【双语灵修】照耀THE SHINING LIGHT

「光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。」-约 1:5

一切的一切，都是为了这一刻：耶稣降生了！

约翰从创世故事的角度来描述耶稣的降生。他借用创世记第一章，写道：「太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。」约翰明确指出，耶稣是完全的神。这段经文还明确指出耶稣是完全的人：「道成了肉身，住在我们中间。」借着耶稣，神与我们同在了！

神的光「照在黑暗里」，以及「黑暗却不接受光」的启示，也与创世故事有关。尽管耶稣是「照亮众人的真光」，但并非每个人都认识或接受祂。然而，对于所有回应基督之光的人，神都「赐给他们权柄，做神的儿女」。

约翰引用创世记中的创世言语，宣告了耶稣的降生是神新创造的开始！在耶稣里，神造了新的人类，祂邀请我们接受耶稣，进入这个新创造的光明和生命之中。

我们今天愿意接受耶稣吗？我们是否愿意成为新创造的一部份，步入神恩典和真理的光中呢？

祷告

神啊，今天请帮助我们认识并接受耶稣。让我们像祂一样，也能充满着祢的恩典和真理之光。阿们。

约翰福音 1:1-14
1 太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。2 这道太初与神同在。 3 万物是借着他造的；凡被造的，没有一样不是借着他造的。 4 生命在他里头，这生命就是人的光。 5 光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。 6 有一个人，是从神那里差来的，名叫约翰。 7 这人来，为要作见证，就是为光作见证，叫众人因他可以信。 8 他不是那光，乃是要为光作见证。 9 那光是真光，照亮一切生在世上的人。 10他在世界，世界也是借着他造的，世界却不认识他。 11 他到自己的地方来，自己的人倒不接待他。 12 凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄做神的儿女。 13 这等人不是从血气生的，不是从情欲生的，也不是从人意生的，乃是从神生的。14 道成了肉身，住在我们中间，充充满满地有恩典有真理。我们也见过他的荣光，正是父独生子的荣光。

THE SHINING LIGHT

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” - John 1:5

Everything has led to this moment: Jesus is born!

John frames the announcement of Jesus’ birth through the lens of the creation story. Borrowing from Genesis 1, John writes “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John states clearly that Jesus is fully God. This passage also makes clear that Jesus is fully human: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” In Jesus, God became one with us!

Also connecting with the creation story is God’s light that “shines in the darkness”—as well as the insight that “the darkness has not overcome it.” Though Jesus is the “true light that gives light to everyone,” not everyone recognizes or receives him. Yet to all who respond to the light of Christ, he gives them “the right to become children of God.”

By leaning into the creation language from Genesis, John declares that Jesus’ birth is the start of God’s new creation! In Jesus, God has created a new humanity, and he invites us into the light and life of this new creation by receiving Jesus.

Will we receive Jesus today? Will we be part of God’s new humanity and step into the light of God’s grace and truth?

Prayer

God, help us to recognize and receive Jesus today. Make us like him so that we too may overflow with the light of your grace and truth. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