The Long-Expected Son
John 1:14
“The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and someday suddenly wake up and discover why.” ~ G.K. Chesterton
Main Idea: Christmas is the good news that God has come to us full of grace and truth.
I. God Has Come
Christianity says that the ‘Word’ (‘logos’; cf. Jn. 1:1) has come as a person. Christmas tells us that God is not content being studied as a concept or being theorized about from a distance; God has gone to great lengths so that we might know him personally.
“The birth of Christ was the incarnation of God: it was God taking upon himself humanity—a mystery, a wondrous mystery, to be believed in rather than to be defined… Infinite, and an infant — eternal, and yet born of a woman — Almighty... supporting the universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms — King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph — Heir of all things and yet the carpenter’s despised son.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
“Dwelt among us” lit. means “tabernacled” among us. The OT tabernacle dealt with two realities:
1. God’s Presence
“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, The Message)
2. God’s Glory
An encounter with God’s glory is dangerous in the Bible (cf. Ex. 33), but yet in Jesus Christ we have “seen his glory.”
II. Full of Grace & Truth
Jesus comes full of both grace and truth; he does not “balance” these two attributes out, but embodies both of them fully, at all times.
God’s glory, grace, and truth come together in a cosmic way at the crucifixion of Christ. Jesus is ultimately “glorified” on the cross (cf. John 13:31-32), which means we must always connect the cradle to the cross to appreciate the full message of Christmas.
“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” ~ Tim Keller
Luke 2:10-11: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
