十二月十一日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/12/12011.mp3″]
经文: 你们所事奉的乃是主基督。（歌罗西书三：24）
这些话是向哪一阶层的人说的呢？向那些骄傲地自夸有上帝的权柄去统治人的国王吗？不，他们常常事奉他们自己或撒但，而忘却是上帝的怜悯让他们登上人间的王座。保罗是向那些所谓“在上帝里面虔敬的神父”、主教、或副主教说的吗？不，其实保罗并不知道这些人造的头衔。保罗甚至也不是向牧师和教师，或我们信徒中有财富、有地位的人说的，他是向仆人、向奴隶说的。使徒保罗在劳苦大众、浪浪汉、劳工、家庭仆役中发现也有主所拣选的人。他向他们说：“无论作什么，都要从心里作，像是给主作的，不是给人作的。因你们知道从主那里，必得着基督为赏赐。你们所事奉的乃是主基督。”（西三：23～24）这话教在地上受雇出卖劳力的得到尊崇，并为最卑贱的行业增添光辉。为人洗脚可能是卑贱的工作，但是能为主洗脚却是尊贵的工作。为人解鞋带是低下的工作，但是能为伟大的主解鞋带却是王子般的特权。当人为上帝的荣耀去工作时，工厂、壳仓、厨房都成为圣殿！服事上帝不是某些时候或某些地方的事，乃是全部生命在主面前成为圣洁。任何场所、任何事物都可以像会幕和其中的金灯台一样圣洁。
Evening, December 11
Scripture: “Ye serve the Lord Christ.”(Colossians 3:24)
To what choice order of officials was this word spoken? To kings who proudly boast a right divine? Ah, no! too often do they serve themselves or Satan, and forget the God whose sufferance permits them to wear their mimic majesty for their little hour. Speaks then the apostle to those so-called “right reverend fathers in God,” the bishops, or “the venerable the archdeacons”? No, indeed, Paul knew nothing of these mere inventions of man. Not even to pastors and teachers, or to the wealthy and esteemed among believers, was this word spoken, but to servants, aye, and to slaves. Among the toiling multitudes, the journeymen, the day labourers, the domestic servants, the drudges of the kitchen, the apostle found, as we find still, some of the Lord’s chosen, and to them he says, “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” This saying ennobles the weary routine of earthly employments, and sheds a halo around the most humble occupations. To wash feet may be servile, but to wash his feet is royal work. To unloose the shoe-latchet is poor employ, but to unloose the great Master’s shoe is a princely privilege. The shop, the barn, the scullery, and the smithy become temples when men and women do all to the glory of God! Then “divine service” is not a thing of a few hours and a few places, but all life becomes holiness unto the Lord, and every place and thing, as consecrated as the tabernacle and its golden candlestick.
“Teach me, my God and King, in all things thee to see;
And what I do in anything to do it as to thee.
All may of thee partake, nothing can be so mean,
Which with this tincture, for thy sake, will not grow bright and clean.
A servant with this clause makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room, as for thy laws, makes that and the action fine.”