Hostility, Indifference, or Worship

Matthew 2:1-12

On Tuesday of this week, the Christian Church celebrates Epiphany, January 6, twelve days after Christmas.  Though we don’t know for certain on what day following the birth of Jesus the Magi arrived, it is on January 6 that we commemorate that event, which we read about in Matthew 2.  It is a Scripture passage that shows another prophecy that was fulfilled, along with showing the beginning of the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles, along with contrasting true worship with false religion.  Let’s take a look.

As we look into this passage, I will focus on three groups of people who are mentioned here, learning some important lessons from each group.  The first group is naturally the Magi.  The Magi were learned men and priests from the East, likely from Persia.  They were learned in the sciences, such as astronomy/astrology and alchemy, and they used the placement of the stars to tell current and future events.  These learned men were very familiar with the Jewish Scriptures, and when they saw a new and different star in the sky, they knew that it was linked to the Jewish prophecies of the coming of their Messiah (vs. 1-2).  Though these men were not Jewish, and were Gentiles following a pagan religion (possibly Zoroastrianism), they had studied God’s Word, and believed it to be true.  These men followed the light that they had, and God gave them more.  When they determined that this star was the one foretold (Numbers 24:17), they packed up their caravan and left, determined to find the Messiah and worship Him.

The second person to look at is King Herod (Herod the Great).  He was a vassal or puppet king, set up by the Romans to rule Judea.  He also was not Jewish, but was an Idumean or Edomite, descended from Esau.  As such, he was not a descendent of King David, and devout Jews did not look on him as having a true right to the throne.  Herod was a violent king, filled with paranoia, having killed one of his wives and several of his own sons.  When Herod heard that there might be a rival to his throne (vs. 3), he became upset, and when he was upset, the whole city worried, out of fear of what he might do.

The knowledge of Jesus Christ’s kingship still troubles and upsets those who do not want Him in their life, those who want to have full control of their life.  The Gospel message of the Savior disturbs those who are proud and want to hold on to power in their life, but He brings comfort to those who are humble.

The third group are the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem.  King Herod was ignorant of the Scriptures and any details of the coming Messiah, so he called the priests and scribes to give him the information he wanted.  He wished to know exactly where the Messiah would come.  This group knew the Scriptures, and were able to quote to him the prophecy that spoke of the Messiah coming from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

These religious leaders knew the Scriptures, but when they heard the testimony from the Magi, they did not act upon their knowledge.  Many people today have a head knowledge about God and the Bible, but without Jesus in one’s heart, it is nothing.  Biblical knowledge without obedience leads to spiritual deadness.

Our Scripture then returns to King Herod as he sought to deceive the Magi (vs. 7-8).  He wanted them to report to him exactly where the Baby was, pretending to also want to worship Him, when he actually planned on killing Him.  He is a picture of Satanic opposition - lying, scheming, and murderous.  False worship will often mask hatred of God.  We need to be aware that not everyone who speaks religiously has a heart for God.

The Magi left the king, priests, and scribes, and proceeded to follow the star to Bethlehem and the Christ Child (vs. 9-11).  When they found Him they fell down and worshiped Him.  Their joy revealed genuine faith and anticipation.  Those who truly seek Jesus will find joy, not fear or indifference.

Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were symbolic.  Gold told of Jesus’ kingship.  Frankincense showed His deity and priestly role.  Myrrh, an aromatic resin which was used in medicine, perfumes, and burial rituals, would signify Jesus’ suffering and death.

God, who is omniscient, knew of Herod’s evil plot, and He sovereignly intervened to protect the Lord Jesus (vs. 12). He warned the Magi to not return to Jerusalem and the king, but to return home by another route.  These men immediately obeyed God, which showed they had a transformed heart.  When God reveals His will to us, we should also immediately and unquestionably obey Him.

