马太福音2:13-23
圣诞快乐！
恩惠、喜乐和平安从父神和救主耶稣基督归于你们。阿们。
圣诞是欢庆喜乐的季节，购物中心轻松愉快的圣诞背景音乐，家人团聚、互送礼物，教会聚会，告诉人耶稣诞生的好消息——他的一切都是为了我们。
然而，这个主日，在圣诞节的热忱还没有退去时，我们的福音经文给出了“不合时宜”的经文，有三件事：耶稣一家人的逃难，无辜婴儿的被杀，以及主耶稣一家人逃难回来定居拿撒勒。
这一切看起来都不像成为人的上帝，所应该经受的。牧羊人和博士们到马槽那里朝拜圣婴的温馨和宁静的画面很快被打破。当时的希律王出于嫉妒，为了维护属世君王的地位，不惜一切代价要杀死以色列的受膏者，那怕是，懂占星术的博士们已经带着崇敬的心千里之外来朝拜，那怕他的祭司领袖们也已经用圣经证明了这要来的基督是出于伯利恒，他都不在乎，只要自己的王位受到威胁，他就要想办法扫除障碍。
其实，这也没什么奇怪，诗篇2:1-2“外邦为什么争闹？万民为什么谋算虚妄的事？世上的君王一齐起来，臣宰一同商议，要抵挡耶和华并他的受膏者。”我们仔细想一下，基督教会今天所面对的挑战，情况不也是一样吗？有些地方什么都不抵制，西方的什么金融、科技、管理经验都可以学习，除了基督教的圣诞节之外。
约瑟受到天使的指示，要带耶稣和耶稣的母亲马利亚连夜往埃及去避难，这也一直是基督教会在地上的光景，基督的教会仍然是怀胎、用福音生养儿女的母亲，时常受到世界残暴势力的逼迫和威胁。而教会也从来没有领受呼召要去凭血气或者用武力、又或人的智慧去对抗邪恶势力，因为基督的国不属于这个世界（约18:36）。主耶稣不也吩咐门徒们说：“我差你们去，如同羊进入狼群；所以你们要灵巧像蛇，驯良像鸽子”（太10:16）。
也可以说啊，地上的教会光景，就是逃难中、在路上的光景，并没有停下歇息的时候。你看初代教会，不也是常常被驱散，信徒们逃离耶路撒冷。信主的人刚刚多了起来，主的道刚刚兴盛没多久，教会人数刚刚加添上去，“耶路撒冷的教会大遭逼迫，除了使徒以外，门徒都分散在犹大和撒玛利亚各处”（徒8:1）。
你看中国的教会，也是这样的光景，主刚刚开了中国传道的门，到处是宣教士，教会，医院，大学的建设等等，不到几十年，都被打散了。许多基督徒在浩劫年代躲躲藏藏，暗地里信仰。但是，你发现没有？正是逃难当中的教会，甘心忍受逼迫，随处随地继续传道的，这教会就不会败落。初代教会的耶路撒冷被打散了，教会就遍地开花，撒玛利亚，大马士革，安提阿教会，以弗所教会等等。中国也是一样，教会再怎么受逼迫，被打散，神的道是永远长存的，这就是我们所传的福音真理，必然会自己增长。
圣婴主耶稣下到埃及避难，也应验了先知的预言：“我从埃及召出我的儿子来。”一方面是主耶稣自己，去埃及，代表了以色列下埃及，后来又被带出埃及，去到应许之地，而救主耶稣的到来，是一次赞新的、不一样的出埃及，是要一次永远带领他的百姓出埃及，脱离罪的奴役，脱离死亡的枷锁，脱离一切的败坏和逼迫。另一方面，对我们教会信徒来说，我们从地上各个地方被招聚，脱离罪的辖制和死亡的奴役，成为神的儿女；最终，地上教会的逃难旅途有终点，就是我们将来完全得赎的日子，以上帝儿女的身份永远活在祂面前。
第二件事：希律王因为没有找见预言的基督婴孩，就一怒之下把伯利恒城并四境所有的男孩都杀了，“凡两岁以里的都杀尽了。”也可以说，这是教会的第一批殉道者，他们是因为基督而受害。这件事的发生也是要应验先知的话，先知耶利米说：“在拉玛听见号咷大哭的声音，是拉结哭他儿女，不肯受安慰，因为他们都不在了。”拉结就是以色列的妻子，因为难产而死，埋葬在了拉玛，就是在伯利恒附近。
先知耶利米发出这个预言的时候，一方面是指以色列民被掳的命运，另一方面也给出了安慰的信息：“那时，处女必欢乐跳舞；年少的、年老的，也必一同欢乐；因为我要使他们的悲哀变为欢喜，必要安慰他们，使他们的愁烦转为快乐……我的百姓也要因我的恩惠知足。”（耶31:13-14）教会所经历的不正是这样的光景吗？我们的安慰在哪里？我们的安慰不也恰恰不是我们眼睛所看见的，乃是主所应许的话语吗？
弟兄姐妹们，让我们在这圣诞节重新思想我们喜乐欢笑的真正源泉，不是节日气氛、不是装扮或者礼物，甚至不是亲人的团聚，而是主的应许：“神差他的儿子降世，不是要定世人的罪，乃是要叫世人因他得救”（约3:17）。保罗也说：“基督耶稣降世，为要拯救罪人。这话是可信的，是十分可佩服的”（提前1:15）。“只有一位神，在神和人中间，只有一位中保，乃是降世为人的基督耶稣。”（提前2:5）耶稣作为婴孩虽然暂时逃离了希律王的杀害，但是，我们知道，他的时候还没有到，等时候到了，他要死在十字架上，为世人赎罪。
