How Christmas Continues

[HKHaugan]

How Christmas Continues 

Jesus came “…to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins…(Lk.1:77)”

 We’ve already stated that salvation was being personally restored to God by God through the One who restores us and that is Jesus, the Son of God. People had to know that this salvation was available; that they had access to it and that there was someone who would provide it. That was the task of John the Baptist, announce it, make it known. Again, as we have said, announcing the availability of salvation is our task as well. People need to know that is possible. John the Baptizer is the model, the example of being a forerunner. Just like him, when we are with those who don’t believe, we look for an opportunity to share the knowledge that salvation is possible, that anyone can have it and that Jesus is the One who provides it.

Our part is bringing the awareness of what it means to ‘be saved.’ This is where our testimony comes in. What is it? It is how we accepted Jesus and the circumstances that led us there. How Jesus transformed out mind and heart to go from self-centeredness to God-centeredness, from first pleasing self to first pleasing God and seeing the real needs in others as opposed to satisfying perceived needs.

 There are three parts to a testimony. First, it has a starting point, the forgiveness of our sins when we accepted Jesus. Second, we want others to know we haven’t gotten perfect. It is an ongoing process in us. Third, it is a personal experience we are sharing and letting the Spirit lead.

Forgiveness is necessary, because without it we are blocked from any kind of personal relationship with God. He will always be a distant question mark, an unresolved blank in the search for purpose, meaning and significance. Add to this, without having experienced forgiveness from God, we will always find ourselves ‘on the outs’ with others. We will find that we rationalize our resentments, justify revenge, look for ways to get back at the ones who offend us, avoid unpleasant people and be consumed with bitterness. And where does all this end? In personal dead-end aloneness. Without forgiveness, we become a lost wanderer in an empty relationless existence.

But what are we to be forgiven for? This has to be made very clear. There is a dark ugly unseen spiritual force that dominates human beings within, sin. Sin has very deep ingrained roots from birth. Sin is more than a casual error in behavioral judgment. Sin makes the ego central, a pretend god without God. It keeps an individual so self-absorbed that he lives only for the moment. It urges concentration on perceived needs as opposed to real needs. It is the spiritual crevice that separates us from understanding ourselves, others and existence itself. It is a spiritual disease that maximizes self above all else. In other words, life is all about me, who I am, what I want and where I’m headed in this world. Sin invites pride, fear, aloneness and the source that promotes them, the devil.

As we go through life, sin plants the seeds of selfishness that become strongholds behind which we hide day after day in a kind of survival mode. What may seem like progress in the world is really a slow disintegration of the ego into remorse, guilt, regret and eternal isolation. Sin is what needs forgiveness and it can come from only one source, God. God has provided the cure, a relationship with His Son Jesus, the One who forgives. Even as He was dying on the Cross Jesus said, “Father forgive them, they do not know what they are doing (Lk.23:34).”

Forgiveness is not just for me. That would simply extend my self-centeredness. Forgiveness is a way of life. It is a quality of God we are given to offset sin and practice its living reality toward others. Jesus said this, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven (Lk.6:37).” Jesus considers it so important for us that we are to pray this daily, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…” Paul says, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Col.3:13).”

There may be resentments, bitter feelings, unresolved relational issues with family, people we believe have hurt us and even friends. They are part of the darkness that lies in our conscious world. Christmas bring Jesus, the Light of the world whom His world had rejected. He was deserted by everyone and yet forgave them all. Forgiveness is a reality without which we never resolve life.

That’s why Christmas has no end. It begins and continues as we open our hearts to be forgiven and open our hearts to forgive others. That’s when it becomes real for someone else needing the Lord to save him from his sin. We pray for those we know that haven’t really met the Lord yet. We want them to experience the ongoing Christmas in their hearts.

Much more can be said about forgiveness, but it is the starting point of salvation which is an ongoing process of recovery as long as we live in this world.