This Spiritual Waimai is a part of a series entitled Mission Accomplished: the mission of Jesus Christ as told by Matthew and now lived out by you and me.
这篇属灵外卖是“完成的使命”系列文章之一，这个由马太福音所述耶稣基督的使命，现在要由你我活出来。
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Have you gotten to work today?
今天你做工了吗？
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Where do you most belong? Where do you feel most a part of things, welcomed and valued? Maybe it is your family or friend group. Maybe your workplace or fellowship. Why do you feel such a sense of belonging there? What creates that warm and welcoming vibe?
Conversely, is there a place where you feel on the outside? Like you aren’t welcomed or fit in? What about that place makes you feel like an outsider?
在哪里你最有归属感？在哪里你觉得最能融入、最受欢迎的、最被重视的？也许是在家里或者朋友中间。也许是在工作单位或者团契里。为什么在那里会有一种归属感呢？是什么营造了那种温暖和亲切的氛围？相反的，在哪里你觉得自己是局外人？比如觉得不受欢迎或者无法融入？又是什么让你觉得自己局外人呢？
During Jesus’ lifetime, there was a clear sense among the Jewish people about who belonged and who did not. Culture and religion separated and labeled people as “in” or “out”. Jesus told a story that challenged this idea of who was desired, who was accepted and who was the most valued.
在Ye Su的一生中，犹太人对于个人的归属感有非常清晰的认识。文化和宗教将人分别开来，并贴上标签—自己人或者外人。Ye Su讲了一个故事，挑战谁被渴望、谁被接受、谁最受重视的观念。
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. “He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ “ ‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. “He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20:1-16 NIV“因为天国好像家主清早出去，雇人进他的葡萄园作工，和工人讲定一天一钱银子，就打发他们进葡萄园去。约在巳初出去，看见市上还有闲站的人，就对他们说：‘你们也进葡萄园去。所当给的，我必给你们。’他们也进去了。约在午正和申初又出去，也是这样行。约在酉初出去，看见还有人站在那里，就问他们说：‘你们为什么整天在这里闲站呢？’他们说：‘因为没有人雇我们。’他说：‘你们也进葡萄园去。’到了晚上，家主对管事的说：‘叫工人都来，给他们工钱，从后来的起，到先来的为止。’约在酉初雇的人来了，各人得了一钱银子。及至那先雇的来了，他们以为必要多得；谁知也是各得一钱。他们得了，就埋怨家主说：‘我们整天劳苦受热，那后来的只作了一小时，你竟叫他们和我们一样吗？’家主回答其中的一人说：‘朋友，我不亏负你，你与我讲定的，不是一钱银子吗？拿你的走吧！我给那后来的和给你一样，这是我愿意的。我的东西难道不可随我的意思用吗？因为我作好人，你就红了眼吗？’这样，那在后的将要在前；在前的将要在后了（有古卷在此有“因为被召的人多，选上的人少”）。”
马太福音 20:1-16
Let’s take a close look at the workers and the landowner to see what we can learn from the details of this story.
我们来仔细看看这些工人和家主，看能否从故事的细节中有所学习。
The Workers
雇工们
Everyone had a job to do. No one was excluded – the only ones who were not working were those who didn’t get asked, or they just didn’t know about the job to be done. No one refused to work. No one missed the deadline – all were welcome to join until the workday was finished.
每个人都有活可干，没有任何人被排除在外。只有那些没被邀请或者不知道有活要做的人才没有活干。没人拒绝做工。没人错过最后期限，在一天的工作结束前，家主欢迎所有的人来做工。
On this work project, everyone worked for the same landowner, in the same vineyard. It was not easy work and when the sun was at its highest, it was hot.
在这份工作里，每一个人都在同一个葡萄园里为同一个家主做工。太阳当空，天气炎热，工作并不轻松。
Everyone who worked was rewarded according to the generosity of the owner. Those who worked the longest expected more but were not given more.
