Friday, March 1, 2013

工作多工人少 The Workers Are Few

马太福音9:35 – 10:1 Matthew 9:35 – 10:1
耶稣走遍各个城镇乡村,在他们的会堂里教导人,传天国的福音,并且使各样的疾病和各样的症状痊愈。  Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 
耶稣看见众人,就对他们动了怜悯之心,因为他们困苦流离,像羊没有牧人那样。  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 
于是他对自己的门徒们说:“收割的工作多,而工人少。所以你们要祈求收割的主催促工人参与他的收割工作。” Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
耶稣召来他的十二个门徒,赐给他们权柄,能驱赶污灵,也能使各样的疾病和各样的症状痊愈。 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.




收割时耕农最后的作业。无可否认,一路来的努力,不就是期待收割时的喜悦。丰收,即过好年;歉收,便挨肚子。

收割其实是紧要的,必须要快,不然谷子脱了、鸟儿啄了、秋雨淋了。因此收割之时,不但必须手脚快,还要手脚多!所以不难看到每逢收割季节,农民一家老少妇孺都下田帮忙,以免错过了天时之利。其迫切感不下于十万火急!


如此看,不难了解耶稣之心急。当耶稣看见许多人困苦流离,不但动了怜悯之心,还动了火燎之心急。

急一、耶稣时日无多,未听见天国福音的人更多
急二、耶稣一人能力有限,未必能传天国福音到地极
急三、天国近了。
急四、人的寿命有限,不能担保人人长眠前能等到天国福音。


于是耶稣派了他的十二个门徒出去传讲天国的福音(马太10:1 ; 马可3:14 & 6:7 ; 路加9:1-2 。又派七十人去传讲神的国(路加10:1。直到耶稣受死复活后还交待门徒们去使万民成为耶稣的门徒 (马太28:19-20 ; 马可16:15 ; 路加 24:46-47 ; 使徒1:8