The Promise

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable to thee, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer and Lord, give us here today, eyes to see and ears to hear so we can learn your word together as a family. We offer you all the praise, honor, and Glory for it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Good evening, my fellow encouragers!

It’s Christmas Eve, and what a joy it is to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! During Advent, we’ve reflected on the promises of hope, peace, joy, and love that come with His arrival. As Christians, we look forward to the day Jesus returns and restores the world. Christmas is a time filled with expectation in every way. It always has been about excitedly waiting.

One of my strongest Christmas memories is waiting for my grandparents to arrive. On Christmas Eve morning, I’d eagerly count down the hours until their Chevy Impala pulled into our driveway. There was no better feeling than running out to hug them. They’d open the trunk and ask if I wanted to help carry the presents—of course, I would!

Christmas is wonderful for so many reasons. The time spent with family is sweet, and the food shared is always tasty. The cold weather, the lights, the music? There is so much to look forward to, making waiting hard for it to arrive.

Christmas is worth waiting for. The first Christmas was a long-anticipated event, with promises made to the people of God long before the manger, angels, or wise men. They trusted in God’s faithfulness. In Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph found refuge in a humble farm shed behind a crowded inn. It was there, in a simple manger, that the Savior of the world was laid—a vulnerable baby wrapped in swaddling cloth.

The Gospels contain multiple accounts of this miraculous event. Tonight, I want to explore it from a unique perspective, focusing on a less traditional account. Our Gospel lesson this evening, St. John 1:1-14, known as “The Last Gospel,” focuses on Jesus’ divine nature and incarnation.

Verse 9 says, “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” In this version of the Christmas story, a light enters the world. This light was born into a dark world full of sin and brokenness. This is not just any light; this is the true Light, the light everyone has been waiting on.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, it fulfilled a promise from long ago. The prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 9:2, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” This speaks of a day when a light would dawn on the people who were living in deep darkness. This light would bring love to humanity that had forgotten about God. Jesus is known in the Scriptures as the light of the world.

One reason we see lights everywhere during the Christmas season is that they constantly remind us that while many of us may be familiar with the story of a baby born in a manger, it is also about a great Light that has come into the world to brighten up what otherwise feels dark.

St. John warns about the dangers of missing who this true light is. Verses 10–11 say, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” As Jesus miraculously came into the world, a world that was created through Him and held together by Him, the world did not recognize Him for who He really was.

It is a tragedy that though many were waiting for the Messiah to appear, redeem all that God had created, and bring peace to the world when the Messiah shows up, the majority don’t recognize Him. But why? How could the signs not be clear? How could He have flown under the radar?

The people expected a military savior to overthrow Rome or an activist to lead protests, but what God promised was far greater. Instead of an activist who would lead the Jews in protest of oppressive powers, they received the humble birth of Jesus and His sacrificial life, bringing freedom from sin. This is the Light that came into the world in Bethlehem.

Jesus came to rescue His fellow Jews and to take that hope to the ends of the earth, but they did not accept Him. His life was a gift that was never received.

If you are here tonight, you most likely understand that Jesus is the greatest gift that could ever be received. Jesus was born into the world for all people. He came to rescue us, free us from our sins, and shine the light of hope, peace, joy, and love into our lives. Don’t miss Him. Receive Him into your heart.

St. John goes on to tell us why the gift of God in Jesus Christ must be opened. Verses 12–13 say, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Those who receive Christ as God’s greatest gift gain the right to become children of God, becoming spiritual siblings of Jesus. God, as their Father, forgives, provides for, guides, and protects them. They inherit an eternal home, a resurrected body, and unspeakable joy. This Christmas, embrace the light of the world—Jesus offers the fullness of life to all who receive Him. God desires to dwell in our hearts, having come in the flesh to be with us.

The last verse of the last Gospel speaks to this. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Jesus is referred to as the Word, highlighting His role as the fulfillment of all prophetic promises. He embodies God’s Word in the flesh, showcasing God’s glory. If you want to understand what God looks like, look to the incarnation of Jesus, who perfectly represents Him, full of grace and truth.

Jesus meets us with grace, reminding us that we are loved for who we are, not who we should be. He also shares truth, revealing our sins while offering grace to remove them, making us new. The beauty of Christmas is not just that Jesus shines into us but also that He shines through us. The world takes notice when we love, serve, and encourage others like Jesus.

As we conclude our service tonight with a Candlelight observance, we’ll sing “Silent Night.” Let’s lift our lights and appreciate the illumination around us as we do. While one light may seem small, together, we can overwhelm the darkness, filling the room with His powerful light.

May God, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, bless us and fill us with peace. Amen.