家主慷慨解囊，付给每一个雇工报酬。工作时间最长的人期望得着更多，然而未能如愿。
The Landowner
家主
The landowner was constantly looking for more workers. He was never satisfied with the few He had; he needed more workers and He welcomed anyone who was able to work.
家主一直在雇佣更多的工人。他从不满足已有的那几个雇工。他需要更多的工人，欢迎所有有能力做工的人。
The landowner was timely – paid attention to the times of starting work and ending work. He went out every 2-3 hours to look for more workers. Nine, twelve, three and five. Then finally at six o’clock when the workday was finished, he promptly ended the work and paid the workers.
家主讲究时间，留意到做工开始和结束的时间。他每两三个时辰就会去寻找更多的工人。9个，12个，3个和5个。最后在6点钟，一天的工作结束，他立即收工并支付雇工们的薪酬。
He was fair and generous. The salary came out of his pocket. He paid what was right and was generous with those who did less work.
他公平又慷慨。他从自己的账上支付薪金，薪金合理，他对那些做工较少的工人尤其慷慨。
Does God just want us to work hard?
Shen仅仅希望我们努力做工吗？
Is this story just about working hard in God’s Kingdom? Is that all God wants from us? To work in the hot sun to get His job done? Is God an employer driven by productivity and earnings? No, this parable is not just about hard work but about being welcomed into God’s Kingdom. At the telling of this story, Jesus was surrounded by religious people who believed that the better you were – the more you acted in a religious way – the greater your reward and prestige. Jesus was clear that even those who were rejected by society and labeled as not “good” enough, not “religious” enough, were accepted and welcomed by God through Jesus Christ. This is not a parable about God’s company KPI targets, but a story about being welcomed into the Kingdom of God.
这个故事只是在说我们在Shen的国里要辛勤做工吗？这难道就是Shen想要我们做的？在炎炎烈日下完成祂的工作？Shen就是一名追逐产量和收入的雇主吗？不是的，这则寓言不只是关乎辛苦做工，而是关乎欢迎人进入Shen的国。讲这个故事时，Ye Su身边围着一群犹太Jiao Tu，他们相信一个人做得越好—外在行动越宗教化—-那么他的赏赐就越大，名望就越高。Ye Su清楚表明，即便是那些被社会摒弃、被标记为不够“好“、不够”宗教化“的人，因着Ye Su Ji Du，Shen一样欢迎和接纳他们。这则寓言并非关于Shen的公司的KPI指标，而是关乎欢迎人进入Shen国的故事。
Everyone is given an offer, will you say yes?
每个人都有机会，你接受吗？
There is a place for you in God’s Kingdom. In the parable, everyone the landowner saw, he asked to join. He did not ask for a CV. He did not test to see how efficiently and skillfully they could pick grapes.
你在Shen的国里有一席之地。在这则寓言里，家主邀请他见到的每一个人加入。他不要简历，也没有测试他们摘葡萄的效率和技巧。
He took on every worker who said yes. God welcomes you into His Kingdom, not based on your ability, gifts or holiness. He welcomes you based on His desire for you. You gain entrance into God’s Kingdom by faith in Jesus. All are offered the gift of faith. The question is: will you say yes to God’s offer?
他雇佣了每一位接受机会的工人。Shen不是基于你的能力、才华或者圣洁才欢迎你进入祂的国中。祂欢迎你是基于祂想要你。你可以因着信Ye Su进入Shen的国中。Shen赐给所有人信心的恩赐。问题是：你会接受Shen赐给的机会吗？
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV
你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信。这并不是出于自己，乃是Shen所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。我们原是他的工作，在Ji Du Ye Su里造成的，为要叫我们行善，就是Shen所预备叫我们行的。
以弗所书2:8-10
The Kingdom focus is serving God
天国专注于服侍Shen
In this story, it was clear that all workers were serving in a vineyard that belonged to the landowner. The land was his, the vines were his, the harvest would be his too. In God’s Kingdom, we are all looking towards God’s work, God’s plan, God’s home. It is not easy work, but it is His work and He will enable us to serve. We are not in this Kingdom to grow riches or make a name for ourselves but to bring forth fruit for our Lord.
