The Gifts of Christmas

John 1:1-18 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Rev. Charles Han

This is covering the prologue of the gospel of John. Every other gospel starts with the birth of Jesus. John starts before it all, even before creation. In the beginning...

Jesus brings tangible compassion.

The word became flesh and tabernacles with us. In the old testament, there was an intermediate. Now Jesus is among us, no more is there a priest, but instead bone of our bones, flash of our flesh. Our weaknesses, shortcomings, vulnerabilities, and pain...is felt by God. Jesus experienced all these things first. He became like one of us.

Jesus brings tangible grace

We need grace. We have constantly broken God's law, even this past week. It not only comes to those who are undeserving, but the ill-deserving. Not just giving love to those unknown strangers... But giving to those who have wronged you.

Application/Response

Receive the light with trust

Light both draws us in attraction. But light also exposes us, it shows us as we are. So it both attracts and repels us. Jesus beckons us to come into the light fully.

Receive the person of Jesus, not the religious symbols

We hear about love, joy, hope, peace... But those words are not just abstractions... They come in a person. Jesus is the literal embodiment of these things.