双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：12月15日 基督受苦

12月15日

基督受苦

主为我们舍命，我们从此就知道何为爱。

约翰一书3:16

耶稣在地上的一生中，不断遭受人身的攻击。在祂开始传道时，祂在拿撒勒的同乡曾想把祂从山崖上推下去（路加福音4:29）。宗教和政治领袖经常密谋要捉拿祂、杀害祂。最后祂被抓并带到彼拉多和希律面前受审。尽管祂没有犯罪，却被谴责为上帝和人类的敌人，不配活着。

耶稣所受的苦难还包括魔鬼的猛烈试探：“当时，耶稣被圣灵引到旷野，受魔鬼的试探”（马太福音4:1）。

我们还要记住，祂能预先知道将要发生的事，这就更加添祂的痛苦。祂知道自己必须喝苦杯，祂也知道自己该走的苦路。祂清楚地预见那等待着祂的血的洗礼。祂清楚地向祂的门徒讲论祂将要被钉死在十字架上。

耶稣，这位至高的受难者，为我们的罪受苦。因祂所受的痛苦，我们得蒙救赎。

这位神圣的受难者对我们有什么要求呢？只要我们信、我们爱、我们感恩赞美、我们奉献的心和生活。这样的要求过分吗？

基督住在我们里面，使我们能够超越我们的处境，无论它们有多痛苦。也许你读到这些话时，会发现自己几乎被你现在所面临的处境压垮了。你不知道你还能承受多少。但不要绝望！上帝的恩典够你用，将使你能够胜过试炼。让这成为你的信心：

谁能使我们与基督的爱隔绝呢？难道是患难吗，是困苦吗，是逼迫吗，是饥饿吗，是赤身露体吗，是危险吗，是刀剑吗？……然而靠着爱我们的主，在这一切的事上，已经得胜有余了（罗马书8:35,37）。

今日祷告：

天父，祢有能力带领我们走出困境。当我们受苦时，祢会扶持我们。当我们喜乐，是因祢而喜乐；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

December 15

THE SUPREME SUFFERER

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. 1 John 3:16

Throughout His earthly life, Jesus was constantly exposed to personal violence. At the beginning of His ministry, His own townsfolk at Nazareth tried to hurl Him down from the brow of the hill (Luke 4:29). The religious and political leaders often conspired to seize Him and kill Him. At length He was arrested and brought to trial before Pilate and Herod. Even though He was guiltless of the accusations, He was denounced as an enemy of God and man, and not worthy to live.

The sufferings of Jesus also included the fierce temptations of the devil:“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil”(Matthew 4:1).

Remember, too, that He knew in advance what was coming, and this enhanced His suffering. He knew the contents of the cup He had to drink: He knew the path of suffering He should tread. He could distinctly foresee the baptism of blood that awaited Him.He spoke plainly to His disciples of His coming death by crucifixion.

Jesus, the supreme sufferer, came to suffer for our sins.As a result of His sufferings, our redemption was secured.

What does the divine sufferer demand from us? Only our faith, our love, our grateful praise, our consecrated hearts and lives. Is that too much to ask?

Christ living in us will enable us to live above our circumstances, however painful they are. Perhaps you who read these words find yourself almost crushed by the circumstances which you are now facing. You wonder how much more you can stand.But don’t despair! God’s grace is sufficient for you and will enable you to rise above your trials.Let this be your confidence:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:35,37).

Pray for the Day:

Father, You have all the power to take us through our circumstances. When we suffer, You will carry us. When we rejoice, we rejoice in You; in Jesus’Name, Amen.