Calvin Synod Herald, 1987 (87. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1987 / 5. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 2-REFORMATUSOK LAPJA CHRISTMAS Be not afraid; for behold I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord! GREETINGS Let the Word recorded by the Apostle John guide us in our Advent and Christmas thoughts: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, that everyone who has faith in him may not die but have eternal life." These words have been called the Gospel in ans sentence. And truly so, it tells everything. “Love" - is the perfect definition of God. Nothing describes Him better. “God so loved... that He gave" - is the perfect definition of bye. It is not sentiment, it is action: God loved and gave. Himself. The love of God was made flesh. "Everyone who has faith in him" - is then the perfect definition of faith. In Him. Not acceptance of some statement but full acceptance of a person. Jesus. “That... may not die but have eternal life” - here is finally the perfect definition of salvation. We must understand this thing about eternal life. The word - the love - of God that comes to us in Jesus tells us that the life we live on this earth is part of life eternal. Jesus shows us what the quality and style of this earthly life should and can be. We must confess that our everyday life does not have the quality of the lifestyle of Jesus. We must also confess that we would like to have it very much. Let this Christmas of 1987 be the begining of our new life-style. We can become like Jesus. In Him God came to share our humanity to find the way enabling us to regain our lost divine image. Let us pray that God bless this Christmas as the begining of a new life. With brotherly love, Andrew Harsanyi Bishop The Hungarian Reformed Church in America Why did Jesus come? (Luke 2:11) The message of Christmas is reconciliation. The arrival of the Son of God in flesh made possible the greatest reconciliation in the history of mankind. On the first Christmas night God humbled Himself and took a step toward men in order that God and men might be reconciled. When people in humble admission of their sin are brought back to the graciously forgiving God to have the right relationship with Him, they will be reconciled to one another. What approach are we going to use to celebrate Christ's coming? We must be willing to humble ourselves, to forget our pride and let the infinite love of God touch our life. Christ was rich yet He willingly became poor that through His poverty we might be rich. (II Cor. 8:9). The purpose of His humiliation was to introduce us to the riches of heaven. He had given up all in order that we might receive all. He experienced loneliness and rejection that we might have fellowship. He was wearing the crown of thorns that we might wear the crown of eternal life. Let us rejoice in the infinite love of God demonstrated in His Son by providing reconciliation and redemption. May God give you a spiritually blessed, peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year. Zoltán Király Bishop The Calvin Synod - United Church of Christ
