(12/23) If you’ve got little kids or remember being a little kid, you know the excitement of approaching the holiday season, because kids love Christmas. They just can’t wait to sit on Santa Claus’ lap, or going to grandma’s house, getting those new presents, and having all kinds of Christmas fun. And so, for children, Christmas is generally the best time of year, and yet unfortunately as we grow up, we often experience the complications of a life filled with relationships. And whether it’s relationships with family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors, for many people Christmas is gradually transformed from being the best time of the year to a very difficult time.

This year, as we approach Christmas, that one great day where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, it’s a big time of the year for families, but there can be wins and losses. For those who have put their trust in Jesus, this is the perfect time of the year spiritually, because as we go into the holidays we’ll reflect on the past, remembering what God has done to prepare us for the future. But no matter how you celebrate Christmas spiritually, socially, materially, or economically, it’s actually a time where a lot of pain can come to the surface in our lives. For many this can be a season of disappointment because of sin, broken families, loss, hurt, and regret, and so I want to encourage you to celebrate the true meaning of this season, because Christmas is for-giving.

My prayer is that you would be able to seize the opportunity this season to forgive others, to forgive yourself, and to move beyond the hurt that you’ve experienced in your life. That was the intent of the Gospel according to Matthew, who records these wonderfully amazing words, speaking of the story of Jesus’ birth. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph who was about to take Mary as his wife, and he said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). And so, this is why God sent his Son Jesus, not to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. He died and rose again on the third day so that everyone who calls on his name would be saved" (Romans 10:13).

"You are to give him the name Jesus," the angel said, because the name "Jesus" means the Lord saves. "He will save his people from their sins," in fact, there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). And so, down through the centuries the prophets have testified that everyone who believes in Jesus receives the forgiveness of sins through his name, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. This is the great theme of Christmas and my prayer for you and your loved ones is that each one of you would know the forgiveness of sins through Jesus. And that by faith in his name, you would receive him as the gift of God, because Christmas is for-giving, and the promise of God is that all who receive him, who believe in his name, he gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

Now, some of you may be struggling, just hoping that you can make it through the holidays, but my prayer is that you would have a very real encounter with the One who is the reason for the holiday. This is so important because to know Christ’s forgiveness is to give his forgiveness. In fact, Jesus said it very clearly, "If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:14-15). And so, forgiveness is not an option, if you don’t forgive those who sin against you, you yourself are forfeiting the grace of God.

Now, with that being said, how in the world do you forgive when you’ve been hurt and betrayed? You know, the pain is still there and you know they don’t deserve it, but how do you get to the place where you’re able to forgive? Well, we’re simply going to have to ignore our feelings, living by faith, and doing what the word of God says to do. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13). And so, here’s what I do, I reflect on how I have hurt others, betrayed them, and let them down. And as I begin to think about sin after sin after sin and how God has forgiven me over and over and over again, suddenly it becomes so much easier to do what the Bible says and forgive as the Lord forgave me.

I wonder what would happen this Christmas if more people who identify themselves as Christians started acting like followers of Christ. You know, if more people actually loved God and loved others like we’re commanded (Matthew 22:37-39). You know, what if we actually practiced the principles of God’s word in all of our relationships? When people hurt you or betray you, you acknowledge that it’s out of your control, and you make a choice to forgive as the Lord forgave you. Spiritually you release the burden of bitterness, the guilt and regret, giving it to God so that you can move forward into the New Year, focusing on what God has for you in the future, instead of what you’ve lost in the past. The Lord said it this way, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past… (Isaiah 43:18). And the apostle Paul said, "One thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Philippians 3:14). This is so important because we must understand that the past cannot be changed, only the meaning of the past can be changed. In other words, we cannot change what happened, but if we allow him, God can change the meaning of the past.

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas in our homes, our churches, and in our community, I pray that each one of us may remember why Jesus came. As the angel said, "You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). In other words, God so loved the world that he gave, God gave his Son so that we could be forgiven, because Christmas is for-giving. And so, Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn it, but to save it. And my prayer is that as Christmas and the New Year approaches, that you would step into it with a new perspective, with new spiritual eyes, recognizing the love of God who forgive sins and gives second chances.

Read past sermons by Pastor John Talcott