你為什麼是個基督徒﹖因為你生來就是嗎﹖或許是主日學的影響、一個朋友的見證、也或許是讀聖經使你接受了基督。但為什麼你作基督徒而不是佛教徒或回教徒呢﹖又，你為什麼不作無神論者呢﹖答案只有一個：因為「耶穌」。歷史上從來沒有過像這樣的一個人。曾經經歷過主，或花過時間考察祂的事工和言行的人都不能再採取中立地位，你要不是伸出雙手接受祂，就是棄絕祂。

        本章我們讀到耶穌受審、判刑、被釘十架和埋葬。有好些不同的人物圍繞這位主角──文士、公會的人、大祭司、彼拉多、群眾、羅馬兵丁、巴拉巴、兩個強盜、古利奈人西門、抹大拉的馬利亞、耶穌的母親、和一位羅馬百夫長。這位百夫長還不是基督徒，但他在這混亂場合中所說的話暗示他後來可能成為基督徒。

        耶穌在令人心碎的喊叫聲中斷氣：「我的上帝！我的上帝！為什麼離棄我﹖」有些猶太人會認出這些話是直接引自詩篇廿二篇彌賽亞之詩，神學家也據此辯論上帝為什麼棄絕自己，但百夫長與他們不同，他完全被耶穌臨終前的最後一句話吸引住而宣告：「這人真是上帝的兒子！」耶穌悲愴的吶喊和祂死亡的方式及現象，使得這位外邦軍人無條件的接受「猶太人之王」的宣言。

        如果當時有人要他為自己的信仰辯護，他唯一的立足點可能只有這場直接面對基督的經驗。數年後，他可能會接觸到一些早期的基督教著作。他甚至可能加入了保羅在小亞細亞建立的諸多教會之一。誰知道呢﹖

        但我們確知一件事。不論你是個軍人、船員、工匠、或裁縫師，你都能認識耶穌並愛祂，因為祂已經先認識你並愛你。祂的話能增強、滋養你的信心。但更重要的，你必須要經歷到主，信仰才會紮實，也就是說，你必須與祂建立持久的情誼。

        主耶穌，重新向我們啟示您自己，願我們今天真實的經歷到您。我們要像那個百夫長喊說：「這人真是上帝的兒子！」主，您為我們捨了自己，在這新的一天，我們也再次將自己獻給您。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        So why are you a Christian? Because you were raised that way? Perhaps it’s because of Sunday School, or the witness of a friend. Maybe reading the Bible did it. Whatever. But why a Christian, rather than a Buddhist or Muslim? Why not an atheist? There’s only one answer to that: “Jesus”. Never in the history of this planet has there ever been such a man. For those who’ve been confronted by His presence, or who’ve taken the time to study His ministry and personal claims, there’s no neutral ground. You either embrace Him or displace Him. There are no maybes.

        In this chapter we read about the trial, judgment, crucifixion and burial of Jesus. There are several personalities surrounding the central figure – teachers of the law, the Sanhedrin, chief priests, Pilate, the crowd, soldier, Barabbas, two thieves, Simon the Cyrene, Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ own mother Mary, and one Roman centurion. This man wasn’t yet a Christian, but in the maelstrom of Jesus’ crucifixion he says something that suggests he may have become a believer later.

        Jesus died with the heart-rending cry, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Unlike the Jews, some of whom would recognize these words as a direct quote from the messianic Psalm 22, and, unlike the theologians who would debate the issue of God forsaking Himself, the centurion is completely gripped by the divinity of this last gasp, and declares, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” The pathos of the cry, and the way in which Jesus died, caused this Gentile soldier to unequivocally accept the claims of the “king of the Jews”.

        If he were asked later to defend his faith, the centurion may have had no foot to stand on other than his experience of Christ. Years later, he may have had access to some of the early Christian writings. Maybe he even attended one of the churches Paul established in Asia Minor. Who knows?

        But one thing we do know. Whether you’re a soldier, sailor, tinker, or tailor, you can know Jesus and even love Him – mainly because He knew and loved you first. His word under girds and nourishes faith. But in the final analysis, it’s your experience of Christ that sustains you. Call it a lasting relationship.

        Lord Jesus, reveal Yourself to us anew. May we experience Your reality today. Like the centurion we exclaim, “Truly this was the Son of God”. You gave yourself for us, Lord, and we give ourselves to You for this new day.