马太福音21:23-32
Matthew 21:23-32
1. Hello listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好。
2. We are delighted that you tuned in to listen to this program.
很高兴你能收听我们的节目。
3. We have been talking about the parables of Jesus.
我们最近在讲耶稣的比喻，
4. And we’re going to continue to do so today.
今天会继续这个话题。
5. I want to begin by telling you a question that people ask me all over the world.
我想先告诉你一个全世界人都在问我的问题：
6. What is God’s will for me?
神给我的旨意是什么？
7. How do I discern the will of God?
我怎么明白神的旨意？
8. How do I know God’s voice?
我怎么知道是神的声音？
9. When someone young in the faith asks such questions...it is understandable.
初信的人这么问是可以理解的。
10. But when a person who has been in the faith for many years... is forever asking... “How do I discern the will of God?”...
然而，如果一个信主很多年的人永远在问，我这怎么明白神的旨意？
11. It tells me that there is something wrong with that person’s walk.
我们就会知道这人的信仰之旅出了问题。
12. If after 25 years of being married to your wife...
如果你已经结婚25年了，
13. and I do not know her mind...
你还是不了解对方在想什么，
14. there is something wrong in the relationship.
那么你们的关系一定有问题。
15. If I did not know what comforts her... and what discomforts her.
如果你不知怎么安慰对方，也不知什么会激怒对方；
16. if I did not know what encourages her... and what discourages her...
如果你不知怎么鼓励对方，也不知什么会令她灰心；
17. that would mean that I had been living with her for 25 years... but... I really don’t know her.
这就是说你虽然和她生活在一起25年之久，但你完全不了解对方。
18. Intimacy in any relationship dictates that as I get to know that person, that person is no longer a stranger to me.
人际关系的亲密，就意味着你认识的人不再陌生，
19. It means that: I would know... how they think.
也就是说，我知道对方怎么想，
20. I would know... their desires.
我明白对方要什么，
21. I know their values and their character
我知道对方的价值观和个性。
22. And all of that takes time... and effort... and commitment on my part.
这一切都需要付出时间，精力和承诺。
23. And it relates the same way in knowing God.
我们认识神也是这样。
24. The times in my life when I am not able to discern the will of God for me... is because I am out of the will of God
在我们不能分辨神给我们的旨意时，是因为我们已经活在神的旨意以外了。
25. Then there are other times when I say... I wanted to know the will of God...when in reality... I don’t.
或者当我们说想要明白神的旨意时，实际上我并不想。
26. Why?
为什么？
27. Because deep down I know what the will of God is... and I don’t like it and I don’t want it.
因为在内心深处，我们知道神的旨意，只不过我不喜欢，所以我不想要。
28. What am I doing at that point?
那么，我那时在做什么呢？
29. I am saying... “Lord... give me my will by way of your blessing it.”
我在说：主啊，我只要你带来祝福的旨意。
30. There are people who are always praying for a sign to know the will of God.
也有些人常常祷告，求神给他们印证。
31. But when that sign is given to them, they still want another sign.
但当给了他们印证之后，他们又会求另一个印证。
32. That is why in our next parable it is very important to understand this area of life.
这就是为什么今天要讲的比喻如此重要的原因。
33. We are in the midst of a series of messages entitled “The Point of the Story”.
我们正在进行一系列的信息叫做“故事的精髓”。
34. Today’s parable is a parable about the authority of Jesus.
今天的比喻是关于耶稣的权柄。
35. Before we hear the text, I want to put it in context.
在我们读经之前，我想先介绍一下背景。
36. This was the last week in Jesus’ earthly life.
故事发生在耶稣在世的最后一个星期。
37. He entered Jerusalem triumphantly.
祂荣耀地进入耶路撒冷。
38. He cleansed the temple.
洁净圣殿。
39. He taught with authority.
祂满有权柄地教导。
40. He pointed to His death and resurrection as the only hope for mankind.
祂指出唯有祂的死和复活能带给人类希望。
41. He healed the sick and raised the dead.
祂医治病人，使人从死里复活。
42. After all of that, the chief priests and the elders came to him and asked Him... “By what authority do you do all of this?”
之后，祭司长和文士们来问祂，“你是凭什么做这一切事？”
43. They knew the answer to that.
他们知道答案是什么，
44. they had heard it before many times.
以前已经听过很多回了。
45. but what they were trying to do was to pin on him the accusation of blaspheming... yet another time.
