Christmas Sermon by Robert Thawngzam

Bible Hmuhsakmi le Cawnpiakmi Christmas Sullam   Bible Relnak: Mthew. 1:18-2:12, Lk.1: 26-38; 2:1-20,Isai. 4 :14,9:6   By Robert Thawngzam Germany 20 Dec 2009   Biahmaitthi: Pathian nih a kan pekmi Caan, Caanthennak tampi lak ah mi lungthin a hlaucemtu le   Ka nu, ka pa, ka U , ka Nau , ka Chungkhar, ka Khua, ka Ram, ka Miphun tiah ruahawk le taukawk hmanh a thei bal ti lomi nih, hnulei a vun cuanthan i (Homesick) Inn ngaih zawntnak a ngeih lio Caan, pumpak nunnak ah dawtnak a tharthan lio Caan cu   hi khuasik thla X´mas Caan hi a si ko rua tiah ka ruah. Cucaah hi X´mas a sullam theihfian hi kan herhngaimi a si. Vawilei fianning le Bible hmuhsakmi/cawnpiakm i tiah kan zoh hna lai.   I. Krih A Chuah Liocaan Isreal Ram Nainganzi (Uknak) AChine   Hi Krih a chuah lio Caan hi Isreal mi pawl cu Rom Cozah kuttang ah Sal an tan lio caan a si. Rom Cozah nih Palestin Ram kulh vialte hi a lak dih i a ram chung then kaudeuh cu Herod the Great (37-4BC)Siangpahran g pa Uknak kut tangah a chiah. Herod nih hin Isreal mi hi a rak hremtuk hna leng ah   Jerusalem Temple pi cu amah Sunparnak caah a hman i, Herod Temple ti tiang-in an rak kawh. Cu caah Iseal mi cu-cu Rom cozah kutchung in luatnakding caah Naingaizi (politic) an tuah ,i a ho nih dah cu Uknak chung cun a kan chanchuah lai tiah Hruaitu ttha an zoh lio caan a si. Bible Cahlun (O.T)  Isaiah 7:14; 9:6; Micah.5:2 le a dangdang chung i kan caah Messiah-Khamtu Bawi pek kan si lai timi hi , vawlei Uktu a si lai i, Rom kut in Independent a kan pek lai tiah an i ruah chan lio caan a si. Hi hi nihin i kan KawlRam sining he hin a khat ngai te. Asinain Boipa tinhpiakmi hna cu Vawlei Hruaitu le luat tertu siloin Thlarau lei tu khi a rak si deuh. Cucaah Jesus (X´mas) cu an ca ah tluknak pakhat a si ai.  Nihin ah kan nih zong Boipa Bia hi kan i fiandan kan i palh sual ah cun Isreal mi bantuk in Jeusus hi kan caah vuivainak le lungdonghnak a si lai i, kan X´mas hmanmi hi kan caan dihnak men le kan phaisa dihnak men a si lai. A sullam   fian kan hau......... ..   II. X´mas Ti Sullam cu Zeidah A Si? (What is X´mas?)   X´mas sullam cu phun hnih in vun zoh ta ah a tthacem a si rua tiah ka ruah. Cucu a tanglei bantuk hin an si.   A. Vawlei lei Hmuhning le Fianning   A. D.300 kum tiang cu X´mas tuah le Krih chuah ni lawmh timi hi Krifa Buu chungah a rak um lo. Aruang cu Krifa hmasa pawl, Krihfa Buu i Pa (church father) le pawl nih hin kan Khamtu chuahnak lawmh cu sual pakhat a si tiah an rak zumh caah a si. Zeitik ni, thla, caan setsai ah dah X´mas krifabu chungah aa thawk ti chim hi cu a harngaimi a si. Asinain AD.1500 kum ah hin kumkhat chung i ni 135 chungah  a dangdang ni cio ah Krifa buu tampi nih X´mas hi an rak tuah cio. Acheu nih December.25, January.6th, March.28, April.19,20, November.17 hna ah khin an rak tuah cio. A.D 361 kum ah hin Pope Julius nih December thla 25th ni hi X´mas ni siseh tiah bia a rak khiah. Cun A.D. 500 hin Krifa buu tamtu nih Dec.25 th ni cu X´mas ni sunglawi ah lungtho tein an rak hman cio.   