We usually restrict Christmas Bible readings to the passages in Luke and Matthew. It is all about the birth of a baby in Bethlehem, angels, shepherds, infancy stories, a wise man or two or three, and it is all marvelous stuff. But we should not miss the power of the Christmas narrative in John’s Gospel. It is called the prologue and includes John 1:1 through 18. Whereas the Christmas story usually begins with the birth narrative, John goes back to Genesis chapter 1, attaching Jesus to that when he writes, “In the Beginning was the Word.” This “word” was “with God, and the word was God.” This eternal being then “became flesh.” That is the incarnation. That is Christmas! A lot of Christmas sermons today spend a great deal of time debating exactly how many wise men there were. They could spend a little time here. Instead, many preachers are fussing with camels and gold and Frankincense and Myrrh, and arguing about zodiac signs and star charts, while John is over here simply saying, “Before Abraham existed, Jesus already was.”
In verse 4, this infant that became flesh is the “light of all people.” Verse 5 affirms that the darkness will never be able to extinguish this light of life. That is encouraging to read when the sun sets at 4:45 P.M. and by 8:00 P.M. you are convinced you are living at the North Pole, shoveling snow in a Santa hat. Further, it is not just light in general; in verse 9, it is the “true light” that lightens every man. This light has come into the world in the person of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus claims later are clear. He said, “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.” (John 8:12). The Gospels show us the Shekinah glory of Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration; John does not relate that event to us. As Van Harn says, “he (John) sees the glory of God in all Jesus says and does; supremely the hour for Jesus to be glorified is the crucifixion (12:23; 13:32; 17:1). Jesus shares God’s glory as an only son resembles his father. This is John’s favorite description of the relationship between Jesus and God.” He lights up the world.
The entire message of the Gospel of John is the true Gospel message. It is the proclamation that the baby born in a stable was not just a baby of flesh and blood, although he was a true man. The Baby was the only begotten of God and carries the same genetic deity as the Father. He goes on in verse 18 to say, “No one has ever seen God.” We know that not even Moses was allowed to see God’s face. But then he follows with the true meaning of Christmas. It is Jesus, who existed in eternity past, who was with God in the very beginning. He is the one and only one who has revealed Him, that is God, to us. He makes God known to mankind through the incarnation and through His life, death, and resurrection. The prologue of John’s Gospel fills out the Christmas story. It is the radical explanation of Jesus’ name “God with us!” or Immanuel. This is the true meaning of Christmas. Light up your houses, light up the streets, and light up the trees. Let His light shine.