Dad and mom made it a practice to read the Christmas story with our family each Christmas morning. As a little boy this was a serious delay in the opening of presents! However, through the years I have come to love this time and Tammy and I continued the tradition with our kids. It is a reminder of who we celebrate.
The two narrative accounts of the Christmas story are found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20. If you have never done this I would encourage you to take time to read the story in your home this year. Then pause to thank God with your family for His “unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
This week I was reading in John 1 and was reminded that the Christmas story is not just found in the passages that may be considered the “classic” accounts. What is John’s Christmas story?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not...That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 9-14)
Matthew’s genealogy takes us back in Joseph’s line to Abraham. The record in Luke takes us back through Mary’s line to Adam. John takes us back in the divine line to God! It goes back further than any other story and connects the Creator and the Christ. The story did not begin with a star in the dark sky over Bethlehem it began with the Light who spoke everything into existence in a world of darkness (Genesis 1:2-3). What an encouragement that in our world filled with so much darkness that Light is still shining!
A phrase that captured my attention this week was “He was in the world.” The One who made the world, who was above the world, greater than the world – came into the world. And He is still here.
Yes, He is transcendent but He is also present. He is so great that He holds the world in His hand, and so loving that He comes to us. The story continues to speak.
Whatever Christmas passage you choose to read this year it is my prayer that you will grow to love Christ in a greater way. His story never gets old. He is the eternal One.
