十二月二十五日
必有童女怀孕生子，给他起名叫以马内利。（赛7：14）
愿我们今天下到伯利恒，与惊讶的牧人和朝拜的博士一同前往，进见犹太人的新生王。因着信，我们也得称他是我们的王，我们要高唱说：“因有一婴孩爲我们而生，有一子赐给我们。”耶稣是耶和华的化身，乃是我们的主、我们的神，幷且也是我们的弟兄和朋友；愿我们崇拜幷景慕他。我们要先注意，他的成胎乃是神迹。童女怀孕生子乃是闻所未闻，空前绝后的事。“耶和华在地上造了一件新事，就是女子护卫男子。”头一个应许是说“女人的后裔”，幷非男人的后代。因爲女人违命犯罪所以失去了乐园，她，也惟有她能生出一位复乐园者。
我们的救主，虽然是一个人，但他却是具有人性的神的圣者。因着圣灵的能力，他爲童女所生，毫不沾染一切从肉体所生之人共有的原罪。愿我们谦恭俯拜这圣婴，因着他的无罪无辜使人恢复原先的荣耀；我们要求他把荣耀的盼望放在我们的心里。也不要忘记他母亲的谦卑。关于他的母亲，我们今晨所读的经节说，她是“童女”，而非公主，女先知，或是一位富有的贵妇。当然也不能轻看她，因爲她是出于君王的血统；也不能认爲她是懦弱、愚蒙的，因爲她能唱出美妙的赞美诗；可是她的地位是多麽谦卑呀！她的未婚夫是多麽贫寒呀！怎能好好地照应这位新生王呢！因此贫穷便被分别，寒微的人被高举得尊荣。每一位信徒都是基督的肖像，但是贫穷圣徒的画像仍得围绕主的像一同悬在贫穷的像架之中。
我们虽然天天提说，但是在这时候，我们更能想到耶稣，愿我们快乐地记念我们亲爱的救赎主的光荣诞生。得到新生命的人，应当把每一天当作救主的生日。我们的以马内利，虽然卑微地降世，但也一样地有尊荣。谁能像他一样在他降生前就有许多预言提到他的降生，或者说有许多人的心切慕他的降生呢？除他之外，谁有先锋在前见证那要来的呢？什麽时候天使曾在夜半高唱，或是神曾在空中悬挂一颗新星呢？贫富贵贱上下人等热诚地带着礼物曾朝见过那一位新生的婴孩呢？愿地欢喜，愿人人都停工来庆祝耶稣的“伟大诞辰。”伯利恒（饼之室的意思）呀！我们永远所感戴的盼望都在于你！那预先提说的救主带来了人类的黄金时代。愿我们时时欢喜，用圣诗和音乐伴奏着我们心灵的欢乐。
以马内利的宝贵名字含着不可言宣的欢乐。基路伯实在当用这名称呼他们的大君，但因爲他奇妙的诞降，所以只有人能如此称呼他。他幷不与撒拉弗同在，乃是与我们同在。神在我们的情性、悲伤、工作、苦痛、坟墓中与我们同在，幷且现在与我们同在；或说我们在复活、升天、得胜、荣耀地再来上与他同在。伯利恒的婴孩在我们的软弱和贫穷上与我们同在，同时我们也不要忘记他也荣耀而尊贵地临近我们。信心抚摸婴孩，爱心用信心与他亲嘴。愿我们今天与以马内利有属灵的交通。
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.
