10月27日

標　　題：一起來慶祝

經　　節：他對父親說：「我服事你這多年，從來沒有違背過你的命，你並沒有給我一隻山羊羔，叫我和朋友一同快樂。」（路加福音十五章29節）

神相當關注，要將人由死亡帶向生命。當人由悖逆回轉向祂的時候，祂的心何等歡喜。如果你的心體貼天父的心意，若有罪人回轉向神的時候，你一樣也會歡喜快樂的。

耶穌所說慈父與浪子的比喻，不只著重在那敗家子老二的身上，大兒子也同樣是個不聽話的兒子。大兒子一年又一年地為父親作工，等待將來得到回報。他看到弟弟的叛逆使父親心碎，而當弟弟返家時，他卻不與父親共同歡喜快樂，一點也不高興看到父親歡喜的心情。他所關心的是自己及沒有受到公平對待。他覺得自己是受害者，並且完全錯過與父親同慶祝的祝福。

我們有可能會年復一年地事奉神，而心卻遠離神。你可能在教會擔負最重要的事工，心中卻充滿苦毒，因為周圍沒有人願意與你分擔重擔。你可能全心注意自己在主裡的勞苦，以至於神在你周圍的人身上行神跡，你一點也不高興。

倘若你事奉神是責任或興趣使然，不是出於喜樂與感恩，你會覺得自己是受害者。當你被事奉的重擔壓得喘不過氣時，你會嫉妒那些在主裡經驗喜樂的人。這不是天父計劃要給你的豐盛生活。一同來慶祝，花時間與神在一起，分享祂的喜樂！

Are You Coming to the Celebration?

So he answered and said to his father, "Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends." (Luke 15:29)

God is concerned with bringing people from death to life. His heart rejoices over each person who returns to Him from a time of rebellion. If your heart is like God’s, you, too, will rejoice when a sinner returns to the Father.

Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son is as much about the older son who remained as it is about the wayward son or the father. Year after year the older son labored for his father, waiting for a future reward. He had seen the brokenness his brother’s rebellion had caused his father. Yet when his brother returned, the older son did not rejoice with his father. He felt no pleasure in seeing his father happy. His concern was for himself and the injustice he perceived he’d been dealt. He felt like a martyr and totally missed the blessing of celebrating with his father.

It is possible to serve God year after year and yet have a heart that is far from Him. You might be one of the hardest workers in your church and yet be filled with bitterness because others do not share your load. You can become so preoccupied with your spiritual labors that when God works miracles in the lives of those around you, you cannot rejoice.

If you serve the Lord out of duty or habit, but not out of joy and gratitude, you will feel like a martyr. You will envy those who are experiencing joy in the Lord while you feel weighed down by the work you are doing. This is not the abundant life your Father has planned for you. Come to the celebration, spend time with the Father, and share in His joy!