马太福音19:30下、20:16
Matthew 19:30B, 20:16
1. Hello our listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. What a delight for us to know that you are there tuning in to listen to this program.
很高兴你能收听我们今天的节目。
3. It is my prayer that God is using this series of messages to bless your life.
但愿神能用这个节目来赐福你的生命。
4. And to some of you, may discover the Lord Jesus Christ for the first time.
也许我们中间有些人是第一次接触主耶稣基督，
5. Today I want to begin by telling you a true story.
今天我想先给你讲一个真实的故事。
6. A story is told of a simple shepherd who was appointed a prime minister of Persia.
故事说的是一个牧人，被任命为波斯的首相。
7. The King of Persia appointed the shepherd to that position... because of his faithfulness.
波斯国王是因着牧人的忠诚而任命他的，
8. The other cabinet ministers were angry.
其它内阁的大臣们都愤愤不平。
9. They who came from upper class,
他们来自上层社会，
10. they who had higher education,
他们受过高等教育，
11. those who were refined and sophisticated,
那些有修养，也有内涵的人。
12. they were master politicians,
他们都是政治家，
13. surely one of them should have been the prime minister!
理所当然应当是其中的一位成为总理。
14. And out of jealously they conspired to bring some sort of accusation against the king’s own choice for a prime minister.
出于嫉妒，他们就想要合伙攻击国王自选的这位总理。
15. They began to watch the prime minister very closely.
他们开始监视总理，
16. They watched his movements.
观察他的一举一动，
17. They watched his comings and goings.
监视他的出入，
18. they found nothing objectionable.
但却毫无发现。
19. Except, that once a week he would enter a little room which he had kept locked... and would shut himself in that room for an hour each week.
唯一例外就是，他每周必有一个小时把自己关在一个平常都锁着的小屋里，
20. The noblemen saw a sinister reason behind this action... so they informed the monarch of this unusual behavior.
那些道貌岸然的大臣们觉得定有蹊跷，于是就向国王奏报了此事。
21. They told the king that they were certain that in the room. … the prime minister was hoarding all the king’s precious possessions that he must have stolen.
他们告诉国王说，总理一定在那个小房间里藏匿了所有他从国王那里偷来的宝物。
22. The king doubted their story... but nonetheless he gave them permission to break in... and search the room.
国王非常怀疑他们的故事，但还是许可他们打开那房间去搜查一下。
23. To their utter amazement... the only thing they found in that locked room... was a small bundle containing a dilapidated pair of shoes... and an old robe.
使他们大吃一惊的是，在这锁着的小房间里，他们只发现了一双破旧的鞋和一件破旧的袍子。
24. When he was brought before the king... the prime minister was asked... why he had kept these two items in the locked up room.
当他被带到国王面前时，国王问他为什么要抱着两样东西锁在房里。
25. His reply was very simple.
他的回答很简单，
26. “I wore these things when I was a shepherd.
我作牧人时就穿这个，
27. and once a week I go into the room and look at them lest I should forget what I once was...
每周我进屋去看它们一次，只是为了提醒自己不要忘了我以前的身份，
28. and how unworthy I am of all the kindness and honor that your majesty has bestowed upon me.”
我是多么不配得到国王你的厚爱。
29. What a contrast is this attitude with the attitude of the full day laborer in Jesus’ Parable of the Vineyard.
这个态度，和耶稣在葡萄园的比喻里提到的工人的态度，形成鲜明的对比。
30. For those of you joining these broadcasts for the first time, we are in the midst of a series on selected parables called “The Point of the Story.”
如果你今天是第一次收听我们的节目，我们正在讲一系列关于耶稣所说至比喻的信息，叫做“故事的精髓” 。
31. Let’s listen to this parable.
我们一起来听听这个比喻。
32. In this parable Jesus was talking to his listeners about a common, every day occurrence.
在这个比喻里，耶稣告诉祂的听众，一个每天都会发生的普遍情况。
33. Every day, men went out early in the morning and waited in the labor exchange for a land owner... or a herd keeper... to come and hire them for a day.
每一天，男人来到劳工市场，等着地主或是牧场主来雇用他们做一天的临时工。
34. A normal working day was twelve hours...
正常的工作时间是一天十二小时，
35. it began at 6 in the morning.... and ended at 6 in the evening.
从早上六点到下午六点。
36. These men made a denarius or a “Drachma”... or an equivalent in today’s money of about one Egyptian pound for a full days work.
这些人一天赚一钱银子，相当于现在埃及币的一镑，即1.3 RMB。
37. With that, they fed their children with the most basic food... and that was about it.
只够用来维持孩子们的温饱，仅此而已。
38. Jesus said that the vineyard owner came in first thing in the morning... around 6 AM...
耶稣说葡萄园主一大早就来到市场，
39. and hired some of the men and sent them into the vineyard after agreeing on the going price of one denarius.
