Honpa hong suak zo ~ Rev. Zam Khat Kham

Honpa hong suak zo ~ Rev. Zam Khat Kham

Ahih hangin vantungmi in amaute’ kiang ah: “Lau kei un. Mi khempeuh ading a lian mahmah lungdamna thu kong zasak hi. Tuni-in David khua ah Christ Topa ahi hong Honpa in note’ adingin a suak zo hi” (Luke 2:10,11).

Banghangin Topa Jesuh Christ hong suahna thu “a lian mahmah lungdamna thu (nakpi nuamna thu) kici ahi tam? Banghangin “a lian mahmah lungdamna thu” (good news/tidings of great joy) kici ahi tam? Bang thu hang pen taktakin hih thu a lian mahmah lungdamna thu (good news) kici ahi tam?

Hih dotna a tom penpen-in dawng lian ni ci lehang, “Honpa Hong Suak Zo” cih lian ding ahi hi. Bang Honpa hi a, kua’ adinga Honpa hi a, a koi pan a a kua peuhmah honkhia ahi tam maw, cih thute Lasiangtho tungtawn-a i kantel ciangin Jesuh Christ leitung honkhia dinga mihing-a hong pianna bel a lian mahmah lungdamna/nakpi nuamna thu taktak mah hi, cih mu thei hi hang.

I. Hong Pian Nading Thu Kigenkhol

“Tuni-in David khua ah” cih kammal i mu thei hi. “David khua” pen Jerusalem hi lo hi—Bethlehem khua hi. Jerusalem pan in leitaw-lam (south) tai guk tai sagih khawng a gamlatna mun-a om khua gol het lo khat ahi hi. Tuhun laitak tektek bangin Palestinian-te’ ukna nuai-a om Arab khua khat hi bilbel hi. Ahih hangin i Topa mihinga hong pian lai-in Judah mite’ khuaneu khat ahi hi.

Tuhun ciangin Bethlehem khua pen tuaci neu lua nawn khol lo a a lampite kawcik mahmah taleh mi a tultul-a a kileh ziahziahna khua khat suak ta hi. Mun dang pan-a khualzin mite tung pan-a sum zonna “tourism” tawh sum ngah pen uh hi. Mi a tampen in et loh phamawh-a a ngaihsut pen uh tua Bethlehem khua laizang-a tanglai-a kipan i Topa’ suahna mun lian hi, ci-a a kiciamteh mun-a kilam “the Church of the Holy Nativity” kici biakinn pen ahi hi. Tuma kum 1700 lai-a kilam, kisusia zel, kilam kik zel, tuni mahmah-a et theih hawh theih dinga om biakinn ahi hi.

1865 kumin America gam Boston khuapi panin Phillips Brooks a kici pastor khat zong Christmas hun laitakin i Topa leitung ah a om lai a a vakna gam Holy Land a kicihna munteng ah va hawh hi. Inn a tun kik ciangin a khualzinna pan-a lungsim-a suak la khat phuaka, a pawlpi vua choir director-pa in a aw ding bulhsak hi. 1867 kum-a Christmas concert a bawlna vuah sa pah uh hi. “Bethlehem Khuaneu Mite Aw” cih la hi a, tuni dongin i sasa lai hi. Bethlehem khua ah Pastor Brooks a va hawh hun lai, tuma kum 140 val deuh hun lai-in tua khua khuata neuno khat hi lai hi. A dai hiithiat khua khat hi lai hi.

Banghangin Bethlehem pen “David Khua” kici se ahi tam? Kumpipa David a pianna leh a nu a pa leh a sanggam pasalte sagih tawh a khankhiatna khua ahih man ahi hi. Tua khua kiim khua paam-a gan cinna lopa hoihna munte ah a tu a keelte cinga, i Topa hong suah hun laitaka tuucingte in a tuute uh gamlak ah a vil bangun a sun a zan-a, a tuuk a khal-a agamtatna mun, a “nautualkaihna” mun ahi hi.

