3 月 8 日.圣灰日后.星期六

康祥文牧师 沐恩堂

經文-馬太福音 6:1-6, 16-21

1 你們要小心，不可將善事行在人的面前，故意叫他們看見，若是這樣，就不能得你們天父的賞賜了。2 所以，你施捨的時候，不可在你前面吹號，像那假冒為善的人在會堂裡和街道上所行的，故意要得人的榮耀。我實在告訴你們，他們已經得了他們的賞賜。3 你施捨的時候，不要叫左手知道右手所做的，4 要叫你施捨的事行在暗中。你父在暗中察看，必然報答你（有古卷：必在明處報答你）。5 你們禱告的時候，不可像那假冒為善的人，愛站在會堂裡和十字路口上禱告，故意叫人看見。我實在告訴你們，他們已經得了他們的賞賜。6 你禱告的時候，要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父；你父在暗中察看，必然報答你。

16 你們禁食的時候，不可像那假冒為善的人，臉上帶著愁容；因為他們把臉弄得難看，故意叫人看出他們是禁食。我實在告訴你們，他們已經得了他們的賞賜。17 你禁食的時候，要梳頭洗臉，18 不叫人看出你禁食來，只叫你暗中的父看見；你父在暗中察看，必然報答你。19 不要為自己積儹財寶在地上；地上有蟲子咬，能銹壞，也有賊挖窟窿來偷。20 只要積儹財寶在天上；天上沒有蟲子咬，不能銹壞，也沒有賊挖窟窿來偷。21 因為你的財寶在哪裡，你的心也在那裡。

1.對經文的反思

为何要施舍、祈祷、禁食？做这些事的原因不外乎是，通过忏悔和自我否定，让我们更接近上帝。当我们施舍时，我们爱他人。主耶穌的屬靈操練讓我們知道祷告和禁食是我們接近天父的渠道，使我們的意愿与天父的意愿一致。禁食（或禁欲）提醒我们完全依靠上帝，清除我们不符合上帝旨意的欲望。禁食和自我克制还能清除我们不符合上帝旨意的欲望。讓我們从这些欲望中解脱出来，从而更接近上帝，这同样是对自己的奖赏。

2.回應禱告

鑑察人心的父神，願袮保守我，不渴望人的认可。願我心中的动机純正，不做冒犯袮的事。让我在十字架前破碎，帮助我一生一世行在真理中，有主耶穌的形象和样式，按照袮完美的旨意祷告。奉主耶穌基督的名禱告。阿門。

3.實踐

我们不能伪装或隐藏，因为神要的是一切：我们的疲惫、分崩离析的生活、破碎的梦想、在灵修上的尝试和失败、每天祷告的努力、为掩盖裂缝和破碎而做出的悲惨尝试。上帝需要我们的每一部分，祂用基督的十字架永远标记我们。 

8 March The Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Rev James Kong City Light Methodist Church

Scripture-Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1. Reflection on Scripture

Why do we give alms, pray, and fast? There is no other reason for doing these things than to bring us closer to God through repentance and self-denial. When we give alms, we love others. Jesus' spiritual exercises show us that prayer and fasting are channels through which we draw closer to the Father, aligning our will with that of the Father. Fasting (or abstinence) reminds us of our total dependence on God and purges us of desires that are not in line with God's will. Fasting and self-restraint also purges us of desires that are not in line with God's will. Freeing us from these desires brings us closer to God, which is equally rewarding to ourselves.

2. Responsive Prayer

God the Father, who discerns the heart, may you keep me from desiring the approval of men. May the motives of my heart be pure and I do not do anything that offends You. Let me be broken before the cross, and help me to walk in the truth all the days of my life, in the image and likeness of Jesus, praying according to Your perfect will. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

3. Application

We can't pretend or hide because God wants everything: our weariness, our falling apart lives, our broken dreams, our attempts and failures at spiritual disciplines, our daily prayer efforts, our miserable attempts to cover up the cracks and brokenness. God needs every part of us, and He marks us forever with the cross of Christ.