Asinain Krihfaa Buu tampi nih hi Dec.25 ni cu an rak cohlang lo. Orthodox Church pawl le American church tampi nih cun January.6th le 8th ah X´mas cu an rak tuah. Cun Abyssinia i church pakhat nih cun kumkhat chungah vui 11 Zisuh chuahnak an rak lawmh ve. Cun amah Zisuh chuahnak Bethlahem khua ah hin a dang ni cio ah Biaknak phunthum hna nih Biakinn pakhat cung ah hi puai hi an rak tuah cio ve. ´´X´mas´´ ti in zapi nih theihmi Biafang a rak um hlan hrim hin Vawlei ram tampi le Krihfa Buu tampi ah Zisuh chuahnak ni hi Dec.25 ah an rak lawmh cio hna.   Rom pawl nih hi khuasik thla chung i sunglawi ngai in an tuahtawnmi puai min cu ``Saturalia` ` an ti i ``Saturn`` Pathian upatnak ca i an tuahmi a si. Cu puai ahcun miluat le sal, Bawi le Sal ti theidannak um lo in pakhat le pakhat laksawng i thlennak(giftchange ) hna an rak ngei. Cu tin Krifa biaknak cu Rom Cozah pi i biaknak ah a rak ca´n dih bak-in ``Saturalia`` timi puai min cu `` The Mass of Christ`` or ``Christ Mass`` ah an thlen.  Europe ram nichuak lei a ummi German miphun pawl nih Dec.25 ah hin puai sunglawi an rak ngeih theu ve. Cun Nichuah Europe ram i a sunglawi bikmi puai an rak ngeimi cu The Anglo-Saxon nih Zool or Yule an timi hi a si. Cu ´´Yule´´ min cu a hnu ah ´´Christmas´´ ah an thlen ve. Hebrew pawl nih hin Dec. 25 ah hin ´´Hanukkah´´ timi Puai hi an rak ngeih ve. X´mas hi Biafang pahnih fonhmi a si `Christ le Mass`. Christ cu Greek holh Christos in a ra i asullam cu `chiti thuhmi , thimmi´ tinak a si. Mass cu Hebrew holh ´Mass´ in a ra i a sullam cu ´Hmaizahmi , Upatmi´ ti nak   a si. Mass hi mitampi/buupi ti zong khin sullam ngeihter, leh khawh a si i, hi biafang ruang ah Mi tampi an lungbuai caah, a hnu ah Romancatholic (R.C) pawl nih ´Mas` ´´s´´pakhat ah an thlen. Cu caah X´mas ti sullam an langhter duhmi cu   ´´Zisu Krih philhlonak Puai´´ tinak khi a si. Nihin ah cun ´Zisuh Krih Chuah Ni Lawmhnak Puai´´ ti zong ah an kawh. Cuticun Krihfa hmasa pawl nih X´mas cu sunglawi ngai le upatnak tling he England ram ah Chistos Mass min in an hman, cun Spain ah Nalividad min in, Italy ah Natale min in, French ah Noel min in, Germany ah  Weihnacht min in X´mas Zan cu a thiang, a dai Zan tiah an rak pom, auh, hmang cio hna. Nihin ah cun X´mas cu Pathian lei le Vawlei lei cawhchih in an hman dih cang. Vawlei thil le Thlarau lei thil thleidannak um loin Secular style deuh in hman a si cang. Cucaah X´mas cu Krih philh lonak  ca le Krih chuah lawmhnak caah tuah siti loin Chungkhar, unau, cinglarualchan i tonnak le hoikom i tonnak tu ah hman a si cang.   Cu caah December 25th ni bak hi  Krih a chuah Ni bak a si ti na ruah sual i na fiansul ahcun na palh lai. Krih a chuah ni bak si lo-in Krih a chuah kan lawmhnak Ni le Krih philh lonak ca i kan ulhmi Ni tu khi a si deuh. Cucaah X´mas hi na tuah zong ah a ttha i na tuah lo zong ah na sual hlei lo. Belte cu na tuahning , na hmanning le a sullam na fiannig naa palh sual belte ahcun , na Taksa caah damlonak , na Thinlung zawtnak le na Thlarau thihnak tiang an phan pi kho. Nangmah duhning siloin a chuaktu, hrin a simi pa (Jesus Krih) a duhning tu in hman le lawmpiak i zuam tu hi a biapi deuhmi cu a si.   B. Bible Hmuhsakning le Cawnpiakning   X´mas timi Biafang(Word) hi Bible chungah kan hmu lo. Krih a chuah Ni zong, hi Ni bak hi a si tiah kan thei lo. Cu ruangah Vawlei cung Krifa buu cheukhat cu hi X´mas   hi an hmang lo. X´mas tuah le hman cu sual phunkhat le Boipa bia duh paoh in me´er ah an rel. Cu pawl zong cu an palh hlei lo i an hman hlei ve lo.   