【双语灵修】不结果子的树A FRUITLESS TREE
马可福音 11:12-25 8月13日
第二天，他们从伯大尼出来，耶稣饿了。远远地看见一棵无花果树，树上有叶子，就往那里去，或者在树上可以找着什么。 到了树下，竟找不着什么，不过有叶子，因为不是收无花果的时候。 耶稣就对树说：“从今以后，永没有人吃你的果子！”他的门徒也听见了。
他们来到耶路撒冷。耶稣进入圣殿，赶出殿里做买卖的人，推倒兑换银钱之人的桌子和卖鸽子之人的凳子， 也不许人拿着器具从殿里经过。 便教训他们，说：“经上不是记着说‘我的殿必称为万国祷告的殿’吗？你们倒使它成为贼窝了！” 祭司长和文士听见这话，就想法子要除灭耶稣，却又怕他，因为众人都稀奇他的教训。
每天晚上，耶稣出城去。早晨，他们从那里经过，看见无花果树连根都枯干了。 彼得想起耶稣的话来，就对他说：“拉比，请看，你所咒诅的无花果树已经枯干了！” 耶稣回答说：“你们当信服神。 我实在告诉你们：无论何人对这座山说：‘你挪开此地，投在海里！’，他若心里不疑惑，只信他所说的必成，就必给他成了。 所以我告诉你们，凡你们祷告祈求的，无论是什么，只要信是得着的，就必得着。 你们站着祷告的时候，若想起有人得罪你们，就当饶恕他，好叫你们在天上的父也饶恕你们的过犯。
不结果子的树
“彼得想起耶稣的话来，就对他说：‘拉比，请看，你所咒诅的无花果树已经枯干了！’” -可 11:21
我家院子里有一棵小树，因为位置碍事，需要移走，但砍掉它又似乎有点可惜。当彼得注意到一棵因耶稣咒诅而枯干的树时，他惊讶不已。
彼得的惊讶并不奇怪。为甚么这位关爱孩童、喂饱饥饿的人、医治病人的耶稣，会令一棵可怜的无花果树枯死呢？理解这个谜题的关键在于：耶稣看到树之前，和再看到它之后所发生的事情。
耶稣咒诅这棵树之后，和门徒们进入了耶路撒冷，并来到了圣殿的院子里。令他沮丧的是，那里成了一个熙攘的市场，商贩们为利益兜售祭牲。耶稣用一些他曾说过的最严厉的话，将商人和兑换银钱的人赶了出去，因为他们将神的殿变成了“贼窝”。第二天，他们看到的枯树显明了耶稣的观点：不结果子的信心根本不是信心。
借着耶稣的死与复活，所有转向耶稣的人都得以与神和好，神希望我们以这新的生命，行他已经预备好的善工（以弗所书2:10）。如果我们不去行，我们就会像那棵无花果树一样枯萎，结不出果子。
祷告
主耶稣，祢使我们像栽在永生水边的树。求祢使我们多结果子，为祢的荣耀结出公义的果实。阿们。
Mark 11:12-25
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13
A FRUITLESS TREE
Peter remembered [the fig tree] and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” —Mark 11:21
There’s a small tree in our yard that needs to be removed because of its inconvenient location. It seems a shame to chop it down, though. When Peter noticed a tree that was withered because Jesus had cursed it, he expressed his surprise.
Peter’s surprise is not surprising. Why, indeed, would Jesus—who cares for children, feeds the hungry, and heals the sick—kill a poor little fig tree? The key to understanding this puzzle has to do with what happens after Jesus first sees the tree and when he sees it again.
After cursing the tree, Jesus and the disciples enter Jerusalem and go into the temple courts. There, to his dismay, Jesus finds a bustling market filled with merchants hawking sacrificial animals for profit. With some of the harshest words that he ever says, Jesus drives out the merchants and money changers for turning God’s temple into “a den of robbers.” And the withered tree that they see the next day illustrates Jesus’ point: Fruitless faith is no faith at all.
Through the sacrifice of Jesus’ death and resurrection, all who turn to Jesus are made right with God. And with this new life God wants us to do the good works he has already prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). If we fail to do them, we will be acting like that fig tree, withered and producing no fruit.
Jesus, you have made us to be like trees planted beside the waters of eternal life. Make us fruitful, producing the fruit of righteousness for your glory. Amen.