Finding Christmas
December 15, 2024
John 1:1-14
"The world came into being through him,
yet the world did not know him.
.
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This Word, Jesus, became flesh and lived among us, yet the world did not recognize or accept him. His arrival defied expectations, taking place in a humble barn, announced to shepherds rather than royalty. This humility reflects God’s nature and purposes, which often clash with human expectations.
Throughout his life, many missed Jesus. Even his parents lost sight of him, once finding him in the Temple fulfilling God’s work rather than hanging out with the other kids. King Herod sought to kill him instead of seeking the Savior. Religious leaders, confident in their status, failed to see him befriending sinners and touching the untouchable. Jesus’ birth, life, and mission consistently subverted expectations, revealing that God’s truth and blessings are often far removed from what humanity anticipates.
Today, the casualness of Christmas celebrations risks diminishing the incredible gift of Jesus, the Word made flesh. Yet his birth offers us the opportunity to recognize him for who he truly is and to discover our own purpose in him. His humility in the manger and sacrifice on the cross reveal God’s love and redemption. Despite being rejected by the world, Jesus gives all who believe in him the power to become children of God. Like the shepherds, we are invited to see and celebrate the life-changing gift God has made known.
he gave power to become children of God,
who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh
or of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)
