John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through Him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He (Jesus) was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Devotion
This week we have been looking at what it means to worship fully the Christ of Christmas. One thing important to note is that worship always involves an object or person that commands our devotion and attention. It is easy to read the Christmas story and focus on a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. If this is all we focus on, we possibly could miss the real significance of why this birth was so important.
In John’s account of the birth of Christ, he focuses on the importance of Jesus’ true identity and origin. Rather than give us details about the birth of Christ, John focuses on the person and work of Christ. In these fourteen verses, John lays out why Jesus should be the One person that commands our devotion and attention.
John begins this text declaring Jesus to be the Word (logos). This means He is the exact representation of God. John goes on to declare that He was with God in the beginning and was in very nature God. In verse three, John declares that Jesus was the active agent in creation. “Through Him all things were made.” Jesus came as the light to reveal God to mankind. John is laying the foundation for a proper understanding of who Jesus is and why His birth is so important. Jesus came that we might become children of God.
In verse fourteen, we learn that Jesus is the fullness of God’s glory! In Jesus, we see all of God’s glory in human form. This is why we worship the Christ of Christmas. This Christmas, I challenge everyone to see Jesus for who He is and worship Christ the Lord!
Questions to Ponder
Who is Jesus to you? Have you put your trust in the Savior who is Christ the Lord?
Spend some time in prayer meditating on what God revealed to you today.