第三件事：主耶稣一家人按着天使的吩咐回来了，因为希律王死了。但他们又不能回到原来的地方，因为希律的儿子亚基老接替他做了王。所以主指示他们去，到了一座城，名叫拿撒勒。这也就有了我们所熟悉的称呼，“拿撒勒人耶稣。”拿撒勒我们知道，是名声不好的地方，穷乡僻壤，也从来没有出过先知。耶稣要在拿撒勒长大，这不是偶然。神的心意就是这样，耶稣要降卑，到最卑微的地方。
教会也是一样，蒙召不是要去伯利恒、光鲜亮丽的城市，用今天的话说是加州、纽约等等沿海发达地区，神的呼召常常是最卑微的地方，让我们定居下来，融入社区生活，跟人打交道，分享主的话语。人都说，“人往高处走，水往低处流。”但主耶稣，却选择了降卑，处处降卑，上帝成为人，去到最卑微、最让人看不起的地方。祂藉着我们的信心住在我们的心中，并不以我们这些不配的罪人为羞耻。感谢上帝。我们作为教会的呼召也是如此。我们要常常想的就是那些不被人注意的有需要的地方，即使不是去到远方，那怕是在近面处，我们也要看哪些地方最需要我们基督徒。
求主帮助我们，藉着今天的经文，让我们明白基督教会真正的处境以及我们拥有的真正安慰，更是要让我们效法基督，跟随祂的脚踪，回应主的呼召，完成主所赐给我们的使命。奉耶稣的名。阿们。
Matthew 2:13-23
Merry Christmas! Grace, joy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Christmas is a season of celebration and joy—the lighthearted background music in shopping malls, family reunions, the exchange of gifts, and church gatherings to share the Good News of Jesus’ birth: that everything about Him is for us.
However, this Sunday, while the Christmas fervor has not yet faded, our Gospel text presents us with something "out of season." It highlights three things: the flight of Jesus’ family, the slaughter of the innocent infants, and the return of the Lord’s family to settle in Nazareth.
None of this seems like what God-Man should have to endure. The warm and serene image of the shepherds and Magi worshipping the Christ child at the manger is quickly shattered. Out of jealousy and to preserve his worldly throne, King Herod was willing to kill the Anointed One of Israel at any cost. He did not care that the Magi had traveled from thousands of miles away with hearts of reverence, nor that his own chief priests had proven from Scripture that the Christ was to come from Bethlehem. If his throne was threatened, he would find a way to remove the obstacle.
In fact, this is not surprising. Psalm 2:1-2 says: "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed." If we think carefully, is the challenge facing the Christian Church today not the same? In some places, nothing is resisted—Western finance, technology, and management expertise are all welcomed—except for the Christian celebration of Christmas.
