他就是生命之主。今天你若相信基督就是复活，请擦干你的眼泪，让耶稣进到你里面，把你早就掩埋了的永生的盼望从坟墓中给叫出来，这世界所熟悉的悲痛欲绝的葬礼从此再也与你无关！耶稣对马大说的话，是对一切爱主的人说的，凡活着信我的人，必永远不死。你信这话吗？【约十一26】耶稣对马大的责备，也是责备我们。耶稣说，我不是对你说过，你若信，就必看见神的荣耀吗？【约十一40】他或许会让你多等一会，但值得等待，因为他的迟到意味着你所求的实在太小！
祷告：主啊，你就是复活，你就是生命！每当我们流泪埋怨，是因为不信你复活的大能。求你加添我们的信心，愿意把心中的枯骨都放到你的脚前，让我们看见神的荣耀！
The motto of New Hampshire is “Live
Free or Die.” Indeed, man is born to be free, but what is freedom? We search
for freedom through national independence or ethnic autonomous movements,
through our support for democracy and denounce of despotism, and down to our
personal financial freedom and healthy living. While all of these have
something to do with freedom from the outside, philosophers and spiritual
leaders pursue inner freedom. Confucius had a famous self-evaluation, “At
seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no
longer overstepped the boundaries of right.” He thought he finally obtained the
coveted inner freedom when he was seventy years old. Yet, the thirty-year-old Jesus
of Nazareth promised those who followed him, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free." (Jn. 8:32 ESV) This means only his followers will have freedom
and can truly live free.
We have two measurements for personal
freedom: dimension and radius. Using squirrels in my yard as an example, sometimes
they climb up the big tree in my backyard, sometimes they walk tightrope across
the cable wire over my front yard. They have less freedom in my front yard, because
they only have one dimensional freedom there. There is only one way under their
feet. They have more freedom in my backyard, because they have as many ways
under their feet as tree branches. Freedom
increases with the number of dimensions. When two squirrels walk towards each
other on the cable, they have the same dimension of freedom, but the one who gets
his way enjoys a bigger freedom than the other one. For movement within a dimension, freedom increases with the radius.
We can improve our freedom through the
enlargement of radius. Rich people can travel around the world and enjoy a much
larger spatial radius than those who are poor. Their savings also bring a sense
of security towards the future, which translates to a larger temporal radius.
People love money because it promises them freedom. Yet whether rich or poor,
we live in the same dimension. Someone becomes rich at the cost of others. Since
there is limited supply of bread in our planet, with everyone trying to fill up
his basket, and sure enough, there are always winners and losers from the table
fight. Just like squirrels fighting on the cable, one’s freedom becomes
another’s bondage. Therefore, in times of chaos, people fight with their fists.
In times of peace, people fight with their brain. We fight because winners get
to enjoy more freedom. On the other hand, sincere religious followers are
looking to migrate to another cable. They realize the emptiness of the squirrel
fight, because as soon as one dies, his radius gets reset to zero. So what are
we fighting for? As each religion promotes its own alternative dimension of freedom
and invite you to jump over. We must leave this dimension of sin for true
freedom but watch out for all the fake cables! 5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus, (1 Tim. 2:5 ESV) There is indeed another
dimension open for escape, and someone has descended into our dimension in
order to to fetch us. As long as we follow this Jesus, we shall be set free,
because there is a new heaven and a new earth in the dimension of grace.
We enjoy the true freedom in this new
dimension, which is not known by the world and is mistaken by many for bondage.
Jesus once prayed, “My Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you
will.” (Matt. 26:39 ESV) If Jesus could not do as he wills, was he not
free? No, because there is true freedom in following God’s will. Today we are
willing to reduce our radius in this life, as Paul said, 8But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be
content. 9But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into
a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin
and destruction. (1 Tim. 6:8-9 ESV) Since true freedom is not measured by
your radius in this life, but by the extra dimension of grace. Before Jesus departed,
he said these parting words to Peter, and to all who want to live freely, 18Truly, truly, I say to you,
when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted,
but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress
you and carry you where you do not want to go. (Jn. 21:18 ESV) Peter had
much freedom when he was young, yet that was an illusion, he was not free at
all; When Peter was old, he would be arrested just like his Lord, yet his
bondage would also be an illusion, because he knew that after he finished his
own Gethsemane, he would not have to wait long to leave behind an empty tomb
like his Lord did, and live freely in a whole new dimension!