他们只不过想再次强加一些罪在祂身上。
46. But Jesus wouldn’t give in to their manipulation.
但耶稣却不受他们的摆布。
47. There is one thing about the Lord Jesus... that is absolutely exciting to me.
主耶稣有一事令我激动不已，
48. He always had compassion for the needy, the ignorant, and the weak
也就是祂对穷乏，无知，软弱之人的爱。
49. But he had no time for those who tried to manipulate him.
但对那些想要控制祂的人却不留情面。
50. Now let us read Matthew 21:23-27
让我们一起来看太21：23-27。
51. They tried to trap Jesus, but Jesus trapped them
他们想让耶稣上钩，但耶稣却反攻了他们。
52. Because if they said from God... he would say, Then, why didn’t you believe in him?
因为如果他们说是从神而来，祂就可以说，那你们为什么不信呢？
53. If they said from man... the crowd would despise them.
如果他们说是从人而来，人们就会群起而攻之。
54. Because they refused to believe Jesus to be the Messiah... they refused to receive John the Baptist who came to announce the Messiah.
因为他们拒绝相信耶稣是弥赛亚，也拒绝接待来宣告弥赛亚降临的施洗约翰。
55. So, in chapter 21 of the gospel of Matthew, beginning with verse 28, Jesus tells them a parable about a vineyard and two sons
所以从太 21：28开始，耶稣告诉了他们这个葡萄园和两个儿子的比喻。
56. The parable goes something like this
比喻是这么说的：
57. The father said to the first son... go and work in my vineyard... and the boy said no.
父亲叫大儿子去葡萄园里工作，大儿子说不去，
58. and then he repented and went and worked in the vineyard.
但后来还是悔改，进入葡萄园工作。
59. To the second son he said; Go and work in the vineyard... and the second son said... “Yes sir”, but he didn’t go.
父亲又告诉二儿子去葡萄园工作，二儿子说好，但却没有去。
60. Jesus turns the table and asks the religious leaders... which son has done the will of his father?
耶稣转向这些宗教领袖们问道：哪个儿子是在遵行他父亲的旨意呢？
61. What is the point of the story here?
这个故事的精髓是什么？
62. The point of this story is this.
精髓就是：
63. You cannot know the will of God when you are not responding to His Word.
如果不回应神的话语，你就不能明白祂的旨意。
64. You cannot know the plan of God when you have not obeyed the revealed will of God in His Word.
如果不顺服神借着祂的话启示的旨意，你就不能明白神的计划，
65. You cannot comprehend the will of God in your life...
你也不能了解神在你生命中的旨意。
66. when you have made up your mind not to obey God’s clear instructions in His Word.
如果你决定去顺神的教导，
67. The religious leaders already knew Jesus’ claim to be their Messiah...
宗教领袖早就知道，耶稣自称是他们的弥赛亚，
68. But they did not want to submit to Him...
他们不想顺服祂，
69. so they kept on asking the same question.... over and over... again.
所以他们不断老调重弹，问祂相同的问题。
70. Listening friends, listen to me very carefully
亲爱的朋友，请仔细听我说。
71. When you are... living in disobedience...
当你活在不顺服中时，
72. you can talk all you want about discerning the will of God, …
你可以谈论怎样明白神的旨意；
73. and how to understand the will of God, ...
怎么理解神的旨意；
74. and what is the will of God...
什么是神的旨意；
75. but you will not get very far.
但这毫无用处。
76. Why?
为什么？
77. Because faith is not believing in spite of the evidence.
因为信心不是凭借眼见的相信，
78. But faith is obeying in spite of the consequences.
信心乃是凡事顺服。
79. Don’t forget that the Pharisees were a bunch of religious people.
别忘了，法利赛人都是有信仰的人。
80. Repeatedly Jesus pointed to the Scripture and what it said concerning Him... but they refused to obey.
耶稣不断指出经上凡指着祂说的话，但他们拒绝顺服。
81. In this parable Jesus is saying to these religious leaders;
在这个比喻中，耶稣对这群宗教领袖说：
82. Stand up and I am going to draw a portrait of you... in this second son.
起来，我要把你们画进第二个儿子的画像中。
83. This second son... knows all of the right words like you do.
二儿子就像你们一样，知道怎么说好听的话，
84. But his heart is full of disobedience.
但他的心却满了不顺服。
85. Jesus is telling us that He is the only one who must be in ultimate control.
耶稣是在告诉我们，祂是唯一掌权的那位。
86. The first son, after bluntly refusing to obey his father... repented and obeyed.
大儿子虽然草草拒绝听从父亲的话，但最终还是悔改顺服了。
87. The second son over promised... but failed to perform.
二儿子轻易许诺，却没有做到。
88. Let me ask you a question my listening friend.
亲爱的朋友，让我来问你一个问题。
89. Which son do you identify with?
你是哪个儿子？
90. Let me hasten to tell you... that neither son was commendable.
让我来告诉你，一个儿子也不好。
91. Both categories were inadequate.
两者都不完全。
92. Which son do you identify with?
你是哪个儿子呢？
93. discerning the will of God comes from habitually and consistently fellowshipping with your heavenly Father.
