第三十
要牢记主的牺牲之爱,也要在他人身上行出这份爱。

Day 39
Remember The Lord's Sacrifice of Love and Do Likewise for Others.

今日读经

  • 马可福音 14:12-26

与门徒同守逾越节

12除酵节的第一天,就是宰逾越节羔羊的那一天,门徒对耶稣说:“你要我们到哪里去预备你吃逾越节的宴席呢?” 13耶稣就打发两个门徒,对他们说:“你们进城去,会有人拿着一罐水迎面而来,你们就跟着他。 14无论他进哪一家,你们就对那家的主人说:‘老师问:我的客房在哪里?我和我的门徒要在那里吃逾越节的宴席。’ 15他会带你们看一间摆设齐全、准备妥当的楼上大厅,你们就在那里为我们预备。” 16门徒出去,进了城,所看到的正如耶稣所说的。他们就预备了逾越节的宴席。 17到了晚上,耶稣和十二使徒都来了。 18他们坐席,正吃的时候,耶稣说:“我实在告诉你们,你们中间有一个与我同吃的人要出卖我了。” 19他们就忧愁起来,一个个地问他:“不是我吧?” 20耶稣对他们说:“是十二人中的一个,就是同我蘸饼在盘子里的那个人。 21人子要去了,正如经上所写有关他的;但出卖人子的人有祸了!那人没有出生倒好。”

设立主的晚餐

22他们吃的时候,耶稣拿起饼来,祝福了,就擘开,递给他们,说:“你们拿去,这是我的身体。” 23他又拿起杯来,祝谢了,递给他们;他们都喝了。 24耶稣对他们说:“这是我立约的血,为许多人流出来的。 25我实在告诉你们,我不再喝这葡萄汁,直到我在上帝的国里喝新的那日子。”

26他们唱了诗,就出来往橄榄山去。

灵修与祷告

耶稣在逾越节的第二天被钉在十字架上,作为逾越节的羔羊牺牲自己来拯救世界。耶稣与门徒吃的最后一顿晚餐洋溢着浓浓的犹太人逾越节气氛,也是耶稣“很愿意”(路加福音22:15;希腊原文表示强烈的愿望)与门徒一起吃的晚餐。这顿晚餐是在暗地里安排的,以防犹大先下手为强而妨碍这顿晚餐的进行。

耶稣派他所信任的门徒彼得和约翰去做准备。一个男人拿着一瓶水(这通常是女人的差事;马可福音14:13),向他们展示了为这顿饭预备的一间大楼,这说明事先可能已经做了安排。直到今天,我们仍将这顿饭作为“主的晚餐”(圣餐)来庆祝,怀着深深的感激之情纪念我们的主为我们所做的牺牲。

吃饭的时候,耶稣告诉门徒,其中有一个人将出卖他。和朋友吃过饭后就背叛他,是最奸诈的行为。每个门徒都很沮丧,问耶稣:“是我吗?”(马可福音14:19)我们今天也必须审视自己的内心。耶稣提到犹大时没有指名道姓,而是给了他一个悔改的机会。耶稣被钉在十字架上以完成神的计划,但犹大要为自己可怕的罪负责。

接着,耶稣拿起饼来,祝谢了,就掰开,把它和杯递给门徒。他把饼和杯称为“我的身体”和“我的血”(马可福音14:22, 24),以强调他在十字架上的牺牲,而我们每逢吃这饼,喝这杯的时候,就是在表达对他的信靠(见哥林多前书11:26),并让他的生命在我们里面支撑我们(见约翰福音6:56)。像耶稣一样,我们必须带着信心和信靠仰望神;像门徒一样,当我们领用基督的身体的时候,要怀着手足之情关怀四周。

然后,耶稣指出,他未来将再次与门徒们一起喝这杯,就是他回来时在羔羊之婚筵上(启示录19:9)。在主的桌前,我们也满怀信心地期待着这一天的到来。


思考

在采取“社交距离”等措施阻止新冠疫情蔓延之际,教会可以如何继续牢记并庆祝耶稣为我们所做的一切?互为信徒的我们,可以用哪些实用和创新的方式来纪念耶稣的牺牲?

即使不能见面,我们如何继续展现手足之情?信徒如何才能在信仰和对主耶稣的崇拜中保持团结?


  • 花点时间向神献上感恩与祈求


Today's Bible Reading

  • Mark 14:12-26

The Passover with the Disciples

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Devotional and Prayer

Jesus was crucified on the day after Passover, sacrificing himself as the Passover Lamb to save the world. The last supper that Jesus had with His disciples was richly woven around the Passover Feast of the Jews, and was one that Jesus had “eagerly desired” (Luke 22:15; the Greek word expresses very strong desire) to eat with His disciples. Hence the arrangements for it had an air of secrecy, lest Judas act prematurely and prevent the meal from taking place.

Jesus sent His trusted disciples Peter and John to make preparations. That prior arrangements had probably been made was indicated by the unusual sight of a man carrying a water jar (normally a task for women, Mark 14:13), who showed them the large upper room reserved for the meal. Today we continue to celebrate this meal as the Lord’s Supper, remembering our Lord’s sacrifice for us with deep gratitude.

At the meal, Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. It was most treacherous to betray a friend after having a meal with him. Dismayed, each disciple asked Jesus, “Surely not I” (Mark 14:19). We too must look inward to examine ourselves. Jesus referred to Judas without naming him, offering him a chance to repent. Jesus would be crucified to fulfil God’s plan, but Judas was responsible for his own terrible sin.

Jesus then took, blessed, broke, and gave out the bread, and also the cup. He referred to them as “my body” and “my blood” (Mark 14:22, 24). They underline for us His sacrifice on the cross, and when we receive and eat and drink, we are expressing our trust in Him (see 1 Corinthians 11:26) and are sustained by His life in us (see John 6:56). Like Jesus, we must also look up with faith and trust, and like the disciples, we look around with brotherly love as we eat the meal as the body of Christ.

Jesus then pointed to the future when He would drink with His disciples again—at the great wedding feast of the Lamb when He returns (Revelation 19:9). At the Lord’s Table, we also look forward to this day with faith-filled anticipation.


Think It Over

Amid measures like “social distancing” to stem the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak, how can the church continue to remember and celebrate what Jesus has done for us? What practical and innovative ways can we explore to mark Jesus’ sacrifice as fellow believers?

How can we continue to show brotherly love even when we cannot meet? How can fellow believers remain united in our faith and worship of our Lord Jesus?


  • Take a moment to give thanks and prayers to God