今天，随着圣诞节的临近，我们继续来看马太福音家谱中的第二部分，主要是关于大卫和他的后裔。马太想让我们清楚地知道，大卫的儿子耶稣来做我们的王。
大卫并不是以色列第一个王。扫罗又高大又俊美，他是百姓的第一个王（撒上8-10）。但扫罗不听从神的命令，耶和华就厌弃他作王。神接着拣选大卫作王，不是因为他完全，而是因为他是合神心意的人（撒上13:14）。
这是什么意思呢？大卫年轻时是个牧羊人。他所写的诗篇23篇会帮助我们有所理解。在诗篇23篇中，大卫说耶和华是他的牧者，祂领他到青草地和可安息的水边，祂引导他走义路，保守他走过黑暗的幽谷。他还说，耶和华使他的灵苏醒，安慰他，并使他确信，神的恩惠慈爱会一直随着他，直到永远。在某些方面，我们可以说，大卫与神同行，就像以诺和挪亚一样。
耶稣不但是大卫的儿子，也是神的儿子，祂是我们的王，是为我们舍命的“好牧人”，我们是祂的羊（约10:14-15）。祂完美地向我们显出怎样以神的心而活。今天，我们要信靠和跟随祂吗？
耶稣，我们的牧羊人，我们的王，感谢你呼召我们在今天的世界中来跟随你，效法你的心。愿我们永远如此跟随。奉你的名，阿们。
撒母耳上 16:1-13
1耶和华对撒母耳说：“我既厌弃扫罗做以色列的王，你为他悲伤要到几时呢？你将膏油盛满了角，我差遣你往伯利恒人耶西那里去。因为我在他众子之内，预定一个做王的。”
2撒母耳说：“我怎能去呢？扫罗若听见，必要杀我。”耶和华说：“你可以带一只牛犊去，就说：‘我来是要向耶和华献祭。’”
3你要请耶西来吃祭肉，我就指示你所当行的事。我所指给你的人，你要膏他。”
4撒母耳就照耶和华的话去行。到了伯利恒，那城里的长老都战战兢兢地出来迎接他，问他说：“你是为平安来的吗？”
5他说：“为平安来的，我是给耶和华献祭。你们当自洁，来与我同吃祭肉。”撒母耳就使耶西和他众子自洁，请他们来吃祭肉。
6他们来的时候，撒母耳看见以利押，就心里说：“耶和华的受膏者必定在他面前。”
7耶和华却对撒母耳说：“不要看他的外貌和他身材高大，我不拣选他。因为耶和华不像人看人，人是看外貌，耶和华是看内心。”
8耶西叫亚比拿达从撒母耳面前经过，撒母耳说：“耶和华也不拣选他。”
9耶西又叫沙玛从撒母耳面前经过，撒母耳说：“耶和华也不拣选他。”
10耶西叫他七个儿子都从撒母耳面前经过，撒母耳说：“这都不是耶和华所拣选的。”
11撒母耳对耶西说：“你的儿子都在这里吗？”他回答说：“还有个小的，现在放羊。”撒母耳对耶西说：“你打发人去叫他来。他若不来，我们必不坐席。”
12耶西就打发人去叫了他来。他面色光红，双目清秀，容貌俊美。耶和华说：“这就是他，你起来膏他。”
13撒母耳就用角里的膏油，在他诸兄中膏了他。从这日起，耶和华的灵就大大感动大卫。撒母耳起身回拉玛去了。
“People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7
Today, as we move closer to Christmas, we move on to the second section of Matthew’s genealogy, which focuses on David and his descendants. Matthew wants us to know clearly that Jesus, the son of David, came to be our King.
David was not the first king of Israel. Saul, who was tall and handsome, had become the people’s first king (1 Samuel 8-10). But Saul disobeyed God’s commands, so the Lord rejected him as king. God then chose David to be king—not because he was perfect, but because he was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).
What does that mean? Psalm 23, written by David, who had been a shepherd in his youth, helps us understand. In Psalm 23, David says the Lord is his shepherd, leading him to green pastures and quiet waters, guiding him in the right paths and protecting him in dark valleys. The Lord, said David, refreshed his soul, comforted him, and assured him that God’s goodness and love would surround him forever. In some ways, we could say, David walked with God as Enoch and Noah had done.
Jesus, who became not only the son of David but is also the Son of God, our King, is our “good shepherd” who has laid down his life for us, his sheep (John 10:14-15). And he has shown perfectly the way of living by God’s heart. Shall we trust and follow him today?
Thank you, Jesus, our Shepherd-King, for calling us to follow your way and your heart in the world today. May we do so always. In your name, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
