今天已經是將臨期的第二主日了！我們可能會將聖誕節視為與家人一起共度美好的時光、互相送贈禮物、穿上聖誕老人服飾和在雪地裡玩樂的日子。但還有更多！將臨期是我們期待聖誕節的季節，基督徒甚至全世界都承認聖誕節是基督誕生的日子。將臨期的開始包括了聖誕節前四個星期日的時間。這好像是一段很長的時間，但想像一下，對那些已經行走了極遠的旅程和很長的時間才能見到耶穌的博士們，這可能是幾個月，甚至更長！他們把救主耶穌誕生的事告訴了希律，希律當時並沒覺察明白到。(做得好，博士們！)然後在找到主耶穌之後，博士們都一起慶祝、敬拜並帶來禮物送給耶穌。馬太福音 2:9-11 說：「他們聽見王的話就去了。在東方所看見的那星忽然在他們前頭行，直行到小孩子的地方，就在上頭停住了。他們看見那星，就大大的歡喜；進了房子，看見小孩子和祂母親馬利亞，就俯伏拜那小孩子，揭開寶盒，拿黃金、乳香、沒藥為禮物獻給祂。」
當我們等待慶祝耶穌的誕生時，讓我們在這段日子以耶穌為中心吧！與他人交談時，問他們打算做什麼。問他們會否去教會。讓他們知道你打算做什麼，並與他們分享主耶穌的福音。這刻我不想說，當我們與別人分享福音，與他們的每一次互動之時，都是可以引領到他們悔改並恢復建立與耶穌的關係。我們會遇到些可能對耶穌有負面看法的人，因為他們曾被教會傷害過，那麼，我們需要奉耶穌的名既明智地亦有愛心地去善待這些人！
宣告主耶穌從來都是戲劇性的。在馬太福音 2 章 2 節，博士對希律王的記述中，我們發現他們問希律王：「那生下來作猶太人之王的在哪裡？我們在東方看見祂的星，特來拜祂。」這事使整個耶路撒冷都不安（第 3 節）。後來，在第12節中，博士們甚至在夢中被警告不要回到希律那裡，以避免麻煩，並保護嬰孩主耶穌。這是不是說博士們不再歡欣了？不！他們毫無疑問地，繼續地感謝來自伯利恆的王：「祂將成為我民以色列的牧羊人」（第 6 節）。儘管有些人會反對，但其他人當知道聖誕節的真正意義之後是會很高興的。我們的救主基督耶穌已誕生了。鼓起勇氣宣告這個真理吧！主耶穌已經誕生！
Original Text:
Rejoice Today! ~Pastor Benjamin Chung
Today is already the second Sunday of Advent! We may think of the Christmas season as a time to spend with family, give gifts, wear Santa gear and play in the snow. But it’s so much more! Advent is the season in which we wait in anticipation for Christmas day, which Christians and even the world does acknowledge as the day of Christ’s birth. Advent consists of the time beginning four Sundays before Christmas day. This may seem like a long time but imagine the magi who traveled an extremely long distance and long time to see Jesus. It was likely months, if not longer! They too told of the Savior Jesus’s birth to Herod, who was unaware. Great job, guys! Then, after finding Jesus, the magi celebrated, worshiped, and brought Jesus gifts. Matthew 2:9-11 (NLT) says, “the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
As we wait to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let’s be pro-Jesus during this time! Converse with others and inquire what they plan to do. Ask them if they are going to go to church or not. Let them know what you plan to do and share with them about the good news of Jesus. Now, I don’t want to say that every interaction we have with someone when we share the gospel with them is going to lead to a wonderful outcome of repentance and a restored relationship with Jesus. We will run into those who may have a negative view of Jesus because they were hurt by the church, then we need to act wisely and lovingly to the person, in the name of Jesus!
The declaration of Jesus is never without drama. In the account of the magi with King Herod, in Matthew 2:2, we find them asking Herod: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.” This put all of Jerusalem in an uproar (v.3). Later, in verse 12, the magi were even warned in a dream to avoid returning to Herod, to avoid trouble and protect the baby Jesus. Does this mean that the magi stopped rejoicing? No! Undoubtedly, they continued to be thankful to see the ruler from Bethlehem “who will be the shepherd for my people Israel” (v.6). Despite pushback from some, others will rejoice when they learn of the true meaning of Christmas. Our Savior Christ Jesus was born. Have courage and declare this truth! Jesus is Born!
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