God So Loved the World

December 24, 1995

John 1:1-15

One summer afternoon we were in Westminster Abbey (where kings and queens have been crowned and buried— one of the most fascinating of places—) when an announcement was made that worship was to begin. All other activities were to cease. Tourists could become worshipers, or they could leave. Some of the people showed obvious displeasure at losing half an hour in their exploration of the chapels and mausoleums and crypts and all the history of that great church. Some simply left.

Helen and I found seats in the nave. The great organ began to play The choir sang praise to God. The scriptures were read. Our hearts were lifted. We worshiped. We were refreshed in spirit. We were reminded that the Abbey is first of all a house of prayer, a church. Then we went back to being tourists.

Christmas has become almost like a great cathedral.

It has enough to fascinate and inspire for a lifetime. Christmas, like a cathedral, is full of beauty and wonder. The Old Testament poets and prophets laid the great foundation stones and began the soaring arches. Matthew and Luke have given us the great picture windows of Bethlehem and the Star and Wise Men and Angels and the Annunciation and much, much more. Down through the centuries writers and musicians and peasants and kings have added carols and stories and oratorios and pageants that fill the cathedral that is Christmas full of wonder. Even the little lights on your Christmas tree and ours are part of the great Cathedral of Christmas. There is more than we can ever hope to see. (What a "Gift Shop" this cathedral has! And what a "lunch room"!)

But still, Christmas is a place of worship!

John's contribution to Christmas is a little like that call to worship in the abbey. He calls us to the center of the cathedral, and goes to the very heart of what Christmas is all about. John says not a word about Bethlehem and the manger and the shepherds and the wise men. As a matter of fact, in his entire Gospel John never once mentions Mary, Jesus' mother, by name. Joseph, his step-father is mentioned only once. But John comes immediately to the heart of Christmas. The opening words of John's Gospel are absolutely packed with wonder.

I. JESUS IS GOD ALMIGHTY

John wrote: 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of mankind. 5. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

- At Christmas remember:

The Baby of Bethlehem, as the creed tells us, is:

"God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made ..." This is revelation truth! When you really can believe this it is revelation time! Just words and human wisdom cannot get the truth across. If you believe that, count yourself truly fortunate. As Jesus told Peter: "Flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you, but my Father which is in heaven!"

God Himself came down to earth!

II. JESUS IS REALLY ONE WITH US, OUR BROTHER

John wrote 1:14. 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.

- At Christmas dare to believe:

"The Lord Jesus Christ... came down from heaven and was made incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man," the Creed continues. Here is THE miracle of miracles. Here is the very heart of our faith. The INCARNATION. Jesus is one with us! He came here to bring us salvation. he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate. The cross itself is only tragedy if in fact Jesus is not very God and very man.

Do you really believe that? If you do it is a miracle! Jesus is not only God— he is our BROTHER! To believe that is a gift of faith from God!

III. "JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!"

John wrote 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name :13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. - Best of all, at Christmas, say from your heart, "Jesus Christ is Lord!"

There is MYSTERY here! Not everyone receives Jesus. Not everyone knows Jesus. Not everyone is willing to believe that He is God and that He is human. But if YOU have met him, and if you believe, then you are invited into the family of God! Jesus makes it possible for you and me to be men and women of God. "Jesus is the light that lights every person in the world."

This is not MY family (although I have been adopted, too)— not the property of this church or any church. But the simple promise is there: if you receive the Christ you have the power— the right— the privilege and promise to be God's child.

~ * ~ * ~

How do you and I "receive Christ" and be/become children of God? The answer is both simple and profound. It has to do with believing and confessing.

First, believing: God doesn't ask us to believe in magic, or profess to believe something totally and obviously false. Still, the basic facts of Christmas are pretty hard for human minds to grasp. But by the help of God

  1. We can believe that Jesus is God
  2. We can believe that Jesus came and lived among us, and that           somehow he took our sins to the cross forever.

    This faith is a gift of God. It is a persuasion that comes as you open your heart to God. It is revealed from faith to faith.

    Then comes confessing:

    You may think I am speaking about confessing your sins and asking forgiveness. Forgiveness of sins is a pretty important part of being a Christian, but it is not the very heart of the matter. The very heart of the matter is WHY we sin— it is WHO or WHAT is at the center of our lives. Being saved is not just having our sins forgiven so we can have a clean slate and live a clean life on our own terms. Rather being saved, or born again, is saying that we will make the Christ of Christmas our Lord, and follow Him.

  3. We can confess "Jesus is Lord!" and by that confession renounce every other life allegiance, every other pretender to the throne of our lives. Do you even now believe? Really and truly in your heart do you believe Jesus is God? That Jesus is Savior because he took our sins to the cross? Do you say with your mouth, and with your mind— and with your will— JESUS IS LORD! ??

~ * ~ * ~

We are ALL in the Cathedral that is Christmas!

I sometimes wish I could be back in that great Abbey. I LOVE almost everything about a cathedral. I can't do that. but that essence of what the cathedral stands for, the worship and praise of God, is not limited to the great churches.

How many times have you heard people say: wouldn't it be nice to have Christmas all year— I don't know about that. But the essence of Christmas is first of all a time of worship and wonder. And we CAN have that because Christmas is TRUE! Jesus, God's Son, is Lord! He is ONE WITH US forever!!

Lift up your hearts! Worship the Christ! Then carry on with the carols and stories and being happy tourists in the Cathedral called Christmas!.

Prayer - #152 Fairest Lord Jesus - Verses 1 & 4 [ then # 164 ??]