I Topa Bethlehem khua ah mihinga hong suah hun ma kum 700 lai pekin kamsangpa Micah tungtawnin Pasian in Bethlehem khua ah “Messiah” suak ding hi, ci-in na genkhol khin hi. Micah 5:2 ah: “Ahih hangin nang, Bethlehem Ephrathah aw, Judah bawngte lakah na neu zenzen hangin, nang sung panin Israel a uk ding khat hong piang ding hi, ama’ pianna pen tanglai pek pan ahi hi” ci-in a kician sinsen-in na genkhol khin zo hi.

“Judah bawngte lakah na neu hangin” cih kammal ciamteh ni. I Topa’ hong pian ma kum 700 lai, Bethlehem khua a neu mahmah hun lai-akigen ahi hi. Israel gam sunga mite’ zin nopna leh zin munna pen khua 10 lakah kihel ngei lo ding hi. Tua hun lai-in va pai hi lehang khuata mahmah khuaneu no khat ahi Bethlehem khua ah inn tawmkhat na om lel dinga mi zong tawmkhat bek om luakluak pong ding hi. I Topa hong suah hun lai-in zong khua gol hi nai lo lai hi. Ahi zongin Laisiangtho sung ah “Messiah” a pian nading mun hi, ci-in kigen sinsen mawk ahih manin Judah mite in bel thei lua uh hi.

Matthew 2 sung i sim ciangin “magi” kici mipilte Jerusalem khuapi a Herod kumpipa kiang ah hong pai-in, “Judah-te’ kumpipa koi ah om ahi hiam? Nisuahna gamlam ah ama’ aksi ka mu khin zo uh a, amah a bia dingin kong pai uh hi” ci hiaumawk uh hi. A dotna uh tua hi! Judah-te’ kumpipa koi ah suak? Herod in a mipilte kaikhawmin dong pah a, amaute in Micah 5:2 tungtawnin “Bethlehem khua ah suak ei” ci lian uh hi (Matthew 2:1-6). Hih thu hangin Judah mite in thei luazen uh hi, ka cih theihna hi. Tua hun-a kum 700 lai peka kigehkhol khinsa thu ahi hi. Thusim (secret) hi peuhmah lo hi.

Mipilte hong suak vat, dotna hong dong uh, Laisiangtho thei Judah mipilte in dawng thei pah bilbel, Bethlehem zong Jerusalem pan gamla peuhmah lo, hi taleh nisuahna lam pan-a hong pai mipilte sim loh kuamah peuhmah in hih thu va kan ning, kei zong pai-in va en ning, a ci om het lo tangial bilbel hi. Leitung tangthu-a thupiang lamdangpen leh thupiang thupipen awlmawh lo ngam mawk uh hi. Sum mahmah uh hi. A kin mahmah uh, a buaipih mahmah uh thudang tampite sangin thupizaw kha ngel ding hi ven!

“Tuni-in David khua ah” a cih thu i sim leh i zak simin i Topa leh i Honpa Jesuh Christ pen tua hun ma kum 700 lai-a Laisiangtho in a genkholhna a tangtunna-a mihinga hong suak ahi hi, cih i phawk ding deihhuai ka sa hi. Tua ban-ah theihna bek in phattuamna hong pia lo hi, cih zong i phawk ding thupi mahmah hi. A suah nading mun bang thei mahmah luanluan napi uh-in khat beek mahmah in va en ning, a thu va kan ning, va bia ning, a ci om peuhmah lo lawmlawm uh!

II. Hong Pai Takpi

Vantungmi’ tangkona en pha mah dih ni. “Tuni-in David khua ah note’ adingin… suak zo hi” ci ngiat hi. “Tuni-in suak” cih kammal bulphuh-in encian dih ni. Bethlehem khua a thupiang pen Pasian’ Tapa mihinga hong suahna hi mawk hi.

Thu nih kimu thei hi. Jesuh Christ naungeka hong suahna ah nalamdang (miracle) om lo hi. Suah ngei-a suak hi lel hi. “Nungak siangtho sung pana suak” cih kammal ki zang den-a Mangkam-a “Virgin Birth” kici pen ahi hi. Ahi zongin a nalamdang (miracle) taktak bel a suahna hi lo a, tua hun ma kha kua lai-a a gaina (conception) hi zaw hi. A suah pen mihing suah ngei-a suak hi a, a gai pen gai ngei-a gai hi lo hi. A nu Mary’ tungah Khasiangtho (vangliatna) hong tunga pasal tawh khatvei beek a kithuah ngei lo hi napi-in Mary hong gai mawk hi. Leitung ah pawlpi tuamtuam tampi a om hangin tua pawlpite’ upna bulpite ah hih “virgin birth” a bulpi-a a ngaihsun lo pawlpi om lo hi.

