阅读经文 

耶稣在经过不同地区时时常教导人和医治病人，即便是在祂传道的早期，就已经有大量的跟随者。有时祂需要休息一下，祂只想专注教导门徒们，这些是祂最亲密的追随者。但人群很快又会聚集在祂周围。

马太福音五至七章记载了耶稣以登山宝训教导祂最亲密的门徒。但到了第七章末尾，似乎又有成群的人围着耶稣，渴望聆听祂的教导。

两千年后的今天，仍有成群的人们围着耶稣。人们把祂当作一个老师和哲学家来研究。他们对祂的思想感到好奇，并整合关于祂的许多教义，然而这些人中有许多人仍然处于外围，因为无法承认祂就是神的儿子。

当你今天聆听耶稣教诲的时候，你觉得自己处在哪里？你是祂亲密、坚定的门徒吗？你最近是否远离了神？你是否在人群的边缘，只是感到好奇——或者正在探索信仰的理念？

无论你身处何处，耶稣的话语都适合你的需要。祂邀请我们进入顺服神而蒙福的生活中。这并不总是令人舒适或简单易行的。但耶稣向我们展示了我们被造应有的生活方式。愿我们都能接受祂的话语，因为这些是充充满满的真理。

Jesus taught and healed people as he traveled through several regions, and even early in his ministry he was followed by large crowds. Sometimes he needed a break from all that, and he just wanted to teach his disciples, his closest followers. But soon the crowds would build up around him again.

As he begins his Sermon on the Mount, recorded for us in Matthew 5-7, Jesus is teaching his closest disciples. But by the end of chapter 7, it seems a large crowd has formed around Jesus again, eager to listen in.

Today, 2,000 years later, there is still a crowd around Jesus. People study him as a teacher and philosopher. They are curious about his ideas and they connect with many of his teachings, and yet many of these people remain on the outer edge, unable to accept his claim to be the Son of God.

Where do you find yourself as you listen to Jesus today? Are you one of his close, committed disciples? Have you been moving away from God lately? Are you on the edge of the crowd, simply curious—or exploring the ideas of faith?

No matter where you find yourself, Jesus’ words are for you. He invites us into the blessings of living in obedience to God. This is not always comfortable or easy. But Jesus shows us how we are created to live. May we all embrace his words for the truth they contain.