The Other Christmas Story

John 1:1; 14 (ESV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was 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.

Like Matthew and Luke, John’s Gospel starts with the Christmas story. However, there are no shepherds, angels, or Magi. There is not even a manger or a star. Yet, John encapsulates the heart of the message of Christmas perhaps more clearly than any other Gospel.

Jesus is pictured as the Word, who was with God in the beginning and who was God (giving us a picture of the unique nature of the Trinity – relationship and unity). Jesus is the eternally existent agent of creation. Jesus came as light into a dark world, most of whose residents did not receive Him, but those who did (and do) become children of God (vs 12). The mystery of the Christmas incarnation is described in verse 14 as this eternally existent and divine Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

There has never been and never again will be a unique individual fully God and fully man. His incarnation gives us a glimpse of His glory, but also the glory of His Gospel: full of grace and truth. This and is a powerful one and demonstrates the necessity of Christmas. First, there is truth. That means there are also things false. The entire Bible communicates the consequences of choosing the false. The reality of truth also means that not all explanations of the world and our existence are equally valid. That can be a tough message to accept in a pluralistic, Postmodern world, but we can know the truth of many things, including who Jesus was and why he had to come. Because truth means consequences, we desperately need grace – forgiveness from our mistakes and access to an eternal relationship with God. This is the best news of Christmas. We needed a Savior, and Jesus (the only one who could save us) came, so that whoever believes in Him can become a child of God (vs 12). I pray you receive the greatest of all Christmas gifts today. Believe in Jesus.