December 26 | John 1:1-18

by Dan Kidd

Jesus' nativity teems with paradoxes. At one specific time in history the eternal One who existed before and beyond everything was born. The One powerful enough to create the universe simply by speaking it forth, who defeated death and every enemy, was exactly as small, frail, and vulnerable as a newborn infant. The King of kings was born in Bethlehem, in a lowly stable, laid in a manger and his birth was heralded by shepherds (who'd been visited by angels in their field in the night). And John's Gospel begins with another paradox,

In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Immediately we hear that the Word was simultaneously with God and was God. And what is this Word? Logos. A byword from Greek philosophy that would have meant a variety of things to John's audience, but had something to do with the timeless, fundamental, rational Principle of the universe. John introduced Jesus by identifying him as the omnipresent source of righteous Wisdom meant to guide the world according to the way God created it. But what might be lost in translation, or in its subtly, is how perplexing it would have been for John to declare a man--fashioned in skin, bone, and blood--to be called Logos. Logos was something imprecise, conceptual, invisible--not something empirical or tangible, and certainly not something like an infant from Bethlehem. And yet, that is exactly what John stated. The One who is the source of all Wisdom, righteousness, and all creation, was incredibly born as a human in the person of Jesus.

John continues in his introduction of Jesus by identifying that in him is life, and the light of all humanity--the light that "shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."

Logos.

Life.

Light.

This is the awesome proclamation we first receive from John. And I think striking awe is exactly what John had in mind. As he prepares us for the story of the life of Jesus, John wants us to know how extraordinary Jesus is. And as we, on this second day of Christmas, reflect on the birth of God in Christ Jesus, let us allow John to drive us into awe.

Awe that the Logos would become not just seen and touched, but human.

Awe that in a grave-bound world he has given us not only life, but life abundant that lasts forever.

Awe that the Light radiated in a world shrouded in darkness and has not--will not--be overcome.

Lord Jesus, rouse our souls to marvel at you as they were created to do. Set our lips to singing the hymns of your wonder and majesty. Give us eyes to see your Light shining through the darkness and make it to radiate from us. Let us be full of the joy, peace, and hope that was proclaimed the very night of you birth from the mouths of angels and shepherds.