Calvin Synod Herald, 2001 (102. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2001-11-01 / 11-12. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD WHAT BAD CHILDREN GET FOR CHRISTMAS Children! Tired of being harassed by your stupid parents? Act now! Move out - Get a job - Pay your own bills... While you still know everything! When a parent brings a child into the world, there is a duty to protect that youngster from external dangers, from others, and even himself. The child is carefully protected from falling off the playground swings, from touching the hot radiator, from rolling down the stairs, or hot milk in the bottle - carefully tested on the parent’s own wrist. The threat of kidnapping is met by an ever-watchful eye even in one’s own yard, as well as an eye wary of another youngster wielding a toy as a hammer. Fences and cribs and playpens all have a part lest danger wreak its sorry consequence. Even as the years pass the new circumstances call for wariness against the Aviles of drugs and booze and sex. So the warnings are heard like, “Be home early!” We know the old rules about nine o’clock weekdays and twelve on weekends. All kinds of house rules stand as the new fences for teenagers, governing clothes, dating - and, of course, the car! Our Father in Heaven God also builds fences for His precious children to guard them against the dangers they often cannot see, no less understand. We have all heard about the Ten Commandments. Our Father issues His decrees, the ultimate “No!” And far too often the response of us all is, like the teenager’s rebut, “I hate you!” Except in the most ignorant of souls, parents almost never spit out the words, “Get out! I don’t want to see you again.” Perhaps, when all has failed and nothing else will work, we hear those words of a heart broken, “You cannot stay here until you change.” Something in the depths of being says, “I love you, you are mine. I care!” And we resonate to those stories of homecoming, like the Prodigal Son. How we are all warmed by movies and books that find a renewing of family ties, marital reconciliation, or rekindled love. The Night Before Christmas The real story of Christmas is told in the familiar words of the Gospel according to John: “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...” (Jn. 3:16). That is the reason for the season, what Christmas is all about. When we had lost the way, God came Himself to guard us from the Kidnapper of Souls, the Evil One. The apostle Paul encourages us with the knowledge that, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them...” (2 Cor. 5:19). We obliterate the full meaning of Christ’s birth, as well as His life, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, if we fail to recognize that this was God who came among us full of grace and truth. Amazing Grace The best teachers continue to watch the progress of their students after the assignments have been handed out, and are always ready, not to correct mistakes so much as to guard against failures. The good teacher Avith a wary eye steps in before things get catastrophic. The purpose of a lesson is not to find who Avill fail, but to lead the student to success and to make repeated successes. Unfortunately, we are often like stubborn child who spurns the help, “I can do it myself!” Yet God, in love that exceeds our comprehension and looks beyond our stiffnecked rebelliousness, did not make us plead for His help like beggars. While we stood erect and unbending in arrogance, He humbled Himself - and came Avithout being asked. In a humble manger God appeared! “And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as the only Son from the Father.” (John 1:14). We might well say in astonishment that, in spite of ourselves, God really loves us - an awful lot! The Good News Paul’s good news is that God through Christ reconciled the world to Himself, overcame the separation that divided us from the Lord, and we are a new creation. So we troll the ancient carol, “Now ye need not fear the grave, Jesus Christ was born to save! Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall. Christ was born to save.” When the hometown team Avins, that’s good news! Decorate the town, have a parade. When a child is born, that too is good news! Pass out the cigars! (Cough!) Good news so fills us that we burst if we don’t share it Avith everyone. Where are the firecrackers? Call the relatives! Send off an E-mail! So Paul tells us too what we must do Avith this great news. God is “entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. We are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.” (2 Cor. 5:19-20). He puts flesh on the words of Jesus,: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations... Baptizing them... Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Mt. 28:19-20). God wants us to tell everybody else. Let others see in our joyous celebration the happiness of God’s children, who have received the love of the Father they often spurned, who stood outside the fast-closed door of our lives when we were all too busy and so very smart. The day we celebrate the birth of Christ is a Merry Christmas indeed! The Twelve Days of Christmas give us opportunity to carry on the grand party, until the Epiphany on January 6th. So keep up the decorations. Let the world know of “God and sinners reconciled! Rev. Albert W. Kovács
