Read: John 12:23–33 |阅读: 约翰福音章-节

Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. John 12:24 

一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。-约翰福音12章24节

Jesus calls us to give our lives in serving Him.

By David C. McCasland

耶稣呼召我们舍己服事祂。

作者： 麦大卫

When our children were young, they loved trying to catch the “helicopter seeds” that fell from our neighbor’s silver maple trees. Each seed resembles a wing. In late spring they twirl to the ground like a helicopter’s rotor blades. The seeds’ purpose is not to fly, but to fall to earth and grow into trees.

我们的孩子还小的时候，邻居家有一棵高大的银枫树，孩子们最喜欢接住从树上落下的“直升机种子”。银枫树的种子长得就像一对翅膀，在春末的时候，它们就会像直升机的旋翼桨叶一样旋转落地。这些种子飘下来不是为了要飞翔，而是要落到土里，生长成树。

Before Jesus was crucified, He told His followers, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. . . . [U]nless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:23–24).

耶稣在被钉十架前，对祂的跟随者说：“人子得荣耀的时候到了。……一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。”（约翰福音12章23-24节）

While Jesus’s disciples wanted Him to be honored as the Messiah, He came to give His life so we could be forgiven and transformed through faith in Him.  As Jesus’s followers, we hear His words, “Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me” (vv. 25–26).

门徒希望耶稣既为弥赛亚，就当被人尊崇，但主耶稣却为我们死，让我们能够因为相信祂，罪得赦免、生命得着改变。身为耶稣的跟随者，我们聆听祂的话语：“爱惜自己生命的，就失丧生命；在这世上恨恶自己生命的，就要保守生命到永生。若有人服事我，就当跟从我；我在哪里，服事我的人也要在那里；若有人服事我，我父必尊重他。”（25-26节）

Helicopter seeds can point us to the miracle of Jesus, the Savior, who died that we might live for Him.

藉由直升机种子，我们可以再次思想救主耶稣所行的奇事，祂为我们受死，使我们能为祂而活。

Lord Jesus, we are amazed by Your love. 

Give us grace to serve You today as we long to do.

主耶稣，祢的爱令我们感到希奇惊讶。
今日求祢赐给我们恩典，
成全我们渴慕服事祢的心。

INSIGHT

Our passage today occurs shortly after Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. On that day Jesus rode into town on a donkey’s colt as a large crowd, who had traveled to the city to celebrate the Passover, threw palm branches on the road before Him shouting, “ ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” (John 12:12–15). Though Jesus came as a king, He knew that the people cheering Him on were expecting a savior to free them from Rome, not a savior who would suffer for their sins. He was the kernel of wheat who must die so His kingdom could grow (v. 24).

Alyson Kieda

灵粮透视

今天的经文所讲述的事，发生在耶稣荣耀进入耶路撒冷城后不久。耶稣那一天骑着驴驹进城，许多来过逾越节的人把棕树枝铺在祂前行的路上，并且呼喊说:“和散那！奉主名来的……是应当称颂的！”虽然，耶稣是以君王之姿荣耀进城，但祂深知，此时人们向祂欢呼，是期盼祂能成为拯救他们脱离罗马统治的拯救者，而不是盼望祂成为生命的救主，为他们所犯的罪受死。耶稣就像一粒麦子，必须落在地里死了，祂的国度才能增长（24节）

John 12:23-33New International Version (NIV)

23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.28 Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up[a] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

约翰福音 12:23-33Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

耶稣向百姓末了的讲论

23 耶稣说：“人子得荣耀的时候到了。 24 我实实在在地告诉你们：一粒麦子不落在地里死了，仍旧是一粒；若是死了，就结出许多子粒来。 25 爱惜自己生命的，就失丧生命；在这世上恨恶自己生命的，就要保守生命到永生。 26 若有人服侍我，就当跟从我；我在哪里，服侍我的人也要在哪里。若有人服侍我，我父必尊重他。 27 我现在心里忧愁，我说什么才好呢？父啊，救我脱离这时候！但我原是为这时候来的。28 父啊，愿你荣耀你的名！”当时就有声音从天上来说：“我已经荣耀了我的名，还要再荣耀。” 29 站在旁边的众人听见，就说：“打雷了。”还有人说：“有天使对他说话。”

主要吸引万人归己

30 耶稣说：“这声音不是为我，是为你们来的。 31 现在这世界受审判，这世界的王要被赶出去。 32 我若从地上被举起来，就要吸引万人来归我。” 33 耶稣这话原是指着自己将要怎样死说的。

整理：于姊妹