Looking back over this Scripture we can see that God’s Word is trustworthy and exact.  The prophecies of the star and where Jesus was born were exactly fulfilled.  God also directed the star, the Magi, the dreams, and the protection of Jesus.  Nothing is accidental.  We also see that the faith of the Magi would foreshadow the worldwide scope of the Gospel of Jesus.  Even at His Birth, the Savior drew all nations to Himself.  And lastly, we see a contrast of hearts.  Herod responded with hostility.  The priests and scribes with indifference.  However, the Magi responded with worship.  It is the same today.  Many respond to Jesus with hatred or with indifference, but some come to Him in worship.  What is your response?

Your Light Has Come

Isaiah 60:1-6, 9

The medical profession believes that about 5% of people worldwide suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.  SAD is a form of depression that occurs in fall and winter, especially in latitudes further away from the equator, when there is reduced daylight hours.  Those with this condition generally start to improve in the spring, when longer daylight hours return.  Right now, though, people in the Northern Hemisphere who have SAD are really feeling the effects with the shorter days and longer nights.  Light is frequently important to one’s mood.  On Tuesday of this week the Church celebrates Epiphany, the day the Church celebrates when the Magi came to worship the Christ Child, and when God brings us His light with the presence of Jesus Christ into the world.  The Old Testament reading for this week of Epiphany comes from the prophet Isaiah, and speaks of God’s light coming into the world.

As our Scripture begins, the prophet Isaiah calls upon the people to rejoice, to arise and shine because the Light, the glory of the Lord, has come upon them (vs. 1).   One of the many names that Jesus called Himself was “I am the Light of the world (John 8:12).  The Magi who came to Jesus shortly after His birth were the first of the Gentiles to come to faith and worship Him.   Later throughout His ministry there were other Gentiles, such as the centurion whose servant Jesus healed, the Syrophoenician woman with her daughter, and several Samaritans (who had a mix of Jewish and Gentile blood).  The world is beginning to arise from centuries of spiritual darkness and blindness.  On Epiphany we remember the opening of the door of faith for the Gentiles, when the Light of Jesus is spread to all people.

The world was in darkness back during the time of Isaiah.  It was also in darkness at the time of Jesus’ birth, and it continues to remain in darkness to this day (vs. 2).  As the prophet said, it was in “deep darkness”, which is also true today.  However, while the world is in darkness, the Lord rises with His light upon all who come to faith in Him.  When we enter a dark room, what is the first thing that we do?  We turn on a light if we don’t want to stumble and trip in the darkness.  If there is no light switch, or we are outside, we bring a flashlight.  Spiritual darkness is no different.  This world is in terrible spiritual darkness, and that is much worse than physical darkness.  For though you may stub your toe, or even fall and break a bone, the danger of spiritual darkness is being lost for all eternity.

Isaiah told of God’s promise to send light, which He did in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This light was not just for His chosen people, the Jewish nation, but was for all people, the Gentiles included, for people high and low (vs. 3).  This found fulfillment when Paul and the other apostles spread out throughout the world bringing the message of salvation to all people.  God will bring sons and daughters from all nations into His family (vs. 4).

As our Scripture continues, Isaiah spoke of costly gifts being brought to the Savior (vs. 5-6, 9). Though He grew up in a humble household, and not in affluence, and depended upon the love and charity of others throughout His ministry, when the Magi came to the baby Jesus, they brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  We don’t know how many Magi came, nor how many servants they may have brought with them, but there were undoubtedly plenty of camels, laden with the wealth of whatever countries they came from.  When Jesus returns at His Second Coming, and sets up His Millennial Kingdom, all the nations will come and bow before Him at that time, and the wealth of all nations will be His, as well.

As we close, we see that Jesus is the only true Light.  We are not a light in ourselves, however we are called to reflect His Light to others in the world.  The world is growing darker with each passing year, but God’s truth and Light shine brighter, especially as we follow Him and reflect His light.

