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There are many traditions associated with Christmas. But if we peel away all the trappings we discover that, at its core, Christmas is a celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ into the world God created. This He did to redeem all who believe in him by giving his life for their lives. This is the message the apostle John presents in the introduction to his gospel. I encourage you to read John 1:1-18.
John captures the essence of Christmas in his phrase, "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." He makes clear that the Word about whom he was writing is none other than Jesus of Nazareth. When Jesus was supernaturally conceived in Mary's womb, and subsequently born in Bethlehem of Judea, the eternal, self-existing Word became flesh. The Word, who was "with God" in the beginning, entered time and space as the baby the shepherds would find in the manger. This Word that was "in the beginning" is none other than the creator God who is the source of every created thing. John makes that abundantly clear when he declares that this Word was not only "with God," but also "was God." The Word, who was fully God, became fully man and "dwelt among us" so that we could experience his glory in his grace and truth.
John declares that this Word is the source of life and this life gives light that cannot be overcome by the darkness in this world. In John's Gospel, the Word who became flesh would explain to his friends that "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6). This is why he could encourage a dear friend in her hour of grief by reminding her that he himself is "the resurrection and the life" (11:25). It is also why earlier in his incarnational ministry he could explain to a total stranger that whoever receives from him what he called "living water" would experience from within a "fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" (4:14). This life then is more than just physical, it is also spiritual.
Just prior to Jesus' arrest, interrogations and crucifixion, John gives us the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in the Bible. Jesus began that prayer saying, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. (17:1-2) John then explains: And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. (17:3) Eternal life then is not just unending life in the sense of prolonged duration (though it is never ending). Rather it is a quality of life, derived from a relationship with God (knowing Him) through faith in Jesus Christ.
Returning to John's introduction, he informs us of the true light coming into the world. Jesus is that true light. He is the one who reveals God the Father to us. As he would say "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." (14:9) During his interrogation by Pilate, Jesus would later explain: For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." (18:37)
It's important to pay attention to the opposing ways people respond to the True Light. John tells us that not only did the world to whom Jesus came not "know him," they also did not "receive him." This shows that, left to ourselves, we do not recognize who Jesus really is, nor do we recognize the significance of his coming. This has profound consequences. As Jesus told Nicodemus in chapter three, "whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God."
Thankfully though there is an opposite response to the True Light and it comes with a glorious promise. John declared "to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." To "receive" the True Light is to "believe" in his name. His name is Jesus which means "Jehovah saves." To "believe" in Jesus' name means to believe in his power to save. It is to trust that God truly does save those who trust in and rely on Jesus and Jesus alone to reconcile them to God. Those who receive the True Light by believing upon Jesus are given eternal life as part of God's family. And yet, John clarifies, this does not happen naturally, or by sheer human willpower. Rather, it is accomplished by God for, as Paul explained, "we are his workmanship" (Eph. 2:10). As the expression is often used, this is the "reason for the season."
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Doug Packard of First Baptist Church, Lock Haven.