穿着得体,穿着得体

在马太福音第 22 章中,耶稣将天国比作一位国王为儿子准备婚宴。这个故事充满了邀请、拒绝、恩典、审判,以及最终令人震惊的排斥时刻的意象。它让我们反思我们如何回应上帝的召唤,以及真正准备好迎接他意味着什么。

故事从国王发出宴会邀请开始。这不是一场普通的盛宴——这是他儿子的婚礼庆典。餐桌上摆满了最精美的食物,精心准备,慷慨大方。然而,那些被邀请的人拒绝了。尽管国王一再示好,他们还是拒绝了。一些人直接拒绝了邀请,专注于自己的田地和生意,而另一些人则以敌意回应,虐待甚至杀害国王的信使。国王的反应迅速而严厉,派军队消灭凶手并烧毁他们的城市。

但故事并没有就此结束。国王以惊人的仁慈向四面八方发出邀请。他的仆人被派到街上,召集他们能找到的任何人——好人和坏人。宴会厅里挤满了客人,这群形形色色的人聚集在一起,不是因为他们的优点,而是因为国王的公开邀请。然而,当国王环顾房间时,他注意到一位客人没有穿婚宴礼服。面对质问,那人哑口无言,国王下令将他赶到黑暗中。

乍一看,这个比喻似乎突然发生了转变。这位慷慨的国王欢迎所有人参加他的宴会,现在却显得很严厉。为什么对不合适的着装做出如此严厉的反应?要理解这一点,我们必须深入挖掘。在当时的文化中,主人为客人提供服装是一种习俗。那人没有穿婚宴礼服不是因为贫穷或疏忽;而是故意拒绝国王的供应。

这个比喻含义丰富。它说明了上帝邀请的慷慨和普遍性。国王的不懈努力反映了上帝对人类的不懈追求。他呼唤我们,不是因为我们值得,而是因为他的恩典。然而,这个比喻也警告我们,回应上帝的邀请需要的不仅仅是出现。它需要一种转变——愿意接受悔改、正义和对上帝呼唤我们过的生活的承诺的“婚礼服装”。

考虑一下婚宴的形象。婚礼是欢乐、团结和庆祝的场合。但与任何聚会一样,它们可以揭示关于关系和意图的更深层次的真相。想象一下一场婚礼,一些客人不去庆祝这对夫妇的结合,而是挑起旧怨或行为不当。他们的行为破坏了和谐,偏离了当天的目的。同样,没有穿婚礼服装的人破坏了宴会的团结。他的出现,没有准备,没有承诺,揭示了一颗与国王的意志不一致的心。

这个比喻挑战我们审视自己的内心。我们是否按照上帝的条件接受了他的邀请,还是我们试图靠自己接近他?我们是否披戴了因信基督而来的公义,还是我们依靠自己的努力或在没有真正改变内心的情况下妄想上帝的恩典?婚礼礼服代表的不仅仅是外表;它们象征着接受上帝的恩典并回应它而产生的内在转变。

这个比喻的最后几句话令人警醒:“因为被邀请的人很多,但被选中的人很少。”这不是关于排斥,而是关于我们对上帝呼唤的严肃回应。邀请是向所有人发出的,但必须以谦卑、感激和愿意接受上帝之爱的意愿来接受。

使徒保罗在腓立比书 4:8 中提出了恰当的反思:“最后,弟兄们,凡是真实的、高尚的、正确的、纯净的、可爱的、有美名的,若有什么德行或值得称赞的,这些事你们都要思念。”这些是披戴上帝公义之衣的生活的品质。它们不是靠我们的奋斗实现的,而是顺服基督的生活的果实。

当我们应对时代的挑战时,让我们记住,上帝宴会的召唤不是关于完美,而是关于开放。它是关于承认我们对他的需要,并允许他的恩典给我们穿上救恩的衣服。愿我们不仅接受他的邀请,而且通过过着反映他的爱、恩典和真理的生活来尊重它。

Deborah
Hello thanks for visiting RCF.
My name is Debbie, welcome.

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Planning your Visit

Welcome to Runnymede Christian Fellowship, an Egham Church


welcome 

Runnymede Christian Fellowship is a church based in Egham but serving a much larger geographical area. Those who call us home come from EghamVirginia Water, Staines, Englefield Green, Egham Hythe, Pooley Green, Maidenhead, Heathrow, Slough, Ashford, Thorpe, Windsor, Woking and beyond.

Our church is a community of believers who regularly meet to share life and show God's love. We do this by encouraging and serving each other and the community. We believe in the power of prayer and are always happy to pray for you.
 

Church - What to expect

Our Sunday service is available to stream online at 11:00 a.m. You can join us on Livestream or via Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or X (Twitter).

The Sunday Service is now held at Strodes College, Strodes College Lane in Egham open to all, so if you would like to join us, please feel free to do so. If you have any questions, please call us on 01784 637010.

We run a physical Sunday School most weeks. If you would like your children to receive a weekly Sunday School teaching pack that you can do from home, please email us at admin@e-runnymede.co.uk so that we can send you the materials.
 

Church on Sunday at Strodes College, Egham


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Our Sunday service starts at 11:00 a.m. and typically lasts about 90 minutes.

We start each service with lively worship with songs from around the world, followed by inspired Bible-based teaching. All our sermons are recorded and are available as a podcast after the service.

We have a monthly cycle of Sunday services, with our Communion Service being on the first Sunday of each month and an All-Age All-Nation Service on the second Sunday of each month. Our other Sunday services include Spirit-focused and teaching services.

We have consciously adopted being a blended church that is both for those online and face-to-face. You are welcome to join us on Livestream or via Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, or X (Twitter), or you can catch up and watch the recordings later.
 

Joining us in person

Visiting a new and unfamiliar church for the first time can be intimidating, but we want to ensure you feel welcome and enjoy your time with us. A friendly face will be waiting to meet you at the entrance and welcome you. 

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for coffee and prayer. Our Sunday Service starts at 11:00 a.m. and typically runs for about 90 minutes, normally followed by tea and coffee.
 

Driving and Car Parking

Our Sunday Morning Service is now held at Strodes College, Strodes College Lane, Egham, TW20 9DR, which has plenty of Parking. Click on the link for directions to RCF.

We have plenty of parking spaces right outside the building. Spaces are reserved near the entrance for anyone with mobility problems (for those with a blue badge). Please let us know if you need to use one of these spaces, have any special needs, or require any assistance.

The car parking area is a public area, so please ensure that your children are under your control and that, for their safety, they do not run around in the car park.
 

Visiting with children?

Everyone is welcome at RCF. We encourage everyone, young and old, to join the service. We have Sunday School, which starts after worship and runs during the sermon for 30 to 40 minutes for children aged 4 to 12. On the second Sunday of each month, we have a shorter All-Aged All Nations Service, where the children stay for the worship and the sermon.
 

After Church

We chat over coffee and biscuits after church on the first, third and fourth Sundays. If you want to get more acquainted, why not join us for a Sunday lunch with some of our members? The meal is on us! Please contact us and let us know. We would love to share a meal and get to know you better!

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Any Questions?

If you have any questions, please review our FAQ page. Here, you’ll find answers to many common questions. If you still have questions or concerns, please contact us; we’d love to hear from you.
 

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO RCF!!

 
To contact us or see a map, click here.

Our midweek Ministry base at Virginia Lodge, Egham
Virginia Lodge Ariel
 
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