雇用了一批人进到园子里做工，并说好工价是一钱银子。
40. Then about 9 AM he hired more men and sent them on.
九点时又出去雇了一些人，
41. Then about 12 noon he hired yet more men. … and sent them into the vineyard.
12点又雇了一批人到葡萄园做工，
42. And then finally, around 5 PM... with only one hour of work left... he hired more people.
最后，大约下午5点，离放工时间只有一小时了，他又去雇了更多的人。
43. Vineyards were mostly planted on terraced hill sides where the land is not as fertile as it is in the valley below...
葡萄园一般都是半山腰的梯田，土地没有山谷的肥沃，
44. so carrying some good soil up a hill was known to be back-breaking work.
所以搬运好土上山，俗称折腰之工。
45. But, the big events in vineyards have always been the harvest time
然而，葡萄园的大日子就是它的收获季节。
46. which must be done by September... which is still very hot time of the year.
通常是在每年的九月，也是一年最热的季节。
47. Usually laborers who worked the vineyard were near the bottom of socio-economic level.
通常在葡萄园干活的，都是社会的最低层人士。
48. They worked from job to job... and they got paid at the end of each day.
他们通常做临时工，干一天活领一天的薪水，
49. And there were no guarantees that they would have a job the next day.
而且第二天就不知找不找得到工作。
50. Because they were unskilled and desperate for work... they were often vulnerable and taken advantage of by dishonest foremen.
因为他们没有什么技能，又十分需要工作，所以常被狡诈的富人剥削。
51. I want you to notice something very important in this story.
在这个故事中，我想请你注意一件很重要的事。
52. The land owner does not offer a particular amount of money to the men who were hired late...
园主并没有和那些迟来的雇工讲好工价，
53. he only tells the first group how much he will pay them.
他只和第一批工人讲好一天的工价。
54. To the rest, he says... “I will do the right thing by you.”
对其余的，他只是说，所当给的我必定给你们。
55. So... at the end of the day... pay time comes.
所以，一天下来，到了付工钱的时刻，
56. The owner pays the ones who worked for one hour first...
园主先发给那些只工作了一小时的，
57. And he gives them a Denarius.
他给了他们一钱银子，
58. Then he pays all the others exactly the same.
然后付给所有的工人一样的工价，
59. The laborers complained.
工人们就开始抱怨了。
60. Now listen to what I am going to tell you.
朋友，请听我说。
61. Be careful when you begin to feel sorry for yourself like these laborers.
当你像那些工人，开始为自己打抱不平时，你就要小心了。
62. Someone said, “Being overcome with envy is like running into the ocean,
有人说：被嫉妒吞没，就如同冲入大海中，
63. the deeper you go in... the harder it is to get out.”
越深越难以自拔。
64. Let me put this parable in context.
让我来讲讲这个比喻的故事背景。
65. In the last few verses of Matthew 19, Peter was displaying the attitude of one of those 12 hour laborers.
在马太福音19的最后几节经文中，彼得就表现出这十二个工人其中一人的态度来。
66. Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
彼得说，看哪，我们已撇下所有的跟从你，将来我们要的什么呢？
67. Jesus makes them a promise regarding rewards... but then he goes in immediately into telling them about salvation...
耶稣就此给了他们一个应许，但紧接着，他就向他们解释了救恩。
68. Jesus is not talking about rewards here, but he is talking about salvation.
耶稣在这不是说奖赏，乃是在说救恩。
69. The problem with some Christians who have been believers for many years... is that they: get jaded in their spirits.
这些信主许多年的基督徒出现问题，就是因为他们开始有了属灵的骄傲。
70. They begin to take their salvation for granted.
他们开始把救恩当作是理所当然的；
71. They begin to think that there is something special about them.
他们开始认为自己有什么了不起；
72. They easily develop a self-righteous pharisaic attitude.
他们很容易生发出自义的法利赛人脸孔。
73. Someone once said, “One hour of fretting will drain more of your vitality than a week of work.”
有人曾说过，千里之堤毁于蚁穴。
74. “One minute of rankling jealously and gnawing envy... will hurt you more than a drink of poison.”
一时的争竞嫉妒，就像喝毒药一样有害。
75. So Jesus says to the ones who have been complaining and murmuring out of jealousy.
所以耶稣就对那些因着嫉妒而愤愤不平的人说，
76. “Wasn’t it our agreement for you to work for a full day for a Denarius?”
你与我讲定的不是一钱银子吗？
77. “Are you questioning my grace?”
你是不满我的恩典吗？
78. “Why do you question my generosity?”
你为何质疑我的好心肠呢？
79. So what is the point of this story?
那么，故事的精髓是什么呢？
80. The point of the story is this:
故事的精髓就是：
81. God is a sovereign God.
神是有权柄的神。
82. And, whether a person is saved at the age of 7... or the age of 70... both will go to Heaven.
不论这人是在7岁或是70岁得救的，他都一样上天堂。
83. Those who see themselves as deserving more of God’s grace because of their early salvation.... are blinded by jealously and envy.
