Open Arms

It has been about 17 years since the SARS epidemic of 2003. Children who were born during that time are about to reach adulthood, and people have generally forgotten the panic that gripped everyone that day.

Nobody expected another virus to reach epidemic proportions this year, and once again we are pressed to face the fact that life is fragile, whether you are rich or poor; have an optimistic or pessimistic outlook to life. No one can ignore the very personal reflection of life and death.

No one is more affected by this reality today than the people of Wuhan. Just months ago, they lived lives similar to any other people in Chinese cities. But right now, they are isolated and subject to unfair suspicion everywhere they go.

In the Bible, a group of people suffered similar treatment from society around them: these were the people who suffered from leprosy.

During those days leprosy was a highly contagious, incurable disease. People who suffered from leprosy lost the ability to feel due to the damage to their nerves. Unable to feel any sensation, they needed to pay attention to know if they had injured themselves. The inability to feel often meant that they would unknowingly bleed from wounds. Not only that, but in accordance with the laws of the Jewish people at that time, they had to be completely isolated from society and live alone in the deserted countryside. Whenever anyone approached them, they were required to shout, “I am an unclean person! Leave me and go!” No one would willingly come to lepers because they were regarded as unclean.

There is an account of a leper in the Bible in the gospel of Mark, chapter 1, verses 40-42. He came to Jesus, knelt before him and asked, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus had the power to heal diseases, and had healed many others by simply speaking the word. Yet in this account of the leper who was rejected by society, Jesus was moved with compassion and chose to stretch out His hand to touch the leper. Jesus then said, “I am willing. Be clean.”

The leprosy left the man immediately, and he was healed and now clean.

Have you felt this pain of rejection?

The same Jesus who reached out and touched the leper that day now reaches out to you. The Lord Jesus was crucified on the cross, and His outstretched arms are open to all who will come to Him to believe upon Him.

He was crucified for you and me, and He shed His blood to clean us of all our sins. He paid the ultimate price of His life, so that any who are willing to confess and repent of their sins can receive forgiveness and be reconciled to God - to live a life of sin no more, and to become a Christian, a child of God.

Dear friend, no matter how many times you have rejected Him in the past, or no matter how you have looked down on Jesus, He continues to reach out to you. The hands that have bled for you and me are still open and willing to accept you into His family. All of us who are Christians can tell you through our own experience that He truly, truly loves us.

If you are willing to accept the Lord Jesus in your life, you need only confess in your heart that you need Him to be your Saviour, that you are willing to repent of your sins, and you want Him to be the God of your life. The Bible tells us, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:10).

You can pray this prayer to Jesus:

“Lord Jesus, thank you for accepting me. I confess my sins, and that I have offended you. Please cleanse me of my sin through the blood you shed for me on the cross, that I may be your child. I am willing to believe in you, and accept you as my God and the Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

If you have believed in the Lord Jesus, or are interested in learning more, you are welcome to join us on Sundays.

敞开的膀臂

自二零零三年非典型肺炎 (SARS) 疫情至今，已有约十七年的时间，当年的小孩子现今都已经或是快要成年，人们也慢慢淡忘当日的恐慌与悲哀。然而，我们都沒想到，今年会有另外一种病毒突然从武汉出现，再一次把生命脆弱的事实摆在我们眼前，不管你是乐观还是悲观，富有还是贫穷，非凡还是平凡，都沒有人能忽视这个切身的命题：生命与死亡。

论及人生，或许沒有其他人能比最近的武汉人感触更深了：从前过著与其他中国人差不多的生活，接受差不多的待遇，但就在一刻之间，犹如变成了人人忌讳的存在，被隔绝、被猜疑、甚至被厌弃，更甚者，还可能会从周围的人群身上感受到一种「围观可以，讲大道理也可以，但接纳就免谈了」的视线。

在圣经里面，也有一群遭受同样对待的人们：患上大痳疯病 (或称汉生病) 的人。

在那个时候，大痳疯是一种会传染的不治之症 (直到1940年代研发出抗生素)，染上这种疾病的人要承受全身长肉芽肿的病痛，由于神经系统被破坏，失去痛觉，他们也要常常留神自己身上有否受伤，以免不知不觉间伤口一味扩大，血流不止；不单如此，按照犹太人的律法规条，他们还要完全与社会隔绝，独自住在无人的郊区野外，甚至看到有人走近时还要自己主动呼喊说：「我是不洁净的人！离开我去吧！」其他人看待他们，也犹如看待不洁之物，一般都是一看见就转身退走。

然而，有一个患大痳疯的病人，他选择来到主耶稣的面前，向他跪下，说：「你若肯，必能叫我洁淨了。」这时候，主耶稣大可以像他医治其他人的时候同样，他只需要说一句话就能行神迹医治疾病，但面对这样一个被群众弃绝的人，主耶稣动了慈心，选择伸出他的手来，抚摸这个沒有其他人愿意触碰的人，并且回应说：「我肯，你洁净了吧！」那个大痳疯的災病即时就离开了那个人，他就洁淨痊愈了。(马可福音1：40-42)

你是否也感受过被拒绝的痛苦？

当知道，昔日伸手抚摸那痳疯病人的手，今天也正在向你伸手！正当主耶稣被钉在十字架上之时，他的双手也正在向你张开，要接纳一切愿意来到他面前，相信接受他的人。

他曾为了你和我钉在十字架上，只为了流出他的宝血来抹除我们的罪，用他的性命为价，清偿我们一切罪恶的行为与心思，好叫我们不再因为自己的罪与他隔离 (因为他是圣洁公义的 神)，叫一切愿意向他认罪悔改的人，今天都能夠单单靠着信心，与他和好，更要罪得赦免，从此得着重生的救恩，不再过犯罪的生活，乃是作他的儿女–基督徒。

亲爱的朋友，不管你拒绝过他多少次，轻视过他多少次，他从未收回向你伸出的双手。那双为了你和我流过血的双手，今天依然在招呼你，要接纳你作他的儿女。我们一众基督徒，因着我们亲身的经历，今天也为他作见证：他爱你！

如果你愿意接受这位主耶稣，他不用你做什么事情，他只要你用心灵和诚实，向他认罪悔改，相信并接受他作你独一的 神，一生的主。圣经说：「因为人心裡相信，就可以称义；口裡承认，就可以得救。」(罗马书10：10)

你可以借用以下的话来向主耶稣祷告：

主耶稣，谢谢你接纳我！我承认我犯了罪，得罪了你。求你因你在十字架上所流的血，赦免我的罪，好叫我能成为你的儿女。从今以后，我愿意相信你，以你为我的 神，作我一生的主。奉主耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们！

如果你相信了主耶稣，又或是你有兴趣了解多一点，欢迎你星期天来到我们的教会，又或是附近的教会。

(我们星期天从早上9:00到下午12:45 都会有聚会，欢迎你来参加!)