“那时，有两个强盗和他同钉十字架，一个在右边，一个在左边。” – 太 27:38
我们要留意，在谈到神和耶稣时，使用君王和国度这两个名词，可能会令人误解。我们大概明白 － 但也只是谨谨明白 － 这两个我们非常熟识的名词，因为耶稣和其他君王不同，而神的国度也异于其他的国度。
当雅各和约翰的母亲来求耶稣一件事时，她便看到这点。她以她的儿子为荣，于是便求耶稣让他们在衪的国里坐高位，就是让他们做衪的左右手。但是耶稣却不答应，因为这些高位早已预留了。后来，当我们看到在耶稣的左边和右边有两个强盗同钉十架时，我们便得到提示，耶稣所说的是什么意思。所以，十字架和神的国是有关连的。
其他的君王会拿起刀剑、帅领大军，来抵挡他们子民的敌人。然而耶稣却与其他的君王不同，衪让敌人在十字架上打败衪，这就是衪对付他们的方式。这十字架便成为神的国的象征，而这个国也是与其他的国不同的，因为在神的国里，神的“能力是在人的软弱上显得完全”（哥林多后书 12:9）。
所以，每当你看见三个展示在路旁的十字架时，请你记着，耶稣和衪的国是与世界上任何东西都不同的。
祷告
耶稣啊，我软弱时往往会感到羞愧，于是我便假装自己是强壮的。求你帮助我相信，你的能力是在人的软弱上 － 包括在我的软弱上 － 显得完全的。阿们！
马太福音 20:20-23
20那时，西庇太儿子的母亲同她两个儿子上前来拜耶稣，求他一件事。
21耶稣说：“你要什么呢？”她说：“愿你叫我这两个儿子在你国里，一个坐在你右边，一个坐在你左边。”
22耶稣回答说：“你们不知道所求的是什么。我将要喝的杯，你们能喝吗？”他们说：“我们能。”
23耶稣说：“我所喝的杯，你们必要喝；只是坐在我的左右，不是我可以赐的，乃是我父为谁预备的，就赐给谁。”
A Word About The Words
“Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.” – Matthew 27:38
It’s important to note that our use of the words king and kingdom can be misleading when we talk about God and Jesus. These words that are so familiar to us may get us in the ballpark of understanding—but just barely. That’s because Jesus is not like other kings, and the kingdom of God is not like other kingdoms.
The mother of James and John finds this out when she asks Jesus for a favor. She’s proud of her boys. So she asks Jesus to give them the top spots in his kingdom, to make them his right-hand and left-hand men. But Jesus says no; those places are already reserved. We gain a hint of what that means when we learn later that two rebels are crucified on either side of Jesus. So cross and kingdom are connected.
Other kings would take up a sword and lead an army against the enemies of their people. But Jesus is not like other kings. He deals with great enemies by letting himself be defeated by them on the cross. Then that cross becomes the sign of the kingdom of God, which is not like other kingdoms. Because in the kingdom of God “power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
So whenever you see one of those roadside displays of three crosses, remember that Jesus and his kingdom are not like anything else in this world.
Prayer
Jesus, I’m usually ashamed when I’m weak. So I try to act strong. Help me to trust that your power is made perfect in weakness, even in my weakness. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