Come and See, Go and Tell

Luke 2:15-20

When we receive good news, often one of the first things we’ll do is to tell someone else.  Good news is meant to be shared, especially if the one who told us tells us to pass it on to others.  Now that we have started a new year, and the Christmas holidays are coming to a close, I want to take one last look at the Christmas narrative from the Gospel of Luke, as there is one more lesson there that we can learn.  Let’s take a final look at the Christmas story for this year.

Most of us are very familiar with the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke, how the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus while in the stable, laying Him in the manger.  We know of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the field at night, telling them of the birth of the Savior.  Right before the angels leave, they tell the shepherds where they would find this Savior.  This meant that they were to go and find Him.  As our Scripture passage begins, the angels have gone and the shepherds are now alone with the sheep in the fields.  What were they going to do?  What would you do?

Some might decide to stay put.  They had sheep they needed to watch and protect.  It was nice and warm by the campfire.  It was the middle of the night, and no one wanted to be prowling the streets of Bethlehem then.  On the other hand, these heavenly messengers had told them a generalized location where to find this newborn Baby.  Fortunately for them, they decided to go, and go right then, not waiting for the morning (vs. 15).  Their response was immediate, not delayed.  The shepherds acted on their faith in what the Lord had revealed to them, going to see the Savior they were told of.  When God speaks through His Word to us, the right response is prompt obedience, not procrastination, excuses, or hesitation.

The shepherds left with haste.  They were eager to see what the Lord had told them, and it didn’t take them long to find the Holy Family (vs. 16).  They found them exactly as the angel had described, which confirmed the truth of God’s Word.  God’s Word is always accurate and trustworthy.  When we see God’s truth revealed, we need to always run towards it.

After a time of brief worship of the Holy Child, the shepherds left.  But now they had a new job to do, in addition to being shepherds.  They now had the task of telling others about the newborn Savior (vs. 17-18).  They were the first evangelists in the New Testament.  Evangelism should be the natural response to encountering Jesus.

God often uses ordinary people to proclaim His message. Paul spoke of this in I Corinthians 1:26-29.  God used shepherds to announce Jesus’ birth to people.  If He had wanted, He could have used a well-educated scribe or priest from the Temple in nearby Jerusalem, but He didn’t.  Instead God used uneducated, possibly illiterate shepherds.  Even though shepherds were unlikely candidates to proclaim His birth, they were effective.  The people who heard them were moved by their message.  God may ask us to do something that makes us uncomfortable, where we may not feel qualified.  God often does not call the qualified, but qualifies the called.  We don’t need a title or training to share the message of Jesus.  We just need a heart transformed by God and a willingness to speak.  He used the shepherds to proclaim Jesus’ birth.

The Virgin Mary had another response.  As we read, she kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (vs. 19).  Her response was different from the crowds.  She didn’t give outward excitement, but had inward reflection.  She treasured and guarded this moment in hers and Jesus’ life, pondering and meditating upon it in her heart.  True faith also includes thoughtful meditation on God’s works.  Mary sought to understand God’s purposes.  She showed that deep reflection is a vital part of spiritual growth.

The shepherds returned to their job watching sheep, but they were not the same people after this encounter with God (vs. 20).  This experience led to worship and praise in what God had revealed.  When we have a genuine encounter with Jesus in our life, it should produce lasting worship.  And when we believe and obey His Word, God will be glorified.  God delights to reveal Himself to humble, ordinary people, and then use them to spread His glory.

Every Knee Will Bow

Philippians 2:9-14

Suppose I were to read off a list of a dozen or so names of random famous people to you, and ask for your response to those names, whether positive, negative, or indifferent.  Some great political figures might get a positive response, along with perhaps some movie stars or musicians you liked.  Notorious criminals wouldn’t.  Sometimes the mere mention of someone’s name can elicit an enormous response, either positively or negatively.  Our Scripture for today speaks of a specific Name, and the response to that Name.  Let’s take a look.

