As the holiday season approaches, it's easy to get caught up in the festive decorations, gift-giving, and familiar traditions. But amidst the twinkling lights and cheerful carols, there's a profound truth that often gets overlooked – the incredible mystery of God becoming man.
The Gospel of John opens with a powerful declaration: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us" (John 1:14). This simple yet profound statement encapsulates the heart of Christmas. The eternal, divine Word – God himself – took on human form and entered our world as a vulnerable infant.
But who exactly is this Word that became flesh? John doesn't leave us guessing. He goes on to say, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). This Word is none other than Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God who has always existed in perfect unity with the Father.
The concept of God having a Son may seem strange to some, but it's a truth woven throughout Scripture. In Proverbs 30:4, we find this intriguing question: "What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!" The Old Testament repeatedly hints at this divine Son who would one day come to earth.
Psalm 2, a messianic prophecy, speaks of God declaring, "You are my son; today I have become your father" (Psalm 2:7). This psalm goes on to describe how all nations will be given to this Son as his inheritance. It's a powerful picture of the universal reign of Christ.
Perhaps one of the most vivid prophecies about the coming divine Son is found in Daniel 7. In a breathtaking vision, Daniel sees "one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven" who approaches the Ancient of Days (God the Father) and is given "authority, glory and sovereign power" over all peoples and nations (Daniel 7:13-14). This "Son of Man" would become Jesus' favorite self-designation during his earthly ministry.
The truth is, the entire Bible points to this incredible reality – God has a Son, and this Son became one of us. But why? Why would the infinite, all-powerful God choose to enter our world as a helpless baby?
A beautiful parable helps illustrate this mystery. Imagine a man seeing a flock of birds struggling in a snowstorm. He wants to help them find shelter in his warm barn, but they're afraid and don't understand his attempts to guide them. The man realizes that if only he could become a bird himself, he could communicate with them and lead them to safety. As he has this thought, the church bells begin to ring, announcing Christmas, and he falls to his knees in understanding.
This is the heart of the incarnation. God became one of us so that he could reveal himself to us in a way we could understand. He entered our world to rescue us, to bring us into the warmth and safety of his love.
But the Christmas story isn't just about a baby in a manger. That child grew up to be a man who would change the course of human history. Throughout his ministry, Jesus repeatedly claimed to be the divine Son of God. In John 5:17-18, we see the religious leaders wanting to kill Jesus because he was "making himself equal with God" by calling God his Father.
Jesus went on to say that the Father has given all judgment to the Son "that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father" (John 5:22-23). This is a staggering claim – Jesus asserts that he deserves the same honor and worship as God the Father himself!
The apostle John, who walked and talked with Jesus during his earthly ministry, came to a profound realization about his Master's true identity. He understood that the Jesus he knew was the same divine figure who had appeared to Abraham, Moses, and other Old Testament figures. The one who created the universe had become a man and dwelt among us!
This realization transformed John's life, and it should transform ours as well. The truth of who Jesus is – the eternal Son of God who became human – changes everything. It's not just a nice story or a comforting tradition. It's the very foundation of our faith and our hope.
As we approach Christmas, let's take time to marvel at this incredible mystery. God loves us so much that he was willing to humble himself, to take on human flesh, and to enter our broken world. He did this knowing the rejection, suffering, and death that awaited him. Yet he came anyway, out of love for us.
The beautiful song "Mary, Did You Know?" captures some of the wonder of this truth:
"Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you."
The helpless babe in the manger was also the Lord of all creation. The child Mary held in her arms was the one who would one day rule over all nations. When she kissed her newborn son, she was kissing the face of God himself.
This Christmas, let's look beyond the familiar trappings of the season and focus on the astounding truth at its core. God became one of us. The eternal Word took on flesh. The divine Son entered our world as a vulnerable child.
But he didn't stay a child. He grew up to be the man who would die for our sins and conquer death through his resurrection. This is the true gift of Christmas – not the presents under the tree, but the offer of new life through Jesus Christ.
As we celebrate, let's remember that the heart of Christianity is not about rules or rituals, but about a relationship with this Jesus who is both fully God and fully man. It's about receiving the life of God himself into our hearts.
In the words of the apostle John, "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12). This Christmas, may we all experience the wonder of knowing and receiving this incredible gift – God with us, Emmanuel.