【双语灵修】被弃的石头THE STONE REJECTED

彼得前书 2:4-7

主乃活石，固然是被人所弃的，却是被神所拣选、所宝贵的。 你们来到主面前，也就像活石，被建造成为灵宫，做圣洁的祭司，藉着耶稣基督奉献神所悦纳的灵祭。 因为经上说：“看哪，我把所拣选、所宝贵的房角石安放在锡安，信靠他的人必不至于羞愧。” 所以，他在你们信的人就为宝贵；在那不信的人有话说：“匠人所弃的石头，已做了房角的头块石头”，

10月11日

被弃的石头

“他是你们匠人所弃的石头……” - 使徒行传 4:11

这就是弃绝。我们随处可见它的阴影：当祖孙辈因为政治立场的不同而彻底断绝往来；当同胞手足形同陌路，多年不着一字。甚至在教会内部，仅仅因为理念上的些许分歧，迎来的便是冷眼相对，以及情谊的戛然而止。这些情况令人心痛。

我记得小组学习中有个问题：“人经历过最剧烈的疼痛是什么？”有人说是“前交叉韧带撕裂”、“分娩”或“肾结石”。但一位女性回答：“关系带来的痛苦最剧烈，因为身体愈合得比心快。”

宇宙的神也深知关系带来的痛苦。《圣经》记载，耶稣“到自己的地方来，自己的人倒不接待他”（《约翰福音》1:11）。祂的家人以为他疯了；连祂的家乡，都将祂拒之门外（参《马可福音》3:21; 6:1-4）。神的儿子为此哀叹说：“耶路撒冷啊，耶路撒冷啊…我多次愿意聚集你的儿女，好像母鸡把小鸡聚集在翅膀底下，只是你们不愿意”（《路加福音》13:34）。

耶稣讲过人拒绝赴宴的比喻，也讲过一位被两个儿子都拒绝了的父亲的比喻（《路加福音》14:16-24; 15:11-32）。拒绝耶稣的行为今天仍在继续。当我们以维护祂或祂的话语为耻时，就是在拒绝耶稣。或者当我们不向祂祷告、不愿花时间与祂亲近时，也是如此。

让我们回到耶稣面前——祂为我们承受了拒绝，使我们能得着赦免和新生命。愿我们也成为使人和睦、饶恕他人的人。

让我们回到耶稣面前——祂为我们默默承受了拒绝，好叫我们能得着赦免与新生命。愿我们也能承接这份恩典，成为使人和睦、乐意饶恕的人。

祷告

主耶稣，当我们冷落你或以你为耻时，求你赦免我们。愿我们在言行中，无论是在人前还是在人后，都能荣耀你。阿们。

1 Peter 2:4-7

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11

THE STONE REJECTED

“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected. . . .’” —Acts 4:11

Rejection. We see it when grandparents are cut off from grandkids over politics. Or when siblings haven’t spoken in years. In the church, a difference in conviction can be met with a cold shoulder, and a cutting off of friendship.

Rejection hurts. I remember a group question: “What is the worst pain that people have known?” Some participants said, “a torn ACL,” “childbirth,” “kidney stones.” But one woman replied, “Relational pain is the worst, because bodies heal faster than hearts.”

The God of the universe knows relational pain. Scripture says that Jesus “came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). His family members thought he was crazy; his hometown ran him out (Mark 3:21; 6:4). The Son of God lamented all of this, saying, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Luke 13:34). Jesus told parables about feasts that people would not come to and about a father rejected by both of his sons (Luke 14:16-24; 15:11-32).

Rejecting Jesus continues today. We reject Jesus when we are ashamed to stand up for him or his words. Or when we fail to pray or take time with him.

Let us return to Jesus—who bore rejection for us so that we can have forgiveness and new life. And may we be peacemakers and forgivers too.

Lord Jesus, forgive us when we snub you or act ashamed of you. May we honor you in all we do and say—whether in public or in private. Amen.