Asiah Bible ah a um lomi cu zeiruang ahdah kan tuah kun? X´mas ti Biafang(word) cu kan hmu lo na in X´mas hi tuah phu le Krih chuahnak hi lawmhphu a sinak tu cu a huap kaupi in a kan hmuhsak. Aruang cu Jesus cu Vawlei ah Mary nih a hrin hrimhrim ko timi cu al-awk tha loin Bible nih a kan cawnpiak. Tnk....Trinity a zummi pawl caah Trinity timi Biafang hi Bible ah kan hmuh ve lo, nain Pathian cu Trinity bak a si ko timi tu hi al-awk ttha loin a huap kaupi in a kan hmuhsak ve . Bible nih Jesus kha vawlei ah a chuak rua rak ti seh law cu..tuah le lawm phu a si lai lo. Jesus chuah caan le chuahnak a lawm hmai satu pawl zong hi Rom Krihfa buu pawl rak si hna sehlaw cu lawmh phu le tuah phu a si hnga lo. Jesus chuahnak a lawm hmaisa biktu hna cu a pakhatnak ah Vanmi thiang pawl, cun Tuucawng pawl , le Mifim (Mifim pathum timi Bible ah a um lo, ´´pawl´´ timi plural word lawng a um) pawl an si.Cu nih cun lawmh phu a sinak a kan hmuhsak. Cucaah a caan le a ni ah buai lo in a sullam tu ah hin buai deuh hna u sih.    1.      X´mas cu ´´Pek´´ asiloah ´´Tthenh´´ tinak a si.(It is giving or sharing) Jhn. 3:16           i.            Adam le Evi cu Boipa nih amah  muikeng tein a ser hna. Zungzal a nungmi Pathian  a si bantuk in zungzal nung hna seh ti hi a duhpiak hna. Cucaah thihnak le nunnak ti-in phunhnih a um ti an theih/hngalh khawhnak ding caah thleidanthiamnak Thingkung cu Eden dum laifang bak ah a chiahpiak hna. Thingkung   Dum a laifang i achiahnak  chan cu  a ding, a fel, zumhawktlak, le dawtnak in a khatmi pathian a sinak langhter a duh caah a si. Minung nih zeihmanh ralrinnak caah information na kan pe lo tiah Pathian kha bia-alnak an tuah khawh lonak ding caah a si. Adam nih Boipa nawl ngailo in ei-loding thei a ei caah Pathian fa sinak in Satan fa (Sual Fa) ah aa cang. John. 8:44. Khamhmi fa sinak in khamh herhmi fa ah aa cang. Cu Ni thawk cun Adam sual ruangah Vawlei mi vialte cu sual kan si dih( Rom.5:12-21; 1 kor.15:21-22; Gen.3:1-7) i khamhnak pek a herhmi le, tthenh a herhmi kan si dih. Boipa nih Adam le Evi taklong an si i an ning a zah kha a hmuh tik ah Sa a thah i Sa phaw a aih, a khuh than hna-Gen.3:21. Cucu Adam le Evi caah ´´X´mas´´ (´´pek´´ or ´tthenh´' ) ti  cu a si ko. Krih nih Vawlei mi kan caah a tuah te dingmi hmuhsaknak cu a si ko.         ii.            Cu ticun Minung nih khamhnak an hmuh thannak ding caah le a nungmi Pathian a si langhternak ca´h Isreal mi pawl cu Boipa nih aa thimtthan hna. Cu aa thimmi mi hna nih khamhnak an hmuhnakding caah Moses hmang in Nawlbia (khamhnak an hmuhnak ding caah) a rak pek hna-Exodus.20: 1-20.  Cucu Bible Cahlun (Old Testament) ´´X´mas´´ ti zong ah kawhkhawh a si.       iii.            Sihmanhsehlaw, cu Nawlbia cu Minung nih kan zulhkhawh lo ca´h , a fapa ngeihchun te cu kan nih khamhnak caah a kan pek than.( Joh.3:16, Isaiah.7:14, 9:6). Cucu nihin i kan au pi lengmangmi X´mas (New Testament X´mas or Contemporary X´mas) cu a si. X´mas sullam cu ´´pek , tthenh´´ tinak a si. Phundang in kan chim ahcun X´mas sullam cu ´´mission´´(English-sending= Lai-thlah) ti zong ah auhkhawh a si fon.   Ø  Asi ah zeidah kan pek ve lai?   a.      