今天，让我们停下来想一想耶稣家谱中没出现的一个名字：撒拉。我们第一次见到她时，她叫撒莱，意思是“公主”。但神做了一个微妙的改变，叫她撒拉，意思是说她要做多国君王的母亲。
神将这些事告诉亚伯拉罕时，亚伯拉罕就自己暗笑。撒拉也是（创18:12）。但一年后，他们的笑就充满了喜悦。神信守了祂的应许，撒拉生了一个儿子，以撒，意思就是“他喜笑。”
这个令人愉快的故事可以追溯到神对夏娃的应许：女人的后裔很重要。它也指向将来，因为神说，祂要透过以撒坚定永远的约。又过了很久，一位天使向一个叫约瑟的人显现，说：“不要怕，只管娶过你的妻子马利亚来....她将要生一个儿子。你要给他起名叫耶稣。因他要将自己的百姓从罪恶里救出来”（太1:20-21）。
有些人可能会嘲笑这些事说：“不可能！”但圣经说这是真的——凡相信耶稣的人都必得救脱离罪恶，得着永生（约3:16）。今天就来信靠耶稣，使你的生命被只有祂能给予的喜乐充满吧。
主啊，坚固我们的信心，使我们想起你从前为亚伯拉罕和撒拉，以及约瑟和马利亚所做的事，你永远都信实，持守你的应许。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
创世记 17:15-19; 21:1-7
15神又对亚伯拉罕说：“你的妻子撒莱，不可再叫撒莱，她的名要叫撒拉。
16我必赐福给她，也要使你从她得一个儿子。我要赐福给她，她也要做多国之母，必有百姓的君王从她而出。”
17亚伯拉罕就俯伏在地喜笑，心里说：“一百岁的人还能得孩子吗？撒拉已经九十岁了，还能生养吗？”
18亚伯拉罕对神说：“但愿以实玛利活在你面前。”
19神说：“不然，你妻子撒拉要给你生一个儿子，你要给他起名叫以撒。我要与他坚定所立的约，做他后裔永远的约。
1耶和华按着先前的话眷顾撒拉，便照他所说的给撒拉成就。
2当亚伯拉罕年老的时候，撒拉怀了孕，到神所说的日期就给亚伯拉罕生了一个儿子。
3亚伯拉罕给撒拉所生的儿子起名叫以撒。
4以撒生下来第八日，亚伯拉罕照着神所吩咐的给以撒行了割礼。
5他儿子以撒生的时候，亚伯拉罕年一百岁。
6撒拉说：“神使我喜笑，凡听见的必与我一同喜笑。”
7又说：“谁能预先对亚伯拉罕说撒拉要乳养婴孩呢？因为在他年老的时候，我给他生了一个儿子。”
“Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” - Genesis 17:19
Let’s pause today to consider someone who is not named in the genealogies of Jesus: Sarah. When we first meet her, she is called Sarai, which means “princess.” But God made a subtle change to call her Sarah, indicating that she would be the mother of nations and kings.
When God told Abraham these things, he laughed to himself. So did Sarah (Genesis 18:12). But a year later, their laughter was filled with joy. God kept his promise, and Sarah gave birth to a son, Isaac, which means “he laughs.”
This delightful story points back to God’s promise to Eve about the importance of the woman’s offspring. It also points ahead, for God said he would establish an everlasting covenant through Isaac. Much later an angel of the Lord appeared to a man named Joseph and said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. . . . She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21).
Some people might laugh at this and say, “Impossible!” But the Bible says it’s true—and whoever believes in Jesus will be saved from sin and have eternal life (John 3:16). Put your trust in Jesus today so that your life may be filled with the joy that he alone can give.
Lord, strengthen our faith, and remind us as you did for Abraham and Sarah and for Joseph and Mary that you are always faithful and keep your promises. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