A om zenzen leh tua pawlpi pen “Christian” pawlpi hi lo ding hi. I Topa mawh nei lo a “nungak siangtho sung pan-a hong suahna” (virgin birth) lo-in mawh nei mihing tate’ ading hotkhiatna lam-etna om thei lo hi. Matthew in “Khasiangtho tungtawnin” (Through the Holy Spirit, from the Holy Spirit) cih kammalte na zanga, Luke in, “Khasiangtho nang tung ah hong tungin Sangpen Pa’ vangliatna in nang hong sung ding hi” ci-in na gen hi (Luke 1:35). Mangkamin “overshadowed” cih kammal na kizang hi. “Sung/overshadowed” cih kammal in Pasian mahmah a mimal-a a kihelna hong lak hi.

Nungak sung pan-a Jesuh a pian sesena banghang hiam, bang deihna hiam? Numei sung panin piang ahih manin mihing taktak ahihna hi. Ahi zong Khasiangtho in a gaisak hi a, numei leh pasal’ khaici pan-a mihing pianngei-a piang hi lo ahih manin mihing mawkmaw hi lo hi. Nungak sung pan-a a pianna pen a Greek vai takin ci lehang, Jesuh pen a Tapa taktak ahihna Pasian in a pulaakna ahi hi. Nungak sung pan-a a pianna tawh Jesuh leitung ah hong sungtum (lut) a, mihing hihna humanity khempeuh a vekin la hi. Ahi zongin mawhna nei kilkel lo hi. Pasian ahihna (deity/divinity) khat beek paikhia (surrender) lo hi. Jesuh Pasian ahi hi.

Tua ahih manin Bethlehem khua gan-an nekna kuang sunga kisial naungek pen vantung a sangpen-a a Thahatpen Pasian hi ngiatzen hi. Pasian taktak hi a mihing taktak zong ahi hi. Khasiangtho a sep lian bang ahi tam? I tel khit ngei loh ding hangin tua nungak siangtho Mary tung ah hong tunga Vanglian Pasian in a hong “sun/overshadowed” ciangin Mary’ naubu sung ah pumpi khat (a body) bawlkhol hi (Hebrews 10:5). Leitung ah bangmah tawh a kitehkaak thei ngei lo ding, a piang ngei nawn lo ding nalamdang (miracle) ahi hi. Tua banga hong gai khit ciangin mihing ngeina bangin a nu Mary’ sung ah hong khangkhanga a hun a cin ciangin Bethlehem khuaneu ah hong suak hi. I Topa hong pai takpi hi!

“Tuni-in” a cih kammal in tua ni-in Jesuh suak takpi cih hong hilh hi. Pasian thuthuk hilh minthang Francis Schaeffer in “lower-story truth” leh “upper-story truth” cih kammal zang thei gige hi. “Lower-story truth” a cih ciangin tangthu-a piang takpi—kua, bang hun-in, koi mun ah bang thu bang piang takpi hiam, cih thute hi. Mun khat ah hun khat lai-in mi pawlkhatte’ tung ah thu pawlkhat piang takpi, cih thute genna ahi hi. A kilehbulh lianin, “upper-story truth” a kicite pen, phuahtawm thu—fables and stories— hi a, Aesop’ Tangthute (The Fables of Aesop) cih dante hi. A piang takpi thu hi lo a, ahi zongin thu manpha tampi a kihilh theih nadinga kiphuaktawm thute ahi hi.

Mi pawlkhatte in Matthew leh Luke sunga i Topa’ hong pianna thute sim-in “upper-story truth” bangin ngaihsun uh hi. A takpi dingin lamdang lua, hi thei kei, ci uh hi. Professor khat bangin, “theological fiction” ci zawzen hi, pawlpi masate’ lai hunte-a mite in a phuahtawm uh hi, ci mawk hi. Ngaihsun khial taktak uh hi. Pasian’ vangliatna leh Pasian’ gelna ciangtan uh hi.

