2月18日

標　　題： 背起你的十字架

經　　節： 於是耶穌對門徒說：「若有人要跟從我，就當舍己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。」（馬太福音十六章24節）

不管代價如何，你的「十字架」是神的旨意。背起你的十字架是個抉擇，你絕不會被迫背起十字架。你可能有身體上的問題、有一個悖逆的孩子、或面對經濟的壓力，然而千萬不要將這些當作是你要「背負的十字架」。你的十字架不是你所面對的環境，也不是你自己錯誤行為的後果。你的十字架乃是自願一同與祂受苦，如同祂為我們死而達成救贖的目的一樣（腓立比書三：10）。保羅說自己受苦倒覺得喜樂，因為他知道藉著這些痛苦，可以幫助其他人得到靈性的成熟（歌羅西書一：24）。我們傾向於想立即由「舍己」跳到「跟隨耶穌」。然而，除非先背起自己的十字架，否則永遠不可能跟隨耶穌。在某些方面，神的救贖大工惟有藉著苦難才能達成。誠如基督要忍受苦痛才能帶來救恩，你也必須經歷一些苦難，好讓神把救恩帶給你周遭的人。直到門徒知道耶穌是基督，耶穌才與門徒談及十字架（馬太福音十六：21）。若不先確信耶穌是基督，你將永遠不可能忍受十字架的苦楚。一旦與基督的關係穩固，祂會讓你知道你的十字架是甚麼。基督教不可能沒有十字架。如果你期待與神的關係，是永遠不需要忍受苦難或不招惹麻煩的，那麼你絕不能以基督為榜樣。十字架是神的旨意。首先，你得先背起自己的十字架，然後才能跟隨基督。

Take up Your Cross

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (Matthew 16:24)

Your “cross” is God’s will fo ryou, regardless of the cost. Taking up your cross is a choice; it is not beyond your control. You may have health problems or a rebellious child or financial pressures, but do not mistake these as your “cross to bear.” Neither circumstances you face nor consequences of your own actions are your cross. Your cross will be to voluntarily participate in Christ’s sufferings as He carries out His redemptive purposes_(Phil. 3:10). Paul said he rejoiced in his sufferings because he knew that by them he was able to participate in the suffering required to bring others into Christian maturity (Col. 1:24).

We tend to want to go immediately from “denying ourselves” to “following Jesus.” But you can never follow Jesus unless you have first taken up your cross. There are aspects of God’s redemptive work that can be accomplished only through suffering. Just as Christ had to suffer in order to bring salvation, there will be hardships you may have to endure in order for God to bring salvation to those around you. Jesus did not talk with His disciples about the cross until they had come to know He was the Christ (Matt. 16:21). You will never be able to endure the suffering of the cross unless you have first been convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Once you have settled your relationship with Christ, He will introduce you to your cross.

There is no Christianity without a cross. If you are waiting for a relationship with God that never requires suffering or inconvenience, then you cannot use Christ as your model. God’s will for you involves a cross. First, take up your cross, then you can follow Him.