Scripture Reading : Mark 10:1-31
Theme : How to Receive the Kingdom of God
- Testing of Jesus. The Pharisees came and tested Jesus regarding divorce. Because of their pride, they did not genuinely want to hear or obey Jesus. The Jews taught that a man could divorce his wife for any reason, including spoiling his dinner! It was a society where women had no rights. Jesus rebuked them for their hardness of heart and taught that divorce is not permissible.
- Touching the Children. Jesus did not consider the children to be unimportant. In fact, He had just taught the disciples that they must “receive one such child in my name” (Mark 9:37). Because of the disciples’ pride, they rebuked those who brought the children to Jesus. Jesus taught them a spiritual truth using the children as an object-lesson: to enter the Kingdom of God, we must recognize our weakness and dependence (like little children) on God.
- Trusting in Riches. The rich young man had an idol in his heart – He trusted in earthly riches. Jesus was not prescribing that everyone must sell all their possessions, but He was directly addressing the rich young man’s idol. Again, Jesus used hyperbole (camel going through the eye of a needle) to teach the spiritual truth that it is impossible for a man to be saved through his own means. Salvation is the total work of God.
Praying the Scripture
- The Pharisees only wanted to test Jesus and find fault so that they might accuse Him. Let us pray that we will submit to Jesus’ Word (the Bible) and not try to find fault in it, or look for alternative interpretations so that we can avoid obeying the Word that is clearly taught.
- Pray that we will be like children before God, recognizing our weakness and dependence on Him.
- Are there any idols in our hearts? For the rich young man, it was earthly riches. For some others, it could be our spouse, children, fame, career, status, etc. If we are unwilling to give up our idols to follow Christ, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Let us pray that God will remove the idols in our hearts.
经文：马可福音10:1-31
主题：如何领受神的国
- 试探耶稣。法利赛人前来试探耶稣有关离婚的事。因于骄傲，他们实际上是不愿听从耶稣的。犹太人教导丈夫能因任何理由休妻，包括搞砸了他的晚餐！这是一个妇女无权的社会。耶稣因着他们的硬心斥责他们，并教导离婚是不被允许的。
- 抚摸小孩。耶稣不认为孩子是不重要的。事实上，祂刚教导门徒他们要“为我名接待一个像这小孩子的”（9:37）。因着门徒的骄傲，他们斥责凡把孩子带到耶稣前的人。耶稣藉着这些孩子教导门徒一个真理：若要进入天国，我们就要像孩子一样，必须认识到自己的软弱，并依靠神。
- 信靠钱财。这位年轻财主心中有个偶像：他信靠地上的钱财。耶稣并不是在告诉每一个人要变卖自己所有的，而是用这话单刀直入地揭示年轻财主的偶像。耶稣再次使用夸张式的手法（骆驼穿过针的眼）教导一个属灵真理：人靠自己是不可能得救的。救赎完全是神的工作。
用经文祷告
- 法利赛人只想试探耶稣，找出祂的不是，叫他们能控告祂。让我们祷告我们会顺服于耶稣的话（圣经），不要尝试寻找错误或另一个解释，叫我们能逃离顺服神清楚的话语。
- 祷告我们到神面前时能像孩子一样，认识自己的软弱，并依靠神。
- 我们心中是否有任何偶像？对年轻财主而言，那就是地上的钱财。对他人而言，那可能是我们的配偶、孩子、名誉、事业、地位，等。我们若不愿舍弃偶像跟从基督，我们就不能进入神的国了。让我们祷告神会除去我们心中的偶像。
