【双语灵修】作见证：勉强每一个人来参与！WITNESS: COMPEL EVERYONE TO JOIN!

路加福音 14:15-24

同席的有一人听见这话，就对耶稣说：“在神国里吃饭的有福了！”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！’”

九月十一日

作见证：勉强每一个人来参与！

“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

让我们回到上星期（九月六日）看过的那个比喻，我们可以从蒙召去作见证的角度来思想这个比喻。耶稣所讲的这个比喻提醒我们，神的国其中一幅最扣人心弦的画面，就是它是一个大筵席。

事实上，圣经是以一幅婚筵的画面来结束的。有一天耶稣会回来，那时每一件错误的事情都会回到正轨。在启示录19章9节，我们看到：“天使吩咐我说：‘你要写上：凡被请赴羔羊之婚筵的有福了！’”那羔羊就是耶稣，而宾客都是那些接受了祂的邀请的人。

路加福音这段经文中，耶稣告诉我们，在我们等待去赴这场盛宴时，我们被呼召去邀请每一个愿意赴会的人到来。这就是耶稣这个比喻的重点，祂非常渴望每一个座位都被填满。事实上，祂是这样吩咐仆人：“去，把你找到的每一个入都带进来。”仆人照吩咐做了，但仍有空位，祂便再次差他们出去。

想想在你认识的人中，有谁需要听到神为他们在筵席中留座位，因这个好消息而得激励。主已向每一个人发出邀请，你会不会把消息传开去呢？神赐给你一切的美物，你可以怎样与人分享神的款待呢？

祷告

主耶稣，我们被祢邀请参加祢的筵席，求祢以感恩和喜乐多多充满我们，好叫我们禁不住也去邀请其他人来赴会。阿们。

Luke 14:15-24

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

WITNESS: COMPEL EVERYONE TO JOIN!

“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

Let’s return to a parable we looked at last week (Sept. 6). We can reflect on this story through the lens of our call to witness. We are reminded in Jesus’ parable that one of the most compelling pictures of the kingdom of God is that of a great feast.

In fact, the Bible closes with a picture of a wedding feast. Jesus will return one day, and everything that is wrong will be made right. In Revelation 19:9 we read, “The angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” The Lamb is Jesus. And the guests are all who have said yes to his invitation.

Here in Luke, Jesus tells us that as we wait for that great feast, our call is to invite everyone who will come. This is the heart of Jesus’ parable. He deeply longs for every seat to be filled. “Go,” he tells his servants, in effect, “and bring in everyone you can find.” And when the servants do that and there is still room, he sends them out again.

Think of the people you know who need to be encouraged by the beautiful news that God has a place for them at his table. The Lord has invited everyone—won’t you pass the word along? And how can you share the generosity that flows from all the goodness God has given you?

Lord Jesus, fill me with so much gratitude and joy for being invited to your feast that I cannot help inviting others to come as well. Amen.