As you might have imagined, the Name that I am speaking of is that of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Right prior to our selected Scripture, the Apostle Paul had just described Christ’s humiliation, when He, as Eternal God, took on human flesh, became a servant, and was obedient to death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-8).  Because of His obedience, Paul now tells us that Jesus will be exalted, and not just exalted, but highly exalted (vs. 9).  This exaltation includes His resurrection, ascension where He is currently enthroned in heaven, and His future visible reign here on earth.  As we see in the life of Jesus, God honors humility and obedience.  The life that Jesus led, the path He chose, led downward in humility, but then went upward in glory.  This is the pattern that we, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, should be willing to follow, as well.

Here we come to the Name of Jesus.  Paul tells us that at the Name of Jesus, every knee will bow (vs. 10).  Throughout the world, in every nation and group, the Name of Jesus arouses all sorts of reactions.  Some people show indifference, others feel hatred.  Many think of it only in a profane sense.  But to those of us who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His Name is precious and higher than any other.

The Apostle Paul tells us that there will one day be universal submission to Jesus Christ.  “Every knee” includes those in heaven - the angels and redeemed believers, those on earth - all living humanity, and those under the earth - the lost and demonic realms.  This does not mean that there is universal salvation, the false belief that everyone will ultimately be saved.  This means that there will be universal acknowledgment of Jesus’ lordship.  Isaiah spoke of this in his prophecies (Isaiah 45:23), along with Paul referring to it again in his letter to the Romans (Romans 14:11).

As we look throughout history, particularly in our own day, we see so many people, notably many celebrities, who proudly proclaim that they are atheists.  They defiantly shake their fists, stating they do not believe in God.  Then there are those around the world who are followers of various false religions and gods.  They, too, spew their hatred of Jesus.  The day is coming, though, when they will be made to bow the knee to the Lord Jesus.  If we bow the knee to Jesus, submitting our lives to Him today while we are alive, that is salvation.  However, if someone refuses to in this life, they will be forced to bow the knee in the afterlife, and that will bring judgment.  It is so much better to live in joyful submission to Jesus’ authority today!

In like manner we read that every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord (vs. 11).  This will be a verbal acknowledgment and confession of Jesus Christ’s deity and authority.  This concession glorifies God the Father, showing perfect unity within the Trinity.  Again, we can freely believe and acknowledge this in our life now, or one day in judgment acknowledge that Jesus is indeed the Lord.  But then it will be too late.

Paul now moves from Jesus’ example to our own obedience to God (vs. 12-14).  “Working out our own salvation” does not mean working for our salvation, such as salvation through good works.  Instead it means to bring it to completion.  It is sanctification - living out what God has already worked in our lives.  We should do this with reverence, being aware of God’s holiness.  Sanctification is a cooperative work.  We obey and God empowers us.  He does not leave us to struggle on our own.  The Lord wants us to go about our daily lives without murmuring or disputing, either inwardly complaining or outwardly arguing.

As we close this Scripture passage that exalts and glorifies the Name of Jesus, we see that He is exalted above all creation.  There will be a day in the future when every creature will bow to Him.  Knowing this, we as believers should boldly confess Jesus Christ as our Lord, and bring the Gospel to others who do not yet believe.  The day is coming when every knee will bow.  It is better that they do so in life now and enjoy eternity in heaven with God, than to be forced to bow later, in the afterlife on the Day of Judgment.

When I Consider Your Heavens

Psalm 8

I love to look at photos of the universe taken by both the Hubble Space Telescope and also now the more advanced James Webb Space Telescope!  Prior to these two telescopes, we had photos of our solar system and galaxy, but nothing nearly so spectacular.  Some of you might have your own telescopes, but for many people, we are limited to just what we can see with our eyes.  Naturally, that is all that David, the author of our psalm for this week, had.  Yet, even with his limited view of the sky at night, David felt the need to praise the Lord for His wonderful creation in the heavens.

As a youth, before he came to serve as King Saul’s musician and serve in his army, David had spent years as a shepherd of his father’s flock of sheep.  This involved spending many a night awake keeping the flock safe, with little to do but watch the stars cross the dark sky.  David probably wrote this psalm during that time, or perhaps later while thinking back to his days of watching both his flock and the skies.  This psalm exalts the majesty of God in His creation, and that such a magnificent God would even bother with mankind.

