December 2008

Is It Christmas Yet?

The Christmas season has already hit full stride. It seems the stores begin the season earlier and earlier each year. It was the beginning of October when my family first heard Christmas music and saw ornaments on the shelves. With such a prolonged season it is easy to lose sight of the impact and meaning of Christmas. We grow weary of staying in the Christmas spirit, and like kids we wonder, “Is it Christmas yet?

Why do we celebrate Christmas at this time anyway? When really is Christmas? Scholars do not know the exact day Jesus was born, but many think it was most likely in summer, since the shepherds were out at night tending their flocks when the angels announced the news.

Then why do we celebrate Jesus’ birthday in December? The early Christ followers wanted to commemorate the amazing event of God coming into our world where we live to bring us to where He lives. So Christians chose a time of year that would symbolize the meaning of this event. They chose the winter solstice: when night was the longest and day the shortest. For it is from that day on that the light of the sun would shine longer and stronger.

The disciple John begins his account of the Good News of Jesus with these words:

”The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:9-13)

When baby Jesus grew to a man, He began His ministry and message saying:

“The people living in darknesshave seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of deatha light has dawned." (Matthew 4:16)

Jesus proclaims the purpose of His coming: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) and again, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (John 12:46)

Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but what is immensely more important is when we choose to step out of the darkness and into His light.

There are times we don’t even know we are in the dark, or we don’t recognize the light, or we prefer darkness rather than light. But God promises that those who believe in Jesus and receive Him as God’s Son and Savior will become a child of God. All who step into the light of Jesus are born into God’s family and are given the free gift of eternal and abundant life. From that day on, the true light of the Son ought to shine longer and stronger in our life.

The question is not when is the actual day of Jesus’ birth, but my question to you is when is the day of your new birth? Is it Christmas yet?

已經是聖誕節了嗎？

聖誕節期已經來到，那些商店好像一年比一年早開始迎接這節期。早在十月初的時候，我和家人就開始聽到聖誕音樂和看見在商店窗櫥中的聖誕裝飾，在這個悠長的節期是很容易忽視聖誕節的意義和它的影響。 我們越來越覺得難以維持聖誕節精神，好像小孩子一樣，我們會奇怪的問〝已經是聖誕節了嗎？〞

我們又為什麼要在這個時候慶祝聖誕節呢？究竟真正的聖誕日是在哪日呢？學者們不能確切知道耶穌出生於哪一日，但許多都認為最有可能的是在夏天，因為當天使宣布好消息時，牧羊人正在夜間看守羊群。

那為什麼我們在12月才慶祝耶穌的生日？早期的信徒為要在一年中選擇一個最有象徵意義的日子去紀念這奇妙的事：神進入我們生活的世界裡以致能把我們帶到祂的所在；因此選擇了冬至：日最短，而夜最長的一天。因為從這天開始，光照漸長並越發光亮。

使徒約翰用這些話開始道明耶穌的好消息：『那光是真光、照亮一切生在世上的人。 他在世界、世界也是藉著他造的、世界卻不認識他。 他到自己的地方來、自己的人倒不接待他。 凡接待他的、就是信他名的人、他就賜他們權柄、作　神的兒女。 這等人不是從血氣生的、不是從情慾生的、也不是從人意生的、乃是從　神生的。』（約翰福音1:9-13 ）

當耶穌長大成人，他開始傳講信息說：『那坐在黑暗裡的百姓、看見了大光、坐在死蔭之地的人、有光發現照著他們。』（馬太福音4:16）

耶穌宣告他來這世上的目的：『我是世界的光．跟從我的、就不在黑暗裏走、必要得著生命的光。』（約翰福音8:12），並且『我到世上來、乃是光、叫凡信我的不住在黑暗裏。』（約翰福音12:46 ）

聖誕節就是我們慶祝耶穌誕生的時候，但最重要的是當我們選擇走出黑暗，進入祂的光的時候。

有時我們甚至不知道我們是在黑暗中、或者我們不認識這光、又或我們選擇黑暗而放棄光。但是上帝承諾凡一切相信耶穌、承認祂是神的兒子並接受祂為救主的人，就必成 為神的兒女。凡願意走在耶穌的光裡的，就必成為神家的一份子，並給予永恆和豐盛的生命。從那天起，真光之子應當在我們的生命中越發長久光亮。

現在問題已不在於耶穌究竟在哪一天誕生，而在於哪一天是你的新生？已經是聖誕節了嗎？

李振倫牧師