Biaknak le Thangthatnak pek ding (Mt.2:11a)   Vanmi tthiang hna le Tuucaawng pawl le Mifim pawl i a hmasacem Krih an pekmi cu thangthatnak le Biaknak a si . Vanmi pawl le tuucawng pawl nih cun hla le aunak in , cun Mifim pawl nih cun khuk bil in thangthatnak an pek. Krih biaknak ah na khuk naa bil kho rih lo ahcun atu kum X´mas cun khukbil in biak khawh i zuam ve cang. Toidornak lungthin bia, tthangtthat tinak zong a si fon.   b.      Lungthin Innka Hunpiakding le Pekding (Mt.2:11b)   Mifim pawl cu Jesus an hmuh le cangkaa in an biak. Cun an i kenmi an thil mansungbik chiahnak Bukbau (Greek-thesauroi( s)   a hman i hihi Mt.13:52 ah khin cun thil chiahnak Inn ´´store house´´ tiah a leh) kha an hun a ti. Cu nih a langhtermi cu(storehouse) kan thinlung Innka hunpiak/pek khi a chim duhmi a si. Lungthin hi zeizong vial te nak-in nawl a ngeibik, thil a ti khobik,   sullam angei biktu a si. Bible nih na lung thin dihlak timi hi vuizakhat reng lo a chim.  Cu lungthin Innka cu awnhpiak law pe ve cang.   c.        LaakSawng Phunthum(taksa, thinlung, thlarau) Pekding.(Mt. 2:11c).   Mifim pawl cu an biaknak, thangthatnak le an thil mansung chiahnak bukbau an hundih hnu le pekdih hnu ah an laakawng phunthum...Sui lungvar, Zihmui mansung, le Muran hna cu an chuah i Jesus cu an pek. Cu laaksawng phunthum nih a langhtermi cu ´´Taksa, Thinlung, Thlarau´´ TTT pathum hi an si. Na Taksa in upat law, Na Thinlung in ruat law,Na Thlarau in thangthat ve cang ( Jh.4:24)   2. X´mas cu Krih he i Ton Tinak a si.( Mt.2:10-12; Luke.2:16-18)   Krih he i ton hi zumtu kan caah a herhbikmi a si. X´mas hman ve lengmang ttung i Krih he i ton bal ve lo cu Malaysia ah Phaisa tampi dih in kal ve tung in a zin hmanh hmuh hlan i Palek pawl nih tleih he aa lo. Phaisa tampi dih le caan tampi pek in X´mas hman ve tung i Krih he i ton lo cu ngeihchia a va si hringhran dah.   Hika zon ah hin Krih he kan i tonning tu hi aa lo cio lo. Mifim pawl cu Krih he an i tonnak ding ah Boipa ´´Arfi Ceu´´ nih lam a hruai hna , Khrih he an i tawn hlan lo Inn ah an tin lo, asinain Tuucawng pawl cu Arfi nih siloin Vanmi nih ´´Bia´´ in Krih he an i tonnak ding caah lam an chimh hna. Vanmi pawl chimhning in Krih he an i ton hlan lo an kal ve.   Unau, nihin ah nang le kei zong Krih he kan i tonnak ding ahcun Boipa Bia ning in kan kal a hau ve i, Krih he kan i ton hlan lo Boipa Ceunak-Thiang Thlarau hruainak Lam cu zul ko hna u si.( Rom.8:14) Herod tu cu Keizong Krih cu ka biak ve lai tiah a ka in a chim ko nain a lungthin cu Krih he aa hlat(Mt. 15:8). A chimbantuk in kal in Krih cu a va tong lo, a va bia lo. Cu nakcun Krih chuah Ni ah Mi a tthah i tthatlonak phun tling a tuah. Unau, Nangtah Krih chuah Caan ah , X´mas ah Krih he i ton loin tthiltthalo a tuahmi le Boipa lung a fak termi na si sual maw? Zuu dinnak le vawlei pum saduhnak in Krih a chuah Ni a lawmmi na si sual ve maw?   Ø  Asiah zeitin dah Krih he kan i ton khawh lai?   a)      Na duh bikmi, le na tleihchan bikmi Thil  na kal tak a hau (Lk.2:15-16)   Mifim pawl le Tuu cawng pawl cu Krih ka caah a chuak cang ti an theihbak in an duhbikmi le nitin an paw cawmnak a simi thil, rian vial te an kal tak. An Rian, an Sipuazi le thildang nakin Jesus hmuh le ton an duh deuh .. Amen ( Mt.10:37). Zeidah na tleihcanbikmi Krih tonnak ah an dawntu a si?   b)      Vawlei Pumsaduhnak He i Then a Hau. ( Mt.2:9-10)   Mifim pawl cu Herod (Herod nih vawlei tthil le Satan le  thilri a langhter) sin ah khan nuam ngai in an um peng lo. Herod he i thennak lam kha an kawl. Herod he an i then bak in Arfi ceu cu an caah a lang than i Krih an ton tiang lam a hruai hna.   