Read John 1:1-18.
I sat down recently with someone who wasn’t as familiar with the Gospel as I was. I grew up with it and the danger of that is getting too used to it, taking the truth of the Gospel for granted. Sitting down with my friend, looking at the opening of John’s Gospel and hearing his questions, I realized fresh and anew the wonder, mystery and even paradox of the Gospel message. The God who created the world stepped into it. The eternal Word became flesh. The God whom no one has ever seen is made known in a Person no different than us in appearance.
Brian Zahnd, a pastor in St. Joseph, MO, in his book Beauty Will Save the World, says that the wonder, mystery and beauty of the Gospel may very well win the hearts of those who otherwise aren’t responding to the message we’re preaching. He encourages the church to recapture that wonder, mystery and beauty and help others see it, too.
The most wonder-full and beauty-full truth of the Gospel is God’s love for us. The word “love” doesn’t appear in this prologue to John’s Gospel, but it’s there in every line. Love is why He came—“For God so loved the world…” There was a song we used to sing—“Oh the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all, just to think that God loves me!”
I love Christmas! I love Christmas morning when the kids come down the steps, when the music’s playing, the gifts are opened, time with family. But the wonder of Christmas is God’s love. Sometime today hit pause and consider God’s love for you, love so strong that He came to us, that He became one of us!
I wish you a wonderful, beautiful and Happy Christmas!
Written by Pastor Ben Spitler
