Johns Christmas Story John 1:1-18
1. Christmas is over but not Christ Mass
• Hearts are broken the holidays are fun because of the gatherings the dinners the cakes the cookies the gifts the lights the spectacular, but some are relieved its over.
• Now even our lectionary calendar calls the events after Christmas and Epiphany Ordinary time
• So we are soon to be in ordinary time, time to put up the trees, the lights, the nativities, the bling and make everything ordinary again.
2. Johns Christmas Story
• John offers us a Christmas story rarely heard.
• Matthew has magi, Luke angels and shepherds, Mary Joseph and Elizabeth
• Johns Christmas story is about Light, Word, and Life.
3. Johns Christmas story begins with Light
• Johns Story Goes “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
• The Light of a single candle darkness is shoved back by the Light
• Light shoves back hopelessness, light shoves back despair, light shoves back lost-ness, light shoves back all darkness days. How the light of a candle can push back the darkness is a remarkable sight, one we seldom witness in these days of electricity.
4. Johns Christmas story also shares not only Light but The Word. Johns gospel
• Notice no trip to Bethlehem, No Shepherd or Angel, no Wise Men following a star, No babe Lying in a manger, Just : “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• Words, in the Scriptures, are almost living things. In Genesis 1, God speaks a word and creation comes into being. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of [God’s] mouth” (Psalm 33:6).
• God’s word is remarkably enduring: “The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
• Word has substantial impact on us: a single Word can become a dividing line between life as it once was and life as it will never be again. Especially when the Doctor says “I’m sorry to inform you the cancer test was positive,”
• Word can drop you in your tracks, Word can halt you, cause great sorrow but word can also give us great Hope 14 Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,* full of grace and truth
•
5. Johns Christmas story is Light, Word, and it is also Life.
• “What has come into being” in Jesus Christ, says John, “was life.” 3All things came into being through him,. What has come into being 4in him was life,* life was the light of people
• Life is given to the poor those who have no food, roof over their head
• Life is given to the disabled, those who grieve, the saddened, the broken, the lonely
• Life is given to those who for many years have walked in darkness, their light has come
• Life is given to those who have heard the Word as the carol says — “light and life to all he brings, ris’n with healing in his wings.”
•
6. Jesus shares with us today as He did with the disciples the night of Passover
• Jesus we all know like Johns Gospel teaches us Jesus is Light, Jesus is The Word, Jesus is the Life
On the night before meeting with death The Light, The Word, and The Life
Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
When the supper was over Jesus took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to the disciples, and said:
"Drink from this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ's offering for us.
Let us pray: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts,
that in the breaking of this bread and the drinking of this wine
we may know the presence of the living Christ
and be renewed as the body of Christ for the world,
redeemed by Christ's blood,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at your table for ever.
Take the bread as Jesus said "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. “Take ye and eat”
Take the cup Jesus said "Drink from this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. “Take ye and drink”
Benediction: Jesus who is The Light, who is the Life , Who is the Word
all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and for ever.
Amen.
