Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world. C. S. Lewis (from The Last Battle)

曾经在我们的世界中，一个马厩在它里面所拥有的，比我们整个世界都大。（选自C. S. 路易斯《最后一战》）

He will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah . . . to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Luke 1:17

他必有以利亚的心志能力，行在主的前面，……又为主预备合用的百姓。-路加福音1章17节

At the end of the Old Testament, God seems to be in hiding. For four centuries, the Jews wait and wonder. God seems passive, unconcerned, and deaf to their prayers. Only one hope remains: the ancient promise of a Messiah. On that promise the Jews stake everything. And then something momentous happens. The birth of a baby is announced.

在旧约圣经的结尾，上帝似乎隐藏了起来。在长达四百年的时间内，犹太人不断等候、猜测。但上帝似乎沉默冷淡，对事漠不关心，而且对祷告充耳不闻。犹太人只剩下最后一线希望，那就是上帝从古时就应许的弥赛亚。他们将一切的盼望都寄托在这个应许上，终于有一件大事发生了，天使宣告一个婴孩降生。

You can catch the excitement just by reading the reactions of people in Luke. Events surrounding Jesus’s birth resemble a joy-filled musical. Characters crowd into the scene: a white-haired great uncle (Luke 1:5–25), an astonished virgin (1:26–38), the old prophetess Anna (2:36). Mary herself lets loose with a beautiful hymn (1:46–55). Even Jesus’s unborn cousin kicks for joy inside his mother’s womb (1:41).

你可以从路加福音中看到一些另人兴奋的心情。伴随耶稣降生的一连串事件，就像一出喜乐满溢的音乐剧，各种角色纷纷登台演出：白发苍苍的老祭司（路加福音1章5-25节）；诧异万分的待嫁女子（1章26-38节）；年迈的女先知亚拿（2章36节）。马利亚情不自禁地唱出极美的颂歌（1章46-55节），甚至耶稣的表兄尚未出世，就在母腹中手舞足蹈（1章41节）。

Luke takes care to make direct connections to Old Testament promises of a Messiah. The angel Gabriel even calls John the Baptist an “Elijah” sent to prepare the way for the Lord (1:17). Clearly, something is brewing on planet Earth. Among the dreary, defeated villagers in a remote corner of the Roman Empire, something good is breaking out.

路加福音特别将这些事件与旧约所应许的弥赛亚连结在一起。天使加百列甚至称施洗约翰为“以利亚”，是受派来为主预备道路的（1章17节）。显然，有一件大事正临到地上，在罗马帝国统治下的一个偏僻乡村里，在一群意志消沉的村民当中，发生了一件大好的事，弥赛亚降生了！

Luke 1:11-17New International Version (NIV)

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

路加福音 1:11-17Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

11 有主的使者站在香坛的右边向他显现。 12 撒迦利亚看见，就惊慌害怕。 13 天使对他说：“撒迦利亚，不要害怕，因为你的祈祷已经被听见了。你的妻子伊利莎白要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫约翰。 14 你必欢喜快乐，有许多人因他出世也必喜乐。 15 他在主面前将要为大，淡酒浓酒都不喝，从母腹里就被圣灵充满了。 16 他要使许多以色列人回转，归于主他们的神。 17 他必有以利亚的心志能力，行在主的前面，叫为父的心转向儿女，叫悖逆的人转从义人的智慧，又为主预备合用的百姓。”

You have come to us, and we rejoice! Jesus, You are the gift of redemption and hope for us. Thank You.

耶稣已经临到，众人欢欣鼓舞！
耶稣，祢是上帝赐给我们的救赎，
是我们的盼望，我们感谢祢。

INSIGHT

The virgin birth of Christ is not the only miracle in the Christmas story. John the Baptist’s birth was also miraculous. His father, Zechariah, was a priest of the line of Abijah (a priest during David’s time descended from Aaron) who served at the temple in Jerusalem twice a year. John’s mother, Elizabeth, was a cousin of Mary and also a descendant of Aaron (the first high priest). Zechariah and Elizabeth faithfully followed God’s laws, yet they were “very old” and were childless because Elizabeth could not conceive (Luke 1:5–7). God miraculously blessed this elderly couple with a child—and no ordinary child. Their son would be “great in the sight of the Lord” (v. 15) and “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (v. 17).

What in the Christmas story is most meaningful to you? 

灵粮透视

基督由童女所生并不是圣诞故事中唯一的神迹，施洗约翰的诞生也是一个神迹。约翰的父亲撒迦利亚出自亚比雅（亚伦的后裔，大卫时代的祭司）族中的一个祭司，每年在耶路撒冷的殿里服事两次。约翰的母亲伊利沙伯，是第一位大祭司亚伦的后裔，也是马利亚的表姐妹。撒迦利亚和伊利沙伯忠心地遵守上帝的律法，但他们已经“年纪老迈”又没有孩子，因为伊利沙伯不能生育（路加福音1章5-7节）。上帝施行神迹赐福给这对年迈的夫妇，赐给他们一个孩子，而且不是一个普通的孩子。他们的儿子“在主面前将要为大”（15节），并“为主预备合用的百姓”（17节）。

在圣诞故事中，你觉得什么是对你最有意义的呢？

整理：于姊妹