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Dexu Xia

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Jan 6, 2018, 2:59:25 AM1/6/18

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What Do the Experts Say?

These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. John 5:39–40

Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby writes of the “uncanny ability of experts to get things hopelessly, cataclysmically wrong.” A quick glance at recent history shows he’s right. The great inventor Thomas Edison, for instance, once declared that talking movies would never replace silent films. And in 1928, Henry Ford declared, “People are becoming too intelligent ever to have another war.” Countless other predictions by “experts” have missed the mark badly. Genius obviously has its limits.

Only one Person is completely reliable, and He had strong words for some so-called experts. The religious leaders of Jesus’s day claimed to have the truth. These scholars and theologians thought they knew what the promised Messiah would be like when He arrived.

Knowing the future is uncertain; knowing the One who holds the future is a sure thing.

Jesus cautioned them, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.” Then He pointed out how they were missing the heart of the matter. “These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39–40).

As another new year gets underway, we’ll hear predictions ranging from the terrifying to the wildly optimistic. Many of them will be stated with a great deal of confidence and authority. Don’t be alarmed. Our confidence remains in the One at the very heart of the Scriptures. He has a firm grip on us and on our future.

Father, whenever we are troubled or alarmed, help us to seek You. We commit this coming year and all it holds to You.

Knowing the future is uncertain; knowing the One who holds the future is a sure thing.

专家怎么说？

给我作见证的就是这经。然而你们不肯到我这里来得生命。-约翰福音5章39-40节

曾有位专栏作家写道：“专家的预测总是错得离谱。”综观近代历史，你会发现他说的是对的。例如，伟大的发明家爱迪生曾宣称，有声电影绝对不可能取代默剧。在1928年，汽车大王亨利．福特也宣称：“人类已变得太聪明，因此不可能再有战争发生。”还有许多来自“专家”的预测，结果也都被证实错得离谱。显然，即使是天才也不可靠。

只有一位是全然可靠的，祂也曾严厉指责那些所谓的专家。在耶稣时代，那些宗教领袖宣称自己精通律法书。这些学者和神学家以为当上帝所应许的弥赛亚降临时，自己一定能认出来。

然而，耶稣却警诫他们：“你们查考圣经，因你们以为内中有永生。”并指出他们忽略了最重要的部分：“给我作见证的就是这经。然而你们不肯到我这里来得生命。”（约翰福音5章39-40节）

在这新的一年开始之际，我们会听到令人恐慌或过度乐观的各种预测。虽然，其中有许多是权威或专业人士所做的预测，但不要惊慌，我们的信心是建立在整本圣经所描述的那一位主耶稣，祂绝对能掌握我们的生命及未来。

天父，帮助我们在苦恼或惊慌时，晓得来寻求祢。
我们把这新的一年以及将发生的事，全然交托在祢手中。