Christmas Lesson

God Intervenes

John 1:1–14 NASB95

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This is a text that teaches us how we can understand Christmas and how it fits in to God's plan of redemption.

It tells us why God did what He did at Christmas, to help us understand the Good News.

Let’s start at the beginning

Genesis 1:1–4 NASB95

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.

The Deeper Meaning of Christmas - Introduction

Here, the apostle John, ties together the Genesis account with the advent of Christ so that we can understand the whole context of God's plan of redemption. Jesus is the Word, and while the Word is not mentioned in the Genesis account, the Father and the Spirit are. We also see that God spoke and through His word, all was created.

God sent John the Baptist, the last of the OT prophets, as a messenger to us, to announce the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, explains that the Trinity (which includes Jesus -the Word) has been present always, and the Son, the Lord Jesus, was part of the God’s operation to create the heavens and the earth. Even before the beginning of time, the Trinity had put into operation the plan to redeem God's people. Then in the fulness of time, the Son, Jesus, took human form, revealed God's plan for His people, and then paid the penalty for their sins on the cross.

John is announcing the coming of the Messiah, who is the Son, and the good news that He is coming to save His people from their sins.

At the time He came, Israel was a dark place, as the light of God's Word had been corrupted by the religious leadership. Though God had sent prophets, beginning with Moses, to provide His revelation in truth, the religious leadership of Israel twisted God’s Word for their own, sinful desires

Consequently, when John the Baptist and Jesus came, God's people were confused, living and dying in sin, and without any spiritual leadership. John, along with his prophet predecessors, had been sent by God to provide leadership and guidance to Israel's leaders, to get them on track, but that guidance, had fallen on deaf ears, because of their sin and wickedness

There are four points here that are important for us to understand the wonder of Christmas:

Christ is God

John 1:1–5 NASB95

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

From the moment God created humankind, He wanted to communicate with us - to tell us how much He loved us, what He expected of us, how He wanted to rescue us from our sins

From the moment Adam and Eve rebelled against God, sin and darkness descended on the Earth, but God determined to save a people for Himself - that’s who Christians are - people saved by God.

When we turn to Christ, we turn our backs on sin - we face away from the darkness in this world and turn toward the light of Christ. God wants the light of righteousness to shine as a beacon in this dark and sinful world, and His Son is that light. As Christians, we reflect that light and provide little beacons in the dark. We do this by publicly professing Christ as our Lord, and by sharing the Good News of what He has done.

The testimony of John the Baptist

John 1:6–8 NASB95

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

John the Baptist was the last of God’s OT prophets. He came to tell the world about the coming of the Messiah, God’s Son, the light of the world

All God’s prophets before him had come to testify that the Light was coming (Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Amos, Obadiah and the rest)

These were foretelling prophets - God gave them His words and message to share with the world

Christians, as witnesses of the Good News, are “forthtelling” prophets - those who are obedient to God’s Word and share it in love, with their neighbors

The True Light - Jesus

John 1:9–13 NASB95

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jesus is like the sun - all light and energy flows from it. The world would be a dark place without the sun, and it is spiritually a very dark place, except for the Son of God

Jesus came to us to share the truth and knowledge of God, the Father. He came to share the love, holiness and righteousness of God and tell us that to have a relationship with our Creator God, we had to turn from the darkness of sin, to the light of God

Most people refused to believe Him, in spite of His wisdom and miracles

He helps some to believe on His name and turn from their sin, so that they can have a relationship with God. If we hear the good news, and follow Jesus, He will save us from the wrath of God, and we will follow Him to Heaven

Because of our sin, no one can have a relationship with God unless He follows Jesus. That’s because Jesus died for our sins and by following Him, we accept that gift. Because He did that, God accounts His followers as righteous.

God becomes Flesh

John 1:14 NASB95

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

And this is the Christmas story. When the fulness of time had come, God sent His Son to dwell among us.

The Son of God took on the body of a human baby, born to Mary, a virgin. He became one of us. He could be tempted, He could feel pain and love and grief.

He was born in humble beginnings. He was in danger. He became a refugee from a raging king

He never sinned, but that we might have His righteousness before the Father, He was punished on a Roman cross for the sins of His people. Because of this God would account them holy and righteous and accept them into eternity in Heaven with Him.

Bringing it Home - the Good News

2000 years ago God sent His Son to save His people from their sins - are you one of His people?

Christ calls you today. This is the story of His birth - God brought us here today, to study this passage of the Bible, because He wants us to understand how much He loves us. He laid down His life for us.

If you turn from your sin, and determine to follow Jesus for the rest of your life, you may be one of His people.

2 Corinthians 6:2 NASB95

for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—

Prayer