Joseph was instructed by an angel to take Jesus and His mother, Mary, and flee to Egypt by night. This has always been the condition of the Christian Church on earth. The Church remains the mother who conceives and raises children through the Gospel, yet she is constantly persecuted and threatened by the violent powers of this world. Moreover, the Church has never been called to resist evil forces by the flesh, by force, or by human wisdom, for Christ’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Did the Lord Jesus not command His disciples: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16)?
We could say that the state of the Church on earth is one of flight, a state of being on the road, with no time to stop and rest. Look at the early Church; it was often scattered, and believers fled Jerusalem. Just as the number of believers grew, the Word of the Lord began to flourish, and the Church was being added to, "there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles" (Acts 8:1).
Look at the Church in China; it is in the same condition. Just as the Lord opened the door for preaching in China—with missionaries everywhere, and the establishment of churches, hospitals, and universities—within a few decades, everything was scattered. Many Christians hid during years of great upheaval, practicing their faith in secret. But have you noticed? It is precisely the Church in flight, willingly enduring persecution and continuing to preach everywhere, that does not fail. When the Church in Jerusalem was scattered, it blossomed everywhere—in Samaria, Damascus, Antioch, Ephesus, and so on. China is the same; no matter how the Church is persecuted or scattered, the Word of God endures forever. This is the Gospel truth we preach: it will inevitably grow of itself.
The Holy Child Jesus going down to Egypt to seek refuge also fulfilled the prophecy: "Out of Egypt have I called my son." On one hand, this refers to Jesus Himself. His going to Egypt represented Israel’s descent into Egypt, and His being brought out represented the journey to the Promised Land. However, the arrival of the Savior Jesus is a brand-new, different Exodus. It is to lead His people out of Egypt once and for all—out of the slavery of sin, the shackles of death, and all corruption and persecution. On the other hand, for us believers, we are gathered from all places on earth to be delivered from the dominion of sin and the slavery of death to become children of God. Ultimately, the journey of the Church on earth has a destination: the day of our full redemption, when we shall live before Him forever as children of God.
The second event: Because Herod could not find the prophesied Christ child, in a rage, he killed all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity, "from two years old and under." We might say these were the Church’s first martyrs; they suffered because of Christ. This happened to fulfill the words of the prophet Jeremiah: "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Rachel, the wife of Israel (Jacob), died in childbirth and was buried in Ramah, near Bethlehem.
When Jeremiah gave this prophecy, it referred on one hand to the captivity of Israel, but on the other hand, it gave a message of comfort: "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow... and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness" (Jeremiah 31:13-14). Is this not the very condition the Church experiences? Where is our comfort? Our comfort is precisely not in what our eyes see, but in the Word promised by the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, let us rethink the true source of our joy and laughter this Christmas. It is not the festive atmosphere, the decorations, the gifts, or even family reunions. It is the promise of the Lord: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:17). Paul also says: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15). "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Although Jesus as an infant temporarily escaped Herod’s slaughter, we know His time had not yet come. When the time came, He would die on the cross to atone for the sins of the world.
The third event: The family of the Lord Jesus returned according to the angel’s command because King Herod was dead. But they could not return to their original place because Herod’s son, Archelaus, reigned in his stead. So the Lord instructed them to go to a city called Nazareth. This gave us the familiar title, "Jesus of Nazareth." We know Nazareth was a place of ill repute, a remote backwater from which no prophet had ever come. It was no accident that Jesus grew up in Nazareth. This was God’s will: Jesus was to humble Himself and go to the lowliest of places.
The Church is the same. Our calling is not necessarily to Bethlehem or glamorous cities—what we might call California or New York today—but God’s calling is often to the humblest places, asking us to settle down, integrate into community life, interact with people, and share the Word of the Lord. People say, "Man moves upward, while water flows downward." But the Lord Jesus chose to humble Himself, humbling Himself at every turn. God became man and went to the most humble and despised places. Through faith, He dwells in our hearts and is not ashamed of us unworthy sinners. Thanks be to God. This is also our calling as the Church. We should constantly think of those unnoticed places of need; even if we do not go far away, we should look for where Christians are needed most, right where we are.
May the Lord help us, through today’s scripture, to understand the true situation of the Christian Church and the true comfort we possess. Moreover, may He enable us to imitate Christ, follow in His footsteps, respond to the Lord’s calling, and fulfill the mission He has given us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.