Our psalm begins with a declaration of praise to the Lord God (vs. 1).  I am not sure how this reads in other languages, but in English the word “lord” is written two different ways in the King James version.  In that version of the English Bible, when the word LORD is written with all capital letters it refers to God’s divine, personal Name (Yahweh).  When the word is written Lord, in small case letters, it is the Hebrew word “Adonai”, which means “master” or “lord”.  David is calling Yahweh his master and lord.  He begins his worship, like we all should, by recognizing God’s greatness.  His glory is proclaimed every night as we look at the sky, especially today with our extremely advanced telescopes.

David acknowledged that even little children and babies just naturally praise the Lord (vs. 2).  They may not understand a lot of things, however their childlike nature just naturally gravitates towards God, and their praise for Him comes forth.  After being reprimanded by the chief priests and scribes, Jesus applied this verse to the children praising Him in the Temple (Matthew 21:15-16).  God uses the weak to silence the strong.  He delights in simple, sincere praise.  It is only as they get older, and their sin-nature grows that this changes, and children become cynical towards God.

On those long nights, gazing up at the moon, stars, and planets crossing the sky, David marveled at how wonderful God’s heavenly creation was (vs. 3).  When looking at the beauty and order of the universe, how could people believe that it is a result of millions of fortuitous accidents, and that it came about by chance?  No, the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1).

David marveled at the glory of heaven, and he wondered why such a marvelous and magnificent Creator God would love sinful mankind (vs. 4).  Most people shake their fists at God, demanding that He do this or that for them.  David was awestruck that the Creator of the moon and stars would love him!  You and I are tiny specks on planet Earth.  Earth is one of the smaller planets in the solar system, which is just a speck in the Milky Way galaxy, which is only one of billions of galaxies in the universe.   Despite being the Creator of such grandeur, God sent Jesus to become a man and die for our sins!  It is a demonstration of His grace that God cares for us in such a personal and intentional way.

Mankind was created a little lower than the angels.  We are beneath heavenly beings in nature, but above all earthly creatures (vs. 5-8).  We were created with dignity and dominion (Genesis 1:26-28).  Man’s dominion is real, but it has become incomplete because of the Fall.  This is why when Hebrews 2:6-9 quotes today’s psalm, it applies ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect Man.  Jesus was made “a little lower than the angels” in His incarnation, and through His death and resurrection He regained the dominion that Adam had lost.  During His Millennial Kingdom, and then throughout eternity, all things will be visibly under His feet.  Psalm 8 is not only about what man was meant to be, but also about what Christ will restore.

As we look back upon this week’s psalm, this should stir us to awe and worship of the Lord our Creator, removing all inclinations to self-importance.  It also shows us, though, that we are immensely loved by God.  We are small in the scope of creation, but we are not insignificant to God.  Knowing that, we should praise His excellent Name in all the earth!

The Name of the Lord

Exodus 34:1-8

One of the first things brand new parents do following the birth of their child is to give him or her their name.  Generally that is something that they had decided upon before the baby was born.  In Jewish culture, if the baby is a boy, he is officially given his name eight days after his birth when the baby is circumcised.  Jesus’ parents were devoutly religious, and they followed this practice with the infant Jesus when He was eight days old, which would fall later this week (Luke 2:21).  He would have officially been given His Name then, a Name that both Mary and Joseph had been given by angels before He was born (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21).  Names are important, and God holds His Name as important, as it speaks of His character.  In today’s Old Testament Scripture we read of the occasion when God proclaimed His Name to Moses, and through him, to the people of Israel.

As our Scripture opens, the Lord told Moses to cut out of rock two tablets of stone a second time, for Him to write the Ten Commandments again, as the first tablets had been broken.  This had happened when Moses had gone down Mt. Sinai with the first ones, and then had seen the people worshiping the golden calf, and participating in terrible sins.  In a moment of righteous anger, he had thrown the tablets down, breaking them (Exodus 32:19).  A little while after that, Moses had returned to the top of the mountain, and God was going to give him a second set.  It was here that God proclaimed His Name and character.

