【双语灵修】意想不到的恩典 Unexpected Grace
“‘今天救恩到了这家 …。’” - 路 19:9
撒该是一个需要被关注的人，他也曾经是一个贪心的人，身为税吏的他，收取额外的税款然后中饱私囊，这是他致富的途径。他的邻舍因此鄙视他。但他似乎想改变自己的生活，于是他放下自尊、爬到树上看看耶稣。
而更重要的是，耶稣看见撒该，就对他说：“今天我必住在你家里。”圣经没有告诉我们，在他们短暂的接触中，耶稣还对撒该说过什么别的话。然而，结果是撒该悔改了，他应许把他所有财产的一半分给穷人，他若讹诈了谁，就归还四倍。想像一下，他的慷概是多么令人惊讶！
假若我们当中每一个人都这样捐献出口袋中余剩的金钱，来帮助有需要的人，会是怎样的情形呢？这样做能够怎样帮助世上的穷人呢？我们能够提供多少口井、多少所新学校、和多少间诊所呢？
撒该这样做，似乎是一时冲动而已，然而他却真实地在承诺并履行神有关经济正义的律例（参看出埃及记 22章；利未记 6章）。所以，他不单是一时慷慨-他更是对神教导忠心的回应和顺服。因此耶稣对他说：“今天救恩到了这家。”
这个故事毕竟有一个非常愉快的结尾：一个迷路的罪人回转、穷人受益、而耶稣也得了一个新的门徒。
祷告
主啊，当我诚心诚意寻找你时，我竟发现你也在寻找我。求你叫我忠心服事你，并以救恩为乐。阿们。
路加福音 19:1-10
1耶稣进了耶利哥，正经过的时候，
2有一个人名叫撒该，做税吏长，是个财主，
3他要看看耶稣是怎样的人。只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看见。
4就跑到前头，爬上桑树，要看耶稣，因为耶稣必从那里经过。
5耶稣到了那里，抬头一看，对他说：“撒该，快下来！今天我必住在你家里。”
6他就急忙下来，欢欢喜喜地接待耶稣。
7众人看见，都私下议论说：“他竟到罪人家里去住宿！”
8撒该站着对主说：“主啊，我把所有的一半给穷人，我若讹诈了谁，就还他四倍。”
9耶稣说：“今天救恩到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。
10人子来，为要寻找、拯救失丧的人。”
Unexpected Grace
"Today salvation has come to this house. . . ." - Luke 19:9
Zacchaeus was a needy man. He had also been greedy, growing rich as a tax collector who could pocket the extra fees he charged. As a result, his neighbors despised him. But it seems that he wanted to change. So he threw out his dignity and scrambled up a tree to see Jesus.
More importantly, Jesus saw Zacchaeus and said, “I must stay at your house today.” We aren’t told what else Jesus might have said in their brief exchange. But the outcome was that Zacchaeus repented and promised to give half of his possessions to the poor and to pay back four times what he had cheated anyone. What an amazing display of generosity! Imagine that!
What if every one of us who has extra money in our pocket were to give like that to help people in need? What might that accomplish for the poor of the world? How many wells, new schools, and health clinics could we provide?
It may seem that Zacchaeus was just bubbling over with enthusiasm. But he was actually pledging to obey God’s laws about economic justice (see Exodus 22; Leviticus 6). So he was not just being generous—he was being faithful and obedient. That’s why Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house.”
This is ultimately a story of great joy: a lost sinner is found, the poor are well served, and Jesus has a new disciple.
Prayer
Lord, when I seek you sincerely, I find you seeking me. Make me faithful, serving you in the joy of salvation. Amen.