Pawlkhat in “Jesus Seminar” a kici khat i za ngei kha ding hi. Liberal mipil kici pawlkhat in mel (color) tuamtuam-a kizem suangtangte zangin, Lungdamna Thubute sunga i Topa’ thu leh kammalte ahi takpi maw, a kiphuaktawm maw, ci-in mekhia (vote) uh hi. I Topa nungak siangtho sung pan-a a pianna thu a tun uh ciangin 24-1 me (vote) tawh “hi thei kei” ci ekmawk uh hi. Amau’ “vote” bel Vantung thukhen zum (court) ah thusuak khol kei maw inteh! Lamdangsa lua kei ni. Tanglai-a kipan Laisiangtho thumaan thutakte a lehdo leh a langpan a om den mah hi a, langpangpa’ nasepna hi, gualzo ngei lo ding hi.

Tanglai-a kipan tuni dong pawlpi-in a pulaak upna pulaakna (Apostles’ Creed) ah “Khasiangtho in gaisaka, Nungak siangtho Mary sung pan suak hi” (Conceived of the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary) cih hi den hi. Mun khempeuh a Christian khempeuh in hun khempeuh a a up uh ahi hi. Francis Schaeffer’cih bangin ci ni ci lehang, i Topa Jesuh Christ mihing-a hong pianna pen hun khat (tuma kum 2000) leitung mun khat (Bethlehem) ah a piang takpi “lower-story truth” thumaan thutak ahi hi.

Tua ahih manin Laisiangtho sung ah, “Tuni-in David khua ah… a suak zo hi” a cihna i sim ciangin a piang taktak thu khat hong genna ahihna i tel mahmah hi. A zaknop dinga kiphuaktawm tangthu hi lo hi. Myth hi lo, legend hi lo, fable hi lo, fairy tale hi lo ahi! Tuhun khangnote’ tel dingin ci lehang i Topa Jesuh Bethlehem khua ah tuma kum 2000 lai-a Nungak Siangtho Mary sung pan-a hong suahna pen Tolkien’ gelh movie a kizaih “Lord of the Rings” cih bangte hi lo hi. Zaknop mahmah, a movie zong muhnop mahmah kha ding hi ta leh, “Lord of the Rings” peuhmah a piang taktak thu peuhmah-a lak theih ding ngaihsut theih ding hi lo hi. I Topa bel mihingin hong piang takpi hi. David khua ah suak hi. Bethlehem hi. Tuma kum 2000 lai hi. Phuahtawm hi lo. Pasian’ Tapa mihingin hong piang, naungekin hong suak takpi hi. Hih thu manpha lua hi.

III. Hong Paina In Bang Piangsak Hiam?

Hih Laisiangtho mun a thukhupna i tung ta hi: “Christ Topa ahi hong Honpa in note adingin a suak zo hi.” Luke in hih thu a gelhna ah Greek kampau-in article (Mangkam-a “the” i cih pen) peuhmah na zang vet lo se hi. Honpa…Christ…Topa (soter…xristos…kurios) A deihna om hi.

Hih kammalte a vekin thupi kim khin hi. “Honpa” cih kammal pen Thuciam Lui hun lai-a kizang mun mahmah kammal hi a, “A mite a honkhiapa” cihna ahi hi. “Christ” cih kammal pen Hebrew kammal “Messiah” Greek kam-a a kilawhna hi a, “sathau kinilh Pa” a cihna ahi hi, “Christos” kici hi. “Topa” cih kammal bel Pasian hihna (deity) kammal hi a “Pasian” (God) cih tawh a kibang ahi hi.

Honpa kisam hi hang. Kisam mahmah hi lo i hi hia? I Topa a suah nading thu Joseph tung ah vantungmi in a tangko lai-in, “A min Jesuh na phuak ding hi, banghang hiam cih leh a mite a mawhna panun honkhia ding hi” na ci ngiat hi (Matthew 1:21).

