“你们的儿女问你们说：‘行这礼是什么意思？’你们就说：‘这是献给耶和华逾越节的祭。’” - 出12:26-27
在几年前的一次基督受难日崇拜中，当牧师把饼擘开、把葡萄汁从水壶中倒进杯子里时，妻子和我无意中听到一些有趣的低语。
我们附近有一个小女孩，她站在座位上、尝试在前面的人头顶上向前张望。当牧师倒葡萄汁时，她突然转过头来问她的妈妈：“这是什么？”她得到的答案是：“这是耶稣的血。这帮助我们记着耶稣为我们受死。”小女孩停下来想一下这个答案，或许她不是完全满意，便转过来问她的爸爸同一个问题。这次她得到的答案是：“这是一些葡萄汁。”她跟着便回头对她的妈妈说：“这只不过是葡萄汁！”
这个小孩不知道，她正在探寻一个数千年来、人们一直在讨论不休的复杂而激烈的神学议题。
听到她的发问和看到她的好奇心，我感到高兴。在这个月里，当我们思想主餐这个美丽的、奇妙的议题时，惟愿我们都能怀着问题和好奇心来参与其中。这是耶稣赐给我们来记念衪自己的主餐，我喜欢称它为“耶稣所设立的晚餐。”
你对此有什么看法？领受主餐（圣餐）时，我们领受的“只不过是葡萄汁”和“只不过是饼”？还是这些简单的饮食、具有比肉眼所见更为重要的意义呢？
祷告
天父啊，无论我们的年纪是幼小或老迈，我们都是你的儿女。求你激励我们，叫我们对你要教导我们的真理怀着深切的渴求和好奇心。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。
出埃及记 12:24-27
24这例你们要守着，作为你们和你们子孙永远的定例。
25日后，你们到了耶和华按着所应许赐给你们的那地，就要守这礼。
26你们的儿女问你们说：‘行这礼是什么意思？’
27你们就说：‘这是献给耶和华逾越节的祭，当以色列人在埃及的时候，他击杀埃及人，越过以色列人的房屋，救了我们各家。’”于是百姓低头下拜。
Questions And Curiosity
"When your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD. . . .'" - Exodus 12:26-27
A few years ago at a Good Friday worship service, my wife and I enjoyed the whispers we overheard as the pastor broke a loaf of bread and poured juice from a pitcher into a cup.
A little girl stood on her seat near us, peeking over the heads of the people in front of her. Suddenly she turned to her mom and asked, "What is that?" as the juice was poured out. She was told, "That is Jesus' blood. It helps us remember that Jesus died for us." The little girl paused to consider this, and then, perhaps not entirely satisfied with the answer, she turned to her dad and asked the same question. This time she was told, "It is some grape juice." She then turned back to her mom and said, "It's just juice!"
Little did this young child realize that she was stepping into a complex and intense conversation that has been going on for thousands of years.
I loved hearing her questions and seeing her curiosity. I hope we all can engage with questions and curiosity this month as we think about this beautiful, mysterious meal that Jesus gave us to remember him by. I like to call it "the Jesus-meal."
What do you think? Is it really "just juice" and "just bread" that we take in at the Lord's Supper (communion)? Or is there more to this simple meal than meets the eye?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, whether we are very young or very old, we are all your children. Stir in us a deep curiosity about all that you want to teach us. In Jesus, Amen.
