Sermon for Christmas Day + 2020
Christmas Day
December 25th, 2020
John 1:1-14
We live in darkness.
The darkness of this world is specific, it is a darkness made known through sin and death. It wasn’t always this way.
In the beginning, God created. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-2) All that was created was and is good.
Creation was brought into existence through this Word. It was through the Word, life is given. It was through the Word, you were created. You are God’s, you belong to Him.
The darkness is a reality of a broken world. A world led away from the light of the Word made flesh. A world led into temptation and sin through the lies and murdering of the ancient serpent, in whom the truth does not abide. (John 8:44)
Where does this great lie of the serpent lead you? Into the same belief of our first parents, that you also could be as God. That your eyes would be open to the knowledge of good and evil, able to discern what is right and what is wrong within your lives. To possess the power to define truth according to your own will.
The knowledge of good and evil is as frightening as light and darkness. The darkness is where sin dwells, where man’s greatest, most personal fears reside, the fear of death itself. We do not like the darkness, because here is where strife with loved ones, envy of our neighbors, and the insecurities of oneself reside. Yet, we find ourselves in these shadows of isolation and turmoil more than we are not.
But, the light also brings you fear, because it reveals your deeds, your failures, your sin. (John 3:20) The light reveals who you truly are, not as the world sees you, but as you are seen before God, children of this dark world.
For you, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
He is the only Son of the Father. He is life and He is the light of men. “The light shines in the darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”
When we hear the word, “Comprehend,” we think of how a person mentally grasps or comes to an understanding. Here lies a deep challenge for those of us gathered again this Christmas morning. Do we truly understand or grasp why the Christ child comes to us?
While children are often lost in the lights that adorn homes, north poles, and sleigh rides this time of year, they are also caught up in the mystery of Lord’s birth as it is retold year after year. As we grow older, we become averse to mystery.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,
“Children have open, wide-awake eyes, because they know that they are surrounded by mystery. They are not yet finished with this world; they still don’t know how to struggle along and avoid the mystery as we do. [Bonhoeffer goes on to say] We destroy the mystery because we sense that here we reach the boundary of our being, because we want to be lord over everything and have it at our disposal, and that’s just what we cannot do with the mystery…” (18)
This is exactly what the season of Christmas leads us to do, isn’t it? The mystery of the incarnation, the coming into the flesh of the Christ child, it’s not comprehended by our feeble minds alone and thus, we work to avoid it and fill the season with fables. We are no longer children willing to enter the mystery, to ponder the Word of God, to struggle with God, to humble ourselves before Him. So, we stay within the boundaries of what we do know, we remain in the place where we are gods unto ourselves.
But, Christmas is a call for us to enter the mystery once again, to walk as children of the light, children of God. (Ephesians 5:8)
For “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
You are invited again this Christmas to remember that you are God’s children. In the incarnate Son of God, Jesus entered this world, assumed your flesh, became a creature as you - He became your brother. He does this so that He would be made known to you and that through Him, you would know your heavenly Father. (John 14:7)
For you, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
So that, through the Son, the love of the Father is made known throughout the world. Exalted upon the cross, the only Son of the Father suffers and dies. He suffers for the strife you have among one another. He suffers for the envy you experience. He suffers for the insecurities you possess. He suffers for the darkness of your life - your sin and your death.
For you, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
In His dwelling, He entered the darkness of this dark world. Even death could not comprehend His light, His truth and grace. Death could not overcome Him, death could not conquer this light of Christ.
For you, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
And He has not left, nor abandoned you. Rather, He continues to dwell among you now as the Holy Spirit calls you by the Gospel, enlightens you with the gift of Holy Baptism and the Holy Supper. Through these means, the Word made flesh continues to be revealed. Through these means, the light of the World shines into the darkness of your lives and through this light, the true knowledge and understanding of God is revealed.
All this is yours, because you are children of God, you are children of the light. The world is broken, it is a dark world, but this Christmas, Your Jesus remains. The conqueror, the One who has triumph over death, the One who has defeated your fears, suffered your punishments. In Him alone you have peace, in Him you have life. And after this mortal life passes, in the eternal presence of God, you have life everlasting.
So, let us gather again in awe and wonder of the true Light of the world and sing our praises to this newborn King. +INJ+
Merry Christmas!
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