LEARNING DAILY

 

John 1:12, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name.

 

The first few verses of the Gospel of John do not fit the narrative of the Christmas story since John does not write about the events we celebrate. Yet it does contain the important answer to the question of why? Why did the Son of God come to walk the earth in human form? Verse 14 tells us, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace.” The Son of God “entered human life with all the limitations of human experience” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible). Humanity and deity were united together in this baby! The term “only begotten Son” does not mean He was created at some time in history; It refers to the fact that He is the One and only Son of God from all eternity. He was preexistent with God having the same nature and spirit or heart as the Father. Born as baby, He left heaven and entered human life through human birth.

 

John would write that The Word would be the light of men that would shine in darkness. His life was the light that would shine for all men and women, for all who would believe in Him. To believe in Him (as Savior and Lord) makes His truth, His nature, and His power available to the who believe. John wrote, “In Him was life and the life was the light of the world. And the light shines in the darkness”. The light of Christ shines in the dark, evil and sinful world controlled by Satan.

 

 Jesus speaks of believers as the “light of the world” when teaching what we know as the Sermon on the Mount. Today, Believers are to be light in this world that is growing darker and darker. The gospel of Christ gives light to all who hear His message of grace and forgiveness in order to choose to freely accept or reject that message; those are the only responses one who hears can choose from. Sadly, too many choose to reject Him. Those who reject Him live apart from Him and remain indifferent to Him, uninterested and unresponsive to the narrow way to His Kingdom. It is not difficult to see how rejecting the Light of the World is allowing the growth of darkness to be more and more dominate around us.

 

For those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and made Him the Lord of our life, John writes in verse 16-17, “And of His fulness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ.” Grace and power is constantly given Believers through Christ; Believers are given one blessing after another. The Son of God was given to all who believe to live within us, to renew and restore our spirits, and to re-create us into His image.

 

 In the busyness of all you do as we celebrate the birth of the Son of God, take some time and reflect on this truly wonderful time of the year. Do not allow anything to interfere with the fact that God sent His Son and “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name”. Be the light He has given you; shine to those around you and those in this dark world we live in.