Christmas with the Apostle John

I think it is safe to say that most of the time we read of Jesus’ birth from the Gospel of Luke. There we read of the swaddling clothes and the angels in the fields. It is beautiful and we ought to read it. But today, I’d like to read John’s treatment of Jesus’ birth over in John 1. What I’d like to do with you today is simply read through the text and receive some important truths about Jesus therein! 

We begin in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.”

Jesus is eternal. He was with God in the beginning of all things but He Himself has no beginning. Before He became human, before He was born and given the name “Jesus” He was the Word of God, the Son of God and He, like God, has always been. 

 

³ Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 

Jesus participated in the creation of the world! Nothing that exists was made without Him! It is interesting to note here that Jesus is referred to at the Word of God and God created the universe with His Words. 

 

⁴ In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 

In Jesus was life, He possessed something man had lost – true life of the soul. Like a tree with cut roots we may look a life for a time, even standing, even strong looking but in reality we are dying because we are cut off from life. Jesus came to reconnect the broken branches that we might live again! 

 

⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

I love this verse. It was not just true when it was written centuries ago, it is still true right now. Jesus is the light of the world and He is shining, and the darkness has not overcome it. There is no darkness that can overcome His light. 

 

⁹ The True Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

I love this as a summary of the Christmas story. I am so grateful that He is the True Light and that I can know Him. There are so many conflicting thoughts out there, so much confusion and chaos and darkness. And, in the midst of it all, the bright light of Christ is shining, always available to illuminate our darkness if we will come to Him. 

 

¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. ¹¹ He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.

In spite of who He was and what He came to do so many didn’t and still don’t recognize Him, don’t believe in Him. There is so much darkness, so much lostness out in the world that doesn’t need to be there. How can we help them to see who He is, that He has already overcome this world? That He is the answer they are looking for? Jesus is so good. How can we make them see it?

 

 ¹² Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

There it is, Jesus came and made a way for us to return to our Heavenly Father – to be His children again! This is who we are, who we have become in Christ. What a comfort! What a humbling truth that God would give so much to receive us back. I like the way John put it in one of his other letters. “See what love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called Children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

 

This next verse, I believe is one of the most beautiful renditions of the birth of Christ in scripture. I find here in John 1:14 a powerful and comforting truth that I come back to often when I get discouraged or distracted or confused in life. 

 

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

I love you church! 

Merry Christmas!