Prayer: O Lord! Show us once again the true
freedom in Christ and help us discard the false freedom of this world, to follow
Jesus by denying ourselves, and offer up our lives to the praise of your glory!
新罕布什尔州的州训是“不自由，毋宁死。”人好像是专为自由而生的。但何为自由？大到国家民族的独立，追求民主反对专制，小到个人的财务状况，乃至身体的健康，都和人的自由程度有关。这些是外在的自由。思想家和宗教家追求内心的自由。孔子晚年评价自己说，“七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。”他觉得活到七十岁，他才感受到内心的自由。但拿撒勒人耶稣三十岁就对他的门徒说，32你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。【约八32】言下之意，只有跟从耶稣，才有真正的自由。基督徒才是最自由的人。
一个人的自由程度可以从维度和半径两方面来评估。用我家院子里的松鼠为例，它们有时在后院的大树上到处流窜，有时在前院的高空电缆上像走钢丝般小心翼翼地横穿。松鼠在前院就没有它在后院自由，因为它在前院的自由是一维的，它脚下只有一条路可走；它在后院则享受高度自由，有多少条树枝，它脚下就有多少条路。维度越高越自由。当两只松鼠在前院的电缆上狭路相逢，二者有相同的自由维度，但那只可以随意进退的厉害角色，就能享受更大的自由。活动半径越大的越自由。
我们通过拓展半径来增加个体的自由。富人可以随意周游列国，比穷人的空间活动半径大多了。手中的积蓄也让他们对未来更有安全感，他们的时间活动半径好像也很大。人们追求财富，其实是追求财富所带来的自由。但无论富穷，人的维度是一样的，有人发财就有人失财，因为地球这口大锅中的粥有限，大家争先恐后往自己碗里舀的结果就是，几家欢乐几家愁。大家都像是在一条电缆上缠斗的松鼠，一人的自由就意味着别人的奴役。所以动荡的年代，人们羡慕恶霸；和平的年代，人人想当学霸；总而言之，要多霸一点地盘，多一点自由。诚实的宗教家都是在寻找另外一根电缆。他们意识到这场松鼠混战的虚空。因为人一死，他的活动半径就归零，最后是竹篮打水一场空。每个宗教都推出自己的自由维度，邀请你加盟。为了真正的自由，我们必须离开这个罪的维度，但要小心假冒。5因为只有一位神，在神和人中间，只有一位中保，乃是降世为人的基督耶稣。【提前二5】另外确实有个唯一可以逃生的维度，而且有一个人从那里下来接我们。只要我们跟着这位耶稣，就必得以自由，因为在那个恩典的维度中有新天新地。
我们享受在基督里的真自由，这是在世人所不能体会的维度里。世人反而看我们是不自由的。耶稣曾祷告说，39我父阿，倘若可行，求你叫这杯离开我。然而不要照我的意思，只要照你的意思。【太廿六39】 耶稣不能随心所欲，他不自由吗？不，这是顺服神的真自由。我们甘愿缩小今生的活动半径，好像更不自由，如保罗所说，8只要有衣有食，就当知足。9但那些想要发财的人，就陷在迷惑，落在网罗，和许多无知有害的私欲里，叫人沉在败坏和灭亡中。【提前六8-9】因为真自由不是用今生的半径来衡量，而是在恩典的维度中。耶稣升天前对彼得的吩咐，也是说给所有向往自由的人。他说，18我实实在在地告诉你，你年少的时候，自己束上带子，随意往来，但年老的时候，你要伸出手来，别人要把你束上，带你到不愿意去的地方。【约廿一18】彼得年轻时的自由，是假的，其实他那时一点都不自由；当他跟随耶稣到年老的时候，他也要像他跟从的主那样被抓。他晚年的不自由也是假的，因为他知道，当他走完自己的客西马尼园后，用不了多久，他也会像他所跟从的主一样留下一个空坟墓，到另一个全新的维度里自由地活着！
祷告：主啊，求你让我们再次看见在基督里的真自由，就舍弃这个世界的假自由，甘愿舍己，来跟从你，用我们的生命让你荣耀的恩典得到称赞！
