讲解音频：
马太福音4:18-22 立刻跟从主
马太福音4: 18 耶稣在加利利海边行走，看见弟兄二人，就是那称呼彼得的西门和他兄弟安得烈，在海里撒网；他们本是打鱼的。19 耶稣对他们说：「来跟从我，我要叫你们得人如得鱼一样。」20 他们就立刻舍了网，跟从了他。21 从那里往前走，又看见弟兄二人，就是西庇太的儿子雅各和他兄弟约翰，同他们的父亲西庇太在船上补网，耶稣就招呼他们，22 他们立刻舍了船，别了父亲，跟从了耶稣。
今天，当我阅读这些经文时，给我留下深刻印象的是“立刻”。耶稣叫普通渔夫成为他的门徒。这些人不是受过良好教育或口若悬河的人。他们是耶稣时代的“蓝领”。是什么让他们认为，自己可以成为耶稣呼召他们去做的得人的渔夫？肯定有一些关于耶稣的令人信服的事情，以及耶稣要求他们做的事情，以至于他们不能说“不”。
关于耶稣有什么令人不得不服的地方，不是吗？他的爱使我们去做一些我们不愿意做的事情。他人分享我们的信仰是不容易的。谈论耶稣就像试图对我们的罪性说一门外语一样。但是他的爱激励我们，激励我们凭爱心说诚实话。鼓励我们走到我们做梦都想不到的地方。激励我们给我们最好的时间和能力。我们以至于不能对耶稣说，“不”！
祷告：主耶稣，你叫我跟随你，使我成为得人的渔夫。我祈求你能给我一种渴望，让我甘心乐意将一切抛在脑后，尽我所能服侍你。奉你的名字祈求。阿们
Matthew 4:18-22: As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
What impresses me today as I read these verses is the “at once” and “immediately.” Jesus called ordinary fisherman to be his disciples. These were not highly educated or well-spoken people. They were the “blue collar” people of Jesus’ day. What made them think that they could become the fishers of men that Jesus called them to be? There must have been something so compelling about Jesus and what he asked them to do that they just couldn’t say “No.”
There is something compelling about Jesus, isn’t there? His love compels us to do what we don’t feel comfortable doing. It’s hard to share our faith with others. Talking about Jesus is like trying to speak a foreign language to our sinful nature. But his love compels us. It compels us to speak the truth in love. It compels us to go where we never would have dreamed of going. It compels us to give us the best of our time and abilities. We just can’t say, “No,” to Jesus!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have called me to follow you, and have made me a fisher of people. I pray that you will give me the desire that the disciples had to leave it all behind and to serve you with all that I am and I have. I ask this in your name. Amen.
马太福音4:23-25 撒种子
马太福音4:23 耶稣走遍加利利，在各会堂里教训人，传天国的福音，医治百姓各样的病症。24 他的名声就传遍了叙利亚。那里的人把一切害病的，就是害各样疾病、各样疼痛的和被鬼附的、癫痫的、瘫痪的，都带了来，耶稣就治好了他们。25 当下，有许多人从加利利、低加坡里、耶路撒冷、犹太、约旦河外来跟着他。
耶稣在教导百姓的时候，执行他的事工，看见道的成就，这必定是喜乐的事。总有一天，会有许多曾经跟随耶稣的人会拒绝他，因为他不是他们所期待的弥赛亚，不是能带领他们战胜罗马人的民族英雄。今天也还是这样。人们认为追随耶稣会使他们的生活在各个方面都变得更好。如果这不能发生的话，他们就会拒绝耶稣，因为耶稣没有给他们所想要的东西。耶稣从来没有答应过我们，如果我们跟随他，我们就可以过上所想要的生活！
但此时此刻，耶稣正在他的事奉中经历一些成功。治愈一个盲人，当他第一次看到自己脸上的表情时，一定很有意思！看着一个瘸腿的人站起来走路一定很好。向人们讲道是件令人兴奋的事。
上帝的话语今天仍然带来成功和拒绝。我们的动机不可能是因为我们宣讲上帝的话时候会成功，否则当我们遭遇拒绝时就会放弃。我们只是种下种子，让圣灵看顾它们将如何生长。我们种的种子越多，圣灵就越有机会使神的国成长。不管成功与否，多播些种子吧！
祷告：主耶稣，无论何时何地，求你赐我胆量，去宣扬你的话。当成功的时候，我会把这个归功于你。求给我机会撒更多的种子！奉你的名祷告。阿门。
Matthew 4:23-25: 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria,and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.
It must have been a joy for Jesus to carry out his ministry and see the success of the Word as he taught the people. There would come a time when many of those who followed Jesus rejected him because he wasn’t the Messiah they were expecting, the national hero who would lead them to victory over the Romans. It still happens today. People think that following Jesus will make their life better in every way. When it doesn’t happen, then they reject Jesus for not giving them what they want. Jesus never promised us that we would be able to live a charmed life if we follow him!
But at this moment, Jesus was experiencing some success in his ministry. It must have been fun to heal a blind man and see the expression on his face when he could see for the first time! It must have been fun to watch a man with crippled legs get up and walk. It was a thrill to preach to crowds and teach them all day long.
God’s Word still brings success, and rejection, today. Our motivation cannot be the success we might experience in proclaiming the Word, or we will give up when we experience rejection. We just plant the seeds and let the Holy Spirit see how they will grow. And the more seeds we plant, the more opportunities the Spirit will have to make God’s kingdom grow. So success or not, plant more seeds!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me boldness to proclaim your Word wherever and whenever I can. And when it comes to success, I will leave that up to you. Only give me opportunities to plant more seeds! I pray today that you will bless our congregation in Cedar Rapids as we begin services at a second location in North Liberty. I ask this in your name. Amen.