Read
The Word of Life
1In the beginning was the one
who is called the Word.
The Word was with God
and was truly God.
2From the very beginning
the Word was with God.
3And with this Word,
God created all things.
Nothing was made
without the Word.
Everything that was created
4received its life from him,
and his life gave light
to everyone.
5The light keeps shining
in the dark,
and darkness has never
put it out.
6 God sent a man named John,
7who came to tell
about the light
and to lead all people
to have faith.
8John wasn't this light.
He came only to tell
about the light.
9The true light that shines
on everyone
was coming into the world.
10The Word was in the world,
but no one knew him,
though God had made the world
with his Word.
11He came into his own world,
but his own nation
did not welcome him.
12Yet some people accepted him
and put their faith in him.
So he gave them the right
to be the children of God.
13They were not God's children
by nature or because
of any human desires.
God himself was the one
who made them his children.
14The Word became
a human being
and lived here with us.
We saw his true glory,
the glory of the only Son
of the Father.
From him the complete gifts
of undeserved grace and truth
have come down to us.
15John spoke about him and shouted, “This is the one I told you would come! He is greater than I am, because he was alive before I was born.”
16Because of all that the Son is, we have been given one blessing after another. 17The Law was given by Moses, but Jesus Christ brought us undeserved kindness and truth. 18No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like.
Reflect
Where and how do we start telling the story of Christ? Matthew starts his narrative with a genealogy, Mark kicks off with a prophecy from Isaiah, Luke takes an historical approach, and John pushes back to a time before time saying, “In the beginning was the one who is called the Word . . .” (v 1).
If you wanted the Story delineated with a start and a close, it isn’t. God doesn’t fit into our boxes, not in any way, and no less so with the birth of Jesus Christ. He was born before he was born, and before that He was!
According to John, Christ’s birth is shrouded in mystery. Yes, Christ became human and lived with us (v 14), but it’s bigger and more complex than that. He is simultaneously cosmic and contained. “He is the first-born Son, superior to all creation (Colossians 1:15) and He’s a baby wrapped snuggly in strips of cloth and lying “on a bed of hay” (Luke 2:7). Amazingly and profoundly, He was in the world – even though the world was made through Him (v 10).
There’s nothing regular about the birth of Christ. It’s extraordinary and supernatural. But it’s not remote or esoteric. The One who was with God and was God was also with us. Christ came into the world – to His own people (v 11) – to bring us God’s unfailing love and faithfulness (v 17).
Christ’s birth is both like and unlike our stories. So how do we relate to it? When Christ entered the human scene, some accepted and others discarded Him (v 10-12). Will we recognize or reject Him? Will we believe, or will we turn away? Before we answer, let’s not forget that the One born to a woman existed long before any of us (v 15).
Respond
Creator and cosmic King – we worship you. Even though you are great, you came near, to be God with us. To those who believe and accept you give the right to become children of God. Thank you. You are Light and Life, for through you we have come to know God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. All glory to God! – Amen.
Lawson Murray
Lawson is the President of Scripture Union Canada and the Managing Editor of theStory™. Lawson takes every opportunity to enthusiastically invite people of all ages to connect with Jesus and His Story. He says, “We have been given the greatest story ever - God's Story! Should we not, with all our might and energy immerse ourselves in it? I believe we should. For without the Story we really have nothing to offer the millions who hunger and thirst for something more. But, with God’s Story we have what everyone needs!” Publications: Bible Engagement Blog; Children’s Ministry Basics Blog, Bible Engagement Basics; Bible Beginners