Before Moses had returned to the top of the mountain for a second time, he had interceded on behalf of sinful Israel.  God relented from destroying the nation, and was merciful to those who repented, but He was also just, not allowing the guilty to go unpunished.  In this Scripture passage we clearly see God’s holiness and His mercy.  We also see how God is faithful to His covenant.

It was God who initiated the making of a second set of the Ten Commandments (vs. 1).  The covenant was renewed by God’s grace, not by Israel’s merit.  Moses needed to prepare the tablets, but God wrote the words.  God provides the revelation.  God does not abandon His people when they fail.  He restores on His terms, not ours.  This is a picture of salvation: we bring nothing but obedience.

For this second meeting of Moses with the Lord, He had some specific requirements and preparations to be done (vs. 2-3).  God was the one who set the terms of worship, not man.  Moses was to rise early and come alone.  Meeting with God is never casual.  Moses was not to improvise his own actions or style.  God defines how He is to be approached, not man.  Reverence in worship is not optional.  God is not to be approached flippantly.  No one else was to touch the mountain.  Separation underscored God’s transcendence.  God is not “common”.  His presence is dangerous to sinful men.  Holiness in all things demands separation.  We need to distinguish between what is sacred and what is common.

Moses did exactly as God commanded (vs. 4).  He showed reverence, diligence, and submission to the Lord.  It was then that God descended to him and proclaimed His Name and character (vs. 5-7).  God revealed Himself to Moses.  Moses did not define who God was.  God defined Himself.  In proclaiming His Name and attributes, He stated that He was merciful, gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.  When He is merciful to us, He withholds the judgment that we deserve.  His grace is receiving His undeserved favor.  God is patient with sinful man, and His love is overflowing.  God is truth - He is faithful, reliable, and trustworthy.  As Christians, we can rest in God’s character, not in our performance.

We also read how God will forgive the sins of those who repent, showing them mercy, as His mercy is vast.  However, He is also a just God, and His justice is uncompromising.  He will not clear the guilty, as sin must be punished.  There are generational consequences for sin.  This refers to the natural impact of sin on families, not on inherited guilt.  Each generation suffers the fallout of the previous one’s choices.  A child is not held guilty for the sins his father did, but there is fallout that he must live with, such as living with the consequences if his father goes to prison for a long time, or is living the destitute life of a drug addict or alcoholic.

Verse 7 shows the perfect union of mercy (forgiveness) and justice (punishment).  The Cross is the ultimate fulfillment of this.  God remained just while justifying the sinner who believes (Romans 3:26).  God’s forgiveness never cancels His holiness, and true repentance matters.

As our Scripture closes, we read that Moses bowed his head and worshiped God (vs. 8).  That was the proper response to hearing God’s Name and His character revealed.  Worship is the only fitting reaction to who God is.  Moses recognized God’s greatness and his own unworthiness.  As we see, God alone defined His nature, not us.  We cannot decide what God is like to suit our fancy or our own personal beliefs.  We also see that He is both infinitely merciful and perfectly just.  Neither attribute cancels the other.  Focusing solely on one or the other makes a caricature of God, and we never want to do that.  He is a holy God!

The Eternal Word and True Light

John 1:1-14

When someone writes a biography of someone else, or they write an autobiography of themselves, they usually begin at the person’s birth.  They were born on this date, in that city, and their parents were this and that person, etc.  That’s the beginning.  That is what Matthew and Luke did in writing their Gospels of Jesus.  Mark doesn’t give a birth account, but what about John?  He begins his Gospel at the real beginning, going back eons further than Matthew or Luke.  John begins his Gospel by reminding us that, though Jesus in His human form did have a beginning in Bethlehem, He has existed from all eternity.  The curtain is opened before the birth narratives, and we see the eternal glory of Jesus Christ before He ever took on flesh.  Let’s look at what John has to say, and see what we can learn.