故事里，显然所有雇工都在家主的葡萄园里做工。园子是家主的，葡萄树是家主的，收获的葡萄当然也是他的。在Shen的国里，我们专注于Shen的工作、Shen的计划和Shen的家。工作不轻松，但却是Shen的工作，祂会赐给我们能力。在祂的国里，我们不是要聚敛钱财或者赚取美名，而是要为主结出果实。
So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”
Luke 17:10 NIV
这样，你们作完了一切所吩咐的，只当说：‘我们是无用的仆人，所作的本是我们应分作的。’”
路加福音17:10
Those in God’s Kingdom are given a gift
凡在Shen国里的皆有恩赐
The workers in the vineyard were all paid fairly. They were given one day’s wages. Just enough for that day. With God, He provides what we need for this day. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us today, our daily bread.” There is also spiritual treasure that is stored for us in heaven. In God’s Kingdom, our goal is not to get rich or get ahead of others. Our goal is to serve our King knowing that He will provide all that we need. Ultimately, the greatest gift we receive is priceless – it is the gift of salvation and entrance into this magnificent kingdom.
在葡萄园里做工的工人都得着了合理的薪酬，工作一天的薪酬。正好是讲定的一天的工价。Shen供给我们当天的需要。Ye Su教我们这样祷告：“我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。“在天国里为我们储藏了属灵的财宝。在Shen国里，我们的目标不是变得富有或者超过他人。我们的目标是服侍Shen，因为知道Shen会供应我们一切的需要。我们最终将接受的最大恩赐是无价之宝—-救赎的恩赐，进入Shen伟大国度的恩赐。
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:23 NIV
God is seeking more to welcome into His Kingdom
Shen在寻找、欢迎更多的人进入祂的国度
The landowner was constantly looking for more workers. Our God is also constantly seeking hearts to bring into His Kingdom.
家主在不断地寻找更多的工人。我们的Shen也在不断地寻求将更多的灵魂带入祂的国度。
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
Luke 19:10 NIV人子来，为要寻找、拯救失丧的人。”
路加福音19:10
God is on schedule and there will be an end to the workday
Shen按计划行事，做工的时间会结束的
The landowner was timely as he paid attention to the times of starting work and ending work. Our God also watches the times and seasons. There are moments in history when we see a great move of God and many souls coming to Him. We also know that there will come a moment when the day’s work is finished, and all will stand before God.
家主关注时间，他注意到做工开始和结束的时间。我们的Shen也关注时间和季节。 我们看到在历史中的某些时刻，Shen兴起大作为，于是许多灵魂归到祂那里。我们也知道白日的工作终有结束的那一刻，那时，所有人都要站在Shen的面前。
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
John 9:4 NIV
趁着白日，我们必须作那差我来者的工；黑夜将到，就没有人能作工了。
约翰福音9:4
God is generous and gives out of His own riches
Shen慷慨大方，施散祂的财宝
Our God is fair and generous. And all that we receive comes from Him.
Shen公平又慷慨。我们领受的一切都从祂而来。
And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:6-7 NIV
他又叫我们与Ji Du Ye Su一同复活，一同坐在天上，要将他极丰富的恩典，就是他在Ji Du Ye Su里向我们所施的恩慈，显明给后来的世代看。
以弗所书2:6-7
Have you been welcomed in or are you just standing around?
你被迎接入内了吗？或是你只是站在旁边？
There is a place for you in God’s Kingdom. God is calling you and through Jesus, you can enter. Have you answered God’s call to join in? Don’t wait until it is too late. God welcomes you now! You belong here.. Receive His invitation and let’s get to work!
你在Shen国里有一席之地。Shen在呼召你，因着Ye Su，你可以进去。你回应了Shen要你进入的呼召了吗？不要等到来不及的时候。Shen现在就欢迎你！你属于这里。。。接受祂的邀请，开始做工吧！