8月12日 世人拒绝福音
世人拒绝福音
人们喜欢与福音保持一段令自己舒服的距离，自以为等到即将步入另一个世界时，再来处理福音的事也为时不晚。
当救主降生的消息传到耶路撒冷时，得知历世代所盼望的蒙福弥赛亚终于降临，本该令每一颗心都因喜乐而跳跃。然而，事实却截然相反：基督的降临竟使这些人惊惶不安，仿佛来到的是一位仇敌，而非一位救主。
有人或许会如此推想：纵然人们因基督卑微的出身和家世而迟疑不决，但当祂神性的光辉透过随后所行的神迹奇事闪耀出来时，他们总该敬拜祂了吧？当祂亲口显明自己的权柄，宣告从父那里带来的喜信时，他们难道不会如饥似渴地畅饮那传给他们的救恩吗？事实并非如此。他们依然死死守在可咒诅的不信之中，顽梗地拒绝了基督。
犹太人表面上极其尊崇圣经，而圣经又是如此充分地为基督作见证，甚至在他们的良心里控告他们，但他们依然拒绝耶稣。基督警告他们说：“你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生；给我作见证的就是这经。然而，你们不肯到我这里来得生命。”（约5:39-40）他们确实想要生命，却宁愿失去生命，也不肯到基督那里去求取生命。
自那时起直到今日，这个世界真的有多大改变吗？今天，基督在祂的福音中，是否受到了更友善的款待呢？祂发出的邀请依然如故：“凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。”（太11:28）基督对那些到祂面前来的人所做的一件“最坏的事”，也不过是将他们安顿在生命与救恩之中。然而，成千上万的人竟莫名其妙地指望从世界听见更好的消息，甚至将福音视为一种与自己毫不相干的外语，至少认为眼下与自己无关。他们喜欢与福音保持一段令自己舒服的距离，自以为等到即将步入另一个世界时，再来处理福音的事也为时不晚。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：撒上2章，罗2章，
个人灵修：耶40章，路9章
AUGUST 12, WENDESDAY
THE WORLD’S REJECTION OF THE GOSPEL
They like to keep the Gospel at a comfortable distance, assuming there will be time enough to take care of it when they are about to enter the next world.
When the news of the Savior’s birth was told in Jerusalem, it should have caused every heart to beat for joy, to see the blessed Messiah fill the hope of every generation. But just the opposite was true—Christ’s coming alarmed these men as if an enemy, not a Savior, had arrived.
But, one might reason, even though men faltered at accepting Christ’s lowly birth and parentage, surely they would worship Him when the rays of His divinity started shining through all the miracles and wonders that followed this Man. When His own lips showed His authority and told the joyful message He brought from the Father, would they not thirstily drink in the salvation preached to them? No, they persisted in cursed unbelief and obstinate rejection of the Christ.
Although the Scripture, which the Jews seemed to adore, so fully testified for Christ that it accused them to their own consciences, they still refused Jesus. Christ warned, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:39–40). They did want life, but chose to lose it rather than come to Him for it.
Has the world changed much since then? Does Christ in His Gospel meet with any kinder welcome today? The invitation He offers is still the same: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The worst that Christ does to those who come to Him is to put them into a place of life and salvation; yet thousands somehow expect to hear better news from the world and relegate the Gospel to a foreign language which does not concern them, at least for the present. They like to keep the Gospel at a comfortable distance, assuming there will be time enough to take care of it when they are about to enter the next world.