【双语灵修】为耶稣奔跑RUNNING FOR JESUS

约翰福音 20:1-10 8月18日

七日的第一日清早，天还黑的时候，抹大拉的马利亚来到坟墓那里，看见石头从坟墓挪开了， 就跑来见西门彼得和耶稣所爱的那个门徒，对他们说：“有人把主从坟墓里挪了去，我们不知道放在哪里！” 彼得和那门徒就出来，往坟墓那里去。 两个人同跑，那门徒比彼

得跑的更快，先到了坟墓， 低头往里看，就见细麻布还放在那里，只是没有进去。 西门彼得随后也到了，进坟墓里去，就看见细麻布还放在那里， 又看见耶稣的裹头巾没有和细麻布放在一处，是另在一处卷着。 先到坟墓的那门徒也进去，看见就信了。 因为他们还不明白圣经的意思，就是耶稣必要从死里复活。 于是两个门徒回自己的住处去了。

为耶稣奔跑

“彼得和那门徒就出来，往坟墓那里去。两个人同跑，那门徒比彼得跑得更快……” -约 20:3-4

我不太擅长跑步，我更喜欢走路。但在紧急的情况下，如有需要，我也会跑。当彼得和约翰听说耶稣的坟墓开了时，他们急忙跑去亲眼察看。

值得注意的是，耶稣复活后的第一次显现是向抹大拉的马利亚和几位来到他坟墓的妇女。但门徒们起初并不相信她们，认为她们的话是“胡言”（路加福音24:11）。然而，尽管有疑惑，约翰记载他和彼得还是跑向坟墓。年轻的约翰先到，并探头往里看，但彼得是第一个进入空坟墓的人。后来，据说彼得是门徒中第一个见到复活耶稣的人（路加福音24:34）。

尽管抹大拉的马利亚是第一个见到复活耶稣的人（约翰福音20:14-15），但为甚么彼得是门徒中的第一个呢？也许这是表明耶稣已经饶恕了彼得对他的否认。此外，这也可能指向彼得在使徒中的核心地位——他建立了教会，即基督在地上的身体。彼得、马利亚和耶稣的其他门徒既破碎又有缺点，却愿意热心服侍，他们蒙神拣选去传播救恩的福音，最终将福音传向全世界。

纵使我们破碎及有缺点，但当参与这场紧迫的使命之旅时，耶稣依然可使用你我。

祷告

主啊，祢已将当跑的道路摆在我们面前。请赐给我们力量和勇气，使我们坚忍到底，直到与祢见面的那日。阿们。

John 20:1-10

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

RUNNING FOR JESUS

Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter. . . . —John 20:3

I’m not much of a runner. I prefer walking. In an urgent situation, though, I would run if I had to. When Peter and John heard that Jesus’ tomb had been opened, they raced there urgently to see for themselves.

Significantly, Jesus’ first post-resurrection appearance was to Mary Magdalene and several other women who had come to his tomb. But the disciples did not believe them at first, dismissing their account as “nonsense” (Luke 24:10). Yet despite their doubts, John writes that he and Peter ran to the tomb. John, the younger man, got there first and peeked in, but Peter was the first to go into the empty tomb. Later, Peter is reportedly the first of the disciples to see Jesus risen from the dead (Luke 24:34).

Though Mary Magdalene is the first person to see Jesus alive (John 20:14-15), why is Peter the first among the disciples? Maybe this distinction shows that Jesus has forgiven Peter’s denial. In addition, this could point to Peter’s central role as a leader among the apostles, who established the church, Christ’s body on earth. Broken and flawed, yet willing and eager to serve, Peter and Mary and all of Jesus’ other disciples are chosen to spread the good news of his salvation to others—and eventually to the world.

Though we, too, are broken and flawed, Jesus can use us as we join the urgent race to share in his mission.

Lord, you have set the race before us. Give us the strength and courage to endure till we meet you face to face. Amen.