America gam Wisconsin-a thonginn khat sung ah khantawn-a thongkia dinga thu kikhen mi khat om hi. Unau nga a phakna vuah a upen ahi hi. A nu leh a pa kikhen uh a, single-parent family pan-a khangkhia ahi hi. Mite’ up leh muan ding ut-in gang (khangno phengpi pawl cih mai ding hin teh) ah lut a Grade 9 a sim laitak sang tawp hi. Kum 17 a phakin mi kithahna khat ah kingawh-a khantawn thongkia dingin thu kikhen hi. Kum 19 thonginn ah om khin hi. Ahi zongin Pasian’ hehpihna tawh thong sung ah piangthak hi. Thong sung nuam het lo ding hi taleh piangthak lua mahmahin nisim-in Jesuh tawh nungta ahih manin nuamsa lel hi. “Kei hong taksang mi khat zong om lo, ahih hang Pasian in hong taksang, hong muanbawl.

Ke’n zong amah muang” ci hi. “Pasian’ hehpihna tawh thongkia lo hi leng ka nuntakna lungkhamhuai lua ding, mangthang taktak ding hi’ng” ci zaw bibbel hi. A sawt nai lo khatin thukante in DNA leh fingerprint thak pawlkhat muh beh uh a, amah mithat ahih loh lam kimu khia ahih manin suakta ta ding hi, kici hi. A mawhna lopi-in thong sung ah kum 19 om khin! Kum 19! Ahih hang Jesuh tawh kimu ahih manin a lungdam lua hi! A suahtak khit ciangin “Saved by the Cell” kici laibu khat gelh sawm hi, ci lai hi.

Pasian’ hehpihna leh lainatna, ama’ hong hotkhiatna longal-in hih bang a lamdang nate piangsak thei ngei lo ding hi. Tua hang mah-a Jesuh Christ a hong pai ahi hi.

Hih thu hang mah hi. Amah a um a muang mite khempeuh adingin Amah “Honpa” ahi hi. Amah Christ hi. Amah Topa hi. Ngaihsun khial kei ni. Tuni-in ama’ aw i zak leh ama’ kiang zuan ni. Amah bel ni. Amah muang ni. Amah pom ni. Amah “Honpa” hi. Honpa ding mah-a hong pai hi. Lungdambawl Christmas thulaigil zong hih mah hi. Pasian in leitung mite hong it lua mahmah a Ama’ Tapa neihsun hong pia hi. Pasian in ama’ tangin a Tapa hong sawl hi. Immanuel—eite tawh Pasian hong omkhawm hi.

IV. Bang Hanga Hong Pai Taktak?

I Laisiangtho simna ah, “note adingin” ci ngiat hi. Kua in hih kammalte kua tung ah hong gen ahi hiam, cih lungngai dih ni. Tuucingte in hih kammalte vangtungmi’ tung pan a zak uh ciangin bangzah-in a lung uh a dam ding hiam? Tanglai-in tuucingte peuhmah Judah mite’ sung ah miniam mahmah pawl ahi uh hi. Zawng hamtang uh a, pilna sinna kician nei lo uh hi. “Nang na gol ciang bang ut?” ci-in kidong le uh, “Kei ka gol ciang tuucing ut ing” a ci ding kuamah om lo uh hi.

Tuucin sanga nuntak zonna a nuam zaw leh a ol zaw tam mahmah hi. Vantungmi in tuucingte’ tung ah, “note adingin” a cih mawk ciangin a taktakin, “Nuntakna a niam mahmah note’ ading” a ci hi mawk hi. Tua ahih leh hua Jerusalem khuapi sunga Laisiangtho siapite’ ading ahi ding hiam leh? Hi pha mahmah veve hi. A zawng a a hau, a pil a hai, a sang a niam, kuamah kideidan lo hi. Ahih hang kua in khua na phawka kua in khua na phawk lo, kua in i Topa a suahna mun ah na delh pah a kua in na awlmawh lo, cih bel kimu thei sinsen hi.

I Topa hong suah lai-in mi laka zong a kihel lo, a nuntakna uh a niam penpente’ tungah kitangko sese hi. I Topa’ hong suahna thu a za masa penpente na hi se uh hi. Nak hamphat khe mahmah sam uh hi. Mite in bangmah-a a sim lohte Pasian in a itna kiam tuan lo a, tua bang mite in Pasian’ thu sang thei zawsop uh hi, cih zong hong lak hi. Mihaute amau’ vai tawh buai lua uh a, mizawngte in bel i Topa lunggulh denin Zinmang-in(honored guest) nei den uh hi.

