2015年12月24日
聖誕奧祕 Christmas Mystery
读经: 提摩太前書3章14-16節
Reading: 1 Timothy 3:14-16
大哉，敬虔的奧祕！-提摩太前書3章16節
The mystery from which true godliness springs is great.- 1 Timothy 3:16
全年读经: 哈巴谷書1-3章;啟示錄15章
Bible in a Year: Habakkuk 1–3; Revelation 15
在狄更斯的著作《小氣財神》（A Christmas Carol）中，男主角史古基有很多令人百思不解的神祕之處，為什麼他會如此刻薄小氣呢？是什麼原因讓他變得吝嗇自私呢？隨著劇情發展，三個聖誕幽靈帶他重踏人生旅途，謎團就逐步解開了。我們清楚看到：原來是孤獨與沮喪，讓他從一個原本活潑開朗的少年郎，變成一個視錢如命的守財奴。最後劇情結局逐漸明朗，史古基終於體會到唯有付出關懷來修復破碎的關係，才能讓他遠離內心的幽暗並重獲喜樂
另一個更重要、更難以解釋的奧祕出現在提摩太前書3章16節，保羅說：「大哉，敬虔的奧祕！無人不以為然，就是上帝在肉身顯現，被聖靈稱義，被天使看見，被傳於外邦，被世人信服，被接在榮耀裡。」上帝在「肉身顯現」，如此奇妙非凡！
上帝如何以肉身顯現，卻同時又能保有上帝的形象，成了人類難以解釋的聖誕奧祕。然而按著上帝高深的智慧，這是祂亙古以來的計畫。
「這位奇妙嬰孩是誰？」祂是耶穌基督，是上帝親自以肉身顯現。
祂是基督我王，天使歌唱，牧人歡慶；
快來歡呼敬拜，馬利亞懷中聖嬰。
上帝住在我們當中，讓我們將來能與祂同住。
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As Charles Dickens' story A Christmas Carol begins, there is mystery surrounding Ebenezer Scrooge. Why is he so mean-spirited? How did he become so selfish? Then, slowly, as the Christmas spirits marched Scrooge through his own story, things become clearer. We see the influences that changed him from a happy youth into a selfish miser. We observe his isolation and his brokenness. As the mystery is solved, we also glimpse the path to restoration. Concern for others pulls Scrooge from his self-absorbed darkness into a new joy.
A far more important mystery, and one much harder to explain, is that which Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 3:16: "Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory." Extraordinary! God "appeared in the flesh."
The mystery of Christmas is how God could become man while remaining fully God. It defies human explanation, but in the perfect wisdom of God, it was the plan of the ages.
"What child is this?" He is Jesus Christ—God revealed in the flesh.
This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe, the son of Mary. Traditional carol
God made His home with us so that we might make our home with Him.