Christmas Gospel Message
圣诞节福音分享
Christmas Gospel Message
刘富涛牧师Pastor Gary 2023
1 What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the king,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary!
2 Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear; for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you;
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The babe, the son of Mary!
3 So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
Come, peasant, king, to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise the song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby;
Joy, joy, for Christ is born,
The babe, the son of Mary!
1 是何婴孩安然甜卧，
在马利亚的怀中？
天使甜美歌声颂祂，
牧人看守祂身边？
祂，祂是基督君王，
牧人看守，天使所称；
快，快同来拥戴祂，
圣母所生的圣婴。
2 因何躺卧卑微地方，
与驴马牛羊同群？
好信徒，当战兢谨慎，
救主默求赦罪人。
铁钉刀枪要刺祂，
十架为我为你担当；
欢呼圣道成肉身，
圣母所生的圣婴。
3 献祂黄金、乳香、没药，
农夫、君王莫蹉跎；
万王之王带来拯救，
以爱心绕祂宝座。
天使高声齐歌唱，
童贞女轻声摇篮曲。
欢乐基督已降世，
圣母所生的圣婴。
Christmas is a birthday party we celebrate every year for baby Jesus. Though it is not like any birthday party we have ever been to. The celebrant of the party is not even in the room so that we can sing “Happy Birthday to You.” And we might even ask, “Who or What This Child Is?”
圣诞节是我们每年为圣婴耶稣庆生的节日。但这个生日派对跟我们平时举行的不大一样。生日派对的主人并不在场，所以我们也没法唱生日快乐歌给他。我们或许甚至会问，“这个小孩是谁啊？”
None of us has ever seen Jesus with our eyes. Those who believe and follow Him only know Him through the Bible. Based on the stories we heard from the Bible, Jesus is not a Chinese, not even an American, but a Jew.
我们在座的没有一个人亲眼见过耶稣。那些相信他跟随他的人只能藉着圣经认识他。基于我们从圣经中听到的故事，我们知道耶稣不是中国人，甚至也不是美国人，而是犹太人。
So, why do we come together to celebrate His birthday?
那么，我们为什么要聚在一起庆祝他的生日呢？
Well, according to the Bible, His birth has everything to do with you and I. First, His life doesn’t start from His birthday. Neither does it end at His death. When the whole world was created, He was there. He was the eternal Word, Logos, or Tao.
因为，根据圣经，他的出生跟我们所有人都有关系。首先，他的生命不是从他的生日开始的，当然也没有随着他的死亡而结束。当这个世界被造的时候，他就在那里。他是永恒的道。
Laozi, a famous Chinese ancient philosopher once said, “If Tao can be described, then it is not the eternal Tao.” Yet, Laozi was never able to describe this eternal Logos, or Tao. He was honest and right.
中国古时一位著名的哲学家老子曾说，“道可道，非常(恒)道。”老子是诚实和正确的, 老子从未真正能够描述出这个永恒之道是什么或者是谁。
However, this indescribable eternal Word wants to be known by people and His creation. Thus, the Word was made flesh. Christmas is about this eternal Word, Christ, Son of God, who became a child, resting in the manger and sleeping on Mary’s lap. God makes Himself known in flesh so that we can really know Him.
然而，我要告诉你们，根据圣经，这个不可描述的永恒之道愿意让人和所有被造物认识他。因此，这道成了肉身。圣诞节就是关于这个永恒之道，基督，上帝的儿子如何成为一个婴孩的。他躺卧在马槽里，睡在马利亚的怀中。上帝在肉身中显现他自己，好让我们可以真正地认识他。
Second, the invincible God becomes a vincible child so that through His vulnerability on the Cross we can become invulnerable in all sufferings.
其次，这位永不会被打败的上帝成为了一个软弱且会被欺负的婴孩，目的是藉着他在十字架上的软弱，我们可以变得坚不可摧，面对一切的苦难。
When we talk about His birth, we can’t get away from His death. This child was born to die, not according to our corrupt nature but the will of God, to die on the Cross, in the most shameful and cruel way for the sins of the whole world. By His death, He conquered death, which is the common denominator of all people who are born on earth, including you and me.
当我们谈论他的降生的时候，我们必要谈论他的死亡。这个婴孩生下就是为了死亡，不是按着我们败坏的本性受死，而是按着上帝的旨意，死在十字架上。藉着他的死亡，他战胜了死亡，而死亡正是我们所有生在地上的人的共同命运。你我都是一样，终究都要面对死亡。
He died and was buried. But that was not the end of the story. He came alive on the third day. He went into heaven, not without a body. That means everything for you and me. It means the hope, true hope for our humanity. It means that through Jesus, we can also go to heaven and depart from this world in peace.
耶稣死了埋葬了。但这并不是故事的结局。他第三天复活了。他升入天堂，是带着身体升上去的。这对你我来说意味着一切。这对我们人类来说意味着盼望，真实的盼望。这意味着，藉着耶稣，我们也可以升入天堂，带着平安离世。
Yes, Jesus is a Jew. But because of His eternal life before birth and after His death, He is beyond His Jewish blood, beyond all ethnicity. He is for all humanity, all human beings. And we Chinese people are not excluded.
是的，耶稣是犹太人。但因为他永恒的生命，就是超越生死的永恒生命，他就不是局限于犹太人的血统，而是超越所有的民族。他是为全人类的，所有人，包括我们中国人。
If you know this child and trust what He has done for you, you will become children of God. If we are children of God, you know who else celebrates our birthday besides our families and friends? God and His holy angels.
如果你认识这位婴孩，信靠他为你所做的一切，你就可以成为上帝的孩子。如果我们是上帝的孩子，你知道，除了我们的家人朋友之外，还有谁会庆祝我们的生日吗？上帝和他的圣天使。
That is why we keep celebrating His birth every year, till the end of the world. On that day, Jesus prepares a different but eternal banquet for all believers. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
这就是为什么我们每年都在庆祝耶稣的诞生，直到世界的末日。到那时，耶稣会为所有信徒预备一个不同的、永恒的派对。奉耶稣的名。阿们。