"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins . . . "

 

         Last week I used the rock formations found in Utah as an image for salvation. I said that the floor of a great red rock canyon could be compared to the basis of salvation, that is, to salvation as healing or deliverance from enemies. God's salvation was originally understood as Gods healing of people, of His restoring them or helping them through a time of difficulty, even delivering them from an enemy or from spiritual oppression.

         Then, the walls of the canyon rising dramatically into the air, could be compared to the forgiveness of sin. This is the great beauty and power of salvation. In the cross of Jesus Christ, God offers forgiveness of sin for those who believe in him. Through forgiveness we move from death to life.

Finally, the rock towers on the top of the walls would be like our hope in Christ, hope of a new creation, of a Kingdom, of heaven. Salvation has a future. There is more to come.

         Today I want to say that God intends for us to receive his great salvation, to welcome it and connect it to our lives. He wants his salvation to be for us transforming grace. God's salvation makes a difference in our lives.

         So we need a picture other than that of a rock wall. The picture today is a simple one, that of a door. Forgiveness of sin is the door to salvation. It is the way we enter into God's salvation. Zechariah sings that his son John will prepare the way for the Lord, by giving his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. We walk through the door of forgiveness into the salvation of God.

We have some difficulty in walking through that door. Some people feel guilty most all the time, even for sins they have not committed. They often find that forgiveness does not take away their feelings of guilt. They might say, "I know God forgives me, but I cannot forgive myself." They cannot walk through the door.

Other people never feel guilty, even when their sins are blatant and very hurtful to others. Instead of taking personal responsibility, they blame others, or even God. They may be able to forgive others for wrongs done against them, but they seldom repent of their own sin, they seldom ask God to forgive them.

Miraslav Volf writes about conflict between people. He says that instead of taking responsibility, many people prefer to make themselves out as victims. "The victim is the one who has the power to forgive. Forgiving is far easier than repenting." So there are people who do not walk through the door of forgiveness to the salvation of God, because they believe forgiveness is always for others, and not for them. They do not recognize their own sin. So they stay outside.

If the knowledge of salvation comes through forgiveness of sins, how do we get to salvation? How do we in fact walk through the door that God has provided?

An ancient and simple prayer states, "O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me." The sins of the world are many and serious just now:

• Global warming – We are destroying God's creation by the way we live.
• The bloodshed in Iraq,
• The suffering caused by terrorism
• The shift in global economy that makes the goods we buy very cheap, and the wages of manufacturing workers so low as to almost be slavery
• The numbers of people who are homeless and hungry in our country and in the world.

There is lots of sin in the world.

So why doesn't the prayer read, "O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on them "?

         But it says, "me."

         At some point I come to recognize that I am involved in the sin of the world. And there is nothing I can do to readily or easily fix these sins of the world.

         At some point I come to realize that even though I am a nice person, I stand in need of mercy.

In receiving the mercy of God, I become committed to the salvation of God. I begin to address the sins of the world.

         I agree with God. I see that God's justice and grace come together.

         Forgiveness leads me to forgive. Mercy leads me to be merciful. The experience of salvation leads me to care for the Creation, even as I wait for the New Creation.

In the Song of Zechariah, the salvation of God is described both as historical deliverance from enemies, and as the forgiveness of sin. The first part speaks of the deliverance of God that is rooted in the mercy of God.

"He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David . . . salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us."

         This is the salvation of restoration, deliverance and peace.

         Then Zechariah turns his attention to his infant son, John. "And you, my child . . ."

         This is where he speaks of forgiveness. God will deliver his people from their enemies, enemies of all kinds.

         How will he do that? By giving people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. The purpose of God is to save, is to transform lives.

         David Tiede writes, "The knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of sins is not a different salvation from being liberated from fear of enemies to serve God. It is in part through their experience of the forgiveness of sin that the people will be rescued from their fear of their enemies."

         How do we understand this message and apply it in our lives today? In the mercy of God, there is a great salvation that we learn about and receive through the forgiveness of our sin. Forgiveness opens a door to Gods provision, blessing and peace. We receive salvation by entering through the door of forgiveness of sin.

         One example of this that I found comes from an insightful and very convicting book by David Goetz, called "Death by Suburb." He says that one of the things suburban people value very highly is personal safety. In fact, personal safety has become an expression of salvation for many in the suburbs. To be safe is to be saved. And so we work very hard to ensure that we and our children are safe.

Goetz challenges that notion by writing, "I might feel safer living on Ranch Road than if I lived, say, in a Middle Eastern city. But I'm not, really. It is a truly radical notion that God can protect you and your kids anywhere. You may not need, necessarily, a Christian Everything to be safe (Christian school, Christian radio station, Christian Family Fun Fair 'Halloween' extravaganza, Christian soccer sports camp, Christian bumper sticker)."

I think what he is saying is that we can use Christian activities to shield our children, but these activities can lead to a kind of personal safety that is not the same as God's salvation. This would be especially true when these activities are combined with expectations for material success. He is a little harsh in what he goes on to say, but I think he is concerned that we may be defining the way to salvation as one of receiving Jesus, living a shielded life with Christian Everything, and becoming prosperous enough to have the world's symbols of success.

         When we visit different countries or cultures, we are often surprised when we meet Christian people who have none of those outward things, but exhibit such a deep love of God and live lives of salvation. (Alaska, Mexico) They seem to be blessed and they give thanks readily, yet they own very little. They are confident in Christ, and are eager to share testimony, yet they may have limited education. They live hopeful lives, yet they have no basis for optimism in a financial or political way. They are not "safe" in the ways we so highly value, and yet they are "saved," they live in God's salvation.

         Why is that? Have they walked through the door of forgiveness to experience salvation?

         Perhaps the answer is found in the life of John the Baptist. He prepared the way for the Lord. He offered people a baptism of repentance, and those who came to him received the forgiveness of their sins, and so were able to hear Jesus and follow him, and enter salvation through faith in him.

Jesus Christ calls us to know salvation through the forgiveness of our sins.

         Jesus calls us into the light. He offers forgiveness as the door to salvation.

         In Philippians 1, Paul writes that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

         He who began the good work of forgiveness of sin in you, will carry it on to completion, to salvation, until he returns.

         "O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on me."

         Amen.