The Word Is Born for You!

 

Sermon for Christmas Day, 2021

The grace and peace of God Almighty be yours in abundance through the saving gift of the Word.  Amen.

John 1:1-14  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ²He was with God in the beginning.  ³Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made.  ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.  ⁵The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  ⁶There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John.  ⁷He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light so that everyone would believe through him.  ⁸He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.  ⁹The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world.  ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him.  ¹¹He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him.  ¹²But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.  ¹³They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband’s will, but born of God.  ¹⁴The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (EHV)

The Word Is Born for You!

Dear rejoicing brothers and sisters of Christ,

            Martin Luther called this bit of Scripture the most important gospel reading of the Church year, which quite amazes me since they are all so beneficial, but consider all that is wrapped up in these few short verses: an explanation of whom this Messiah really is, why He came into this world, and how you and I came to know about Him.  So, John’s message shows us The Word Is Born for You!

In these first verses of his gospel, John tells us about the nature of Christ.  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.”  Throughout the ages, many heretics have tried to portray Jesus as just another man, a prophet or perhaps a teacher, albeit a very good one, but in denying the divinity of the Son of God they deny every portion of what God says about Himself and about the Savior He sent into the world.  Here, the Holy Spirit has John tell us that this little Babe in the manger of Bethlehem is not new as we generally think of infants.  Rather, this new Baby Boy is as old as time, and older, because He has always been with God, and in fact, He always is God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

“Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made.”  This gospel takes us back to the very beginning of the world.  In each step of the creation God said, "Let there be …" and there was. (Genesis 1:3)  The Word who is eternally begotten of the Father was actively involved in every step of the creation.  Not one thing was made apart from the Word who is Christ.  King David recognized the Savior’s involvement as he said, “You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.” (Psalm 139:13)  Did you ever wonder if Jesus knows or understands you?  John’s words teach us that Jesus knows you inside and out, for He has always been actively involved in God’s creating.  You and I can rejoice today, because that eternal, all-knowing Word of God came into the world and took on human flesh to be the answer to our greatest need.  The Word Is Born for You!

John wrote, “In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.  The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”  All living things were fashioned through the power of God’s Word and God breathed the breath of life into man.  But the breath of immortality was lost to man when he fell into sin.  Death became the fate of every person ever since.  You and I were born on that path to the grave.  However, to alter our grim fate, Jesus came into the world.  Because Jesus is God, He possesses everlasting life, but He doesn’t give us His divinity to give us life.  Rather, Jesus took our death upon Himself so that we don’t have to suffer that horrible fate.  He suffered the separation from the Father that is eternal death, so that you and I could have everlasting life.  The Word Is Born for You!

The Scriptures describe eternal condemnation to hell as banishment to outer darkness.  It is eternal separation from the light of God’s being.  As John tells us concerning the Word, “In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind.”  That infant in His manger bed doesn’t look all that extraordinary.  But the Glory of God was lying there.  You and I couldn’t go to God, so He came to us.  You and I couldn’t stand in God’s holy presence lest we face instant destruction for our unholiness.  Therefore, the Word of God veils His glory in human flesh so that He could restore to us the life and holiness we had lost. 

As Jesus lived His life on earth, the common man noticed that there was something different about Him.  Jesus didn’t run to the sins that entice us.  He didn’t cause the pain that you and I tend to inflict on others around us.  No, Jesus’ actions stood out from those of other men, just as His words stood out from the others who call themselves teachers.  Thus, we hear John say, “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  The glory of God is not that He commands men how to live—though He has that right.  Rather God’s glory is that Jesus lived for us what He, as God, demands of us.  The Word Is Born for You!

Have you begun to wonder why I keep repeating that this all took place for you personally?  When God created the world, He created us to live.  It was not God’s intention that we should have to suffer and die.  Yet, because sin entered the world, we each were consigned to die for the sins we commit.  It’s a death sentence that the best lawyers and doctors could not forestall.  We all were condemned to suffer the darkness of death, but Jesus came as the true Light that overcomes the deep darkness.  He came to restore His Light of life to all mankind.  The Word Is Born for You!

Now, on our own we couldn’t come to know Jesus.  We needed to be brought into His Light.  How much does God love you and me?  “There was a man, sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as an eyewitness to testify about the light so that everyone would believe through him.  He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.”  Not only did the Father send His own Son to live and die for us, but He made plans to tell us His saving Gospel to restore us to life. 

Before Jesus began His ministry on earth, God sent John the Baptist to preach repentance to the people, for the kingdom of God was near.  A little later, the apostle, John, was called to bear witness to all those people who would come after him, to share the salvation Jesus was accomplishing with all who will listen.  It wasn’t God’s goal to save just a few people, but rather, the apostle assures us, “God our Savior,… wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)  Though even the people who should have welcomed Christ with open arms did not recognize Him, Jesus sends out His witnesses so that all people might have access to His salvation—Jew and Gentile alike.

John described the Word as “full of grace and truth.”  God’s Word is pure truth and nothing but truth.  Nothing but God’s pure grace, His unmerited love, brings salvation to sinful people.  Salvation is given to those “born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband’s will, but born of God.”  None of us could chose God or decide to come to Him, so God came to us in the Word made flesh in that stable at Bethlehem so that we might become His children, through adoption by His choice, through faith in Christ given to us through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament.

If you are like most people in our country, last night or this morning you gave a number of gifts, probably without asking whether the recipient deserved to receive those presents.  Though much of the world may not recognize it, in that stable in Bethlehem, God gave each of us a gift of immeasurable worth that none of us had any right to receive, for in that Infant in the manger God gave a Savior to a world of sinful people.  God gave the One Man who could be the perfection and love necessary to restore us as the children of God.

God’s gift to you and me didn’t come wrapped in fancy paper with ribbons and bows.  Rather, Jesus humbled Himself to come into this world enclosed in human flesh, born of a poor humble peasant girl, a virgin who became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  Mary and Joseph wrapped the Baby Jesus in the rags of the poor and laid Him in a manger. 

It is to God’s glory to use the humble and small to restore mankind.  Jesus came as a humble, little baby to live a full human life of perfect obedience, because we could not.  Then, Jesus suffered our death, and after dying on the cross for you and me, Jesus demonstrated His power over life and death by rising from the dead.  God used the humility of the cross to demonstrate His power and glory.  The world, in ignorance, views Christ’s cross as a sign of death and shame, and many stood mocking Jesus as He died, but it is to God’s glory that Jesus died even for those who mocked and whipped and hit and spit and nailed Him to the cross.  It is to God’s glory that Jesus died for you and me, even though we have mocked His will with our sins.  Again, The Word Is Born for You!

But what joy is ours in the humble birth, God’s gift of the Word Made Flesh brings you forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.  The darkness of death has been overcome by His Light.  Rejoice, today, every day, and forever!  For in that tiny Baby in the manger, God gave you Himself to rescue you from sin and death: The Word Is Born for You!  Amen.

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.  May the whole earth be filled with his glory.  Amen.