As we read these opening verses of John’s Gospel, we do not see Jesus as the Baby born in Bethlehem.  Instead, we see Jesus as the eternal Word, as One who is fully God, the Creator, the source of life, the true Light, and the One who became flesh to reveal God to mankind.  John clearly shows us here that Jesus is God, the divine second Person of the Trinity.

The opening words of John’s Gospel echo Genesis 1:1, with “In the beginning”. (vs. 1)   Jesus existed before creation.  He also uses the word “was” here in the imperfect tense.  This indicates continuous existence.  Jesus didn’t come into being.  He already was.  He is not a created being (vs. 2).  He is eternally “with God”.  John refers to Jesus as “The Word”, the perfect expression of God’s mind and character.  The Word is distinct from the Father, yet fully God.

Continuing on, John tells us that Jesus Christ is the Creator (vs. 3).  He was not merely an agent or an instrument, but was the Creator (Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:2-3).  This also shows us that creation was not random or impersonal, neither was it a product of evolution.  Creation was Christ’s personal, deliberate work.  John also shows us that Jesus is the source of both physical and spiritual life (vs. 4).  Life isn’t just something that He gives to His creation, it is something that Jesus is.  And as we read, He not only gives physical life, but even more importantly, Jesus gives eternal life to those who come to Him in faith.

Throughout the Bible, along with other literature and movies, darkness frequently symbolizes or represents sin, rebellion, and evil.  John frequently uses that word in this context, as we see in verse 5, along with using the word “Light” to represent Jesus.  Satan and his forces of darkness tried to stop Jesus and His Light, however he could not “comprehend”, overcome or extinguish the Light.  On the cross, Jesus showed his victory over sin and Satan.  Today, even though the world continues to reject Jesus, that does not diminish His glory.  As believers, if we continue to follow Jesus, we will never walk in darkness.  His light will go before us, and we do not need to fear.

John briefly changes pace in the middle of this passage as he introduces John the Baptist for a couple of verses (vs. 6-8).  Even after his execution, John the Baptist maintained some very faithful followers.  The Apostle John, though, teaches us that John the Baptist was not the Light, but was a witness to the Light, which that prophet also maintained from the start.  Some television preachers should take a lesson from John the Baptist, as a true ministry will point away from oneself, and instead point towards Jesus.  He is the only genuine Light.  All others are merely reflections.  He is the only way to know God.

When Jesus entered into His creation, the world did not recognize Him (vs. 10-13).  His own people, the Israelites, rejected Him despite prophecy and having a covenant.  However, to those who did receive Him, to those who believed in His Name, whether Jewish or Gentile, they became a child of God.  Some people say and believe that everyone is a child of God, but as we clearly see in verse 12, only those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior are a child of God.  God is the Creator of everyone, but He is not the Father of everyone.  He loves everyone, but only those who have accepted Jesus as Savior are His children.

In our final verse, verse 14, John speaks of the Incarnation, when God (the Word) became flesh, when God took human nature and became a man.  He did not cease to be God, but He added humanity.  Jesus was fully God and fully man.  He was "full of grace and truth”, which shows a perfect balance - mercy without compromise, and truth without harshness.

When we feel as though no one understands us, we need to remember that Jesus became fully human, and experienced life as we do.  He was tempted as we are (Hebrews 4:15).  He knew grief and sadness.  He felt joy and happiness.  The only thing that He didn’t experience was sin, however He suffered sins consequences upon the Cross.

This Scripture passage, which shows the real beginning, might not be as well-known as Luke’s or Matthew’s nativity accounts.  It is not one that can be nicely portrayed on a Christmas card or display.  However it clearly shows some very vital Christian doctrines - the pre-existence of Christ from all eternity as the second Person of the Trinity, and His incarnation.  We should keep John’s account in mind at Christmas time, as well as the others.