马太福音［第25章］
Book of Matthew 25
[做一个准备好的人]
GK611 晨祷生命读经
主讲: 丘均发传道
14/01/2025
我们从马太福音25章的三个比喻中学习，如何做一个真正‘准备好’ 迎接耶稣再来主的人！无论耶稣几时再来！
第一个比喻是十童女拿着灯等候迎接新郎进去参加婚宴。因为她们并不知道新郎到达的时间，其中有五个愚拙的拿着灯却不预备油，灯熄灭时才急忙去买，但为时已晚。聪明的拿着灯，又预备了足够的油在器皿里。可以同新郎一起进去参加婚宴。
这个比喻耶稣强调我们等待迎接主的再来，因为没人知道那个日子，所以大家一定要警醒，身心灵要准备好！不要等到危急时才寻求神。
生活中，我们总为重要的场合精心预备，却时常忘了最重要的预备-迎接主的再来。让我们今天就开始，每天以祷告和神的话语充满心灵，结出圣灵果子，成为‘聪明的童女’，警醒等待主的再来！
第二个比喻的重点是讲主人出国离开前交代三个仆人，托他们管理家业，按着个人的才干给了每个人不同数额的经费。前两个仆人遵从主人命令，有良善忠心的好作为，第三位仆人却因害怕和懒惰，就干脆把主人交托的钱埋藏起来，遭主人责备他是又恶又懒的，还要被丢在外面黑暗中。
懒惰和惧怕是管理失败的主要原因。每个人都有独特的恩赐，不要比较，而是专注于忠心使用。神赐予我们独特的资源与机会，忠心使用哪怕看似微小的恩赐，都能为主结出果子！埋藏‘才干’只会导致我们错失祝福！
当时，虔诚的法利赛人一个礼拜至少禁食两次，并刻意表现出来。然而，禁食真正的意义是为了在神前降卑自己、刻苦己身，放弃自己合法的享受，寻求神的怜悯和恩典，不是为了让人称赞自己虔诚。因此，耶稣说，我们禁食的时候要一如平常，不要故意弄得面容憔悴。
马太福音25章通过三个比喻，清晰地告诉我们，主的再来是确定的，但我们是否预备好迎见祂却取决于自己的选择和行动。
如果主今天再来，我是否已为迎见祂做好准备？我是否在忠心地使用神赐的资源和才干？我的爱心行动是否体现出我的信仰？
Matthew Chapter 25
Be a prepared person
GK611 Morning Devotion
14/01/2025
The Morning Devotion Speaker: Ps Daniel
We learn from the three parables in Matthew Chapter 25 how to be a person who is truly “ready” for the return of Jesus! No matter when Jesus comes again!
The first parable is of the ten virgins holding lamps waiting to welcome the groom into the wedding banquet. Because they did not know the time when the groom would arrive, five of them were foolish enough to hold their lamps but did not prepare any oil. When the lamps went out, they hurried to buy them, but it was too late. The wise virgins took their lamps and prepared enough oil in the vessel. They can go in with the groom to attend the wedding banquet.
In this parable, Jesus emphasizes that we are waiting to welcome the return of the Lord, because no one knows that day, so everyone must be alert and ready in body, mind and soul! Don’t wait until crisis strikes to seek God.
In life, we always prepare carefully for important occasions, but we often forget the most important preparation - welcoming the return of the Lord. Let us start today, fill our hearts with prayer and God’s words every day, bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, become ‘wise virgins’, and be alert and waiting for the return of the Lord!
The focus of the second parable is that before leaving the country, the master entrusted three servants to manage the family business and gave each of them different amounts of funds according to their personal talents. The first two servants obeyed their master's orders and performed good and loyal deeds. However, the third servant simply hid the money entrusted to him by his master because of fear and laziness. His master blamed him for being wicked and lazy, and cast him into the outer darkness.
Laziness and fear are the main causes of management failure. Everyone has unique gifts, don’t compare but focus on using them faithfully. God has given us unique resources and opportunities. If we use even seemingly small gifts faithfully, we can bear fruit for the Lord! Burying ‘talents’ will only cause us to miss out on blessings!
The parable of the sheep and goats tells us that the ultimate criterion is whether our actions live out the love of Christ. In other words, it depends on whether we care for and help those in need, such as the hungry, homeless, sick, imprisoned, or the most insignificant brothers and sisters.
Jesus couldn’t have made it clearer. The way we love others (especially 'one of the least of my brethren') is important because it sets us apart; it is important because this love is how the shepherd distinguishes his sheep from his goats; it is important because it is vital to entering the Kingdom of the Father (Matthew 25:34).
If we claim to love Jesus but do not love Him the way He does, then we are actually ‘hypocrites’. Nothing is more disappointing and hypocritical than a Christian who doesn’t know how to love others!
Matthew chapter 25 clearly tells us through three parables that the return of the Lord is certain, but whether we are ready to welcome Him depends on our own choices and actions.
If the Lord came back today, would I be ready to meet Him? Am I faithfully using my God-given resources and talents? Do my loving actions reflect my faith?