It’s Christmas! The day where we honor the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the day when the incarnate Son of God came to earth to live among us. However, Jesus did not come into existence on this day, nor nine months prior, as some people might believe. As we learn from our Scripture for today, Jesus has existed for all eternity. The opening verses of the Apostle John’s Gospel tell us this. Let’s take a quick look this Christmas morning.
The beginning of John’s Gospel goes back, all the way back before creation, when there was only God (vs. 1-2). Jesus Christ was there before the beginning. He is the Word that John is speaking of, the Word of God. He was with God, and Jesus was, and is God. He took part in the act of creation (vs. 3). Jesus is the source of life and light (vs. 4). The Word, the second Person of the Trinity, had intimate fellowship with God the Father throughout eternity.
But in the fullness of time, Jesus took human form (Galatians 4:4). He was fully God, and then became fully man. Even though Jesus had the splendor of heaven, He left that to become man. The Word became flesh (vs. 14). He came and lived a human life, but without sin. At Christmas, when Jesus was born as a human, the Infinite became finite, the Eternal became conformed to time, the Invisible became visible. Jesus did not cease to be God, but became God in human flesh.
As we know, Christmas falls on December 25th, just a few days following the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the day which has the shortest amount of sunlight, and which begins the long season of winter. Some people do not mind the longer hours of dark, and it helps in seeing the Christmas lights on people’s homes, however most people are eager for the sunlight to return. Throughout John’s Gospel, we see the theme of darkness versus light, sin and evil versus goodness and righteousness. Sin came into the world back with Adam, and the world has been in spiritual darkness since then.
However, we need not despair. Just as we are now beginning to slowly see more sunlight every day, Jesus came to bring spiritual light to mankind. The darkness of Satan and sin is not able to overcome or conquer the Light of the Lord Jesus (vs. 5). The powers of darkness are overcome by the Son of God, by His death on the Cross. When we follow Jesus, the Light of the World (John 8:12), we can avoid walking blindly and falling into sin. All of the despair, depression, darkness, and hopelessness we may face and fear cannot stand against the love of Jesus Christ. When we stay close to Jesus in all circumstances, we will be safe. All that Satan may bring against a child of God can never conquer God’s love for us.
Because of Jesus, we can leave the darkness of sin behind, and begin a new life. If we are walking with Jesus, we will never walk in darkness (vs. 9). He will open our eyes to salvation, and light up the way for us to walk. There are many false lights in the world today. However, Jesus is the only true Light. If mankind is to find light, it will be only in Jesus.
The physical light is slowly returning. We are slowly getting more daylight every day. Is it still dark in your life today? Do you feel down, discouraged, and hopeless? Look to Jesus. It’s not as dark as you think if Jesus is in your life. You can be filled with hope. He is Immanuel - God with us.
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