The Season Of Love And Forgiveness Series

THE SEASON OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS

Pastor Joel Bernardino – December 19, 2026

This Christmas Season promotes love, joy, and peace.

But for many people, this is also a season of:

• Unresolved conflicts

• Broken relationships

• Silent treatment

• Deep hurts that were never healed

You can see Christmas lights everywhere,

but sometimes there is darkness in the heart.

That is why the message of Christmas is not only about gifts, carols, and celebrations—

it is about love and forgiveness.

1 John 2:10–11, “Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness…”

The Apostle John writes to believers and reminds them of a simple but powerful truth:

You cannot claim to be walking in the light if you are living in hatred.

Christianity is defined not by how loud we worship,

but by how deeply we love.

And Christmas is the perfect season to examine our hearts.

1. Love is the evidence that God is truly in us

“Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light…” (v.10)

• God is promoting love instead of hatred!

• Christmas shows us how to love like our God.

Love is not just a suggestion for Christians—

love is the evidence that God is truly at work in us.

Christmas began not with man loving God—

but with God loving man.

• God loved us before we repented

• God loved us while we were sinners

• God loved us enough to send His Son

Jesus was not sent to condemn the world,

but to restore broken relationships.

Love is the evidence that Christ is real and He is living in us.

If Jesus lives in us, love should flow from us.

Ask yourself:

• Is there someone I am avoiding this Christmas?

• Is there someone I refuse to forgive?

• Is there someone I secretly hate in my heart?

You may be celebrating Christmas externally,

but God is looking at the condition of your heart.

2. Unforgiveness is like living in darkness.

“Anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness…” (v.11)

Hatred does not always look violent.

Sometimes it looks like:

• Silence

• Coldness

• Bitterness

• Refusal to reconcile

John says hatred causes spiritual blindness.

When we refuse to forgive:

• We cannot see clearly

• We cannot walk properly

• We stumble in life

Unforgiveness is like celebrating Christmas in a dark room—with no light at all.

Important Truth

Forgiveness does not say, “What they did was right.”

Forgiveness says, “I refuse to live in darkness anymore.”

3. Jesus demonstrates how to love and forgive.

He modeled love and forgiveness!

Christmas reminds us that:

• Jesus was born to forgive sinners

• Jesus lived to love the unlovable

• Jesus died to restore what was broken

Even on the cross, Jesus said:

“Father, forgive them…”

If Jesus forgave us at our worst,

how can we refuse to forgive others?

You cannot celebrate the birth of Christ

while rejecting the heart of Christ.

CLOSE

Christmas is not complete without love.

Christmas is not meaningful without forgiveness.

John says: “Anyone who loves… lives in the light.”

Walking in the light means:

• Choosing love over pride

• Choosing forgiveness over bitterness

• Choosing reconciliation over revenge

This Christmas, God is not asking for more decorations—

He is asking for surrendered hearts.