2023-10-03 周二 诸天之国的外表

经文:耶稣在他们跟前另设一个比喻,说,诸天的国好像一粒芥菜种,有人拿去种在他的田里。这乃是百种里最小的,但长起来,却比别的菜都大,且成了树,甚至天空的飞鸟来栖宿在它的枝上。(太十三31-32,另译)

诸天之国的外表有三样东西:稗子,国度构成分子改变的性质;大树,假冒的表面;以及酵,内在的腐败和腐化。我们可以把这幅图画应用到今天的基督教。在整个基督教里,我们可以看见稗子、畸形的生长、以及酵所引起的腐败。

赞美主,我们已经从外表被呼召出来,脱离了酵!然而我们必须儆醒,不让别种酵进来。在建造教会并扩展主的见证上,惟一的路是祷告并传讲纯正的话。在神眼中,任何花招-在基督、神的话、祷告和那灵以外的任何事物-都是酵。

我们必须看见,国度实际和国度外表之间的区别。实际对神是宝贵的,但外表对神是可憎的。我们必须宝贵实际,弃绝外表。我们注重纯净的面粉和小芥菜,这两者都好作食物。这就是教会的见证,是神和人的食物。我们很多人都能见证,我们饥饿了多年,然而一旦进入教会,就得着饱足。这里没有花招或酵,却有细面同芥菜。这是主的恢复,也是筵席。这里没有稗子、大树或酵。

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The Outward Appearance of the Kingdom of the Heavens – Matt. 12:31-32

With the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens there are three matters: the tares, the changed nature of the constituents of the kingdom; the big tree, the false façade; and the leaven, the inward corruption and rottenness. We can apply this picture to today’s Christianity. Throughout Christianity we can see tares, abnormal growth and the corruption caused by leaven. 

Praise the Lord that we have been called out of the façade and kept from the leaven! Nevertheless, we must be on the alert not to allow another kind of leaven to come in. Be careful not to take anything other than Christ. In building up the church and spreading the Lord’s testimony, the only way is to pray and to minister the pure Word. In the eyes of God, any gimmick – anything other than Christ, the Word, prayer, and the Spirit – is leaven. 

We must see the difference between the reality of the kingdom and the appearance of the kingdom. The reality is precious to God, but the appearance is abominable to him. Therefore, we must treasure the reality and reject the appearance. We care for the pure wheat flour and the little mustard herb which are good for food. This is the church’s testimony, which is food to God and man. Many of us can testify that we were hungry for years, but that once we came into the church, we were satisfied. There are no gimmicks or leaven here, but fine flour with the mustard herb. This is the Lord’s recovery, and this is the dining table without the tares, the big tree or the leaven.