十二月二十五日
必有童女懷孕生子，給他起名叫以馬內利。（賽7：14）
願我們今天下到伯利恒，與驚訝的牧人和朝拜的博士一同前往，進見猶太人的新生王。因著信，我們也得稱他是我們的王，我們要高唱說：“因有一嬰孩爲我們而生，有一子賜給我們。”耶穌是耶和華的化身，乃是我們的主、我們的神，幷且也是我們的弟兄和朋友；願我們崇拜幷景慕他。我們要先注意，他的成胎乃是神迹。童女懷孕生子乃是聞所未聞，空前絕後的事。“耶和華在地上造了一件新事，就是女子護衛男子。”頭一個應許是說“女人的後裔”，幷非男人的後代。因爲女人違命犯罪所以失去了樂園，她，也惟有她能生出一位複樂園者。
我們的救主，雖然是一個人，但他卻是具有人性的神的聖者。因著聖靈的能力，他爲童女所生，毫不沾染一切從肉體所生之人共有的原罪。願我們謙恭俯拜這聖嬰，因著他的無罪無辜使人恢復原先的榮耀；我們要求他把榮耀的盼望放在我們的心裏。也不要忘記他母親的謙卑。關于他的母親，我們今晨所讀的經節說，她是“童女”，而非公主，女先知，或是一位富有的貴婦。當然也不能輕看她，因爲她是出于君王的血統；也不能認爲她是懦弱、愚蒙的，因爲她能唱出美妙的贊美詩；可是她的地位是多麽謙卑呀！她的未婚夫是多麽貧寒呀！怎能好好地照應這位新生王呢！因此貧窮便被分別，寒微的人被高舉得尊榮。每一位信徒都是基督的肖像，但是貧窮聖徒的畫像仍得圍繞主的像一同懸在貧窮的像架之中。
我們雖然天天提說，但是在這時候，我們更能想到耶穌，願我們快樂地記念我們親愛的救贖主的光榮誕生。得到新生命的人，應當把每一天當作救主的生日。我們的以馬內利，雖然卑微地降世，但也一樣地有尊榮。誰能像他一樣在他降生前就有許多預言提到他的降生，或者說有許多人的心切慕他的降生呢？除他之外，誰有先鋒在前見證那要來的呢？什麽時候天使曾在夜半高唱，或是神曾在空中懸挂一顆新星呢？貧富貴賤上下人等熱誠地帶著禮物曾朝見過那一位新生的嬰孩呢？願地歡喜，願人人都停工來慶祝耶穌的“偉大誕辰。”伯利恒（餅之室的意思）呀！我們永遠所感戴的盼望都在于你！那預先提說的救主帶來了人類的黃金時代。願我們時時歡喜，用聖詩和音樂伴奏著我們心靈的歡樂。
以馬內利的寶貴名字含著不可言宣的歡樂。基路伯實在當用這名稱呼他們的大君，但因爲他奇妙的誕降，所以只有人能如此稱呼他。他幷不與撒拉弗同在，乃是與我們同在。神在我們的情性、悲傷、工作、苦痛、墳墓中與我們同在，幷且現在與我們同在；或說我們在復活、升天、得勝、榮耀地再來上與他同在。伯利恒的嬰孩在我們的軟弱和貧窮上與我們同在，同時我們也不要忘記他也榮耀而尊貴地臨近我們。信心撫摸嬰孩，愛心用信心與他親嘴。願我們今天與以馬內利有屬靈的交通。
December 25
“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call
his name Immanuel.”—Isaiah 7:14
Let us to-day go
down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi,
let us see him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an
interest in him, and can sing, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given.” Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our
brother and friend; let us adore and admire. Let us notice at the very first
glance his miraculous conception. It was a thing unheard of before, and unparalleled
since, that a virgin should conceive and bear a Son. The first promise ran
thus, “The seed of the woman,” not the offspring of the man. Since
venturous woman led the way in the sin which brought forth Paradise lost, she,
and she alone, ushers in the Regainer of Paradise. Our Saviour, although truly
man, was as to his human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow
before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory;
and let us pray that he may be formed in us, the hope of glory. Fail not to
note his humble parentage. His mother has been described simply as “a
virgin,” not a princess, or prophetess, nor a matron of large estate. True
the blood of kings ran in her veins; nor was her mind a weak and untaught one,
for she could sing most sweetly a song of praise; but yet how humble her
position, how poor the man to whom she stood affianced, and how miserable the
accommodation afforded to the new-born King!
Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow,
in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we
with him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour.
