Go! And See God’s Rescue Plan – The 5 R’s Of Christmas Series

Go! And See God’s Rescue Plan – The 5 R’s of Christmas

Introduction

When I was young, my grandmother spoke to me about the importance of the “three R’s”: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. I remember thinking—even as a child—only one of those actually begins with the letter R! But the idea was simple: those three things were considered essential for a good education.

Tonight, we gather not to discuss education, but redemption. God also has a set of R’s—but His are far more important because they form His eternal rescue plan for humanity. They are: Reason, Reconciliation, Revelation, Reality, and Response.

This is part of our series “Go! And…”, so let me frame it this way: at Christmas, God says, “Go! And see my plan. Go! And receive my gift. Go! And share my light.”

Let us walk through these 5 R’s as we hear the heartbeat of John 1:1–18.

1. Reason – Go! And Understand Why He Came

John opens his Gospel:

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.” (John 1:1–3, NLT)

Why did God send His Son? Because we had rebelled against Him. Sin had broken the relationship. Romans 3:23 reminds us: “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

The Greek word used here is Logos (?????)—to the Jews, it meant the powerful Word that created all things (Genesis 1); to the Greeks, it was the rational principle that ordered the universe. John says: That Word has come… and His name is Jesus.

Go! And understand this: God’s Reason for Christmas was love. John 1:14 says, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”

2. Reconciliation – Go! And Be Restored

Christmas is not just about a cradle; it points to the cross. John the Baptist would later cry, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Reconciliation means enemies become friends, strangers become family.

2 Corinthians 5:18–19: “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ… For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them.”

John writes: “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)

Go! And be reconciled to God. That is the heart of Christmas—God’s Son came so you could be brought home.

3. Revelation – Go! And See the Light

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:4–5)

Here John uses two rich words:

Life (???, zoe) – eternal, spiritual life.

Light (f??, phos) – the truth that exposes darkness and leads us to God.

John the Baptist was sent as a witness:

“God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.” (John 1:6–7)

This is revelation: God making Himself known through His Son. No more guessing, no more shadows—Christ is the full and final revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1–2).

Go! And walk in the light. Do not stay in the shadows of sin, doubt, or despair.

4. Reality – Go! And Experience His Grace

Verse 14 again: “So the Word became human and made his home among us… And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.”

The incarnation is not myth; it is history. The Reality of Christmas is that the eternal God entered time and space.

Verse 16 declares: “From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.”

Verse 17 adds: “For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.”

The law showed us our guilt. Jesus came to show us grace.

Go! And receive His blessing upon blessing.

5. Response – Go! And Believe

Every rescue requires a response. You can admire the lifeboat or you can get in.

“He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:11–12)

Christmas is an invitation, not a compulsion. God does not force Himself on you. You must choose.

Will you reject the light and remain in darkness?

Or will you receive Him and become a child of God?

Go! And respond in faith today.

Application for Our Lives:

Go! And share the light – Just as John the Baptist witnessed, so must we.