七月二十二日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/07/0722.mp3″]
经文: 你们看这个人!(约翰福音十九:5)
当我们的主耶稣最忧伤时,祂完全成为祂百姓的喜乐和安慰。请来看那位在客西马尼园中的人。请看祂的心,满溢着爱,使祂无法保留;充塞着忧伤,使祂必须找寻一个出口。请看那如血的汗滴在地上。请看这人,他们将钉钉在祂的双手和双脚。悔改的罪人啊,仰视你受苦难之主的忧伤的样子。沾染了荆棘冠冕红宝石般的血滴,如同无价之宝石装饰了君王的冠冕。当祂的骨节都脱开时,祂的生命如水般倒出,被带至死亡的尘土。请看这人。上帝遣弃了祂,地狱包围了祂。请看,请看,有何种忧伤像祂的忧伤?靠近祂,并注视这忧伤的景象──独一无二的、无与伦比的、对人对天使都是奇妙之事。凝视祂,在钉十字架的基督身上若没有安慰,在地上天上就不再有喜乐。祂宝血的赎价若不能提供希望,你的心中就不能有喜乐。当我们坐在十字架的脚前,就不再为自己的疑虑和恐惧烦恼。我们若看祂的忧伤,就将耻于提到自己的忧伤。我们只需凝视祂的伤痕就能得到医治。靠祂的盼望,我们才能诚实地生活。沉思祂的屈辱和祂的忧伤,我们才能尊贵地贵地刚强起来。
Evening, July 22
Scripture: “Behold the man!”(John 19:5)
If there be one place where our Lord Jesus most fully becomes the joy and comfort of his people, it is where he plunged deepest into the depths of woe. Come hither, gracious souls, and behold the man in the garden of Gethsemane; behold his heart so brimming with love that he cannot hold it in-so full of sorrow that it must find a vent. Behold the bloody sweat as it distils from every pore of his body, and falls upon the ground. Behold the man as they drive the nails into his hands and feet. Look up, repenting sinners, and see the sorrowful image of your suffering Lord. Mark him, as the ruby drops stand on the thorn-crown, and adorn with priceless gems the diadem of the King of Misery. Behold the man when all his bones are out of joint, and he is poured out like water and brought into the dust of death; God hath forsaken him, and hell compasseth him about. Behold and see, was there ever sorrow like unto his sorrow that is done unto him? All ye that pass by draw near and look upon this spectacle of grief, unique, unparalleled, a wonder to men and angels, a prodigy unmatched. Behold the Emperor of Woe who had no equal or rival in his agonies! Gaze upon him, ye mourners, for if there be not consolation in a crucified Christ there is no joy in earth or heaven. If in the ransom price of his blood there be not hope, ye harps of heaven, there is no joy in you, and the right hand of God shall know no pleasures for evermore. We have only to sit more continually at the cross foot to be less troubled with our doubts and woes. We have but to see his sorrows, and our sorrows we shall be ashamed to mention. We have but to gaze into his wounds and heal our own. If we would live aright it must be by the contemplation of his death; if we would rise to dignity, it must be by considering his humiliation and his sorrow.