阅读经文 

许多徒步旅行者从乔治亚州的施普林格山开始走上阿巴拉契亚山道。然而，只有一小部分人能够走完全程。要想到达终点，登上位于缅因州的卡塔丁山，抵达目的地必须成为一个不可动摇的目标。

虽然耶稣在祂的传道期间，曾在加利利和犹大地徘徊，但祂心中有一个最终的、不可动摇的目的地，那也将是祂殉命之地。耶稣告诉门徒说，祂要往耶路撒冷去，门徒就甚希奇。他们非常清楚宗教领袖对耶稣怀有可怕的嫉妒与仇恨。他们担心祂的生命安全，更不用说为他们自己的担心了。

虽然祂曾经告诉过他们，但耶稣的门徒们当时并没有领会祂的使命。祂要成就《圣经》中关于一个受苦仆人的应许，祂要把堕落人类的罪背负在肩上。（参赛 52:13-53:12）祂去耶路撒冷是要死在十字架上——为了赐给我们新的生命和永恒的盼望。感谢神，祂没有放弃我们！

在人生的旅途中，我们都会遇到困难。当我们想要放弃的时候，我们需要提醒自己，耶稣一直在向祂的目的地前进。如今，我们藉着祂从罪和死亡中获得了自由，我们可以与周围的人分享耶稣所赐的盼望与平安。

Many hikers start the Appala­chian Trail at Springer Moun­tain in Georgia. Only a fraction, however, complete the entire trail. To make it all the way up Mount Katahdin in Maine at the end of the trail, the destination must become an unshakable goal.

Though Jesus meandered through Galilee and Judea during his ministry, he had one final, unshakable destination in mind, and it was deadly. When he told his disciples he was going to Jerusalem, they were astonished. They knew only too well the ugly jealousy and hatred that the religious leaders had for Jesus. They feared for his life, not to mention their own.

Though he had told them about this before, Jesus’ disciples hadn’t grasped the purpose of his mission. He was going to fulfill the Scriptures’ promise of a suffering servant, who would take the sins of fallen humanity on his shoulders (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). He went to Jerusalem to die on a cross there—in order to give us new life and eternal hope. Thank God that he didn’t quit!

We all face hardships in this journey of life. When we feel like quitting, we need to remind ourselves that Jesus kept marching toward his destination. And now that we are freed from sin and death through him, we can share Jesus’ hope and peace with every­one around us.