Herod nih Vawlei pumsaduhnak a langhter. Mifim pawl nih nang le kei an langhter ve. Vawlei pumsaduhnak he i then ve law (1John. 2:15,1 Kor.5:9-11 etc.) cun Boipa ceunak na cungah a lang lai i , Krih he nan i tong kho ve lai.   c)      Boipa Bia hi theih lawng siloin zumh in a tak in tuah a hau. (James. 1:22)   Mifim pawl le Tuu cawng pawl cu Jesus ka caah a chuak timi thawngttha an theihmi kha , theih sawhsawh lawng si loin an zumh i a tak in an tuah. Herod cu a theihmi thawngtha kha a zumh ko nain a tuah lo, a thin tu a phang. Jesus a chuak ti a ttheihmi Bia kha tak in a tuah lo. Jesus a chuah ti theih ko nain zumh taktak lo le zumhnak kha a tuah in tuah taktak lo ahcun san a tlai lo. James.2:19- Khuachia le Satan zong nih Pathian cu an zumh ko, an  zumhnak kha a tak in an tuah,  a langhter chuah lo caah an zumnak cu san a tlai lo.   Nihin ah mi tampi cu X´mas a naih paoh ah kan thin a phang ve. Tthiltha cawknak, Zuu dinnak le Mehthawcawknak kan ngei sual lai lo kan ti ve. Unau nangtah zei dirhmun? Kaa lawng in siloin zumh in a tak in Krih cu pah ve cang u sih.    Biatlangkomhnak   Cucaah X´mas hi na lawmhning , na hmanning le a sullam nai fianning na palh sual ahcun na tak sa, na thinlung, le na thlarau caah zeihmanh thathnemnak a ngei lai lo.   Krih he aa tong cangmi Mifim pawl le Tuucawng pawl cu X´mas nih a chuahpimi hnangamnak le lawmhnak in an khat cang. Krih an tondih in Boipa bia a rami cu nan ratnak lam khan kirthan ti hla u. Lam dang in kir cang u a ti. Cu nih a langhtermi cu ´´Krih he    aa tong cangmi le X´mas sullam ngei tein a hmang cangmi hna ca ahcun Nunning Hlun kha a lo i Nunning Thar in a thawk cang tinak a si.( 2kor. 5:17) Krih he a tongcangmi cu a nunning hlun kha a lo i nunning thar in aa thawk/nung cang´´.     Kan nih zong atu kum X´mas cun Nunning hlun kha kal tak cang hna u sih law, Nunning thar in nun i zuam cang hna u sih.   X´mas daihnak nan cung ah um ko seh....!    Sources: 1. Encyclopedia Britannica (1961-ed), Vol.5, p. 642. 2. The New Schaff- Herzog Encyclopedia of  Religious Knowledge, Vol.3, p. 47-ff 3. Adlai Albert Esteb, Ph. D , ´´ What Christmas Means´´ USA: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1971, p. 9. ´´ giving and good will virtually spell Christmas´´ says, A. A. Esteb. 4. Jens Herzer, ´´ Die Ursprünge der Kirchlichen Feste: Ostern, Himmelfahrt, Pfingsten, Weihnachten und Ihre Biblischen Grundlangen ´´Germany: Deutsche Bibelgesellshaft Stuttgart, 2006. 5. Hans Förster, ´´  Weihnachten: ein Spurensuche´´, Germany: 2003. 6. Harmut Badenhap ´´Wieso Weihnachten?´´, Germany: 19889. 7. Eugene L. Brand, ´´ The Encyclopedia of The Lutheran Church´´ , 1965. 8. Monika K. Hellwig, ´´ The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia´´, June, 10, 1994. 9. Frank C. Senn, ´´ The Encyclopedia of Christianity´´, Germany: 1997. 10. S.K. Roll, ´´ Christmas and Its Cycle: New Catholic Encyclopedia´´ USA, 2003. 11. The Seventh Day Adventist Encyclopedia; Commentary, 1996. 12. O. Cullmann, ´´ The Origin of Christmas: The Early Church´´ Philadelphia, 1956. 13. A.T. Kraabel, ´´ The Roots of Christmas ´´ Dialog.21, 1982.   ================= Life is like a book, everyday is new pages