【双语灵修】我是邀请宾客到来的人I AM AN INVITER
路加福音 14:16-24
耶稣对他说：“有一人摆设大筵席，请了许多客。到了坐席的时候，打发仆人去对所请的人说：‘请来吧，样样都齐备了。’众人一口同音地推辞。头一个说：‘我买了一块地，必须去看看。请你准我辞了。’又有一个说：‘我买了五对牛，要去试一试。请你准我辞了。’又有一个说：‘我才娶了妻，所以不能去。’那仆人回来，把这事都告诉了主人。家主就动怒，对仆人说：‘快出去到城里大街小巷，领那贫穷的、残废的、瞎眼的、瘸腿的来。’仆人说：‘主啊，你所吩咐的已经办了，还有空座。’主人对仆人说：‘你出去到路上和篱笆那里，勉强人进来，坐满我的屋子。我告诉你们：先前所请的人，没有一个得尝我的筵席！’”
5月10日
我是邀请宾客到来的人
“主人对仆人说：‘你出去到路上和篱笆那里，勉强人进来，坐满我的屋子。’” - 路 14:23
接到邀请通常被视为一种荣誉，大部份人都欢迎友善的邀请并乐意参与。在神的国度里，我们主要的做法应该是要去邀请人“来看看”神在基督里赐给我们的恩福——就是救恩和永远丰盛的生命！这个做法往往比与人辩论某种教导或批判别人的信仰更为有效。
在大筵席的比喻中，耶稣描绘父神为一位好客的主人，他希望与别人分享他的丰盛和喜乐。主人预备了丰富的筵席，确保一切都安排妥当。神为我们的救恩预备了一切所需的——甚至为我们牺牲祂自己的儿子作为代价。祂打开了祂的国度之门向所有人发出邀请。归根究柢，神希望祂邀请的人都会到来填满祂的家。
作为跟随耶稣的人成为神的仆人后，我们接受了另外一个角色。我们成为一个邀请人和带领人到来的人，我们积极地寻找和劝喻人来与我们一起。这个角色有时被形容为“一个乞丐告诉另一个乞丐，那里可以找到食物”——或在这个比喻中，一个被邀请的客人告诉另一个客人，那宴会厅充满了永远的福乐。
祷告
天父啊，惟愿我们乐意与人分享你的好消息。求你叫我们成为喜乐的见证人和邀请者，因为在你里面有足够的恩典施予众多的人。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。
Luke 14:16-24
SATURDAY, MAY 10
I AM AN INVITER
“The master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.’” — Luke 14:23
Receiving an invitation is usually seen as an honor, and most people welcome a gracious request to join in. In God’s kingdom, our main approach should be simply to invite people to “come and see” what God offers us in Christ—salvation and full life forever! This is often more effective than getting into a debate about a teaching or criticizing others for their beliefs.
In Jesus’ parable of the great banquet, God the Father is portrayed as a generous host who wants to share his abundance and joy with others. The host prepares a feast, ensuring that everything is taken care of. God undertakes everything needed for our salvation—even footing the bill by sacrificing his own Son for our sake. And he opens the doors of his kingdom, extending his invitation to all. Ultimately God wants his house filled with all whom he has invited.
And as followers of Jesus who have become God’s servants, we receive an expanded role. We become inviters and bringers, actively seeking and urging others to join us. This role has sometimes been described as “one beggar telling another beggar where to find food”—or, as in this parable, one invited guest informing another guest about the banquet hall brimming with eternal blessings.
Heavenly Father, may we share your good news freely with others. Make us winsome witnesses and inclusive inviters, for in you there is more than enough grace to go around. Amen.