那些自以为因着早早得救就配得神更多恩典的人，是被他们的嫉妒弄瞎了眼。
84. Those early workers were jealous and envious... not because of reason... but because of selfishness.
那些早到的工人，完全是出于自私心态而生发嫉妒的。
85. And selfishness is the root of jealousy.
自私就是嫉妒的根源。
86. At the very core of envy... you will find selfishness and self-centeredness.
在每一个嫉妒的中心，你一定会发现自私和自我中心。
87. The accusation of the land owner of unfairness... is not grounded on love for justice...
责问园主的公平，并不是出于对公义的热爱，
88. but based on self-serving.
乃是为自我服务。
89. What they received was based on the agreement that they made... and the contract they signed.
他们得到的是根据他们讲好的合约。
90. Jealously and envy are very destructive things in the life of a Christian.
嫉妒对基督徒生命的破坏力是很大的。
91. One way to test this is by listening to yourself and see whom you criticize the most.
有个办法可以测试，就是想想看你平时最常批评的人是谁，
92. Because people always criticize the one whom they secretly envy.
因为人总爱批评他们暗暗嫉妒的那个人。
93. Envy is the mother of the critical spirit.
嫉妒是论断之灵的母亲。
94. Ask yourself this question
请扪心自问，
95. When you see someone who is more blessed than you are, do you rejoice for them?
当看到有人比你更蒙福的时候，你是否和他一同快乐？
96. When You see someone saved later in life... do you rejoice with them?
当你看到有人很迟才信主，你是否和他一同快乐？
97. When you see someone more gifted than you are... are you glad for them?
当你看到有人比你更有恩赐，你是否和他一同快乐？
98. When you see someone succeed where you have failed... do you give thanks.
当你看到有人在你失败的地方比你成功，你是否为他感恩？
99. What Jesus is teaching us in this parable is this?
耶稣借着这个比喻告诉我们，
100. God the Father is the land owner.
天父是园主，
101. The foreman is the Lord Jesus Christ.
主耶稣基督是管家，
102. The vineyard is God’s Kingdom.
葡萄园是神的国，
103. The laborers are all the believers.
工人就是信徒，
104. And the Denarii is eternal life.
一钱银子是永生，
105. The work day is the believer’s life of service.
一个工作日就是信徒一生的服侍。
106. Jesus is not asking you to go out and run your business this way!
耶稣不是叫你照这样去做你的工作，
107. No, but this has to do with salvation.
不是，乃是在解释救恩。
108. God’s sovereign principle for salvation is very simple.
神的救赎原则非常简单，
109. Whoever comes to Him in faith through His Son shall be saved.
因着信祂的儿子，来到祂面前的人都会得救。
110. Whether their sins are big... or small.
无论他们罪大罪小，
111. Whether they have sinned for a long time... or for a short time.
无论他们犯罪时间长或短，
112. Whether they have long dedicated service... or a death bed conversion.
无论他们是不是服侍很久，或是临死前才悔改。
113. Contrast the thief on the cross with John the apostle.
我们来比较一下，十字架上的强盗和门徒约翰。
114. The thief on the cross didn’t have one hour to serve Christ,
强盗连一小时的时间都没有拿来服侍主，
115. Yet the apostle John lived to serve until he was in his 90’s.
然而约翰却活到90几岁，终生服侍主。
116. Both received eternal life.
两人都得到了永生。
117. This is the point of the parable.
这就是故事的精髓所在，
118. This parable tells me that as long as a person has a breath, he or she has an opportunity to turn to God through Jesus Christ and be saved
比喻告诉我们，只要一个人一息尚存，他就有机会得救悔改。
119. Have you prayed for someone and they have not believed yet?
你是否曾为一些还没有得救的人祷告？
120. Even though they may be living in their eleventh hour.
尽管他们还活在自己的11个小时里。
121. Take heart,
不要灰心，
122. Keep on praying,
继续祷告，
123. God can bring them to the vineyard even in the eleventh hour.
神能在第11个小时带领他们进入葡萄园。
124. Are you a seeker or a searcher?
如果你是一个寻求真理的人，
125. Who has begun to think that it may be too late for you to turn your life over to the sovereign King?
你开始认为现在把自己交给神已经太迟了，
126. It is never too late.
永远不迟。
127. You can do that today.
你今天就可以这样做，
128. Invite the Lord Jesus to take you into his kingdom.
请求主耶稣带你进入他的国度，
129. By inviting Him into your life,
邀请他进入你的生命中，
130. And after you do that, write to us and let us know.
如果你这样做了，请来信告诉我们。
131. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大赐福给你，再会！