明白神的心意，是从你和天父持续不断的交通而来。
94. Whenever I ask the Lord... what is your will for me?
每次我求问神，什么是祂对我的旨意时，
95. And, I keep asking month after month after month...
我通常会问好久，好久，
96. I am basically saying one of two things:
我通常会说两件事。
97. One,
第一，
98. Lord, I haven’t been spending time with you to know what your will is.
主啊，我没有花足够的时期和你在一起，去明白你的心意。
99. Or secondly,
或者第二，
100. Lord... I think I know your will for me...but somehow I don’t like it.
主啊，我想我明白你的心意，但我不太喜欢。
101. There are some people who come to the Lord crying... Lord, get me out of this situation... quickly!
有些人向神呼求说：主啊，快快救我出离这个景况。
102. and then they get discouraged when the Lord doesn’t answer their prayer.
然后，因着神没有听他的祷告而非常失望。
103. They don’t realize that God is probably saying... “Stay where you are until I open another door for you.”
他们可能不知道神也许在说：等候在原地，等我为你开另一扇门。
104. That God is saying to them, “My grace is sufficient for you in all of your circumstances.”
神是在说：在一切景况中，我的恩典是够你用的。
105. I want to remind you that it was a day or two later... after the Lord Jesus Christ told this parable that he went to the garden of Gethsemane and sweated blood in prayer.
我想要提醒你，主耶稣就是在讲完这个比喻后的一两天，来到客西马尼园，迫切痛苦地祷告。
106. Not one time, during his prayer, do we hear him to be saying, Father, reveal your will to me
我们从未听祂说过：父啊，请向我显明你的旨意。
107. No, no, no, he knew the will of God.
从没有，因为祂知道神的旨意，
108. He prayed for the power to do his Father’s will.
祂只是求能力去完成天父的旨意。
109. The Calvary mandate was revealed to him long before that anguishing night in Gethsemane.
加略山的惨剧，早在那个痛苦的客西马尼园之夜以前，就已经显明给祂看了。
110. Listening friends, listen carefully as I am concluding now.
亲爱的朋友，请仔细听我的结语。
111. God never takes us where his grace is not adequate of sufficient to sustain us and empower us.
神从不给我们超过我们所能承受的功课，
112. Even when the sandpaper of our circumstances sometimes feels rough and causes us to bleed.
即便是环境好像磨造我们的砂纸，似乎过于粗糙，以至于我们流血。
113. Even when we feel that we cannot wait to go somewhere else that is a little softer and a little smoother.
即便我们觉得无法再忍耐，需要立刻逃到一个稍微安逸一点的环境。
114. God’s will for you, said the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, is your sanctification.
使徒保罗在帖撒罗尼迦中说到，神对我们的旨意，就是要我们成圣。
115. And your sanctification process is not always as easy as you want it to be.
而成圣的过程往往不如我们想象得那么容易，
116. But, it begins with obedience.
但是，它是从顺服开始的，
117. And obedience will take you a long way.
并且顺服可以一路带领你。
118. Are you somewhere where you desperately want to get out of your situation?
现在，你是否正拼命想要摆脱你的环境？
119. Pray, Lord, empower me to walk in your will.
请这样祷告：主啊，给我力量来遵行你的旨意。
120. Lord, let me know that you are walking with me.
主啊，求你使我知道你与我同行，
121. Because when you walk with me Lord, you will turn my funeral procession into a victory parade.
因为有你和我同行，你就能把我的死亡之旅变为荣耀的凯旋。
122. When you walk with me Lord, you will turn my fiery furnace into a garden.
主啊，当你与我同行，你可以使我经过水火，来到乐园。
123. You will turn my den of lions into a peaceful place.
你可以把狮子坑变为和平之地。
124. Amen.
阿们。
125. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessings.
愿神大大赐福给你，再会。
