约瑟——生命彻底翻转
和马利亚一样，约瑟也被天使造访了。和马利亚一样，约瑟顺服了天使颁布的信息。而且，和马利亚一样，他的生命彻底翻转。
约瑟的生活，就是农村一个木匠的生活。收入不怎么稳定，生意也没有保障。约瑟不需要冒险和长途旅行，他需要的是良好稳定的工作。
但随着约瑟跟随神的指引，冒险就开始了。首先，对于马利亚怀孕的丑闻，他得承受来自邻居和家人们不赞成的眼神和评论。接着就是伯利恒之行，本来就不容易，加上马利亚即将生产，肯定就更困难了。又因为他们没有地方可去，她在马厩里生下了婴孩耶稣。然后牧羊人来了，讲述了遇到天使的事，后来，外国的占星家来尊崇耶稣为新生王。然后约瑟不得不和马利亚、耶稣一起逃往埃及，躲避希律王的男婴大屠杀（马太福音 2）。
这些都不是约瑟与马利亚定亲时能够预料到的事。但是，当耶稣进入我们的生命，我们就知道事情会不再一样。当祂带我们开始冒险，尤其是在神的国度与祂同行的这种大冒险时，我们的生活可能也会完全翻转。
我们的神，我们的救主啊，祢的应许是多么的真实。无论祢呼召我们往哪里，求祢引导我们在那里服事祢和尊崇祢。奉祢的名祷告，阿们。
马太福音 1:18-25
18耶稣基督降生的事记在下面：他母亲马利亚已经许配了约瑟，还没有迎娶，马利亚就从圣灵怀了孕。
19他丈夫约瑟是个义人，不愿意明明的羞辱他，想要暗暗的把他休了。
20正思念这事的时候，有主的使者向他梦中显现，说：大卫的子孙约瑟，不要怕！只管娶过你的妻子马利亚来，因他所怀的孕是从圣灵来的。
21他将要生一个儿子，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。
22这一切的事成就是要应验主藉先知所说的话，
23说：必有童女怀孕生子；人要称他的名为以马内利。（以马内利翻出来就是神与我们同在。）
24约瑟醒了，起来，就遵着主使者的吩咐把妻子娶过来；
25只是没有和他同房，等他生了儿子（有古卷：等他生了头胎的儿子），就给他起名叫耶稣。
Joseph, Son Of David
"Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." — Matthew 1:20
Like Mary, Joseph had a visit from an angel. Like Mary, Joseph obeyed the angel's message. And, like Mary, his life was turned upside down.
Joseph's life was that of a village craftsman. Income wasn't always certain; business could be precarious. Joseph didn't need adventures and long-distance trips; he needed a good steady stream of work.
But as Joseph followed God's direction, the adventures began. First he had to endure disapproving looks and remarks from neighbors and family members over the scandal of Mary's pregnancy. Then there was the trip to Bethlehem, never easy but certainly made more difficult as Mary was about to give birth. And because they had no place to stay, she gave birth to baby Jesus in a stable. Then shepherds came telling about a visit by angels, and, later, astrologers from foreign lands came to honor Jesus as a new king. Then Joseph had to run with Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape King Herod's slaughter of baby boys (Matthew 2).
This wasn't what Joseph had figured on when he had pledged himself to Mary. But when Jesus enters our life, we can expect things to be different. Our lives can be turned upside down as he takes us on adventures—especially on the biggest adventure of all: life with him in the kingdom of God.
Lord and Savior, we know that your promises are true. Guide us to serve and honor you, wherever you call us to go. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳
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