A taktakin maw, i Topa hong paina pen NANG’ ADING AHI VE! “Tuni-in David khua ah Christ Topa ahi hong Honpa in note’ adingin a suak zo hi” a cih ciangin “Nang’ adingin a suak zo hi” a cihna hi ve’n sanggam, nang ading aive! “Jesuh hong suak khin mah e, Jesuh hong pai khin mah e,” cih bang mawka ngaihsut ziau ding hi lo hi. Mi awn tawmpite in tua bangin ci ziau uh a hell mah tung kha ding uh ahi.

“Jesuh Christ kei’ adinga hong pai hi. Amah ka Honpa hi. Amah ka Topa hi” i cih sensen-a i Honpa leh i Topa-a i san taktak mateng i mawhnate mai lo dinga, hotkhiatna ngah lo ding hi hang, nuntak tawntungna ngah lo ding hi hang.

Nang’ ading ngiat-a hong pai hi ve’n, na um hia? Amah na Honpa-in na nei takpi nai hia? Tuzawh ni sawm lian the “Christmas” ni hong tung ding hi. Kikhawm ding, la sa ding, thu ngai ding, pawi-an bang ne lai ding. Ahi zongin Jesuh na Honpa-a na neih matengin tuate khempeuh a mawkna hi mai hi.

Laisiangtho thuthuk sinna ah a pil mahah-a kingaihsun mi (theologian) khat om ngei hi. Hong nusia khin zo hi. Laibu tampi gelh-a thu thak tampi phuangin mi kimin bel kisang thei lo hi. A diakdiakin neo-orthodoxy kici upna khat hong phuangkhia a Laisiangtho “peengsan” lua ahih manin a upna orthodox lo mawk hi. Pasian’ kilaakna pen Pasian tawh mimal-a i maituahna (personal encounter) hi a, Laisiangtho pen tua bang mite’ tuahkhak thute a kiciamtehna hi, ci ziau mawk hi. Pasian’ kammal/thu pen Jesuh bek hi a, Laisiangtho pen Pasian’ kammal hi lo hi, ci ngiaumawk hi. Bangbang ahi zongin Tua bang upna a khial pawlkhat a neih kawmkal ah Pasian it mahmah a, Jesuh zong muang mahmah bilbel hi.

A tek a guai khit lamin a lawmte khat a inn ah va hawh-a, “Doctorpa aw, na inndei sung ah laibu kiciang keii, a veka sim khin ngel ding, leitung mun tuamtuam ah laihilh thuhilh-a hong kisam, sangnaupang tampi nei khin zo, leitunga mipil tampi tawh kithuah kikhawlin kiholim ngei na hih teh, bang thupisa pen na hi hiam? Bang thu mah theihtaak pen hi, ci-in na ngaihsun hiam?” ci-in va dong ngei hi. Ama’n a dawn kikna ah, “My dear sir, of all the things I have learned, only two are really worth knowing. The first is, I am a great sinner, and the second is, Jesus is a great Savior” ci-in dawng lian hi. (Lawm aw, ka sinsa thu khempeuh lakah thu nih bekbek theihtaaksa ing. A masa pen maw, kei mawhnei mi ka hi a, a nihna pen Jesuh in Honpa ahi hi, cih thu ahi hi).

Leitung na nuntak sungin hih thu nih na theih leh leitung bup ah a theihhuai leh a theihtaakpen thu a thei na hi hi. Mawhnei mi na hi a, Jesuh in na Honpa hi, cih thu sangin na theih ding a kisam zaw thu dang om lo hi.

Ahih hangin vantungmi in amaute’ kiang ah: “Lau kei un. Mi khempeuh ading a lian mahmah lungdamna thu kong zasak hi. Tuni-in David khua ah Christ Topa ahi hong Honpa in note’ adingin a suak zo hi.”

(2018 kum Christmas dawn kuan, tu sawngteng dah leh kah kithuap keii laka ka Christmas lungngaihna-meditation hi). Rev. Zam Khat Kham