Actually, there are four important holidays of the Christian life. These holidays, like checkpoints in a road race, must be reached in order. God desires for us to work our way through all four of them, understanding and "fleshing out" their meaning in the world.
Many people stop at certain points along the way...either by ignorance of further checkpoints, or by becoming too cozy with the status quo. This article will give you a chance to locate yourself and make any necessary adjustments.
The Four Holidays:
- Christmas
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." (John 3:16a).
Often at this holiday, people in the world around us read Luke's Gospel and stop at chapter two. They only see Jesus as a cute little baby in a manger...God's gift to the world. - Good Friday
"...that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16b).
People that arrive at this holiday have taken the next step towards God's best for them. They see Him at the cross, crucified and on display. They recognize Jesus as God's gift to them! He is their Savior (and Healer)! Here they take the initial step of establishing a relationship with God. - Easter / Ascension
"In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!'" (Luke 24:5-6).
People that make it as far as the Easter holiday have discovered that Jesus arose from the dead! They see Him as a King on His throne! They recognize His right to rule their life as their Master, their Lord, the Boss!
Actually, it is only when we reach this holiday that we begin to truly make an impact on our world. It is here that the moral of the story found in John 1:35-46 rings true: When you find something this good, you've just have to share it! - Pentecost
"All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them" (Acts 2:4).
As we reach this fourth holiday, we find God's gift for all believers...the Holy Spirit baptism. This is the point that adds the dimension of the power of God to the human equation.
Acts 1:8 tells us that we will receive God's power after we are filled with His Spirit. It goes on to say what the power is for: "...and you will be my witnesses." It is His divine ability to assist us in winning a lost world to Christ!
And we could look at scripture after scripture to find that this isn't just to be a one-time experience. For instance, Ephesians 5:18 reads, "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." The Greek verb used in this verse actually conveys the idea of a continual experience ("be being filled").