The Eighth Tribe, 1980 (7. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1980-12-01 / 12. szám
December, 1980 THE EIGHTH TRIBE Page 3 ALBERT ELSWICK Pastor, West Dighton Christian Church, Congregational North Dighton, Massachusetts “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” — “BOLDOG KARACSONY!” — Some who hear these cheerful greetings during the Christmas season might be tempted to ask how Christmas of 1980 could be a “Merry” Christmas, considering all the crises which are helping to sell newspapers these days. But all who are believers in the Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, know that the true joy of Christmas cannot ever come from anything external, anything of this world — nor can anything external, anything of this world, ever take it away. A truly “Merry” Christmas (“Boldog” Karácsony) comes from the Holy Spirit of God alive in the heart of every true follower of Jesus. Someone has said that the joy of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is what makes Christmas a time for REMEMBERING, a time for FORGIVING, and a time for Giving. For most people Christmas is a time for nostalgia. The happy faces of children, the sights, sounds, and smells of the season, all remind us of long-ago, far-away (and perhaps happier) Christmases — in those good old days, when life was so much simplier. But there is more to Christmas REMEMBERING. Christmas is a time, the time, for remembering what God did for us when He sent His only Son from His Right-Hand in Heaven into this dark world of ours. Christmas is the time, above all times, to remember that the Lord Jesus Christ brought priceless gifts: salvation from our sins, the best of all possible lives here on earth, and eternal life in heaven — three gifts which are offered to all who will receive them as their own, by receiving Him as their Lord and Savior. Christmas is also a time for FORGIVING. After all, that was God’s reason for Christmas in the first place — “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.” (II Corinthians 5:19). Every one of us knows people who have wronged us, offended us, hurt us deeply. Can we honestly find it in our hearts to have a Merry Christmas and let yet another year pass away without forgiving them, whether or not they ask our forgivveness, whether or not they even want it? There is not one of us who has not wronged God — countless times —- doing those things He docs not want His children to do, and not doing (hose things Ho wants them to do. We count on His forgiveness, as often as it is needed, and the knowledge that is is ours for the asking makes a Merry Christmas for us. Can we withhold this same forgiveness from anyone else? Christmas is a time for GIVING, too. As we all know, our very custom of exchanging gifts goes back to the Wisemen when they visited the young Jesus in Bethlehem, and gave Him their gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But, the very first Christmas gift was God’s gift — His Son Jesus Christ, and no gift that anyone could ever give, or get, could compare with that one! In response to God’s “unspeakable gift”, the Wisemen gave gifts — not to one another — hut to the Son of God. As we scurry around, emptying our pockets and our savings accounts to get gifts for our family and friends, we must make sure not to forget God’s Christmas gift to us, and show Him, not just during the holidays, but every day of every year, just what His gift, our Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ, means to us. And, if we are also wise men, we might be asking ourselves what we can give our Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas. If you haven’t already given Him this gift, it is the best one you can ever give Him — it is mentioned in a little poem by an English poetess, Christina Rossetti: What can I give Him Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would give Him a lamb; If I were a wise man, I would do my part, — But what can I give Him, Give my heart. Yes, Christmas is a time for REMEMBERING, for FORGIVING, and for GIVING. May it be so for each one of you, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His ordy-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life...” (John 3:16) Rev. Albert Elswick, son of Thurman Chester Elswick and Helen Irene Jurcsák, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He is of the fourth generation in America. His father’s ancestors came from England, Northern Ireland, France, Germany and Switzerland, to Virginia, long before the American Revolution. From maternal side: his grandfather, Albert Jurcsák came from Salgótarján, Nódrág Megye about 1895. His first home was in Indiana, then moved to Bridgeport, Conn. His grandmother, Sophia Nagy, came with her parents from Veresmárt, Szabolcs Megye, first to Woodbridge, N.J. in 18915, then to Bridgeport, Conn. He was baptized, confirmed and ordained at the First Magyar Reformed Church, now The First United Church of Christ, in Bridgeport. Attended New Brunswick Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church in America, graduated in 1968 with an M. Div. Degree.
