Have you been listening to Christmas songs?

As soon as the turkey and dressing is cleared from the plates, we crank up the Christmas music. Our kids always enjoyed the silly songs about Rudolph, Santa, and snowy sleigh rides. But every year as Christmas day approached, we moved from rockin’ around the Christmas tree to focus more on the old favorites about the birth of Christ.你有没有开始听圣诞歌曲呢？当我们吃完火鸡，装饰好圣诞树时，我们就会大声播放圣诞音乐。孩子们会着迷于充满童趣的歌曲。但是每一年随着圣诞节的临近，我们会把注意力从圣诞树转向这个节日的基本核心：基督的降生。

It’s as if we all needed to be reminded of the real miracle of Christmas: God’s Son came to live on earth. We turned to classic hymns, declaring:

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.

Hark! The herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king!我们都需要复习圣诞节真正的神迹：上帝的儿子降生到这个地球上。我们开始听经典诗歌：哦，圣善夜！众星闪耀。这是亲爱救主的诞辰！听！报喜讯的天使在歌唱，荣耀归给新生之王！

As we listened, someone inevitably asked, Why was it important for Christ to live on earth? Maybe you’re wondering too.每当我们听这些圣诗时，不可避免地总会被问到：为什么基督降世为人这么重要？或许你也很好奇。

You’ll remember from Advent Week 1, one reason Christ came as an actual person was to communicate with us—to be the living Word of God. He experienced all the trials and joys and temptations that each of us experiences during our earthly lives. By examining His words and His life we can know the mind of God.  We can know what God says is important, and how we should live.从上周的内容中，我们知道基督降世为人的目的是要成为一个有血有肉的人，要和我们交流，成为上帝的话语在这世上的展现。祂和我们一样在世界上经历所有的试炼，喜乐和试探。通过思考祂的话语和生活，我们可以了解上帝的心意。我们明白上帝的话语最重要，教导我们该如何生活。

Vernon McGee, once said, Christ came “So you can know God. The only way you will ever know Him, my friend, is to know this One. … He is the only One who can reveal God to us.”

Still, there’s another reason why Christ came to earth as God’s Son. Only by living as a man could He fulfill the final and ultimate purpose of God—to die as a sacrifice and offering for our sin. Philippians 2 continues, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Vernon McGee曾经说过，基督降临“你就可以认识上帝，这是唯一一个认识上帝的途径，我的朋友，这位基督可以让我们向我们展示上帝。”当然，作为神的独生子降世为人还有另外一个重要的作用----为我们的罪成为祭物献上死去。腓立比书第2章告诉我们：既有人的样子，就自己卑微，存心顺服，以至于死，且死在十字架上。 

Our redemption and forgiveness of sin could only be accomplished by the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross. Thank God for sending His Son as a man to die in obedience to His perfect will. This is indeed the true reason why Jesus came that first Christmas so long ago.耶稣的宝血在十字架上的流淌成就了对于我们的罪的救赎和饶恕。感谢上帝赐给我们祂的独生子成就祂完美的旨意。这正是耶稣在很久以前降临的那个圣诞节真正的意义。

For more application with your children:带孩子过圣诞的小点子：

Organize a birthday party for Jesus.  As you eat cake and ice cream, talk about the blessings you’ve enjoyed during the year and about the gifts you have given to others. Then give each child a gift to unwrap. Each gift is the same—the figure of baby Jesus.  Each child realizes that Jesus is the best present ever.  Conclude by singing or listening to “Silent Night.”组织一个为耶稣“庆生的小聚会”。当你们吃蛋糕或冰淇淋的时候，和孩子们谈论这一年中上帝给你们的祝福和你们准备的礼物。然后发给每个孩子让他们自己拆包装。每个礼物是一样的----一个婴儿耶稣的画像。每个孩子都会发现耶稣是最好的礼物。最后，大家一起听“平安夜”。